What a Crew!

Last weekend I watched my granddaughter rowing in a crew race.  She is a freshman and has been on the team after attending a training camp last summer- now they are competing and having races with other schools.  It's the first time I have seen a crew event with the extra long boats (60 feet in length for the 8 person team with 12 foot long oars!), and I was very impressed.  Saturday was a cold, windy, drizzly day and we were there for hours, but I wouldn't have left if you paid me!  Here is some of what I saw.

High school students from freshmen to seniors working together:  not just to row in sync but to take care of every aspect of the event.  Crew teams had to carry these long boats past other teams and spectators to put them in the water.  Some of the boats were on huge trailers and must be lifted and carried down, others were in a boat house.  It's amazing to see all the students working together to move these awkward, heavy boats from one place to another. The coxswain (a student) gives directions on land, as well as, in the water.  The instructions are called out one at a time to make sure no one gets hit in the head with a boat and to move the boat safely into and out of the water.  It was truly like a choreographed dance.

Once they reach the water its a different kind of instruction, "Lift" you can hear being called. Then, "Roll away from me". Then, "Lower the boat".  The boat is finally in the water.  Then the coxswain calls, "Starboard get the oars, port hold."  The rowers who will be rowing on the starboard side, go and get the oars for all the rowers, while the port side rowers hold the boat to keep it from drifting.  When they return with the oars, each person locks their oar in place.  Then the coxswain calls out, "Starboard, one leg in."  Then, "Starboard, second in, and sit." Finally, "Port, one leg in" and "Port, second leg in, sit."  The boat stays still in the water while all of this is going on.  Eight students, boats, water, big oars- no one was injured, no  boats were swamped, and everyone listened and followed as their coxswain leader call out the instructions.  While racing, getting out of the boat and taking the boat out of the water, each activity has another set of instructions!

Did you notice in all of this, what I noticed?  There were no adults leading the way.  Not  one.  Yes, adults were there, as coaches, volunteers, spectators, and family- but at no time did they need to step in and "take over".  It was very impressive.  I didn't know any of these kids other than Annie, and yet, I was so proud I thought my heart would burst.  Isn't this what we want for all our students- the  independence to get things done with guidance and training without always holding their hands?  That's the analogy of what I see in teaching:  The teachers provide instruction and training or "coaching" while the students learn to take charge of their learning.  There's no other way to prepare kids for life after high school- we all need to hold on to the bike seat for just a little while, and then- just let go.

For more information, PBS has an article on crew (written at just my level of understanding) at:

http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/teamsports/article4.html

Lifting high to leave the water.                                     Getting out, one leg, one "side" at a time.

Spanish 1 for 8th Grade Students

For the 2016-2017 school year we have an opportunity to offer Spanish to our incoming 8^th grade students.  Due to the addition of a full time French teacher last year, students are a little more spread out than previously in the language department at the high school.  With this, we are able to free up one Spanish teacher from the high school to teach for two hours at the middle school.  The School Board at their May 4th meeting approved a proposal to offer Spanish classes at the middle school for high school credit (a Language Arts grade of “B” or better plus teacher recommendation will be required),

Some advantages to adding this program include:

• ·         Earlier introduction of a foreign language to our students
• ·         Allows students the possibility of the time to take more than one language at high school
• ·         Progresses our goal to “Develop a district-wide world languages program”- Strategic Plan Goal #5
• ·         Students who successfully complete the course will fulfill a high school credit
• ·         Provides a transition to the high school by having a high school teacher at the middle school
• ·         Provides 8^th grade students with some school choice (as they will have in high school)
• ·         Students will still be able to choose band as an option

Some disadvantages are:

• ·         Not all 8^th grade students will be able to take Spanish (there will be room for 2 classes)
• ·         The teacher will need to travel between schools

Here is how this will work. The high school Spanish Classes will be held from 8:00-9:30 at the middle school.  Students rotate days for Unified Arts classes and this class will work in the same way.

Our current 7^th grade students will have an option to choose 6 out of 8 Unified Arts classes for their 8th grade year.  Those students who are in Spanish 1 will have this class for the entire year (not just one semester as they do for Unified Arts classes).

I am so pleased we are able to do this for our students.  Learning a foreign language has been shown to  increase student knowledge, provide cultural awareness, and boost creativity and self-confidence. Please look for information about this opportunity that will be sent home soon from the middle school.

The Value of a Day

This Sunday is Mother's Day and even though this is a holiday that was created by a card company, it still has its importance.  For me, gifts are not what this day represents.  The value of this "holiday" is acknowledgement of all the hard work that goes into being a mom. I love it when one of my  sons thanks me for this hard work!  If you are still lucky enough to have a mom that you can talk with or visit, make sure that you tell her how happy you are that she is your mom.  Make her day when you tell her how much you value her and the wonderful opportunities and lessons she provided that made you who you are.

This is my thank you to all the moms out there who help each of their children to be the best they can be; who teach them respect and responsibility; and who are there for them when things don't go well.  Parents are the backbone of our schools-  we couldn't do it without you.  And, on this day, I want to particularly thank all our Moms.

Elementary School Building Committee

At a recent meeting, the School Board made the decision to continue the Elementary School Building Committee.  As you might remember, a warrant article concerning an addition on the elementary school was put to the voters this March.  The warrant article failed to pass by 24 votes. I believe this is an indication that townspeople agree that this is necessary for our students. The School Board has asked the Building Committee to continue working with Meridian, the construction company that was chosen for this project, to determine any price changes from the original plan.  We will also ask Meridian for two quotes:  one with a gym and one without.

In addition, the Building Committee will be considering any details in the plan that need to be addressed in the proposed plan.  One example is planning the configuration of the front lobby to make sure visitors are not able to walk directly into the building without signing in and being checked. 

We currently have representation from all interested parties:  Raymond citizens; parents; teachers; John Harmon, School Board member; the Facilities Director, Todd Ledoux; Principal Bryan Belanger; Business Administrator Ron Brickett; and Ellen Small, Superintendent.  There is an opening for one additional Raymond citizen on this Committee and we are asking for a volunteer.  Meeting dates have not yet been determined and will be decided by the Building Committee as we move forward.

If you are interested in serving on this important committee, please write a letter to the School Board to apply to be a member on the new Building Committee.  Letters of interest should be addressed to:

Raymond School Board
Attention:  Jennifer Heywood
SAU #33
43 Harriman Hill Road
Raymond, NH 03077

The School Board will choose a citizen for this committee at their May 4, 2016 Board meeting- please make sure that your letter is received by 4:00 on May 3, 2016 for consideration to be on this important committee.

The Confusing World of EA*

*Education Acronyms (I made this one up) are very common in the education world- so much so that sometimes we confuse ourselves!  Everyone knows what USA stands for, but what about EEP or IEP?  I am going to list and try to explain some of the many acronyms you may encounter in our schools.  See how many you already know and, just for fun, give yourself a point for each one that you correctly identify!

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990).  This law ensures that our schools and programs are accessible to all.  Last year we created a new door at the high school due to concerns about egress for students in wheelchairs during an emergency.

ADM
Average Daily Membership. We are required to report the number of days a student attends school (this is divided by the number of school days to find the 'average").  The ADM determines some state funding. 
AP
Advanced Placement. This program provides courses for our high school students to complete that are at college-level.  AP classes available at Raymond High School include:
AYP
Annual Yearly Progress.  This term was used to determine whether schools were on track with proficiency levels for students in reading and math.
CTE
Career and Technical Education. CTE provides high school students the opportunity to take career minded courses including Animal and Plant Science, Culinary, Biotechnology, Pre-Engineering, Careers in Education, Welding and more.  Our students take these classes at the SST (Seacoast School of Technology) in Exeter during the school day.  Many of these classes provide internships, college credit, and a view of what their chosen career may be like- all to help our students make an informed decision about their future (and a possible head start in college).
DIBELS  
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. We use this assessment to screen our youngest students in such things as phonic awareness, fluency and reading comprehension.  We can then provide help to "catch up" those students.
DOE or NHDOE
New Hampshire Department of Education.  New Hampshire's oversight of our schools.  According to their website, "The NHDOE is committed to helping students, parents, and educators (including teachers, principals, superintendents, and school communities) meet the educational needs of each student. This site provides a wealth of data and information about the NHDOE's programs, services, and initiatives at the fingertips of every citizen."  
EEP
Educator Effectiveness Plan.  This new plan is how teachers in Raymond are evaluated through a system of observations and documentation.  We are in the second year of a pilot of this plan and will be finalizing it at a School Board meeting this spring.
ELA
English Language Arts. This refers to our curriculum that covers to reading, literature, writing, speaking and listening.
ELL
English Language Learner.This refers to a student whose first language is one other than English.  An ELL teacher may work with a student on curriculum, adjusting or even understanding common English expressions.
ESEA
Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  The intent of this law is to ensure our students are college and career ready.  More information on this can be found in my blog of 2/10/16.
FA
Formative Assessment.  These are given to students as practice, to see what a student has learned and identify any gaps in learning.
FERPA
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.  This law protects the confidentiality of student records 
GED
General Equivalency Diploma- this has been replaced with HiSet 
GPA
Grade Point Average. This is calculated on a 4.0 scale (the same scale used in colleges.) Our letter grades (A, B, C etc) are converted to a 4.0 scale for graduation purposes.
HiSet 
High School Equivalency Test.  According to their web site, this provides "out-of-school youth and adults with the best opportunity to demonstrate their high school-level proficiency and their readiness for higher education or the workplace".  Students who have left high school can enroll in a HiSet course and work towards earning an alternative to a high school diploma.
HR
Human Resources.  I would need a whole page to fill this in!  New hires, insurance, accruals, benefits, contracts, FMLA, workman's comp, ID badges, leave requests, certification of paras and teachers, advertising, medical records, professional development, substitutes, volunteers, training, child care benefits and so much more! 
IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This federal law is to ensure that all children with disabilities have a "free and appropriate public education" (FAPE) to meet their special education needs.
IEP
Individualized Education Plan. The IEP is a for a student with a disability that  The plan describes the strengths of the child and the concerns of the parents for enhancing the e IEP is required by federal law for all exceptional children and must include specific information about how the student will be served and what goals he or she should be meeting.
IHGMS
Iber Holmes Gove Middle School. Our middle school is named after Ms. Gove who was a former Raymond educator. 
NAEP
National Assessment of Educational Progress. This is called the “Nation’s Report Card,” and assesses the academic achievement of elementary and secondary students. It provides data to compare the performance of students across the nation. Raymond is often randomly chosen to have this assessment given to some of our students.
NCLB
No Child Left Behind. NCLB was the 2002 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. The goal of this law was for all public school children to be proficient or above in reading and mathematics by 2013-14.  It has been replaced with ESEA.
NEASC
New England Association of Schools and Colleges.  This committee is responsible for the accreditation of high schools through a review process that is done every 10 years.  Raymond High School is accredited through NEASC with our next review scheduled for 2018. 
NHSBA
New Hampshire School Board Association.  This association provides training for new local School Board members and serves as a resource when we are writing policies. 
NWEA
Northwest Education Association. These are a set of computer based assessments for reading and math.  We may use these as "benchmarks" to see how far an individual student has progressed in his/her learning over the course of  the year.
PD
Professional Development. The term refers training, conferences, workshops or courses any of our certified staff may take in order to keep their teaching current and to improve their skills.
PLC
Professional Learning Communities. PLCs refers to teams of teachers who collaborate, make decisions and plan instruction. Teachers often use this shared time to look at classroom or school wide data and plan interdisciplinary lessons.
PSAT
Pre-Scholastic Assessment Test. Normally taken by high school students as a practice test for the SAT.We currently have our sophomores take this both for practice and to assess their learning.
REA
Raymond Education Association.  This is the union that represents our teaching staff.  They are involved in negotiating for contracts, helping to settle grievances, and working with the administration.
RESS 
Raymond Education Support Staff.  This union represents all of those workers who support us:  custodians, food  service workers, paraprofessionals and secretaries. 
SA
Summative Assessment.  This is an assessment usually used at the end of a unit or topic to determine which competencies have been met by students.
SAT
Scholastic Achievement Test. The SAT is often taken by high school juniors and seniors as part of their admission process to college. This test assesses student verbal, mathematical and writing skills. New Hampshire is currently using the SAT to test our high school juniors instead of the Smarter Balanced test.
SIS
Student Information System. SIS is a software application used to manage student data such as attendance, report cards etc.  The software used by the Raymond School District is Powerschool.
SST
Seacoast School of Technology.  See CTE above. 
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. A STEM curriculum emphasizes connections between these four fields. Students are also introduced to engineering design process and encourages them to be creative.(You might also see "STEAM" which adds "art" into this process- give yourself an extra point for this one.)
USED
United States Education Department. The USED provides federal assistance to state and local agencies education agencies.  They also establish polices and writes legislation prohibiting discrimination. It seems like this should be US Department of Education- so give yourself an extra point for this!

I know I did not cover all of the acronyms associated with schools, but I hope this will answer some of the questions you might have had.  Just for fun, you can rate yourself!

EA* Knowledge Rating Scale:

Number Correct        GPA

0-5                              1.0 
6-10                            2.0
11-20                          2.5
20-29                          3.0
30-34                          3.5
35+                             4.0

What are 'Performance Assessments'?

The world of education is filled with  acronyms and buzz-words.  You may have heard of  'Performance Assessments' and wondered what this means.  Probably the easiest way to think of this is to remember those "hands-on" projects many of us did in school:  a map of the United States made out of clay, a poster on cells, or a report on George Washington.  Today's performance assessments are much more than that.

Some of what you see in a performance assessment sounds familiar:  group projects, portfolios, essays, etc.  But the purpose of a performance assessment is for students to have a deeper knowledge of a subject and to put learning into the students' hands.  (I know when I made that clay map of the United States back in 5th grade, it was easy to do and didn't require much thinking.) Performance Assessments also provide teachers and parents with an opportunity to see what each student knows and what each one is able to do.

A performance assessment that includes a clay map might be a group project where students would learn teamwork, cooperation, responsibility, and leadership skills.  The students would each be responsible for a part of the project:  perhaps focusing on one period of time in US history with one student investigating the politics of the time; another student learning about the culture and arts; and another investigating significant events. The project might include a handmade dress made in the style of the period (as one student did at the high school for a performance assessment) and another might create a diary of a person from that time.  Think of how rich these experiences are for a student and how much research and learning goes into this kind of assessment- as opposed to an assessment that just involves multiple choice, fill in the blanks and true or false.

Recently, our high school teachers were involved in a 5 year grant that led them through the process of including performance assessments in their teaching.  Their work was held up as an example for other schools in the state.  They were then invited to present their work at a National Conference this past February.  Over half of the high school teachers are involved in this initiative!  I am proud of the work I see our students doing: they are creating, analyzing, and demonstrating their knowledge in ways that really show what they know and can do.

Our goal is to have all students taking part in performance assessments as part of their work in our schools.  Teachers are currently writing competencies and will be including performance assessments as part of a student's evaluation.  Don't be surprised when your student becomes an "expert" on a topic while creating something wonderful to show what they know and can do!

Full Day Kindergarten

For the 2016-2017 school year, the Raymond School District will be able to offer full day kindergarten to all students.  Prior to this, some students had full day kindergarten based on need and the number of openings that were available.  For the first time, thanks to our voters, this is available to all Raymond students.  Listed below are some of the requirements to enroll in kindergarten and some upcoming important dates.

• According to School Board Policy JEB "Entrance Age Requirements":

 A student may enter Kindergarten if his/her chronological age will be five (5) before September 30 of the year of entering school. A birth certificate must be presented upon registration as proof of the date of birth.

• According to School Board Policy JFAA, "Admission of Resident Students" and RSA 193:12, II:

Children entering school for the first time must have proof of physical examination, immunization records, a copy of the child's birth certificate, and proof of residency satisfactory to the Superintendent or his/her designee. Principals or their designees will meet with new children and parents and explain school programs.

These policies and all School Board Policies can be found at: www.sau33.com 
under "School Board".
 
An information night will be held on April 7, 2016 from 6:00-7:00 PM in the elementary school cafeteria.  Teachers and administrators will be there to explain the kindergarten program and answer any questions families might have.  Kindergarten screenings and registration will take place on the following dates:  April 21, May 19 and June 21.  Please call the elementary school at 895-3117 for an appointment for your child and plan on 30 minutes for the screening and registration process.

This is an exciting time for Raymond students:  full day kindergarten is the best way for us to start all of our students on a path of success.  I am very excited about this change!