Enrichment Endeavors

Summer Edition

Meet Our Enrichment Coordinator 

Suzanne Penney is the Enrichment Coordinator for the Winnisquam Regional School District.  Ms. Penney has fourteen years of teaching experience in a variety of grade levels.  Most recently, she taught fourth and fifth grade at Southwick School.  Sue has taught summer school and worked as a private tutor for students ranging from Kindergarten through twelfth grade.  In addition, Ms. Penney  has worked as an educational consultant for the past five years presenting workshops for both teachers and parents at the district, regional and state level.   Some of her workshop topics include:    Increasing Student Motivation,  Improving the Home-School Connection,  How to Develop an Integrated Summer School Program and many others.

Some of the services that will be provided by the Enrichment Coordinator include: 

1. Providing teachers with strategies and tools they need to challenge students within the classroom

2. Acting as a link between students, parents/guardians, teachers and administrators

3. Tracking students to provide parents with updated information on student progress and growth

4. Providing additional activities beyond the school day

Sue is thrilled at this new challenge in her educational career and looks forward to working cooperatively with you, your child, and the Winnisquam School District staff.

Rolling on the River: Summer Institute

This summer the district will offer its first enrichment program for students entering grades 4-9. The seminar will be held from August 14 - 23, Tuesday through Thursday mornings at WRMS.  Teaching the students this summer are the following teachers: Susan Hewey, Cenanne Sanders, Chris Hampe and Jessica Strid. 

The theme was chosen due to our towns’ close location to rivers.  This unit will look at the historical importance of rivers for the development and sustainability of communities.  Students will investigate the ecosystems surrounding our local rivers.  Activities will include reading, writing, science, math and critical thinking skills.   If you are interested in your child participating, contact Suzan Gannett at 286-4116 ext.109.

Weaving Gifted Into the Full Fabric of Learning

by, Suzan Gannett, Director of Curriculum and Instruction

The Winnisquam Regional School District has been moving toward inclusion for all  students.  It is the belief that a full and rigorous curriculum is important for all students to be successful.  It is our duty as educators to know the needs of each of our students and to provide the necessary learning opportunities for them to continue to grow and succeed.  It is important to provide all our students with a curriculum rich in higher order thinking skills and an opportunity to accelerate learning. 

Teachers are focused on differentiated instruction,  We believe that by setting high standards for all our students, they will rise to meet them.  This will advance content and thinking rigor which means:

• including questions that require the student to use   analysis, synthesis, and evaluation ,

• making connections between the learning of skills and strategies to the application in the real world ,

• ·    excelling students to mastery and beyond on the state grade level expectations and grade span expectations,

• ·    adding higher level math courses to the middle school (additional Algebra I courses at the 8^th grade level and pre-algebra classes with support will be added in the 2007-08 school year),

•       advancing the activities and assignments in middle school English and Language Arts classes to align with high school course work,

•       adding higher level science courses in the 2008-2009 school year,

•       providing additional enrichment activities beyond the school day.

  Forging Positive Partnerships

         To ensure strong and positive communication between staff, students and the Enrichment Coordinator, Ms. Penney spent time at the Middle School, Sanbornton Central School and Southwick School interviewing both students and staff.  Students completed an interest survey, peer relationship/work survey and a questionnaire.   Knowing individuals’ interests and how they work cooperatively with peers will help teachers provide motivating and challenging lessons for all students.         

  Ms. Penney will be located at Winnisquam Regional Middle School and may be reached at 286-7143.  Her email is: spenney @ wrsdsau59.org.  Please feel free to contact her.   She will be working at WRMS, Southwick School and Sanbornton Central School throughout the week. 

  Save the Date: Parent Open House

  An Open House is planned for parents/guardians on August 28th at 6:00 pm at the WRMS Media Center.  Ms. Penney will present what enrichment will look like for the 2007-2008 school year.  This is an opportunity for you to ask questions about the restructure of the GAP Program.  Refreshments will be served and we hope that you will save this date on your calendar to meet before the start of the school year.

  The district has started a Gifted and Talented Committee, if you are interested in joining please contact Suzan Gannett at 286-4116.