AUGUSTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

12 Gedney Street

Augusta, Maine 04330-9105

Phone: 207-626-2468 Fax: 207-626-2444

www.augustaschools.org

M E M O R A N D U M

DATE: March 19, 2010

TO: Board of Education

FROM: Cornelia L. Brown, PhD., Superintendent of Schools

RE: NEWSLETTER

SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET MEETING

The Augusta Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, March 24 beginning at 7:00 in the Capital Area Technical Center Cafeteria. The meeting will begin with a Public Hearing on the proposed 2010-2011 budget.

Following the Public Hearing, the Board will review and vote on the proposed Warrant Articles pursuant to the Essential Programs and Services format. Once the budget has been approved by the Augusta Board of Education it will be submitted to the Augusta City Council. The School Department will make a presentation to the Council sometime in April, most likely the week of April 12^th.

EDUCATION COMMITTEE PASSES RACE TO THE TOP LEGISLATION

(Reprinted with permission from the Maine School Management Association)

The Education Committee has voted to support three bills that would clear the way for Education Commissioner Susan Gendron to apply for the second round of federal Race to the Top Funding.

The three bills would:

n Eliminate the prohibition of using student assessment data in the establishment of models for teacher and principal evaluations

n Allow the commissioner to adopt emergency rules to adopt the so-called national “Common Core Standards” for the state

n Enable school administrative units to establish innovative schools

Commissioner Gendron identified the three proposals as essential if the state hopes to compete for a portion of the $4 billion in federal money being offered in Race to the Top grants by the Obama administration.

Maine and states of similar size are eligible for grants of up to $75 million spread out over four years, but have to score well on a rigorous application process that requires a detailed plan for reforming education.

School districts are being asked to be a part of that application and consider signing up as a participant in the Race to the Top reform initiative.

Those districts that are interested are encouraged by the department to attend one of a series of informational meetings currently being held throughout the state. Click below for more information: http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=DOENews&id=93407&v=article.

On the Race to the Top bills, four members of the Education Committee voted against the innovative schools proposal, saying they wanted full-fledged charter schools allowed in Maine – a proposal that was defeated by the Legislature in 2009.

The three bills will next go to the full Legislature for a final vote.

Maine’s Race to the Top application is due in June and winners will be announced in September.

In the first round of funding, only 16 states were named finalists out of a field of 41 applicants.

CONY HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Berklee College of Music hosts the countries largest High School Jazz Festival which took place this past weekend at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.  Schools compete in divisions based on enrollment. Traditionally, bands have come from all over the country and occasionally from Canada and overseas.  Our band competed very well and earned third place in their division ranking higher than 17 other schools from around the nation. (And placing higher than any other school from Maine in their division.)  This is a tremendous honor and the first time that Cony has placed at the festival!!!! The kids were so excited to hear the results.  Unfortunately, we were unable to stay for the awards presentation as two of our students came down with the stomach flu and much sickness ensued.

In addition to our placement, we received a critique on our performance by one of the most respected names in the field of jazz. It was a true honor to be in his presence and such a treat for them to hear about the positives (and of course, negatives) of their performance.

Thank you so much for your continued support of the music program.  We have known it all along but now have proof that our jazz program is truly one of the best in the country.

SCHOOL DEPARTMENT WELLNESS PROGRAM

Tuesday, March 23^rd Farrington School-

Low Impact Aerobics

Tuesday, March 30^th Gilbert School- Badminton

Healthy snacks for all and fabulous Door Prizes!

Join us at 3:30pm for the fun, food and friendship!

We can’t wait to see you!!!!

2010 STATE SKILLS WINNERS – CAPITAL AREA TECHNICAL CENTER

Congratulations to our Skills USA winners!

Contest	Student Name	Sending School	Place
Action Skills	Kevin Jennings	Cony	4^th
Arch. Design	Krista Poulin	Maranacook	1^st
Auto Collision Repair	Chris Beudoin	Cony	5^th
Auto Collision Finishing	Nick Thurston	Gardiner	2^nd
Auto Tech Service	Mark Warner	Cony	8^th
Carpentry	Michael Mayo	Erskine	6^th
Commerical Baking	Naomie Whitmore	Erskine	9^th
Computer Maintenance	Dan Courverette	Cony	9^th
Culinary Arts	Jacob Dushuttle	Cony	10^th
Graphic Communication	Eric Malone	Cony	2^nd
Health Portfolio	Kristy Faulkingham	Maranacook	2^nd
Heating	Jake Peters	Winthrop	3^rd
Heating	Adam West	Erskine	4^th
Job Skill Demo A	Anna Levesque	Hall-Dale	3^rd
Machine Tool	Matt Stuart	Gardiner	1^st
Machine Tool	Pat Brown	Erskine	7^th
Medical Math	Haley Truppa	Cony	3^rd
Medical Terminology	Victoria Fowler	Cony	3^rd
Nursing Assistant	Jessica Buzzell	Erskine	To be determined
Pin Design	Morgan McLaughlin	Cony	3^rd
Plumbing	Tim Averell	Richmond	3^rd
Plumbing	Alex McKenna	Hall-Dale	4^th
Promotional Bulletin	Samatha Trahan	Erskine	2^nd
	Dakota Mitchell	Hall-Dale
T-shirt desgin	Kathryn Caron	Cony	2^nd
Tech Prep Showcase	Seth Johnson	Cony	1^st
	replacement
	Allen Thomas	Monmouth
Tech Prep Showcase	Laurel Criss	Maranacook	1^st
	Eryka Wilson	Cony
	Lauren Sternads	Cony
Televison Video	Andre Vanpoehoorde	Cony	DQ
	Kayla Albert	Erskine
Television Video	Ryleigh Alexander	Cony	1^st
	Dustin Partridge	Cony
Welding	Dylan Morrision	Cony	7^th
Voting Delegate	Rebecca Schnider	Cony	State Officer

CALENDAR of Upcoming Dates/Events

(Please note that this Calendar is to be used only as a guideline, and that all date and/or /events are subject to change)

DATE	TIME	EVENT	LOCATION
March 24	7:00	Public Hearing on Proposed 2010-2011 School Department Budget followed by School Board Meeting and vote on Budget	CATC cafeteria
March 29	4:00	Bargaining Session	Superintendent’s Conference room Hussey Elementary School
March 30	4:00	Bargaining Session	Superintendent’s Conference Room Hussey Elementary School
April 5, 2010	5:30 6:30 7:30	Education Committee Finance Committee Personnel Committee	Superintendent’s conference room
April 15	6:00	Tentative date: School Department’s Presentation of the 2010-2011 budget to City Council	Council Chambers
April 14	6:30	Augusta Board of Education April Business Meeting	Cony High School auditorium
April 19	Presidents’ Day	Presidents’ Day	No School Offices closed
April 19-23	School Vacation
April 28	7:00	School Board workshop	Superintendent’s Conference room Hussey Elementary School

SPOTLIGHT ON EXCELLENCE:

This week the Spotlight on Excellence shines on Mrs. Deb Gilbert. Mrs. Gilbert is the COOP Director at the Capital Area Technical Center. In her role, she is able to motivate students by helping them make connections between what their assignments are and how those assignments can improve the quality of their lives.

Mrs. Gilbert has high expectations for students. She is very well organized and uses her time and equipment effectively. She communicates well with the instructors whose students she teaches and this consistency promotes attentive students and a positive class climate.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Mrs. Gilbert is also very much involved with Skills USA. Earlier in the newsletter a list of CATC winners from the State Skills competition and her involvement with this program is key to the success of our students.

On behalf of all of the students the you work with, please accept our deepest thanks for the outstanding job that you do.