Weekly News and Notes

Senior Week is here!

First off, thanks to everyone for getting their grades done in such a timely manner for the Class of 2013. We met today with the graduation speakers, and, had the grades not been done in time, we would have been staring down deadlines and trying to get in touch with students early next week - with speeches being delivered on Friday.

The number of numbers being crunched by our guidance staff to make sure every "i" was dotted and "t" crossed to make sure that all our students on the edge made it over the finish line is also appreciated - and it looks like we didn't have any surprises - and that we're very, very close.

Next week is a bit like a three-ring circus, for all of us. On Tuesday, the seniors will be heading to Hampton Beach, and on Wednesday morning they are on campus for graduation rehearsal. Scholarship and awards night comes on Wednesday evening, with their homeroom competition and barbecue  on Thursday afternoon.

Class Day is scheduled for Friday at 12:50. The seniors will be reporting around 12:15 to the auditorium, where they will be lined up for the Class Day presentation.

I know that there has been much discussion about the traditional receiving line for graduation. I have heard positives and negatives from staff, students, former class advisors, parents, and School Committee. I am sensitive to make sure that graduation runs smoothly, without any bottle necking or impediments for the families.

Should we be outside - which many of the seniors and their families are praying for - the faculty will line the inside aisle as the seniors exit, forming a "gauntlet" of sorts, lining both sides. The seniors as they leave will be able to pass by all of you, to stop, shake hands, hug, whatever they are comfortable with. We actually did this at graduation at Brown, and, as students, we loved it - and it removed the awkwardness of shaking hands or embracing a student you didn't know at all. If we are indoors, the faculty will line the corridor from the gym to the foyer on the either side, and, again, the students will pass past you to the foyer.

A suggestion came my way to have a receiving line at Class Day. So, as the seniors leave, the faculty can line the corridor from the gym to the foyer, in single file against one of the walls. The seniors can exit similarly, and thus we have the best of both worlds. The underclass students will be dismissed from the gym, and they can leave from the exits by the gym and the parking lots.

I'm trying to find a happy medium and compromise; as a traditionalist, love the rituals that different schools have with graduation. At the same time, I must respect the concerns that have been voiced. I appreciate everyone's opinions, which are strong on both sides of the coin. Either way, thanks in advance for supporting us all in this next week, which, admittedly, is very nerve-wracking!

It goes without saying that Ms. Aigler and Ms. Ryan have done an incredible job of keeping all of the senior class activities organized and in line. For my first year at Medway, they have made things incredibly easy to follow and manage, and their class officers (Pat Monaghan, Aaron Coletti, John Ryder, and Brandon Greene) have been a fantastic group with which to work. For that, and their energy, I am grateful - so be sure to congratulate them on a job well done as we approach and pass next Sunday.

Finally, if you're planning on attending graduation, please be at the school by 1:15. We will step off at 2:00 sharp on Sunday, June 2.

FINALISTS FOR DEPARTMENT LEADER POSITIONS

Many thanks to those staff members who participated in our interviewing committees for the Humanities and STEM department leaders. Maureen Coutu, Spencer Christie, and Diana Rodgers represented their departments on the Humanities committee, and Kelly Bliss and Jon Jasinski served on the STEM committee. It goes without saying that the time, commitment, patience, and earnestness they brought to the respective processes is most appreciated, and more details for the rest of the staff will be forthcoming in terms of next steps.

We are committed to student voice, and there was actually a buzz among the students asking how to get selected to be on one of these committees. As we screen for social studies, foreign language, music, tv/video, and English, the students' voice will be involved as well, and if there are students you think would be good additions, let me know - we are trying to involve many different kinds of students, and that has added, I think, to some of the conversations by the students. So don't just think of an Honors student or class/club officer - it's nice to have variety of voice!

FORMATIVE EVALUATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL STATUS

Working through the formative evaluations has been a challenge for us all. Without question, the effort that everyone on cycle put into their portfolios was noticeable, and we're certainly hoping next year is more smooth for everyone, in terms of process and product.

THE SCHEDULE

The schedule for next year is taking shape, slowly. As a positive, many of the singleton courses are starting to be placed, and we are next tackling the co-teaching courses. The department heads are finalizing tentative assignments, which may have to be adjusted once the sections are placed in the schedule.

If you happen to walk by the conference room and see the big board with all the courses and staff on it, a couple notes. One, the names are in different colors, but for no reason in particular. The student who wrote the names on the placards just wrote them in alphabetical order on the first three sheets of the stack I gave her, which were three different colors. Second, the courses are not next to anyone in particular - in many cases, they're next to the person who taught them this year, and those assignments have not been finalized for 2013-14. So don't read too much into anything!

Finally, as some adjustments are made, Doug and I are working very hard to schedule some common planning. It's not a promise, but if study hall numbers are down - which is somewhat anticipated - and folks can be scheduled into common unassigned periods, that will assist with the facilitation of common planning time. Again, no promises - but that is in the back of our heads. Promise.

The master schedule will be very close by the time we leave - student schedules may not be done, but we are hoping to have teacher schedules - and preliminary rosters - very close by the time school ends.

Thanks for reading this week, and enjoy the holiday weekend!