Principal’s Note
March 20:
In leadership this past week we discussed the following topics:
Technology Updates:
The District is considering a leasing strategy to update our aging computers. Mr. Delahanty met with a representative group of teachers from the high school and middle school to gain a sense of how computers are being used in the classroom. The timeline on the roll-out of the plan is being considered. Also, IT is planning the implementation of wireless access throughout the building for the 08-09 school-year.
On-Line Attendance seems to be going more smoothly. The accuracy of block one attendance is important as it is our official accounting and used in many required State reports. Block two-four attendance also seems to be going more smoothly. The Deans have found this to be more efficient in helping you manage class cutting. Please let a Dean know if this is working more efficiently than filling out cut slips.
MMS On-Line Course Registration was a topic for discussion this past week. MMS has the feature however, does not have the capacity to link prerequisites to a course or incorporate course sequencing. At this time on-line registration seems like it may create more inefficiencies than the current bubbling system.
Electronic Device Update:
Mr. Delahanty is planning to bring the language we developed to the school board for their review. It is likely that a representative group will be invited to meet with the board to discuss the language.
Co-Curricular Policy Review:
A representative group of coaches, club advisors, parents, student, and administrators have been meeting to review the existing policy. Some concerns about the policy have been raised. The group has reviewed policies from surrounding high schools, has come to some agreement on philosophy, and determined implementation parameters. Enforcement and sanctions for violating the policy are still on the committees’ agenda. If you have an opinion on the issue that you would like to share, some members of the committee are listed below:
A.D. Chris Bergeron, Mike Courtois, Craig Robinson, Ginny Lavallo, Breanna Parhialia, Marty Clausen, Mrs. C. Wilson (parent), Mrs. U. Miller (parent), George Murray, Tracy Collyer, Tracy McCaffrey
Monday, March 24, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Principal’s Note
Feb. 21
Below you will find topic’s discussed this week along with a calendar of upcoming events at SHS.
Competency Template In our Tuesday morning leadership meeting we discussed and revised a template that we hope will provide some consistency in the manner in which we organize the course competency documents. This draft document includes examples of how it might be completed. If anyone has suggestions for improving this document please see your director. A consistent format for organizing the information will be a useful tool for teachers, students and parents.
Teacher Input Also, discussed was a teacher suggestion relating to competency work that would enable a teacher who is working on competencies in one area to offer assessments for consideration in other courses they teach. This makes good sense and as a result directors have created folders on the shared drive to support your ability to post assessments. The details of how to do this are included in the attached staff meeting document.
PLAN Sophomore Test Results As you may recall sophomores participated in a grade level testing program developed by the A.C.T. test developers. Our goals for this exam (stemming from suggestions teachers made) were to provide practice test-taking opportunities to improve NECAP scores, to provide teachers, parents and students information about areas of student strengths and weakness, and to offer students and parents guidance about course selection and career education. The results have come in and individual student results have been sent home and have been distributed to teachers who presently have these sophomore students in class. Results will be redistributed at the start of the next school year as one strategy to support improved student performance on NECAP.
NECAP Results NECAP results have been released. You may review the results at www.ed.state.nh.us/necap
Attendance Questions about attendance for each block were brought to the meeting. Regarding Block one attendance: This attendance is critical and must be completed by everyone (including teachers with block one independent studies scheduled). We ask that you electronically send your block one attendance no later than 8:00 am. I realize that some of you have problems with computers and others still do not have a computer accessible in the classroom. We continue to work with IT on correcting those hardware issues. Blocks 2, 3, 4 attendance is used by Deans to follow-up on student absenteeism. Like any newly integrated system, ideas about improving efficiency in this process will grow out of its use.
Gradequick Attendance Module Some teachers have inquired about the use of Gradequick’s attendance module as a tool we should use instead of MMS. We support this procedure and have asked IT to determine its feasibility. There are efficiencies to moving in this direction to everyone. IT is looking in to it for us.
Upcoming Events:
2/22 5:30 & 7:00pm Women’s JV/Varsity Basketball home vs. Central
5:30 & 7:00pm Men’s JV/Varsity Basketball away vs. Central
2/23 9:00am Men’s Wrestling Meet of Champions
2/27 Women’s Varsity Basketball playoffs home (time to be determined)
2/27 Men’s Ice Hockey Playoff’s home (time to be determined)
3/5 WinterGuard, Winter Percussion Spaghetti Supper fundraiser $5.00/per person Performances to follow dinner
3/13 Progress Reports go home
3/15 Make-A-Wish Benefit Dinner – Key Club
Feb. 21
Below you will find topic’s discussed this week along with a calendar of upcoming events at SHS.
Competency Template In our Tuesday morning leadership meeting we discussed and revised a template that we hope will provide some consistency in the manner in which we organize the course competency documents. This draft document includes examples of how it might be completed. If anyone has suggestions for improving this document please see your director. A consistent format for organizing the information will be a useful tool for teachers, students and parents.
Teacher Input Also, discussed was a teacher suggestion relating to competency work that would enable a teacher who is working on competencies in one area to offer assessments for consideration in other courses they teach. This makes good sense and as a result directors have created folders on the shared drive to support your ability to post assessments. The details of how to do this are included in the attached staff meeting document.
PLAN Sophomore Test Results As you may recall sophomores participated in a grade level testing program developed by the A.C.T. test developers. Our goals for this exam (stemming from suggestions teachers made) were to provide practice test-taking opportunities to improve NECAP scores, to provide teachers, parents and students information about areas of student strengths and weakness, and to offer students and parents guidance about course selection and career education. The results have come in and individual student results have been sent home and have been distributed to teachers who presently have these sophomore students in class. Results will be redistributed at the start of the next school year as one strategy to support improved student performance on NECAP.
NECAP Results NECAP results have been released. You may review the results at www.ed.state.nh.us/necap
Attendance Questions about attendance for each block were brought to the meeting. Regarding Block one attendance: This attendance is critical and must be completed by everyone (including teachers with block one independent studies scheduled). We ask that you electronically send your block one attendance no later than 8:00 am. I realize that some of you have problems with computers and others still do not have a computer accessible in the classroom. We continue to work with IT on correcting those hardware issues. Blocks 2, 3, 4 attendance is used by Deans to follow-up on student absenteeism. Like any newly integrated system, ideas about improving efficiency in this process will grow out of its use.
Gradequick Attendance Module Some teachers have inquired about the use of Gradequick’s attendance module as a tool we should use instead of MMS. We support this procedure and have asked IT to determine its feasibility. There are efficiencies to moving in this direction to everyone. IT is looking in to it for us.
Upcoming Events:
2/22 5:30 & 7:00pm Women’s JV/Varsity Basketball home vs. Central
5:30 & 7:00pm Men’s JV/Varsity Basketball away vs. Central
2/23 9:00am Men’s Wrestling Meet of Champions
2/27 Women’s Varsity Basketball playoffs home (time to be determined)
2/27 Men’s Ice Hockey Playoff’s home (time to be determined)
3/5 WinterGuard, Winter Percussion Spaghetti Supper fundraiser $5.00/per person Performances to follow dinner
3/13 Progress Reports go home
3/15 Make-A-Wish Benefit Dinner – Key Club
Principal’s Notes
March 6
This week in Leadership meetings:
School on Monday March 10: With the amount of snow in the north-country and this seemingly relentless weather pattern there remains a reasonable possibility that we may lose more school time. With the potential to lose time it makes good sense to be in school on Monday. The down side of this is the loss of quality time to work on course competencies. Obviously, not having the January and the March days to work on competencies limits the outcome of our work. With that said, we can only do what we are able to on Tuesday and will need to continue the effort during some of our department and staff meeting time. That will just have to suffice.
Technology Issues: We experienced some access issues this week because of a “loop back” connection in the network and because of a brief power outage. While frustrating, the good news is that the server responded properly and there was no impact on data.
Mrs. Collyer has been investigating the Parent Information Access Module (PIAM) in MMS. This module will permit controlled access to their child’s information i.e. attendance, discipline grades. In addition, she has been researching the On-line Course registration module. More on this later.
Progress Reports: Due dates for progress report grades have been pushed to Monday because of the loss of access to GradeQuick this week. Progress report grades are due to Jamie on Monday and reports will be distributed to students in block one classes on Thursday, March thirteenth.
Cut Slips: The Deans will be using MMS attendance to track student cuts. Teacher cut slips will no longer be required (see George Murray’s 3/5 email for details).
Electronic Device Update: Language on electronic device use developed by a group of staff members with your feedback has gone to the superintendent for review.
The eight members of our group recently finalized our statement regarding electronic devices. We took the staff discussions, feedback (over 30 pieces), our conversations and came up with what we believe reflects the direction that “most” of us want. The statement is as follows:
The use of electronic devices is permitted in instructional areas when deemed appropriate by the teacher/supervisor and when such use is related to the lesson. The use of electronic devices is permitted during assigned lunchtimes and during scheduled passing times. Electronic devices shall not interfere with student safety and communication with any SHS staff member.
As for now, our existing policy on electronic devices remains in force.
Make-A-Wish Dinner: This event is scheduled for Saturday, March 15 here at SHS. Mrs. Locke and the Key club have organized and hosted this event for many years. Their efforts have raised and contributed to this wonderful cause more than $42,000.00 during this time. Just think about all those wishes they have helped to come true! Thank you Mrs. Locke and Key Club for all that you have done. You may be aware that this will be Mrs. Locke’s last year and her absence will certainly leave a tremendous void at SHS. Her dedication and commitment to this wonderful community service oriented Club has influenced hundreds of students in so many positive ways. If anyone has an interest in carrying on the important work of this organization, I bet Mrs. Locke would be pleased to pass on the torch!
Future Programs: Discussion of adding new programming at SHS included expanding offerings in World Language, Computer programming, Project Lead the Way, and Special Education.
High School of the Future : “ A learning process in which schools help students assess their own talents and aspirations, plan a pathway toward their own purposes, work cooperatively with others on challenging tasks, maintain a record of their explorations, and demonstrate their learning against clear standards in a wide variety of media, all with the close support of an adult mentors and guides.”
We used the thought above as a catalyst for thinking about the uncertain but exciting possibilities for the future of our high school. With the depth of experience and progressive thinkers our staff possesses, engaging anyone among the staff in thinking about and discussing the future of our school is exciting. We talked about how to provide opportunity for those interested in thinking and talking about our future might be possible. Your ideas and thoughts on this topic would be greatly appreciated. With a review of our block schedule in process, the eventual loss of the Windham students, competency assessment, learning expectations, improved technology, eventual renovation, and a thoughtful and caring teaching staff talking about the “possibilities” seems timely. If you have any ideas you have about how to begin these conversations please share them with your department directors.
March 6
This week in Leadership meetings:
School on Monday March 10: With the amount of snow in the north-country and this seemingly relentless weather pattern there remains a reasonable possibility that we may lose more school time. With the potential to lose time it makes good sense to be in school on Monday. The down side of this is the loss of quality time to work on course competencies. Obviously, not having the January and the March days to work on competencies limits the outcome of our work. With that said, we can only do what we are able to on Tuesday and will need to continue the effort during some of our department and staff meeting time. That will just have to suffice.
Technology Issues: We experienced some access issues this week because of a “loop back” connection in the network and because of a brief power outage. While frustrating, the good news is that the server responded properly and there was no impact on data.
Mrs. Collyer has been investigating the Parent Information Access Module (PIAM) in MMS. This module will permit controlled access to their child’s information i.e. attendance, discipline grades. In addition, she has been researching the On-line Course registration module. More on this later.
Progress Reports: Due dates for progress report grades have been pushed to Monday because of the loss of access to GradeQuick this week. Progress report grades are due to Jamie on Monday and reports will be distributed to students in block one classes on Thursday, March thirteenth.
Cut Slips: The Deans will be using MMS attendance to track student cuts. Teacher cut slips will no longer be required (see George Murray’s 3/5 email for details).
Electronic Device Update: Language on electronic device use developed by a group of staff members with your feedback has gone to the superintendent for review.
The eight members of our group recently finalized our statement regarding electronic devices. We took the staff discussions, feedback (over 30 pieces), our conversations and came up with what we believe reflects the direction that “most” of us want. The statement is as follows:
The use of electronic devices is permitted in instructional areas when deemed appropriate by the teacher/supervisor and when such use is related to the lesson. The use of electronic devices is permitted during assigned lunchtimes and during scheduled passing times. Electronic devices shall not interfere with student safety and communication with any SHS staff member.
As for now, our existing policy on electronic devices remains in force.
Make-A-Wish Dinner: This event is scheduled for Saturday, March 15 here at SHS. Mrs. Locke and the Key club have organized and hosted this event for many years. Their efforts have raised and contributed to this wonderful cause more than $42,000.00 during this time. Just think about all those wishes they have helped to come true! Thank you Mrs. Locke and Key Club for all that you have done. You may be aware that this will be Mrs. Locke’s last year and her absence will certainly leave a tremendous void at SHS. Her dedication and commitment to this wonderful community service oriented Club has influenced hundreds of students in so many positive ways. If anyone has an interest in carrying on the important work of this organization, I bet Mrs. Locke would be pleased to pass on the torch!
Future Programs: Discussion of adding new programming at SHS included expanding offerings in World Language, Computer programming, Project Lead the Way, and Special Education.
High School of the Future : “ A learning process in which schools help students assess their own talents and aspirations, plan a pathway toward their own purposes, work cooperatively with others on challenging tasks, maintain a record of their explorations, and demonstrate their learning against clear standards in a wide variety of media, all with the close support of an adult mentors and guides.”
We used the thought above as a catalyst for thinking about the uncertain but exciting possibilities for the future of our high school. With the depth of experience and progressive thinkers our staff possesses, engaging anyone among the staff in thinking about and discussing the future of our school is exciting. We talked about how to provide opportunity for those interested in thinking and talking about our future might be possible. Your ideas and thoughts on this topic would be greatly appreciated. With a review of our block schedule in process, the eventual loss of the Windham students, competency assessment, learning expectations, improved technology, eventual renovation, and a thoughtful and caring teaching staff talking about the “possibilities” seems timely. If you have any ideas you have about how to begin these conversations please share them with your department directors.
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