Principal’s Pen: November 13-17
My apologies for not getting this newsletter out sooner. Time just seemed to fly right by this weekend. I hope that you all were able to relax over the long break and begin your preparations for the upcoming holiday season.
A big thank you to all who helped with the passage of the bond referendum. This was a huge undertaking with lots of hard work and long hours being put into this effort.
On Monday the entire RSU 18 staff and administrators attended a 2 hour workshop entitled, Resiliency. The speaker, Christian Moore, spoke about the ability to “flip the switch”when faced with adversity. As human beings our initial reaction is sometimes not very complimentary and we never get the chance for a do over. Our students come from various backgrounds and circumstances and for some everyday is a challenge. As educators it is our job to make sure that we are providing the basic necessities to each and everyone of our students so that they can be successful. I reflect back to the recent storm and how for 5 days I was without power. Sure it was an inconvenience (not having a hot meal, being able to take a shower, not having electricity) but for so many of our youth this is a daily occurrence for them and yet they show up to school everyday, no excuses, ready to learn. To me this is an example of what resiliency represents. The ability to take a step back and reassess what is important and what it is that “I” can take control of. Our goal at MHS is to continue the discussion as to how we can better support our students and make sure that we are connecting with each and everyone of them on a consistent basis.
On Friday students will receive their report cards in advisory. For those of you who have students in grades 10-12 the layout of the report card will look different to you. It is now two pages (front and back) and reflects not only the grade that your student earned in his/her classes but the standards that they have been scored on. You will find that there is a legend on the back side which defines what each score means. You will also find that included with the standards scores are the scores for the Guiding Principles (Integrated and Informed Thinker, Clear and Effective Communicator, Self-Directed and Life-Long Learner, Creative and Practical Problem Solver, Responsible and Involved Citizen). I have attached the scoring rubric for each of these principles so that you may have a better idea as to what the teachers are looking for in their classes. The scores that you see for these two items (standards and principles) represent what was assessed or demonstrated this quarter only. Should you have questions regarding the new report card please do not hesitate to reach out to me at your convenience.
Additionally, for those of you who are parents of freshmen the report card represents a current snapshot of how your son/daughter is doing not only in their classes but with demonstrating proficiency within standards as well. As you know the Class of 2021 will be the first class to graduate with not only earning a specified number of credits but showing proficiency in the four content areas as well: ELA, Science, Math and Social Studies. This is an exciting new way of looking at the whole student and getting a better idea of what they have learned over their 4 years of high school.
We have a lot going on at the high school this week. Our drama students will be performing The Addams Family on Friday and Saturday night beginning at 7:00 pm. The show will also be held on Sunday beginning at 2:00 pm. I know that I have said this before but you will not be disappointed with this performance so please attend if you are able.
The annual All Sports Booster’s Club will hold it’s holiday fair this Saturday from 9-3. This is a great opportunity to get a jump start on your holiday shopping.
One last thank you goes out to all of you who have helped to stock our food pantry. We are running a little low on cans of soups, peanut butter and jelly, pasta sauce. Any and all donations would be appreciated.
Enjoy your week!
Paula