Schools without walls

The Importance of a Good Debrief

2012-01-20T11:24:00.000-05:00

Like most parents, every night I ask my children what they learned today in school. Often, the quick response has to do with changing the subject or some muttered phrase about math or a story they read and what they think I want to hear. When I debrief them on their day I start to get to what really is happening in their classes and how well they know it. What I would love to find out would be that their teachers debrief them on a regular basis to sum up what they should know and why. Still not there yet as they are in 3rd and 6th grade, but I would love for it to happen so that it is easier for them to articulate to me what they have learned.

In advisory and Leadership Council I work with students on a regular basis (twice a week with each group). The activities we do are fun and somewhat challenging, and the students enjoy them. However, the most important aspect of the time we work together is the debrief at the end. That way I am sure that they do know why I had them making and throwing airplanes, or getting the entire group to balance on a small square of rubber, or lead each other around the school blind folded. (Yes, there are lessons in each of those activities that go beyond my enjoyment of seeing them do the exercises). My debriefs speak to what skills students have used, how they might use the activity in the future and what questions they may have after doing the activity. Also, they come to understand that it is the activity itself and its processes that is important rather than whether or not it was successfully completed.

In classes here at the high school, many teachers do similar debriefs with closing activities such as "ticket to leave" and "3-2'1". These activties function as summarizers for what happened in class that day and, hopefully, how that fits in to the bigger picture.

In discussing school with your child(ren), think about getting them to debrief with you what they learned. If they can tell you what they did, why they did it, and how it fits into the greater scheme of that course, they are learning and thinking about their learning.

TriTown Amazing Race

2012-01-17T08:47:00.000-05:00

On January 15, the TriTown Task Force held an Amazing Race for students from Foxborough, Mansfield and Norton High Schools. The Task Force has been created to help give students a voice in positive activities and to bring students from the three towns together. This event seems to have done so.

110 students participated in the event, on 18 mixed school teams. I was very impressed with the spirit shown by these students as they navigated challenges ranging from Chopstick relays, to unrolling frozen tee shirts to dancing the Macarena to solving Sudoku puzzles to biking six miles as a team and more. In all, teams navigated through 11 "countries" to get to the finish line. The Wolves were the winning team, but I think all the teams had a lot of fun, and I look forward to helping plan the next event for the three schools.

Of course, we could not have done this without the incredible support of adults for this event. We had administrators from each school district, YMCA staff, parents, teachers from NHS, members of the TriTown Chamber of Commerce, NHS graduates, Norton Police and Fire officials, and members of the Wheaton College community all helping out with the race and the social gathering afterward. Special thanks to Rep. Jay Barrows for his vision of a TriTown group. Also thanks to the Best Sandwich Shop in Norton and McMahon's Country Grill in Norton for their donations of food for the students and volunteers. Delicious.
Thanks to the Foxborough YMCA for its facilities.

If you are looking for the opportunity to get involved, keep your eyes open for upcoming Tri Town meetings.

Wizard of Oz

2012-01-17T08:35:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, the Norton High School Drama Club presented, The Wizard of Oz. There were several really pleasing aspects to the shows. One, the play was very well done. It was well staged, well choreographed, and the music was good. Two, the students involved, from both the high school and the middle school, did outstanding jobs. I was extremely impressed with Alicia Mello, Ashley Bortolotti, and David Aranjo, especially as they really became their parts. Third, I was also very proud of the turnout over the weekend. We had many more people at all the performances than we normally have, and the audiences were engaged, supportive and polite. Excellent job. I look forward to more big productions in the future, and I think the town does as well.

Apps

2012-01-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

Four people in my family have Apple devices. Each of us is a bit different, but we share the same cloud. This makes it very interesting when one of us decides to get a new App. Today, I found a nice, new Horoscope app on my IPad. I can also peruse Crochet Today Magazine. I can play, Tiny Chef or Tiny Zoo Friends, or Angry Birds any time I want. My kids can use my graphing calculator app. My wife can also use my Go to My Computer app for her computer. My kids are now thinking about taking up chess or Risk. I can work on my piano with GarageBand, do my banking, shop on Amazon, check for movies on Fandango, Skype, Tweet, check wait times at amusement parks, read my Kindle, and do a whole lot more. Little wonder that our little cloud is pretty full. Time to start paring these things down to apps we need before we get more apps we do not. Just because there are thousands of apps does not mean that we need all of them. Is there an app for clearing out unnecessary apps from the Purchased area of the App Store?

Fraternity

2012-01-04T10:57:00.000-05:00

I have just started a new book called, Fraternity, by Diane Brady. It concerns 1968 and the recruitment of a number of African American students to the College of the Holy Cross by Fr Edward Brooks, SJ and the results of the relationships which formed from there.

As a Holy Cross graduate, I am interested in learning as much as I can about Holy Cross, and this is a story I am only a bit familiar with. It is also dealing with a period in time, the 1960s, which is not really studied enough in schools. Also, the personalities involved in the story are compelling and interesting: Fr Brooks, Clarence Thomas, Edward Jones, Stan Grayson, Ted Wells, Eddie Jenkins. All went on to accomplish great things. Each of the students credits Fr Brooks with their success.

When I was at Holy Cross from 1980-1983, a lot of the core for the African American students that was present had been laid out for them in the 1960s. While still small, the African American student body of my time had a voice and a sense that the college listened to them. Perhaps this was because Fr Brooks was still there and had become President of the college. When I started teaching, a lot of the scholarship money available for African American students that my own students took advantage of had been first set aside in the 1960s. These students and this priest had helped create something, just in that, which endured to help hundreds of students.

More importantly, for this book, Fr Brooks served as a mentor to each of these young men and made possible friendships between them that led them to great achievements in law, politics, athletics and literature. His expectations for them became their own, and they achieved much more than anyone could have expected at the time they entered Holy Cross. An interesting anecdote occurs in the introduction when the author asks Grayson in 2005 when he had last been in touch with Fr Brooks. She was expecting a nice story from the 1970s. Instead, he said that they had spoken within the last couple of weeks. The same was true of the relationships between the students: ongoing.

I am still in the early chapters of the book, so the young men are still in college. I look forward to learning more about their post college lives and the relationship of those lives to their times. Of course, another book could probably be about the opening up of Holy Cross to women students a few years later (by Father Brooks and a forward looking administration).

If you are interested in the late 1960s and early 1970s, this book would be a good choice. If you are interested in learning how one person can truly make a difference, this book is probably a great choice.

Recommendation

2011-12-07T07:26:00.000-05:00

People continue to bask education in the United States (especially public education) because of test scores within the country and because of international test scores. People also bemoan the lack of discipline they perceive in US education based on comparisons of school years and time spent studying. It is as if a shift to become more like India or China or Japan or Finland would make this country somehow better off and really push us ahead. While some of this is true: I do think we need slightly longer school years, and I do think we need to take studying a little more seriously, I was reminded while reading Yong Zhao's recent book: Cathcing Up Or Leading The Way, that while we are looking at some of these other countries to figure out how to be more like them, they are, at the same time, looking at us and trying to be more like us. If you are at all interested in getting a sense of balance in the education discussion, this book is a must read for the side of the scales which deals with putting testing into perspective and looking at some of the other ways the United States leads the world economy in terms of creativity, patents, Nobel Prize winners, etc. The "crisis" in education has been around since the late 1950s and Sputnik. It reared its ugly head in 1983 with the publication of, A Nation At Risk. The "crisis" continues today. Don't get me wrong. We should be doing better on international tests and other standardized measures, but what will continue to keep this country strong is a lot less quantifiable than a test score. Read the book. Read the other perspectives, and then we can all start to help solving the problems.

Peter Leddy

2011-12-05T14:59:00.000-05:00

Peter Leddy died last night. Peter was a member of the Norton High School teaching staff for over 30 years before retiring this past spring. He was a coach. He was a department chair. He was a mentor. He was a model of someone who continues to learn, to work hard and to improve his craft no matter what stage of his career he was in. Peter started strong and finished strong. Unfortunately, he lost a year+ long fight against cancer, and he has left us all way before his time. But, he leaves a legacy of hard work, positive energy and commitment to excellence. I will miss him a lot.

I will always remember his cheery, "good day," when I would see him for the first time. He would always claim that this year would be, "the xth consecutive worst budget year ever for Norton." Sometimes, he would be right. He would start every basketball game by saying, "well, that's an insurmountable lead, we should all go home now," whenever the first basket was scored by wither team.

What Peter Leddy memories do you have?

NEASC

2011-11-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

This Sunday I am heading down to be part of a visiting team for the Re-accreditation process of Wethersfield High School in Connecticut. I will be visiting this school and community from Sunday morning through Wednesday afternoon. In the process I get to read a LOT, meet a lot of people, see another school in ways I usually only get to see Norton High School, and work 15 hour days. Kind of like a regular work week, except somewhere else. My hope is that I will get a really good sense of that school and be able to compare it with NHS as we begin the process of prepping for our next NEASC visit in 2015. The more I can learn now, the better we can prepare over the next three years for when we seek to renew our accreditation.

It is always a positive thing to be able to compare what you do with someone else, especially when we are not competing with that other school. I am learning from them, hopefully finding ways to suggest improvements to them, and getting a better sense of how we are doing in the big picture. There will also be educators from about a dozen other schools there for me to learn from and compare notes with. Most of them are also getting ready to begin the process for their own schools. I will keep you posted.

Junior Lock In

2011-11-10T16:54:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night we had our annual Junior Lock In at the Attleboro YMCA Pleasant St Branch. As usual, the Y was very gracious and helpful Thanks, Dave Barbour. The facility works perfectly for a class-sized lock-in, and the junior class officers were able to plan a pretty full evening that included swimming, soccer, volleyball, games, team building activities, movies, food, cookie decorating, music, and just good fun. Great job, juniors.
Thanks also to the teachers who gave up their time to be there and the parents as well. No event can come to fruition without a lot of adult assistance. I had a lot of fun until I left around 5. I hear that everyone else did as well.

Lay Off Over

2011-11-10T16:45:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the layoff I have had. Sometimes life gets a bit overwhelming and exciting, and things get dropped for a bit. Had to work a bit to balance Family, work and classes, so something had to give for a bit. Hope you missed me. I missed you too.

IPad Update

2011-09-27T10:29:00.000-04:00

I am in my second month with my IPad and my IPhone. So far, the three of us are getting along together just fine. It is a hard transition for me to go from using mainly PC computing to Apple. A lot of this is just getting used to the software, and some has to do with starting to see Apple as more than just a bunch of stuff to play with.

What I like so far is that my phone is a mobile hotspot, so I can access the Internet anywhere both on my phone and on my IPad. I also like the fact that Apple has the tracking software that it does for all my Apple devices: we have four in the family. We actually did use the tracking software to find one of our IPods a couple of weeks ago. We would still be looking for it without the software. I like also the fact that just about everything we have on any of our devices is able to transfer easily to all the other devices. Nice to not worry about buying the same stuff twice or banging my head against the wall as I work to transfer things. My daughter actually likes this all so much that her IPod has virtually every song the family has purchased and every App. My son can also do a lot of this transfering as well. If a software is easy enough for an 8 year old to use then it is pretty user-friendly.

I also like the fact that the camera functions are so good for pictures, video and Skype. I have come to dislike the need to carry around a lot of different electronic devices to do a few simple tasks. I do like the all-in-one functionality.

I am only just touching the beginnings of what I can do with the IPad. I now use it as my main e-reader instead of my Kindle. I take notes at meetings on it. I browse the web on it and even order things with it. However, I still need to work a lot more with the word processing and presentation programs. That is still a leap of faith for me, and I need to really work on that. I also still need to learn how to use "the cloud" so that I can put documents where I can access them with computers that actually are hooked up to printers. I also need to play more with the graphing calculator to see if it is helpful for our students.

I am going to the MassCUE conference next month. One of the workshops I will be attending will focus a lot on the use of the IPad for educators and classrooms. Hopefully, I find that I can use the IPad more and more as a primary tool for what I do.

Disclaimer: I do understand that there are other mobile devices and tablets out there, and I understand that they are probably also very good. I am writing from my own experience and not to convince anyone that this is the only technology to buy.

Black Belt

2011-09-20T14:46:00.000-04:00

My daughter recently got her black belt in Kenpo Karate. It was not really until the small ceremony where the main instructor took the brown-black belts and set them aside so that he could place the black belts in front of the recipients that I realized how important this was for my daughter. Some day, if I buy her a new car, she might feel as great as she did that night, but I doubt it.

A black belt represents the culmination of a lot of hard work over a few years. She started with no skills whatsoever in karate, and she now is very capable of defending herself and other against even those who are bigger than her. More important, earning her black belt my daughter learned a lot about commitment, hard work, concentration and sacrifice. This summer as ton of effort went into precticing, testing and planning for the pay off she received.

A black belt also tells my daughter than she can do what she sets her mind out to do. There were set backs along the way and tests that she did not pass. However, she kept at it and did not let the hurdles overcome her. This can only help in life. As she moves toward her second degree black belt, my daughter will continue to learn lessons, but not as big as the initial one she has gotten from her work up to now.

I think we all need to find whatever it is that is our personal "black belt". Goals are important. Struggling is a good thing. Having a part of you totally committed to achieving a goal and then achieving it is about as good as it gets.

Nanjing Students and the Bonfire 2

2011-08-04T14:26:00.000-04:00

Here are pictures of the bonfire and S'more making last night at Camp Finberg.

Nanjing Students and the Bonfire

2011-08-04T14:22:00.000-04:00

Here are pictures of the bonfire and S'more making last night at Camp Finberg.

Nanjing Students Bonding/S'mores/Groups

2011-08-04T14:20:00.000-04:00

Last night, asfter the high ropes, we had some time to hang out with the students from Nanjing. We also got the chance to expose them to S'mores. Very interesting.

We are so grateful to the students from Nanjing, to Wheaton's Global Education Department and to Camp Finberg for helping make this past three weeks so special for so many Norton students.

We hope they had a great time here, and we wish them well as they return to China.

Nanjing Students on the Ropes Course

2011-08-04T14:15:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Mike Zucarelli and his staff at Camp Finberg for hosting the students from Najing on the climbing tower last night. The students were able to climb up 50', think about it a second, and then jump to a trapeze and then be lowered back to the gorund. It was a lot of fun for them, and I really enjoyed working on my belaying skills and speaking more with them.

Thoughts on Television Series

2011-08-01T07:26:00.000-04:00

Best Detective Shows (Ever):
1. Magnum, PI
2. Monk
3. The Rockford Files
4. Psych
5. Mannix

Best Police Shows (Ever):
1. Hill Street Blues
2. Southland
3. Adam 12
4. 21 Jump Street
5. Chase
6. Dragnet
7. CSI
8.Hawaii Five-O (The Original Series)
9. NCIS
10. Police Story

Best Sit-Coms (Ever):
1. Seinfeld
2. The Cosby Show
3. The Bob Newhart Show
4.I Love Lucy
5.MASH
6.Gilligan's Island
7.3rd Rock from the Sun
8.The Honeymooners
9. Malcom in the Middle
10.Cheers

More some other time.

Global Ambassadors: An Amazing Night

2011-07-28T07:52:00.000-04:00

Last night, NHS students were able to work together with the students from Nanjing in an Amazing Race format over at Wheaton. Teams of 4-6 went through a course requiring them to do challenges at 11 different "countries" and try to finish the race as quickly as possible. Challenges ranged from putting on a frozen tee shirt to moving beans with chopsticks to running a "marathon" to identifying world countries (and more). I am especially grateful to Eric Grasso, Diane Newell, Julie Pasquantonio, and Eric Paulus from the NHS staff for helping. Thanks also to graduate Tim Johannsmeyer and Aaron Ledwith for pitching in as well. Also helping the students through the course were staff from the Global Studies Office at Wheaton, the two teachers from China (Shirley and Serena) and the programs counselors. You were all great. Afterward, the students all got to have pizza together at Wheaton and the teachers were able to meet and talk together over dinner thanks to Alfredo Varela, the Dean of the program.
I wish I had more pictures for you, but my role as roving leader did not allow me enough time to take a lot of pictures because I had to help answer questions and address any problems that came up.

Global Ambassadors: An Amazing Night 1

2011-07-28T07:49:00.000-04:00

Global Ambassadors: An Amazing Night 2

2011-07-28T07:46:00.000-04:00

Global Ambassadors Program

2011-07-26T10:15:00.000-04:00

This is the second week that students from Nanjing, China have been at Wheaton for Wheaton's summer program for Asian students. We are fortunate that this year Wheaton invited NHS students to be a formal part of the program. NHS students have been able to meet regularly with the students from the "other NHS" and do cool things like team building, barbecues, Chinese lessons, dances, informal gatherings, etc. I think it is a great experience for both sets of students.

Tomorrow, we will be doing an "Amazing Race" type event with both sets of students. We will have 8-10 mixed teams racing to eleven "countries" to do various challenges and race to the finish. Unlike a certain television version, no teams will be eliminated, we will not have cash prizes, and students will not need to take a plane, taxi, boat, horse, ox, bike or submarine. However, there is ample opportunity to get lost, to get wet, to be fed, and to be challeneged mentally and physically. Should be fun. Should also help both groups bond more.

After that, there is a week and one-half left of the visit. I hope that the American students become more and more involved. I have also tried to invite Norton teachers to meet with the teachers from Nanjing. In this way, we might be able to form a relationship with Nanjing that will last into the school year and beyond so that Norton students can be exposed to as many other cultures as possible.

We shall see.

DARE Camp 2011

2011-07-25T07:55:00.000-04:00

At the end of this year's DARE Camp, we were able to look back at a pretty successful week. 30+ campers were able to have a very good time while also learning about making smart decisions and about confronting bullies. We were able to teach the DARE Camp cheer to a new generation of children. And, the Llama Song took on a life of its own... Additionally, the counselors were able to further develop their leadership and team building skills in a positive atmosphere where they had the opportunity to make a lot of decisions for themselves and the chance to plan and run things on their own. The entire group got to help usher in the new high ropes element at Camp Finberg, and just about everyone who wanted to had a chance to climb up @45', look down for a moment and then trust in others while they jumped from the tower and got lowered down to the ground. Thanks to Dqave Barbour and Mike Zucarelli from the Y for running things. Thanks to the DARE officers from Norton, Attleboro and Nort Attleboro for working with the 4th and 5th graders and for giving the NHS students the chance to grow some more.Thanks to Katie, Brian, Amamnda, Hannah, Brian, Brittany, and Alison for stepping up (as usual) and representing the school and yourselves so well.

DARE Camp: Cooling Down

2011-07-25T07:46:00.000-04:00

The last day at DARE Camp was incredibly warm. Even the ground radiated heat. Fortunately, Camp Finberg allowed the campers regular access to the pool.

DARE Camp High Ropes Element

2011-07-25T07:44:00.000-04:00

All of the counselors who were physically able got to go off the tower, even Katie. Yes, there was a tree octopus attack in the woods.

DARE Camp: High Ropes Tower

2011-07-25T07:41:00.000-04:00

This is also a sense of what it looks like from up on the tower @45' off the ground.

Random DARE Pictures: High Ropes Tower

2011-07-25T07:38:00.000-04:00

Random DARE Camp Pictures

2011-07-25T07:36:00.000-04:00

D.A.R.E. Camp

2011-07-18T13:18:00.000-04:00

The 2011 D.A.R.E. Camp opened today at Camp Finberg in Norton. I am impressed that they have increased the number of campers to 30. This is a huge increase from last year's six campers. As usual, NHS students have stepped up to help with staffing the camp. All but two of the counselors are NHS students. All of the counselors are giving up 35+ hours of their time to volunteer their services. Here are some scenes from this morning as members of the camp got to know each other and get a sense of what is possible. Campers also got a good look at the 50' tower that awaits them on Thursday.

Summer Reading

2011-07-07T07:41:00.000-04:00

I am on vacation next week in Maine. In addition to golf, swimming and spending time with the family, I always use this week to blast through as much reading as possible. On my list:
The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger
The Map of Time by Palma
Consider the Lobster by Wallace
Tabloid City by Hamill

This will leave me time to get through the following books in late July and August
The Odyssey by Homer
Ulysses by Joyce
In the Garden of Beasts by Larson

I recommend these to you from recent reads:
Lost in Shangri La by Zuckoff
Basketball Junkie by Herren and Reynolds
The Heart and Fist by Greitens
Collapse by Diamond

What are you reading this summer?

Track Project

2011-07-07T07:31:00.000-04:00

The tower is down. All that is left of the old bleachers is the metal skeleton. The old, rusted fences have been removed. And today the company redoing the track is out there removing the rubberized coating. The next step will be pulverizing the asphalt below. Then the track can be re-asphalted and the new coating put on. It is exciting to see that the project is moving forward. It looks like a decade of anticipation has finally started to become reality and Norton High School IS actually getting some of what it needs to be competitive in every way. Come by and look. But don't use the track until it is done.

Hey Readers

2011-06-29T21:26:00.000-04:00

A cool thing about blogspot is that you can keep track of how many people have visited the site today, this week, this month, this year, and forever. That is neat. Also neat is the fact I can track where the readership is coming from. Not to specific users, but to specific countries. Kind of interesting, for example, is the fact that today people from Iran, from Malaysia, from France and from Croatia have visited this site. That is kind of satisfying to know this. Thanks for reading. My question to any and all of you is, what would you most like to read about? Doesn't mean I'll actually grant your wishes and write about ponies and lollipops, but if there are topics that keep you coming back, let me know and I will see what I can do. Also, if you have blogs, let me know the sites in case you are writing stuff that may be of interest to me.

Of importance to me is that this week I finally went over 500 posts. I am also close to 15,000 hits on this site. I have significantly fewer comments from people. hmmmm.

Things I Need to Do

2011-06-29T21:12:00.000-04:00

1. Clean my desk drawers
2. Clean out my clothes drawers and closet and send things I do not wear to charity
3. Make time to learn and practice Spanish better
4. Practice my golf game
5. Punctuate my sentences better.
6. Fix student schedules.
7. Play more often in the backyard with my kids.
8. Learn more recipes for dinner options.
9. Exercise more.
10. Reach out to people I have not seen or heard from in a while.
11. Put down some Grubex and some fertilizer.
12. Get through my reading list for the summer, including my, The Catcher In the Rye.
13. Get the dent in my car fixed.
14. Go to a movie with my wife (rather than the G and PG movies I usually go to with the kids).
15. Learn 5 phrases in Chinese this summer.
16. Put myself in other people's shoes more often.
17. Find a truly comfortable pillow.
18. Remember names better.
19. Appreciate (and maybe even wear) plaid.
20. Decide on three more songs for the Ray Dewar Soundtrack.
21. Accept that not everything ends in a round number (lists, charges for a tank of gas, countdowns,...)

Building Project Update

2011-06-29T07:30:00.000-04:00

We had a building committee meeting last night. It is starting to get exciting because we are moving beyond floor plans and into computer generated images of what things will look like. Last night I got a sense of what the front stairway will look like with the art display area. Nice. I also have a much clearer idea of the entryway to the main office and the cafeteria. Also very nice.

While long (3 1/2 total hours), the meeting last night helped us to get a lot of things clarified. The structural engineer let us know that the old building area is not going to collapse on our heads any time soon. Another engineer made clear that we will have even heat throughout the building. The architects showed us how the auditorium might work and one way we can use the media center. Still to be decided are things like how much the lettering for our signage will stick out from the walls so we can avoid snow build up and bird nests. We still are looking at how to address the delicious looking Norton water. There are questions about types of lighting to use and shapes for the ventilation. It is great to have these questions because that means we are actually doing the project.

Furniture discussions are in the offing, and I look forward to renderings of typical classrooms and science labs.

High Desks and Tall Chairs

2011-06-28T15:13:00.000-04:00

Of the furniture I have looked at for the building project here, I think my learning style would best be served by the higher desks with tall chairs. (I understand that this is a really vivid description) I like this style of furniture for a few reasons. One, the desks and chairs pull the student up more to the level of the teacher, so the teacher is not talking down to the student andlines of sight are clearer. Two, if the desks are pushed together, they actually make good work spaces for students/ Three, they give the option of the student standing without ruining everyone else's line of sight. When I was a student, I was generally on edge about something, so it would have helped a lot if I could have stood in place once in a while to change things up.
These pictures do not do the high desk and tall chair justice, but they are attractive, easy to move and a person feels like they are in an SUV rather than a Smart Car. That makes a difference too.

Furniture 3

2011-06-27T14:07:00.000-04:00

You can also find more information, including some interesting graphics at the site of the store we visited. We are not committed to any store at present. What we are doing is looking for ideas so that we know what we want. Ideally, we have comfortable and inviting common space. Ideally, we have classroom furniture that is versatile enough to meet all sort of teacher and student needs. Ideally, we have teacher work areas that are efficient and comfortable.

Watch the presentations on the following link:
http://www.bkm.com/educational.htm Both Stelter and Node present some interesting ideas.
I would love feedback from teachers and students.

Furniture 2

2011-06-27T14:01:00.000-04:00

Some keys to furniture will be a good use of space and versatility.

Furniture 1

2011-06-27T13:59:00.000-04:00

Most of this furniture is appropriate for offices and common areas like the library.

UHSSE 4

2011-06-27T13:56:00.000-04:00

Here is some of the furniture used in the classrooms at UHSSE.

UHSSE 3

2011-06-27T13:33:00.000-04:00

Again, a focus is on lines of sight. Organization, etc.

UHSSE 2

2011-06-27T13:31:00.000-04:00

There is a lot of use of glass. There is a cleanness to everything. It is designed to put people at ease with their surroundings.

University High School of Science and Engineering

2011-06-27T13:29:00.000-04:00

I love the space they have created for a cafeteria/commons. It is long and thin, but it works well. Note all the open space. Nice, clean exterior. Good access to the office. Foyer could use a bit of work.

Frontier High School 3

2011-06-27T13:25:00.000-04:00

I made a trip on June 24 with Dr Ansay, our project manager and our architects to visit a few places, Frontier Regional High School in Deerfield, University High School of Science and Engineering in Hartford, and a furniture solutions location in Hartford.
Here is some of what I saw in Deerfield. Much of it was geared to use of library and other space. While we thought that Frontier made some good use of the space it had, we would all have preferred more open space.

As you can see, the cafeteria there was tight like ours. It even had additional nooks and such. The weight room was a very good use of space and get a lot of community use as well. The wood with a hinge is actually an idea I would pursue with our classroom doors in the event of a crisis, they can close off the room from the inside so that people cannot peek in.

Frontier does a very good job of making use of the space they have available to them. Our hope is that our space limitations are addressed as well. The other hope is that we can plan for more. larger open spaces in our common areas.

Frontier High School 2

2011-06-27T13:21:00.000-04:00

This was actually a lot of different nooks and crannies for one library. Kind of neat, but hard to maintain as a library, especially by one person. I do like the idea of creating some separate areas within a bigger space. I just do not want extra walls or dividers.

Trip to Frontier Regional

2011-06-27T13:18:00.000-04:00

Here is some of what I saw there.

Rick Riordan

2011-06-21T15:35:00.000-04:00

I want to thank Rick Riordan for his books on mythology. My daughter and I have read our way through the five Percy Jackson books on Greek mythology, the two Kane Chronicles books on Egyptian mythology, and the Lost Hero book on Roman mythology. They are entertaining. They are appropriate for my daughter's reading level (and sometimes mine). They are cohesive. Most of all, they have given my daughter an interest in learning more about mythology. In this age where such things as mythology are dropped in the interest of meeting state standards, it is refreshing that there are other ways to get children interested in mythology. The advantage of Riordan's books is that adults can access the stories as well, unlike most of the other mythology related series out there. In this way, I can actually spend time speaking with my daughter about mythology.

On our trip to Washington, DC, this April, a point of focus was the Neptune Fountain outside of the Library of Congress and the other mythology related statuary and stained glass around DC. This helped us open out eyes off the beaten track when we were walking around. It was also pretty neat to see if we could spot certain statuary and identify the god it represented. Needless to say, it was also pretty cool to finally see the Smithsonian's giant squid as well.

Comcast Scholarship

2011-06-21T15:22:00.000-04:00

One of the nicer community events we get to participate in is the Comcast, Leaders and Achievers Awards Ceremony. This takes place annually at the State House. It is a wonderful combination of a private company (Comcast) working with state government and New England Cable News to have a really nice awards ceremony for one student each from 121 schools. What these students have in common is that they are leaders and givers. They are the students we look to when we need help, when something needs to happen, and when we look with hope to the future. The ceremony takes place in the State House on the Grand Stairway just beyond the Hall of Flags. Comcast and NECN set up a nice spread for the students and their families. They set up chairs for the honorees. They have $1,000 scholarships for these deserving students. The State House arranged for Governor Patrick to speak. They also make sure that the area state senators and state representatives are there. Most senators and reps also arrange to have proclamtions for the honorees. It is very nice for the students, and it is great for the politicians to meet their younger constituents and have a chance for a photo.

This year, Audra Schlehuber was the honoree from Norton High School. Audra is very much a leader and achiever, and I expect great things from her. I was happy to nominate her and see her get the notice she deserves for four full years of string effort. Reps Betty Poirier and Steven Howitt were on hand to congratulate Audra. Rep Jay Barrows was unable to attend, but he sent his chief aide, Meredith Rodman, and he made sure that Audra got a nice proclamation. Thanks to all three of these state reps for all they do for Norton. I look forward to next year's ceremony, but I already wish I could nominate three or four students from the Class of 2012.

What is Wrong with Vancouver?

2011-06-16T16:43:00.000-04:00

I was able to watch the last period of the Stanley Cup Final last night. I was happy for the Bruins, but I did feel some compassion for Vancouver because hockey is pretty much all they have, and they have never won. At least in Boston we have had a lot of championships over the past several years. The Bruins needed a Stanley Cup for the sake of the franchise. Vancouver NEEDED a cup. Big difference there, but I was pretty happy for the Bruins.

I was made even happier that the Bruins won when I saw the devastation occurring in Vancouver's streets. Ridiculous that the citizens of an area would trash its main city over a hockey loss. Tells you something about the people in that area. Plus, I suspect that similar shenanigans would have occurred if Vancouver had won. It just seems now like that type of place. A shame too because Vancouver is beautiful. I think Canada is a terrific country. Their hockey team had played extremely well but lost. It's just a game. Would they trade the Olympic Gold Canada won last year for a Stanley Cup? I do not think so.

It is never acceptable to trash, burn and loot a city. It cheapens the reputation of the place. It tarnishes everything the team has accomplished. It goes against what sports are all about. Win or lose, it is great to get to a final. Win or lose, people still need to get to work the next day. Life still goes on. Very disappointed with Vancouver right now because I know it is a better place than it showed itslef to be last night.

Bean Bags

2011-06-14T15:58:00.000-04:00

I have a fairly large canvas tote filled with toys and other items for team building activities. However, I am frustrated because I had thought that one thing I absolutely needed to have in my arsenal was a set of bean bags. I could not imagine life without bean bags if I were going to play a variety of games with leaders and team members. Alas, I feel misled. Instead of a plethora of cool bean bag games, I am forced to use bean bags for bean bag tag, for Toxic Waste and as accessories in tossing games. What the heck? I should be able to spend a day doing bean bag games. If you have some bean bag games that I should be familiar with, send them to me. Let's make the bean bag relevant again.

Advanced Placement Psychology

2011-06-14T13:47:00.000-04:00

Today, Mr Greene had a meeting for all the students who had signed up for AP Psychology. In the meeting, he got a sense of who was taking the course, and he gave them their summer assignment: watch a specific movie and write a case study. The summer assignment will be the students' ticket into the course in September. The meeting brought a few ideas to me.

AP really is for everyone. There was a real range of students in the meeting, and they all did belong. AP is not about GPA or rank in class. It is about wanting to challenge one's self.
Some people really do not know what they are getting into when they sign up for things. To me, this was an interesting and straightforward assignment. To some of the students, it was an eye opener that they would be expected to do real work on their own this summer rather than just read some books.
Some students will do anything if it is for a grade. However, they are apprehensive when what they are asked to do will not be graded. As I mentioned, the assignment is the ticket into the class. No case study, no place for you. Poorly done case study, no place for you. BUT, no grade. Some of the students were really apprehensive about that.
Perseverance is what matters most in most things. The students who succeed in AP, or any other course, are the ones who will spend the time needed to get the job done right. They are the ones who will keep going even when others might say, "it's good enough." Good life lesson.

All I can say is that I have been in Mr Greene's AP Psychology class a number of times, and it is worth the work and the price of admission to be part of it. Get the job done, students.

Grubs

2011-06-12T10:07:00.001-04:00

Every spring we wait to see if the skunks will make their way into our yard at night. Every year, we hope they will not. Instead, we hope they move on to the yards of others to forage and dine in their yards on grubs. Every year, we are disappointed because the grubs return.

Why, grubs? You know that we will go to the store and get the grub treatment that will kill you off, again. You know that we will not settle for letting the skunks take care of you. We hate skunks almost as much as we hate you, but there is no, "Skunkex" to take care of them. Once you grubs are gone, we won't have to worry about the skunks any more. They will pass by the lawn and not to where the grass is greener but to where the grass is grubbier. They will be like ships in the night, and we will wish them well from the safety of our windows.

So, grubs, what gives? Why can't you just stay on the other side of the fence? Obviously, some of the neighbors are friendlier about having you in. Stay with them. Don't make an excursion here.

Debt Exclusion Vote Results

2011-06-12T09:48:00.001-04:00

Thank you, Norton, for supporting the schools with the vote yesterday. It was the right project, at the right time, for the right rate. Thanks to the voters for having the wisdom to move this forward.

Understand, that this project would have gone nowhere without the incredible hard work of Dr. Ansay, who wrote the grant paperwork, Kevin O'Neil, who drove the project and the project's website forward for over a year, the Building Committee, which was willing to put the needed changes forward even though it required a lot of courage to ask for more than we originally anticipated, and the PRIDE group, who brought out the vote. I am proud to be associated with these tremendous people. You deserve a lot of credit.

I think that everything you needed to know about the issue came out in the last few weeks of the campaign. The "Yes" group focused on the issue, why it made sense and why they were supporting it. The "No" group may have had some legitimate concerns, but their movement was spearheaded by people who focused on negative campaigning including lies, personal attacks, anger and a focus on personal concerns rather than communal. I think if you have a campaign that you feel positive about and can speak to on the legitimacy of the issues, you are on the right side of that issue. If you are on a side of an issue where the merits of your stand cannot be articulated so you have to try to tear down the other side, then you really need to think about your support. Again, I am certain that some of the "No" voters had very legitimate concerns and could articulate them. However, their message was lost in the negativiy and sometimes poor behavior of a few.

Going forward, we need to ensure that this is a project everyone can feel proud of when it is complete. It also has to be a project where Norton's students truly are prepared for this century and the uncertainties they will face. Norton's teachers also have to be given the tools and work condiditons that will allow them to teach and guide their students. I am happy that the voters finally have agreed that "good enough" really is not good enough. "Good enough" generally means

This is a win for all of Norton. I hope that everyone can put whatever differences arose aside and move forward rather than backward.

Retirements

2011-06-09T14:54:00.002-04:00

Today, we are celebrating the retirements of Peter Leddy and Donna Arruda from Norton High School. It is hard to believe that we are losing two living legends in the same year. Both have made tremendous impacts on Norton High School, and both will be hard acts to follow. We wish them well, and they should know that we will always be glad to have them back to sub for $70 per day if they miss us a lot. Seriously, they are gifted educators, and they have truly made a difference here. Good luck Peter and Donna.

The Political Process

2011-06-09T11:34:00.002-04:00

The political process should be free of slander, lies, intimidation, name calling, prejudice, sexism, and other forms of uncivil behavior. It is a shame when it occurs at the national level. It is even more of a shame when it occurs at a local level. No matter what, people have to live with each other. It would be nice if all kept that in mind. Too bad we continue to hear and read of reports otherwise.

Lessons from this Year's Amazing Race at Grad Night

2011-06-06T16:07:00.003-04:00

Every year, the parents sponsor an all night party for graduating seniors on Grad Night. This year was no exception. At the party was food and beverages, a hypnotist, the YMCA pool, a casino night, inflatables, games, henna tattoos, and the Amazing Race. Nicole Desorcy Nunes and I have gotten to plan the AR for the past couple of years, and we always learn a few things from it. This year was no exception.
1. The Amazing Race becomes competitive almost right from the start, and we were smarter this year by sending the 11 teams of 3 different loops.
2. 11 Countries is too many. We have found that graduates start to lose focus after 8 or so and can manage maybe 10.
3. Our students know their US geography. Most teams whizzed through a blank map of the 50 states in very little time. That gives me some hope.
4. Watching graduates eat cupcakes with no hands is pretty amusing and worth the cost of the cupcakes.
5. Melting a frozen tee shirt so that someone can put it on makes the race so funny from the start, but it really does create some separation.
6. Students should never do Soduku at 1:30 AM

Usually I go with one team in the Amazing Race. This year, I was the roving supervisor. Others stay with one road block. All of us chaperoning had a great time. Special thanks to the newly college graduated Class of 2007 for coming to help out. We could not have done it without you.

Class of 2012

2011-06-06T16:00:00.002-04:00

The Class of 2012 has wasted no time in asserting its "seniorness" here at the high school. When I came in today I was greeted by the number 2012 at least 100 times, probably more. Additonally, there were sayings on the sidewalk, the front entryway and the front windows. All positive and forward focused. Nice.

Additionally, we are in the midst of "Hey, We're Almost Seniors" week. Today I saw a lot of pirates, some "business pirates" and a number of juniors in bathrobes (clothes underneath). All were asserting themselves and enjoying the first day out of the shadow of the class of 2011.

"Hey, We're Almost Seniors" week has been a relatively new phenomenon, but it is something the junior classes take to with enthusiasm. The hope is that the new crop of seniors will be every bit as good as the senior class before them. Let's go, class of 2012. Make a positive legacy for yourselves.

Random Graduation Pictures 5

2011-06-06T11:40:00.003-04:00

The graduation ceremony on June 3, 2011 went very well. The graduates were classy. The speeches were well done. The atmosphere was perfect. Thanks to all who participated and helped organize it. Special thanks to senior advisors: Eric Grasso, Eric Paulus and Larry Brassard. Also thanks to Micaela Morin for setting up the stage, Kyla Polak for the music and Tom Withers and the Custodial Staff for their work. Great thanks to the Comcast Center.

These pictures are all courtesy of Peter Leddy. Thanks to him as well.

Random Graduation Pictures 4

2011-06-06T11:39:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Peter Leddy

Random Graduation Pictures 3

2011-06-06T11:37:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Peter Leddy

Random Graduation Pictures 2

2011-06-06T11:35:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Peter Leddy

Random Graduation Pictures

2011-06-06T11:26:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Peter Leddy for these pictures

Graduation

2011-06-03T21:22:00.001-04:00

Just got back from the graduation ceremony for the Norton High School Class of 2011. It went very well. Here are my remarks:

Dr. Ansay, Mrs McManus, Members of the Norton School Committee, Representative Howitt, Norton Public Schools Faculty and Staff, Town Officials, Parents, Siblings, Friends, and the Norton High School Class of 2011, Good Evening.

Class of 2011, You have learned a great deal in high school. You have grown a lot from your experiences in and out of the classroom. You have had superior role models in terms of teachers, coaches, staff members, interested adults and parents. You have prepared and been thoroughly prepared for what is to come next in your life.

To keep it simple, however, it is often worthwhile to put things in terms of what you really like to do. In my case, it is golf. In my playing of golf, I can keep the important things in mind all the time.

Know the rules and what is expected of you. Understand all aspects of the game so that you can play it properly and as well as you can. This is the case in golf, school, and career. You are either fully prepared to play, or you are someone trying to hack their way around life or fool others.

Understand that the game is both individual and social. Not only do I have to expect my best play and push myself to excellence, but I also have to play well with others, often as a team. I do not always choose my foursome or partners, but I do choose how I interact with them and how we can affect each other. I also know that I can focus on what I am doing no matter what the distractions are around me.

You play your good hits, and you play your mistakes. When you are doing something for real, there are no Mulligans. I find my ball in the woods, and I either play from there or pay the consequences. What we do always carries consequences, either negative or positive. Those of us who accept those consequences and move on do it much better than those who do not wish to play it as it lies.

You want to have the right tools for the job. I need my knowledge of the game and of the course. I also need to have the clubs I need to give myself the best possible chance of success. I also need to be sure that I have enough golf balls to get through that round. You will need information, knowledge, skills and tools to get through each round of your life. Be sure you have them so that you do not set yourself up for failure.

Golf and life are about problem solving. Even if all my strokes ended up on the fairway or the green, and they don’t, there are obstacles and hazards I have to note and work my around all the way through the course. Life will throw hazards and obstacles and other scary things at you, often when you least expect them. Be prepared. Be ready to face the challenge, and be creative about your solutions. Just as there are many ways to fail, there truly are many ways to succeed. Try a lot of ways so you don’t ever get in a rut.

Finally, at the end of the round, I sign a scorecard which states what I shot and the fact that it is accurate. When it is all said and done, you will have the value of your word to take with you from place to place. Integrity matters a lot. Be the person everyone can count on and trust in.

Ben Hogan once said, “The most important shot in golf is the next one.” Make your next shots count. Enjoy what is to come.

Dr. Ansay, the Class of 2011 is here tonight after successfully completing all the requirements the Norton School Committee has placed on its students to be eligible to graduate. They have made us proud while meeting these requirements. They are accomplished musicians and singers, talented actors and actresses, state champion athletes, varsity athletes, members of honor societies and clubs, creators of clubs and activities, course designers, engineers in the making, givers and great employees. 90% of the class of 2011 is going on the post-secondary education to schools like: Bridgewater State, Worcester State, Bristol Community College, URI, Worcester Polytechnic, UMass Amherst, Virginia Commonwealth and American University to name a few. They are doing this despite an extremely challenging and uncertain economy. They will be engineers, nurses, doctors, tradesmen, lawyers, accountants, business people and teachers. 3 Students will be serving in the armed forces after graduating.

The Norton High School administration, faculty and staff are proud of the Class of 2011, and we present them to you as candidates for graduation from the Norton Public Schools. Thank you.

Some Reflections After Viewing, The Finland Phenomenon

2011-05-26T17:13:00.002-04:00

After finally watching the complete documentary, The Finland Phenomenon, I notice a few things about the Finnish system that I think we need to do better. By the way, see it when you can.

1. While American schools make extensive use of the Internet, we need to use it in a more directed manner with tools like Moodle and Blackboard as well as blogs, wikis and Ning. Too much of the time, the web is used primarily to do marginally directed searching. In real world situations like work, students need to be able to use the Internet's more useful capabilities. Even at NHS, where we do a lot, we could really do a lot more.

2. Teachers in America have to all see themselves as guides for student learning and not merely deliverers of instruction. Again, in Norton, we are on our way there, but we have to give up more.

3. American schools need to rely less on tests as indicators of student achievement and more on student product.

4. Students in America should have a lot more self-directed learning that encompasses several areas of learning and not just one at a time.

5. American students need more opportunities for collaboration.

6. Our focus in America needs to be more on outcomes than it presently is.

7. Teacher training in America needs to be more comprehensive and much more focused on learning about teaching by observing and speaking with actual teachers.

8. We probably need to have a lot more opportunity for vocational learning than US schools and districts currently offer. In Finland, 45% of all students take some sort of vocational track. That is high, but the US is low.

Norton is already working toward a lot of the things I mention above. We have many superior teachers. We are doing parts of everything listed above, but, after watching what goes on in Finland and how well they do, I know we can outperform them without blowing a budget wide open and without totally changing what we do.

A Couple of Random Questions

2011-05-25T17:06:00.002-04:00

I understand why they add water to ham (weight). But, how do they get it in there? What benefit does it give me?

Why don't they make gummy vitamins for adults, too?

Why do razor blades generally come in packages of 3 or 8?

How do the tax people collect on the 9/10 of a cent that we see in gas prices?

What is it about us that we want all our plants to grow tall except our grass?

At what point will we all go over to getting and paying all our bills on line? What will happen the the Postal Service then?

Why have there been so few good kids movies lately? They are the only movies I get to see at present, and I want to go.

What about being in a car makes people "need" to make phone calls and text? Can't people just be alone with themselves once in a while?

How many people will actually take the time on Memorial Day Weekend to remember those who have fallen? I hope many.

Black Belt

2011-05-25T15:28:00.002-04:00

My daughter is now a black belt candidate in karate. She has been doing karate for a few years now, and she had (indeed) gotten to be very good at this activity. If she can attain her junior black belt around her 11th birthday, that will be quire an achievement for her. My hope would then be that she continue on with the karate until she got her full, adult level black belt. The reason why has little to do with being able to defend herself. That is actually a side bonus.

Karate has been good for my daughter for a number of reasons. She is gaining comfort in using her body athletically. She is gaining a lot of slef-confidence from being very good at something. She is finding that she can compete with bigger, sometimes stronger kids if she does her techniques correctly.She is learning the value and reward of practice making perfect.

She also has come a long way on the piano, and I would say that her progress in music has been as strong as her progress in karate. They do not award black belts in piano, but she is getting all the positives from music that she has gained from karate, but in a different way.

Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers, talks a lot about what makes people exceptional. Although some natural ability in a given field of endeavor is necessary, almost all of those people we would regard as exceptional in computers, sports, music, etc spends the time necessary to become exceptional. The estimate is that it takes about 10,000 hours of work to get into the elite category. That seems about right based on everything I have seen and what I see with my daughter. She has a LONG way to go to ever get close to 10,000 hours of anything, but the quality of time she has spent as a student, in karate and in piano really do show that perseverance really does pay off.

What is the importance of learning through challenges?

2011-05-24T21:20:00.002-04:00

I always take the time to reflect on the value of situations we expose students to outside the classroom. Tonight, I am reflecting on our trip to Camp Edwards on Cape Cod. (For those of you who want to check and take some of the pictures, the pictures run past this page to "Older Posts")

Today, we had 49 NHS people (46 students and 3 adults), run through an obstacle course and a Leadership Reaction Course rather than take math, English or science. Was it worth the time out of school? I think so.

In crawling through sand and under wires, and in weaving their bodies up and under an apparatus, and in jumping and pulling themselves over walls, the students got to learn a lot about their perseverance, their level of fitness, their mental toughness and their ability to push themselves. I do not think that every student succeeded in every obstacle, but most tried all of them. Many tried several times. I know from my group that a few students tried on some obstacles until they couldn't do it any more. They did not succeed, but they were not defeated. An obstacle course, if it is set up well, pushes just about everyone who go through it a little bit more than they are comfortable. Some elements are physically demanding. Some require a lot of determination. Others cause a person to challenge their fears. The student comes off the obstacle course with a greater sense of self and a clearer idea of what they can do.

In running through the exercises in the LRC, students have to communicate, problem solve, think on their feet, work together to accomplish a task, make decisions, and see things in new ways. Even though the tasks involve boards, pipes, water, ramps, ropes, ladders and bars, the students are acquiring and using twnety-first century skills the whole way. Secretly, the students also learned a bit about engineering, physics, mathematics, logic, rhetoric and simple machines. It is a nice lab.

All in all, I value any opportunity for students to step outside of NHS, represent our school as the mature people they are, and learn about the world and themselves.

It will be an interesting debrief tomorrow.

Camp Edwards 2011

2011-05-24T21:08:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Sgt Chris McCann and the Massachusetts National Guard for coming through for us again with a trip to Camp Edwards. A lot of people gave up time for 49 Norton High School people to travel to the Cape and go through the Leadership Reaction Course and the Obstacle Course on Camp Edwards. It was a lot of fun to do some activities for a second time (after last year). It was also very cool to try some new challenges on the LRC.

This year I think we did a very good job of creating six teams to work their way through the respective challenges. All of the teams seem to have functioned extremely well as small units, and I am proud of all the students who participated. I am especially proud also of Mrs Lafayette and Mrs Nunes for coming to chaperone AND to participate.

I look forward to doing some more interesting things with most of these same students. Thanks for participating.

If you went, what was your favorite activity? Why?

Please enjoy/take whatever pictures you want. As a price, post.

Camp Edwards 2011

2011-05-24T21:04:00.001-04:00

Pictures

Camp Edwards 2011

2011-05-24T21:00:00.002-04:00

Pictures

Camp Edwards 2011

2011-05-24T20:54:00.002-04:00

Pictures

Camp Edwards 2011

2011-05-24T20:51:00.001-04:00

More Pictures

Camp Edwards 2011

2011-05-24T20:47:00.001-04:00

Pictures

Camp Edwards

2011-05-24T20:34:00.001-04:00

Pictures from Camp Edwards

2011-05-24T20:18:00.001-04:00

Growth of AP at NHS

2011-05-17T17:08:00.002-04:00

We reached a milestone this spring with our Advanced Placement Program. Over 400 course requests came from students to take AP courses for next year. This is good in many ways. First, it means that more stduents will have the chance to take some of the best courses that we can offer in terms of college preparation. Second, and more important, it means that we are getting past the stigma that AP is somehow for just a certain type/level of student. Instead, we are moving in the direction that AP can be for any student who is willing to put in the time and effort to achieve and to push him/her self to get ready for college.

AP certainly is not a panacea for all students and all courses. We truly value the other electives we offer from drama to chorus to oceanography to business systems to wood. Each of our huge number of electives is meaningful to someone. No student should feel that have to take any AP courses to have a good experience, and all students should have the chance to take something that really interests them each year. However, the numbers do show that our students are serious about getting themselves ready for college and that they trust our teachers to help them get there.

Bad Coffee

2011-05-17T17:04:00.002-04:00

Please explain to me how it can be 46 degrees outside, yet I can still go to get some coffee and find that it is terrible because the pot has been sitting for too long? As someone who makes coffee himself, I know how much it costs to make a pot of coffee. I also know, then, how much profit a coffee seller can make on each pot. Given the profit margin, make fresh coffee if you are going to sell it.

New Course in Wellness

2011-05-17T16:48:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Colleeen McDermott of the Class of 2011. At least since I have been in Norton (nine years), this is the first time that a student has successfully created a new elective, planned it, brought it before school committee and had it voted into the Program of Studies. Last night, Colleen presented a course, tentatively entitled "Leadership Training" to the school committee. The creation of this course was part of Colleen's Senior Project which she has been working on since January.

Colleen has been a member of the school's Leadership Council for the past three years. Over this time, she has seen the value of what we do in leadership in her growth as a person and in her everyday life. She decided that she wanted to open up what we do in leadership to as many students as possible so that they could learn problem solving, decision making, communication, and critical thinking skills in a course which pushes students to work together no matter who they are and what their background is.

Colleen proposed that the course would be applicable for all students, from the average student looking for something different to the potential school leader looking to develop a skill set to the at-risk student who dreads traditional PE and is looking for reasons to stay in school.

Colleen has seen through some of the various activities that Leadership Council does that game playing is very instructive. She has also found that going to special events like paintless paintball, the leadership reaction course and obstacle course at Camp Edwards, Camp Finberg and even weekend trainings can really help to bring students together and to expect more of themselves.

Colleen's proposed course would allow students to learn in the classroom, the gym, ropes courses and almost anywhere else. They would learn to meet strangers. They would have the chance to lead activities. They would learn to listen better. Most importantly, they would learn a lot more about what is inside of themselves so that they can face fear, doubt and anxiety more directly.

This course meets state frameworks for Wellness while stepping away from traditional Wellness courses. It certainly is not for everyone, but it sure is a nice alternative for many students.

We have found that there are those at NHS who look at Leadership Council as some sort of elite group who get to play games and do interesting things. I am not sure about the elite notion when roughly 10% of the student body this year has at least spent some time on Leadership Council, but the rest is true. Colleen's course will open up what we do to more and more students. Given that we can have at least one class per semester of 30 students, that means that 60 more students per year can be exposed to Leadership Training and get a chance to test themselves and their traditional ways of thinking.

Way to go, Colleen.

Mock Crash

2011-04-27T16:54:00.002-04:00

We had our Mock Crash today. We have a mock crash every other year in order to help encourage students to make good decisions regarding drinking and driving as we lead up to the prom and graduation. While it would be nice to think that none of our students drink, we know that this is just a fond wish. So, we want our students to make smart decisions regarding drinking, drugs and driving. As I mentioned at the crash today, so far NHS has been lucky that the only drinking and driving fatalities has been the staged ones at our mock crashes. We would like to keep it that way.

Thanks to Norton Fire, Norton Police, MA State Police, Fogerty's Towing, Norton SADD and all the others who made this event work.

Trip to Washington

2011-04-25T14:55:00.003-04:00

Here is a picture of my daughter next to the triceratops at the Natural History Museum in Washington, DC. We go to DC frequently enough that we can expect certain pictures. I now have five pictures of my daughter with the triceratops and four pictures of my wife and children at the Lincoln Memorial. The Hope Diamond remains unchanged over the years we have visited that. Dorothy's slippers are still ruby. The Washington Monument still points straight up. There is a nice timelessness to DC and some of the things we can do there. There is also the neatness of seeing new things or seeing old things differently every time we go. For example, this was the first year both children could appreciate the Museum of the American Indian. For the first time, we were able to go through the National Portrait Gallery without a meltdown. We were able to visit the National Zoo and the National Mall area's monuments without having to rest that often. My children were able to understand the significance of what they saw in the Capitol building. They actually enjoyed the Library of Congress. Good trip for us.

Rain

2011-04-05T17:46:00.004-04:00

I stand corrected about precipitation. In the past, I have written glowingly about rain and snow because of their benefits to water tables and other bodies of water. I have written about how wonderful it is to have precipitation when so much of the world is dry.

This does not apply to spring. I like rain in the fall. I think a moderate amount of snow in the winter is a good and natural thing. I find a good summer rain storm to be refreshing. In spring, all it does is mess up schedules.

For some reason spring sports seem the most delicate. Hard to run on a slick track. Dangerous to throw a wet baseball or softball. Hard to hold a wet tennis racket. It goes on. Thus, practices are different. Games get rescheduled. Athletes and coaches get stressed out.

Wellness classes that were primed for going outside are stuck indoors (again).

Students and teachers come into the school with the same gray cloud over their head that is over them outside.

We all do realize that April showers are intended to bring May flowers, but we do not want to be overrun by flowers in May. A shower is not a drenching.

Perhaps it is because this has been a rough winter and a long time between breaks, but we could use a let up.

MCAS

2011-03-21T15:17:00.002-04:00

MCAS starts up again this week. This is ELA week, so students will be writing long essays, reading and then answering questions. They will also be applying their knowledge of literary devices and vocabulary to targeted questions. In May, students will get into Mathematics, and in June they will do Science.

For all the publicity and all the drama that go with MCAS, please bear in mind the following. The Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks are among the best in the country at explaining what students should know and be able to do at every level of their education in every academic area. These frameworks were developed by teachers, administrators and college educators in each subejct area. They also continue to be revised by similar groups. They are very strong documents about what k-12 education should look like.

MCAS is based on the frameworks.

If we are doing our job as educators, and students are doing their job of learning, then we should expect very good results on the MCAS.

Standardized, high stakes testing is a weird area. On the one hand, MCAS is used to measure competence in three subject areas. On another hand, MCAS is used to determine scholarships at state colleges and universities for the highest achievers. On yet another hand (obviously this is not a normal person to have so many hands), MCAS results are used to compare MA students with those in other states (comparing apples to oranges and sometimes screwdrivers). On yet another hand, the results can also be used to measure student growth and even teacher effectivity. That is a lot to put on the plate of one little test. However, it is a fair test for what it tests for, and it is better than having even more testing go on through a student's career.

For now, take it for what it does best: It is a good measure of whether a student meets the basic standards of understanding in English, Mathematics and Science required to graduate high school in Massachusetts. It does that job very well.

March

2011-03-21T15:08:00.002-04:00

March has it made for such a seemingly common place month. Think about it. It gets compared to two animals: lion and lamb (with today definitely a lion day). It is closely associated with a saint (St Patrick). You get March Madness when you think of the NCAA tournament. Winter sports in Massachusetts have their tournaments conclude this month. Then, spring sports get to start up the same month. Also, March gets the full complement of days (31). No slouching there or less time on stage. March gets Daylight Saving Time. March has Evacuation Day in Suffolk County. People get to go to school for the full month of March, no messing around. March, in fact, is the only full month of school on the school calendar.

March must have a pretty good agent.

Am I missing anything?

The Kindle's Downside

2011-02-25T13:35:00.003-05:00

It's true. there is a downside to everything. While I have tried to push the thought aside a number of times before, I am confronted with the dire problem that getting books on my Kindle is too easy. I realized this again just after I had downloaded, The Singularity is Near, by Ray Kurzweil. The book is not the problem. I am pretty excited about learning a lot more about how intelligent computers are getting and how, because of their exponential growth in computing power, computers will soon be able to do a lot more than man can. I get the feeling that everyone should probably read that book.

However, since I am a bookaholic, it is sometimes dangerous to have me near a WiFi network while I read or think because then I want to read and think about other things, and then I order those things. I have ordered 118 works on my Kindle over the past three or so years. From what I can recall in looking at my Content Manager, 18 of them are directly related to the impulse of buying them at a conference, in a workshop or as a result of something else I was reading or seeing. Such impulse is impossible when you have to get to a bookstore.

Of course, I must also note that most of those 18 books (at least 12 of them) are books I would probably npt have heard of and would not have read. AND, I am quite happy I did read them. Good problem to have.

As we move forward, we will continue to have more and more access to information, books, films, games and other materials on a 24/7 basis. That is a good thing. However, this means that we will have to teach ourselves and our children how to browse all this with restraint so that we do not wonder how something got onto our Kindle/laptop/tablet/dvr in the first place. What a good problem to have. Fortunately for me, my daughter does ask before she buys any books off our account. If only I would learn to ask...

The Finland Phenomenon

2011-02-25T12:52:00.003-05:00

Finland's students have been consistently ranked at or near the top of the world in reading, math and other academic areas for a number of years. This always seems amazing to people. "Finland? Who knew?" Now we get a real chance to know, as this spring will bring about the latest film by the makers of 2 Million Minutes, The Finland Phenomenon.

Over the past several years, 2 Million Minutes has looked at comparing US schools to those in China and India, in depth. It has looked for and found some of the most successful schools in the United States, most notably the Basis High School in Tucson. Now, it is looking, in depth, at what makes the Finnish school system work as well as it does.

From what I have read, Finland's success in based on a different set of premises than the success here, in India and in China. As with those school systems, we need to look closely at how Finland's schools work and see how we can emulate here what works best there. I am very much looking forward to finding out how a system which starts students in schools later, tests less frequently, and has less time on learning can still succeed as well as it does.

Boys Basketball

2011-02-25T12:37:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to the NHS boys basketball team for, once again, making to the state tournament and, one again, playing well enough to host a tournament game. March 2, we will be hosting Bishop Stang High School here at 7:00. Coach Liberatore is hoping for a "white out", where all of the NHS fans come decked out in white as a show of support for the team. Hopefully the turnou is good, as this has been a team that is exciting to watch because they are fundamentally sound, and they never give up.

21st Century Classroom

2011-02-25T10:23:00.002-05:00

As we move along toward the concept and design phase of the building project, a nagging question keeps coming up in my mind. What should our classrooms look like when we are done with the project? Obviously, the classrooms we have now at Norton High School do their best to help students prepare for what comes after high school (college, careers, jobs, military, etc), but they were built in the 1970s when computers seemed like an expensive fad and teaching styles tended toward "skill and drill" and lecture rather than the active learning that is the focus of today. This is all for good reason, as times have changed. Employers and colleges expect different skill sets and knowledge from high school graduates than they did 40 years ago. In 10, 20 and 30 years from now, expected skills sets and knowledge will be different all over again. Thus, we are faced with designing classrooms that can meet our needs now and which will be able to meet our needs later as well. Tough challenge.

Obvious needs: we need classrooms which will be able to accommodate today's and tomorrow's technologies. This does not mean we run our and buy a lot of desk top computers. It means we get the infrastructure into the school and each classroom that will allow us to use technology even as it develops. We also need basic technologies. In 1973, it was ok for a classroom to have one or two outlets, located in the same places. Today, much of what teachers use to teach is electronic, meaning there need to be more outlets, spaced around each classroom. We need to look at wireless technology so that learning is not centered around an outlet and limited by how far a cord can reach. There are lots of technology needs that have to be looked at as we move forward.

We need classrooms that are big enough for students to move around and work. 40 years ago, students were expected to exist in a desk where they could sit and merey take notes. Today, students need to be able to work, both alone and together in a variety of ways. This means space. That is why our regular classrooms have 91% of the space they need while our science labs have 63% of the space they need while our special needs classrooms have 52% of the space they need our arts and music classrooms have 69% of the space they need and so on.

Most of all, we need atmosphere. Classrooms should have windows. Classrooms should have stable temperatures and consistent air quality. These should be givens. At present, they are not. It is amazing to me how well Norton's students learn from Norton's teachers despite many of the concerns in our classrooms. It will be truly amazing what Norton' students and teachers will be able to accomplish if these concerns are addressed.

Sea Biscuit

2011-02-22T08:08:00.002-05:00

I can't say that I ever planned to blog about a horse. I also am pretty sure that I never thought I would, as an adult, be fascinated by a book about a horse, but both are true. I just finished the Laura Hillenbrand book, Sea Biscuit, and it is very good. I became a fan of Hillenbrand after reading her most recent book, Unbroken, but I found that I enjoyed, Sea Biscuit, even more. Weird to think that a horse could have a "rags to riches" story, but Sea Biscuit did. The horse, its trainer, and its jockey, all came from relative obscurity to develop one of the great stories of the 1930s, a time when great stories were truly necessary.

Normally a horse has to win the Triple Crown to be considered truly great. To that end, Sea Biscuit failed as he was an underachiever for most of his first few years of life, and a horse has to be 3 in order to run in the races surrounding the Triple Crown. At that time, horses had to be from the east in order to be viewed as superior. While Sea Biscuit was born in the east, he was trained and mostly ran in the west. Lots of things got in his way, including the fact that he was not built like a traditional racing stallion. His legs were short, and he was wide everywhere else.

However, Sea Biscuit became one of the great horses of all time by beating just about every major winner of his time, including War Admiral, a Triple Crown winner. Sea Biscuit became the, then, all time money winner. He won most of his races in handicaps, where he was carrying 15-30 pounds of weight more than the other horses he raced, including his last race, the Santa Anita Handicap.

I know very little about horse racing, horse betting, handicapping and the like, and I never will know much about these things. However, I do know that this was a great read of one of the great stories of the 1930s. When a horse gets more written about him than the President of the United States, then that horse has a compelling story. I recommend it.

Race to Nowhere

2011-02-15T09:11:00.002-05:00

This seems to be the year for films about education. Earlier this year I wrote a bit about Waiting for Superman, which chronicles the educations of those parts of society which are underserved and shows how we need to do a better job for them in terms of providing opportunity and attention.

Now, the latest educational documentary to make the rounds is, Race to Nowhere. I have not seen this film yet, but I have read a lot about it from its makers and supporters as well as its critics. From what I can see, the film makes a strong case that there is a lot of stress on students who achieve today to achieve more, do more and take more. All of this stress seems focused on the wrong things: high stakes testing and the appearance of achievement without the actual reality of it. It also talks about the sheer number of hours spent by "high achieving" students on homework and studies. A lot of this is valid.

I see the importance of MCAS and AP tests and SATs, etc. However, if we are only teaching to those things, then something is definitely wrong with what we are doing as educators and as a society. The same is true for homework. If homework is meaningful and directed, homework is important. If homework is given just for the sake of giving homework, that is a problem.

We need to compete globally as well as within this country for college admissions, jobs and goods. This is a fact. In order to do so, we need to make sure that our children are as well educated as possible. We need to enure that they can think for themselves, articulate their ideas and know how to use their intelligence to address problems. None of this will come on a test or a worksheet. However, these tests can gauge how well our children are doing at retaining their learning and developing their necessary skills. If the tests are used for these purposes, then they are valid.

The world is much "flatter" now than it was even ten years ago. The rules have changed about how to work, where to work and what work will be. This is, in and of itself, stressful. It is also a bit scary. Small wonder that students these days feel a lot of stress. However, if we can help to shift the focus away from the tests to the learning and skills development that these tests are indicators of, then we are back on the right track.

I recommend you see any documentary about education, no matter its slant or focus because the more of these you can see, the better you can create your own sense of what the state of education is in this country and how to improve it.

Random Super Bowl Thoughts

2011-02-07T09:26:00.002-05:00

From the game:

1. The Super Bowl game keeps getting more and more competitive. Of late, it has been living up to its name.

2. Had the NFL been the NCAA, this game would have been played by the Patriots and the Falcons. The Packers would have probably been in a car care bowl instead.

3. It is amazing how much of a toll the game of football takes on people who are very fit in the first place.

From the ads:

1. I do not think I want to eat any more Doritos.

2. Detroit is a lot nicer than I thought it was.

3. I am not in a hurry to get into a Beetle.

From the entertainment:

1. Why can't they just focus on the game since the half-time shows are rarely good.

2. How hard is it to remember the words to the National Anthem? Really?

3. Is there really a point to having a fly over when the stadium is closed?

I love the whole event that the Super Bowl is. I would really like to have it start late afternoon rather than early evening, but at least a student can watch the game and still get a decnt night's sleep. Think about that NBA and MLB.

Snow

2011-01-28T11:50:00.002-05:00

This week, the Greater Boston area went over 50 inches of snow for this winter season. This is well above average for an entire season, though well below any records (so far). Looking out on the giant piles of snow around the NHS parking lot, I can appreciate that this is a lot of snow. The two hours I spent yesterday clearing my driveway and sidewalks also are a strong testament. However, while I am dismayed by the number of extra days this will all add to the school year, I am looking out on all this with a happy heart. It is pretty (except the brown, dirty snow). It looks like a lot of fun to climb and play in. I know I will be building a snow fort this weekend with my children in my backyard. It also means that this area will have a lot more water come spring than usual. A great obsession of mine has to do with water tables, so I rejoice every time there is snow or rain, except when I am golfing or when we need to get a spring baseball/softball game in. There are parts of this country where people would be dancing in the streets if they could get this much precipitation in a year. Always keep that in mind.

I do not hope to exceed the 103 inch record for snowfall this year. I do not want to even come close. But, enjoy the snow for what it is and what it brings. Find some cool things to do inside during the storms. Make some snowmen and snowforts whenever you can. It snows in New England.

Mid-Year Exams

2011-01-28T11:42:00.002-05:00

As of today, we still have one day of mid-year exams left at Norton High School because of the snow day yesterday. Here are a few thoughts about these exams:

1. There is a value to pausing halfway through a course (or at the end of a half-year course) and assessing what students have learned. This way a teacher can know if they are doing a good job of keeping students on track for the year. A student can also find out if they are really getting what is going on in the class. In this way, both teacher and student can make any necessary adjustments.
2. There is also a value to making the time to think deeply about a subject. Most of the time students go through their school days in sort of a blur, and there never seems to be that time to reflect. Exams make that time.
3. Teachng students the need to be accountable for their learning is also a good thing. No matter the subject, if it is worth teaching, it is also worth learning, and that learning should be more than momentary.
4. One can learn a lot from a single test if the test is good.

I am not saying that tests are the best way to assess anything. They are one way to assess. And this way has seemed to have had a lasting value over many years. Tests like these are also a good way for everyone taking a given course, no matter the section or teacher, to measure themselves against each other to see where they stand. Not a bad thing either.

Connections

2011-01-21T19:40:00.002-05:00

A lot of what can make things great comes from connections. It never hurts to know a generous millionaire. I wish I were best friends with one of the Red Sox owners. It would be a rush to come into contact with someone about to make a movie who was looking for someone just like me. None of these things have happened, and I am not betting on them doing so.

Be that as it may, we were able to make some wonderful connections last night in a Norton Community Task Force meeting. It just so happens that, at the same time NHS is looking to bring in an Advanced Placement Environmental Studies course (under our Massachusetts Math and Science Initiative Grant), the Attleboro YMCA has a new Youth Programs Director (Mike Zucarelli), who wants to really rev things up in our relationship with the Y. He will help make an offer by Meghan Hamilton of the Y come true by opening up a lot of the 80 acres the Y has of woods and wetlands to the envrionmental studies teacher and class so that the class will actually have an outdoor "laboratory". Adding to this connection, Vereene Parnell of Wheaton College has promised to help us develop a relationship with Wheaton students who are interested in the environment and studies of it. This way we might have access to a lot of talent and energy from Wheaton students to help our teacher and our own students. In this way, students from NHS get a richer experience, the YMCA has a reason to develop its trails and get a sense of how to add programs. Wheaton College can give its students volunteer opportunities, the chance to share knowledge, and testing grounds for things they might be interested in pursuing. Those are good connections.

Tip O'Neil was famous for saying, "All politics is local." I think he was right. The things that really make a difference come about from the connections we are able to make and the help we can give those we can deal with directly.

Wait 'til I write about what we want to do in conjunction with Wheaton College's Global Studies Department and their summer ESL program for Chinese and Korean students. Yes, the Y will be part of that as well. Then I can tell you about the plans for DARE Camp with the Y and the Norton Police. Then you can also learn about the Mock Crash and how we will do it with our SADD group, the Norton Fire Department and the Norton Police Department. Etc We have a deep debt to those with whom we have made connections.

What Have I Been Reading

2011-01-13T07:56:00.004-05:00

I enjoyed reading the two main contenders for One Book One School: Unwind by Shusterman and The Hunger Games by Collins. Both are pretty accessible and really have their moments as good choices. Unwind is the winner, and we will be reading that as a school. If you are a parent or interested citizen, I recommend picking it up and checking it out.

Halfway through The Grand Design by Hawking. I am enjoying it, but I only want to read so much physics at a time.

Good reads: Decision Points by Bush, Colussus by Hiltzik, At Home by Bryson. All are non-fiction but read very quickly.

Disappointing: The Killing of Crazy Horse by Powers and The Emperor's Tomb by Berry.

One thing that I have noticed is that it is fun to read some of the literature out there for young readers (like Unwind and The Hunger Games and the Rick Riordan books), but doing so makes it a lot harder to get back into more of the serious reading that I like to have once in a while as well. I have to make sure that I mix it up better in the future as I crashed my way through the whole Hunger Games trilogy, Unwind and The Lost Hero all in about a week's time. I enjoyed the books, but I think my reading level went down a wee bit. Bringing it back now with Stephen Hawking and Simon Winchester.

Christmas Tree

2011-01-07T19:59:00.002-05:00

We will be taking down the Christmas tree this weekend. That is a sad time for a couple of reasons.

First, I hate taking down the tree because it takes forever to get all the ornaments and lights back into their boxes and put away. They we have to take apart the tree, label everything again, and then cart the tree down into the storage closet. Bringing down the tree also means that we have to put away all the other Christmas things, and that also takes forever for some of the same reasons. I do not feel very holidayish when things come down. Up, yes. Down, no.

Second, it really is nice to have the tree and the decorations up around the house. It all adds a festiveness that is truly nice. I enjoy looking at the various Nativity sets in different rooms. I like looking at the accumulation of ornaments over the years. We have gone from all store bought ornaments to a good mix with home made ornaments and ornaments with the kids' pictures on them. It is almost like watching them grow as we look around the tree. Plus, both kids put up their own ornaments, so we enjoy seeing them decide how to place them on the tree.

Traditions are among the most important aspects of holidays. There is a season for each holiday. there are rituals that go with each holiday. We all have hopes and expectations as each holiday approaches. We get to eat foods and visit people who see almost specific to each holiday. A good example for me is Thanksgiving. My children automatically prepare for the football game and know who they plan to sit with, and how they are going to cheer. When we were among the throngs of people this week hoping to win the lottery, my daughter told me that even if we won the $300+ million that I would have to keep working at Norton because she wanted to make sure that she could sit with Dr. Ansay next year at the Thanksgiving game. I guess it is lucky we did not win and have to make such a choice.

This weekend will also make me very happy that I am not one of those people who climbs ladders each winter to put up and then take down lights.

Stacey Allen Blog

2011-01-07T19:49:00.002-05:00

Please check out the new Stacey Allen blog. ( http://www.staceyaallen.blogspot.com ). Stacey is in Spain and recording her entire trip. Her first two entries have set the tone, and now she will be posting thoughts regularly, especially now I am putting pressure on her to do so. Go on her blog, read and comment.

Washington, DC

2011-01-07T19:32:00.003-05:00

I am currently in the process of planning my vacation in April to DC. We go every few years. It seems that the Smithsonian always has something we haven't seen before as well as some favorites. Also, there is a ton to do. This year, I think we will change things up a bit and do a theme for each day. I would like to do a tour involving The Lost Sign. The kids want to do a Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian type of tour. I would like to find all the different presidential monuments. We hope for a White House and Capitol tour. There will be a time at the zoo and time at Mount Vernon. I think we might also try to get up to Baltimore to watch the Orioles play the Twins. In case you had not guessed, I pretty much plan my vacations like a military operation so that I can see/do as much as possible whether we are in DC, Disney, Williamsburg, Maine or staying at home. Worse overseas since many overseas places we may not return to ever.

Strangely, to me, I have never yet set foot in the Library of Congress. I read as much as anyone I know. I love architecture, yet I have not been in there. That will change this year, for sure (especially if I get all my landmarks in for my Lost Symbol tour). I also have yet to visit the Folger Shakespeare Library. That also needs to happen this year.

Another thing that is a must is a trip to the Museum of Natural History. I have visited DC three other times with my daughter, and I have taken her picture in front of the triceratops each time. While the triceratops remains unchanged, my daughter has changed quite a bit. We will add another to the collection.

I am open to suggestions for things to see with a 10 and 7 year old in Washington, DC. Perhaps someone can give me something I have not thought of yet.

High School Building Project Update

2011-01-04T13:27:00.002-05:00

Today (January 4) we had architects from JCJ Architecture into the building to tour, ask questions of teachers and staff, and start to generate ideas for their proposal. I found that the questions have been very good, and I have also seen that everyone is very interested in making this project work very well if approved. They are determined to do the best job they possibly can with the budget the town establishes.

Some thoughts:

The Project is:

Focused on updating the building into the 21st century
Focused on addressing space and storage concerns
Focused on bringing in necessary technologies
Focused on doing the job right this time so that there will be no need for us to come back in a few years to ask for more
Addressing how we can best teach Norton's students going forward
Addressing needs of the community for using the building
Addressing concerns related to heat, air quality, lighting and safety for the long term

The Project is:

Not going to add a lot of bells and whistles that we do not need
Not going to put laptops or other consumables into the hands of all teachers and students, but it may make it easier for teachers and students to bring in and use their own
Not going to bring in supplies that are for limited use over a limited time
Not going to add space in such a way that we have to add staff
Not going to bring in materials/technologies that will be obsolete in five years

In short, we are looking at how to cost-effectively improve Norton High School so that we can continue to help prepare Norton's students for college and life beyond high school. We hope to do this by making the building safe, comfortable and focused on learning. Our hope is that when the project is presented to the town, it makes sense as a project and makes sense economically. See the High School Building Project web page for specifics ( www.nhsbuildingproject.org ).

5 Reasons Why Norton Residents Should Go to First Night in Norton

2010-12-22T09:38:00.002-05:00

1. It is the kickoff event for Norton's 300th birthday. A great event here will set the tone for 2011 to be a great community building year that can actually draw the positive attention Norton deserves. A terrific turnout will affirm that all the hard work is worth it and that the rest of the planned events in 2011 have a chance to be truly special.
2. It has something for everyone. Truly, this is an event that has considered the needs of as many constituencies in Norton as possible, small children, teenagers, young adults, parents, older adults. The six hours have been planned so that a person can do something they enjoy for all or part of the night.
3. New Year's Eve should be about people getting out to celebrate in a positive way. Understood that some people like to have a quiet night at home with their love ones. However, for everyone else, there is often the problem of what to do and how much it will cost. Problem solved with First Night because what to do is already programmed into the night and the cost couldn't be better.
4. This event will not happen again for a long, long time. No one is talking (as far as I know) about wanting to do this every year. This is a special night to begin a special year, and people who miss out on it will probably regret the fact that they did. AND, they will have to wait 25, 50 or even 100 years to get to do it again. Why miss a once in a lifetime event?
5. A 300th celebration is meaningful. I remember as a child the Framingham 275th birthday, back in 1975, and I will never forget the events that I watched or took part in because I was so proud of my hometown for the entire celebration. I regret that I was not in this country to go back to the 300th celebration because I heard that it was even better. Lifetime (no matter the length of that life) residents of Norton should be proud of their "Nortonness" and get out there to celebrate every minute of the birthday they can.

Christmas List

2010-12-21T13:48:00.002-05:00

I have yet to get that super deluxe present that makes my life complete either for Christmas or for my birthday. My Kindle does come close, but even that does not make me feel whole or make me believe that money can, indeed, purchase happiness. Of course, we have been trying to do just that for our children and other relatives, but that is another story. So, I thought I would compose a list of other things that would make me feel good.

1. A solid effort every day by everyone in Norton High School.
2. More volunteers to help in the building.
3. Meaningful community service available to and completed by all students on a regular basis.
4. Feasible ways to be able to thank my amazing staff.
5. A full out focus on Respect, Responsibility and Kindness throughout the Norton Public Schools.
6. One small act of kindness per day by everyone to show we have gotten the message of Rachel's Challenge.
7. Enough snow to make this a true winter and provide enough water for later but timed strategically enough so that we do not have snow days or traffic issues.
8. A new, secret, express roadway to get me to and from school from home a but more quickly.
9. College acceptances for all of our seniors to the schools they want to attend.
10. Acceptance for all students who feel different.

Those would all make me feel very good about myself, this school and this community.

Meanwhile, I would be ok with a new winter jacket, a couple of the books I have been looking at in the store, a couple of shirts and ties, and that 25 hour day. I am pretty sure that most of those will be under some tree for me.

Holiday Season and Smart Decisions

2010-12-21T13:41:00.002-05:00

Just like every town in America, Norton is enjoying the return of college students to town for the holidays. It is great to see many of these former students back to visit and to share their experiences with adults and students. One highlight of this season will occur just after New Year's when students from the Class of 2010 come back to the school to share their first semester experiences with our current seniors. During this assembly, the college students will tell a bit about where they are, what they take and how college has gone so far. They will talk about what has come easily and where the challeneges are. Then, Seniors will be able to ask questions they have about the schools these students attend or about college in general. This tends to be a very productive assembly.

This time of year also brings a heightened sense of worry for us as the graduates who have come back travel around town to celebrate and to get together. Our hope is that they make some very sensible decisions about drinking (or other) and driving. The holidays tend to have at least one cautionary tale a year come from someone getting hurt or killed in Massachusetts. I hope that this year's cautionary tale does not emerge from Norton. Be smart and make very careful decisions this holiday as if your life or someone else's depends on it, because it does.

The Changing World

2010-11-29T15:00:00.002-05:00

While reading, At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson, I was amazed at all the changes in the world that had occurred to anyone who was born in the 1820s and lived to 1900. Then I thought a bit about my father. He was born in 1931, and he is still around today. What has he seen? Here is a list, in no particular order:

World War II, The Great Depression, the atomic bomb, fall out shelters, the Holocaust, the Space Age, men on the Moon, the Hubble Space Telescope, Voyager, the jet airplane, Polaroid pictures, FM radio, ballpoint pens, felt tip pens, the Internet, hand held calculators, graphing calculators, personal computers, lap tops, hand helds, IPads, IPods, hybrid cars, tupperware, velcro, bar codes, ATMs, superglue, teflon, helicopters, aqualungs, liquid paper, credit cards, permanent press clothing, soft contact lenses, cell phones, mobile devices, gene splicing, artificial organs, digital cameras, microwave ovens, VCRs, DVDs, floppy discs, thumb drives, post-it notes, walkman, Windows, photocopiers, fax machines, radar, Dopler Radar, video games, and, of course, Mr Potato Head.

These are just some of the things he has seen since his birth.

There are times in human history where everything seems to move and change at incredible speeds. Now is such a time. Keep track and think about what has changed since your birth. How has it affected you? How is your life better or worse from the changes? I know this; I would not go back in time to that many periods in history (too smelly, dark, dirty, inconvenient in most cases). Imagine just the fact that for a long time the most light anyone had in their homes came from their fire place and one or two candles. I think if I were to have to go back in time to live, the modern convenience I would most likely bring would be a good light (as long as it could stay powered). What about you?