Ancient Warfare ELPAt Great Brook School, the Ancient Warfare ELP is learning about archery from a local specialist from the Antrim Rec Department.
ConVal Inducts 19 Into National Honor SocietyThe ConVal Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) inducted 19 new members in a ceremony in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre on November 18. NHS selection is based on four criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
Earth Science Project-Based Learning PresentationsStudents in two sections of Earth Science present their emergency kit project in the LHT. Using a document camera, the team members explain for which geographic areas and specific threats (earthquakes, volcanoes, etc.) the elements of the emergency kit are to be used.
Technology Planning Committee SWOT AnalysisMembers of the Technology Strategic Planning Committee engage in a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis of all the technology resources that are used in the daily operations and blended learning environment in the ConVal School District.
Veterans Celebration At DCSStudents at DCS enjoyed meeting School Board member Dick Dunning, who is a Vietnam War veteran, and learning more about the meaning of the holiday. Students were also given an American flag to take home.
TES Students Learn About Fire SafetyTemple NH Volunteer Fire Department came to visit the K-4 Temple Elementary School students to discuss fire safety in the home.
Today we were informed of 6 positive COVID 19 cases. All six were at ConVal High School (CVHS).Â
As soon as we were informed of the cases, we began our process of identifying anyone who may have had close contact, which follows the most recent guidance from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS).
We have continued throughout the day to attempt to touch base with parents of all potential close contacts. If your student was present at the Tuesday, November 30th boys basketball tryouts he may have been a close contact and we recommend that you reach out to your family doctor.
Our school communities continue to implement the mitigation strategies outlined in our Reopening and Recovery Plan. To learn more about COVID-19, please visit these websites:
Today we were informed of 6 positive COVID 19 cases. All six were at ConVal High School (CVHS).Â
As soon as we were informed of the cases, we began our process of identifying anyone who may have had close contact, which follows the most recent guidance from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS).
The Contoocook Valley School Board and Contoocook Valley Education Association (CVEA) are pleased to share that they have reached a three-year contract agreement for teachers, paraprofessionals and special service providers.
The agreement will take effect July 1, 2022, and last through the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year. The agreement is subject to approval by voters from the nine ConVal communities.
"This agreement accomplishes the shared goals of all parties, and I thank everyone involved for their cooperation in reaching consensus," Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders said. "The contract upholds competitive wages, which we believe will continue to help the district attract and retain talented educators and in turn support the success of our students."
The agreement includes:
Step salary increases based on each year of additional work experience, along with percentage salary increases for member-educators who have reached the top step of the salary schedule.
Salary enhancements for special service providers who have a professional license and are also certified by the New Hampshire Department of Education.
An increase in the rate paid to paraprofessionals who serve as substitute teachers.
An increase in the number of contracted days for teachers and special service providers from 187 to 188 days.
Teachers, paraprofessionals and special service providers will pay an additional .5% each year towards their health insurance contributions.
"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many of us work, but educators are among those who have had to adapt the quickest to meet the needs of their students," CVEA Negotiations Team Chair Greg Leonard said. "We believe this agreement helps recognize the continued hard work of educators and the important contributions that they make every day, and I want to thank the ConVal team for joining educators in negotiating collaboratively and in good faith."
The Contoocook Valley School Board and Contoocook Valley Education Association (CVEA) are pleased to share that they have reached a three-year contract agreement for teachers, paraprofessionals and special service providers.
The agreement will take effect July 1, 2022, and last through the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year. The agreement is subject to approval by voters from the nine ConVal communities.
Strategic plans act as a roadmap for the district to follow over a five year period, highlighting specific projects and goals for long-term sustainable growth. The most recent strategic plan was created in 2016 and lasted through June 2021.
Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders wishes to provide an update on ConVal School District’s strategic planning process and encourage community members to participate.
“It is our hope to have the development of the strategic plan be a community-wide effort,” Superintendent Rizzo Saunders said. “We want to hear from families, students, staff and the residents of the nine towns that make up the ConVal community throughout this process. That way, the district may determine strategies that will be most impactful and most aligned with community priorities.”
Community members are asked to take a preliminary two-question survey here so that the district can better understand ways that stakeholders wish to participate in the process. A more comprehensive survey will be issued in the coming weeks to gather input about long-term strategies and goals.
Along with the survey, the district will gather feedback through focus groups. Community members also will have the opportunity to attend town hall-style meetings. Meeting dates and times will be announced when available.
A draft of the strategic plan is expected to be completed by June 2022. The plan is subject to approval by the School Board before it can be implemented.
More information about the strategic planning process can be found on the district’s website here.
Strategic plans act as a roadmap for the district to follow over a five year period, highlighting specific projects and goals for long-term sustainable growth. The most recent strategic plan was created in 2016 and lasted through June 2021.
Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders wishes to provide an update on ConVal School District’s strategic planning process and encourage community members to participate.
Today we were informed of 6 positive COVID 19 cases. Two were reported at Antrim Elementary School (AES), one at Peterborough Elementary School (PES), two at South Meadow School (SMS), and one at ConVal High School (CVHS).Â
As soon as we were informed of the cases, we began our process of identifying anyone who may have had close contact, which follows the most recent guidance from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS).
Any individuals who were identified as having close contact have been notified. Our school communities continue to implement the mitigation strategies outlined in our Reopening and Recovery Plan. To learn more about COVID-19, please visit these websites:Â Â
Today we were informed of 6 positive COVID 19 cases. Two were reported at Antrim Elementary School (AES), one at Peterborough Elementary School (PES), two at South Meadow School (SMS), and one at ConVal High School (CVHS).Â
The peer mentors are selling SMS patches! Each patch will cost 5 dollars no matter which one it is. If you are interested in buying a patch, please send the completed form to Mrs. Brezovec (mbrezovec@conval.edu). The list of patches are listed on the form. These are iron on but you should also stitch them. You can put them on backpacks, t-shirts or sweatshirts.
The peer mentors are selling SMS patches! Each patch will cost 5 dollars no matter which one it is. If you are interested in buying a patch, please send the completed form to Mrs. Brezovec (mbrezovec@conval.edu). The list of patches are listed on the form. These are iron on but you should also stitch them.
Students in Bethany Cooper's AP English Language and Composition class engage in a dramatic reading of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Act II.
This is the part of the play where Ezekiel Cheever and Marshal Herrick arrive at the Proctor house with a warrant for Elizabeth Proctor's arrest. Cheever discovers the poppet that Mary Warren had made for Elizabeth. He finds a needle stored inside the doll and considers this as proof of witchcraft and as evidence for the accusation made by Abigail Williams, the villain in the play, that Elizabeth's spirit had stabbed her.
"Miller's allegorical play is very powerful in that it examines the deeper meanings of who deserves our sympathy and our pity in very complex situations," said Cooper about the present-day significance of The Crucible.
"The work harkens back to the deeper structures of Greek plays, in particular tragedies, where protagonists — usually persons of societal importance and outstanding personal qualities — fall to disaster through the combination of personal failing and powerful social forces such as the broad-based belief in witchcraft which, though unproven, controls their family's destiny."
Cooper considers the close reading of The Crucible as an important scaffolding step for students towards the themes that will be studied at a deeper level in AP Literature.
Students in Bethany Cooper’s AP English Language and Composition class engage in a dramatic reading of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Act II.
This is the part of the play where Ezekiel Cheever and Marshal Herrick arrive at the Proctor house with a warrant for Elizabeth Proctor’s arrest. Cheever discovers the poppet that Mary Warren had made for Elizabeth.
DCS students enjoyed a day of activities connected to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Students were completedly engaged in learning about Lights and Lasers, Slime Science, as well as team building challenges!
DCS students enjoyed a day of activities connected to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Students were completedly engaged in learning about Lights and Lasers, Slime Science, as well as team building challenges!
First Graders surprised us with their very own Macy's Day parade. We saw many "floats" including an owl, the Grinch, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and many more adorable and creative floats!
First Graders surprised us with their very own Macy’s Day parade. We saw many “floats” including an owl, the Grinch, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and many more adorable and creative floats!
Temple Elementary School has a long-standing tradition of providing a Thanksgiving Feast for the senior residents of Temple, NH. Because of the pandemic, we have been unable to hold this tradition for the past two years.
With the help of Temple's Recreation Department and Temple Elementary's Parent-Teacher Team, we decided to serve the senior residents in a different way. With the help of the Parent-Teacher Team the students made loaves of sweet bread to hand out to the seniors.
We miss sharing our special feast with the senior residents of Temple and hope to be able to host this wonderful event next year.
Temple Elementary School has a long-standing tradition of providing a Thanksgiving Feast for the senior residents of Temple, NH. Because of the pandemic, we have been unable to hold this tradition for the past two years.
With the help of Temple’s Recreation Department and Temple Elementary’s Parent-Teacher Team, we decided to serve the senior residents in a different way.
Despite the stretch of rainy weather over the last several weeks, the solar panel project at ConVal Regional High School is progressing rapidly.
As these pictures that were taken just before the Thanksgiving break show, the solar array assembly on top of the main building looks like it is nearing completion.
The conduits and wire pathways from the solar cells to the electric distribution panel are in the process of being connected and are getting ready to be tied into the main electrical system.
Despite the weather setbacks, ReVision Energy still expects to complete the ConVal solar panel project sometime in December, before the winter holidays.
Despite the stretch of rainy weather over the last several weeks, the solar panel project at ConVal Regional High School is progressing rapidly.
As these pictures that were taken just before the Thanksgiving break show, the solar array assembly on top of the main building looks like it is nearing completion.
The conduits and wire pathways from the solar cells to the electric distribution panel are in the process of being connected and are getting ready to be tied into the main electrical system.
On Saturday, New Hampshire All-State auditions were held at Memorial High School where students performed a rigorous repertoire.
Congratulations to the following students on their acceptance to New Hampshire All-State instrumental and vocal ensembles:
Zach Cassidy ('23) String Bass
Clara Christensen ('25) Trumpet
Alissa Cutting ('22) Soprano Voice
Rowan Davidson ('23) Tenor Voice
The students will represent ConVal at the New Hampshire All-State Music Festival in April 2022. Their qualification is the result of a tremendous amount of individual effort.
Students in Karen Fabianski's Engineering 3 class recently had the chance to collaborate in a unique project-based learning (PBL) opportunity in ConVal's Region 14 Applied Technology Center (ATC).
"The Engineering 3 class concentrates on design and manufacturing," explained Fabianski. Her students decided to work on a chess game that combined these two focus areas. "I always encourage my students to choose their own project to meet criteria and create the project with classroom machines. In this example, SolidWorks and v-carve software, a 3D printer, and a laser engraver-cutter were used."
Because 3D printing is a slow process, the chess pieces were created in overnight printing shifts with the 3D printer, one each for the white and the black pieces.
The final project was both functionally sound and aesthetically remarkable!
Students in Karen Fabianski’s Engineering 3 class recently had the chance to collaborate in a unique project-based learning (PBL) opportunity in ConVal’s Region 14 Applied Technology Center (ATC).
“The Engineering 3 class concentrates on design and manufacturing,” explained Fabianski. Her students decided to work on a chess game that combined these two focus areas.
As part of the District Reopening and Recovery Plan, ESSER III funds have been used to hire a math coach at the middle school level. Johnna McMasters-Jones is working with classroom teachers and math intervention teachers to hone their craft in bringing the most effective math teaching practices to the forefront of the classroom. This has resulted in increased discussion in our math classrooms, labeled as accountable talk, which according to research has an incredible impact on student learning. We are already seeing increased confidence in our students and we look forward to translating this to improved achievement.
As part of the District Reopening and Recovery Plan, ESSER III funds have been used to hire a math coach at the middle school level. Johnna McMasters-Jones is working with classroom teachers and math intervention teachers to hone their craft in bringing the most effective math teaching practices to the forefront of the classroom. This has resulted in increased discussion in our math classrooms,
Thank you to our community for purchasing wreaths and pointsettias to help support our playground! They will arrive after Thanksgiving and we will be in touch with you with directions to get your orders.
Thank you to our community for purchasing wreaths and pointsettias to help support our playground! They will arrive after Thanksgiving and we will be in touch with you with directions to get your orders.
Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center will be coming to FES! On Tuesday, November 23rd, Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center will be bringing wild animals to our multipurpose room with the goal of connecting and educating kids and adults alike on a wide variety of environmental, animal, and personal health and wellness topics! Thank you so much to our PTO for supporting this event.
Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center will be coming to FES! On Tuesday, November 23rd, Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center will be bringing wild animals to our multipurpose room with the goal of connecting and educating kids and adults alike on a wide variety of environmental, animal, and personal health and wellness topics! Thank you so much to our PTO for supporting this event.
We will be having our first annual Friendgiving with the students on Tuesday, November 23rd. Children will be cooking food, enjoying the campfire and sharing what they are grateful for each day.
We will be having our first annual Friendgiving with the students on Tuesday, November 23rd. Children will be cooking food, enjoying the campfire and sharing what they are grateful for each day.
It is my duty as the Chair to inform the ConVal community that Board Member Jerry Wilson (Peterborough) tendered his resignation from the Board, effective November 30, 2021, or earlier if a replacement could be found before that date.
I would like to take this time to thank Jerry for his years of service devoted to the students and communities of ConVal during his tenure. Please join me in thanking Jerry if you see him around town.
Under Board policy BBBE, the three remaining Board Members from Peterborough have selected Tom Burgess to fill the vacancy until the next District elections in March 2022. Mr. Burgess has accepted the position and will be sworn into office at the School Board meeting on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.
Thank you, Jerry for your service, and welcome to the Board, Tom.
It is my duty as the Chair to inform the ConVal community that Board Member Jerry Wilson (Peterborough) tendered his resignation from the Board, effective November 30, 2021, or earlier if a replacement could be found before that date.
I would like to take this time to thank Jerry for his years of service devoted to the students and communities of ConVal during his tenure.
It’s that time of year again from a school budget and property tax bill point of view. And it’s time to start our annual series of articles regarding the financial aspects of running the District.
We’re going to take a different approach this year. The past two years, our articles built a base of knowledge about the school budget and the property tax process. Instead of repeating some of the basics, we’re going to address aspects of these that are either new or specific to this year. As before, we won’t address any non-financial aspect of the ongoing Covid pandemic.
With that, here’s a brief preview of some of the articles we’ll be publishing between now and the vote in March:
Overview of Budget Schedule (included in this article)
2022 Property Tax Bills and Funds “returned” to towns in the District
Summary of the recently negotiated three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (subject to voter approval in March)
Details of proposed FY23 School Budget (also subject to voter approval in March)
Summary of current funding of education by the State of New Hampshire.
These new articles (as well as all previous financial publications) will all be available on the ConVal School Board website: schoolboard.convalsd.net
We’ll let you know when we post new material. Stay tuned.
Jim Fredrickson (Sharon) Chairman, Budget & Property Committee ConVal School Board
FY23 ConVal School Budget Schedule
These are the key dates and events associated with this budget cycle:
July 1, 2021 - 1st day of FY22
August 2021 – Board developed and approved “FY23 Budget Guidance” to be used by the Superintendent and staff to develop the proposed School Budget for FY23
November 6, 2021 – Annual School Board Budget Meeting
January 2022 – Board finalizes and “approves” Proposed FY23 Budget
Public hearing on proposed Budget – January 11, 2022
January 2022 – 2nd Board sponsored Community Forum (date TBD)
February 8, 2022 – Deliberative Session
March 8, 2022 – Voting day
July 1, 2022 – 1st day of FY23
The two most significant changes this budget cycle include:
the “return” of a significant amount of funds from FY21. This will be covered in detail in the next article
the 2nd Community Forum – to be held in late January after the Board “approves” the proposed budget and before the Deliberative Session in February. This new event is intended to provide a more informal discussion of the proposed budget (and several other topic of interest) - with community members. If you’ve ever been to a Public Hearing or Deliberative Session, you’ll appreciate the use of the word “informal”. More on this later.
Annual School Board Budget Meeting
The annual School Board Budget meeting was held on Saturday, November 6th, at the District offices. The Superintendent and staff presented the initial proposed budget. The Board discussed several of the proposed changes including: curriculum, planned expansion of the District’s pre-school program, and several other options. This was an informative meeting – decisions on specific aspects of the budget will be discussed and voted on at regularly scheduled Board meetings.
It’s that time of year again from a school budget and property tax bill point of view. And it’s time to start our annual series of articles regarding the financial aspects of running the District.
We’re going to take a different approach this year. The past two years, our articles built a base of knowledge about the school budget and the property tax process.
Third graders showed off their artistic abilities during creations of 3-D bird pictures. Thank you, Jeannie, for coming in and helping make these amazing projects!
Third graders showed off their artistic abilities during creations of 3-D bird pictures. Thank you, Jeannie, for coming in and helping make these amazing projects!
Students at DCS enjoyed meeting Mr. Dunning and learning more about the meaning of the holiday. Students were also given an American Flag to take home. We are very thankful for the service of military personnel.
Students at DCS enjoyed meeting Mr. Dunning and learning more about the meaning of the holiday. Students were also given an American Flag to take home. We are very thankful for the service of military personnel.
Please click here for important information from Mr. Silegy, Athletic Director of South Meadow School regarding Impact Testing that will be required before any student can try out for Basketball on 11/8/21.
Please click here for important information from Mr. Silegy, Athletic Director of South Meadow School regarding Impact Testing that will be required before any student can try out for Basketball on 11/8/21.
The Fall Open House this year was held a little different from the past. This year parents were able to meet their teachers outside and take a tour of the building if they wanted. As an added benefit, parents and students were able to sample pizza from the outside pizza oven. It was a great way for the staff, parents and students to enjoy a beautiful fall evening!
The Fall Open House this year was held a little different from the past. This year parents were able to meet their teachers outside and take a tour of the building if they wanted. As an added benefit, parents and students were able to sample pizza from the outside pizza oven. It was a great way for the staff,
Fourth-grade students are taught how to raise and lower the American flag.
Each day, under adult supervision the fourth-grade students take turns raising and lowering the American flag. They are taught to honor the American flag by handling it with respect and not letting it touch the ground. The students are also taught how to fold the flag when they bring it in at the end of the day.
The students have been doing a great job taking this responsibility seriously. We are very proud of them.
Fourth-grade students are taught how to raise and lower the American flag.
Each day, under adult supervision the fourth-grade students take turns raising and lowering the American flag. They are taught to honor the American flag by handling it with respect and not letting it touch the ground. The students are also taught how to fold the flag when they bring it in at the end of the day.
This week, our friends from the Harris Center worked with our 3rd graders teaching about the weather. Ben King of the Harris Center talked to our students about wind, including what a compass is, how to find points north, south, east and west, how to tell which direction the wind is coming from, and how to tell wind speed using a Beaufort Scale. Our teachers and students took advantage of the great fall weather and held the lesson outside. This allowed for students to see examples of the wind viewing the leaves, branches, and trees.
This week, our friends from the Harris Center worked with our 3rd graders teaching about the weather. Ben King of the Harris Center talked to our students about wind, including what a compass is, how to find points north, south, east and west, how to tell which direction the wind is coming from, and how to tell wind speed using a Beaufort Scale.
On Friday, November 19th at 8:45am PES held a Turkey Trot "foodraiser" in support of the the Peterborough Food Pantry. We collected canned goods and other non-perishable food items as students, staff, and families trotted (ran, jogged, or walked) 3 laps around the PES playing fields (its about 1 mile). Thank you for all of the donations!
On Friday, November 19th at 8:45am PES held a Turkey Trot “foodraiser” in support of the the Peterborough Food Pantry. We collected canned goods and other non-perishable food items as students, staff, and families trotted (ran, jogged, or walked) 3 laps around the PES playing fields (its about 1 mile). Thank you for all of the donations!
Do you have sneakers, shoes or boots you are looking to get rid of? The Conval Community Dollars for Scholars Program is "running" a shoe drive through mid December. Partnering with Funds2Org, money raised from this fundraiser will help Conval Community Dollars for Scholars award scholarships to students. We have a collection box at PES for any of your slightly used, but still in good shape shoes.
Do you have sneakers, shoes or boots you are looking to get rid of? The Conval Community Dollars for Scholars Program is “running” a shoe drive through mid December. Partnering with Funds2Org, money raised from this fundraiser will help Conval Community Dollars for Scholars award scholarships to students. We have a collection box at PES for any of your slightly used,
Picture retakes are scheduled for December 1st from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. If you were absent on picture day you will have a second chance to get your picture taken! If you didn't like your first picture, send in your old ones and have a new one retaken. More information will be coming home with students shortly.
Picture retakes are scheduled for December 1st from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. If you were absent on picture day you will have a second chance to get your picture taken! If you didn’t like your first picture, send in your old ones and have a new one retaken. More information will be coming home with students shortly.
Last year, GBS had to completely restructure its teaching configuration. This meant that our Extended Learning Programs (or ELPs) could not run. This year, we have been able to have these programs running again. Students self-select, apply for, and attend weekly ELPs. Currently the offerings are Costume Design (pictured above), Dungeon Master Guild, Improv, Ancient Warfare, and Photography. Students are responsible for connecting with their classroom teachers to make up any missed assignments. These exploratory programs offer our middle school students the opportunity to try new things, practice organizing their time, collaborate with peers, and develop leadership skills. For more information, please contact Maryanne Cullinan (mcullinan@conval.edu).
Last year, GBS had to completely restructure its teaching configuration. This meant that our Extended Learning Programs (or ELPs) could not run. This year, we have been able to have these programs running again. Students self-select, apply for, and attend weekly ELPs. Currently the offerings are Costume Design (pictured above), Dungeon Master Guild, Improv, Ancient Warfare,
We have received excellent response to the Community Forum survey we provided for community input.
As a quick recap to the survey results:
There were 135 survey respondents with 92 noting they will be attending the Community Forum in person.
The survey topics in ranked order of selection by the community:
Masking and COVID 19
Protocols when staff and students test positive
Changes in curriculum
Budget, how is it paid for and what happens to money not spent?
Learning recovery plan
Small community schools and sustainability
Legal mandates and ConVal
We had made the commitment to selecting the top four ranked choices for presentation and questions/answers (a dialog). As we analyzed the results we saw that the top five topics were very close in rankings. We decided that we would expand our presentations to the top five vs. the top four.
There is also an hour set aside (8-9 PM) for the audience to ask questions of the on-stage panel that are not in the presentation topics above.
It was satisfying to also see that the question of which level of school the respondent had students in contained approx. 15% who noted none. This means that not only are parents interested in our district school system but so are community members that do not have students in our district.
Important to note from our previous correspondence. Due to physical distancing requirements we had to limit the number of community members attending in-person at the Lucy Hurlin theatre to less than 100. As you can see above we are close to capacity and cannot accommodate community members attend in-person that did not respond in the survey. We are providing a livestream for those who cannot be accommodated in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre. You can view the live stream from your own environment.
To assist those whose home environment does not support live stream we will make available an overflow room at the high school for community members to view the forum as a live stream. Remember, live stream is “view only” and does not allow for interaction with the does not allow for interaction with the presenters. Seating in this “overflow” area will be on a first come, first seat basis and as soon as it is at capacity we will not be able to seat any more.
THE AGENDA
The below agenda outlines the sequence of topic presentations and the presenters. It is important to note that others members of the ConVal school board, who are not presenting will also be on stage to assist in answering any questions. Included in the agenda (at the bottom) is the link to click on to access the live stream.
We are looking forward to a productive forum.
AGENDA
ConVal School Board and Administration
COMMUNITY FORUM
September 30, 2021
Lucy Hurlin Theatre
ConVal High School
7 P.M. to 9 P.M.
Opening remarks – Alan Edelkind
Moderator remarks – Tim Theberge_
Presentations
Masking and COVID 19, Protocols when staff and/or Students test positive
Presenters: Tim Theberge, Keira Christian
Q/A to follow presentations
Budget, how it is paid for and what happens to money not spent
Presenter – Jim Fredrickson
Q/A to follow presentation
Learning recovery plan, Changes in Curriculum
Presenters Dr. Kimberly Rizzo-Saunders. Dr. Ann Forrest
Q/A to follow presentations
Open forum
Questions and discussions
Participants – ConVal community, School board and administration
Closing remarks – Janine Lesser
To access the forum via live stream please click on the below link
The ConVal School Board and Administration are moving forward in the planning for the first ConVal Community Forum. We are excited about providing you this opportunity for a constructive, open, informative, and meaningful dialogue.
Each section explains a specific aspect of the forum and will give you a full understanding of what will be happening and how to participate.
Background
Communication is the key component of our commitment to be fully transparent with our community in matters critical to them and to have a dialog where we can share our information and engage in a question-and-answer session. School board meetings, being business meetings, provide limited opportunities for dialogue. Our answer to this need is a Community Forum.
What is our Community Forum and how is it organized?
It is the opportunity for the public, the School Board and the administration to engage in a dialogue on topics that have been chosen by the community to be important to them. The forum will be held in the Lucy Hurlin Theater at the ConVal High School. We will have both in-theater and live stream audiences. A survey that will be sent to the ConVal community will provide, amongst other questions, the opportunity for each respondent to select from suggested topics and add another if not included. More on the Survey later in this note.
The forum will be two hours in length. There will be a moderator that will be responsible for controlling the flow of information and ensuring good organization to make this a positive experience for all. Dialogue will only take place between the in-theater audience and the school board and administration. The live-stream audience will be view only.
The first hour will be focused on presenting each selected topic and allowing for a question and answer dialogue for each.
The second hour will give the in-theater audience the opportunity to ask questions on any topic of their choosing.
The school board and administration will respond to these questions and note whether they relate to issues already discussed by the school board, or if the board member responding is providing their own personal opinion.
The survey
The most important part of our Community Forum.
The survey is designed to solicit information from each respondent household for information about the ConVal town they live in, what level of school their children attend (if they do), their email address for communications, whether or not they would like us to provide childcare.
Most importantly there is a section on the survey for the respondent to select three topics that they find are most important for discussion at the Community Forum. We have provided seven topics that the school board believes reflect the most important areas for discussion. We have also left open a topic area to enter, if you wish, another topic that you feel is important to you and the ConVal community. Please select a total of three (three) topics including your topic, if you entered one. We will select from the responses to the survey the top four most requested topics for inclusion in the forum.
The survey, to be counted, must be completed and submitted no later than Monday, Sept. 20.
The link to the survey is provided at the end of this note.
COVID protocols
The Lucy Hurlin Theater is located in the ConVal High School on ConVal property. As such we will follow the protocols required by the Green Phase we are currently in as relates to physical distancing in the Theater, mandatory mask use requirements, and the screening process and question upon entry.
There is also one further COVID imposed restriction. To maintain proper physical distancing there will be allowed no more than 100 ConVal community folks to be in-theater. If, based on surveys received, we find that there are more than 100 folks noting that they will be in-theater, we will have to select the first 100 returned surveys as those being the ones that will be able to attend in-theater. Based on the email address you provided to us in the survey we will contact those selected and those not selected to be in-theater.
If others, that were not a part of the 100 first come first serve selected do arrive at the theater we will provide access to the Cafe for their viewing of the forum thru a live stream feed. This live stream feed will not allow for direct participation in the forum.
As responsible members of the ConVal community we support these protocols.
Links
To complete the survey please click on this link, fill out the survey and submit no later than end of day Monday, September 20th. Click here to access the survey.
To attend the Community Forum via Live-Streaming please use this link at the time of the forum. Click here to watch the live stream of the Community Forum.
The ConVal School Board and Administration are moving forward in the planning for the first ConVal Community Forum. We are excited about providing you this opportunity for a constructive, open, informative, and meaningful dialogue.
Each section explains a specific aspect of the forum and will give you a full understanding of what will be happening and how to participate.
We were informed today of a case of COVID-19 at Great Brook School. We are actively working with and following guidelines from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
NH DHHS has requested we provide contact information for anyone who has been identified as having had close contact with the infected person. The staff and students of Great Brook continue to do a wonderful job of working within the mitigation strategies of our Reopening and Recovery Plan. At this point there is no need to change our instructional model, all students will remain in person, and those who have been identified as a close contact have been notified.
The current recommendation from NH Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) for people who may be exposed to COVID-19 in the school setting is to:
For 14 days from the last day of exposure:
Monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and
Wear a mask in indoor public settings and
Consider testing 3-5 days following the last day of exposure
If your child develops symptoms please isolate them at home and seek testing for COVID-19.
Symptomatic students or staff can be allowed to return to school when one of the following two conditions is met:
Person receives an FDA-approved COVID-19 test that is negative, AND the person’s symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for at least 24 hours off any fever-reducing medications.
Approved tests include:
A PCR-based molecular test
Antigen testing conducted within an appropriate number of days since symptom onset
Person has met CDC criteria for ending home isolation (i.e., if a person is not tested, they are assumed to be COVID-19 positive).
Our school is working closely with the New Hampshire (NH) Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to follow the guidance they have provided for this situation and will provide updates should their recommendations change.
Because COVID-19 is most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, the NH DHHS is recommending the following precautions to prevent the spread of the disease:
Get vaccinated, for those who are eligible.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
Avoid high risk locations, especially ones that are indoors and crowded, and where people are unable to maintain physical distance from others.
If there is substantial community transmission in your area, wear a cloth face covering that covers your mouth and nose to protect others when in public areas.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Stay home and seek testing if you have a fever or are not feeling well.
To learn more about COVID-19, please check these resources:
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.covid19.nh.gov/welcome
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
We were informed today of a case of COVID-19 at Great Brook School. We are actively working with and following guidelines from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
NH DHHS has requested we provide contact information for anyone who has been identified as having had close contact with the infected person.
We are so excited to see our students tomorrow! Later today we will open PowerSchool and students and families will be able to see student schedules. Fifth grade students and students new to GBS will receive a letter in the mail letting you know how to activate your PowerSchool account.
We will have hard copies available for ALL students in the morning and staff will help direct students to their first block class.
Breakfast will be available for all students, free of charge, on carts as a grab-and-go.
We are so excited to see our students tomorrow! Later today we will open PowerSchool and students and families will be able to see student schedules. Fifth grade students and students new to GBS will receive a letter in the mail letting you know how to activate your PowerSchool account.
We will have hard copies available for ALL students in the morning and staff will help direct students to their first block class.
Today we were informed of 6 positive COVID 19 cases. All six were at ConVal High School (CVHS).Â
As soon as we were informed of the cases, we began our process of identifying anyone who may have had close contact, which follows the most recent guidance from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS).
The Contoocook Valley School Board and Contoocook Valley Education Association (CVEA) are pleased to share that they have reached a three-year contract agreement for teachers, paraprofessionals and special service providers.
The agreement will take effect July 1, 2022, and last through the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year. The agreement is subject to approval by voters from the nine ConVal communities.
Strategic plans act as a roadmap for the district to follow over a five year period, highlighting specific projects and goals for long-term sustainable growth. The most recent strategic plan was created in 2016 and lasted through June 2021.
Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders wishes to provide an update on ConVal School District’s strategic planning process and encourage community members to participate.
Ancient Warfare ELP At Great Brook School, the Ancient Warfare ELP is learning about archery from a local specialist from the Antrim Rec Department.
ConVal Inducts 19 Into National Honor Society The ConVal Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) inducted 19 new members in a ceremony in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre on November 18. NHS selection is based on four criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
Earth Science Project-Based Learning Presentations Students in two sections of Earth Science present their emergency kit project in the LHT. Using a document camera, the team members explain for which geographic areas and specific threats (earthquakes, volcanoes, etc.) the elements of the emergency kit are to be used.
Technology Planning Committee SWOT Analysis Members of the Technology Strategic Planning Committee engage in a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis of all the technology resources that are used in the daily operations and blended learning environment in the ConVal School District.
Veterans Celebration At DCS Students at DCS enjoyed meeting School Board member Dick Dunning, who is a Vietnam War veteran, and learning more about the meaning of the holiday. Students were also given an American flag to take home.
TES Students Learn About Fire Safety Temple NH Volunteer Fire Department came to visit the K-4 Temple Elementary School students to discuss fire safety in the home.
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