August Update

We have a great year ahead of us...
Can't wait to get started!

The month of August is quickly passing and it is time for me to reach out to all of you, introduce myself and tell you a little bit about what we can look forward to this coming school year. The 2016-17 school year is going to be a fantastic year - so many exciting things are happening!

Many of you already know me but for those of you who don’t, I wanted to share a little bit about myself. Regional School District #18 is my heart and soul. I have spent 21 of my 25 years in public education in the Lyme-Old Lyme Public School System, as a Spanish teacher at the High School, and working with the District 18 World Language team as the World Language Coordinator facilitating and implementing a dynamic World Language program. As you can imagine, stepping out of the classroom and into the main office is an exciting opportunity for me and I am exhilarated by this new challenge.

Building, nurturing and maintaining caring relationships between faculty and students is part of the LOLHS culture, something that we have been working to further develop and improve. To that end, we have revised and developed a new and improved Advisory program, incorporating more opportunities for students and teachers to connect. We have implemented a schedule which will include a daily homeroom so that students will have a home base and one constant “go to” person who will be able to assist students when seeking information and help guide them through their high school journey. We have also assigned homework free weekends, one a quarter, to encourage students to “take a break” and balance their time and help them understand the importance of stepping back and enjoying some time with family and friends without the stress of academics.

Along with a new advisory program, the technology initiatives (1:1 and Canvas) are both extremely exciting. We will be spending this first semester getting both faculty and students comfortable with using the laptops and the learning management system (LMS). Our goal is to improve communication between students and faculty, to help students take responsibility for their learning and encourage independence.

Bottom line, this year is going to be chalked full... from building relationships to staying connected and present... there is so much to look forward to.

Enjoy the remaining days of summer and we look forward to seeing you soon.