JACKSON GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Principal’s Report
By: Gayle Dembowski
The 2010/2011 school year has been smooth and productive. Jackson Grammar School is quite proud of our student achievement. This year’s NECAP results reveal that 93% of our students achieve at proficient or above in reading and 95% score at or above proficient in math. Enrollment has remained stable at 52 students. They are being instructed in a K/1 classroom (14), a 2/3 classroom (16), a grade 4 classroom (7) and a grade 6 classroom (15). Throughout the year the grade 2, 3, and 4 students worked successfully in collaborative lessons, allowing for a wide range of learning opportunities for the students. Our weekly community meetings, whole school recess, field trips and buddy programs create a strong feeling of care, belonging and community among the students.
The academic program provides the students with a variety of hands-on and multi sensory learning opportunities. The fall festival and project blocks inspire students to explore many creative venues and experiment with activities the typical school curriculum cannot provide. The Whitney Center provides a perfect venue for a variety of enriching activities and programs. The arts are alive and well here at JGS as more than two thirds of our students participate in either chorus or band. A visit from the Museum of Science Star Lab supplemented our Science Curriculum in the fall. We followed up the unit with a visit from Matt Krug whose interactive Star Stories were loved by all who attended. Jackson School provides a rich variety of learning experiences that we are proud of!
Our staff continues to model the love of lifelong learning here at JGS!
The staff has worked together to begin to implement a Response to Intervention Model, using student data to focus instruction and drive decision-making. We are in the early stages of implementation in the area of literacy and we are moving forward to better meet student needs. All professional staff attended the Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference again this year and as always were inspired to explore ways to utilize current technology to inspire learning. It was noted by all who attended that our school is at the cutting edge of implementing instructional technology as compared with many public schools in the state. We are grateful for the support of the town and grants that enable us to purchase both hardware and software to move us forward in this area. We continue to be active members of the SAU 9 Curriculum
committees as we work with our regional colleagues to refine and update curricula to meet current standards and increase student learning.
Jackson can be proud of the opportunities that the close-knit community affords the children here. I continue to be impressed by the level of parent and citizen involvement in our school and the community support of the programs and activities we offer. We are grateful for our PTO and community members that support our students. The smaller school environment provides an environment where we can realize our goal of providing each and every child a stimulating, individualized and effective educational program!
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