PINE HILL SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER

October 5, 2007

Dear Parents and Guardians,

It was wonderful to see so many of you at the Parent/Guardian Information Evenings. We will see grade four parents/guardians Monday night, October 15 at 7:15PM in the auditorium. If you haven’t already done so, please take the time to read through our School Improvement Plan which Ms. Kenney and I highlighted during the informational sessions. The plan is posted on our web site. It details accomplishments from last year and describes new and continued goals for this year. When you have finished reading this year’s School Improvement Plan, please also read through the handbook. It is especially important that you are aware of pick up procedures when you or other caregivers come to get your child. It is also vital that you be familiar with the process for making late changes in pick up arrangements. We work diligently to ensure the safety of your children, but we cannot do so without the help and cooperation of each member of the Pine Hill community. For your convenience, the information is in the Notes of Interest again this month.

One of the organizations which we spoke about at the informational sessions was the Dover Sherborn Education Fund. Two grants funded by the DSEF are generating a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm at Pine Hill School this fall. The first is our new seismograph. This instrument allows us to track and study earthquakes around the world. Did you know there have been 7 earthquakes since September 21 when we began our tracking? The grant not only allowed us to purchase this sophisticated equipment, but also provides our fourth grade teachers with extensive on-site training and support from Dr. Leslie Campbell, a seismologist from Boston College and the Weston Observatory. Working with Dr. Campbell, all the fourth grade students recently participated in a wonderful, hands-on science lesson in which they attempted to build their own working seismograph. The results of this lesson are on display in the office lobby.

Another DSEF grant is providing the faculty with advanced training in the John Collins Writing Program during our three October Wednesday professional development afternoons. Writing consultant Joan Pokrant began her work with us last Wednesday. She is helping us to enhance our use of focused correction areas (FCAs) by enhancing our ability to utilize focused teaching, focused practice, and focused assigning as part of the writing process. Future workshops with Ms. Pokrant will provide time for teachers to develop and create classroom materials to use in the teaching of writing skills. Our consultant will also return next month to conduct model classroom lessons and meet with grade level teams.

These two grants are only a sample of the projects and programs which DSEF sponsors each year to improve the education of all students in the Dover and Sherborn Schools. The DSEF is holding their annual Fall Fundraising Gala on November 3 at the Charles River Country Club. This evening of dinner and dancing is an enjoyable way to support our schools. For tickets or information, please contact LindaSue Plageman, lsplageman@comcast.net or Jim Byrnes, jim@dfcashmere.com by October 15. I hope to see you there.

Of course Pine Hill School is extremely fortunate because we have the support of the CSA as well as the DSEF. A huge thanks to CSA for funding a portion of the emergency phone notification system, Connect Ed. The rest of the funding will come from a federal grant and the school budget. More information will follow in the next few weeks about this new system. CSA is also working closely with the school this year to help reduce the amount of paper that comes home from all the groups and organizations that ask us to distribute flyers. Our distribution procedures will be posted on the website in the very near future.

This Monday when school is closed for the Columbus Day holiday, the first test of our new boiler system will take place. I anticipate that following a successful first firing, some adjustments and fine tuning will occur during the month of October. For their comfort, I strongly suggest that students dress in layers until the heating system is complete balanced.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 14. The Barn Sale group will be holding an equestrian event at Course Brook Farm in Sherborn. See the website and the flyer being sent home today for more information. Proceeds will benefit our technology program. Please note that the deadline for purchasing advertisement space on the event program has been extended until October 9.

Later this month at All School Meeting, I will begin to talk with the children about my retirement at the end of this school year. Although it seems very early, over the past few weeks, many students have been asking me about my future plans, so I feel that I need to speak with all my students. Since child development experts would tell us that children want to know how any change affects them, much of my conversation with the kids will focus on the transition to Ms. Kenney next year. Students will be given an opportunity to ask some questions during the meeting and may send additional questions to me (a type 1 quick write) which I will answer at future school meetings.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. You may leave me a message at extension 155, email me at nihilld@doversherborn.org, or call during my call-in hours which are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00-2:30 PM.

Sincerely,

David R. Nihill

Principal