KidsRSU

The KIDS RSU consolidation has been voted on by the public and has been approved.  A new board has also been elected and is working very hard at the merging of districts into one.  There are subcommittees for building and grounds, food services, transportation, finance, policy and personnel and others.  Please see the calendar link at the top of the page for meeting dates and locations.

In an effort to bring consistency and best instructional practices to all of our schools in RSU 2 fifty-three teachers recently attended an informational conference on the advantages of a standards-based school system. The federal government requires that every state have identified learning standards that schools must use to guide their curriculum development. Research shows that identifying clear standards of academic achievement expected by all students in each subject area is beneficial to student learning. 
   
There are many levels of using standards in teaching, and there are many models of how to use standards. The model that educators in RSU 2 find most effective is one developed by the Re-Inventing Schools Coalition (RISC). The RISC approach to schooling is a standards-based system that educates all students to the highest level and empowers them to own and lead the learning process. In this rapidly changing world, this instructional model helps equip students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed.

A shared vision of education, created by the community is an important component of education in RSU 2. To begin the process of developing a shared vision for our schools Rich DeLorenzo, a co-founder of RISC, gave a presentation, speaking to the strengths and needs of education in today’s 21st century world. The Messalonskee Performing Arts Center in Oakland hosted Mr. DeLorenzo for an informational evening January 25th.

If you are interested in learning more about standards-based education, please check the website at kidsrsu.org or call Christine Chamberlain, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at 622-6351 x 424.

Teachers at HLC have been meeting regularly to learn more about Standards Based Learning.  Seven classroom teachers have attended the Reinventing Schools Coalition (RISC) Symposiums this year. Conversations are focused and exciting as teachers work together toward standards-based learning for the school. In addition, Principal Deborah Emery visited schools in Denver, Colorado earlier this month to see the schools in the Adams 50 District as they implement standards based learning. The funding for this trip was from Federal grants and from the RISC Coalition. The key components of standard based learning are the establishment of clear, transparent learning targets for children and the opportunity for children to work in leveled groups that afford every student a chance to learn and progress at an individual pace.  Throughout the winter, Deborah Emery will be talking to schools and parent groups in the RSU to share insights about her site visit through the slides of Denver classrooms.

For HLC, February is the start of spring when the greenhouse is reopened to the planting of vegetables, flowers and herbs. Under the watchful eye of a parent volunteer, every student in the school participates in the planting and care of the greenhouse bounty. Classrooms establish planting themes connected to the curriculum while also planting for the school gardens, gifts and annual plant sale. At the end of May, HLC hosts a plant sale, which is a highly attended local event connected to the school art show. All proceeds from the sale are used to keep the greenhouse program operational. In December, the Cottrell School received a grant from the Cabot Cheese Corporation to support local growing and school gardens.

The Cottrell School receives tremendous support from some local fund raising organizations.  The Monmouth Parent-Teacher Organization continues to provide support for our field trips and guest speakers. At a recent meeting, PTO recognized the budgetary constraints faced by the district schools and agreed to fully fund a spring field trip for each grade level including admission fees and transportation costs. The Cottrell School also has the support of Team Monmouth, a relatively new organization that provides equipment, programs and special events at the school. In the spring, every grade level participates in a wellness trip, from a walk to the library, hike up Mt. Pisgah or a biking trip around town and Team Monmouth assists with these events. The Vestry in Monmouth should also be recognized for their continued support through their grant program for the purchase of equipment and special programs.

The Cottrell School continues to be student-centered school focused on excellence each and every day. The saying on the weekly newsletters states, “Education makes hope happen”.

If you would like to learn more about anything in this article please contact Deborah Emery, Principal at 933-4426.

Monmouth Academy, Monmouth Middle School and the Henry Cottrell School all have access to the buildings with an electronic ‘proximity card’ (Prox Card) system rather than with keys.  Staff members are assigned both a specific entrance for access as well as times that their assigned cards are active. Every school employee has an access card with times set for each employee based on the need for accessibility to the building. For instance, educational technicians have access only on school days which is important for duties, attending early meetings or just coming and going from the building during the school day. Teachers have greater access hours such as early access times as well as access during weekends. As Deborah Emery, principal of the Henry Cottrell School stated, “One nice feature is that the access times are easily changed, for example, our teachers wanted me to increase the time available on weekends and all I had to do was call Gordon (Murray, Director of Buildings and Grounds) and it was done.”

At the Monmouth Middle School, the new system has eliminated the use of many doors, restricting access for students and staff to only four doors. Other doors now serve as emergency exits only. Principal of the Monmouth Middle School, Steve Philbrook remarked, “I don’t find my doors being left unlocked as they used to be. That doesn’t happen now. I don’t have people using doors and then forgetting to lock them back up. My staff likes the new system. They are finding it easier to use a card that is on a lanyard then fumbling for keys.” The main door is locked during the day at all of the Monmouth Schools with visitors pressing a buzzer to request that the door be unlocked, allowing them entrance to the school. Both principals reported that there have been no complaints about this system. Mrs. Emery confirmed that “Parents have been very supportive, not one concern about locking the building.”

Additional benefits of the electronic ‘Prox Card’ system is that there are no longer ‘unauthorized use’ of the facility. Now cards are assigned to individuals and the use of the cards are tracked by the system. The system also helps with parking by assigning staff access through different doors adjacent to available parking.   

The installation of this security at all three Monmouth Schools also allows Mr. Murray to have remote access to all the buildings. This system was installed on a server located at the RSU #2 Central Office. This allows the district to save a considerable amount of money in that individual servers do not have to be purchased for each school. It will also be installed in the other RSU schools, hopefully by the end of the school year.