Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Updates
The NEASC accreditation site visit was last week at Alvirne High School. The NEASC committee had a comprehensive 2-day visit to Alvirne that included classroom visits, administrative meetings, and a review of all aspects of the school culture. The NEASC committee was impressed with many of the school systems and processes that are in place at Alvirne including the A/B block schedule, Flex time that is built into the schedule, academic interventions that are provided for students, the multitude of course offerings for students including advanced placement classes, and CTE programs.
The STEM Day at the CTE Center at Alvirne was a great success with many businesses at this event to provide for students an exploration of career pathways, including coding, engineering, military careers, and a variety of other career options. The highlights included a helicopter landing, electric and hybrid cars, and students visiting drones' station. HMS students had a great visit and high school students also visited with companies. A special thanks to Rich Pavia who organized this event!
Professional Development Update
The administrative team had a legal updates training facilitated by Attorney Gorrow. The legal updates included review of the civics education technical advisory, restraint and seclusion technical advisory, non-educational questionnaires, surveys, and research, and other relevant legislative updates that influence school policies, and procedures. The discussion and questions with Attorney Gorrow were valuable for the administration.
Hiring Update
The following are the current teacher vacancies:
- HMS- 2 Special Education Teachers and Project Lead the Way
- AHS-2 Special Education Teachers
- HGS-1 Music Teacher
- The district has 44 paraprofessional vacancies
Strategic Planning Update
A message was sent to families, community members, and staff about interest in joining the strategic planning committee. The survey form closes tomorrow, and I will be reviewing requests to join the committee with School Board members Ms. Dionne, and Mr. Beals. There has been great interest, and we look forward to restarting the strategic planning process.
Budget Update
Administration has been meeting to review budgetary requests at the SAU office, including curriculum and instructional requests, and personnel requests. In working with Ms. Burk and Ms. Organek there has also been a review of grant funds that will be expiring at the end of this fiscal year and specific budgetary items that will continue in the operating budget and which budgetary items that will not continue.
Facilities Update
Installing HMS science labs is taking more time than expected, and the students and teacher will move into this classroom. The second classroom requires plumbing for the sinks to be completed and electrical work to be completed before moving into this classroom.
Other Updates
I attended the Alvirne football game last Friday. The district sent a message regarding a concern brought forward. The district worked with HPD to confirm this was not a credible threat for the scheduled game. I want to thank the police department for investigating this promptly. I also want to thank the families that brought this concern forward, it is always important if you see or hear something to say something. The football game was a competitive game and while Alvirne Broncos lost to Salem High School it was a close game.
The State of the Town meeting was last week. I want to thank the CTE student ambassadors for providing tours of the CTE Center for community members. The community members and town officials commented on how impressed they were of these student leaders. This was a nice evening and a great opportunity to have conversations with the community.
The rescheduled Board of Selectmen meeting is tomorrow. This will be the second public hearing for restricting public access of Memorial Drive during school hours. I will be attending with Police Chief Dionne and Principal Bowen to answer questions from the public or from the Board of Selectmen. If this is approved, then this would go into effect on October 24.
Respectfully submitted,
Daniel Moulis, Ed. D
Superintendent