I love this time of year!  Since my mother started a preschool in my home, and then became a college professor, my life has always included the thrill of “back to school.”  This will be an interesting and exciting year for Malletts Bay School.

We have six new teachers joining our faculty, with a range of experiences and backgrounds.  We are beginning to really dig into the Common Core State Standards (http://www.corestandards.org/), which give us an opportunity to examine what our curriculum needs to include in order for our students to be college and career ready in the 21st and 22nd centuries.  We have a new Technology Integration Specialist (Mrs. Aimee Boucher) who will support all teachers in using technology as an effective tool for delivering this curriculum.  We’ve updated to the new Everyday Math program, which includes the “deluxe e-suite,” offering families the opportunity to interact with the program from home and giving teachers new tools at their fingertips for teaching important math concepts and skills.  Finally, we will engage in an examination of our entire school structure with support from the Vermont Department of Education.  In spite of wonderful gains in all area of the annual NECAP assessment, our school remains “identified” for two subgroups: low-income and special education.  As such, we have been given the opportunity to engage in a research based process using a new program for “restructuring” our school.   The program is called “Green Mountain Star.”

As you can see, it has been a busy summer and will be a busy year for our MBS teachers!  They have all been coming in to set up their classrooms, network, and share resources.  School are great places to work, but they really come alive when the kids walk in the door.  I can’t wait!

Stay tuned to this blog for more information about the Common Core and the MBS restructuring efforts.  I am keenly aware of how involved families in this community are in their schools, and look forward to sharing with you and including you in decisions that will affect your children’s future.