Going Forward Is Always Better Than Going Backwards

With graduation on the horizon, this will be my final blog before I leave the Raymond School District. For one last time, I will write about my hopes for the future of our schools.  I'm not going to revisit what has or has not been done in the district, although I am personally very proud of all the things that our staff, School Board, community and students have accomplished.  I also know that we have supportive citizens who want the best for our children. So here are my personal future hopes, plans, and thoughts for our schools (in no particular order):

• An addition on the elementary school to better serve our students' safety, special education, physical education and space needs
• Expanded world languages program that extends to the elementary school
• An outdoor classroom at the middle school- the location is perfect for all kinds of learning
• Expanded ELO program (Extended Learning Opportunities) and a requirement that all high school students complete at least one ELO prior to graduation
• More students as members of the Reach High Scholars club
• All students take part in some form of community service - this is a wonderful way for our students to develop an  appreciation and empathy for others
• Flexible schedules for students not succeeding in high school
• A competency based report card with a 4.0 grading scale grades 5-12
• Greater parent involvement beyond the elementary school
• Interventions in reading at all levels
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) opportunities at every level as a part of an integrated curriculum
• Continued growth in math using a universal screener to develop personalized learning
• More students attending SST- this is an outstanding opportunity that continues to assist our students in choosing a career based on their skills and interests, (as well as, having the potential to learn some amazing skills and earn college credits)
• More high school students in dual enrollment courses for college credits
• Student Internships outside the classroom
• A robust Freshman Academy where, perhaps, the 8th grade and 9th grade teachers team-teach or even trade places for a year
• Expanded on-line courses -many students will need to navigate this type of learning for their future needs
• A district where every child experiences success at every level

These are just my thoughts and some of the ideas I had for the future.  I could go on and on but, you get the idea, I just want what everyone does- an amazing school experience for our students. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with your children.

Ellen Small

What Does a Strategic Plan Have to Do with Anything?

On May 18, 2017 a group of administrators, School Board members, teachers, paraprofessionals, citizens and parents spent the day working together on the Raymond School District's Strategic Plan. This annual review and work helps us set our priorities, determine our focus and move forward academically to improve the education and future for all of our students.  The day began with a discussion of where we are now and followed with what we have accomplished, as well as, what still needs to be done.  Jon Hall facilitated our meeting and is a trained Facilitator who has worked all over the country with Strategic Plan Committees.

Some successes from our plan include: full day kindergarten; universal reading screening for all students Kindergarten through Grade 9; a new evaluation plan for administrators, teachers and paraeducators; increased technology for students throughout the District; competencies written for every subject; Spanish provided for two sections of 8th grade students at the middle school; and developing new schedules to better fit students' needs.  Things that we still need to work on include: expanding the world language program; creating data teams to review assessment results; building on the competencies; continued work in reading; professional development on rigorous instruction; and peer coaching.  Our Strategic Plan is working just as it is supposed to and continues to evolve and change as needed. 

As you might have guessed, a school district's strategic plan is much different than a plan that a town might have. A town's plan would include such things as zoning; roads and bridges; subdivision development; and water.  This type of plan is important to ensure a town continues to move forward and that regulations and laws are followed.

A Shared Resources Committee is currently working to determine if there are things the town and schools could share as a cost saving method (there are many things we already share, see my blog from March 25, 2016).  You can see from the school district's Strategic Plan that our purposes are much different from a town's plan. We always welcome new ideas and we will always work with the town and the citizens of Raymond to ensure our town is a safe, wonderful community in which to live and that our schools are the best they can be to provide our students with a great future.

Empty Bowl Project

This week on Thursday, May 25, our staff will sponsor the "Empty Bowl" Project.  This event is organized and supported by Kathy Mutch, High School Art Teacher. Students and staff under Kathy's guidance have made beautiful ceramic bowls while others have made some delicious soups.  On Thursday, from 5:00-6:30, the doors will be open for a supper of homemade soups and bread in a gorgeous, hand-made bowl.  The soup offerings are for every taste:  Polish sausage and potato soup, cheese and broccoli, and grandma's chicken noodle are just some off what you can choose.

This dinner (that you don't have to prepare or cook) will be in the high school FCS room (Room 109).  The price is $12 for the soup and bread and you get to keep the bowl!  Each bowl is unique and hand-made so it's always difficult to choose.  A family soup bowl to keep plus child or student is $12.00 & $3.00.

The Empty Bowl project is an international attempt to fight hunger and all proceeds (100%!) from this event will go to the Raymond Food Pantry.  We are so grateful to Kathy and all of the staff and students who are helping to bring the issue of hunger in our community, in our state, and world-wide to our consciousness.  Be a part of something big.

For those who love to....

READ!  I love to read.  I'm a very eclectic reader and read everything from history to adventure to mysteries to science to Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.  Reading allows me to meet so many people involved in so many situations and with so very many problems to solve.  I've been introduced to kings and queens, writers, soldiers, poets, scientists, detectives, a few ghosts, talking animals, farmers, doctors, sailors, lawyers, Olympians, as well as, people from every continent.  Books help me to be more empathetic, patient, and tolerant; allow me the freedom to travel; and provide hours of free entertainment.

When I was a young student, the city library wasn't accessible to me.  I wasn't allowed to walk downtown by myself and, with only one car, my dad took it to work. But, we did have a school library- and I soon went through everything I was interested in.  I remember reading all of Edgar Allen Poe as a 7th grader.  I also read our encyclopedias.  We had two sets at home and I started from A and went all the way to Z- of course, this wasn't a full 26 books for each set, as some of the letters had to share a book (think Q, Z, or X).

I always try to squeeze in a little reading every day.  Sometimes I have one book upstairs and another one down!  Then if the television is on and I'm not interested in the show, I read.  If I'm having a hard time falling asleep, I read.  If I'm going to the beach, relaxing on the porch, or traveling, I read.  I'm not sure what made me love reading so much (although I remember my dad reading a lot, too), but I am so grateful for this appreciation of books.  I know that many of my successes in school and later in life have come from the knowledge I received, the vocabulary I acquired and the understandings I have of our place in history.  I'm so grateful to have this gift of loving to read.

SAT's and the Rite of Passage

There are many "Rites of Passage" that our students and parents anticipate and celebrate:  going to school for the first time; transitioning from elementary to middle and then high school; first dances; getting a driver's license; graduation and more.

It used to be that SAT's were "reserved" for those students who were already prepared to go on to college after high school.  This is no longer the case.  I am proud to say that our state, our high school has made this a "rite of passage" for all students.  Junior year, our students all take this test together and they take it seriously.  Students and parents want to know "what they know" and this exam can be a part of that.  I quietly "peeked" as our students recently took the SAT.  I was so proud that every student was attentive and appeared to be working hard on this exam.

All of our students should have a goal of continued education after high school:  trade school; community college; a 4 year college; on-line education; work-study; there are many more options now than ever before for us all to be life-long learners.  Our schools provide opportunities for our students to take interest surveys to see what possible jobs would be a good match for their interests and the skills they would like to develop.  Students can use this to find information on how to obtain that position, and the next steps needed in their education.  Careers and continued education are explored at all three of our schools.

The SAT, in my mind, is just one of the steps our students can use to begin making those all-important decisions on the future they want for themselves.  This is a great new "rite of passage" that every student can take advantage of.

Mock Drill

Last week we had a mock drill that involved the middle school.  The purpose of all of our drills is to practice and, also, to find out where we might have gaps in our training: students, staff and police.  The scenario went like this:  an "intruder" entered the building and refused to stop at the office; the office staff called a 'lock-down' and also called the police.  They then called the SAU office to notify us of the situation.

Until we knew what was happening, a lock-down was called for both the high school and elementary school.  The police came and "captured" the suspect, and the students and staff were evacuated to the high school.  In the meantime, it was determined safe to call off the lock-down at the other two schools.

I am so proud of our students.  I entered the high school gym and they were quiet and orderly while they waited for further instructions.  Many had to use the restrooms and did so by quietly waiting in line.  We had parents who volunteered to be a part of this so that we could practice reuniting them with their children (thank you to the parents!).  We had observers in all areas to note what was happening so that we could review this information following the drill.

We found out some areas where we need to our continue training, but we also had a chance to work on our plan for reuniting students safely with their parents, practiced an evacuation, and the police were able to check their responses and training, too  This entire process took just a little over two hours to complete- including evacuating the students to the high school, returning them to the middle school and accounting for every student and staff member!

We will continue to have drills in our schools for the safety of everyone and will continue our cooperation with the Raymond Police Department.  Thank you to everyone who helped out or took part in our safety drill.

Sharing Resources Between the Raymond School District and Town of Raymond

 Recently, the School Board and the Board of Selectmen held a joint meeting to discuss how to set priorities for the needs of our schools and our town.  It was decided to put together a committee made up of Board members from each Board plus citizens and parents to discuss options and come up with a viable plan for all the townspeople.  I hope some of you will consider joining this important committee.  If you would like to be considered for this committee, please read the following notice:



School Board Invites Letters of Interest for the Shared Resources Committee

The Raymond School Board and the Raymond Board of Selectmen are joining to form a Shared Resources Committee.  This committee will be reviewing expenditures and possible options for combining resources of the Town and the District.  It will be comprised of representatives from the School Board, the Board of Selectmen, the Town, the District, parents, and community members.  The first meeting of this committee will be Thursday, April 20th at 7:00 PM.

Both the School Board and the Board of Selectmen will each be appointing two members of the public to serve on this committee.  As such, the School Board invites you to submit a letter of interest to be one of their appointed members. They will be appointing one parent and one community member at their April 19th School Board meeting.  

Please submit letters of interest by 12:00 PM on Wednesday, April 19th, via email, mail, or fax, to:

Raymond School Board

Jennifer Heywood

Raymond School District

43 Harriman Hill Road

Raymond, NH 03077

Fax 603-895-0147

j.heywood@sau33.com

Observations......

It occurs to me, every now and then, that, at various times, the same rules of behavior don't apply to everyone. There's the speeder who justifies this with being late for work, school, grocery shopping, whatever. There's the person who lets their dog out late at night so they won't have to pick up after their pet (but the neighbors do). There's the late-comer who comes to every meeting, dinner date, party, late (and "just can't help it").  There are those who postpone doing almost everything: calling an elderly relative, painting the living room (me), handing in work assignments, cutting out junk food, stacking wood, and so on (naturally, with good reasons).  How about the person who brings 30 items to the '14 or fewer' line at the grocery store?  I guess the top of the heap is the person who wriggles out of every situation with an excuse or denies responsibility:  "I was sick", "my dog threw up on the carpet", "someone else lost it", "no one told me how to do it", and, of course, "it wasn't me".  This person will continue their fiction even when proven wrong and will rarely admit they did something wrong.  Sometimes, all of these can be one person.

The other day, my husband mispronounced a name he saw in the paper.  He was telling me about an issue and showed me a picture of a politician.  He drew out the name in a cartoon-like voice. Our 4 year old granddaughter immediately imitated him and kept going around the house saying the name over and over- in the same cartoonish voice.   I think she thought we were making fun of the name, the person, or the situation and I had to tell her this wasn't so.  (I had images of her doing this using the names of her friends at school.) Of course, she was confused.

Unconsciously, we confuse young people all the time - we tell them one thing (follow the rules, respect others, don't get in trouble, do your homework, be on time for school, be nice to others) but our actions say something entirely different.

Spring Resolutions

Unlike many people, I make my resolutions in the spring instead of at New Year's.  I used to do them in January, but it's such a busy month (keeping the wood stove going, making big pots of soup, visiting people I didn't see over the holidays) so I always forgot.  I am just as bad at keeping them as those who make their resolutions in January, but I try.  This year's resolutions are for such things as:  cleaning out the  "junk" closet, strip the wallpaper and paint the living room (this has been on my list for 3 years), ride my bicycle more, read for fun, garden, and make 5 quilts for Christmas gifts.

Spring to me is more about renewal than January and I have a lot of fun figuring out how I will get everything done because I am a list-maker.  Many, many to-do lists are made before my "final" one. My lists are arranged by priority with a number assigned to each resolution or task and the numbers (and, sometimes, lists) change regularly!  If it's sunny out, I won't be cleaning a closet, if the temperature is hovering around 90, I won't be riding my bike or painting.  And then there are the days when the beach is the best place to be with some of the kids, or my granddaughter wants me to help her make a skirt, or there's an impromptu barbecue at my son's house, or my grandson's baseball team is playing.  Yes, spring is busy, too!

The key to making resolutions is the ability to make plans (or lists) but also to be flexible.  To be organized, but also realistic (it's raining or too hot).  And to always put family first.

"I am worth something"

Every time I attend a concert, athletic event, visit a classroom, or talk with students and staff, I realize how fortunate we are.  Not only do we have wonderful teachers and staff members, but we have talented, skillful, interesting students!

Last week, I judged a speaking contest for JAG students who had to speak about "What I Learned from JAG".  If you don't know, JAG stands for Jobs for America's Graduates and is a program to help students decide what to do after high school, helps them with the interview process and filling out applications, and assists students in making goals. (More information on this program can be found at http://www.jag.org/)

As I talked to this group of seniors, I was very impressed with their confidence and skills.  All of them had goals and many of them were already enrolled in community college, have plans to join the military, or are visiting trade schools.  These are not the same students I knew in middle school!  I was brought to tears when one student said, "I found out that I am worth something".  What a great testament to this program, to our schools and our staff.  I knew this student felt this way because he was truly listened to and his ideas, goals, and dreams became important to someone other than himself.

What a great lesson for all of us that we really listen to our young people.

The "License to Carry" Law

A recent law, RSA 159-6, passed the NH Legislature and was signed by Governor Sununu concerning the "License to Carry" a gun in NH.  There is some confusion about what this law does and does not allow.  This is a summary of what was passed:

"On February 22, 2017, Governor Sununu signed into law Senate Bill 12 (“SB 12”).  Effective immediately, RSA 159:6 has been amended to allow a person to carry a loaded, concealed pistol or revolver without a license unless such person is otherwise prohibited by New Hampshire statute." 

The perception out there now is that anyone can carry a gun at any time and any place.  This is not the case.  There are other  laws that prohibit guns in and around schools- these are federal laws. And New Hampshire's state law does not negate these federal laws concerning the Gun Free School Zones Act.  This act makes it a crime to possess a firearm in a school zone.  "School Zones" cover school property within 1000 feet of the school grounds.  There are a few exceptions to this, such as, law enforcement officials in their official capacity, for example, our district's SRO (Student Resource Officer). 

On another note, RSA 193:3 requires us to expel from school for 12 months any student who brings a gun to school.  Students are not allowed to have guns on school property at any time.

The Places They'll Go....

A student I once had has lived the past 25 years in California and has now moved to Oregon.  Another student I had spent 10 years in China and is now back in the states.  Other students I have had now live in Washington, DC, Virginia, Maine, Nebraska, and London.  I have students who have studied in France, England, the Bahamas, Germany, and Spain. (And these are just the ones I know about!)

And, many of my former students live in Raymond and are working to make this an even better community for their children.  They enjoyed growing up in a small town that continues to have family celebrations, parades, and neighbors helping neighbors.

The point is, our Raymond students were ready for these challenges and had the skills necessary to be successful no matter where they ended up.  This should always be our legacy to our students:  creating problem solvers who recognize when they need help but also have the tools to succeed even when things don't go as planned.  Students who readily accept responsibility for their actions and mistakes without making excuses or blaming others.  Students who are kind, thoughtful, generous, and accepting.  Students who, no matter where they are, remember the lessons they have learned from their families and teachers right here in Raymond.

School Roofs

Once again, we are were a situation where we had to keep an eye out on our roofs.  I want to assure everyone that we are checking the snow loads daily and have already removed snow in those areas where it became very deep, and thus, heavy.  Some snow was the actual snow fall, some was the blowing and drifting that occurred.  This past weekend Todd Ledoux and a crew of 'shovelers' were on the roofs at all three schools removing snow as you can see from the pictures at the high school and middle school.  The elementary school was done, as well.


This is a relatively new phenomenon for our district:  two years ago and now this year, too.  February seems to have become the month of snow- I always remembered January as the month for deep snow and lots of sledding.  I think of March as the turning point and have been counting the days until March arrives.  I'm hoping it comes in "like a lamb" and goes out that way, too!