The next installment of the "Pillars of Learning" series I have been posting on the website focuses on the Expeditionary Learning Schools, a part of the Outward Bound organization.  Their website is elschools.org.  I am hopeful that you will take some time to read their website, the national articles about their tremendous success K-12 in rural and urban areas across the country.  Expeditionary Learning is founded upon the concept that by doing real work aligned with NH State Standards that students will much more engaged in their studies.  This will require some field-based experiences and certainly much more regular exploration of the beautiful town and land around the school.  It will also require that we have more community members be a part of our school day so they can share their skills and expertise.  While a solid skill base is important, so is a connection to the community and the land around us.  We will increasingly ask for your help.

This initiative will be the educational structure that all the others will be practiced within.  Responsive Classroom sets a tone of community, the importance of social learning and the other important components found in the "Whole School Reform" section of the school's website.  Also found there is the section on the Coalition of Essential Schools, this section outlines a foundation as to how we focus our professional discussions and are perfectly aligned with "ELS" practices as they come from the same educational movements of the last 30 years of school reform.

The work that is taking place this year is setting the foundation for a great learning environment where students learn through important and real work using research-based Reading, Writing and Math programs that are part the development of a robust curriculum that will be supported through a mindful professional develop plan.  It is disturbing to realize that our professional development before this year was in as poor shape as the roof before it was replaced.

On January 13 several teachers will be presenting a professional overview to the Monroe School Board.  This first in a series of presentations will focus on the Reading and Writing programs that have started this year in K-2 and will extend into grades 3 & 4 next year if the budget passes as presented.  There will also be a discussion as to how urgently we need to create a curriculum-mapping project, as sadly this has not been done.  The great news is that our motivated professional staff knows this needs to be done as we move forward.   

A schedule of presentations will be posted after the first of the year so please check this site regularly.  Some of the upcoming presentations will focus on our Behavioral Process, Response to Intervention (A Federal requirement that requires schools to focus on early interventions and to define a narrow band of students who should really be on in Special Education - this is commonly known as "RTI"), as well as how our curriculum development will integrate the multiple proven pillars we have embraced will bring the Monroe Consolidated School to a place among the best schools in NH.

This will take hard work and of course parental and community support.  We hope that with your continued support and involvement our little school will be one where people far and wide will be vying to attend.

Again, we all lead busy lives, but you deserve to know that our school reform plans are based on only the most successful and student-centered educational approaches.  As always, please ask me any questions you may have about any of this information.

Peace,

Tom McGuire - MCS District Administrator