Dear Everyone Learning @ Amherst, Region, and Pelham Schools:
Last week I commented on a few classroom observations I made and the engagement of our children in some dynamic activities. As I focused on the children, I hope readers stepped back to consider that the common factor in all of those lessons--from the ecosystem to the end-of-week class meeting with students--was, is, and will always be the teacher!
We have remarkable teachers. Classroom teachers. Teachers who work with students in small groups and individually. Teachers. Counselors. Librarians. Psychologists. The list goes on and on, necessarily.
As our teaching standards note: Teachers who know children well and how each learns. Teachers who know their subjects and how to teach them. Teachers who create a climate for learning. Teachers who manage and monitor progress. And, teachers who grow professionally.
On Monday, our teachers grew professionally! We are all keenly aware that this profession of teaching is a lifelong learning process. It's not that new fads or trends come and go, it's building a repertoire of ways to get to know students, methods of planning and assessment, and strategies to reach and teach every student.
On Monday, our Amherst and Pelham elementary teachers met together to study the concept and practice of "differentiation." Differentiation is a method of differentiating planning, instruction, and products of student learning--and the environment--to insure every student is stretched in his or her thinking and is learning knowledge and skills. It is one of the most difficult things we ask teachers to do.
After a few brief presentations, the day was spent with teachers teaching teachers. They shared the hundreds (yes, we now have lists of hundreds) of ways teachers differentiate to meet student needs and what the struggles are to make the process work. Teachers learned from each other. They shared strategies. There were "ah ha" moments and there were moments validating their work.
Like so much of our work, are we batting a thousand on this? Can I tell you that 100% of our teachers are masters at the art of differentiation? No. What I can tell you is that there's a lot of great teaching going on in our classrooms. I can tell you that if we are not responding as well as we should or could to meeting a student where s/he is and stretching his or her thinking, we want to know and will respond. I can tell you that our teachers are eager learners. A common theme Monday was, "How can we continue this work on differentiation?" I can tell you we have a plan for that!
Thank you for your interest!
Jere Hochman
P.S. In addition to those hundreds of dynamic lessons and activities, it was an eventful week with attention on several matters: the middle school newspaper (which was distributed to students today), the budgets, the high school survival hike, food service employees, and others. I will write to you about those items on Monday.
Congratulations to ARHS Model UN Delegates
Congratulations to all ARHS Model United Nations delegates who attended the UMass Model United Nations Conference last week end. Thirty-five schools from Massachusetts and Connecticut participated in the event. Special congratulations to ARHS students Aidan Dumont-McCaffrey, Shirin Hakim, and Samantha Floyd, who were recognized as honor delegates for their committee work in The League of Arab States, Human Rights Council, and World Bank, respectively. Maya Nair Noonan was the outstanding delegate in the Human Rights Council!
ARHS Students Successful in Math Competitions
On October 23, 2007, 18 ARHS students participated in the 44th annual Massachusetts Mathematics Olympiad Level I competition—a 90 minute, 25-question exam, run by the Massachusetts Association of Mathematics Leagues, and sponsored by the Actuaries' Club of Boston. The exam covers advanced topics in algebra, probability, number theory and logic. Approximately 1,775 students took this exam state-wide: 100 finalists (scores of 102 or better) and 148 semi-finalists (scores of between 90 and 100) were selected. Two ARHS students, Jeremy Salwen and Thomas Muschinski, were named semi-finalists, for their scores of 94 and 96, respectively. One ARHS student, Roy Jung, was named a finalist, for his score of 114, and qualified to compete in the Level 2 exam, which took place Tuesday, March 4, at Deerfield Academy.
On Tuesday, February 12, 2008, 53 ARHS students participated in the American Mathematics Competitions, offered at two levels (the "AMC 10" and "AMC 12"), based on age and degree of math content covered. Thirteen students took the AMC 10 exam, and 40 students took the AMC 12 exam. These were 75 minute, 25 question exams, run by the Mathematics Association of America. Three students were named "Team Members" for earning the top three scores (school-wide) on the AMC 12 exam: Thomas Benfey, David Goff and Jeremy Salwen, with scores of 91.5, 94.5 and 99, respectively. One Student, Chris Park, was named a "winner" for earning the top score (school-wide) on the AMC 10 exam, with a score of 85.5. One student, Jeremy Salwen, also qualified to take the American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME), a three-hour, 15 question exam, and participated in this second round of the competition on Tuesday, March 18.
Community Voices-Budget Choices: A Community Conversation About Needs and Resources
The Budget Coordinating Group (BCG) on Monday March 17, 2008 asked for, and received, Select Board endorsement of a process for Amherst to develop a community understanding about what services the Town, including the schools and libraries, should provide over the next several years. That vision will guide the development of budgets in future years and enable the Budget Coordinating Group to propose a multi-year financial plan for the Town.
BCG co-chair Brian Morton said, This process, Community Voices Budget Choices: Looking Toward Amherst's Future, is an opportunity for the people of Amherst to consider our needs and resources and establish our long-term budget priorities. We need to make financial and budget decisions with a view of the future.
A citizen led team named the Facilitation of the Community Choices Committee will lead the process and make a recommendation for a multi-year plan by mid-September 2008. The BCG is seeking applications to serve on the Facilitation Committee. Anyone who wants to be considered is asked to complete a Citizens Activity Form, (CAF) which can be done in writing or through the Towns web sitehttp://www.amherstma.gov/caf.asp). For people who do not have computers, paper applications are available at Town Hall or people can fill out a CAF online in the Select Board Office on the Mezzanine Level Town Hall. The BCG plans to designate the Committee at its April 14 meeting, subject to Select Board approval.
The Facilitation Committee will take information from the boards and committees about needs, options, and resources and develop five alternative scenarios for combined town, school, and library services. They will range from what could be supported with current funds to what could be optimally provided. The committee will then seek input from the entire community before it makes a recommendation.
The BCG includes the Town Manager and Assistant Town Manager, Superintendent of Schools and Schools Business Manager, Library Director, and representatives of the Select Board, School Committee, Library Trustees, and Finance Committee. Speaking for the BCG, Morton said, We have been working together long and hard to develop a process for creating a multi-year plan, and it is exciting to reach this next stage where the public has a voice in these important decisions.
Candidates Night Forum
You are invited to participate in a candidates night sponsored by the Restructuring Committee of the Amherst Chapter of the NAACP, the Puerto Rican Association of Amherst, the New ALANA Parent Council and El Sol Latino- a monthly Bilingual Newspaper on Tuesday, March 25, in the Large Activity Room of the Bangs Community Center in Boltwood Walk. All candidates for contested town wide offices in Amherst will have the opportunity to present themselves and be questioned. The Amherst Candidates night forum will be televised by ACTV (Amherst Community Television) on Channel 17.
Candidates will have two minutes for an opening statement, will have either ninety or sixty seconds to answer prepared questions and questions selected from among written questions proposed by members of the audience, and one minute for a closing statement. The forum format will be as follows:
AGENDA for REGULAR Meeting of REGIONAL School Committee
7:00 PM, TUESDAY—March 25, 2008
High School Library
Call for Executive Session (None)
1. Welcome
· A. Call to Order
· B. Agenda Review
· C. Minutes—March 11, 2008
2. Announcements and Public Comment
3. Superintendent's Update
· A. Legislative Action Statement
· B. ARHS Students' Math Competition Success
4. Unfinished/Continuing Business
· A. School Choice Vote
· B. FY09 Budget
· C. Regional Agreement Vote
· D. Town Meeting Warrant Language
5. New Business
· A. Policies
o 600.05 Instruction: Academic Challenge and Differentiation
o 600.08 Instruction: Homework
o 600.13 Instruction: Controversial Issues in Schools
· B. Accept Gifts Totaling $1,571.93 for Regional Schools
6. Reports
· A. Response to Mathematics Recommendations
· B. Long-Range Planning
7. Sub-Committee Reports
8. School Committee Planning
· A. Calendar review
· B. Items for upcoming meetings
9. Adjourn
AGENDA for REGULAR Meeting of AMHERST School Committee
After Regional Meeting, TUESDAY—March 25, 2008
High School Library
Call for Executive Session: At End of Open Meeting
1. Welcome
· A. Call to Order
· B. Agenda Review
· C. Minutes—January 22 and March 4, 2009
2. Announcements and Public Comment
3. Superintendent's Update
4. Unfinished/Continuing Business
· A. School Choice Hearing
5. New Business
§ A. Accept Gifts: $200 in memory of Sophie Kinder; $46.57 from Target
6. Reports
7. School Committee Planning
· A. Calendar review
· B. Items for upcoming
· C. Sub-committee reports: Schools Organization Committee
8. Adjournment