11.15.24 - Community Newsletter
Planning is the Key to Providing Great Education
The Brunswick School Department’s (BSD) highest priority is preparing our students for the next step in their journey and doing so in a safe and welcoming environment.
Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our teachers and staff, Brunswick students are engaged, their academic performance is solid, and graduation rates are high.
While past success is often an indicator of future performance, we can’t leave it to chance! Providing students with learning opportunities to grow, become critical thinkers, learn to work collaboratively, and develop into adults who are prepared for living in a dynamic and innovative society, doesn’t happen by magic. Success in public education happens because it’s planned!
Our current 5-year strategic plan was officially launched in 2023 after two years of a detailed development process that involved many stakeholders -- teachers, staff, students, family, and community members. This thoughtful, well-developed plan ensures resources are used responsibly and appropriately to reach measurable, realistic goals across three Priority Areas:
Teaching and Learning - Our talented educators are second to none in their commitment to helping students grow, learn, and develop. Despite their best efforts, not all students achieve at the same rates or to the same levels. To ensure the success of all students, we will use data and evidence-based research to improve student learning, develop purposeful curriculum, and identify and eliminate learning gaps, with a goal of providing increased opportunities and improved outcomes.
Staff Recruitment, Retention, and Development – Our educators and support staff are BSD’s most valuable assets. The department must continue to attract, recruit, hire, train, and retain high-quality staff who reflect our community. As our community continues to increase in its diversity, as the needs of our students continue to intensify, and as our educators are faced with more challenges, we must provide high-quality, professional development and support programming for staff. It’s no secret that when staff is engaged, supported and satisfied in their work, student outcomes are better.
Student and Family Engagement – The 2,392 students in Brunswick schools represent the foundation of all that we do and should have equal access to all school-sponsored programs and opportunities. BSD will identify and remove barriers to student access to these programs. In addition, demands on families’ time and energy have often impacted their engagement and the effectiveness of our communications. We must ensure our communications are accessible, centralized, and transparent to build trusting, collaborative relationships.
If you’d like to learn more about our Strategic Plan, click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QiBm6o3w9vewkg9995EPEACnVIGYcX2a/view?pli=1
Of course, a written plan is only valuable if it’s implemented! To that point, I’d like to share just a few areas where work has begun. Over the past 12 months, we have:
Introduced the plan to staff, and team retreats have been conducted to draft action steps across all priority areas.
We have worked hard to refine existing data collection practices and processes for attendance, discipline, and human resources. We will work to develop protocols to review and act on what we learn through analyzing the data collected.
Started the process of developing plans for each school that align with the overall strategic plan. These first steps focus on curriculum and instruction, which are at the very heart of teaching and learning.
I know that even the word “strategic plan” conjures up visions of a theoretical exercise that never quite makes it into action, but I can assure you that we are working diligently to ensure that every step we take is tied to a goal on our path toward equity, opportunity, growth, and development for every Brunswick student.
This fall we held Family-Teacher Conferences for grades PreK-8 on October 28 and November 6. Conferences for Brunswick High School students were by request.
Please complete one survey for each of your children.
Michelle Phinney
Special Education Teacher at Kate Furbish Elementary
Michelle is married and has two children, a fifteen year old daughter, and an eleven year old son. She also has a dog and four cats! Michelle was a Navy kid, she was born in Maine and lived here until she moved to Virginia when she was 4. She lived there for five years and came back to Maine just before 4th grade. She has lived in the Bowdoinham/Bowdoin area ever since. Michelle graduated from Mt. Ararat High School in 2001, received her Bachelors degree in Sociology from USM and is currently enrolled at USM in a Masters Program for Special Education.
What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud
The welcoming vibe everyone is always giving. All the staff, at the KFS and district wide are very supportive and willing to help when ever needed and I just love to spend my day with these kids that want my help to learn and embrace their new knowledge.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
I love to spend time with my family. During the summer I love to go swimming and go out with my friends. I also really enjoy taking classes and just reading a good book or watching a good television show.
What is your favorite line from a movie?
"I don't have friends, I got family." -Fast and the Furious
If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
Socrates
What is something you learned in the last week?
Resting is OKAY!
Open Employment Positions:
- School Lunch Aides - Kate Furbish School
- Girls Basketball First Team - High School
- Indoor Track Coed Asst Coach - High School
- Unified Basketball Head and Assistant Coach - High School
- Unified Bocce Head Coach - High School
- Long Term Substitute Ed Tech - Junior High
- Ed Tech Special Ed -Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Self Contained Behavior Ed Tech - Junior High
- Special Education Pre-K Ed Tech - Kate Furbish Elementary
- School Psychologist - District
- Mechanic
- School Bus Drivers
- Apprentice/Ed Tech I & Bus Aide
- Substitute Teachers, Bus Drivers, Van Drivers, & Custodians
- ...And MORE!
We're hiring for multiple positions. Visit our website to view
all current employment opportunities!
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