Moving Forward? You Bet!

(This article was published in the Carriage Towne News back in February and is being reprinted here.)


The Sanborn Regional School Board established a goal to become one of the top 10% school districts in the State, as measured by a number of indicators. I would like to take the opportunity to share with you some of the progress we are making toward that goal. There are plenty of things that suggest we are well on our way to achieving the goal.

Our recent NECAP scores continue to show significant improvement, moving more and more students into the highest scoring levels in all three areas (Reading, Math, and Writing). This is but one measure that we use to gage the success of our curriculum. Other measures include a nationally referenced assessment (NWEA), and a variety of local assessments.

The Sanborn Regional School District is leading the State in the use of competencies and reporting out competence on a standards-based report card. The new student management system (Pinnacle) will allow us to further differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students.

The professional development opportunities for all staff (largely grant funded), provide staff with the necessary training and support to further enhance their skills and provide a solid education to our students. Teachers are working harder than ever to learn the new systems and refine their lessons.

The development, approval, and implementation of the Strategic Plan provides the backdrop for the development of the budget, program reviews, the improvement to facilities, and the increased use of technology district wide. The proposed budget this year is lower than the default budget, signaling a “tightening of the belt” and a review of district programs. Technology is being enhanced in the district to provide teachers and students with 21st century tools for a 21st century education.

The Sanborn Regional School District is well on its’ way to becoming an educational leader in the State. I look forward to your continued support as we strive to achieve our goal. If you have any questions or concerns about the proposed budget or either of the contracts, please contact me directly at bblake@sau17.org. I will gladly respond. We also have another public forum scheduled for March 3, 2011 at the Memorial School in Newton. The forum is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.