Paul Schreiber

            I am grateful to have the opportunity to report about Sunderland Elementary School to the parents, guardians, and community members of the area we serve.  Earlier this year at a workshop related to student achievement, the speaker shared that the most important factor for student achievement is not determined by socio-economic status, curriculum, geography, or family background.  The number one factor in student success is the relationship between a student and a teacher, (“my teacher cares about me”).  We are in the “people business” in an environment of standardization, measurement and accountability.  Talented educators, on a daily basis, are pressured to focus on how students score on standardized tests as a single measure of success.  At SES, our goal is to continue to teach and reach the whole child, to engage children in learning, to help them become educated and well-rounded individuals.  In addition to our rigorous academic expectations, we provide opportunities for them to engage in community service, problem solving, effective communication, and the understanding and mastery of sophisticated technology tools.  We want them to discover their talents and passions, whether they are math, acting, writing, singing, drawing, leading, reading, athletics, environmentalism, technology, or simply being a good friend. The Sunderland Elementary School began the 2006-2007 school year with eight new staff members.  Included in the eight is a librarian, school-based clinician, Reading & Math Specialist, Speech & Language Pathologist, school nurse, two paraeducators and myself.   Although we began the year with these changes, some things remained the same.  We still have one teacher per grade level, Kinder – 6^th.  The classroom teachers are the same as last year, thus providing much-needed consistency for our students.  In our effort to continually grow professionally, we are beginning to incorporate the Professional Learning Community model with every faculty member.  This is due to the fact that I was afforded the privilege of attending a BRSU District sponsored PLC conference in the fall.  This will be a work in progress as we learn new ways to work collaboratively.  Another professional development opportunity afforded the staff is Responsive Classroom.  Almost the entire faculty and staff have enrolled in, and will complete by the end of January ‘07, a comprehensive 30-hour course.  This will greatly enhance not only the relationships between teacher and student but also between every adult in the building.  This, along with a new set of student expectations and consequences developed over the summer months, will create a harmonious environment with very little distraction due to negative behaviors.              A new school-wide action plan has been created with the assistance of the administration, faculty, staff, parents, and school board members.  Curriculum continuity through out all grade levels with an emphasis on mathematics and literacy is a top priority.  The development of a local assessment program specifically in the area of mathematics is another major step in achieving increased student success.  Faculty members continue to work closely with a literacy coach to assure the use of best practices in the classrooms.  In addition, a trainer from the Vermont State Math Institute has been working with all of our teachers to refine the effective delivery of our standards-based math program.  Finally, we will hold an evening math workshop for parents and students each grading period to help support our students’ needs at home.

            Another school-wide effort this year has been the enhancement of a positive school climate by reaching out to our parents and community to become active participants in both school events and classroom activities.  We enjoyed a full house as we celebrated Family & Friends Day presented by our faculty with lots of help from the PTA.  They were treated to a breakfast, served family-style, followed by a multitude of teacher developed classroom activities involving the children.  The Fall Festival Concert was extremely well attended and treated the community to a wonderful performance by our students. 

               The first of three 6-week sessions of our after-school club program began in September.  The program, funded by an enrichment grant, provides experiences beyond the regular school day and curriculum for students grades K-6.  This year’s offerings include math games, technology enrichment, sign language, outdoor hiking, snow-shoeing and other activities, arts & crafts, Spanish, and homework help.  In addition, an after school drama club has been created and a major production of the Broadway play Annie will be performed by the Sunderland Players in May.              Last school year, a small group of community members brought together a petition to close Sunderland Elementary School.  An aging school building, combined with declining enrollment, and low test scores led to an “in need of improvement” label by No Child Left Behind Act standards. The school closing initiative has been put on Sunderland’s town voting ballot (and defeated) twice by populous vote in a nine month period.  The school closing advocates have been very public about their intentions to continue the campaign.  The children began the year very insecure, not knowing when and if they will be transferred to another school.  Heated debates have ensued, tempers are flaring, and the local press is printing an endless stream of nasty stories about the town.  However amidst all the chaos, something really amazing has happened in Sunderland.The community came together to save the school.  Town meetings registered their highest attendance in years.  The community elders began interfacing with young families.  Retirees began taking a keen interest in the local school and seemingly everyone had an idea to improve the school.  Somewhere along the way, the town began to realize that the Sunderland community had become apathetic to its own local issues.  The school closing initiative has been a fantastic catalyst for change.  Parents and community members came together to transform the school grounds into a public park and recreation center.  The scope of the project included removing the old rusted defunct playground equipment, adding new playground equipment, refurbishing a basketball court, adding a baseball diamond and soccer field, painting the interior and exterior of the school, creating an outdoor classroom, installing BBQ grills, building birdhouses, painting inspirational signs, and transforming a swampy area into a reclaimed wetland — complete with a science investigation area and nature walk.  Sunderland applied for, and won a Home Depot/KaBOOM grant to provide $6,250 in seed money to start the project. Town members raised another $20,000+ in fundraising donation and in-kind materials to fund the new park.  The mission was on to save the school, and in doing so, bring our community together.  Well we did it! On Saturday, September 16^th, we held a “Community Build Day” and completed the project in a single day, with the help of over 100 volunteers from the local community…that only has 805 residents!  It was a regular small town “barn-raising” in the spirit of old Vermont.  As one volunteer put it, “I’ll probably never experience anything like this again in my life!”  It was a most amazing community event, and this Vermont spirit was reflected in a slide show presentation during the official dedication ceremony on Friday, September 29^th.   Along with the dedication ceremony, there was a community pot-luck, BBQ, tour of our new play space, and speeches by Vermont’s very own Governor Jim Douglas as well as various organizers and friends of Sunderland.

Summer School Extension Camps are planned again this year as well.  The program will offer opportunity to further engage our students in continued support of their skills in literacy and mathematics.  The summer camp program will also offer opportunities to engage in challenging expansion of curriculum learning through scientific and math experimentation, technology, literacy studies and art.

            There is certainly much to look forward to as Sunderland Elementary School continues to grow into the respectable learning institution the students and community members so rightfully deserve.                                                                         Respectfully submitted by Paul Schreiber, Principal

   As we leave winter and enter springtime, there are many exciting activities on the horizon here at SES.  Whether it’s our spring concert, Green-Up Day, Broadway Jr. production, or spring recess, there’s plenty to keep us busy for the rest of the school year.  Please be sure to check out the school events calendar on our awesome website (www.sunderlandschool.com) to keep up top date on all the events.     On a personal note, I want to personally thank each and every one of you who came out to Town Meeting as well as to those who voted in favor of our budget.  I understand your concerns regarding the increase from last year and truly hope you understand where the increase is occurring.  Please feel free to stop in or call if you would like to discuss any budget or assessment scores concerns.  Just know that your confidence in Sunderland Elementary School is encouraging and I assure you it will not be taken for granted.  The
entire SES staff is all the more committed to the process of bringing a quality education to each and every SES student.

           I am grateful to have the opportunity to once again report about Sunderland Elementary School to the parents, guardians, and community members of the area we serve.  The Sunderland Elementary School began the 2007-2008 school year with nine new staff members.  The new additions consist of a 5^th grade classroom teacher, physical education teacher, music teacher, computer lab instructor, an additional nurse and four paraeducators.   Although we began the year with these changes, a majority of the classroom teachers have returned, thus providing much-needed consistency for our students.  In our effort to continually grow professionally, we are incorporating the Professional Learning Communities approach with every faculty member.  The faculty is working within this collaborative model on a monthly basis.  By meeting in this manner, greater communication across grade levels can occur and all involved in the process benefit greatly.  We are working in close partnership with both Glenna Taxter, the BRSU reading coach and Connie Cannon, the BRSU math coach, to enhance our literacy and math program.  We are continuing to use the Responsive Classroom strategies we learned last school year when we all participated in the comprehensive 30-hour course.  This has greatly enhanced not only the relationships between teacher and student but also between every adult in the building.  Along with a new set of student expectations, we are creating a harmonious environment with few distractions due to negative behavior. 

            In the area of direct instruction and academic content area, there is much improvement being made. We recently purchased new spelling, vocabulary and handwriting textbooks for all grades in order to promote the concept of consistency and common language throughout the school.  At the time of this writing, the entire faculty is in the process of reviewing and ultimately adopting a new kindergarten through sixth grade reading program.  This, along with the previously mentioned curriculum additions, will create a truly comprehensive and effective literacy program for all SES students.  Revised math textbooks were also purchased for the start of this school year in order to provide up-to-date instructional practices in the area of mathematics.  This, along with the daily student interventions by our Reading and Math Specialist, has produced significant gains in student academics.

In our attempt to offer a multitude of extracurricular opportunities, we have increased our after school enrichment program this year from three sessions to four.  The first of the four 6-week sessions began in September.  This program, funded by an enrichment grant, provides experiences beyond the regular school day and curriculum for students grades K-6.  This year’s offerings include math games, Reader’s Theatre, yoga, violin ensemble, concert band, technology enrichment, cooking & baking, snow-shoeing, arts & crafts, Spanish language, and of course, Broadway Junior.  Daniel Timmermans, our new music teacher, has graciously shared his own collection of musical instruments with all the students who participated in his after school club.  Of course, the school year wouldn’t be complete without another awe-inspiring Broadway-style production.  This year’s major production will be “Willy Wonka Junior” and will be performed by the Sunderland Players in May. 

Another school-wide effort has been the continual enhancement of a positive school climate by reaching out to our parents and community to become active participants in both school events and classroom activities.  We once again enjoyed a full house as we celebrated Family & Friends Day presented by our faculty with lots of help from the PTA.  They were treated to a breakfast, served family-style, a video slide show explaining our Operation Respect program, and finally, a multitude of teacher developed classroom activities involving the children.  In November, the SES students were treated to a private performance by Peter Yarrow, from the legendary folk group Peter, Paul & Mary.  Peter sang songs and shared his anti-bullying program called Operation Respect.  The students had a great time and it truly was a beautiful experience for all involved.  Later that evening, Peter played at Northshire Bookstore and shared with the standing-room only crowd his visit to SES and how absolutely incredible the Sunderland students were. What has come to be known as our annual holiday caroling for the Sunderland and Arlington community seniors was once again a huge success as we delighted them with enchanting holiday songs, both sung as well as instrumental.  The SES Winter Holiday Concert was also tremendous success as family and community members got a glimpse of the variety of talents our students possess.  The students played their respective after school club musical instruments consisting of violins, trumpets, saxophones, cymbals and much more.  This, along with beautiful vocals, made for a truly memorable evening.  We look forward to the spring concert with great enthusiasm as we know it holds much promise.

Summer extension programs are planned again this year as well.  The program will offer an opportunity to further engage our students in continued support of their skills in literacy and mathematics.  The summer camp program will also offer opportunities to engage in challenging expansion of curriculum learning through scientific and math experimentation, technology, literacy studies and art.

At SES, our goal continues to be about teaching and reaching the whole child.  We strive to engage children in learning, to help them become educated and well-rounded individuals.  In addition to our rigorous academic expectations, we provide opportunities for them to engage in community service, problem solving, effective communication, and the understanding and mastery of sophisticated technology tools.  We want them to discover their talents and passions, whether they are in math, acting, writing, singing, drawing, leading, reading, athletics, environmentalism, technology, or simply being a good friend.  The bar is being raised for every student at SES.  Faculty and staff are expecting the students to rise to new levels; academically, emotionally and socially.  We are starting to see some truly amazing results.

There is certainly much to look forward to as Sunderland Elementary School continues to grow into the respectable learning institution the students and community members so rightfully deserve. Respectfully submitted by Paul Schreiber, Principal

As we spend time during this holiday season, let’s be sure to celebrate all the good in our lives.  The students are being pushed to reach their full potential each and every day.  The bar is consistently being raised here at SES and the students are experiencing success in so many areas.  Our “All-School Monday Morning Celebration” continues to be a beautiful time of sharing, celebrating successes, singing songs, and much more.  As always, families and community members are invited to join us any Monday morning from 8:00—8:30.   The visit by our friend Peter Yarrow, from the legendary music group Peter, Paul & Mary was an amazing time of discovery & song.  The students participated in role playing, question & answer sessions, sharing of experiences, and of course, plenty of singing.  Peter then performed at Northshire Bookstore that evening and, during his performance, talked in great length about the beautiful students at Sunderland Elementary!  More info will be reported regarding his exact statements in the very near future. So, all in all, there is much to be thankful for this holiday season.  On behalf of the entire SES faculty & staff, I wish you health, happiness and a wonderful new year! Sincerely, Mr. Schreiber 

After addressing the areas of: 

Wow, we are having a great start to the 2007-2008 school year!  There is so much excitement in the air as students and teachers are working together, projects are being tackled, friendships are forming, and learning is taking place just about everywhere you look.It is with great pleasure that I continue as principal of SES.  I look forward to meeting with the families of each and every one of our students throughout the year.  It is extremely important for there to be quality communication between home and school so please do not hesitate to call me any time you have a concern, a success story, or just to say hello. It is very important to me to thank all those incredible volunteers who continually take time out of their schedules to help make

Well, here we are…the very last month of the 2006-2007 school year and there is certainly much to look back on with great pride.  As I began my time here in the summer of 2006, I was only vaguely aware as to what the road ahead would look like.  There were certainly many obstacles on the path.  Together, with the SES faculty and staff, amazing parents, and community support, we were able to overcome these obstacles.  I must also recognize the BRSU for their tremendous assistance throughout the school year in so many areas as well as a school board that is absolutely dedicated to the success and well-being of every SES student. So, as you can see, there are many folks involved in making our little school such a great place to attend.  As I head into my second summer at SES, I will be looking to add many new programs as well as enhance what is already in place.  I ask for your continued support and energy.  This school has still so much to offer.  We only need to tap into its many resources to gain access. I truly hope you have a wonderful summer filled with lots of sunshine, laughter, joy and above all, love.

As we head into the final quarter of the school year, there are certainly no signs of slowing down.  Upcoming field trips, DRA testing, a fourth grade science NECAP pilot test, final assessments, musical concerts, a major theatrical production, green-up day and graduations are just a few of the items on our agenda.  This is truly an exciting time of the year! 

     If you haven’t already, I urge you to check out Sunderland’s website.  It is full of more

Ahhh spring!!!  Things here at SES are moving along very well.  The CAP, JISP & Skate programs were huge successes with many paricipants.  Many thanks go out to all those parents and community members who volunteered their time driving and supervising. 
     The faculty and staff at SES spent the professional development day on March 19th at MEMS working with all the other teachers within the BRSU.  It was a wonderful time as we were afforded the opportunity to learn and share ideas with our peers.
     Technology update:  We recently purchased six brand new computers.  By doing so, we now have twelve computers in our computer lab as well as one computer acting as a dedicated server for all the other computers in the building.  As the world becomes more and more technological, it is our goal that

As you are probably already aware, all of our students who took the Development Reading Assessment met the standard or met the standard with honors. We have just received notice on the NECAP’s.  Our student population has improved in all testing areas! In mathematics, we exceeded the state average of 63% by scoring in the 68th percentile.  This represents an increase of 44% over last year’s math score! In 2004-2005 our reading scores were in the 44th percentile and this year our scores were 63%.  The state average for reading is 74%.  Writing scores have improved as well as we scored 44% against the state average of 49%.  Although we saw great improvement in testing areas we continue to strive for educational excellence.  Our teachers and our students are working very hard in all academic areas.  The teachers have attended numerous workshops in improving their skills in the classroom.  The students are receiving extra help from the faculty and, through grant monies, we were able to hire a full time reading and math specialist who works directly with students.  Our goal is to continue developing and implementing steps in not just maintaining, but improving, a positive academic environment in our school.  My congratulations go out to all the students, faculty, staff and family members for a job well done!