Town of Phippsburg 2012 Annual Report

TOWN OF PHIPPSBURG
Phippsburg School Principal’s Report
While reflecting on the last year at Phippsburg Elementary School, one word comes to mind
and that is community. We have continued to focus on building our own school community, as
well as connecting our students to their local and global communities.
We continue to benefit from the generous support of the Phippsburg community. Our school
had a morning field trip to Totman Cove in the fall.. The field trip integrated so many components
of our curriculum at each grade level, including wellness, writing, art, science, and our
work around team building. This trip went a long way toward connecting our students with the
natural resources in their Phippsburg. Our PTA funded the event and many parents joined us for
this adventure. The Phippsburg Land trust has also provided visits from foresters, sea creatures,
and the Chewonki Foundation to our school. Local community members have come in to read,
volunteer, and donate money to support our many causes. Our first graders have gone monthly
to the Totman Library and our students in grades 3-5 have attended an after-school book club
there, as well. Carol Emerson, along with many students and parents, have spent hours on our
Amazing PES Kids’ Garden and Garden Club. Our small, but very active PTA has supported
many amazing opportunities for our students that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible. Our
students continue to be so fortunate to have such a supportive community.
We are very focused on preparing students for their future years in school and life beyond.
As technology changes rapidly, so does the role of education. According to the US Department
of Labor, 65% of the jobs our elementary students will have in the future have yet to be created
(http://www.ideafestival.com). It is our job to prepare them for this uncertain future. So much
of what students need to learn and their individual growth cannot be measured on standardized
tests. It is difficult to measure their creativity, problem solving skills, use of technology, and
ability to collaborate with others, although we see evidence of all of these things daily at PES.
Given that, it is still exciting to report we saw an increase in the percentage of students who
scored proficient or above on our state NECAP testing this year in both reading and math. The
staff is very focused on utilizing best practices and individualizing as much as possible to meet
the needs of our students.
We are very proud of the happenings at our school and welcome anyone to come visit and
see first hand what a special place Phippsburg Elementary School really is.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kari Babcock Photos
Kari Babcock, Principal
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