Lyndeborough Central Early Childhood Learning Center
WLC Middle/High School: Home of the Warriors
Florence Rideout Elementary School
Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District provides a safe and educational environment that promotes student exploration, critical thinking, and responsible citizenship. Florence Rideout Elementary School encourages students to reach their potential and become responsible and productive citizens; prepares challenges, and empowers our students to be lifelong learners, and provides a safe and diverse learning environment. WiltonLyndeborough Cooperative Middle/High School is a positive learning community that ensures each student has the opportunity to develop to his or her potential. WLC Middle/High School believes all children learn at different individual rates and times and under different teaching and learning situations. We bring the family, school and community together to be accountable for the cognitive, affective, and physical growth of our students. We work together to help them become creative, future-oriented problem solvers who take responsibility for their education, live and learn in harmony, and are involved in their school and their community. Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District provides a safe and educational environment that promotes student exploration, critical thinking, and responsible citizenship. Florence Rideout Elementary School encourages students to reach their potential and become responsible and productive citizens; prepares challenges, and empowers our students to be life-long learners, and provides a safe and diverse learning environment. Cooperative Middle/High School is a positive learning community that ensures each student has the opportunity to Š2015 WLCSD, Lyndeborough, NH. Prepared Dolores Coordinator develop tobyhis or Fox, herCurriculum potential. Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School
Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District provides a safe and educational environment that promotes student exploration, critical Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative thinking, and responsible citizenship. FlorenceSchool RideoutDistrict: Elementary School encourages students Happening to reach their potential become responsible Great Things In OurandSchools and productive citizens; prepares challenges, and empowers our students to be life-long learners, and provides a safe and diverse learning environment. Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative Middle/High School is a positive learning community that ensures each student has the opportunity to develop to his or her potential. WLC Middle/High School believes all children learn at different individual rates and times and under different teaching and learning situations. We bring the family, school and community together to be accountable for the cognitive, affective, and physical growth of our students. We work together to help them become creative, future-oriented problem solvers who take responsibility for their education, live and learn in harmony, and are involved in their school and their community. WiltonSuperintendent of Schools SAU #63: Lyndeborough CooperativeDr. School District provides a safe and Christine Tyrie educational environment that promotes student exploration, critical thinking, and responsible citizenship. Florence Rideout Elementary School encourages students to reach their potential and become responsible and productive citizens; prepares challenges, and empowers our students to be life-long learners, and provides a safe and diverse learning environment. Cooperative Middle/High School is a positive learning community that ensures each student has the opportunity to develop to his or her potential.
Table of Contents Who We Are: 3 Schools, 2 Towns, One Educational Community…………………………………………………..….1 Our Teachers……………………………………………………..……3 A Solid Start: LCECLC & FRES…………………………………4 Learning by Doing……………………………………………………5 STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics……………………………………………………6 Technology & Computing at WLCSD……………………..….7 Sharing the Learning: Student Performances………….8 Senior Project: Culminating the Journey………………….9 Looking to the Future……………………………………..……..10
Curriculum Spotlight puts a spotlight on an example of a Great Thing Happening in Our Schools
WHO WE ARE: The Towns:
The Schools:
Nestled in the eastern foothills of the Monadnock Mountains lie the suburban/rural towns of Wilton, population 4000 and Lyndeborough, population almost 1800. WiltonLyndeborough Cooperative School, SAU#63, provides the education for the students K-12 in these two towns.
Lyndeborough Central Early Learning Center 192 Forest Rd, Lyndeborough, NH 03082 (603) 654-9381
Grades Pre K - K
Florence Rideout Elementary School 18 Tremont St., Wilton, NH 03086 603.654.6714
Grades 1- 5
WLC Middle/High School 57 School Rd., Wilton, NH 03054 603.654.6123
Grades 6-12 WLC district’s size allows our students to receive individual attention in our classrooms and schools. Student/Teacher Ratio: 9.3 Average Class Sizes: K ≤ 15 students Elementary ≤ 17 students Middle School ≤ 19 students
“There was never a sense that our aspirations as students were defined or limited by the size/location of our school district.” Sharon L., 2009
High School = 6-27 students
“…we are lucky to have such a small school and have the relationships with our teachers.” Tom B. ‘09 1
3 Schools, 2 Towns, 1 Educational Community The Students: Students per Grade Level Grade
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
# of Students
32
43
44
46
34
50
45
43
38
38
57
40
46
Advanced Placement Coursework: WLC High School provides students the opportunity to participate in the national Advanced Placement program. Students may participate in this opportunity to earn college credit while in high school by taking courses offered onsite at the high school or a widearray of AP courses offered online via VLACS and VHS. In 2014-2015, 11 students took a total of 21 exams with an average score of 3.
AP Results 2015 12
The WLCSD K-12 curriculum provides our students with the problem-solving and communication skills as well as the essential knowledge to succeed in a rapidly changing global world.
New Hampshire Scholars Program: Annually, most of our graduating students participate in the New Hampshire Scholars Program which recognizes students for their successful completion of a rigorous 4-year education plan, including 4 years of math and of science.
Plans after Graduation:
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Number of Students
Preparing Students for Success
8 Attending Trade/Vocational Program 1%
6 4
Other 2%
Enlisting in Military 2%
2 0 Score 5 Score 4 Score 3 Score 2 Score 1 English
European History
Calculus
Physics
US History
“The individual attention I received in my AP high school classes allowed me to receive college credits that would later save me more than ten thousand dollars in college tuition.” Alex T., ‘10
Attending 2year colleges 25%
attending 4 - year colleges 70%
“I found that the writing and critical thinking skills I learned in high school, have been invaluable both in college and in law school. It is essential to succeed in higher education.” Tim B. ‘09
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Our Teachers Wilton Lyndeborough Cooperative School District Teachers are highly qualified team of teachers with a passion for education and who genuinely care about their students.
Educational Degree Levels of WLC School District Teachers Bachelor's Degree 3%
Master's Degree 47%
50%
Doctorate
Teachers in WLC School District exhibit the characteristics of “warm demanders.” Warm demanders are educators who build positive relationships with students. Knowing their students and recognizing their students as individuals allows teachers, as warm demanders, to make curriculum relevant to students. Building a relationship around mutual respect allows teachers to demand high learning expectations and classroom expectations of students. “I think the teachers at WLC exposed us to different places and cultures that fostered a desire to explore what is out there. They also made us work hard, which set us up to work hard in the future. I also think they really made us think we were actually capable of reaching our dreams.”
Ashley M. ‘09
“The teachers were always helpful and really cared about where their students were going in life.” Jill J. ‘09
“I definitely credit the WLC staff for providing me with kindness and an effective education and for preparing me for the real world.” Kayla S. ‘08
More importantly, the support and mentorship of my WiltonLyndeborough teachers, counselors, and coaches empowered me to confront the non-academic challenges of college life. WLC also instilled in me a work ethic that led me to complete internships in the US Senate, the International Trade Commission, and the Executive Office of the President. Alex. T, ‘10 “Shortly put, I think WLC taught me to have passion, because the educators there certainly did.” Lauren C. ‘09
“…the thing that makes WLC such an amazing place: the teachers genuinely care about setting the students up for success of all kinds…” Tom J.,’09,
“With few exceptions, the teachers at WLC had passion for their career and a genuine desire to connect with the minds of the student body. I owe those dedicated intellectuals no small part of what makes me the person I am today.” Trevor S. ‘09
A Solid Start: Lyndeborough Central Early Childhood Learning Center Florence Rideout Elementary School Lyndeborough Central Early Learning Center is a school dedicated to students PreK through Kindergarten. We are fortunate in our district to have a school entirely devoted to meeting the unique needs of our youngest learners. At the Lyndeborough Central School Early Childhood Learning Center, we educate to the whole child. Our dedicated, highly trained and nurturing staff provide an environment that allows our students to build solid foundation for future academic success.
Early Childhood Learning Center includes our Extended Day Kindergarten Program, an optional program for our local families. The Extended Day program provides additional learning experiences to reinforce and enrich the Kindergarten curriculum. Students engage the arts, music, and physical movement activities that nurture their growth emotionally, socially, cognitively and physically.
The story of Florence Rideout Elementary School is an example of the WLC School District’s commitment to improvement and innovation. In 2015 Florence Rideout Elementary School underwent a reorganization and physical renovation. The tired physical plant underwent a complete reconstruction that brought modern conveniences to the historic portion of the building from 1895 and enlarged the school with a new addition of classrooms and dedicated spaces for art, music, and computer. WLC School District also reorganized the configuration of its elementary schools, making way for the Early Childhood Learning Center and consolidating the elementary grades into one new state of the art building. Renovation of physical plant is complemented by the renovation of the curriculum.Teachers and administration at FRES excitedly investigated and adopted new math, reading, and vocabulary programs to continually provide our students with instructional and curriculum materials based on the current best practices supported by research. Fundations Reading program was adopted and beginning readers K-2 have the phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge that they need to be successful readers in the future. Laying a strong foundation for reading skills supports our students to achieve their academic and life goals.
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LEARNING BY DOING: Hands on Learning/Project Based Learning/Authentic Learning “Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results.” John Dewey, American Educational psychologist/philosopher
Learning by doing goes by many Learning names: hands on learning, project based learning, authentic learning and experiential learning. Each of these terms is based on the students learning by doing an actual task that has immediate relevancy to the student and is meaningful to the student and the community. Depth of knowledge, rather than breadth of knowledge, is the curriculum goal of learning by doing.
by doing creates educational experiences in which our students have to plan, act on their plans, and reflect and revise based on the results. The teachers are the architects of the learning experience and serve as facilitators and coaches to lead students to discoveries about themselves, the world around them, and their role in the world. These learning experiences have the student come to see themselves as valued members of a larger community. Apple Pie Day! Apples are a staple of New Hampshire farms.
The River Project: Each year 7th and 8th grade students test the water quality of the Souhegan River, which runs through downtown Wilton. The students visit the river and collect water samples under the direction of their science teachers, William Fox and Kelly Ruppel. They test these samples and analyze the results to assess the health of the river, a river that many of these students pass by every day on their way to school or town. “For Honors American History class, we were told to prepare a half-hour presentation on two decades' worth of history. The imaginative projects I saw come out of that were great, but most dear to my heart was the project I made a half-hour movie. Our zany movies were a complete blast to work on and we learned a lot http://issuu.com/sau63/docs/sau_63_5 doing them, too.” Tom J. ‘09
Apple orchards are a part of the landscape of Wilton and Lyndeborough. First grade students learn about this historic New England crop and use this local resource to make their own apple pies.
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Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math
In the summer of 2014, a team of WLC teachers joined forces with the Museum of Science in Boston and teachers throughout New England to explore ways to incorporate STEAM into the curriculum. But what exactly does STEAM mean? STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Design, and Math. STEAM is about incorporating into curriculum of all the disciplines the concepts and critical thinking skills inherent in STEAM subjects to meet realworld challenges. STEAM is an interdisciplinary approach to learning where rigorous academic expectations are coupled with real-world problem-based and performance-based tasks. Students learn by responding to the real-world situations presented in their courses in creative and meaningful ways that develop each student’s ability to problem-solve and to think creatively. The primary goal of STEAM is to develop the way students think, not the content students know. “The STEM workforce is exploding and is expected to continue to grow well into the future. That is why STEM education is vital to the careers of the future…”
Celebration of Learning at WLC Middle/High School April 23, 2015 STEAM projects are embedded in types of learning and assessment activities that students at WLC Middle/High do on a regular basis. In the 2014-2015 school year, the students with guidance from their teachers displayed these STEAM activities in a Celebration of Learning event. On the evening of April 23, 2015, the WLC community was invited to attend a showcase of student work. Students explained their work and what they learned to parents, other students, teachers and interested community members. 6
Technology & Computing at WLCSD WLC School District prepares students who can adapt to the challenges of the 21st century through the access and utilization of technology in gathering, using and communicating information. Integrating technology and technology tools into the classroom is an ongoing goal of the WLC School District. WLC’s elementary and middle/high schools each have dedicated computer labs available for student and classroom use. In addition, each school has a computer classroom for computer instruction required for first through ninth grades students. Mobile laptop carts are available for classroom use as well. The middle/school high school science labs have dedicated in class computers for student use. Interactive whiteboards are a tool available to most classroom teachers K12. The district has also invested in a variety of handheld devices including tablets and ereaders. Web-tools and software are an important part of the students learning experience. Students use technology to learn, practice, discover, report, and create. “e-Portfolios at WLC encourage students to take ownership of their learning. Reflecting on their school assignments students, think about their learning: They use the portfolio as a repository to gather their work. Then from the ‘working’ portfolio, students create a showcase portfolio - or website- that reflects their personal learning journey. They can show their peers, teachers, parents, and themselves how they have grown and changed as learners. “WLC Students reflect on their use of technology as it is integrated into their learning in all the subjects in school. For example: How does technology enable them to collaborate in Language Arts? When did technology help them with research and how can they show how they used technology in problem solving and critical thinking? Using projects that they do in all their subjects, students reflect on how technology is integrated in their learning and how it has influenced their education.” Amy White, WLC MS/HS Media Specialist
WLC elementary and middle/high schools students participate in the international Hour of Code event annually. This event provides our students with exposure to coding and allows out students to participate in a worldwide event, connecting the classroom to the world through technology.
e-Portfolio Elementary and middle school students use an eportfolio to capture the projects that they complete in academic core classes. Each student has an e-portfolio on Google Drive. Their work and, importantly, their own reflections on their learning are saved to this portfolio. It provides the teachers and students with a record of student progress and development. Students recognize how using technology supports their learning across the disciplines. “Asking students to reflect often and regularly teaches them how to examine their experience and interpret it in ways that lead to new understanding. An experience full of jumbled memories of emotions and reactions falls into order as genuine learning.” Mariane Gfroerer, NH Dept. of Education 7
Sharing the Learning: Student Performances Poetry Café: Eighth grade students study and write their own poetry in their English classes with guidance from their ELA teachers Mrs. Muriel Pawlik and Mrs. Laura Bujak. Each student makes his/her own book of original poetry. Then they read aloud to their peers one of their original poems and one poem by a published poet. Teachers transform the classroom into a 1950s Beat Café. Students take turns on the stage sharing their poetry and showing appreciation for others’ creativity with hand clapping and snapping fingers. Students sharing their work builds a sense of ownership and pride in their learning. It builds presentation skills and most importantly confidence in themselves. POETRY CAFÉ 2015
Quality education supports student sharing what they learned, often through a public display of their learning. When students display and share their work, their learning becomes a contribution to the community and the learning takes on a deeper meaning and value to the students. In the WLC School District students at all grade levels share their work in a variety of ways: School and classroom performances On the worldwide web at teacher and school sites Display cases throughout the schools Art Classes Presenting final products in WLC High School art classes is an expected part of any art class. Presenting work in progress is also an integral part of the coursework. Presenting at all stages improves student ability to critique others’ work and to take constructive criticism. The peer-critiques develop student self-confidence and students’ “eye for art”.
Florence Rideout Elementary School music students perform before a live audience.
“I feel very fortunate that I was able to find a career path that allows me to be an artist and communicator of ideas. Many people warned me that art school wouldn't get me anywhere, but none of them were from WLC.” Shelby N., ‘10 8
Senior Project: Culminating the Journey “One of WLC High School’s great strengths is Senior Project because it allows students to show who they are as individuals.” Katy Dudek, Senior Project Coordinator
Seniors at WLC High School complete independent self- directed learning projects, called Senior Projects, in which they demonstrate the research, problem-solving and communication skills developed over the years in the WLC School District. Every student receives guidance through the process from a teacher mentor and an outside expert, a community member who has an expertise in the area of the student’s interest. Senior Project allows our students not only the opportunity to demonstrate and apply their learning, but also allows them opportunity to explore their special interests or passions and to share that passion with the community. Students stretch the limits of their and gain confidence in themselves when they realize what they have accomplished. Each student successfully completes their own Senior Project as a graduation requirement.
During the Celebration of Learning, April 23, 2015, seniors shared their Senior Projects with the community.
“Students are usually limited in their learning by the topics in the curriculum of their classes. Senior Project allows students to pursue what genuinely interests them and explore aspects of themselves that they did not know previously. Being in charge of one’s own education instills valuable maturity and responsibility that would not be accessible in the regular classroom setting.” -Lorrie B. ‘15
Awakening the Passion for Life-Long Learning: Senior Project inspires a Career “Senior year I had to figure out what to do for my Senior Project. A project in which seniors would be given an entire year to focus on a topic of their own choosing and present to their peers what they learned in the process. I decided to do something that I'd always wanted to do: write a feature-length movie. And I did, along with the help of my then-and-still mentor, a teacher at WLC. Writing Chaos, my screenplay, is what gave me the confidence to be a film student in college. “I attended Keene State College majoring in film studies, with the help of a film scholarship I got based on the strength of the screenplay I wrote for Senior Project. I ended up double-optioning, focusing on both the film production and critical studies academic tracks. Film production students at Keene State are required to take a year-long capstone class in their senior year during which they generally produce a 30-minute short film with a crew of their peers. Because I had a professor who trusted my work ethic, he gave me the opportunity to write and direct Keene State College's first feature-length senior thesis film. We shot all over New England, and by spring, we had finished St. Osmund's, Since graduating from college, I've also gotten the opportunity to edit two feature-length films for a director in Massachusetts, one of which I did cinematography for as well. I'll also be editing his next one this winter. “This year, I left my job as a producer at a community access TV station and moved to Los Angeles to continue pursuing my dreams of becoming a successful director in the film business. I honestly believe that the lessons I learned at WLC, both scholarly and moral, have prepared me for success in life of the highest caliber. That is a debt I owe to WLC, and it's a debt I'll never be able to repay.” Tom Jorgensen, Lambda Complex Productions, ‘09
"I believe that education is all about being excited about something. Seeing passion and enthusias m helps push an educational message." Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter
Looking to the Future at WLC School District Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District is committed to providing quality education to all our students. As the times and needs of our students change, WLC School District administration and faculty adapt and adopt. These are exciting times in the WLC School District as we face a societal and cultural renaissance of education in the Information Age. As we responding to this renaissance, we create improved opportunities for all students to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills. WLC School District is in the process of adopting a K-8 competency-based education curriculum. Competency-based education is characterized by personalized education, focused on the specific needs and strengths the individual student. Our elementary and middle school teachers enthusiastically explore ways to personalize the education for each student, allowing us to improve on our ability to support and challenge ALL our students. Florence Rideout Elementary School has implemented a schoolwide enrichment program “Odyssey” based on the work of Drs. Renzulli & Reis, University of Connecticut. Odyssey brings students who share common interests together for a specific block of time to pursue these interests. WLC Middle School is currently piloting an enrichment program, Genius Hour. Both these programs place a premium on the development of higher-order thinking and problem solving skills and of creative thought while promoting independent and collaborative learning. WLC High School academic departments engaged in a self-reflective process to assess their current programs. They recommended changes to strengthen the rigor of the high school program to meet the needs of all our students in this rapidly-changing global world.
Running Start Program at School School PrincipalWLC Bagley,High WLC Middle/High Running Start program allows high school students to simultaneously earn high school credits towards graduation and college credits at cooperating colleges. Through Running Start, students at WLC High School will be able to earn credits in mathematics, sciences, and English in the New Hampshire Community College System while still in high school. These courses use a face-to-face model; the students’ courses are conducted at the high school during the normal school day, and WLC High school teachers teach the courses. Odyssey: A School Wide Enrichment Program Florence Rideout Elementary School launched the inaugural voyage of its schoolwide enrichment program Odyssey in the Fall 2015. Each student took an interest inventory to identify his/her learning expression style. Using the results from the interest inventories, FRES specials teachers designed course or “cluster” offerings. Students at each grade level chose the course in which they wanted to participate. Once a week for 8 weeks, students participated in their chosen cluster working on a project of their choice and design. After the 8 weeks, students shared their experiences in a culminating event.
This publication is the result of a collaborative effort.
Thank you to all the faculty contributors and, especially, to the WLC alumni contributors: Tom J., film writer/director, Lambda Complex Productions, Los Angeles, CA Ashley M., RN, Molokai, HI Tim B., law student Boston University Shelby N., book designer for Cider Mill Press, Kennebunkport, Maine Alex T., Georgetown University alumni, Washington, DC Trevor S., Associate Engineer, Lockheed Martin's Intelligent Robotics Laboratory, PA Tom B., manager, LaBelle Winery Jill J., RN, Southern NH Medical Center Sharon L., student UNH, MSW program Kayla S., Early Childhood Education teacher Lauren C., PhD candidate, Clark University, Worcester, MA Lorrie B., Student St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont, studying Biology and Chemistry.
“I share the opinion with many of my classmates that the WiltonLyndeborough school district helped us develop very strong writing skills and therefore the ability to express ourselves on paper. In retrospect, learning how to create an organized, thoughtful, and grammatically correct essay proved to be an invaluable skill later on when I was faced with writing meaningful applications, indepth research papers, a college thesis, and eventually cover letters and professional emails. This skill became my ultimate tool for standing out in a sea of resumes.” Shelby N, ‘10.