An educator's life in any school district is extremely demanding, and requires more talent, time, energy, dedication, resilience, and involves giving more of herself/himself than almost any other profession. At a school like Woodland Heights you have to be a 'rock star' to even survive. No kidding.
To share an inkling of what our teachers are attending to at this time of year, beyond their normal responsibilities of educating their students and keeping them safe, let me share the following list:
A.] Administer, score and report results of Everyday Math Final Exam.
B.] Administer, score and report the results of year end literacy assessments.
C.] Develop balanced class lists that will be used to determine class placement for 2011-2012.
D.] Complete data grids that include all of the most pertinent assessment data and other ratings of academic and social performance over the following year that will be used by new teachers to plan for the coming year.
E.] Nominate students vor various summer programs.
F.] Develop a budget and order materials to assure quality programming for the coming year.
G.] Pack their entire classroom and materials, and clean classroom furniture and fixtures.
H.] Complete Quarter #4 Report Cards, and place necessary documents in student cumulative files.
I.] Begin meeting with teaching team for 2011-2012.
J.] Plan summer professional development schedule.
Thank goodness for our students, we have a whole school of 'rock stars' who are getting better and better all the time. As we wrap up our important business for this school year, we begin to look with anticipation to next year. As we say at WHS, "the future looks bright!"
Sunday, June 12, 2011
While I've Been Away ......
O.K., those of you have been in to WHS know that your principal did not actually go on vacation for the past six weeks (you've got to be kidding me, where did the time go?!?), nor did I intentionally take a hiatus from the WHS Principal's Blog. Truth be told, and as many of you know ... I have been buried at work, and blogging to share a glimpse of life 'on the inside' at Woodland Heights needed to take a lower priority. Not to make excuses ... it just is what it is!
So what has been going on? A lot. Where do I start? How about from the beginning. The following is a list of 'blog micro-entries' that cover some key events and conditions that have characterized administrative and staff functions over recent weeks.
A.] 2011-2012 Budget Development and Review Process > This year we were mightily challenged with a sluggish economic recovery and dramatic cutbacks in state aid to schools. These conditions necessitated some severe budget cuts for Laconia (and most districts across the state). The challenge was to determine how and what to cut that would result in the least amount of harm to the quality of our educational program and student expereince here at Woodland Heights, and across our district. Many meetings and many conversations later, we believe that we have arrived at a plan that will allow us to continue our good work on behalf of the City of Laconia. There have been cutbacks to several programs, and there have been reductions in staff, but the kids will be fin in the end. We'll make sure of it!
B.] WHS Behavior Specialist Leaves Our Service > A critical position in our school is that of the WHS Behavior Specialist. This individual helps coordinate our school's student management and character development programs. The Behavior Specialist's role involves, among other things: conducting investigations, assigning consequences for misdeeds,making parent contacts, and logging disciplinary infractions; administering and supervising disciplinary consequences; developing and administering student incentive programs (behavior plans); and educational programs to promote good citizenship and a safe school climate. Well, we were without a behavior specialist for much of the spring, and the office staff had to take up much of the slack -- tough to do when you already have a 'considerable' workload. We were fortunate to hire another behavior specialist, and then spent necessary time to assist with training and preparing our new candidate for success. We are definitely in a better place now!
C.] Teacher Evaluation Cycle Peaks > The Laconia School District has a rigorous teacher evaluation system that calls for very careful oversight of staff. Depending on a teacher's level of experience, she is formally evaluated between three and nine times a year. This includes formal classroom observations, pre- and post-observation conferences, and the writing of teacher evaluation reports. This program is supported by an intensive professional goal-setting process, and a process of documenting and reflecting upon professional development activities (teacher training opportunities such as conferences, workshops, graduate level college courses, book study groups, etc., etc.). Suffice it to say, your teachers are hired to join our team based on a highly competitive process to assure that Laconia obtains the highest quality professional staff possible. Once your foot is in the door, however, the real challenge begins: proving worthiness through excellent performance in order to retain your position. The teacher evaluation process is another major undertaking, and a critically important one, for our staff.
D.] Plymouth State University Interns Wrap-Up at WHS > We were pleased to grow our partnership with PSU this year and bring to our school a large number of college students learning how to become successful teachers. Part of our obligation in the process is an intensive series of evaluations to offer competent, field-based feedback to the students and to the University about aspiring teacher skill development, professional growth, and teaching potential. The partnership is important to us, but is not without an investment on our part (some staff time and energy).
E.] Summer Program Planning and Recruitment > In Laconia, we are pleased to offer many grant funded opportunities for our students to continue their learning over the summer. These experiences are often related to fundamental academics, arts and engineering enrichment, or other experiential learning. These programs require careful planning, staffing, student recruitment, and other logistical considerations. We continue to do all that we can to make learning opportunities happen for our students year-round! In Laconia, the learning and the fun never end.
F.] ARRA Technology Grant Wrap-Up > Woodland Heights school has enjoyed a monumental opportunity to participate in a technology grant that has gone a long way to revolutionizing the way teachers teach, and the way that students learn at WHS. This opportunity that has had such dramatically positive results for our school also has required a great deal of commitment from our staff. It is true that you don't get something for nothing. Our teachers have received a lot, but they have given a great deal in order to take our school 'to the next level' with technology.
G.] General School Management, Events, and Problem-Solving > Television shows are frequently written about the drama, intensity, and dynamic environment that can be found in a hospital or police station. I certainly wouldn't take anything away from the service and the sacrifice of people in health careers, law enforcement, or emergency services, but I could make a pitch to a major network for a program about a school office. It is hard to imagine any environment more active than an organization that houses and services 450 3-11 year-olds, their families, and staff, all day, every day for an entire school year -- oh, and then there are myriad evening events and a multitude of summer programs and other organizations that operate out of our school. What is the point? At WHS, 'it' is happening all the time, at every moment, and in every way. Don't believe me? Drop in for a moment sometime.
Enough for now. Thanks for reading, and if there is ever another long gap between blog posts, just know that I haven't been on vacation, 'just been too busy to write! Keeping up with Woodland Heights? You better have roller skates!
So what has been going on? A lot. Where do I start? How about from the beginning. The following is a list of 'blog micro-entries' that cover some key events and conditions that have characterized administrative and staff functions over recent weeks.
A.] 2011-2012 Budget Development and Review Process > This year we were mightily challenged with a sluggish economic recovery and dramatic cutbacks in state aid to schools. These conditions necessitated some severe budget cuts for Laconia (and most districts across the state). The challenge was to determine how and what to cut that would result in the least amount of harm to the quality of our educational program and student expereince here at Woodland Heights, and across our district. Many meetings and many conversations later, we believe that we have arrived at a plan that will allow us to continue our good work on behalf of the City of Laconia. There have been cutbacks to several programs, and there have been reductions in staff, but the kids will be fin in the end. We'll make sure of it!
B.] WHS Behavior Specialist Leaves Our Service > A critical position in our school is that of the WHS Behavior Specialist. This individual helps coordinate our school's student management and character development programs. The Behavior Specialist's role involves, among other things: conducting investigations, assigning consequences for misdeeds,making parent contacts, and logging disciplinary infractions; administering and supervising disciplinary consequences; developing and administering student incentive programs (behavior plans); and educational programs to promote good citizenship and a safe school climate. Well, we were without a behavior specialist for much of the spring, and the office staff had to take up much of the slack -- tough to do when you already have a 'considerable' workload. We were fortunate to hire another behavior specialist, and then spent necessary time to assist with training and preparing our new candidate for success. We are definitely in a better place now!
C.] Teacher Evaluation Cycle Peaks > The Laconia School District has a rigorous teacher evaluation system that calls for very careful oversight of staff. Depending on a teacher's level of experience, she is formally evaluated between three and nine times a year. This includes formal classroom observations, pre- and post-observation conferences, and the writing of teacher evaluation reports. This program is supported by an intensive professional goal-setting process, and a process of documenting and reflecting upon professional development activities (teacher training opportunities such as conferences, workshops, graduate level college courses, book study groups, etc., etc.). Suffice it to say, your teachers are hired to join our team based on a highly competitive process to assure that Laconia obtains the highest quality professional staff possible. Once your foot is in the door, however, the real challenge begins: proving worthiness through excellent performance in order to retain your position. The teacher evaluation process is another major undertaking, and a critically important one, for our staff.
D.] Plymouth State University Interns Wrap-Up at WHS > We were pleased to grow our partnership with PSU this year and bring to our school a large number of college students learning how to become successful teachers. Part of our obligation in the process is an intensive series of evaluations to offer competent, field-based feedback to the students and to the University about aspiring teacher skill development, professional growth, and teaching potential. The partnership is important to us, but is not without an investment on our part (some staff time and energy).
E.] Summer Program Planning and Recruitment > In Laconia, we are pleased to offer many grant funded opportunities for our students to continue their learning over the summer. These experiences are often related to fundamental academics, arts and engineering enrichment, or other experiential learning. These programs require careful planning, staffing, student recruitment, and other logistical considerations. We continue to do all that we can to make learning opportunities happen for our students year-round! In Laconia, the learning and the fun never end.
F.] ARRA Technology Grant Wrap-Up > Woodland Heights school has enjoyed a monumental opportunity to participate in a technology grant that has gone a long way to revolutionizing the way teachers teach, and the way that students learn at WHS. This opportunity that has had such dramatically positive results for our school also has required a great deal of commitment from our staff. It is true that you don't get something for nothing. Our teachers have received a lot, but they have given a great deal in order to take our school 'to the next level' with technology.
G.] General School Management, Events, and Problem-Solving > Television shows are frequently written about the drama, intensity, and dynamic environment that can be found in a hospital or police station. I certainly wouldn't take anything away from the service and the sacrifice of people in health careers, law enforcement, or emergency services, but I could make a pitch to a major network for a program about a school office. It is hard to imagine any environment more active than an organization that houses and services 450 3-11 year-olds, their families, and staff, all day, every day for an entire school year -- oh, and then there are myriad evening events and a multitude of summer programs and other organizations that operate out of our school. What is the point? At WHS, 'it' is happening all the time, at every moment, and in every way. Don't believe me? Drop in for a moment sometime.
Enough for now. Thanks for reading, and if there is ever another long gap between blog posts, just know that I haven't been on vacation, 'just been too busy to write! Keeping up with Woodland Heights? You better have roller skates!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Flurry of Activity is the Magic of May!
For all the work that we have done, for all that we have accomplished, and for all of the growing that we have done throughout the year, it is during the month of May that it seems everything bursts forth like the May flowers in our gardens. May is full of life, energy, and enthusiasm that is absolutely irrepressible. At the same that time we celebrate the end of winter and move closer to the end of a great school year, we work diligently to bring projects and initiatives to a satisfactory conclusion, administer end of year assessment to our students, plan our summer staff development training, and establish our school district's many summer programs. Amidst all of this activity, we will welcome a new class to our school (next year's Kindergarteners) and wish another class a fond farewell (our Fabulous Fifth Graders) as they begin their transition to even greater growth and success at Laconia Middle School.
You can check out our school calendar which was sent home with students just before April Break, or check our school website regularly for the latest news about our many events.
As it seems like a long time since we last connected (virtually), I am offering this podcast which will highlight some of what you can look forward to here at Woodland Heights over the coming weeks of May. [Remember, it can take a moment or two for the podcast to load.]
From all of your friends here at WHS, we wish you a wonderful start to one of the most active, exciting, and productive months of the school year. Welcome to Magical May!
You can check out our school calendar which was sent home with students just before April Break, or check our school website regularly for the latest news about our many events.
As it seems like a long time since we last connected (virtually), I am offering this podcast which will highlight some of what you can look forward to here at Woodland Heights over the coming weeks of May. [Remember, it can take a moment or two for the podcast to load.]
From all of your friends here at WHS, we wish you a wonderful start to one of the most active, exciting, and productive months of the school year. Welcome to Magical May!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Student-Led Parent Conferences at WHS This Thursday
It is hard to believe: our third marking term has closed, and Quarter #3 report cards will go home on Monday, April 11. It has been an amazingly fast and productive year, and the children have all grown so well.
In planning for our Thursday afternoon and evening student-led parent conferences, I recently had a chance to review some video I shot of our school on September 24th, 2010 -- the day of our WHS Fall Open House. The teachers and students were very excited for the event, and everyone looked fantastic (it just happened to be our fall picture day also, so many of the kids were dressed in their finest!). I will run the video on a loop on Thursday, so you can see how much we have all grown and changed over the past seven months.
I hope that you have made an appointment to meet with your child's teacher at some point this week. Although most conferences will be held on Thursday, if you can't join us on that day, please let your child's teacher know when you could get in to WHS for your child's spring conference. We'll try our best to accommodate for your work and family schedule.
The parent-teacher conferences held in the springtime at WHS are extra special because they REALLY star your child(ren)! Your child has been preparing to lead a conference with you and his/her teacher. During the meeting, all parties will talk about your student's experience in our school this year, and all of the wonderful growth that we have all worked so hard to achieve. Our spring conferences are truly a celebration of your child's academic and personal growth over the course of the school year.
We anticipate that you will be impressed by what you see and what you hear at the conference.
Please join us for our spring student-led parent conferences at WHS this coming Thursday, April 14th. WHS and your child: always worth the trip!
In planning for our Thursday afternoon and evening student-led parent conferences, I recently had a chance to review some video I shot of our school on September 24th, 2010 -- the day of our WHS Fall Open House. The teachers and students were very excited for the event, and everyone looked fantastic (it just happened to be our fall picture day also, so many of the kids were dressed in their finest!). I will run the video on a loop on Thursday, so you can see how much we have all grown and changed over the past seven months.
I hope that you have made an appointment to meet with your child's teacher at some point this week. Although most conferences will be held on Thursday, if you can't join us on that day, please let your child's teacher know when you could get in to WHS for your child's spring conference. We'll try our best to accommodate for your work and family schedule.
The parent-teacher conferences held in the springtime at WHS are extra special because they REALLY star your child(ren)! Your child has been preparing to lead a conference with you and his/her teacher. During the meeting, all parties will talk about your student's experience in our school this year, and all of the wonderful growth that we have all worked so hard to achieve. Our spring conferences are truly a celebration of your child's academic and personal growth over the course of the school year.
We anticipate that you will be impressed by what you see and what you hear at the conference.
Please join us for our spring student-led parent conferences at WHS this coming Thursday, April 14th. WHS and your child: always worth the trip!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Education Fair at WHS Features 21st Century Learning
When our district public relations committee created the architecture for this year's Laconia School District Education Fair, finding a theme to suggest for Woodland Heights School was no difficult affair. It was determined in short order that our theme would be '21st Century Learning, Each and Every Day'.
Since the announcement was made, our students and staff have been excitedly making arrangements for their opportuunity to showcase the products of our technology in education initiative this year. Every WHS classroom, department and program will have information to share, student work to show and demonstrations to make in order to share with our guests some of what we have been working on this year. We are proud to share our accomplishments, and we hope that you will be pleased and impressed.
One interesting example of how this project has unfolded, and right in step with 21st Century Learning, our 5th Graders formed a cooperative work group and have been brainstorming, organizing, and preparing their pod's EdFair displays and demonstrations. Other examples of 21st Century Learning in Pod 5 were also readily observed last week; students could be seen around the school mapping out video 'shoots', and in the Commons uploading and editing their work. They were recording audio commentary on their netbooks to accompany a recent Social Studies civics project. Providing a global education aspect, our 5th Graders conducted online research on the recent tragedies in Japan and then organized and publicized a school-based relief effort. Some of this experiential learning has been recorded by the students on their class blog, which is linked from their class wiki. All of this is representative of just one grade level, and just some of the projects and examples of 21st Century Learning that I noticed in Pod 5 over the past week.
Elsewhere around the building, students are alerting their teachers at every turn that "We can show this to our parents at EdFair!" Their enthusiasm for learning beyond the textbook, workbook and basal is unbridled, and has been hugely satisfying to watch take root and grow here at Woodland. Our growth process has been 'organic' and student-centered, unfolding at a natural pace in response to increasing student capabilities in all the diverse ways that learning can take form in a modern, technology-infused, opportunity-enriched, and student-centered elementary school.
Technology and learning go hand in hand here at Woodland Heights School, and as the teachers and students will tell you at EdFair, there is no turning back now. Once students and teachers have experienced 21st Century Learning with 21st Century Learning Tools, they can't imagine living and learning any other way. Our learning process is absolutely an appropriate and natural result of 'moving with the times' to best prepare our students for success in the world in which they currently live, and to prepare them for success in the world that they will soon inherit. Any other approach would be unethical, and a breach of our professional responsibility to provide a meaningful education for our students.
Laconia 'EdFair - 2011' should be a great night at Woodland Heights School. Please join us at 5:30pm. on Thursday, March 31st, for an hour of wonder and marvel as our students show you what is special about their school and how they learn. WHS is a very special school community, and we are not afraid to tell you about it. As we have grown accustomed to saying: "We are Woodland Heights, ... and this is what we do."
Since the announcement was made, our students and staff have been excitedly making arrangements for their opportuunity to showcase the products of our technology in education initiative this year. Every WHS classroom, department and program will have information to share, student work to show and demonstrations to make in order to share with our guests some of what we have been working on this year. We are proud to share our accomplishments, and we hope that you will be pleased and impressed.
One interesting example of how this project has unfolded, and right in step with 21st Century Learning, our 5th Graders formed a cooperative work group and have been brainstorming, organizing, and preparing their pod's EdFair displays and demonstrations. Other examples of 21st Century Learning in Pod 5 were also readily observed last week; students could be seen around the school mapping out video 'shoots', and in the Commons uploading and editing their work. They were recording audio commentary on their netbooks to accompany a recent Social Studies civics project. Providing a global education aspect, our 5th Graders conducted online research on the recent tragedies in Japan and then organized and publicized a school-based relief effort. Some of this experiential learning has been recorded by the students on their class blog, which is linked from their class wiki. All of this is representative of just one grade level, and just some of the projects and examples of 21st Century Learning that I noticed in Pod 5 over the past week.
Elsewhere around the building, students are alerting their teachers at every turn that "We can show this to our parents at EdFair!" Their enthusiasm for learning beyond the textbook, workbook and basal is unbridled, and has been hugely satisfying to watch take root and grow here at Woodland. Our growth process has been 'organic' and student-centered, unfolding at a natural pace in response to increasing student capabilities in all the diverse ways that learning can take form in a modern, technology-infused, opportunity-enriched, and student-centered elementary school.
Technology and learning go hand in hand here at Woodland Heights School, and as the teachers and students will tell you at EdFair, there is no turning back now. Once students and teachers have experienced 21st Century Learning with 21st Century Learning Tools, they can't imagine living and learning any other way. Our learning process is absolutely an appropriate and natural result of 'moving with the times' to best prepare our students for success in the world in which they currently live, and to prepare them for success in the world that they will soon inherit. Any other approach would be unethical, and a breach of our professional responsibility to provide a meaningful education for our students.
Laconia 'EdFair - 2011' should be a great night at Woodland Heights School. Please join us at 5:30pm. on Thursday, March 31st, for an hour of wonder and marvel as our students show you what is special about their school and how they learn. WHS is a very special school community, and we are not afraid to tell you about it. As we have grown accustomed to saying: "We are Woodland Heights, ... and this is what we do."
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Professional Development Opportunities Abound at WHS!
Due to a number of skillfully written grants, Woodland Heights is pleased and proud to offer its staff a number of 'powerful' learning opportunities this spring to further their professional growth and promote their effectiveness with students. The opportunities fall under the following categories:
A.] Book Study Groups > Over the course of the spring, our staff will read, study, and discuss the following important works in our field: Mosaic of Thought, Second Edition (reading comprehension and thinking), Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (accounting for student differences in ability and interest), and Enhancing RtI: How to Ensure Success with Effective Classroom Instruction and Intervention (refining school processes for addressing the needs of struggling learners).
B.] Professional Learning Community (PLC) Meetings > Our school's Literacy Coach (Joanna Bergman) is meeting weekly with our grade level teacher teams to study the book, Strategies that Work. Mrs. Bergman and WHS teachers are discussing the book and planning for direct application of its 'strategies' into our school's evolving literacy program.
C.] Work with Consultants > We will soon begin work at WHS with Mahesh Sharma, a nationally-renowned consultant in the area of mthematics instruction. Also, we anticipate doing work with professors from our partner school, Plymouth State University, in the area of literacy model development (reading, comprhending, and writing) a little later in the spring and upcoming summer.
D.] College Coursework > Through the Plymouth State University Writing Project, a number of our teachers will have the opportunity to take a writing course designed to meet their specific needs in the strengthening of writing instruction strategies and techniques at Woodland Heights.
E.] Workshops > There have been, and will continue to be, opportunities for our teachers and staff to participate in day-long workshops to promote their growth in key, discrete areas. The most notable upcoming opportunity will be in mid-April when Dr. Richard Allington (a nationally acclaimed and prolific writer, thinker, and trainer in the area of improving student literacy) will be featured in a New Hampshire Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (NHASCD) conference relating to methods for assisting struggling readers ("RtI and What Really Matters for Struggling Readers").
F.] Conferences > There will be two major conferences held after the close of the school year that we will have the opportunity to attend in order to further advance key schoolwide initiatives. We will continue our work in these areas into the coming (next) school year, and beyond. WHS will be sending a team of staff to the annual convention of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to participate in a series of rigorous trainings in technology integration and 21st Century Learning. We will also send a team to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) regional conference where teachers will participate in an institute relating to the commonality and shared goals of Response to Intervention (RtI) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) -- "Differentiated Instruction and Response to Intervention: Shared Goals for Student Success".
We are delighted for the opportunity to share these learning experiences with our staff. Our Woodland Heights teachers and paraprofessionals have embraced these opportunities with energy and enthusiasm. As members of the WHS learning community, we continually strive to become more proficient and more effective in our work with children, building the best school and providing the best learning opportunities possible for all of our students.
Stay tuned for more information available over the course of upcoming months about how our program may evolve as a result of these tremendous professional development and school improvement opportunities.
A.] Book Study Groups > Over the course of the spring, our staff will read, study, and discuss the following important works in our field: Mosaic of Thought, Second Edition (reading comprehension and thinking), Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (accounting for student differences in ability and interest), and Enhancing RtI: How to Ensure Success with Effective Classroom Instruction and Intervention (refining school processes for addressing the needs of struggling learners).
B.] Professional Learning Community (PLC) Meetings > Our school's Literacy Coach (Joanna Bergman) is meeting weekly with our grade level teacher teams to study the book, Strategies that Work. Mrs. Bergman and WHS teachers are discussing the book and planning for direct application of its 'strategies' into our school's evolving literacy program.
C.] Work with Consultants > We will soon begin work at WHS with Mahesh Sharma, a nationally-renowned consultant in the area of mthematics instruction. Also, we anticipate doing work with professors from our partner school, Plymouth State University, in the area of literacy model development (reading, comprhending, and writing) a little later in the spring and upcoming summer.
D.] College Coursework > Through the Plymouth State University Writing Project, a number of our teachers will have the opportunity to take a writing course designed to meet their specific needs in the strengthening of writing instruction strategies and techniques at Woodland Heights.
E.] Workshops > There have been, and will continue to be, opportunities for our teachers and staff to participate in day-long workshops to promote their growth in key, discrete areas. The most notable upcoming opportunity will be in mid-April when Dr. Richard Allington (a nationally acclaimed and prolific writer, thinker, and trainer in the area of improving student literacy) will be featured in a New Hampshire Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (NHASCD) conference relating to methods for assisting struggling readers ("RtI and What Really Matters for Struggling Readers").
F.] Conferences > There will be two major conferences held after the close of the school year that we will have the opportunity to attend in order to further advance key schoolwide initiatives. We will continue our work in these areas into the coming (next) school year, and beyond. WHS will be sending a team of staff to the annual convention of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to participate in a series of rigorous trainings in technology integration and 21st Century Learning. We will also send a team to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) regional conference where teachers will participate in an institute relating to the commonality and shared goals of Response to Intervention (RtI) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) -- "Differentiated Instruction and Response to Intervention: Shared Goals for Student Success".
We are delighted for the opportunity to share these learning experiences with our staff. Our Woodland Heights teachers and paraprofessionals have embraced these opportunities with energy and enthusiasm. As members of the WHS learning community, we continually strive to become more proficient and more effective in our work with children, building the best school and providing the best learning opportunities possible for all of our students.
Stay tuned for more information available over the course of upcoming months about how our program may evolve as a result of these tremendous professional development and school improvement opportunities.
'ARTS ALIVE!': A Celebration of the Arts Laconia
During the week of March 14-18 a special celebration of the arts is being held at the historic Belknap Mill Museum in downtown Laconia. Visual art exhibits from each of the Laconia district schools will on display for visitors to enjoy and appreciate. Art students and teachers from each of our elementary schools, as well as Laconia Middle and High Schools, have been working hard to create and display amazing works of art that have students beaming and parents proud as punch. Additionally, the event featured musical performances (both vocal and instrumental) on Monday evening as part of the show's 'Grand Opening'.
As a school community we are especially pleased to highlight the arts in this fashion, and to participate in a collaborative project with our counterparts in other local school districts and with the arts community here in Laconia. After all, many people consider our capacity to create and appreciate art to be the part of us that is most uniquely human. The arts and the effort to create them appeal to the higher part of ourselves, the highest part of our intellect. The creative/artistic process is important in our overall school program, and complements all that we do. We strive to teach and cultivate the arts at Woodland Heights: discretely in our related arts classes, in an integrated fashion through our regular classroom coursework, and through various enrichment opportunities available in our school.
The arts are alive and well in the City of Laconia. I hope that you will have an opportunity to stop by the show and see the creative works that our students and teachers have been producing.
As a school community we are especially pleased to highlight the arts in this fashion, and to participate in a collaborative project with our counterparts in other local school districts and with the arts community here in Laconia. After all, many people consider our capacity to create and appreciate art to be the part of us that is most uniquely human. The arts and the effort to create them appeal to the higher part of ourselves, the highest part of our intellect. The creative/artistic process is important in our overall school program, and complements all that we do. We strive to teach and cultivate the arts at Woodland Heights: discretely in our related arts classes, in an integrated fashion through our regular classroom coursework, and through various enrichment opportunities available in our school.
The arts are alive and well in the City of Laconia. I hope that you will have an opportunity to stop by the show and see the creative works that our students and teachers have been producing.
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