Dear Readers of the Head of School Page,
This is year two of my HOS Page. Last year I found it challenging to keep it up, but have vowed to do a better job this year. My page will include each of my monthly reports to the trustees. These reports will contain a variety of information that relates to the various aspects of doing business at The Grammar School from the perspective of the Head of School. I think you will find some interesting bits of information in these reports.
Periodically, I will add notes and thoughts from my writings in the Wednesday Notice and our semi annual publication Roots and Wings. If there are certain items you would like me to address here on my HOS page or in The Wednesday Notice, please send me a message to slorenz@thegrammarschool.org.
Sincerely,
Steve Lorenz
September 2011 Head of School Report
Dear Trustees,
I hope this note finds you all healthy and enjoying the last remnants of the summer. I think you will find, by reading the Administrative Reports, that we are off to a very good start here at TGS. We have been saddened by the passing of Edmund Brelsford, a former parent, current grandparent, trustee, and a true friend and fan of The Grammar School. There is a brief piece about him in the Wednesday Notice and our next issue of Roots and Wings will be dedicated to his memory and honor his commitment to TGS. If you are not on our Wednesday Notice mail list please let me know.
I hope this note finds you all healthy and enjoying the last remnants of the summer. I think you will find, by reading the Administrative Reports, that we are off to a very good start here at TGS. We have been saddened by the passing of Edmund Brelsford, a former parent, current grandparent, trustee, and a true friend and fan of The Grammar School. There is a brief piece about him in the Wednesday Notice and our next issue of Roots and Wings will be dedicated to his memory and honor his commitment to TGS. If you are not on our Wednesday Notice mail list please let me know.
There are many meetings, moments, events, and important encounters I could report on. However, most of my work over the last month can be reflected in the other Administrative Reports and your Trustee Committee Reports, as I venture to be both participatory and supportive of the TGS team. Day to day interactions with students and parents, after school meetings, visiting, and meeting with faculty and staff fill my days and are important to the well being of the school.
I believe that the courses of action that Ray and the Executive Committee are setting in terms of long term planning for the physical plant and the financing of our institution over the next five years are critical and important.
The current strategic plan (which sunsets in the 2012-2013 school year), is calling out for a redirecting of our signposts and goals. Most of the faculty related goals are accomplished, leaving some of the staff/trustee goals remaining. These will be addressed in the Building and Grounds and Finance plans that you will be helping to develop and set in motion. This work will dovetail with our ten year NEASC Self Study and Reaccreditation, and set the stage for our next five year TGS Strategic Plan.
As I look at the various administrative reports, I must applaud Deb and Tara for their vigilance and once again managing to end the year with a surplus. I thank Chris Harlow for his one man Director of Physical Plant and Transportation “show," and for substitute bus driving for Tammy the last three weeks as she recovers from a medical condition. I appreciate Mary Heller Osgood for her willingness to wear many hats, her keeping TGS in the news and her dedication to the school.
I would like to once again welcome Pauline O’Brien and Phil Blood. As you can see by their reports they have recognized the work that needs to be done and have jumped right in. Looking at Pauline and Phil’s reports, there is no doubt that these are the two departments/offices, that you as the trustees (individually and in committee), and I as the Head of School, must support with as much of our energy and time as possible.
We, you and I, must once again hit our fundraising goals and prepare for the next capital campaign by cultivating and stewarding a new donor base. We must also turn the tide on what appears to be a shrinking enrollment and population base in southern Vermont and southern New Hampshire, by marketing (at all turns and using every means possible) what we all know to be a quality educational product delivered by The Grammar School faculty on a daily basis.
Based on our 2011parent survey, and the feedback Phil and I are receiving from our new parents and students, I would say we are very well positioned to advance The Grammar School in a positive manner on all fronts. We must, as our mission statement indicates, work in a conscious partnership of parents, students, and teachers to integrate high expectations for achievement, creativity, self-discipline, and social responsibility. We must help to insure that we cultivate in each student a lifelong enthusiasm for learning and a desire to contribute constructively to society and that our program provides students with an excellent academic, artistic, athletic and ethical foundation.
We will fulfill our mission by securing the school financially, by hiring the best staff and faculty available, and by enrolling students who embody the core values of the school. The future of the Grammar School is in our hands and I am confident that we will collectively set a course that will guarantee another 50 years of success.
Steve Lorenz, Head of School
August 2011
Head of School Report
Dear Trustees,
The countdown is on already. As one of our students informed me yesterday, there are 18 days left to the start of school! Crazy! I hope this note finds you all in good health and having had an enjoyable and relaxing summer. My wife and I were able to take two one week stints to get away, which were enjoyable.
Much of my time this summer was spent being available and visible during summer camps, helping to transition Phil and Pauline, meeting with staff and faculty, touching base with the executive committee of the trustees, and planning for the upcoming school year!
Phil and Pauline have worked hard to make the transition a smooth one. I have met with them many times over the summer. Please note my plans to continue supporting them in my HOS goals for the coming school year, which are below.
My report for August will focus on three areas: new technology/software solutions that will make our administrative staff more productive and the school run more efficiently; my Head of School goals for the 2011-2012 school year; and the schedule of the summer faculty/staff inservice days.
Respectfully submitted,
Steve Lorenz, Head of School
inResonance and New School Yard-Our New Partners in Advancing TGS
In an effort to continue to advance the school and position us strongly for the next 5, 10, 50 years we have made three “capacity building” commitments/decisions that I believe will greatly enhance our position in the areas of efficient administrative and customer service operations in the main office, the development office, and the admissions office.
In concert with the executive committee and the administrative team, we researched and then decided to make a commitment to empowering our professional administrators with 21st century simple but powerful tools that will help us to accomplish our mission by harnessing the appropriate technology. With this decision, The Grammar School will be investing in two software programs and a new website.
Sandbox is a software program that will allow us to: manage student, family and personnel data; to track admissions, enrollment/re-enrollment, daily attendance, emergency contacts, financial aid applicants, required forms; and to produce merged letters, class lists,the school directory, reports and lists, mailing labels, and name tags. In addition, the Sandbox program will provide web services that include but are not limited to: online attendance, online family directory, family information updating, and teacher pages.
The Generations program will provide the Development Office with the tools to: manage gifts, funds, campaigns, prospects, pledge payments, multiple addresses, correspondence, attributes; to track pledges, cash gifts, matching gifts, stock gifts, gifts in kind, soft credits, contacts; and to produce integrated reports, letters and labels.
Our contract with inResonance provides for 5 days of on site training and data integration and conversion as well as continued support. Training and conversion for the Sandbox program will occur in October and the Generations program in November.
**The cost of this program will come from the money allocated to the Capital Expenditure Budget (PPRRSM) over the course of two fiscal years and via fundraising.
Finally, with Phil Blood’s guidance and research, we have purchased the services of New School Yard, who will recreate our website and web services for both our external and internal customers (parent, staff, faculty, trustees). This will occur over the course of 12-15 weeks and be completed by the end of the first semester.The funds for this will come from the admissions and marketing budget, with a small amount from developmen,t and will be paid over two fiscal years.
The Head of School Goals for 2011-2012
Please find below my proposed goals for the 2011-2012 school year.
I would expect the trustees to respond to my proposed goals and add or delete from them
as appropriate and in concert with the HOS.
Support the transition, education and work of the new DOD and DOA.
*This has begun and will continue for the year. As per Pauline and Phil’s report, I will work closely and in concert with them in regards to advancement and enrollment. This year I will:
*This has begun and will continue for the year. As per Pauline and Phil’s report, I will work closely and in concert with them in regards to advancement and enrollment. This year I will:
*Spend time, with the help of the DOD, cultivating and stewarding prospective, major donors for either the annual fund or a capital campaign.
*Assisting the DOD to form a development committee.
*Assist the DOA in fully enrolling the school and in developing a marketing plan and forming a marketing committee.
*Assessment/measurement of my success will be the meeting of all fundraising and enrollment goals.
Support the NEASC reaccreditation committee as we begin the process for a spring 2013 deadline.
*This will be accomplished by meeting with the committee and our regional representative, attending a training session(s), forming self study committees, informing and communicating to the TGS community about the process.
*Assessment/measurement of this goal will be our readiness to proceed with the self study and visiting team for the 2012/ 2013 School Year.
*Assessment/measurement of this goal will be our readiness to proceed with the self study and visiting team for the 2012/ 2013 School Year.
Support and help to transition of our new 4th grade teacher and new 6-8th grade social skills teacher.
* Informally visit and check in with Emily on a weekly basis with 2-3 formal observations during the school year. Assign her a faculty mentor (Linda or Eve) to help with teacher related items.
Observe and evaluate all faculty who are in new teaching positions this year and other faculty who are part time.
*This will include informal visits and formal observations/evaluations. Those on schedule for this year will be: Emily Weinberg, Karen Blumberg, Ken Brautigam, Chris Harlow, Jared Stolper, Carol Cutts, and any other part time teachers we might add.
Work with Eve and Linda to develop and pilot a Peer Coaching model for the 2011-2012.
*This year we will pilot the program with the Preschool-2nd grade teachers school year. Measurement of success will be via self evaluations among the participants and evaluation by Eve McDermott.
Attend least two professional development conferences and visit 2 or three peer schools.
*I will attend these with varied administrative staff, faculty and trustees.
*Assessment and measurement will be simply by attending and reporting out.
New Parent Orientation Schedule
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A G E N D A
8:45 Parents and Students arrive
9:00 Welcome by Steve
Message from Board of Directors
9:10 Overview by Steve about
1) Communications with parents and,
2) What to expect at TGS in the Fall
All School Potluck (9/l6)
Medieval Faire (10/15)
Annual Fund Appeal (October)
9:15 Self introductions by staff with brief explanation of TGS role,
years at TGS, affiliation with TGS as an alum/parent, etc.
(please keep remarks under 2 minutes)
Phil – Admission, Financial Aid, Marketing
Chris – Bus Service
Tammy – Front Office
Deb – Business Office, et.al.
Tara – Tuition
Pauline – Development
Mary - Alumni and Communications
Ponnie – Library
Alli – Music
William - Art
Joanna - French
Susan – Spanish
9:35 Steve leaves to meet with new students outside front office
9:35 Self-introductions by parents
9:50 Steve returns with students/faculty
Q&A Session
10:00 Wrap-Up/Parents leave for Teacher Conferences
Childcare provided!
10-12 Teacher Conferences
Cubby Room Bathroom Renovations and Other Accessibility Projects
Four major gifts/donations from four TGS familes and family foundations, totalling $29,000, have allowed us to begin and complete by August 31 three very specific projects. First, the renovation of the two cubby room bathrooms so that they are truly accessible: the Building and Grounds Committee worked on and approved the final design of these two spaces and the student council voted to have this as part of our first phase of accessibility work. Secondly, this combined with the planned replacing of the side cubby room door and the ramp that was installed this past school year, makes this area/ level of our building truly accessible.
This area was chosen because of its frequent use during and after school and because it is the site of the future main elevator. Finally, this summer the back door(s) of the auditorium will be replaced along with the outdoor platform and landing, so that entire upper floor will be accessible by all three entrances. All of this work is being completed or has been by Vermont contractors and will range in cost from $23,000-$26,000.
Next steps will include a site visit by Vermont Access Board, a new plan to fundraise additional monies, and the re-formation of the accessibility committee. That said, I apologize for the length of time it took for me to create and send this update and report to you. I will continue to keep you informed of our progress and would appreciate your continued support of our work.
The Grammar School Trustee Building and Grounds Committee plans on including the accessibility initiative in our new Master Plan for Building and Grounds, our Master Financial Plan, and to include any remaining/needed accessibility funds in our next capital campaign project.
That said, I am hoping to reinvigorate the “accessibility sub - committee” of the Building and Grounds Committee to keep this important work in the forefront and in minds of The Grammar School community. I am personally committed to providing “accessibility for all at TGS," whether it be for students, parents, grandparents, visitors, etc. To quote the president of the United States on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, “accessibility is about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.... to advance opportunity and prosperity for all of our people."
Other Physical Plant Summer Projects
One office and one classroom have been painted. The Upper School Common Area will receive a new carpet and a dividing wall creating a room for small group and tutoring instruction. Drainage work was completed in front of the original lower school building to keep water from infiltrating the 3 and 4th grade rooms. There has been some outside painting and many smaller cleaning and repair projects.
Photovoltaic Solar Panels
As you may or may not remember, the student council, with input from Chris Harlow and the Sovern Solar Energy Company, put forth a proposal for Photovoltaic Solar Panels to provide for a majority, if not all, of our electricity needs. The project has been embraced by the trustees and the building and grounds committee. There are significant cost savings and environmental impact positives that come with the project. The proposed site is the upper field near the school garden.
The next steps include further planning and then finding several investors for the project. The return to an investors investment will be substantial. Between investors and Federal Tax Credits, the project would cost TGS very little investment. Our return will obviously be many dollars in cost savings and an investment in the health of our planet. Realistically this will not occur until next summer.
TGS 2011Parent Survey
This year’s parent surveys indicated a very high level of satisfaction with most of what we do here at TGS. There is always room for improvement; however, take a moment to pat yourself on the back for a job very well done. I will share the tabulated results of the survey and the summary with you electronically and will meet with individual teachers and staff members to share specific comments relative to their work.
Welcome to our New Colleagues
Once again welcome to our new colleagues: Emily Weinberg (fourth grade), Karen Blumberg (6,7,8th Social Skills), Phil Blood (Director of Admissions), Pauline O’Brien(Director of Development), and Jessica Sardinas(Preschool Assistant).
Social Skills Preschool-5th Grade
This coming school year classroom teachers in grades preschool-5th will be conducting their own socials skills programs. Chris Danforth will not be joining us.
NEASC Accreditation
Libby McCawley will be chairing our committee and leading us toward a year of self study in 2012 and a visit by the reaccreditation team in 2013. She will keep us informed.
Administrative Staff Summer Work
As is the case each summer, the TGS administrative staff have put in a significant number of hours this summer managing the operations of the school. I would like to thank each of them for their time and efforts this summer on behalf of TGS.
Faculty and Staff Inservice Days-August 29 and 30th.
These days are important and their content quite varied. Please find below this summer’s inservice days' agenda, which is self explanatory. Linda, Eve and I met several times over the course of the summer to prepare for these days. Please feel free to ask questions.
PLANS FOR AUGUST 29, 30 2011 IN-SERVICE:
Where: in auditorium!
*MORNING OF MONDAY, AUGUST 29:
8:30-9:00 FOOD/SOCIAL TIME
9:00-10:00 SARA DUNBAR: Review first-aid protocol, procedures, forms, etc.
BREAK
10:15- 11:15 Work on writing portfolios led by Eve: Teachers of writing, please bring writing portfolios of incoming students for a productive session of writing sample evaluation. Other teachers will check in with Steve during this time
11:15-12:00
Review first week schedule (e.g. Welcome Back at Wednesday ASM, etc.)
“Usual Business”:
sign up for: hosting faculty meetings, Buddy Activities leadership, Putney Food Shelf (Linda)
Recess/ Bus duty schedule-(Linda, Kathy)
Cubbies assignments/labels
All School Meeting: (Tracy will lead this.)
Welcome Back bulletin board (William will lead this.)
Workjob assignments (Ponnie)
Rules and Student council (Steve)
Sign up for afternoon SHORT meeting with Steve/Eve on professional development plans
ALL, PLEASE BRING HARD COPY OF YOUR CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR READING ON 8/30/11!
*MORNING OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 30:
8:30-9:15 STAFF time with faculty, introduction of new folks
9:15 –10:00 Proofread curriculum guides, share changes in your upcoming curriculum
10:00-10:15 BREAK AND GET TO LIBRARY!
10:15-11:00 IN LIBRARY: Global Theme Plans, time to relook at available materials and to establish teaching partnerships and activity/project plans
11: 00 – 12:30 SPLIT GROUPS:
*Teachers of grades pre-k thru 5 AND teachers of specials:
Generate year-long calendar (following upper school calendar model)
Parent Information Night/Math night plans (specials teachers’ roles)
Plans for October 19 whole school activities
*Teachers of grades 6,7,8: Individual students discussions & Information Night
*AFTERNOON FOR BOTH DAYS:
Room prep, chance to meet and plan with peers, etc.
Steve & Eve meet with individual teachers for self-evaluation/professional development plans
Respectfully Submitted,
Steve Lorenz
Head of School
