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at In June 2008 Louise Doyle retired from the leveled-reader book room became a widely used
<br /> I. Mashpee Public School System. Mrs. Doyle began as resource for teachers and students. Each student
<br /> Y. a teacher in 1986, became assistant principal of the needs to be reading daily at his/her independent read-
<br /> n. Mashpee Middle School in 1994, principal of the ing level.We operated an after-school MCAS tutoring
<br /> ly Quashnet River School in 1996 and principal of the program to provide additional academic remediation
<br /> Coombs School in 2000 where she remained until her and test preparation practice for a targeted group of
<br /> retirement. Mrs. Doyle was a consummate profes- low-performing students. Five half-day professional
<br /> Ig sional dedicated to the students, families and staff of learning opportunities were built into the school year.
<br /> er Mashpee. Our wish is that she looks back with pride On these five afternoons,members of our staff worked
<br /> n. and satisfaction on years well-lived and looks forward in grade-level teams analyzing student performance
<br />�r. to all the things she's yet to enjoy. Congratulations on open-response questions, discussing and sharing
<br /> ed and best wishes! effective instructional strategies, and planning for stu-
<br /> ad dent improvement. Many of our teachers took advan-
<br /> pg Christa McAuliffe once said, "Reach for the tage of graduate-level courses offered by the District
<br /> to stars.Be yourself,try your best, and never be afraid to as part of the professional development plan. These
<br /> to dream." As a team of professionals, parents, students opportunities enhanced content-area knowledge and j
<br /> as and community, we reach for the stars by recognizing methods of instruction used in our classrooms.
<br /> to that the only way to move forward in improving
<br /> ric instruction, student achievement and professionalism, The Massachusetts curriculum frameworks
<br />.he is to move forward together. Thank you to our stu- guide our instruction. Our students are well prepared
<br /> lit. dents, families, staff members and community mem- for the annual MCAS assessment. Our goal is for
<br /> s)), bers for making the Coombs School, "A GREAT every student to score in the proficient or advanced
<br /> and PLACE TO GROW IN CREATING TOMORROW'S performance category. Much work still needs to be
<br /> DREAMS". done. The percentage of students scoring in the profi-
<br /> cient and advanced performance categories on the
<br /> ve- Report of the 2008 MCAS were as follows: In English/Language
<br /> s Arts: Grade 6-73%; Grade 5-67%; Grade 4—
<br /> the
<br />" Quashnet School 42%; Grade 3-59%; and for Mathematics: Grade
<br /> m. 6-46%; Grade 5-57%; Grade 4-42%; and Grade
<br /> hin 3-55%; and Grade 5 Science/Technology-61%.
<br /> on At the Quashnet School we strive to create and When we study the same students over time, we note
<br />,ds maintain a safe and respect-filled learning environ- that steady progress is being made.
<br /> ool ment in which each student's academic achievement is
<br /> TO maximized and each student's social and emotional Quashnet School Council members for the 2007-
<br /> Dol well-being is nurtured. Responsibility, respect, and 2008 school year included Patricia DeBoer, interim
<br /> ing
<br /> self-esteem are developed. Students, teachers, admin- principal;Colleen Terrill and Robin Geggatt,teachers;
<br /> to istrators, parents, and community members share in and Jennifer LeFavor, Calean LaCroix, and Jane
<br /> rs ; creating unity, pride, and educational success –creat- Dolan, parents. The School Improvement Plan devel-
<br /> Jan Ing tomorrow's dreams. Our highly qualified teachers oped by the council included four goals—a goal to j
<br /> the and support staff, a rigorous academic program with improve student achievement in English/language
<br /> rrs high expectations for each student, and our Positive arts, a goal to improve student achievement in mathe-
<br />:ids Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) program matics, a goal focused on providing a safe learning
<br /> age are important contributing factors to reaching our environment in which a culture of respect and respon-
<br /> on. goals. We are proud of our students and our programs. sibility is emphasized, and finally, a goal to increase
<br /> St. parental involvement in our school in order to maxi-
<br /> We Several programs and practices were put in place mize student learning and enrich our school environ-
<br /> tad during the school year to improve student achieve- ment. Both student academic achievement goals were
<br /> ak- ment. This year marked the first year of our enrich- tied to our students' MCAS performance.
<br /> eq ment program designed to better meet the learning
<br /> Al needs of our top-performing students. We were in the Officers of the Quashnet School Parent/Teacher
<br /> third year of our Reading Street language arts and Organization (PTO) for the 07-08 school year were
<br /> reading program. Targeted instruction of skills and Consuelo Carroll, president; Kristen Boyd, vice-pres-
<br /> rss• strategies to improve student learning took place in ident; Kathryn Perrone, treasurer; Lorraine Murphy,
<br /> lent small guided reading groups within the classroom. secretary; and Jen Bohnenberger, public-relations and
<br /> ved Read Naturally, a program designed to improve a stu- media. During the school year, the PTO held several
<br /> ace dent's reading fluency and comprehension, was made successful fundraisers: the sale of cookie dough in the
<br /> available to all students identified with this need. Our
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