Good afternoon everyone! Finishing up week #20 of face to face instruction via our hybrid model here in the Gorham Schools! At this point, I don't know about you but I am treating each week as a victory and celebrating the time we are able to safely have with our students to learn and grow together!
As we begin the 2nd half of our pandemic school year here in Gorham, I wanted to take a moment to re-focus and re-encourage folks a bit. I realize that as we inch closer and closer to having to work within our hybrid model of instruction for a full school year that parents are likely nervous and anxious about where their children are in their learning. You are asking questions like: Is my child falling behind in their learning? Will they be prepared to go on to the next grade? If they aren't prepared will they feel like a failure? Am I pushing them too hard? Not enough?
My advice to parents right now is the same/similar advice I gave to families all through last spring when we were struggling through our fully remote learning options: If you can, try to press STOP/PAUSE. Take a deep breath, and remember there is much, much more to learning than making sure my1st grader can spell or that my 3rd grader can multiply or that my 8th grader understands the pythagorean theory, etc. Now, don't get me wrong...those things are important but there is something that is even more important and that "trumps" all that academic learning. That "something" is making sure that we are meeting the social and emotional needs of our children as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.
I've included a few article links below which I think do a great job of summarizing the importance of a continued focus on SEL during the pandemic.
* "The Power of Social and Emotional Learning: Why SEL Is More Important Than Ever"
*. "Why Social and Emotional Learning Is So Important To Our Kids Right Now."
Across all our schools, we have been looking at data incrementally as we have moved through the first half of the school year. Now that we have gone through a full 1/2 year with our existing hybrid model, the school department is launching a "deeper dive" into our data to determine how our students are doing academically. We are working to answer the question of how effective our hybrid model of learning has been? Are students performing as well as they have in previous years? Are they learning the essential skills they will need in the next year? What areas of challenge are identified and where can we best provide additional supports to improve? Do we need to change our model significantly to address these needs? This summary data will be shared with the School Committee at their workshop meeting on Feb. 24 at 7:00 p.m. (more information on that below) and then I'll likely share that summary information with all of you via this blog.
Bottom line is this: We're working hard to make sure your children are learning what they need to learn to be successful in the coming year and in the years after that. If we need to add supports, we'll do our best to add supports. If we need to adjust programming, we'll do our best to adjust programming. If we need to provide additional tools to families, we'll do our best to provide additional tools to families.
Right now, what your children need most from you as parents is your support. As parents you know best when to "nudge" your child to do a little more...and when maybe that isn't a good idea. As parents you know best when your child is feeling good about themselves and when they are struggling. Our children need to know right now that they are safe, that they are supported and that they are right where they need to be. The difficulties this pandemic has created will be with us for a while and the problems created will not be "quick fix" types of problems to solve. However, together, they WILL be addressed and our schools WILL meet our mission to ensure that every child is "Prepared and Inspired" to succeed in the life they choose as they leave our schools.
For now, keep communicating, keep encouraging, and keep supporting and we will endeavor to do the same. It is through this positive partnership between home and school that we will ensure the best possible outcomes for our children.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AS PARENTS. It has never been easy to parent...no question it is by far much harder during a pandemic! Keep up the incredible work folks! There is a light at the end of the tunnel - PROMISE!
Caption for images above: Pictured Below are Great Falls Elementary Teachers working to support 5th grade students in small groups on Fridays. Just one example of some of the additional supports we are working to offer across our schools as we continue to work to improve our hybrid model of learning.
Now on to the nuts-n-bolts...
UPDATED INFORMATION ON ANTIGEN TESTING & QUARANTINE RULES FROM CDC
I wanted to reach out to families and let them know that the Maine CDC has recently updated its rules regarding Antigen testing, testing in general, and quarantines. A link to that document is below but the biggest change that may impact you is this:
"Individuals who have previously had a documented positive case of COVID 19 infection or a positive COVID 19 antigen test who are exposed to an individual with COVID 19 now DO NOT need to quarantine so long as the exposure to the positive case occurred within 90 days of the date of the positive COVID 19 test."
Again, you can CLICK HERE to review the full document sent by the Maine CDC. I would encourage any parents/staff with questions to please reach out to your school's nurse for clarification.
UPDATE ON ANTI-RACISM WORK
The Gorham schools is continuing its work to focus on issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion in our schools, of which a core component is anti-racism. Recently, the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee has met and is currently working through a process to increase the representation of people of color on this committee as it continues its important work. Additionally, members of our district leadership team and members of our school committee continue to attend an 8 part training series hosted by Maine School Management Association entitled: the Cultural Competency Institute (CCI). The Maine Intercultural Communications Consultants (MICC) group continues to work with K-5 staff to provide what is known as the "Ripple Effects" training to staff as well as the completion and debrief of the Intercultural Diversity Inventory (IDI) survey in an effort to create a common language and understanding about diversity that can then be used as a launching point for further work. Our Civil Rights Teams at each school are now fully up and operational meeting with students virtually to continue their good work. The policy committee is continuing its policy review process with a lens towards anti-racism. Our curriculum committees are using a newly developed curriculum auditing tool to review curriculum across grades K-12 to identify areas where our curriculum may need to be improved to address these important issues. We continue to examine our district and school based data through the lens of anti racism, looking at things such as attendance data, behavioral data, achievement data and more and breaking that data out by subgroups to see how differing groups may be experiencing our schools differently. We have completed a diversity hiring audit process, the results of which will be reported to the Gorham School Committee on Feb. 10 at their regular meeting. Finally, I continue to work to finalize individual meetings with members of the Gorham staff, students, and parents to collect baseline information on their lived experiences in these areas within our schools and from their perspectives. I am hoping to wrap that up soon and be ready to share collected themes via staff and parent forums coming up next month.
As you can see, we remain intently focused in these important areas and are excited to begin to see the positive impacts of this work on our schools as these important conversations begin to take root and organically unfold.
UPCOMING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS & BIG TOPICS
At our last School Committee workshop, principals across all five schools presented information regarding our current hybrid learning model, expectations for learning, how "success" is being measured, and what supports are being offered for our families. This was an engaging discussion that grew out of the great feedback collected from our most recent Thought Exchange Survey results. If you'd like to view, you can CLICK HERE to watch a recording of the meeting, which also included conversations (in order) with our local legislative delegations, a report out on a new math curriculum we are looking at for grades K-8 and then a discussion regarding our current hybrid model.
The district leadership team will be presenting a summary of data collected thus far regarding the efficacy of our K-12 hybrid learning model at the School Committee's next scheduled workshop meeting to be held on Feb. 24 beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Also of interest to folks might be watching the Feb. 10 Regular School Committee meeting. During this meeting, the result of our diversity hiring audit will be presented to the school committee for their consideration and future action. That meeting is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m. via zoom.
Finally, I wanted to make sure folks were aware that the school committee will be officially launching their FY 22 budget development process with a full day meeting planned for Saturday, Feb. 27 beginning at 9:00 - 2:30 p.m. This meeting will also be held via zoom and will be live streamed via GOCAT.
All meeting agendas with links will be posted on our district calendar and on our website under School Committee. As always, if you have questions, please reach out!
A LA CARTE IS BACK AT GMS AND GHS!
Please CLICK HERE to view the flyer for more information, but bottom line is that beginning on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021 we are bringing back some limited A La Carte items for purchase during lunch periods for students and staff!
It is important to note that NO CASH WILL BE ACCEPTED at the register due to COVID 19 Safety protocols, however funds can be added to student accounts via pay pam, or cash/checks can be brought into school in sealed and labeled envelopes prior to lunch. Students and staff must have their school issued ID's to make these purchases. If you have questions, please reach out to your school's office and they can help answer them!
E-SPORTS BEING CONSIDERED AT GHS
The Maine Broadband Coalition has launched a statewide internet speed test mapping initiative. The goal of the “Get Up To Speed” initiative is to gather data from across the state to generate the most comprehensive map of both the presence and quality of internet in Maine to date.
Residents are being asked to help the initiative by taking this less-than-a-minute test to map their own speed through the Maine Broadband Coalition’s website. We strongly encourage you to share this link with your community, so that we can get the most accurate map possible.
The Maine Broadband Coalition will aggregate, document, and visualize the speed testing information to provide users and state officials with up-to-date service maps. Participants can view their results (while personal information remains confidential) and watch the public map of Maine grow in real time.
A crucial next step
The new speed testing initiative is the crucial next step in ensuring the delivery of broadband throughout the state and will help local, regional, and state leaders develop projects and steer investments to the places that need it most. This map, along with other data collected, will help inform where the bond funding, approved by Maine voters in July, can have the most impact.
Click here to read the Maine Broadband Coalition Press Release.
MATTERING FOR MAINE YOUTH - SUPPORTED BY MAINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Just sharing another great resource for parents to continue to learn and grow in supporting our youth during these difficult times. CLICK HERE to learn more about how you can join the conversation!
MAINE WAVES
Parents - Have you heard of Maine WAVES? If not, you should check out the LINK HERE to learn more!.
Staff - Are. you interested in helping out to support this initiative? CLICK HERE!
IN CLOSING - YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL SPARK A STUDENT'S LEARNING
In many ways this goes back to my opening piece and the importance of focusing on the assets we currently have rather than the challenges we are facing or the gaps in learning that may exist or whatever else it is that we have little to no control over right now!
I received the email below from a parent the other night. I felt it was so worth sharing because it demonstrates to me just how important relationships and personal connections are to uplift children, and support them during these difficult times so that they can get excited about learning - so they can show that SPARK! I know that as parents and as educators...the smile you see below...THAT IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO! Enjoy the parent's message and the images below and let's make sure we all remain focused on the right things as we continue to navigate these difficult times together!
ENJOY YOUR WEEKENDS!
Good evening,
. 
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