SCHOOL UNION 76 BROOKLIN – DEER ISLE-STONINGTON CSD – SEDGWICK 251 N. DEER ISLE ROAD, UNIT 1, DEER ISLE, ME 04627
Office of the Superintendent Telephone (207) 348-9100 Fax (207) 348-9103 “It takes a whole community to educate a child.” Superintendent’s Memo
To: DISES Parents & Guardians From: Christian M. Elkington
Re: Three VERY Important FYIs! Date: 4-30-17 End of year calendar adjustments – Need to be made as a result of the number of school days
called off this winter. Per state law our seniors must go 170 days before they graduate and so we
need to make up one day before graduation on June 11th. The law was adjusted a few years ago to
allow for an additional way to make up days and the School Board has given me permission to
ask the Commissioner of Education to allow us to extend the school day 1 hour, for five
consecutive days, per this state law. Unless you hear differently from me our plan will be to have
the week of 5/15 having an extra hour added to each day Monday - Thursday and our then having
a regular school day on Friday the 19th with no Early Release. By adding a day in this way it will
make the last day of school Monday, June 19th with a 12:30 dismissal. Hiring of new administrators – Is a concern that all of us has. With the resignation of Ms.
Magoon as Principal of DISES we now have two administrative positions, along with Mr. Dow’s
Assistant Principal position to fill in CSD 13. Your feedback and involvement will be an
important part of the hiring process as we move forward. I will be asking our school board to
approve a hiring timeline at this Tuesday, May 2nd school board meeting. Once approved I will
share it with you and be asking for your involvement in our next steps. Please stay tuned! Ending the school year on a strong note – Is most important for our students, for you our
parents and guardians, for our staff and school and for CSD13! Following-through on our
commitment to do the very best we can along with following-up on making improvements down
the stretch will help finish our year on a strong note. It also sets the tone for the year to come!
In talking with several of you along with our staff the overall perception of our school and school
community is not as strong as it should and must be. I along with our staff know that these next 7
weeks are critical for our students, school and for us as a Learning Organization! Perception is
reality and right now the perception that our school and district have is not as positive as it could,
should and MUST be so that we can support our students’ growth and success! Painting a school,
staff or district with a broad brush of negativity is not helpful and detracts from those who work
extremely hard and give positive efforts each and every, but “perception is reality", and so it is
most important for us to show you our parents & guardians what we are all about these next seven
weeks!
We as a staff, school and district need you to know that the professionals you have entrusted your
children to, are committed to our craft and to your sons and daughters’ success. Over the next
seven weeks we will ensure that the following will happen each and every time, or fix it when it
doesn’t occur so as to recommit our determination in being the best that we can be:
- Communication will be quick, thorough and proactive! We will let you know your son or
daughter’s positives and/or concerns that we need to work together on in a timely manner. Our
expectation moving forward is the "24 hr rule" in getting back to you. Within 24 hours we will
return your email or call. The only exception will be if you contact one of us on a Friday we may
not be able to return it until Monday.
- Power School will be kept updated on a weekly basis! Teaching staff will make sure, starting
this week, that this will be the expectation and will be letting you know which day Power School
will be updated by them. RTI Time seems to have some confusion around it with our parents and guardians. RTI blocks
are an important intervention time, a time to reteach and for a student to relearn! These blocks
are not down time, screen time for students or a study hall. If a student doesn't need RTI then it is
our expectation that your son or daughter will receive extra support or ENRICHMENT! If you
have a question about how your son or daughter is using their RTI time, please contact their
teachers immediately.
- Unit & Lesson Clarity – Information is an important way for our teaching staff to let our
parents and guardians know what their plan is each week along with what is coming up during the
following week or month! It is also a way for our parents and guardians who have a tutor working
with their son/daughter to have information so that the tutor can better help the student. Several of
our teachers send home a weekly newsletter, which is very helpful with the above. If your son or
daughter’s teacher does not do this or if you need some extra information, it is our expectation
that all you need to do is ask and our teachers will be more than happy to supply whatever
information is needed by you!
- We know there are no excuses – That are acceptable to you when it comes to the needs that
our students, your children bring to school each and every day. There are only ideas and
alternatives for us to propose or try in our efforts to improve what our/your children need to be
able to do, how they need to act and what they need to learn. It is not our place to make excuses,
but to come up with possible solutions as we move forward at DISES.
I do not expect it to happen, but if one of the above is not followed-through with you must contact
Ms. Magoon or Mr. Dow immediately so that we can make sure that you get the info you need
and that the above expectations are followed-through with by each and every one of us! Thanks!
Over the next seven weeks I look forward to our reinforcing our commitment to:
- Our students (your sons and daughters)
- Our parents & guardians
- Our profession
- Our communities!
Thanks for listening! |
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