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08/22/2018 08:30 AMAs summer nears its end, students from Old Saybrook Schools are getting ready for another school year. The first day of school for students this year will be on Wednesday, Aug. 29.
For more information about each school, PTA or Board of Education meeting dates, curriculum, or even school bus routes, visit the Old Saybrook Public Schools webpage at oldsaybrookschools.org.
Key OS Schools Dates
Thursday, Aug. 23: 1 p.m., middle school—new student orientation
Friday, Aug. 24, 9 a.m., high school new student orientation: Grade 9
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 10 a.m.: Goodwin Elementary School: Kindergarten Bus Ride
Wednesday, Aug. 29—First school day for students
Thursday, Aug. 30 and Friday, Aug. 31—High school freshman retreat, Camp Hazen
Thursday, Sept. 6: 5 p.m., OSMS Open House
Monday, Sept. 10: OSMS Picture Day
Tuesday, Sept. 11: 6:30 p.m., College Senior Planning Night, OSHS
Thursday, Sept. 13: High school open house
Thursday, Sept. 27: Goodwin Elementary School open house
Staff and Enrollment Shifts
There will be only one new certified teacher in the district this year. Michael Flaegler has been hired as a certified English teacher at Old Saybrook High School, replacing an English teacher who retired at the end of the last school year.
Based on the success of last year’s staff-sharing arrangement with the Westbrook Public Schools, Superintendent of Schools Jan Perruccio plans to continue sharing the costs and hours of one full-time behavioral analyst (60 percent for Westbrook, 40 percent for Old Saybrook) and one full-time English language learner (ELL) teacher (50 percent for each district).
Perruccio has also negotiated a similar staff-sharing arrangement with the Region 4 schools in Chester, Deep River, and Essex. Old Saybrook has posted to hire a full-time social worker, but like the Westbrook arrangement, the costs and hours of the individual hired will be divided evenly between the two districts.
“By sharing, its makes good use of both districts’ resources. It’s really a good model for small school districts seeking efficiencies without compromising quality,” said Perruccio, noting that o make it successful, “It’s important to lay out the ground rules for supervision and hiring decision-making prior to starting the hiring process.”
In each case, one district hires the teacher or staff member as a full-time staff member and the other district pays for the individual’s hours as if they were contract services.
This year some staff have shifted from one school to another in order to fill open slots, as enrollment in the lower grades continues to decline. As of June, the average elementary school class size (kindergarten through grade 3) was 76 students. At Old Saybrook High School, on the other hand, the average class size is between 106 and 127 students.
Programming Changes
New this year at Old Saybrook High School are two new courses and two new options for students to have additional credentials recognized on their diplomas.
The first of the two new courses is called Exploramos. Offered as a one-credit class to students in grades 11 and 12, the course will allow students to apply their Spanish skills in authentic ways in community-based activities. According to the district, it is designed “as an alternative to Advanced Placement Spanish for students who wish to continue the study of Spanish. The course will continue to improve students’ proficiency in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing as well as deepen their cultural understanding of the Hispanic world.”
The second course is called Advanced Research Methods. This course is described as a college-level course in research methods and practices. The course will offer students “the chance to explore an idea, probe an issue or solve a problem utilizing proper research methodology.” In the first semester, students will develop fundamental skills for the design and application of research in the biological, environmental, marine, or physical sciences, including experimental design and data analysis. The second semester will be for research and field work along with discussions and presentations, culminating in a final project.
“The theme of these courses [and English in Action, which started last year] is to break down silos, to put all of the [academic] skills in every subject,” said Perruccio.
Two new high school teacher stipends were added this year: a capstone project coordinator and a link crew coordinator, whose job is to coordinate a program to help students get special training and to oversee their mentoring of other students, helping to give those students a voice.
The two high school credentials students can now earn are two Connecticut State Board of Education-endorsed seals, which can be added to student transcripts and diplomas. The first is the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy, to be affixed to the high school diploma and transcript of students “with mastery of two or more languages.” The second is the Connecticut Seal of Global Engagement, to be offered “to students who have successfully completed a global education curriculum and engaged in co-curricular activities and experiences that foster the development of global competencies and global citizenship.”
At the middle school, teacher volunteers are piloting standards-based performance reporting. In this approach, staff compare students’ growth over time to a standard as well as to the student’s prior performance.
At the middle school, staff and administrators continue to grow the number of students involved in extra-curricular activities connected to Old Saybrook Middle School. This includes intra-mural sports, clubs, theater/drama, and other programs. The Safe Boating Program last year graduated 30 students who earned a Department of Energy & Environment Safe Boating license. And the Homework Club is another popular after-school option. Ninety percent of the middle school students now participate in one or more of these activities, according to Perruccio.
At Goodwin Elementary School, there will be a slight shift in how specials teachers enrich the student experience. Starting this year, art, music, and other specials teachers will enrich specific academic lessons by coming in to students’ regular classrooms.
“There will be more collaborating, more inter-disciplinary work, more authentic learning experiences,” said Perruccio. “We’re breaking down the silos.”
Facilities
At the high school, a project to substitute concrete sidewalks for asphalt ones was completed. Also finished were projects to clean up the high school courtyard, update the appearance and furniture of the high school cafeteria, and an upgrade to the equipment and appearance of the weight training room, which is now 20 years old. This fall, the now unused underground oil storage tank will be removed.
At the middle school, the front canopy has been refurbished and pressure-washed and the middle school fields are getting an irrigation system for the first time to help the grass remain strong.
Throughout the school system, new security measures have been implemented including the installation of infra-red cameras to monitor outdoor areas and improve night views. More electronic door entry swipe spots were also added.
“All parents and visitors to the schools will now, when entering, have to come to the office, provide a photo ID, and have it scanned. Then a photo badge will be issued with the visitor’s destination in the school,” said Perruccio. “For big events, per-reservation will be required so you will have a badge waiting for you.”
Meal Plan
This year the price of meals in the Old Saybrook Schools cafeterias has been increased slightly. At Old Saybrook High School, breakfast remains $2.50, but the lunch prices are now $3.50 and a new choice, the lunch alternate, is set at $4.50. At the Old Saybrook Middle School, the price for breakfast remains $2.25 and the price of lunch has gone up to $3.25. At the Goodwin Elementary School, the price for breakfast is $2.50 and the price for lunch went up to $3.50. The cost of milk is now 65 cents.