This past weekend my son had to travel up north- he reported that there was snow on the ground! I then heard the same on the news that evening- some places had 3-4 inches and extreme winds. It's always this time of year when so many of us say, "I'm not ready yet". Not ready for snow, cold, or winter. (Of course, I know many others who "just can't wait"!) In either case, it's time to think about those days when school might be cancelled or delayed-especially with this recent bout of very cold, blustery, wood stove weather. I am repeating a blog I wrote a couple of years ago (with some updates) so that you have an idea of how these difficult decisions are made.
From a November 20, 2014 blog:
I thought this would be a good time of year to explain what goes into
cancelling (or delaying) school for weather related reasons. It's not
always snow- over the years we've had both flood days and a hurricane day!
Usually, it is the superintendent watching the weather reports and
hoping that the weather doesn't interfere with school. Sometimes, it is
a state-wide event and we all receive some direction from the NH
Department of Safety. The hurricane one year was one of these, and all
of the superintendents took part in a conference call advising us to
call off school the next day.
But when it comes to snow
or ice, superintendents are pretty much on their own with the
decision. I watch the weather every night and check for any storms that
are forecast for the school week. If a forecast calls for snow or ice,
I watch even more carefully! On the night before a predicted storm, I
stay up until around 11:30 PM watching the weather channel and the local
reports. I am then up the next morning at 4:30 AM to look out the
windows and check the television weather reports again. If there is
already snow on the ground, by 5:00 AM, I call our town road agent to
see if the roads are clear. Our town road workers are a good judge of
what it is like out on the roads and whether the roads will be ready. I
also call our police department to see what the officers are saying
about the state roads, such as Route 101. Finally, I need to make a
decision to call off school before 6:00 AM as our bus drivers
need to get the buses ready and out by 6:00 for our high school
students. This is so early that the decision is almost always a tricky
one. (More than once, I've had to make a decision for a two hour delay due to
unexpected icy roads that caught everyone by surprise!)
Once
I make the decision to cancel or delay school, it is a race to notify
everyone. I call each of the administrative team and then, Jennifer,
our Administrative Assistant, makes a call and creates a message to
families and staff members. I also call the television and radio
stations, the town road agent, the police, and the town manager. This
all takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Although students are not in
school, our administrators all come in, and the schools and SAU offices
are open for the day.
The most difficult decisions are
when a storm is predicted for later in the morning- after school has
already begun. If the weather reports say that the storm will be here
at 10:00, it is a tough call. Should I take a chance and get everyone
to school and hope that the roads will be clear at dismissal? Or should I
cancel school and take a chance that the storm will be so bad, that
people will forget it was clear in the morning?
And
what if a storm sneaks in unexpectedly during the day? Should I dismiss
school and get the buses out as quickly as possible? Or wait and hope
that the roads will be better prepared later in the day?
With
every decision, I am aware that families may have day care or baby
sitting issues that need to be resolved and that, they too, spend time
watching the weather to try and predict whether there will be school or
not. Every decision I make is made for the safety of our children. I do
not want students at bus stops or walking on roads that have not been
plowed or out walking where drivers may be sliding on our roads. We
live in a rural area with very few sidewalks; winding, hilly roads; and
narrow walkways. When you add a snowstorm or ice to this, it can be a
dangerous situation for our students.
Cancelling school
is not something I like to do, but I do it for the safety of our
students. We had two rough winters in a row, followed by one mild one, let's hope this year,
we only have snow on the weekends!
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Friday, October 21, 2016
Superintendent Selection Committee
You may have heard that this year will be my last as your Superintendent of Schools. This is my 5th year in this position and I am very proud of what we have accomplished over the last several years. I will write more about that later. This message is to encourage those interested in serving on the Superintendent Selection Committee to write a letter of interest to the School Board. Your Superintendent sets the tone and the direction of our schools, represents our district around the state, ensures our students have the best possible education, and so much more.
If you are interested in serving on this committee, please send your letter of interest by 12:00 noon on November 2, 2016 to:
Jennifer Heywood
SAU #33
43 Harriman Hill Road
Raymond, NH 03077
At the November 2 School Board meeting, the School Board plans to create a committee made up of citizens, parents, employees and School Board members. Dates and times for meetings have not yet been determined.
If you are interested in serving on this committee, please send your letter of interest by 12:00 noon on November 2, 2016 to:
Jennifer Heywood
SAU #33
43 Harriman Hill Road
Raymond, NH 03077
At the November 2 School Board meeting, the School Board plans to create a committee made up of citizens, parents, employees and School Board members. Dates and times for meetings have not yet been determined.
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Messages from Around the District
Bulletin boards are a mainstay of schools and, as I visit the schools, I enjoy seeing the many different bulletin boards on display. A bulletin board is an opportunity to send a message to everyone who enters the school: staff, parents, administrators, and, of course, the students. A bulletin board can send a message about a great club you can join; a fundraiser for a field trip; or is an opportunity to see examples of great student work. For the students, these messages act as incentives, recognition, encouragement and motivation. And, at every grade level, the message can be very different!
At Lamprey River Elementary School:
1. Pirate Bulletin Board. Students gave their opinions about the pros and cons of being a pirate.
Why I Like Pirates: Why I Don't Like Pirates:
They have swords They are boyish
They are mean They are scary
They have ships I just don't like them
They have hooks They have hooks
2. Several displays/bulletin boards on apples: the parts of an apple; how you like apples (as juice, applesauce, pie etc.); the life cycle of an apple; and the results of a science lab on "Does an apple sink or float?"
3. On the bulletin board labeled "First Grade Hopes" students wrote what they hoped for as first graders: to be better in math; to learn to read; to learn to write; and, of course, "for first grade to last a long time"!
4. Students wrote about "Where did your feet take you this summer?" Some of the answers included: catching trout; Niagara Falls; looking for crabs; swimming; and feeding a llama.
5. After reading the book Wemberley Worried, students wrote about "What makes you worried?" Responses included: trees falling down; a flood; bad dreams; if we lose air; and skunks at night.
At Raymond High School.
1. Constitution Day. This display covered much more area than a bulletin board and featured a 10X larger than life eagle with posters on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
2. French words that students might already know such as, paper mache, mousse, grand prix, and hors' doeuvre.
3. A bulletin board with information on 'National Recovery' month and a phone number for help.
4. A display of pennants from many colleges.
5. Displays of student work such as an assignment called, "Teach a Math Topic to a 6th Grader". Student results included problems featuring fractions, word problems, negative and positive numbers, and decimals.
At Iber Holmes Gove Middle School.
1. An "I am what I eat display". In a huge circle, students made pictures of healthy things they eat and put their names on each of the items.
2. A board titled "Really Awesome Memorable Students" has Ram O' Grams on it for students who are being recognized for such things as: Including others; being kind; encouraging others; and being helpful.
3. A bulletin board with suggestions to help students get a good night's sleep.
4. A number line showing the relationship and progression of positive and negative numbers.
5. Posters on the 5 themes of geography with examples of each one. The students found many different examples of each theme that were reflected in the individual posters.
This does not include all the art work and classroom artifacts that are in our halls- a topic for another day. Our displays and bulletin boards are certainly messages to their peers and teachers about how our students think and learn. And, by the time I publish this blog, many of these will change with new ideas and messages!
At Lamprey River Elementary School:
1. Pirate Bulletin Board. Students gave their opinions about the pros and cons of being a pirate.
Why I Like Pirates: Why I Don't Like Pirates:
They have swords They are boyish
They are mean They are scary
They have ships I just don't like them
They have hooks They have hooks
2. Several displays/bulletin boards on apples: the parts of an apple; how you like apples (as juice, applesauce, pie etc.); the life cycle of an apple; and the results of a science lab on "Does an apple sink or float?"
3. On the bulletin board labeled "First Grade Hopes" students wrote what they hoped for as first graders: to be better in math; to learn to read; to learn to write; and, of course, "for first grade to last a long time"!
4. Students wrote about "Where did your feet take you this summer?" Some of the answers included: catching trout; Niagara Falls; looking for crabs; swimming; and feeding a llama.
5. After reading the book Wemberley Worried, students wrote about "What makes you worried?" Responses included: trees falling down; a flood; bad dreams; if we lose air; and skunks at night.
At Raymond High School.
1. Constitution Day. This display covered much more area than a bulletin board and featured a 10X larger than life eagle with posters on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
2. French words that students might already know such as, paper mache, mousse, grand prix, and hors' doeuvre.
3. A bulletin board with information on 'National Recovery' month and a phone number for help.
4. A display of pennants from many colleges.
5. Displays of student work such as an assignment called, "Teach a Math Topic to a 6th Grader". Student results included problems featuring fractions, word problems, negative and positive numbers, and decimals.
At Iber Holmes Gove Middle School.
1. An "I am what I eat display". In a huge circle, students made pictures of healthy things they eat and put their names on each of the items.
2. A board titled "Really Awesome Memorable Students" has Ram O' Grams on it for students who are being recognized for such things as: Including others; being kind; encouraging others; and being helpful.
3. A bulletin board with suggestions to help students get a good night's sleep.
4. A number line showing the relationship and progression of positive and negative numbers.
5. Posters on the 5 themes of geography with examples of each one. The students found many different examples of each theme that were reflected in the individual posters.
This does not include all the art work and classroom artifacts that are in our halls- a topic for another day. Our displays and bulletin boards are certainly messages to their peers and teachers about how our students think and learn. And, by the time I publish this blog, many of these will change with new ideas and messages!
Monday, October 3, 2016
Dr. Cat
Last week I had a day when I didn't feel so well so I laid down on the couch. Our cat, Kitty, jumped up next to me and laid down, too. You would think that this is not so unusual except our cat is very standoffish. She will let us pet her for a couple of minutes, or pick her up for just a second, but, otherwise, Kitty is just "too good" for humans. I fell asleep and woke a couple of hours later. Kitty was still there! My husband said she stayed there the entire time.
I told my daughter-in-law about this- everyone in our family knows Kitty is a little snobbish. She said, "Dr. Cat!" She said their cat does the same thing when one of the kids is sick, so they all call their cat, Cocoa, "Dr. Cat" when she does this.
This got me thinking- everyone needs a Dr. Cat at some point. It might not be a cat, of course, it could be your best friend, or a teacher, or your mom or dad, a spouse or, maybe, one of your children. It's so nice to have support when you need it most, and to be there for those who need yours.
I told my daughter-in-law about this- everyone in our family knows Kitty is a little snobbish. She said, "Dr. Cat!" She said their cat does the same thing when one of the kids is sick, so they all call their cat, Cocoa, "Dr. Cat" when she does this.
This got me thinking- everyone needs a Dr. Cat at some point. It might not be a cat, of course, it could be your best friend, or a teacher, or your mom or dad, a spouse or, maybe, one of your children. It's so nice to have support when you need it most, and to be there for those who need yours.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Ram Rally
This morning I attended a "Ram Rally" at the middle school. A Ram Rally, for the uninitiated, is a whole school assembly to celebrate the accomplishments of our students. Today, some of the things students were congratulated for include: making the honor roll, working hard in their classes, receiving a Ram O'Gram, and for attending a summer enrichment program "Raymond Roundtables". The soccer teams were also introduced and showed everyone some of their skills with a soccer ball. There was also time for a friendly contest between the grades.
This event is held monthly and is a wonderful way to remind our students that hard work pays off and provides our middle school students a time to be recognized for their work and good citizenship. These students should all go home and tell their families about their recognition. I know that these celebrations also serve to encourage other students to always do their best.
This event is held monthly and is a wonderful way to remind our students that hard work pays off and provides our middle school students a time to be recognized for their work and good citizenship. These students should all go home and tell their families about their recognition. I know that these celebrations also serve to encourage other students to always do their best.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
The First Weeks of School
The first few weeks of a new school year are very exciting- for both staff and students. Students continue their learning with new teachers, new classmates, and, hopefully, a new topic or subject that gets them excited to be in school. Teachers have new students and a new appreciation for their topic or subject matter. Believe me, it is so much fun to pass on knowledge and information on what one loves! It is also exciting to see that spark of interest or the light of understanding come on in a student- sometimes it takes extra help and a new way of looking at things. Here is some of what I have seen around the district these first weeks of school.
- Middle school students excited about band
- Spanish I students making connections to Spanish words by naming foods they like to eat
- Students getting acquainted with their kitchens and setting them up in FCS
- Morning meetings
- 5th graders learning how to open a combination lock
- Pre-school students learning a song about the days of the week
- High school science students doing a lesson on categorizing (disguised as a get acquainted lesson)
- Teachers working collaboratively on writing competencies
- Safety drills
- Kindergarten students learning about letter sounds using the SmartBoard
- 4th grade students writing poem bios about themselves on computers
- A football game where our students played with heart
- Welcoming bulletin boards at every level (I'll write about these in a future posting)
- Peers congratulating our 2016-2017 NH Art Teacher of the Year- Mary Lessard
- 2nd grade students writing their goals for the year (I hope I am better this year in......)
- Middle school and elementary school students excited to pick out books in the library
- High school students working on homecoming floats
- Students working on wall size drawings and information for Constitution Day
- The school nurse taking student temperatures (those back to school sicknesses!)
- Reading teachers screening elementary school students for reading levels
- Voting
- Snack time
- Physical Education classes held outside in some beautiful weather
- Teachers sharing books they have read
- An aide assisting a student in a wheel chair
Friday, September 9, 2016
Community Partners
All of us in Raymond are so lucky to have the support of area businesses. No matter the situation or need, one of our many partners steps forward to help. Recently, ths happened again. Do you remember the excitement of a few weeks ago when the Power Ball winning ticket was sold at Hannaford? (I know I checked my ticket more than a few times!) As part of this, the NH Lottery Commission awarded Hannaford with $75,000.
So what did our local store decide to do with these winnings? They added $25,000 to the total and donated $100,000 to local non-profit organizations. The Raymond Coalition for Youth was given a check for $30,000; the NH End 68 Hours of Hunger Program was given $40,000 ($20,000 of this will go directly to our Raymond Program); and area food banks were given checks ranging from $3000 to $11,000. This generosity is amazing! When I think of all the things a store could spend money on, I never imagined it would be given back to the community.
The money from the End 68 Hours of Hunger Program helps fund our existing program for the coming year and will allow us to bring this program to the high school. I was so proud that we were offering this to our elementary school kids, then added the middle school- that this is the cherry on top- all of our students will have access to food that will provide them with nourishment over the weekends.
We are grateful to all our community partners: RCFY, Wal-Mart Distribution Center, McDonald's, End 68 Hours of Hunger and so many more groups that, if I try to list all of them, I will forget some! These groups are involved in so many things: our JAG program, supporting our students' field trips, supplying students with needed food, providing prizes and programs for literacy contests, work as volunteers, and sponsor some of our student clubs. Raymond has always been a great place for community and is an example to every town of what community means.
So what did our local store decide to do with these winnings? They added $25,000 to the total and donated $100,000 to local non-profit organizations. The Raymond Coalition for Youth was given a check for $30,000; the NH End 68 Hours of Hunger Program was given $40,000 ($20,000 of this will go directly to our Raymond Program); and area food banks were given checks ranging from $3000 to $11,000. This generosity is amazing! When I think of all the things a store could spend money on, I never imagined it would be given back to the community.
The money from the End 68 Hours of Hunger Program helps fund our existing program for the coming year and will allow us to bring this program to the high school. I was so proud that we were offering this to our elementary school kids, then added the middle school- that this is the cherry on top- all of our students will have access to food that will provide them with nourishment over the weekends.
We are grateful to all our community partners: RCFY, Wal-Mart Distribution Center, McDonald's, End 68 Hours of Hunger and so many more groups that, if I try to list all of them, I will forget some! These groups are involved in so many things: our JAG program, supporting our students' field trips, supplying students with needed food, providing prizes and programs for literacy contests, work as volunteers, and sponsor some of our student clubs. Raymond has always been a great place for community and is an example to every town of what community means.
