SAU 24 - Henniker, Weare, John Stark & Stoddard School Districts

Principal Jess Potter whips up breakfast for retiring teachers Linda Gosselin and Christine Rand on their last day at CWES. Best wishes to Christine and Linda, and all of our retiring staff in SAU 24. Thank you for all that you have done for students in our communities!

Henniker School Board Retreat and Meeting - June 19, 2024

The Henniker School Board will meet on June 19, 2024 for a school board retreat at 3:00 p.m. and for a school board meeting at 5:00 p.m. in the Henniker Community School library.

School Board Agenda and Handouts
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16NVV-JBhPl5nLbdOgWCwtO1ZrbiRm_VH

The public may communicate with members of the school board at [email protected].

On Saturday, while his fellow graduates were walking across the stage at John Stark, Lance Corporal Jacob Duguay was working at Fort Greg Adams in Virginia. Jacob completed his high school requirements early so that he could enlist in the Marines, following in the footsteps of his father and older brother who served in the army. Attracted to the challenge of the Marines, which he feels is the toughest branch, Jacob completed basic training in February and airborne school shortly after, specializing as a parachute rigger. “I’ve always wanted to jump out of airplanes,” he says. Jacob will be assigned to California, deploying from there as part of a specialized recon unit. He hopes others consider the military as an option, appreciating the opportunities, the places he has traveled to, and the friends he has made. “The training I’ve received and the experiences I’ve had already are invaluable,” he reflects.

The John Stark community congratulates Jacob on his achievements and thanks him for his service.

Weare School Board Retreat and Meeting - June 18, 2024

The Weare School Board will meet on June 18, 2024 for a school board retreat in the WMS Library at 5:00 p.m. and for a school board meeting in the WMS PG Center (room U066) at 6:00 p.m.

School Board Agenda and Handouts
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KfmvS4ZenwCMRPB8blqluyAchuz4otQy

The school board meeting will be available via live stream at https://www.youtube.com//streams.

The public may communicate with members of the school board at [email protected].

In anticipation that the heat wave this week will make many areas of our schools extremely uncomfortable, I am cancelling school for Wednesday, 6/19. The last day of school for John Stark, Henniker and Weare students will be Tuesday 6/18 and it will be an early release.

I am making the announcement today so people can make necessary arrangements. The schools will communicate updated plans as they become available.

Sign up your 8th grader now! ⏰ This summer program is open to all Weare and Henniker 8th graders headed to JSRHS next year.

This group of HCS 7/8th graders collaborated with each other and with students from across the state to create and deliver a presentation to Civic Partners on topics that impact our community at the Youth Voice Summit at St. Anselm College Institute of Politics in March. They engaged in thoughtful study and dialogue about problems, met with Civic Partners to ask questions, and prepared presentations about their learning.

Recently, iLearn NH highlighted a few SAU 24 teachers in their newsletter. Here's what they had to say about JSRHS Visual Arts Teacher Tracy Travers. "Tracy Travers is a force within John Stark Regional High School. Having taught for more than 20 years, she leads the charge not only in arts education, but also tech integration and blended learning strategies. It is Tracy to whom teachers turn when they have a challenge in Canvas or need inspiration for blended learning strategies. May all of our schools be lucky enough to have an educator standing on the pinnacle of thoughtful, innovative teaching practices in both the arts and technology."
You can read the entire iLearn newsletter and more about Tracy here: https://mailchi.mp/ilearnnh/march24newsletter?e=89a22862e5

Today, May 1, was a very exciting day in SAU 24! The first electric buses hit the road months ahead of schedule. Details at www.sau24.org
STA New Hampshire

Do you have a student in 8th grade who will attend JSRHS next year? If so, please check out the We Are John Stark, a two-week summer transition program designed to provide an exciting introduction to high school. Students choose from 2 sessions. One: July 1-10 or Session Two: July 15-24. More info and register here: https://www.jsrhs.net/news/recent_news/we_are_john_stark__9th_grade_transition_program

Amanda Dionne is the embodiment of the Portrait of a Learner and has consistently demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills and effective communication in various aspects of our educational environment. Amanda has stood out as a remarkable asset in tackling challenges and fostering positive communication among students, faculty, and staff. She has a natural ability to analyze problems, identify root causes, and proposes innovative solutions that not only address immediate concerns but also contribute to the overall improvement of our school atmosphere.

What is it like to be a Superintendent of Schools? Lucas, a 2nd grade student from Center Woods Elementary, interviews SAU 24 Superintendent Jacqueline Coe. Enjoy!

Student Interview with Superintendent Coe Lucas, a 2nd grader at CWES, interviews Superintendent Coe.

Our neighbors in SAU 67 (Bow & Dunbarton) have extended an invitation to all local parents, caregivers, and community members to attend these FREE film screenings--one is May 1 and the second is on May 7. Please register for these FREE events here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4FbydzsMiwLd7vY8ODJnUYHhbBsTuBc5tfEGyHe37Gja_0A/viewform

Happy Earth Day 2024. Artwork and pledges courtesy of HCS 7th graders created during their advisories last week where all activities and lessons had an Earth Day focus.

More information about the John Stark, Henniker & Weare School Districts Last Day of School and School Changes for the 2024-2025 Schedule is available under Recent News at www.sau24.org

One of our SAU24 leadership commitments is to seek feedback from all of our stakeholders and to incorporate that feedback into our decision-making process. We also believe the family-school partnership is critical to meeting the needs of our students. To that end, we are seeking feedback from the parents, guardians, and other important adults in our student’s lives.
The link to the SAU24 Family-School Relationships Survey can be found here:
https://surveys.panoramaed.com/sau24/9066714663/surveys

This month, iLearn NH highlighted a few SAU 24 teachers in their newsletter. Here's what they had to say about HCS music teacher Taylor Carroll. "From the moment we met Taylor Carroll, we have been blown away by her creativity, intelligence, and vibrant energy. We are so jealous of her students. And while Taylor has been innovating for years, it was during the depths of the pandemic that she discovered how she could use Canvas to support her 4th grade students learning the recorder." You can read the entire iLearn newsletter and more about Taylor here: https://mailchi.mp/ilearnnh/march24newsletter?e=89a22862e5

Area pet owners, here's an event you don't want to miss. The Rotary Club of Henniker's annual rabies clinic April 20.

❗Just 10 days away 🐕 ANNUAL RABIES CLINIC 🐈‍⬛
>> SATURDAY APRIL 20th 2pm - 4pm

Heather Salter of JFES is dedicated, adaptable, and compassionate. She makes every moment count in order to make our school a better place for students and staff alike!
Why is Heather a knowledgeable problem solver and creator? She is incredibly innovative at thinking of new ways to support students to be the best they can be at school, at home, and out in the community. She doesn’t shy away from challenging obstacles and demonstrates patience and grace when working through unexpected situations. She sets reasonable boundaries and expectations but goes above and beyond to help students succeed within them.
Why is Heather an effective communicator? She is a gifted communicator, both in person and in electronic communication. This goes a long way to help connect students, family members, and staff through a truly collaborative 504 process that makes everyone feel informed and understood. She provides essential information in thoughtful ways and invites everyone’s voices to be heard in meaningful ways.
Why is Heather a respectful collaborator? She is mindful of the critical importance of teamwork between students, staff, and families and helps facilitate countless activities to enhance connection and belonging. She always invites others’ feedback and input when making decisions. She makes inclusion look easy and effortless, though we know of course it is very intentional and requires significant effort. She cultivates leadership in others and invites everyone to contribute their unique gifts and talents.
Heather looks out for the wellbeing of everyone at our school. I am confident that we are a better community because of her. As a fifth grader recently remarked, “She’s looking out for our health…just not the physical kind!” JFES is so lucky to have you, Heather!

John Stark hosted the second annual Music Sharing Festival on April 9 at the high school. This joyous musical event included choral and music students from the Henniker Community School, Weare Middle School, and John Stark. Together ,the whole group made some amazing music as one. This event was only possible because of the effective collaboration among all, a Portrait of a Learner.

SAU 24 students are amazing!

The John Stark Student Council Community Easter Egg Hunt embodies our Portrait of a Learner. They effectively communicated with local parent groups to advertise the event, collaborated with one another to design the elements for the event, and, when it got windy during the hunt, they problem-solved and brought the event inside to have a better experience for their participants.

More than 150 people joined us at John Stark on April 8 for the eclipse viewing party. A perfect day of sunshine, science, and community. Many thanks to our eclipse organizers for making such a memorable day extraordinary. Thank you, Asst. Superintendent Natasha Kolehmainen, JSRHS Principal Beth Dooly, John Stark science teachers Elizabeth England, Andrew Sheard, & Kevin Munroe, WMS math teacher Michael Costanzo, HCS science teacher Abigail Blais, and instructional coach Phil Matzke. A special shout-out to JSRHS's food service director Morgan Trahan for the celestial snacks.

Given how wild this week has been, you may have missed Superintendent Coe talking about making the call for Thursday's snow day. Who would have guessed it would last two days days!?!

Spring Nor'easter prompts school changes, as crews prepare for long duration storm Crews are preparing to work through the night to keep roads clean.

There will be no school tomorrow (Friday, April 5) at John Stark, Henniker and Weare because of continued power outages and road closures.

There will be no school tomorrow, April 4, 2024, at John Stark, Weare, and Henniker District Schools. Please be safe.

Mother Nature is working overtime this week with the storm and then the almost total eclipse on Monday, April 8. For more on the viewing event at John Stark and how to stay safe during the eclipse, go to www.sau24.org