Superintendent’s Report – May 2018
To date our Hinsdale Elementary School addition/renovation project is on time and under budget. However, due to March snow storms masonry experienced a delay in their projected start which put them a few days behind schedule. As a result, the overall schedule has been modified to make up the time so the completion date remains August 21, 2018.
The Hinsdale Code Enforcement Officer has stated that all his inspections related to our HES Addition/Renovation project have gone well so far. One of the outside inspections found a small amount of the existing flooring materials in the area scheduled for renovation that will need to be removed during the renovation at an estimated cost of $4,000.
Our architects have prepared finish boards with flooring and paint colors that our construction team is recommending for approval by our Building Improvement Committee at their meeting scheduled for May 15th.
The next Construction Team meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 15th at 9:30 am.
Our next Hinsdale Building Improvement Committee meeting is scheduled for 6:00 pm on Tuesday, May 15th. The members of the Building Improvement will be given a tour of the new addition during the May 15th meeting.
The School Board is scheduled to tour the addition at 3:30 on Friday, May 18th.
Our next Facility Committee meeting is scheduled for 2:15 on Friday, May 18th.
The building site is active seven days a week now so all tours of the construction site must be scheduled through the construction superintendent and all those who tour the site must wear a hardhat.
On April 20th our Facilities Committee approved a five-year Capital Improvement Plan to be recommended to the School Board at the Board meeting scheduled for May 9th.
The proposed five-year Hinsdale School District Capital Improvement Plan is as follows:
Replace Boiler at Middle/High School-to be Included in the 2019-2020 School District Budget.
Estimated to cost $50,000.
Work to be scheduled for the summer of 2019
Repair Roof on SAU Building-to be Included in the 2020-2021 School District Budget.
Estimated to cost $50,000
Work to be scheduled for the summer of 2020
Repair Gym Floor at HES-to be Included in the 2021-2022 School District Budget.
Estimated to cost $20,000
Work to be scheduled for the summer of 2021
Repair Roof at HES-to be Included in the 2022-2023 School District Budget.
Estimated to cost $120,000
Work to be scheduled for summer of 2022
Replace Windows and Bleachers at Middle/High School-to be Included in the 2023-2024 School District Budget.
Estimated to cost $150,000
Work to be scheduled for the summer of 2023
We continue to make progress towards the 2017-2018 Hinsdale School Board Goals.
2017-2018 Hinsdale School Board Goals
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Ensure that all students receive guidance regarding post-secondary education or career options.
- Provide students with educational opportunities and learning based upon the student’s unique needs, interests and learning styles.
- Maintain continuity in instruction between the school buildings.
We are making progress as we move towards a student competency education model. The District PACE Committee led by our Director of Curriculum and Instruction is developing a presentation for the Board at our Board meeting scheduled for May 9th and a presentation for a public forum scheduled for May 23rd. Both presentations will emphasize the progress we have made toward the development of a solid plan that will help us move to a quality student competency focused education model.
On May 1st we received notification that Hinsdale School District has been awarded, $4,470.00, to support the activity, Competency Based Education Design Studio. The Competency Based Education Design Studio is a summer three day workshop in Manchester, New Hampshire. Thanks to the grant authored by our Director of Curriculum and Instruction Hinsdale will be able to send a team of teachers and administrators to this competency based workshop.
On April 10th the New Hampshire Deputy Commissioner, Christine Brennan spent the majority of the day visiting our Hinsdale schools. She started her day meeting with Hinsdale administrators, Board Vice Chair Sean Leary and Hinsdale State Representative Mike Abbott. Sean Leary and our ELO Coordinator Karen Thompson and our principals led the Deputy Commissioner in the tour of our schools
- Communication
- Internal
- Twice yearly school board tours of all school buildings.
- External
- Maintain communication to promote a collaborative relationship with the community through a continued commitment to holding a minimum of two forums and maintaining a presence in other committees, boards and community events in town.
- Improve relationships with town governing bodies.
On April 25th the School Board Communications Committee held a public forum on student safety, bullying, and the Hinsdale Social Emotional Learning program. Our principals, our school counselors, our social worker, our school resource officer, and Police Chief Faulkner participated in the event.
- Culture
- Promote an atmosphere that supports a forward-thinking, professional learning community.
- Ensure clear behavioral expectations are communicated and followed up on regularly.
- Support and promote anti-bullying practices and ensure policies are being followed.
- Superintendent will spot check the bullying logs and report monthly to the board.
The presentation by our student support team, at the recent public forum, communicated the clear behavioral expectations that are taught to our students through the new social emotional learning program at HMHS.
Hinsdale Middle/High School had two allegations of bullying reported during the past month. There were no substantiated allegations of bullying at the Hinsdale Elementary School during the past month.
- Personnel
- Support initiatives to recruit and retain professional, high-quality staff that are innovative, dynamic and dedicated to the success of all students.
- Promote an atmosphere that supports an inclusive, professional learning community.
Our turnover is much lower than in recent years. Even in a tight labor market our existing staff seems to want to remain as part of our educational team at Hinsdale. Hopefully, we will attract high quality candidates for the few opening we currently have at Hinsdale.
We think our move towards competency based education will result in even a greater level of retention of innovative staff. Under a competency based model our teachers will have more autonomy in regards to designing student assessments.
- Financial
- Search for ways to conduct business in the most efficient and effective manner.
- Work with the Administration to proactively monitor the fund balance
- Annual review of eligibility for the free lunch program under the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.
- Maintain ongoing communication with the Budget Committee regarding any potential changes in funding.
- Receive detailed backup information for the budget.
- Warrant article to rebuild the maintenance fund.
- Formulate a written facilities capital improvement plan.
Our Hinsdale School District Facility Committee has approved a Hinsdale School District Capital Improvement Plan. This plan will be recommended for Board approval at the next Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 9th.
- Security
- Continue to review security audit information and move forward, in a fiscally responsible manner and to ensure our buildings are secure and our students are safe.
- Formulate a written security plan.
We were recently notified that a recent safety grant we submitted for $54,280 was approved by the State. The total of the safety grants that was announced for Hinsdale schools over the past two months total approximately $102,000. Our first safety door lock, paid for by the safety grant, was installed at the Hinsdale Middle/High School on May 2nd. We plan to do our best to complete all these projects over the summer months.
- Technology
- Continue to align the district budget to support the 5-year plan of the District Technology Committee.
- Formulate a written technology capital improvement plan.
We are now moving forward with the second year of our five-year one-to-one initiative. Next year all Hinsdale students in the sixth grade and the tenth grade will have tablets for use during the school days. Currently all Hinsdale students in the 5th grade and the 9th grade have tablets to use during the school day. We are still waiting to hear from the State regarding a grant application that would provide funds to integrate technology with the arts at both Hinsdale Elementary School and Hinsdale Middle/High School.