As we go into the second half of the school year, I always like to stop and reflect on where we've been and what we still need to accomplish before May 10--because it will be here before we know it! We are instituting new curriculum resources in math this year, as well as new reading and math assessments, and those are going well. The staff is working hard to implement these new programs, as well as to make sure what we are teaching aligns with the state standards.
We've made several facility improvements, including sealing some roofs and walls that were causing us some water issues, and we've had a complete redo of our elementary library. It should be back together and in use again this month. We're also waiting for our new-to-us bus to arrive--it will be our 3rd bought with the proceeds of the last bond issue approved by voters. We've replaced the elementary HVAC system after it barely made it through last winter, as well as one in the high school end of the building.
To improve our learning environment, we've purchased new furniture for some of our classrooms, painted, stripped floors, and all of our middle school and high school classrooms now have big screen SMART TVs, replacing our old projectors.
We replaced our camera system over the summer, and a safety grant is allowing us to purchase new bus cameras, a new phone/intercom system, and replace some of our gym and outside doors.
Our Annual Performance Report showed improvement over last year. You can see the comparison scores for the past two years here, and this information is also available on the DESE website.
Our latest MSIP 6 survey results show vast improvements over last year in our climate and culture. You can see comparison results for students here, staff here, and parents/community here.
We have instituted extra supports for our new teachers this year in an effort to try to retain our staff from one year to the next. We are also reaching out to students for more input on what we can do to make their experience here more beneficial. We are working hard in the middle school to provide social supports and character education in an effort to proactively address discipline issues before they begin.
Overall, it feels like we are moving in the right direction, and I hope our achievement scores and performance reports continue to reflect that. Thank you to our exceptional staff, great students, and supportive caregivers and community for all you do!
