What has Raymond High School Been Up to?

The Raymond High School has been using a grant they received four years ago to develop performance based assessments and protocols to ensure our students have high standards and meaningful learning experiences. This work has been very focused: with dedicated professional development and regular meetings that extend throughout the summer.  The grant (named i3) is from the US Department of Education for Educational Innovation. Originally this was a small team of four that has grown to 18 teachers! This focus on Performance Assessments is a way for students to demonstrate what they know.

I have been present on several occasions while teachers used performance based assessments as a means to "test" student knowledge and understanding.  Remember, these are not memorized lists of things our students need to know, rather students must show they are able to apply what they have learned, as well as, demonstrate a deep understanding of the standard being assessed, and may use different means of demonstrating their learning.  It is so impressive to see our students' deep insights into their learning and how they are thriving!  I observed one class of students where each multiple works of a particular poet.  The students' insights and hard work was just wonderful- I was truly captivated!

A Peer Review Board agrees with me.  This Board recently came to Raymond High School for an entire day and their write-up is a testament to our teachers and students. They "greatly admired the collaborative, rigorous work of the team, the impressive response of the students to the Freshman Academy, Site Council and ELO program, and the sense of community and forward movement" they "found everywhere in the school".  One quote I love is that they "experienced and "lived" the enormous changes you have brought to Raymond High School and truly appreciated the student-centered, inquiry and proficiency-based work so visible in so many classrooms".

Forty-nine school districts, nonprofit education organizations, and institutions of higher education were selected from among nearly 1,700 applicants for funding under the Investing in Innovation (i3) program.We were one of only 8 school districts in NH chosen for this grant:

• Laconia, NH;
• Manchester, NH;
• Milton, NH;
• Nashua, NH;
• Newfound, NH;
• North Sutton, NH;
• Pittsfield, NH;
• Raymond, NH.

According to the press release for the grant, "this network of schools will work together to create authentic tasks and common rubrics to measure uncommon assessment tasks that will foster personalized learning resulting in higher student achievement, as demonstrated by lower dropout rates, higher graduation rates and demonstrable success after high school."

A noble goal and one at which we are succeeding.  What is RHS up to?  I'd say they are up to a lot of good!

 

Giant Extravaganza Coming Soon (Alternate Title: Your FEAT Team in Action!)

The Family Engagement Action Team (FEAT) is made up of parents, volunteers, teachers, and administrators and has been in existence for the past 6 years.  This committee of very dedicated members has been responsible for many of the evening events that have taken place to celebrate both learning and enrichment in the Raymond School District.  The first year, there was a wonderful theater production, a night to celebrate math, and an evening to showcase science and technology.

Each year, similar events have taken place- every one of them attended by over a hundred students and their parents.  We have featured poetry (with a Poe-Bot Robot), writing, math, science, Smartboard activities, theater productions, shows, and more. These events feature fun activities to try (and replicate at home), free refreshments, games, prizes, and a chance for families to enjoy some time together.

This year, there is one GIANT Educational Extravaganza of learning- all academic areas will be represented!  This promises to be a wonderful night for our students and their families.  On March 26, 2015 head to the Iber Holmes Gove Middle School gym from 6:00-7:30 to experience the fun of learning. 

The FEAT meetings take place once a month and we would love to have more parent and volunteer members.  Please call Principal Dan Legallo at 895-3117 if you would like to join our group.  If you would like to volunteer at this extravaganza (but don't necessarily want to attend meetings), we would also love to have you!  Again, please call Dan Legallo.  Your expertise is wanted:  perhaps you are an electrician and can show students how to put together a simple bulb-battery-wire set up; perhaps you would like to hand out refreshments; or maybe you would like to run the book swap table.  Although this evening is all about the kids, everyone who attends has a great time.

Drug Abuse Forum

This Wednesday, March 11, the high school will be the site for a forum on drug abuse.  This forum is seen as a need due to the increase in drug use (especially heroin) in our area and throughout southern New Hampshire.  Everyone I know knows someone or some family who has been touched by drugs: the statistics show that 1 in 6 people are connected to someone affected by this epidemic.  The hope is that this forum will provide families with resources, help, and most importantly, hope.  A list of medical experts will explain what addiction is and what signs and symptoms to look for or be aware of.  Most importantly, they will explain the options that exist for treatment, recovery and support.

The team who put together this forum have the following  goals for the evening:

• To reach youth, families and community members with the message that drug abuse touches everyone and prevention will begin when we start talking about this issue. 
•  To connect people struggling with addiction or have a loved one or friend who is in need of services:  everyone should know they are not alone and that help and support are available. 

This evening has been planned in partnership with Lamprey Health Care, the Raymond School District, the Raymond Police Department, and the Raymond Coalition for Youth.  Our guest speakers represent Seacoast Mental Health, Exeter Hospital, The ROAD, Merrimack River Medical Associates, and Southern NH Services.  In addition, there will be tables of information provided by area agencies including:  The Granite House of Derry, The ROAD, Seacoast Mental Health, Drug Free NH, HOPE NH, Bon Fire, FASTER, Lamprey Health Care and more.

For an informative and helpful evening, please plan to attend this forum in the high school cafeteria from 6:00-8:00 on March 11, 2015.

 

Road Construction in Raymond

I want to provide some preliminary information to our families about proposed road/bridge construction and repairs that will begin this spring in our town.  Why do I care (and why should you)?  The construction may close at least one road that will affect our school bus runs.   Here is the information I have so far from Steve Brewer, Public Works Director for Raymond:

1.      The contractor cannot commence work until April 6, 2015 and it must be completed by October 30, 2015.
2.      The contractor is limited to 9 weeks of closure for the Green Road bridge and 18 weeks of work zone barriers for Old Manchester Road (in other words, one lane will be open at a time).
3.      Under the contract, the contractor is allowed to close Green Road.  On the Old Manchester Road overpass they must maintain one lane in each direction.
4.     The contract does not specify the sequence of bridge work, only that they can not be undertaken concurrently.

We are waiting for the exact schedule from the state's Contract Administrator and should have more information and a schedule near the middle of March.  Our hope (and request) is that they wait and close Green Road during the summer- closing this road cuts one of our bus routes in half (the blue bus for the middle and elementary school and the purple bus for the high school). This will especially be important as Depot Road in Candia is expected to be closed for up to 9 weeks.

I want to assure everyone that Dail Transportation and I have been in close contact and are making plans for the bus routes to run with the least amount of disruption.  There may be some changes in times and bus colors (I know, they are always yellow but the kids know what this means), and we will keep everyone informed about how this might affect our bus runs.  Of course, all of this is contingent on the weather, so perhaps we will not have any construction around here until June!