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It has been such a treat for me to enjoy so many student performances, authors’ teas, plays, poetry nights, and other special June events – including Fourth grade graduation last Friday afternoon. Students are justly proud of their many accomplishments! As papers, projects, and portfolios make their way home, I know your children look forward to showing you samples of their amazing stories, reports, and artwork as well.

Summer Book List. Thanks to our Librarian Nancy Richard, accompanying this letter is an important list of suggestions for “What can we read this summer?” These are wonderful ideas from someone who knows and loves both books and PES students. It’s a helpful resource to bring with you when visiting the Peterborough Town Library, yard sales, or our local bookstore. Reading for at least 20 minutes every night throughout our short summer will make a huge difference for children when they re-enter school in late August. Thanks so much for your incredible support.

Harris Center. Summer is also a great time to explore free local resources such as the Harris Center in nearby Hancock. Usually their events include a professional naturalist and they are hands-on, “family friendly” as well as great fun. Here are a few of their summer offerings: 7/10: Blueberry picking on the Berry Pasture Trail in Sharon; 7/18: Paddling Nubanusit & Spoonwood to see the baby Eagle chicks in Hancock; 7/25: Field trip to study bees in the wild; 8/7: Kidder Mountain Hike; 8/16: Exploring the remnants of Elmwood Junction village along Powdermill Pond. For more infor., go to www.harriscenter.org

The rhythm of a school year seems to be in my very bones, and I always find myself feeling very sad on the last day of school. It’s not easy saying good-bye to absolutely terrific 4th graders, their parents, and various beloved staff members who are “moving on.” At the same time I do look forward to seeing our younger students in the fall and in the years ahead. This summer I will spend two weeks in Alabama, playing with my five year old grandchild Sophia and welcoming her soon-to-arrive new baby brother.

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Parent Satisfaction Survey. As the accompanying letter from Superintendent Dr. Richard Bergeron states, the school district has released a “Parent Satisfaction Survey” that we hope all parents of children in any of the ConVal schools will complete. The survey is available on-line through the conval.edu website or in hard copy at PES or at any ConVal school office.

There are different versions of this survey for parents of children at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Please complete a separate survey for each child you have enrolled at PES or in any of the district’s schools. The survey includes sections on communication, parent involvement, curriculum/ instruction, technology, and general satisfaction. We hope to learn more about parents’ perceptions about each school’s existing strengths as well as those areas that need to be strengthened. Thank you for your willingness to give us your honest and constructive feed-back.

Bricks & More Bricks! Have you noticed the newly installed and very attractive PTO brick area located between the school and the parking lot? Each brick was purchased to raise funds for the new Infinity Interactive Climber that is being installed on the playground today; more bricks will be “put in” over the next few weeks. If you are interested in purchasing a brick or bricks, please contact Tina Kriebel c/o PTO.

PTO meets at 6:30 pm on Thursday, June 4th. Contact Pres. Monica Riffle for details.

Calendar Changes. Please note that next Tuesday, June 2nd, is now a regular full day of school. On the original 08-09 calendar June 2nd is listed as a half day, but this changed back to a full day due to the need to make up time lost after December’s ice storm.

Field Day. Also please note that our annual all-school Field Day will now be held on Monday morning, June 22nd. Please contact John Szep or Paula Stewart if you have any new games/activities to recommend &/or if you would like to volunteer to help with Field Day. Thanks.

Adams Playground Days. To celebrate our grade level communities, 1st-4th grades each spend most of one June day swimming & playing games at Adams. First Grade: June 19th; Second Grade: June 23rd; Third Grade: June 16th; Fourth Grade: June 18th. Parents welcome!

Fourth Grade graduation will be held in the gym at 1:30 pm on Friday, June 19th.

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Thanks to Monica Rifffle, PTO President. Thanks to everyone who came to the school board meeting in our Deb Geer Library this past Tuesday evening. PTO President Monica Riffle gave a magnificent presentation on all the significant ways that parents and families support students and teachers here at PES. She was, as another PTO officer commented, “intelligent, eloquent, inspirational, and thoroughly impressive”! Please note that next Tuesday, May 26th at 7 pm the School Board will be meeting at the SAU to finalize next year’s school district calendar (vacations, etc.). Public input at meetings is always welcome.

Children and the Arts Festival. Thanks to all the teachers, children and families who supported last Saturday’s incredible Children and the Arts Day Festival! It was another glorious day in every way, with a multitude of children sharing their talents around the theme of “One World: Many Cultures.” I loved it all! The day before the Festival one of its visiting performers, Len Cabral, came to PES to share some of his amazing stories with Title I students – who loved listening and being part of his remarkable story telling.

New Administrative Assistant. It’s official! Congratulations to Stacey Kolk who has been selected from dozens of applicants to be PES’ new Administrative Assistant, the position that Mary Forssell has held so well for the past ten years. Stacey is a past President of the PES PTO and continues to actively contribute to the PTO in many capacities. She is a regular volunteer in classrooms and at special PTO and school events including leading many after school student activities. She is a local girl scout leader and regional administrator and is very active in the greater Peterborough community. Many of you already know and appreciate Stacey’s warm and positive personality, her great organizational skill, and her tremendous caring for children. We are looking forward to Stacey joining the PES community full-time in this key position of office administrator.

Fourth graders are enjoying many special end of the year activities, including their own Poetry Night presentations.
Please note that Fourth grade graduation will be held at 1:30 pm on Friday, June 19th.

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Mary Forssell. Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the annual conference of NH Educational Office Professionals. It was so exciting to witness “our” Mary Forssell being honored as the state’s O.P. of the Year! On a daily basis Mrs. Forssell helps keep this school running smoothly and positively. She has a wide range of responsibilities, including scheduling of school events, report-writing, ordering of school supplies, daily attendance and lunch counts, school enrollment data, answering phone calls and responding to the plethora of requests from parents, staff, and community members. She is the calm and caring “anchor” in the front office, well-loved by students and adults alike. Personally I count on Mary Forssell every day. She is able to stay up-beat and productive even when she is responding to countless situations, tasks and requests; she also has a wonderful sense of humor! Mary is an active participant in the wider school community, hosting our annual staff holiday party, joining book groups, serving on the PES Emergency Management Committee, and helping to organize countless special events (did you see the Staff Art Show in the hallway display cases this past winter or hear about the Staff NHDI performance?). Mary always demonstrates a professional demeanor as well as remarkable patience, kindness, and empathy towards everyone with whom she comes in contact. We offer our warmest congratulations to Mary Forssell – who will be retiring in June to enjoy new adventures and to spend more time with her lovely family.

Playground Up-date. Thanks to all the parents who continue to support the fund-raising and installation work of the very successful PTO Playground Committee. Weather permitting, the first round of “engraved bricks” will be installed very soon, with the more recently ordered bricks installed within a few weeks. Then on Friday, May 29th, the new Interactive Climber will be installed next to the playground equipment near the SKIP building. If you are available to help, please contact Tina Kriebel or Melissa Charron-Jarest.

Josh Golin will be speaking in the PES library at 7 PM, Thursday, May 14th on the commercialization of childhood; the event is sponsored by our PTO and other local schools. What is the impact on children who may see more than 25,000 advertisements a year on TV alone? This promises to be an informative, and thought-provoking presentation and discussion.

H1N1 Influenza (“Swine Flu”). The May 6th up-date from the NH Dept. of Health and Human Services notes that at this point the state is not likely to order closings of schools for cases of influenza H1N1. If you do have health concerns about your child, please contact our School Nurse, Pam Murphy, RN, or your local health care provider. Thank you.

See you tonight at the PTO Family “Spring Swing” Dance & Silent Auction!

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Thank you for your support of last Friday evening’s Family Reading Night. The entire event was beautifully planned by PTO President Monica Riffle, with terrific help from the celebrity readers, parents, SMS volunteers, and of course enthusiastic children. What a super event!

Hearty congratulations to Mary Forssell who has just been named 2009 New Hampshire’s Office Professional of the Year! This is a well deserved tribute to Mrs. Forssell who will be retiring the end of June after ten excellent years as our school’s Administrative Assistant; next year we will dearly miss her warmth, multitude of skills, and ever gracious presence. We wish Mary and her husband Dr. Peter Forssell the very best for their new retirement adventures both near and far.

As part of their study of early New Hampshire history, Fourth graders are enjoying a residency with professional basket maker Alice Ogden. Students are making baskets from native trees such as black ash and white oak that grow in NH woods and swamps. “Basket weaving” is a far more challenging process than one might imagine, but the results are amazing.

Congratulations to our Head Custodian, Richard Mellor, who was selected to attend a week-long in-depth training in North Carolina concerning the new facility management “School Dude” software that the district is now using to keep track of everything from work orders and inventories to purchases and routine maintenance. This training adds to Mr. Mellor’s considerable expertise and expertise in using technology to help make our schools safer and more efficient/ cost-effective.

Next week First graders will take the NWEA/MAP tests in Reading and Math. These assessments are taken on the computer and are “adaptive,” meaning they will adjust to easier or harder questions depending on a child’s responses as he/she goes along. First graders take the MAP Primary version, which enables students to hear all the questions and potential responses on earphones. The results will be helpful to teachers as they design instructional activities for the rest of the year.

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We hope you’re enjoying the more spring-like weather. Students in all grades are celebrating this important seasonal transition with enthusiasm and creativity!

Change of Plans? If your child has a change of plans for his/her dismissal, please be sure to send in a signed and dated note. Phone calls for this purpose are really for emergencies, as it is a distracting interruption of instruction if the teacher has to be informed of changes during the school day. Thanks so much for your help!

Kindergarten Registration Evening will be held next Tuesday, March 31st,at 6:30 pm in our Deb Geer Library. If you or your Peterborough/Sharon neighbors have children that turn five on or before September 30th, they are eligible for our wonderful PES Kindergarten program. Registration is important so that we can know and plan for how many children will be starting Kindergarten here next year. You are welcome to bring your child to this evening if you would like. Questions? Please call the PES Admin. Assistant Mary Forssell at 924-3828.

Congratulations to PES staff members John Szep, Lynn Compton, Victoria Burnham, and Jackie Colaneri who have just started Master’s Degree programs through New England College. It is certainly extra rewarding for all of us to be in the midst of so many bright and motivated “life-long learners”!

Fourth Grade Graduation will be held at 1:30 pm on Friday, June 19th in the PES gymnasium. At this time of year the weather tends to be very warm, so we keep this ceremony fairly short while still honoring this terrific group of Fourth grade students. After the ceremony in the gym, students enjoy a PTO sponsored Ice Cream Social in the cafeteria. Please mark your calendars for this June 19th date.

PTO After School Enrichment. Thanks to our talented parents and teachers, students are or will be able to participate in free after school spring “clubs” such as Yoga; American Sign Language; Walking/ Fitness; Legos; and Field Games. Please contact PTO President Monica Riffle if you are interested in helping out with one of these or starting another special interest after- school enrichment group.

PES PTO Playground Committee will meet at 3 pm on Tues., March 31st in the PES Conf. room. Please feel free to come and share your ideas for the “next steps” in improving the playground for all kids!

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Meet and Greet. Thanks to all the parents who came out last night for the PTO “Meet and Greet” the Peterborough and Sharon representatives to the ConVal School Board. The discussions on a variety of school-related topics were both thoughtful and informative. We are so fortunate to have so many bright, caring, and committed people on our local school board!

Pancake Breakfast and Scholastic Book Fair will be held tomorrow (Saturday, March 7th) from 7 to 11 am. Come and enjoy a delicious home-cooked breakfast with your family before heading out for the day’s activities. It’s always a wonderful time for catching up with neighbors and meeting some new friends! Thanks to all the PTO volunteers for organizing and hosting these special kinds of school community events.

Tuesday, March 10th – A reminder that this is a very important VOTING DAY when citizens in this school district will vote on the School District Warrant, including important articles on the 2009 – 2010 budget, the proposed bond to improve ConVal High School, and the proposed teachers’ contract (supported by both the teachers CVEA and the School Board). Sharon residents can vote at the Sharon Meeting House from 11 am to 7 pm, and Peterborough residents vote at the Pet. Town House anytime between 8 am and 7 pm. As always, thank you for your support of quality education for our district’s children.

School Board List Serve. To find out more about ConVal committee and board mtg. dates and agendas, go to www.conval.edu , click on Site Map, then School Board, then Listserv-subscribe. All Board and Bd. committee meetings are open to the public.

Caldecott Medal. Beth Krommes, mother of PES graduates and the winner of this year’s Caldecott Medal as the country’s outstanding children’s book illustrator, will be in residence at this school the week of March 30th. What a thrill for our students! Beth will also be at the Toadstool at 2 pm on March 14th, and at the Peterborough Town Library, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, on March 23rd.

Upcoming events:

Tues., March 10th: 12:30 “Early Dismissal” K-4th [Teachers will be in workshops about Literacy/ Teaching Reading]

Tues., March 17th: After school movie in the gym for 3rd & 4th graders, “Chrissa Stands Strong,” about Friendships and Bullying prevention. Facilitated by Counselor Paula Stewart.

Fri., April 3rd, 6:30-8 pm: PTO Family Reading Night with “celebrity” readers + crafts.

Fri., March 20th, 9:30 am: Cool Day Assembly

Tues., March 31st, 6:30 pm: Kindergarten Registration evening for incoming fall 09 students who will be five on or before Sept. 30th.

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It’s great to see everyone back at school; students have shared many family winter vacation adventure stories! For those planning early summer vacation plans, please note that with Monday’s Snow Day, the present last day of school – with a 12:30 dismissal – will be June 24th. This could be changed if there are more school cancellations.

Enrichment. This week our visitors include musicians from Monadnock Music’s Lend an Ear program, and health educators from Monadnock Hospital’s Healthy Teeth to Toes project. You, too, would be proud of our students’ respectful listening as well as their terrific questions, thoughtful connections, and personal reflections. We deeply appreciate the inspiring enrichment opportunities provided to our students by the generosity of so many dynamic community organizations!

PBIS Celebration. This Friday, March 6th, at 1:15 our First – Fourth grade students will be watching a movie in the gym that was postponed from Feb. 20th . This special event is to celebrate students working so hard to demonstrate Respectful, Safe & Kind behavior, the goal of our Positive Behavior in Schools [PBIS] program. Thanks to our PBIS coaches (Helena Bates, Eric Rothhaus & Shannon Dunning) and the members of the PBIS Universal Team who provide the leadership and planning for this valuable program.

“Meet and Greet Forum”. This Thursday, March 5th, at 6:30 pm in the Deb Geer Library, our PTO is hosting a “Meet and Greet Forum” with the ConVal School Board representatives from Peterborough and Sharon. The Forum will be the chance to learn more about district initiatives and the budget, bond, and teachers’ contract that will be on the Warrant for voters next Tuesday, March 10th. Thursday evening’s Forum will be an excellent opportunity to listen, learn, and share your own hopes and dreams for PES and for all of our district’s schools.

Kindergarten’s famous Mitten Night/ Science Evening will be held in the gym from 6:30 to 7:30 pm next Friday, March 13th.

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Thank you for coming out for the District Meeting’s Deliberative Session, Part I, on Wednesday evening at CVHS. It was wonderful to see so many interested PES parents! The warrant is now established that will be presented to the district’s voters on March 10th. For more information, please contact your local school board member/s.

Liberty and Justice for All. Third graders have been hard at work researching our country’s history regarding the challenges and successes in living up to our pledge to provide “Liberty and Justice for All.” Soon they will be sharing with parents songs from the civil rights era and biographies of famous African-Americans who have demonstrated courage under incredibly difficult circumstances. You would be so impressed to hear these students discuss their own commitment to fairness and equal opportunities -- and the passion they feel about treating all people with kindness and respect.

DIBELS – We are in the midst of giving the mid-year Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skills (DIBELS) to our students. The DIBELS is designed to assess the “big ideas” of early literacy: phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, accuracy and fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. These research-based measures are predictive of later reading proficiency. The measures form an assessment system of early literacy development that provides teachers with readily available information about each student’s progress – and an indication of what specific skills may need more attention. Next week teachers from each grade level will meet with a district Literacy Coach and the school principal to review and discuss the results of the mid-year DIBELS assessments.

Our school goal is for all students to become confident, competent young readers who will become life-long enthusiastic readers! For more information about DIBELS, please go to https://dibels.uoregon.edu/dibelsinfo.php

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Thank you for your patience with another fragmented week of school. Despite the interruptions, we are proud of how our students are doing their best to improve their skills and fully participate in all their classroom and school activities.

Beth Krommes wins the Caldecott Medal! The mother of former PES students Olivia and Marguerite, and an annual presenter to students at our school, Beth Krommes has just been named the nation’s best 2008 children’s book illustrator. Most PES students are familiar with Beth’s amazing illustrations for books such as Grandmother Winter; The Lamp, the Ice, and the Boat Called Fish; The Sun in Me; The Hidden Folk; Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow; and The House in the Night. Numerous PES families have heard Beth speak at the Toadstool and visited her Peterborough studio on various Art Tours.

The Caldecott Medal is named after Randolph Caldecott, a 19th century British artist and illustrator who produced a plethora of delightful picture books for young readers (ex: The Fox Jumps Over the Parson’s Gate). A few summers ago my husband and I enjoyed a fascinating exhibit of Caldecott’s charming sketches and engravings at the modest Heritage Center in Whitchurch, Shropshire, where he had once worked. Sadly Caldecott died at only age forty when visiting St. Augustine, Florida.

Beth Krommes is a familiar person at PES where she continues to be a welcome presenter in librarian Nancy Richard’s “Authors and Illustrators” series. Beth describes the importance of revision through multiple drafts in the book illustration process and shares many examples of her own enticing scratchboard illustrations. She also helps children to create their own simplified forms of scratchboard art. Beth Krommes is always warm and enthusiastic with our students, and certainly inspires people no matter what their age or talents.

Peanut Butter… Recently there have been warnings about certain products that include peanut butter that have caused illnesses. The good news is that our district’s Food Service Director, Donna Reynolds, has been assured by her distributers that all of the peanut butter products used in our district’s breakfast and lunch programs are safe.

Valentine Day parties. Please see the enclosed hand-out, provided by a PES parent, for some healthy Valentine snack ideas!

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Presidential Inauguration. Next Tuesday’s Inauguration event will be exciting and historic! Third and Fourth graders will have the opportunity to watch the incoming president’s speech on the large screen in the gym. Younger students may find it more meaningful to watch at least part of the ceremony on TV in the evening with parents. Yesterday I listened to an NHPR piece about how slaves built the White House, with their pay going directly to their owners. I wonder if these builders could possibly have imagined that some day a brilliant, Harvard-educated man of color would move into this grand home as the elected President who would lead the entire country. It is indeed a time of great expectations for a more “respectful, safe, and kind” world for those of every age and background.

Outdoor Recess. Brrr! In response to parent inquiries about “When do kids have indoor recess?” – if the wind chill is ten degrees or below, or if it is raining/sleeting/ snowing ery heavily, we stay inside. Otherwise, we’re outside, enjoying the fresh air. Recently, students have enjoyed everything from playing “snow soccer” and making snow angels to sledding and using the swings and climbing equipment. Please send your child with boots, thick mittens/gloves, snow pants and warm outdoor clothing so they can enjoy all the possible recess options. Many thanks!

NHDI. We are delighted to have a new dance instructor, Lisa Cook, in residency with our Kindergarten and Second grade students. Especially when outside play time is limited, the creative dance routines provide exceptional opportunities for students to exercise and learn more about “what dance can be all about.” We hope the children who are involved come home more enthusiastic and appreciative of this important art form.

Land and Water studies are well underway in Fourth grade classrooms. Students are conducting experiments, learning new science vocabulary, and coming to a better understanding of how scientists approach a given real-life problem. I’m particularly impressed with their new inquiry skills and their connections between this kit-based curriculum unit and the importance of water in all its aspects to the history and present challenges in Peterborough and beyond.

Please note that there is no school on Jan. 19th or Jan. 26th

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School Calendar Changes. What a winter for interruptions to our school calendar! Wednesday was our 10th “No School” day. I know how difficult it is for parents to create alternative plans for their children on snow days (or “After the Ice Storm” days) or delayed openings due to poor road conditions. It is also a challenge to provide effective continuity for learning here at school. We do appreciate the time you all are spending reading with your children each and every day and at least keeping up with practicing basic math facts, whether or not there is school.

It is a challenge for our Superintendent and School Board to develop ways to make up such lost days. At Tuesday evening’s meeting, the Board voted to submit to the NH Commissioner of Education a plan that includes requesting a state waiver for three of the days missed in December, extending the school year by a few days [the approved 08-09 school calendar provides for up to ten such days], and cancelling the Early Release Day on June 2nd. As of Tuesday night’s meeting, the projected last day would have been June 19th; this week’s snow day on January 7th pushes the projected last day to Monday, June 22nd (ten years ago the last day was June 25th!).

If we continue to have more school cancellations, the Board will reconsider this issue and look at a variety of further make-up options. Certainly we all wish that students could have uninterrupted stretches of school days that best support their growth and learning. I want to extend my thanks to the Superintendent and his district Leadership Team, and the entire ConVal School Board for their diligent and thoughtful discussions about how to creatively make up missed school days due to the wintry weather.

Playground News. The Goyette Foundation has just announced its decision to help fund the purchase and installation of an interactive Infinity Climber with a grant of $6,500. Thanks to the PTO Playground Improvement Committee and all the supportive parents and community members who continue to help plan for playground improvements that our students can use and enjoy!

Upcoming Events:

Monday, Jan. 19th – School Closed (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day)

Friday, Jan. 23rd – PTO Movie Night (“Space Chimps”)

Monday, Jan. 26th – No School for Students (Prof. Dev. Day for Teachers)

Wed., Jan. 28th, 9:30 am – Cool Day Assembly

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This is an extra principal’s letter to parents since we have no school this Friday, and next Friday I will be at the North East ASCD conference in Boston (4th grade teacher Nicky Fraley will also be attending).

Congratulations to our Physical Education Teacher John Szep who has just been named as New Hampshire’s JV (Soccer) Coach of the Year! We are very proud of Mr. Szep and this well-deserved recognition of his ability to motivate, teach and inspire students of all ages. Here at PES, John Szep is also active in the new “Coordinated Approach to Child Health” or CATCH. This program is actively supported by the Peterborough Recreation Department, the ConVal School District and the district’s Wellness Committee, interested parents, nurses and health education teachers, and local pediatricians. CATCH is designed to promote physical activity and healthy food choices in elementary school-aged children. By teaching children that eating healthy and being physically active every day can be fun, the CATCH Program has proven that establishing healthy habits in childhood can promote behavior changes that can last a lifetime. To learn more, go to www.CATCHinfo.org .

Bakugan. Bakugan Battle Brawlers are something children might see on the Cartoon Network. It involves characters, figures, and special little plastic balls that pop open when touched to magnetized cards. These toys and all their extras have become quite popular among some students. Though I understand their attraction, they are no longer allowed at school. These games involve “winning” other children’s Bakugans, and thus we have had serious recess disagreements and melt-downs revolving around which ones end up belonging to whom. Thank you for keeping these out of backpacks and pockets so that they’re used and enjoyed with friends at home, not at school.

Upcoming Events:

Nov. 26th – 28th – Thanksgiving Holiday

Dec. 2nd, 12:15 pm -- “Early Release” (Children appreciate having a more substantial “morning snack,” since there is no school lunch on Early Release days)

Dec. 2nd, 7 pm – School Board mtg. at Pierce Elementary School in Bennington

Dec. 4th, 6:30 pm – PTO meeting (all parents welcome)

Dec. 5th, 6:30 pm – PTO Holiday Caroling and Crafts

Dec. 15th, 9:30 am – Cool Day Assembly (parents/families welcome)

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Thank yous. Thanks to PES parent Ted Jarest for installing our new “funnel ball” piece of playground equipment. It is a new favorite at recess! Also many thanks to the volunteers who helped process the orders from the fall PTO Genevieve sale. Thanks, too, to all the parents and friends of PES who purchased the wrapping paper, fresh baked goods and other items. The funds raised through Genevieve help support field trips, artists in residence, and numerous other enrichment activities.

Additional thanks to all our classroom, library, and FACTS volunteers who support students’ learning each and every day at PES. Active, involved parents are an important feature of highly successful, child-centered schools.

Professional Learning Communities [“PLC’s”]. Our PES teachers meet for an hour each week in grade level PLC’s to discuss various issues relating to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. It is exciting to see where these intense conversations are leading in terms of sharing ways to more effectively address the needs of all students.

The district’s elementary principals are now meeting monthly in our own PLC. For me it’s a chance to learn from my colleagues and exchange exciting “best practices.” For instance, I’m always learning more about educational technology from Temple Elementary’s teaching-principal, Niki McGettigan. At today’s PLC meeting, Pam Campbell, teaching-principal at Bennington’s Pierce School, recommended a book she’s reading: Tony Wagner’s The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don’t Teach the New Survival Skills—And What We Can Do About It (2008) which I’ve just ordered for myself. Dr. Wagner now teaches at Harvard, but one year he taught at UNH where I took an excellent course from him on educational change.

Survival Skills. In the Nov. 12th issue of Education Week, Tony Wagner summarizes his own extensive research and reiterates the theme of this book, describing seven “survival skills” that he believes all students must master: Critical thinking and problem solving; collaboration, teamwork, and leading by influence; agility and adaptability; initiative and entrepreneurialism; effective oral and written communication; accessing and analyzing information; and curiosity and imagination.

What 21st century “survival skills” do you want for your children, and how can we best teach these skills in our homes and schools? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

I hope to see you at this evening’s PTO Family Movie Night!

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 Tuesday, Nov. 11th – NO SCHOOL (Veterans Day)

Early Dismissal. Thank you for your flexibility in supporting our 12:15 Early Dismissal (actually it’s “late dismissal” for Kind. students) last Thursday. Please refer to the parents’ 08-09 calendar in the PES Student-Parent Handbook sent home the first day of school for other half-days that are scheduled throughout the year. Also thanks for participating in the recent parent-teacher conferences!

We are “on a roll” at school, with a plethora of engaging projects going on at every grade level. Many teachers used the recent election as a focus for social studies activities and some fascinating discussions about presidential powers and priorities. Even our youngest students were interested in “what it’s all about.” We are certainly blessed to live in a community and country where participation in public affairs is valued and celebrated.

PTO News. I would like to thank the PTO officers and energetic parents who work so hard to plan and host PTO events… and to thank all those who support these activities that benefit the school in so many important ways. The recently completed Genevieve catalog sales (organized by Susie Davis) generated about $4,500. that will be used towards enrichment activities, field trips, residencies, and playground enhancement.

The PTO’s October topic night focused on school lunches; the next topic night will be on Nov. 19th with Assistant Superintendent Don Johnson giving an overview of the district’s elementary curriculum and assessment initiatives. A newly formed PTO Wellness Committee will explore how to foster healthier snacks at school parties; please contact Donna Sorbello or Tina Kriebel if interested. PTO President Monica Riffle is organizing more after-school enrichment clubs and would love to hear from parents who might be willing and interested in sharing their interests. Possible topics include woodworking, dance, gardening, magic, jewelry making, astronomy, painting, rocks and fossils, and…?? Please contact Monica with your own ideas!

Other upcoming PTO events:

Nov. 14th: PTO Hot Dog supper & Movie Night (“101 Dalmatians”)

Nov. 21st: Deadline for ordering your 2008 famous PTO Holiday Wreath/s

Dec. 5th: Holiday caroling followed by crafts & cocoa

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Professional Learning Communities. The “organizational pillars” of PLC’s include the school or district’s mission, vision, values, and goals. As you may know, our PES school mission is to “Engage, Support, and Inspire Learning.” Our district has also adopted the following mission statement: The ConVal Regional School District, in partnership with its member communities will inspire all learners to achieve academically, contribute to the global community, and thrive as independent and productive citizens.”

District Vision: As a New Hampshire “Follow the Child” district, the ConVal Regional School District will create and cultivate these conditions in the lives of our students: a sense of belonging; access to heroes and caring role models; a sense of accomplishment; fun and excitement; curiosity and creativity; the spirit of adventure; leadership and responsibility; confidence to set goals and take action to reach those goals.

District Values: As a Professional Learning Community, the ConVal district will implement our mission and support our vision by demonstrating a focus on student learning, collaborative teamwork, personal accountability, trust and respect, and job embedded professional development.

Parents: As parents, what are your goals for this school and the ConVal district? What does “excellence” mean to you? How will we best express our vision and values in concrete “doable” ways that benefit everyone in our schools? As we move through the 2009-2010 budget development process in the coming months, it will be important to share your ideas for how we can make our common vision a reality for next year (and the years to come). Our children deserve everyone’s best thinking, creative problem-solving, and forward-looking commitments. !

Tues, Oct. 28th, 7 pm – Sch. Bd. mtg. at Hancock Elem. School. This is a great opportunity to visit one of our district’s small schools (where a former PES/ SMS teacher, Jeannie West, is now the Teaching Principal!).

Wed., Oct. 29th. 9:30 am Cool Day Assembly

Wed., Oct. 29th. 6:30 pm PTO Topic Night on School Lunch program

Thurs., Oct. 30th 12:15 EARLY RELEASE (no lunch)

Friday, Oct. 31st 1:15 Halloween Parade, all welcome. Participating children need to bring their costumes to school in a bag (not to wear them to school) and can change into them just before the parade; non-participants will be with Mr. Szep. Please remember to encourage home-made fun costumes, such as sports outfits/shirts or other costumes that don’t require a store purchase. Also, if you are sending food in for classroom parties after the parade, the healthier the food & drinks the better. Children love fruit or veggie dips and other low/no sugar treats!

Tues., Nov. 4th NO SCHOOL [Parent-Teacher conferences]

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NECAP Testing. Our 3rd & 4th grade students are working hard to demonstrate their skills in both Reading and Math on the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) tests. These paper and pencil assessments are developed around the state’s Grade Level Expectations (GLE’s) and are one more way for us to gain information about students’ strengths and specific instructional needs. Results will be returned to schools in mid-winter.

Blue Ribbon Winner! On October 27th the PES PTO will be recognized at a state-wide Award Ceremony in recognition of the school’s volunteer program. Thank you, parents!

Cool Day Assembly this month will be at 9:30 on Wed., October 29th [please note the change of date]. Parents and families are always welcome to attend these celebrations of students’ talents and class projects. For instance, have you seen the unique ”Bat Dance”?

12:15 Early Release will be on Thursday, Oct. 30th. That afternoon teachers will be meeting in district-wide grade level Professional Learning Community meetings to discuss curriculum and assessment issues. For instance, this fall teachers will be looking more carefully at the most essential “power standards” within the overall GLE’s.

What Does “Successful” Mean? Are there differences between success in school and success in life? These key questions are eloquently discussed by principal Thomas R. Hoerr in the October, 2008, issue of Educational Leadership – and it is one well worth considering in every school community. As educators and as parents we want our children to “do well” in school, developing essential skills and knowledge in areas such as literacy and numeracy, science and social studies, music and art. Based on his own extensive research, Hoerr suggests (and I would agree) that school success is a fundamental goal – but it is not enough. Children also need the social and emotional intelligence to work effectively with others, to demonstrate courage and compassion, a positive attitude, and a strong work ethic. Hoerr extends the definition of “success” to include the capacity to face the unknown with confidence; having a connection to something larger than yourself; and the skills and motivation to develop a life free from poverty and debt. So in this age of high accountability for students and schools excelling in standardized tests, let us also take to heart Hoerr’s comment, “Multiple-choice tests can’t measure such components of success as caring, tenacity, integrity, and creativity.” What do you think? What are your own definitions of present and future “success” for your children? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Our Health classes have started! Many thanks to the co-teachers School Nurse Pamela Murphy and Guidance Counselor Paula Stewart for re-arranging their schedules in order to provide instruction in various health topics for 1st – 4th graders. Also thanks to Admin. Assistant/ Tech. Coordinator Nancy Weil for helping to set up the shared Health/Computer Lab room so that it can be used for classes to access computers during non-Health blocks.

“Meet and Greet” your ConVal School Board representatives. At 6:30 pm on Monday, Oct. 6th, there will be a meeting at South Meadow School for parents from PES, SMS & CVHS to meet their Peterborough and Sharon school board representatives. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your “hopes, dreams, and goals” for our local schools.

Congratulations. Congratulations to Angela Guinto who recently was the invited guest speaker at two Keene State College Education classes. Also congratulations to Lynn Compton who is an invited presenter at this week-end’s NH Environmental Educators’ conference; last week-end Lynn participated in the NH Arts in Education conference in the White Mountains.

What is “RTI?” Response to Intervention or Response to Instruction is a rapidly developing concept that has far reaching implications for students, teachers, and schools. Basically RTI supports the selection of research-based instruction, continuous monitoring of student learning, and supporting instruction that meets the changing needs of all students. This model is being explored by our district, but it has not yet been officially adopted. It does offer promise for identifying students’ difficulties early on (especially in reading), and it is quite similar in its philosophy and strategies as those of the HILL literacy and learning initiative that our district is undertaking. Also, like our professional learning communities (PLC) project, RTI encourages schools to explore what types of additional support might be needed for students who are not meeting grade level expectations – although our PLC’s will also be exploring what students need who have already achieved learning goals and need further challenges. For more infor. go to www.reading.org/resources/issues/focus_rti.html

If you are in volunteering or visiting, please do stop by the cafeteria to see the display of student letters thanking the PTO for their gift of new swings and playground equipment. Throughout the school there are also numerous displays of students’ creative projects. Enjoy!

Oct 10th & 13th --NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

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Open House. Thank you all for coming to Open House Wednesday evening; your children were so excited to show you around school and share some of their projects and samples of what they’ve been studying!

Professional Learning Communities. The district’s “PLC” initiative is off to a great start. Our school’s remarkable PLC Leadership Team’s members are Nicky Fraley (Chair), Betsy Gordon, Lori Groleau, Angela Guinto, Tanya Rousseau, Joan Lavoie, Helena Bates [and Sue Copley]. This team meets regularly to help plan our overall multi-year PLC initiative. For instance, how will we respond to these four key questions?

• What are the most important, “most powerful” skills, concepts, and knowledge that students need to learn?
  
• How will we know if each student is learning what is determined to be these essential grade level expectations?
  
• How will we respond when some students do not learn? What extra supports for learning will we provide?
  
• How will we enrich and extend learning for students who are already proficient?
  

In addition to school-based grade level PLC meetings, our teachers will be meeting with their grade level (or program) colleagues from across the district. Why is this collaboration so important? Researchers such as Michael Fullan and Roland Barth remind us that schools improve only to the extent that teachers meet together to analyze (test) data, share their “craft knowledge” about teaching, and observe and root for the success of one another. Then, and only then, is there an improvement in student success. We are excited about our PLC journey and its potential benefits!

Science Assessments. We have just received the results of the NECAP Science tests that last year’s 4th grade students took in May. While there is always room for improvement, I’m pleased to report that almost 75% of our students scored in the proficient to proficient with distinction levels, outperforming the overall district and state in every category (Physical Science, Earth Space Science, Life Science, and Inquiry).

Wellness Festival. See you down-town tomorrow at the Monadnock Rotary’s Wellness Festival. Come and enjoy the hula hoop contest, free exercise classes, vendor displays, free health screenings, and even free soup tasting -- it will be fun and learning for all ages!

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We did it! Phase I of the playground improvement plan is completed and PES students are having a ball using the new swings and climbing equipment. We are all deeply grateful for the diligent and creative leadership of the PTO Playground Improvement Committee and collaborative support from the Peterborough Rec. Dept., the ConVal School District, the Town of Peterborough, the Goyette Foundation, and donations from so many local businesses and civic organizations. The success of the project was also due to the energetic hard work provided by parents, community, town, and school volunteers. It was so exciting to see a germ of an idea (“Let’s improve the playground options for our kids!”) move through almost two years of cooperative planning and fund-raising to become a reality. Thank you all!

Early Release. Please remember that next Tuesday, Sept. 23rd, will be an Early Release day, with PES students dismissed at 12:15. If you have an alternative plan for student pick up or bus transportation, please be sure to send in a written note. Teachers and staff members will be using the afternoon to learn more about the DIBELS reading assessments. The goal of the school-wide DIBELS model is “to help schools build the capacity, communication, and commitment to support the adoption and sustained use of research-validated practices…” Working with the HILL consultants over the next two+ years, we will be learning about how to more effectively support comprehensive and coordinated reading goals, assessment and instruction for all students. For more infor. go to www.dibels.uoregon.edu

Open House will be next Wed., Sept. 24th from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to see samples of your children’s work and some of their early fall projects. It’s amazing what all they’ve accomplished! Also, please come early if you wish to purchase a PTO pizza supper for your family, and stay later to enjoy selecting a book from the PTO Book Fair. Parking is limited; you may want to carpool.

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School Safety. This year we have instituted a number of improvements to our overall safety and emergency management procedures. For instance, new bright orange vests are clearly visible on teachers and staff members when outside with students. These make it much easier for children to find teachers if they need help at recess, and are very useful for fire and police departments during any kind of emergency evacuation.

Parent Pick-Ups. Another new safety procedure that is being instituted district-wide is the requirement for parents to provide schools with a written permission note if you want your child to leave school with someone other than the legal parent/guardian. For instance, unless it’s an emergency, if you want your child to be picked up by a friend or neighbor, we will need a signed note (not just a phone call). Thank you for your support and help with this new procedure.

Hawks-watching season! The Third graders are preparing for their field trips to the summit of Miller State Park’s North Pack Monadnock where they will join staff from the Harris Center and NH Audubon in viewing migrating hawks. As Francie vonMerten e-mailed us earlier this week, broadwing hawks will “burst forth” any day now, and the next two weeks should be full of thrilling sightings. Also, around noon this Sunday a rehabilitated hawk will be released at the summit – a special family treat!

Literacy Initiative. PES has a long tradition of emphasizing the importance of reading, and we are proud that our students generally love books and most have strong decoding and comprehension skills. However, we also know there is always room for improvement! Thus we are fortunate that the district has contracted with the Hanson Initiative for Literacy and Language [HILL] based at Mass. General Hospital. This week HILL staff presented the results of surveys and interviews conducted with elementary teachers last June. Their Phase I report includes recommendations for strengthening the district’s literacy curriculum, resources and materials, instructional practices, assessments, interventions, and professional development. I will keep you posted as we proceed through this worthwhile multi-year project to enhance students’ reading skills.

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British author/illustrator Rob Scotton. We were honored this week by having the well-known British author/illustrator Rob Scotton share two of his delightful books, Splat the Cat and Russell the Sheep with our Kindergarten and First grade students. Students loved the stories and also enjoyed learning how to make their own drawings of the characters in his books. Thanks to our librarian, Nancy Richard, and Willard William at the Toadstool Bookstore for making this wonderful visit possible!

Curriculum Enhancement. Have you noticed different times when your child is totally engaged with whatever he/she is doing? In the July 16th, 2008, Education Week there is a compelling article by Joseph S. Renzulli about the importance of infusing schools with “motivationally rich experiences into the curriculum that will promote engagement, increase enjoyment, and produce a genuine enthusiasm for learning.” I agree -- though I should admit that Joe Renzulli was one of my Ph.D. advisors at U.Conn. Renzulli’s research suggests that creative learning skills are essential for students to achieve at higher levels. His 14 essential skills are similar to the “Big 6” information/ problem solving skills that we will be incorporating into our teaching here at PES. Renzulli’s list includes planning a task, formulating meaningful questions, applying knowledge and problem-solving strategies to real-world problems, communicating effectively, and creatively solving problems and producing new ideas. Renzulli’s guiding principle is “No Child Left Bored. “High engagement,” Renzulli writes, “results in higher achievement, improved self concept and self-efficacy, and more favorable attitudes toward school and learning.” I am proud and continually impressed by how teachers at PES work very hard to provide students with highly engaging, motivating Renzulli-type activities that address the NH Grade Level Expectations (“GLE’s”).

Sept. 12th: School Photo Day

Sept. 13th-14th: Volunteers needed to help with installation of new PES playground swings and equipment – it should be great fun as well as very productive and satisfying work!

Sept. 15th: NWEA/MAP Reading & Math assessments (on the computer) start for 2nd-4th grade students. Thanks to Nancy Weil for serving as our testing coordinator.

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Welcome back! Last week we had a terrific three days with our 1st-4th graders as they settled in with their new teacher and classmates. Students learned about their classmates, classroom routines and expectations, and started various reading, writing, and math activities.

I am happy to report that PES is involved in a number of important new district-wide initiatives to support the growth and learning of all students. In our work as a Professional Learning Community we will be looking at four essential questions: What do we want our students at each grade level to learn in terms of knowledge, skills and dispositions? How will we know if each student has achieved these key learning expectations? How will we respond when some students do not learn these? How can we extend and enrich the learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency? Each question sounds simple and straightforward but actually leads into numerous other important questions, reflections, and hard work! Other initiatives, such as the Big6 problem solving model, math pilots, and formative assessment I will discuss in future parent letters.

New Staff. We are delighted that we are now back to three full-time Reading Recovery/ Title I reading teachers: Janet Archer and Pam Cornwell have joined Karen MacQueen to offer individual and small group support for struggling readers in the primary grades. The goal of these interventions is to help students get up to grade level in their reading and writing skills.

Playground News. Thanks to the cooperative effort of the PTO Playground Committee, the school district, the Peterborough Recreation Dept. and the Town of Peterborough, and with funds raised by the PTO, local businesses & civic organizations and a Goyette grant, we have purchased new swings and some climbing equipment. These are to help replace what was removed last June due to safety reasons. The installation will take place Sept. 13th & 14th – and many volunteers will be needed! Please contact Tina Kriebel at 924-6131 if you can help with construction or byproviding food, day care, etc. It will be an exciting and productive week-end, and the kids can’t wait for the results!

PTO meets this Thursday, Sept. 4th, at 6:30 PM. All parents are welcome to attend; free day care is provided.

New PM Bus Dismissal Location. To improve student and parking lot safety, students leaving at 3 PM now exit through the recess doors. The busses line up on the blacktop between the school and the playground. Parents picking up students do so in the gym and then exit back through the Office “front doors.” Thank you for helping us with these new procedures!

NWEA/MAP testing for 2nd-4th graders will take place the weeks of Sept. 8th & 15th. These adaptive assessments in reading, math, and language usage are given on computers (this year in our new computer lab/ Health program room), and the results are very helpful for teachers’ planning.