Barnet School

Barnet School 163 Kid Row Barnet, VT 05821

phone: (802) 633 - 4978 fax: (802) 633 - 4497

WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL As I reflect on my fourth year at Barnet School I continue to feel very grateful for the opportunity to serve in such a warm and welcoming community. The community’s unwavering support of its school is commendable and very much appreciated. I also want to recognize our faculty and staff as dedicated and caring people who understand the importance of keeping the best interests of children in mind whenever decisions are made. Our students are interested in learning, enthusiastic, inquisitive, energetic, and well behaved (most of the time). We have good reasons to be proud of our school because it’s a very good school! As I noted in previous years, even very good schools can get better. We have been working hard to continue development of our school as a professional learning community with a focus on learning, rather than teaching. This shift in focus forces us to rethink our strategies and practices as we continue to ask ourselves the same three key questions. If Learning Is The Central Purpose Of Our School: 1.What do we expect students to learn? 2.How will we know what students have learned? 3.How will we, individually and as a school, respond to students who are not learning? In order to achieve the vision of a school that functions as a professional learning community, a school must have a “vision”. Faculty and staff developed a vision statement two years ago. The “Vision Statement” is printed below; its logo is on the following page: “We strive to be a supportive community of learners in which every member meets the highest standards. We do this through respecting differences, encouraging risk-taking, and questioning, collaborating, being creative, celebrating, finding joy in learning, reflecting, self-motivation, and self-discipline. We are becoming local and world citizens who honor the environment, people and cultures of the world.” As a faculty and staff, we are committed our vision and to school improvement through collaborative teaming and new initiatives. One such initiative is our new “Guided Study” program for grades 3-8 from 8:00-8:30 each day. The objectives are: To provide individual support for all students To provide regular time for individual student-teacher conferences To provide a structure and time for enrichment experiences, such as service learning, technology projects, instrumental lessons, algebra, writing, art extension, student leadership, etc. To provide time for classroom teachers, essential arts teachers, and special education teachers to extend instruction to struggling students To provide extended time for time-intensive instructional strategies, such as SSR (sustained silent reading, SSW (sustained silent writing), keyboarding, and math skills games At the eighth grade level we have regrouped students for math to improve our delivery of instruction and to include an algebra class. We are also revisiting our assessment practices based on new knowledge gained at a Formative Assessment Institute attended by Superintendent John Bacon, principals and teachers from the supervisory union this summer. We will keep families informed as new practices develop. We will continue to ask ourselves those challenging questions noted above, look at student work together, and further improve upon a collaborative culture that enhances student learning. Sincerely, Kerry Keenan, Principal

 

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