The quality of a student's experience on their way to school or home can have a large effect on her or his day at school, as well as the child's general comfort with his or her overall schooling experience.
The experience of the child's morning at home and trip to school sets the tone for the new school day. The experience of the child's return trip to home in the afternoon has much to do with how the student perceives the school day. If a student's ride to school is poor, s/he arrives to school agitated and off balance. The rest of the day can be an uphill climb. If the ride home is poor, it can eclipse all the good work the that student and teachers had done that day. This is why it is so important that we assure a quality experience for our bus riders every day at Woodland Heights.
After meeting with bus company managers last week to begin our cooperative work toward improving our busing situation for both students and drivers, this week we will be celebrating 'WHS Bus Safety Week'. During the week I'll be hosting a meeting for our school's bus drivers to discuss and 'tweak' our school's busing system, and support the further development of their student management skills. I'll also be visiting classes at WHS to make presentations that remind students of bus safety and behavior guidelines, and the importance of their following the guidelines without exception. We will likely begin an assigned seating system on our buses whereby students will be seated with their grade level and school peers (i.e., WHS kids with WHS kids, 1st Graders with 1st Graders).
In addition, we are investigating the possibility of implementing the common practice of installing video cameras on our buses to assist in maintaining a safe and appropriate riding climate for our students and drivers. In other school districts that I have been fortunate to serve, a video camera system has done much to encourage better conduct by everyone on the bus, has been helpful in the accurate and efficient investigation of bus disciplinary infractions, and has actually exonerated students wrongly accused of bus infractions. Placing video cameras on our buses would be an enormous benefit to everyone involved in the bus riding experience at WHS.
Stay turned for more details! As always, don't hesitate to contact me at school, or by email (ddobe@laconia.k12.nh.us) if I can answer any of your questions of be of service to you in any way.
Have a great week!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
WHS Parent Forum on School Improvement Announced
Wow, another great week at WHS! Despite a soggy Friday, we enjoyed a lot of outstanding fall weather while at recesses earlier in the week. A highlight at the end of last week was the opportunity for some of our 1st Graders to plant two new apple trees on our campus (thank you Mrs. Levesque, Mr. Caruso, and Petal Pushers Farm!). Our students and staff worked hard in their classrooms this week, and our 3rd & 4th Graders took their NECAP assessment this week -- we were busy!
Speaking of NECAP, there have been some questions raised by parents about the tests and what the results tell us about our school. I would like to invite all WHS parents into the school on Thursday evening, October 21st, from 7-8pm. in our school library to discuss our most recent NECAP school results and our School in Need of Improvement (SINI) designation. Coffee and light refreshments will be served!
The WHS Staff is continually involved in personal professional development, and are actively and productively engaged in many school improvement initiatives as well. On the 19th, I'd like to share: an overview of the NECAP assessment program at WHS, our school's performance on that assessment over recent years, our SINI status and what that means, our school goals for this year, and an update on our school improvement intitiatives.
The night should be both informative and highly interactive. During the meeting, we hope to address your concerns and answer your questions about our school and our course for ongoing school improvement. We hope that you will be able to join us!
Speaking of NECAP, there have been some questions raised by parents about the tests and what the results tell us about our school. I would like to invite all WHS parents into the school on Thursday evening, October 21st, from 7-8pm. in our school library to discuss our most recent NECAP school results and our School in Need of Improvement (SINI) designation. Coffee and light refreshments will be served!
The WHS Staff is continually involved in personal professional development, and are actively and productively engaged in many school improvement initiatives as well. On the 19th, I'd like to share: an overview of the NECAP assessment program at WHS, our school's performance on that assessment over recent years, our SINI status and what that means, our school goals for this year, and an update on our school improvement intitiatives.
The night should be both informative and highly interactive. During the meeting, we hope to address your concerns and answer your questions about our school and our course for ongoing school improvement. We hope that you will be able to join us!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Lots of Hard Work and Testing Lead Up to Long Weekend
For the weeks prior to our fist long weekend since Labor Day, students and staff have been very busily attending to their program of study and participating in two important assessments: the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress and the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP). All of ur Grade 3-5 students have completed their fall NWEA testing (results due back shortly), and Grade 5 students have completed their NECAP testing (Grade 3 & 4 will take their NECAP tests this coming week).
Also recently, a number of classes have enjoyed their annual fall field trips that have been extremely educational and enjoyable for all in attendance. Our intrepid third graders even braved cool, blustery, and wet weather for their annual City of Laconia walking field trip.
Back to academics and testing. A couple of weeks ago, you received a letter authored by our school superintendent, Mr. Robert Champlin, notifying you of our 'School in Need of Improvement' status for the coming year. This is nothing new for our school district or for most school districts across our state. In fact, with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) 'passing' bar raised significantly over the past year, many schools who have long enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence have now found themselves on the 'School in Need of Improvement' list -- in fact very few schools in the state have escaped the designation to this point. With the cut-off for a shool's passing grade at above 90% of their entire student population (and every subgroup as well -- i.e., special education, socioeconomic status, students with limited english proficiency, etc.) needing to achieve a score of 'Proficient' (a rigorous mark to meet for any student), many great schools are now being informed that they are a school in need of improvement.
A number of WHS parents have expressed an interest in learning more about the 'No Child Left Behind' law, the NECAP testing process (the results of this test determine our school's NCLB status), and our school's plan to adress our School in Need of Improvement designation. Fabulous! Even better: a few parents have offered to become part of the solution at WHS and join our School in Need of Improvement (SINI) Team!
I am looking to set a date in the next week or two to meet with parents to discuss these matters. Hopefully, we'll be able to conduct a webinar for those who can't attend our meeting, or at least record the meeting for a podcast to post on this blog. If you are interested in attending, please email me (ddobe@laconia.k12.nh.us) and share what upcoming days would be best for a 7:00-8:00pm. meeting (or which days should be avoided), and we will publicize the meeting as soon as the date is set.
In the interim, you can begin to review our school's recent NECAP results at : http://reporting.measuredprogress.org/nhprofile/reports.aspx. Results for this year's NECAP test administration will not be available until mid-winter.
Many thanks for your interest and involvement, everyone. At WHS, we are a very good school with a determination to become a GREAT school!! With your support, we are sure to get there.
Have a great week!!
Dennis
Also recently, a number of classes have enjoyed their annual fall field trips that have been extremely educational and enjoyable for all in attendance. Our intrepid third graders even braved cool, blustery, and wet weather for their annual City of Laconia walking field trip.
Back to academics and testing. A couple of weeks ago, you received a letter authored by our school superintendent, Mr. Robert Champlin, notifying you of our 'School in Need of Improvement' status for the coming year. This is nothing new for our school district or for most school districts across our state. In fact, with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) 'passing' bar raised significantly over the past year, many schools who have long enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence have now found themselves on the 'School in Need of Improvement' list -- in fact very few schools in the state have escaped the designation to this point. With the cut-off for a shool's passing grade at above 90% of their entire student population (and every subgroup as well -- i.e., special education, socioeconomic status, students with limited english proficiency, etc.) needing to achieve a score of 'Proficient' (a rigorous mark to meet for any student), many great schools are now being informed that they are a school in need of improvement.
A number of WHS parents have expressed an interest in learning more about the 'No Child Left Behind' law, the NECAP testing process (the results of this test determine our school's NCLB status), and our school's plan to adress our School in Need of Improvement designation. Fabulous! Even better: a few parents have offered to become part of the solution at WHS and join our School in Need of Improvement (SINI) Team!
I am looking to set a date in the next week or two to meet with parents to discuss these matters. Hopefully, we'll be able to conduct a webinar for those who can't attend our meeting, or at least record the meeting for a podcast to post on this blog. If you are interested in attending, please email me (ddobe@laconia.k12.nh.us) and share what upcoming days would be best for a 7:00-8:00pm. meeting (or which days should be avoided), and we will publicize the meeting as soon as the date is set.
In the interim, you can begin to review our school's recent NECAP results at : http://reporting.measuredprogress.org/nhprofile/reports.aspx. Results for this year's NECAP test administration will not be available until mid-winter.
Many thanks for your interest and involvement, everyone. At WHS, we are a very good school with a determination to become a GREAT school!! With your support, we are sure to get there.
Have a great week!!
Dennis
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