District Newsletter
Greetings!
In last month’s issue of the district newsletter, I commented on the budget and how it reflects what we value. I wrote, “A school district's budget sends a clear message about the district's values. The largest part of our budget provides salaries and benefits for our staff. The teachers and support staff are the backbone of our institution and arguably the most significant reason for our success.”
The Haddonfield School District is proud of our staff and proud to provide the highest level of instruction and intentionally focused curricula. Still, we must continue to examine everything about our programs to ensure organizational growth and continued excellence.
Our current budget provides two new opportunities to address our model for continued growth in instruction and curriculum.
The first is the addition of a third elementary math interventionist. We added two math specialists for the three elementary schools two years ago. Their role is twofold. One prong is direct individual and small group intervention for struggling students, and the second is working with teachers to hone and improve math instruction. The challenge of splitting these two positions between three buildings inhibited the latter aspect of the position. We will provide higher levels of intervention and more coaching by having a dedicated math interventionist in each building.
The second opportunity focuses on our administrative structure. Our organizational model was “Central-Office heavy” in the past, with seven Central Office/District administrators and nine building-level administrators. The district is adding three new content-area supervisory positions in curriculum oversight, teacher evaluation, coaching, and professional development. With these new positions, we will have five Central Office administrators and 12 administrators whose primary focus will be in our classrooms.
The content-area supervisors will have significant impact within the district on many levels.
- Looking through a preschool to grade 12 lens, each content supervisor will work with administrators and teachers to evaluate, develop, and implement the curriculum with fidelity, ensuring the quality of our curriculum and providing clear articulation across the grades.
- The additional support from these three positions will allow building administrators to engage with greater focus on oversight and operations as the content-area supervisors take on more of the curriculum implementation and teacher evaluation/coaching.
- The final and most significant impact will be in support of teachers and their professional development. Working with the LPDC (Local Professional Development Committee) and individual teachers, the supervisors will guide and model instructional methods.
Haddonfield School District is continually looking to grow and improve the services we provide for our students. By adding another math specialist and shifting administrative focus away from the Central Office, we are developing a sustainable model that will permit us to continue to self-evaluate, adjust course, and grow.
Chuck Klaus,
Superintendent of Schools
"Bulldawgs on Broadway" is Saturday April 29
On Saturday, April 29th, the HMHS Drama Club will present a free MUSICAL event, "Bulldawgs on Broadway: ONCE UPON A TIME."
This one-night-only concert features over 20 songs from your favorite fairy tales, including contemporary and classic Disney. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and will run approximately 75 minutes including intermission.
Although we know that families with younger children will especially love it, we are confident that YOU will too!
Central Third-Graders Write Literary Essays
Third graders in Central Elementary have strong opinions, and they are encouraged to share those opinions as they relate to some of their favorite books. After reading stories such as “Because of Winn Dixie,” “Jabari Jumps,” and “Each Kindness,” students express opinions about the characters found within. For example: this character was a better problem-solver, this character was the better friend, or this character was more persistent. They must present their “big, bold opinion” with supporting evidence from the text and then explain why their evidence matters. Their essay is strengthened throughout the stages of the writing process, which include planning, revising, and editing. Students have learned how to hook their readers with strong introductions and offer some extra thinking in their conclusions. Finally, they share their essays with the class in the form of a “mini-debate.”
Special Students are Celebrated in Lizzy Kindergarten
We believe all of our students are special, but in kindergarten at Elizabeth Haddon we celebrate them with their very own books! Throughout the school year, students in Diane Wallace’s kindergarten interview their classmates, one at a time, in the front of the class. Students ask questions such as “Do you have any pets?” Using one of their newest sight words, the students rephrase the answer: “Susie HAS a dog.” Using the children’s responses, Ms. Wallace creates a giant book for the classroom that includes a single-page story for each member of the class. In addition, the children draw a picture of Susie, paying attention to various details, such as eye color and length of hair. On the back of the drawing, students write a positive sentence about Susie, such as “You are a nice friend.” This gives the students another opportunity to use their sight words in sentences. The result of all of this collaboration is an individualized book that makes each student feel special and that they get to take home. Well done!
Student Accepted into Select Orchestras; HMHS Celebrates Earth Day
Freshman Violinist Earns Positions in Two Select Orchestras
Kai Freeman has earned positions in two esteemed orchestras this year. He is one of about 48 violinists accepted into the New Jersey All-State Honors Orchestra. Additionally, he will play with the Verbier Festival Academy and Orchestra in Switzerland, one of only two American high-school violinists to perform in the international group.
Read about Kai Freeman in the Haddonfield Sun ...
Earth Day at HMHS is a much-anticipated annual event. A lot of work goes into the student exhibits, activities and projects. Every person who visits the courtyard for Earth Day learns something valuable and may even walk away with a new attitude about protecting our environment. Enjoy this album of photos from Earth Day 2023, held earlier today, April 28th.
