A Message from the Superintendent
Welcome to School Year 2014-2015!
The morning air confirms that fall is approaching, as does the start of another school year! It’s hard to believe, but Kindergarten students entering our schools this fall will be the graduating class of 2027! We can hardly imagine how different their world might look compared to the way things were when we graduated high school! Our schools, including teachers, administrators and support staff are engaged in discussions and planning that will be needed if schools are going to prepare all children for their future.
New Teachers and Support Staff
The caliber of the teacher in a child’s classroom makes all the difference in the world! The teachers and support staff of our District are talented, dedicated and committed to providing a quality educational experience. Students will find some teachers new to their schools. With a number of retirements last June, we have new teachers at nearly every school. We are pleased to see our additions include teachers just beginning their careers, and others with several years of experience. Several support staff have joined us over the summer in a variety of positions throughout the District as well.
Administrative Changes
Excellent schools have excellent leaders! The administrators of M.S.A.D. No. 75 provide the leadership necessary in achieving our District’s mission and goals. Several changes have taken place including leadership positions at Bowdoinham Community School, Woodside Elementary School, Mt. Ararat High School, Transportation, and Technology. We welcome them to their positions and hope you will take the time to become acquainted with them.
There are many ongoing, and some new, initiatives in the District. It promises to be a busy year. You can find out more about any of these from your school principal or the District Office.
High School Project
One of the most exciting changes as we start this school year is the approval of the Mt. Ararat High School project. We will begin a process that will take several years to complete. The Board will determine committee organization, including a Building Committee that will guide this project from start to finish. One of the earliest tasks is to select an architect. The architect, working in conjunction with State officials and requirements, will determine whether to remodel the existing facility or build new. While any construction work on the project will not begin for several years, the planning and design work will begin this fall.
Proficiency-Based Diploma
Changes in Maine Law require students to demonstrate proficiency on standards in order to receive a high school diploma. In many ways, graduating from high school has become more difficult. Every school district in Maine must determine what it means to “be proficient” in their district, and what evidence students can present to demonstrate their knowledge and skill. This will be a major focus of our efforts across the District. Significant changes in any system take time. We will plan thoughtfully, engage the community in the process, provide the necessary training and professional development, and be certain the changes we make will increase student achievement and truly prepare students for college or careers of tomorrow.
New Assessments for Maine
Maine will continue the system of assessing student achievement, but is switching to a new test. The previous NECAP and SAT tests have been discontinued. Replacing them will be Smarter Balanced Assessments in grades 3-8, and in grade 11. The Smarter Balanced Assessments are much different than tests of the past. These assessments are online, and adjust to each student according to the answers given. They are also far more rigorous and comprehensive than students have experienced previously, and will be conducted in the spring. At this point, the Maine Department of Education is proposing to continue to make SAT tests available for high school students. The SAT scores are often used by colleges and universities for admission.
Attendance Matters
We know how important it is to develop good attendance patterns early! In fact, chronic absences can begin in Kindergarten. Missing two to three days per month is linked to academic difficulty! We will be increasing our emphasis on this, helping parents understand the importance of establishing and maintaining good attendance in the lower grades before tardiness and absenteeism become a habit. For students beyond the elementary grades, high absenteeism is associated with dropping out of school. What we know is that over the years, the accumulated effect of missing days makes it nearly impossible for students to make up for the lost instruction.
We are excited about the opening of the 2014-15 school year and hope it will be full of success and accomplishment.
Bradley V. Smith
Superintendent of Schools
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The morning air confirms that fall is approaching, as does the start of another school year! It’s hard to believe, but Kindergarten students entering our schools this fall will be the graduating class of 2027! We can hardly imagine how different their world might look compared to the way things were when we graduated high school! Our schools, including teachers, administrators and support staff are engaged in discussions and planning that will be needed if schools are going to prepare all children for their future.
New Teachers and Support Staff
The caliber of the teacher in a child’s classroom makes all the difference in the world! The teachers and support staff of our District are talented, dedicated and committed to providing a quality educational experience. Students will find some teachers new to their schools. With a number of retirements last June, we have new teachers at nearly every school. We are pleased to see our additions include teachers just beginning their careers, and others with several years of experience. Several support staff have joined us over the summer in a variety of positions throughout the District as well.
Administrative Changes
Excellent schools have excellent leaders! The administrators of M.S.A.D. No. 75 provide the leadership necessary in achieving our District’s mission and goals. Several changes have taken place including leadership positions at Bowdoinham Community School, Woodside Elementary School, Mt. Ararat High School, Transportation, and Technology. We welcome them to their positions and hope you will take the time to become acquainted with them.
There are many ongoing, and some new, initiatives in the District. It promises to be a busy year. You can find out more about any of these from your school principal or the District Office.
High School Project
One of the most exciting changes as we start this school year is the approval of the Mt. Ararat High School project. We will begin a process that will take several years to complete. The Board will determine committee organization, including a Building Committee that will guide this project from start to finish. One of the earliest tasks is to select an architect. The architect, working in conjunction with State officials and requirements, will determine whether to remodel the existing facility or build new. While any construction work on the project will not begin for several years, the planning and design work will begin this fall.
Proficiency-Based Diploma
Changes in Maine Law require students to demonstrate proficiency on standards in order to receive a high school diploma. In many ways, graduating from high school has become more difficult. Every school district in Maine must determine what it means to “be proficient” in their district, and what evidence students can present to demonstrate their knowledge and skill. This will be a major focus of our efforts across the District. Significant changes in any system take time. We will plan thoughtfully, engage the community in the process, provide the necessary training and professional development, and be certain the changes we make will increase student achievement and truly prepare students for college or careers of tomorrow.
New Assessments for Maine
Maine will continue the system of assessing student achievement, but is switching to a new test. The previous NECAP and SAT tests have been discontinued. Replacing them will be Smarter Balanced Assessments in grades 3-8, and in grade 11. The Smarter Balanced Assessments are much different than tests of the past. These assessments are online, and adjust to each student according to the answers given. They are also far more rigorous and comprehensive than students have experienced previously, and will be conducted in the spring. At this point, the Maine Department of Education is proposing to continue to make SAT tests available for high school students. The SAT scores are often used by colleges and universities for admission.
Attendance Matters
We know how important it is to develop good attendance patterns early! In fact, chronic absences can begin in Kindergarten. Missing two to three days per month is linked to academic difficulty! We will be increasing our emphasis on this, helping parents understand the importance of establishing and maintaining good attendance in the lower grades before tardiness and absenteeism become a habit. For students beyond the elementary grades, high absenteeism is associated with dropping out of school. What we know is that over the years, the accumulated effect of missing days makes it nearly impossible for students to make up for the lost instruction.
We are excited about the opening of the 2014-15 school year and hope it will be full of success and accomplishment.
Bradley V. Smith
Superintendent of Schools
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Back to School Schedule August 2014
|
Tuesday, August 26
Welcome Back ~ Opening Day All Staff are Invited 8:00 - 8:20 a.m. Continental Breakfast in the Mt. Ararat Middle School Cafeteria Program Starts at 8:30 a.m. in the ORION Afternoon: School-based |
Wednesday, August 27
Building-Based Teachers report to schools Check with your building principal First Student Day: Tuesday, September 2 |
Movement along the Salary Scale
Teachers who this summer have completed either an advanced degree or 15 hours beyond their degree, should notify Human Resources now so that your salary can be adjusted accordingly.
Teachers who this summer have completed either an advanced degree or 15 hours beyond their degree, should notify Human Resources now so that your salary can be adjusted accordingly.
Certification Information
Proper certification is
the responsibility of each teacher and administrator. The M.S.A.D.
No. 75 Certification Council and its Co-Chairs, Doreen Swanholm and Kate Greeley, are available to
provide the necessary support to ensure that every professional staff member is
appropriately licensed.
Teachers with certifications that expired in June 2014 are to provide the Certification Council and District Office with a copy of their new certification as soon as possible. Any teacher with more than one year's tenure in the District for whom this is the case should submit a copy of his or her licensure to the Council and Becky Brillant at the District Office no later than November 1. If this is not possible, a letter explaining the delay should be submitted. Failure to comply may result in the teacher being put on substitute pay. Please contact your Certification Council representative with any questions. Go to www.link75.org and click on the Staff tab then scroll down to Certification Information.
Teachers with certifications that expired in June 2014 are to provide the Certification Council and District Office with a copy of their new certification as soon as possible. Any teacher with more than one year's tenure in the District for whom this is the case should submit a copy of his or her licensure to the Council and Becky Brillant at the District Office no later than November 1. If this is not possible, a letter explaining the delay should be submitted. Failure to comply may result in the teacher being put on substitute pay. Please contact your Certification Council representative with any questions. Go to www.link75.org and click on the Staff tab then scroll down to Certification Information.
