Beacon House Happenings

This quarter, we had one student preparing to return to public school full-time by taking a public HS class with a 1:1 Ed Tech. She quickly demonstrated that we could step-down the support, and in the immediate lead-up to her discharge she was able to attend without direct 1:1 support. It was not a simple thing for her to adjust from smaller classes to a larger school. She will now be better prepared to handle similar challenges when she enrolls in her sending district in the future.

This semester, on top of our core offerings, we had two students at BEHS for one class each, Photography and Geometry.

In English class this semester, students continued their study of storytelling. They wrapped up their writing projects including their own fables and persuasive essays and moved on to Greek and Roman mythology. Our focus on writing has shifted with our changing student body. We returned to review basic grammar and beginning composition work: parts of speech, sentence structure, and basic punctuation.

Carrie Girrad, Ed Tech lll/BHP

Staff Spotlight

Carrie Girard is new to the team as an Ed Teach/BHP. A long-time pub manager, she also graduated from the University of Southern Maine in 2014 with a double major in Art Education and Photography. Outside of work she focuses on her photography business, capturing events and special occasions throughout Southern Maine, as well as challenging herself in baking new recipes. She came to us with experience helping kids unlock their creativity by coordinating and running an after school art program. Whatever the day may bring, whether it be in the classroom or 1:1 helping a student, she is there. She can also be found taking students to BEHS for classes and providing the support they need to move into less restrictive settings. Welcome to the team, Carrie!

Students in US History learned about the Civil War and its effects on American culture. They studied the different events leading up to the war, as well as the technologies that advanced because of it. They also discussed the different ways that war can affect cultures afterwards.

In Earth Science this semester, students learned about plate tectonics, volcanoes, and earthquakes. They watched a documentary on the eruption of Mt St Helens and discussed the science behind it.

Math continues to include our most individualized content and instruction. In addition to the traditional HS courses in Geometry and Algebra, the Pre-Algebra class is focused on helping students understand basic algebra concepts and Integrated Math is focused on helping students understand how to integrate basic math concepts and skills into real-world application. Our Math teacher, Jesse, is taking a year-long training in and using Math 4ME teaching strategies to help students learn and succeed.