AE/MS is a busy place this summer. Classrooms are being cleaned and made ready for a new year. A bright and colorful tile floor has replaced the flood-damaged floor in the kindergarten hallway. The computer lab also has a new tile floor brightening up the tech space.
All the floors in the building are in the process of being scrubbed and polished. Classroom furniture is in the halls waiting to be put back into clean classrooms. The plumbing in the kitchen is getting some much-needed attention. Boxes of new supplies and books are arriving daily.
New Math Curriculum
The biggest change awaiting the students and staff members in the fall is a new math program. We are quite excited to have found a kindergarten-through-grade-eight math program to fit our specific needs. EnVisions 2.0 was chosen after a year of study, analysis, and comparison. The program encourages differentiation, and the resources for school and home are comprehensive and user-friendly.
Historically, this is the first time AE/MS has had a consistent math program that spans kindergarten through grade eight. Professional development for teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals began in June. Ongoing support and professional development will continue through the new school year.
Our neighbors, Kearsarge and Merrimack Valley, have gone with the same math program, and we are hopeful to share training and support. We are very excited about the new program!
Enrollment appears to be level for the fall. We graduated a class of 20 students last year, and we will be welcoming a kindergarten class of 20 in the fall. We will also be welcoming several new students and saying farewell to others.
Our ambitious cross-country team has been training this summer. I expect to see our soccer team any day now.
Summer School is held at AE/MS for three weeks every July. An enthusiastic, hard-working group of students have been sharpening their academic skills four days a week. They will celebrate their successes and their last day by attending Sleeping Beauty at the New London Barn Playhouse.
AE/MS teachers have been busy taking summer courses and working with the new math program. Anna Kate Hattan had the opportunity to attend the International Reading Association Conference held in Boston. She has much to share with others when school begins. Jane Slayton and Jim Tucker attended workshops for Civics Education and have new materials and resources to share.
Seven teachers and two administrators will attend the Competency Education Design Studio for three days in July. Teams from all over the country are coming together to work with competency education specialists, administrators, and teachers who have had experience implementing a competency model in a variety of contexts and settings. A variety of sessions and networking opportunities will be available.
Summer provides teachers and administrators a chance to acquire new knowledge and practices to infuse into a new school year. Recharging and re-energizing is important!
We are very excited to welcome our youngest students to AE/MS on Friday, August 26, at 8:30 AM for Kindergarten Orientation. Families will meet all the teachers who will work, learn, and play with their children. They will see the classrooms and explore the building without the “big” students there. Families will then be treated to a school bus ride through the village. Attending Orientation makes the first day of school easier for students and for their parents.
The new year officially starts on Monday, August 29! You’ll see the school buses on the road again, and please keep a cautious eye out for bikers and walkers. We are excited to welcome everyone back, hear about their summer adventures, and jump into a new school year together.