A new clock greets new and returning students to Haverhill High School. The clock reportedly cost $24,000. (WHAV News photograph.)
Throughout the month of August, WHAV provides a daily report counting down to the first day of school in Greater Haverhill.
A representative of the state Department of Education will be at Silver Hill Horace Mann Charter School for a meeting on Monday, Aug. 14, to begin planning the process of ending the school’s charter.
The meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at Silver Hill, is a state requirement triggered when the school lost its bid to renew its charter.
Principal Margaret Shepherd said parents, students, teachers, and anyone who identifies as a stakeholder in the school is invited. The purpose of the meeting is to provide clear information about of the school’s current operating status.
Claire Smithney of the Department of Education Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign, contacted Silver Hill’s Board of Trustees to set up the meeting. Smithney will be Silver Hill’s contact at the education department as the school transitions back to the Haverhill Public School District.
The Haverhill Public School District’s major project for the 2017-2018 school year is to launch two programs designed to build the academic profiles and potential of students.
At the elementary level, administrators have turned to a data analytics company called Renaissance to deliver Renaissance Flow 360, geared to kindergartners through eighth-graders. It emphasizes innovative teacher training, reading and math instruction, and lesson planning.
Haverhill High School will expand its relationship with Chyten, an educational services company that will offer private school-level tutoring, test preparation and college counseling to juniors and seniors.
“Both programs were developed in close consultation with classroom teachers, who are most responsible for improved student test scores and other achievement indicators,” said Superintendent James F. Scully.
“We’re thrilled to offer this program to our students,” Haverhill High School Principal Beth Kitsos said. “We want to see all our students find a college that’s a perfect fit, and this is an important next step to achieving this goal.”
Methuen Public Schools After School K-8 21st Century Program was awarded $150,000 by the Massachusetts Department of Education to expand its programming to Methuen High School students. This grant will serve a minimum of 40 freshman and and sophomore students during the school year and during the summer.
Students will be offered programming that includes homework help, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) project-based learning, health and wellness education, academic support — particularly math, science, college and career readiness activities — and service learning activities. Program development starts this fall. Students are expected to begin participating in the program after the Christmas holiday break.
Elementary students will be offered a Lego Robotics program using the new Innovation Lab at Methuen High School. For elementary and high school students, a program called “Flying in the Future: Drones, Careers and Competitions,” will also take place in the high school innovation lab. Both of these programs also are expected to begin in January.
Haverhill Public Schools open their doors to students in grades 1 through 12 on Tuesday, Aug. 29. Kindergarten begins Sept. 5. All Haverhill students will attend for a half-day on Friday, Sept. 1, and enjoy a day off for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4.
Regional first days are:
Pentucket: Aug. 31
Timberlane: Sept. 5
Methuen: Aug. 29
Whittier: Aug. 29 for freshmen and new students; Aug. 30 for all students
Do you have a submission for the Back-to-School Countdown? Email information to [email protected]. Tune in tomorrow for more back-to-school information.
Lisa Begley……do you have the nerve to show your face at the meeting at Silver Hill on Monday?