The School Committee (SC) welcomed newly elected members, elected chairpersons, and made sub-committee assignments at the regular November 8 meeting.
Kate Livingston, William Benson, and Jennifer Whitehead will serve three-year terms. Dennis Libby, whose term expired this year, was elected to fill a one-year term. The Committee elected Darryl Wright chair and Stewart McCallister vice-chairman.
Superintendent Heather Perry joined the Committee in thanking voters for their support. She announced that the changes to the Child Development Services (CDS) program that will impact the district have been postponed until FY20, after discussion in the next legislative session. She complimented student athletes on their fine seasons this fall.
Kim Fadrigon, K-8 unit leader, presented information about the Kindergarten Jump Start (KJS) program that screens children in the spring before they enter Kindergarten and again in the fall, along with new enrollments. In the past, children who knew fewer than 20 letters in the spring received special instruction over the summer. The program is now implemented at the beginning of the school year.
Teachers work with the students in small groups for two hours a day for six weeks. They communicate daily with parents about their child’s progress. Fadrigon reported that this short-term intensive intervention produced much better results than the summer program.
The principals of the five district schools made presentations describing how they give their students Field Experiences, opportunities for learning beyond the regular classroom. For K-5 students it is a priority that they have one common experience in each grade, one that is the same for each of the three schools.
For example, all district Kindergarten students might visit a fire station, all fifth graders might visit the Gulf of Maine Research Center. Second experiences rooted in the curriculum, for example author visits, vary between schools but efforts are being made for more consistency there too.
In the past, money for K-5 experiences, mainly for buses and admissions, came from fundraising, but this has proved to be inadequate. Parents will now be expected to pay for field trips. The SC was assured that provisions will be made so that no child will be excluded.
According to Gorham Middle School (GMS) principal Robert Riley, middle school field experiences are funded by school dances. They include trips to the Portland Art Museum, the USM Planetarium, and Wolfe Neck State Park. Experts in various fields, particularly science and technology, also come to GMS for in-class learning experiences.
Gorham High School (GHS) principal Brian Jandreau stressed the importance of providing unpredictable, real life experiences for GHS students. In addition to connections made with local businesses, most of these opportunities come through participation in clubs, such as Robotics, one-act play competition, and Model UN. Clubs do their own fundraising.
In other business, Wright reported that the GHS Building Committee and the Athletic Capital Campaign Steering Committee will be meeting with the Harriman architects on November 14. McCallister reported that the School Day Committee has an interactive survey out to parents and staff. They will report results at the November 29 workshop, at which time the K-5 Reconfiguration Study Committee will also report on options.
The SC voted (7-0) on the revised Immunization Policy which includes all state regulations, as well as to hire Lindsey Thomson as Swimming Assistant and Rachel Grady and Mary Ellen Blodgett as GHS History Club advisors.