Donna's Dispatch

September 2008 

A message from Donna Bernard

Superintendent of Schools

Greetings on this September day.

 

There’s no better time than this in the world of schools and education.

 

The buildings are spanking clean, the students are freshly scrubbed, and the environment is ready for new learning to take place.

 

There have been wonderful projects and activities that have occurred this summer in preparation for this academic year.  Let me summarize just a couple:

 

First, we are really pleased to share with you the exceptional progress being made with our A Balanced Curriculum (ABC) project.  Staff is working very diligently, in cooperation with our Curriculum Resource Team, to align and “load” on to the website the student classroom tasks for each subject area and each grade from Kindergarten to Twelfth.  You can imagine what a Herculean job this is!  However, in the end, the effort will be so worthwhile.  This project is resulting in teachers coming to agreement on classroom units of study and significant tasks expected of the students. When ready, the parents and public will be able to access the website and review the curriculum and expectations at each grade level.  These student requirements are directly aligned to the state standards and our state and local testing programs. The Coventry Public School staff is to be commended for their efforts on behalf of this project. 

 

Second, we are really pleased to share with you the notable quality of staff development and training that is in process at Coventry Public Schools.  All new teachers attended a more comprehensive New Teacher training than had been experienced in past years.  Some of the topics they addressed were state level compliance issues, technology, classroom instructional strategies, differentiated instruction and special needs students, and our curriculum alignment to state standards. New teachers can be overwhelmed with so many of the new responsibilities required of them, but they are in good hands with our school administrators and our senior teachers.  In addition, the entire staff is functioning under a five year staff development theme:  “Quality Educational Environments: Responsive, Collaborative, and Clearly Defined.”  This is our second year with this theme which drives all staff development efforts.  (We know from brain research that the brain retains more information when it can “chunk” it and attach it to a theme.)  Our staff development work on August 25 and 26 addressed student responsiveness to intervention, collaboration, and strategies for improving student motivation throughout the year.

 

This is a busy time, but one filled with great enthusiasm and purpose.  Thanks so much for your efforts in supporting and keeping informed about your local public schools.  Should you wish further information regarding our projects or practices, please do contact our school staff or the Superintendent’s Office.

 

Take care…

 

Donna

 

PS:  We have set the first “Donuts with Donna” session for the school year.  I will be visiting with attendees at the Lisicke Beach Pavilion on Route 31 on Tuesday, September 16 from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. 

I look forward to our conversation.