Superintendent’s Report – September 2018
We successfully opened our elementary school on Tuesday, September 4th. The new renovation and addition to the elementary school was ready on opening day. We have many individuals and groups to thank for this needed facility improvement, including the following: our voters at our 2017 District Meeting, Hinsdale School Board, New Hampshire Board of Education, Governor Sununu, New Hampshire Legislature, the New Hampshire Department of Education Chief Engineer Amy Clark, New Hampshire Commissioner of Education Frank Edleblut, Hinsdale resident Smoky Smith, former State Senator Molly Kelly, current State Senator Jay Kahn, State Representative Mike Abbott, and Hinsdale resident Kathy Bean. I would also like to thank the Hinsdale School District Building Improvement Committee whose members include: James O’Malley-Chair, Steve Fecto-Vice Chair, James MacDonell, Joe Boggio, Sean Leary, Deb Carrier, Shawn Lee, Courtney Hodge, April Anderson, Kaylah Hemlow, Kathy Bean, and Tom O’Connor. Certainly District staff including the technology team and the custodians worked particularly hard to make the opening of school deadline for the new addition and the renovated rooms..
The Hinsdale School Board is planning a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new HES addition/renovation project. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 22nd. Invitations have been sent out to special guests. Anyone who would like to join us is welcome. After a few remarks, and the ribbon cutting, the District will provide tours for those individuals who would like to see the rooms in the new addition and renovation.
New staff spent the last week of August in preparation of the new school year. Returning staff spent two or three days in preparation for the new school year depending on the assignment. Common staff development included curriculum and instruction updates, PACE updates, safety protocols, bullying prevention, understanding sexual harassment and preventing unlawful workplace harassment, and trauma informed classroom. I’ve attached the PowerPoint to my opening day remarks to my “Superintendent’s Blog” which may be accessed in the upper left hand corner on the Hinsdale School District Web Page
Our Director of Technology, Deborah Trabucco and her staff have made the necessary preparations for a successful implementation of the second year of the Hinsdale School District Five-Year Technology Plan.
The Hinsdale School Board recently adopted District Goals for the 2018-2019 school year. District administrators are currently formulating action plans. I’ll report out the progress to the Board and community monthly.
The 2018-2019 Hinsdale School District Goals are as follows:
- HSD will personalize learning for each student which will result in improved student learning and higher numbers of students reaching proficiency on targeted learning standards by: a. Using a Response to Intervention model, which includes core instruction, intervention, and extension, we will provide students with educational opportunities and learning based upon each student’s unique needs, interests and learning styles. While we will continue to address learning needs in all content areas, during the 18-19 school year, we will intentionally focus on improving student learning in mathematics, as evidenced by MAP data/results. a. Staff will support the successful implementation of the Tech Committee’s Five-Year Plan
2. Staff will provide students with social/emotional learning opportunities which will enhance students’ capacity to integrate skills, attitudes, and behaviors to deal effectively and ethically with daily tasks and challenges; and which will result in students learning the skills they need to in order to be successful in today’s world – at home, in school, and later in college and work.
3. HSD will recruit best quality staff, grow best quality staff, and retain best quality staff.
4.HSD will conduct financial business in an efficient and effective manner.
5. HSD will continue to review security audit information and move forward, in a fiscally responsible manner, to ensure our buildings are secure and our students are safe.