2011 Annual Report - Town of Northborough

46
Northborough
School District
K-8 School Report
Superintendent’s Message
Charles E. Gobron, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
am pleased that in 2011 the Northborough community
I continued its strong tradition of support for quality education.
Because of the valued partnership with parents, educators,
and community members, the Northborough Public
Schools have been able to provide students with opportunities
to excel in academics, practice skills related to social
responsibility, reinforce critical thinking, and become comfortable
with the technological demands needed for success
in the 21st Century.
The following are a few highlights from 2011. Please consult
our district webpage at www.nsboro.k12.ma.us for more
details about the Northborough Public Schools.
• Students at Lincoln Street School continue to benefit from
a comprehensive approach to literacy; teachers have had
extensive professional development on the implementation
of the DIBELS literacy assessment and the Fountas
and Pinell Balanced Assessment System, resulting in an
extensive literacy profile for each student.
• In September, noted consultant Kim Marshall led Lincoln
Street teachers through a professional development opportunity
that focused on the Understanding by Design
philosophy; teachers tackled the concepts of big ideas, essential
questions, and enduring understandings; the work
that began with Kim’s assistance has continued throughout
the fall.
• At Peaslee School, students have been improving their
writing skills and have been participating in a wider range
of literature studies thanks to the unique approach to professional
development by several staff members; faculty
breakfasts have focused on writing instruction; summer
study groups examined literacy initiatives, and several faculty
meetings have been devoted to literature study and writing
samples.
• Peaslee School and Zeh School full-day kindergartens have
been piloting a curriculum known as Tools of the Mind;
this approach, which emphasizes both cognitive skill development
and student self-control, has been offered by the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education as an early childhood accreditation alternative.
• Think Math! is presently being implemented at Proctor
School. Several teachers have participated in workshops,
and one teacher has earned credentials as a trainer for
this new initiative; Think Math! combines basic skills
and problem solving; students at Proctor are investigating
new ideas and solving meaningful problems, applying and
sharpening math skills in the process.
• Proctor School received a great number of grants in 2011;
four staff members were awarded Corridor Nine Chamber
of Commerce grants; the school received a Yellow School
Bus grant as well as a First Books Literacy grant; teachers
were involved in writing local cultural council grants as
well as a Target Field Trip grant.
• Health and wellness initiatives were an important emphasis
at Zeh School in 2011; students participated in the Walk
Across America; 4th and 5th graders were involved in a Bicycle
Safety program; grade 2 students participated in a Pedestrian
Safety program; Monthly Walk and Bike to School
Events involved students from all grade levels; and a Safe
Routes to School Infrastructure Assessment Grant gathered
a great deal of enthusiasm from community members.
• Staff members at Zeh have embraced Atlas Curriculum Mapping,
a tool that assists teachers with effective planning and
sequence of skill development; health education and mathematics
have been focus areas for this mapping initiative.
• A citation by Governor Patrick was given to the Robert
E. Melican Middle School for “the creation, development,
and implementation of an outstanding anti-bullying
program.” A successful Northborough Stands Together
Against Bullying 5 K Walk and Run took place in October.
• Strong support from the PTO continues to supplement
Melican’s educational plans, provides needed assistance
to families throughout the school year for all endeavors
and builds the partnership so important for students at this
stage of their development. PTO has completely funded
Rachel’s Challenge and supported the cost for the October
road race.
• The School Council at Melican developed a School Improvement
Plan, using these three overarching goals: 1.
Creating a Culture of Respect for Every Student, 2. Curriculum
and Instruction, and 3. Technology.
• The Northborough schools continue to work diligently to
seek additional funding through grants that are available
through public and private sources. Staff members continue
to celebrate current and innovative practices within
their classrooms and at the district level through grant writing
activities.
• The professional development offered to the Northborough
staff members supports the mission and goals of our
district as well as individual professional growth plans. We
continue to explore new opportunities for learning through
webinars, online learning, and traditional delivery of professional
development activities.
• The Northborough schools continue to maximize technology
integration by using free and low cost web-based applications;
despite fiscal constraints we continue to take
some steps toward upgrading networks and replacing the
oldest computers in the schools.
• A new district-wide technology plan has been developed;
meetings with many stakeholders continue to take place
to strategize ways to implement the important technology
initiatives in the three-year plan.
• Student Support Services are supports that are provided
to ensure that all students enrolled in their neighborhood
schools have opportunities to learn, grow and make meaningful
progress. Student progress is continuously monitored
on an individual and building level to ensure that all
children meet appropriate standards.
• Comprehensive, building-based, student support teams
provide assistance and interventions to students who are
challenged by disabilities, learning differences and/or life
events beyond their control.
• Student Support Services personnel partner with general
education teachers to customize instructional assistance
to meet the unique challenges that individual students encounter.
Multi-disciplinary teams collaborate at the building
and district level to create opportunities for students
to build on their strengths and minimize their challenges.