SAD 1 to offer after school program
MAPLETON – SAD 1’s new after-school program that will help struggling students hone their learning skills in reading and math will officially begin Nov. 15.
The program, which will be for Title I students in grades 1-5, will meet three times a week from 3-4:30 p.m.
At last Wednesday night’s board meeting held at Mapleton Elementary School, Ellen Schneider, assistant superintendent, told directors that the program will be paid for with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
“We’ve created an after-school program for those students who are identified as meeting Title I guidelines,” said Schneider, “which are those kids who work a year to a year-and-a-half below grade level in reading and/or math.
“Last year we looked to see what the interest would be with parents, we worked to identify what staff would be interested because we wanted teachers to be working with those students, and we worked on what would be the best research-based materials to use,” she said, noting that the district wanted a program that was skills based; not a tutorial or a homework program. “This year we’re ready to implement the program.”
Schneider said since the start of the school year, students have been identified as meeting Title I guidelines and parent meetings have been held.
“We’ve also sent out a letter regarding the after-school program and there’s a place on the letter for parents to check if they’re interested in having their children participate,” she said.
The program will be held at three locations – Mapleton, Pine Street and Zippel elementary schools.
“We’ll be running this for about five months,” said Schneider. “By March/April we’ll be wrapping it up. It’s very data driven; very specific … we have some strict criteria … students have to be able to participate for the three days [Monday, Wednesday and Thursday] that it’s offered.
“Kids will receive a snack after school, there will be a little bit of an activity time, and bussing will be provided,” she said.
As of the Oct. 20 meeting, 19 students at Pine Street had signed up for the program, 36 students at Zippel, and 15 at Mapleton.
“That’s pretty much in line with what we gathered for data last year,” Schneider said. “We’re excited about it. We expect there to be a few hiccups along the way as we get this in place, but I think it’s going to help and hopefully we’ll see an improvement in the students’ reading and math scores.”
Officials said this is likely going to be just a one-year program, as once the stimulus funds are gone, the district won’t be receiving more.
Also at last week’s meeting, directors OK’d a change to the school calendar. Friday, Feb. 4 was originally scheduled as an in-service day for teachers and school would not be in session. However, after the 2010-11 school calendar was adopted, it was announced that the International Biathlon Union had placed Presque Isle’s Nordic Heritage Center on the 2011 Biathlon World Cup schedule.
The sport of biathlon combines the precision of rifle marksmanship with the aerobic requirements of cross-country skiing.
The World Cup will be held Feb. 4-6, and since SAD 1 students have attended the 2004 Fort Kent World Cup, as well as the 2006 Presque Isle Biathlon World Junior Championships, district officials thought it would be appropriate to modify the school calendar giving teachers the opportunity to take their students to the event if they desire.
“Our teachers have been very supportive of the biathlon events in the past and use it in their curriculum,” said Superintendent Gehrig Johnson. “Classes have adopted athletes, they learn about the countries that the athletes are from, and then they go to the event and cheer on the athletes. I was asked if we would consider making the change, and educationally it makes sense. It doesn’t have a big bearing on our school year.
“What the change would mean is that we would be in session Feb. 4 and the students would get out one day earlier in June, and the staff would be in service on that last day or possibly on a Saturday,” he said. “I think it would be in our best interest – educationally – to make that change and it would certainly help the World Cup organizers in a big way also.”
Barring any storm make-up days, the last day of school for students in pre-kindergarten to grade 8 is now Tuesday, June 7, and for high-schoolers Tuesday, June 14.
At the Oct. 20 meeting, directors also:
• Were notified that less than 1 percent of parents opted to release their child’s Social Security number to the Maine Department of Education after receiving a letter from the board encouraging them not to honor the department’s request.
A new law requires the Department of Education to develop the Maine Statewide Longitudinal Data System which, according to Education Commissioner Angela Faherty in a letter to superintendents of schools statewide, will manage information in order to “compile, maintain and disseminate information concerning the educational histories, placement, employment and other measures of success of participants in state educational programs.”
The collection of students’ Social Security numbers would – among other things – enable the department to conduct longitudinal data studies to track individual student enrollment history and achievement data over time through linkage with post-secondary and adult education systems.
• Accepted the overall low bid from J.R. McGillan of $51,225 for snow removal, sanding and hauling.
The next SAD 1 board meeting will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17 at Zippel.
