Friday, October 28, 2011

Heavy Winter Storm Forecast This Weekend

Halloween Storm Graphic

A furious winter storm is forecast for New England beginning on Saturday. 3 to 6 inches of heavy, wet snow is expected Saturday following by arctic air causing surface freezing and black ice Saturday night. Power outages are expected due to the combination of high winds, wet snow, and then ice. For more information, see AccuWeather's coverage of the storm or the Winter Storm Watch from NOAA repeated below:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
302 PM EDT FRI OCT 28 2011

...EARLY-SEASON WINTER STORM POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY
MORNING...

.LOW PRESSURE WILL RAPIDLY INTENSIFY AS IT MOVES UP THE NORTHEAST
COAST ON SATURDAY. BY SATURDAY NIGHT IT WILL TRACK NEAR CAPE COD
AND STRENGTHEN RAPIDLY. THIS WILL SPREAD SNOW INTO MAINE AND NEW
HAMPSHIRE BEGINNING LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND LASTING INTO
SUNDAY MORNING. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY SNOWFALL
TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES... CAUSING DANGEROUS TRAVEL
CONDITIONS AND CAUSING TREES TO SAG AND LIMBS TO SNAP FROM THE
WEIGHT OF THE HEAVY SNOW.

CONFIDENCE IN PRECIPITATION IS HIGH. HOWEVER... THE AMOUNTS ARE IN
QUESTION DUE TO UNCERTAINTY IN THE TRACK OF THE STORM. IN
ADDITION... WARM AIR NEAR THE COAST MAY CAUSE A BACK AND FORTH
TRANSITION BETWEEN RAIN AND SNOW... AND LIMIT ACCUMULATIONS HERE.
HOWEVER... A FURTHER EAST TRACK WOULD ALLOW MORE ACCUMULATIONS
ALONG THE COAST.

MEZ018-NHZ004-006-008>010-013-290315-
/O.CON.KGYX.WS.A.0009.111029T2300Z-111030T1200Z/
INTERIOR YORK-NORTHERN CARROLL-SOUTHERN CARROLL-MERRIMACK-BELKNAP-
STRAFFORD-INTERIOR ROCKINGHAM-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SANFORD...BERWICK...NORTH CONWAY...
WOLFEBORO...OSSIPEE...CONCORD...HOOKSETT...LACONIA...MEREDITH...
ROCHESTER...DOVER...SALEM...DERRY...EXETER
302 PM EDT FRI OCT 28 2011

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING
THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING...

* LOCATIONS...INTERIOR SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE AS WELL
  AS INTERIOR SOUTHWEST MAINE.

* HAZARD TYPES...HEAVY WET SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS...6 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL BEGIN LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND COME TO AN
  END EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.

* WINDS...NORTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES...DROPPING INTO THE UPPER 20S.

* IMPACTS...HEAVY WET SNOW WILL CAUSE SLIPPERY DRIVING CONDITIONS.
  IN ADDITION... MANY TREES STILL HAVE THEIR LEAVES AND WILL BE AT
  RISK FROM THE HEAVY WET ACCUMULATIONS. THIS MAY CAUSE LIMBS TO
  SAG OR SNAP...POSSIBLY CAUSING DAMAGE TO NEARBY STRUCTURES OR
  POWER LINES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

&&

$$

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Press Release: Oyster River Superintendent Search Underway — All Stakeholders Invited to Participate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oyster River Superintendent Search Underway — All Stakeholders Invited to Participate

(Durham, NH - 10/27/11) The Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD) School Board has engaged the New England School Development Council (NESDEC) to assist them in the search process for a new Superintendent of Schools.

An integral part of the process involves parent, student, staff, and community participation in focus groups. The groups are designed to obtain participant input about the attributes, experience and knowledge that the new superintendent should possess. The groups also provide an opportunity for participants to identify immediate tasks that the new superintendent should address.

The focus group sessions are defined and held at the Oyster River High School as follows:

  • Businesses, Town/State Government, UNH Administration & Clergy – Tues., Nov. 8 @ 4PM, Multi-purpose Room
  • Oyster River Community Members – Tues., Nov. 8 @ 6:30PM, Multi-purpose Room
  • District Administrators – Thurs., Nov. 10 @ 3:30PM, Multi-purpose Room
  • Parents of Current/Future Students – Thurs., Nov. 10 @ 6:30PM, Multi-purpose Room
  • Oyster River Students – Mon., Nov. 14 @1PM, Rm. C-120
  • District Staff – Mon., Nov. 14 @ 3:30PM, Rm. C-120
  • School Board Members – Mon., Nov. 14 @ 6PM, Rm. C-124

NESDEC will conduct the focus group sessions, each lasting approximately 1-1 1/2 hours; there is no limit to the number of participants and no need to register for the session of your choice. Childcare will be available for the Nov. 10 6:30PM parents' session.

The School Board and NESDEC hope that all stakeholders will be able to participate.

***

The Oyster River Cooperative School District serves the towns of Durham, Lee, and Madbury, New Hampshire. Approximately 2,100 students attend the district's four schools: Mast Way Elementary, Moharimet Elementary, Oyster River Middle School and Oyster River High School. The Oyster River District mission, "Working Together to Engage Every Learner," supports each student to reach his or her potential.

Visit the ORCSD web site: http://www.orcsd.org

Contact: ORCSD School Board c/o Wendy DiFruscio, ORCSD SAU District Office, 36 Coe Drive, Durham, NH 03824; Phone # 603.868.5100, wdifruscio@orcsd.org

Halloween Trick-or-Treating

Trick or Treat text

Don't be scared if you see ghosts and goblins roaming the streets and knocking on your door this Sunday evening! Halloween Trick-or-Treating in Durham, Lee, and Madbury is scheduled for 5:00pm to 7:30pm on Sunday, October 30th this year. Drivers, please use extra caution when traveling during this time.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

DPL New Library Event Postponed

The Durham Public Library sends word that the New Library Event originally planned for Sunday is postponed.

New Library Event Postponed!

The new library event originally planned for October 30th at 49 Madbury Road has been postponed.

Watch for the new event date in the Durham Public Library newsletter, in Durham Friday Updates, and on our website.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

ORCSD By The Numbers

Oyster River resident, Mike McClurken, has published "The ORCSD by the Numbers" — an extensive and thorough report taking a data-driven look at Oyster River Cooperative School District performance. From the introduction:

I wrote this report because I was curious about our school district. All that I was reading about in the newspapers in the first half of 2011 was the storm of controversy that erupted after the school board election of March 2011. It was mostly personal attacks back and forth, with little that was based on facts or data.

I recently found the time to explore and analyze some of the vast amount of information that is available online about the ORCSD and other school districts in NH. I explored the web sites of the New Hampshire Department of Education, the ORCSD, the US Census Bureau, the College Board, and other sites. After I had gathered some data, I started making graphs and tables and writing up my thoughts. I used the FAQ format, or frequently asked questions, by posing a question, then giving an answer. In this report I often admit when I don’t understand things well enough to give a good answer, and ask for help from anyone who may have a better answer.

I think that the ORCSD spending is too high and could be reduced by 10 – 15 % without significantly reducing the level of student achievement. I’ve tried to write this report in a non-partisan way. I blame nobody and I only mention a personal name if that person was either a source of information or an election candidate. I hope that it helps some people make more informed decisions on election day in March 2012. I have shared earlier versions of this report with Interim Superintendent Leon Levesque, the school board, and the Advisory Budget Committee (ABC) and I hope this report is of some use to them as they work to put together the next budget.

I am sure some readers will find errors, omissions, typos, and a few observations I have made that they disagree with. You can contact me at mmcclurken@comcast.net and I will make every effort to make appropriate revisions. I will email a PDF of this report to anyone who emails me to request it, and I will not use any requesting person’s email address for any purpose other than to reply with a PDF of this report as an attachment. I will also mail a bound hard copy of this report to anyone living in the district who requests it, at no charge.

I have not included any biographical information about myself, since that is available online. I am on LinkedIn, but I am not on Facebook or Twitter.

Mike McClurken

You can view and download the original PDF via Google Docs. As mentioned in the introduction, Mike is willing to email electronic copies or post physical copies upon request.

Population Seven Billion

Atl infocus

The Atlantic In Focus Photography Blog shows, in 42 photographs, the impact of sustaining a global population estimated to hit 7 billion people this week.

This is a little off the regular content for this blog, but this particular collection resonated with me — I wanted to share it with you.

Upcoming Events - October 25

Documentary and Discussion: The Finland Phenomenon

So what’s going on in Finland? The Finnish public schools have been receiving a lot of press lately after a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, especially because what they’re doing (and perhaps more importantly, what they’re not doing) is so different from what’s happening in American schools. Come watch a fascinating one hour documentary narrated by Tony Wagner that explores a school system where there is little homework, course loads tend to be light, school is relaxed and casual, there’s little testing, and the students outperform the rest of the world in almost every possible academic measure. Parents, teachers, community members, and even middle and high school students will enjoy this film. Following the film, Mike Anderson will facilitate both small and whole group discussions where we will explore what we saw and how it relates to education in America and the Oyster River School District.

This talk is free and open to the public.

When: Tuesday, October 25 — 7:00pm
Where: Moharimet Elementary School
Info: FORE Website

Durham Building Design Preference Survey

Help shape what downtown Durham will look like and inform the Planning Board and Historic District Commission/Heritage Commission what building styles you like. Please come participate in a Building Design Preference Survey to be held on Thursday, October 27, 2011 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM in the Council chambers at the Durham Town Hall.

The Durham Planning Board and Historic District Commission want your input on what building designs Durham residents want in their commercial areas. To accomplish this, photographs of buildings from around the state will be shown to meeting participants who will be asked to vote on the styles that they like. The images that receive the most positive votes will then be used to help develop design guidelines that could influence the design of future buildings in the downtown area.

When: Thursday, October 27th — 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Where: Durham Town Offices - Council Chambers
Info: Town of Durham Website

Calling All Engineers for Lego Club

The Durham Public Library hosts a regular Lego Club for 1st through 5th graders. The Lego Club is meeting in the Children's Room from 3:45pm to 4:45pm on Thursday, October 27th

When: Thursday, October 27th — 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Where: Durham Public Library - Children's Room
Info: Durham Public Library Website

Kenya: A Journey - Photos and Memories

For Ed and Sharon Dalton, their recent trip to Kenya was the "experience of a lifetime." Join the Daltons as they share their stunning photographs and stories from their trip to Kenya's beautiful wilds with their friend Damaris Crayton. See photos of the Dalton's safari and a Massai Tribe’s rituals - learn about how the Daltons were inspired by their experience to bring aid to Kenyan schools.

When: Tuesday, November 1 — 7:00pm
Where: Durham Public Library
Info: Durham Public Library Website

Mary Todd Lincoln - An Unconventional Woman

One of the finest presenters of Mary Todd Lincoln in the country today, Sally Mummey, will portray a lively, accurate, and well-researched Mrs. Lincoln, former First Lady of the United States. She brings to life, in authentically reproduced clothing, the many facets of this unconventional woman who was perhaps the most misunderstood of her times.

Hosted by the Lee Historical Society and Lee Public Library.

When: Wednesday, November 2 — 7:00pm
Where: Lee Public Safety Complex
Info: Lee E-Crier

Friends of the DPL Annual Fall Book Sale

The Friends of the Durham Public Library Fall Book Sale will kick-off at the Durham Public Library on Thursday, November 3rd with an Early Bird Preview from 6pm to 7pm — admission to this special one hour event is $10.

The sale opens to everyone from 7pm to 8:30pm Thursday evening and continues Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm.

All proceeds from the Friends Fall Book Sale support Durham Public Library programs.

When: Thursday-Saturday, November 3-5
Where: Durham Public Library
Info: Durham Public Library Website

Lee Public Library Book Sale

The Lee Public Library will also host a book sale next weekend, November 5th from 9am to 2pm.

When: Saturday, November 5 — 9:00am - 2:00pm
Where: Lee Public Library
Info: Lee E-Crier

Friday, October 21, 2011

Mast Way Halloween Social is Tonight

Principal Gallo of Mast Way sends word that the Mast Way Halloween Social is TONIGHT!

Mast Way Halloween Social

Hello Mast Way Families!

Please join us TONIGHT at the Mast Way Halloween Social from 6:30-8:30. There will be Ghoulish Games, Monster Mashing, Frankenstein's Freaky Laboratory, Ghastly Grossology, and a Spooktacularly Haunted Courtyard! This year the OUTSIDE games are back! Please keep track of your kids and be sure to dress for indoor and outdoor fun! Each game or courtyard tour costs 1 ticket, each ticket is $0.25, and a $5 pack of tickets gives you 22! So bring the kids, wear your costume*, and enjoy the fun!

Be there if you dare....

*Costumes encouraged but not necessary for entry.

When: Friday, October 21 — 6:30 - 8:30pm
Where: Mast Way Elementary School
Info: District Calendar

ORCSD Strategic Planning Committee Seeks Feedback

The ORCSD Strategic Planning Committee is seeking feedback from the community on the newly drafted Vision Statement and Education Philosophy sections of the District Strategic Plan. The committee requests interested individuals review the Strategic Plan Presentation from October 17th [PDF] and then asks, "Tell us your thoughts." and "Do you need any clarification on any of these items?"

Please respond via email to kbutts@orcsd.org with a subject of "Strategic Plan Community Feedback" or postal mail to:

SAU #5 - ORCSD
Attn: Strategic Plan Steering Committee
36 Coe Drive
Durham, NH 03824

Source: ORCSD Front Page News Rotator

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

School Board Regular Meeting - October 19

The next regular session of the ORCSD Board (notice [PDF]) will take place on Wednesday, October 19th (today) at 7:00pm in room C-124 of the high school. The posted agenda [PDF] for the meeting is reproduced below.

Oyster River Cooperative School District
REGULAR MEETING

Oyster River High School, C-124 October 5, 2011 7:00 PM

  1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
  2. CLOSED SESSION (RSA 91 A:3)
  3. PRELIMINARY ACTION ITEMS
    1. Superintendent Actions
      1. Approval of ORMS Overnight Field Trip
    2. Announcements
      1. District
      2. Board
    3. Correspondence
    4. Commendations
    5. Approval of minutes: 10/5/11 Regular Meeting Minutes
    6. Approval of manifests
  4. REPORTS
    1. Curriculum & Instruction Report(s)
      • Science NECAP - Danielle
      • ESOL Report - Phyllis
      • Response to Intervention/Progress Monitoring/STAR Assessment
      • High School Advanced Placement
      • Report on Transportation Relocation
    2. Superintendent's Report
    3. Student Senate Report
    4. Other
  5. SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEES
  6. PUBLIC COMMENTS
    BOARD COMMENTS
  7. DISCUSSION ITEMS
    1. District Manifest
  8. ACTION ITEMS
  9. PUBLIC COMMENTS
  10. CLOSING ACTIONS
    1. Agenda Planning — Setting/Review of Future Agenda Item List
    2. Future meeting dates: 10/26/11, 11/9/11 Budget Workshop, 10/31/11 RTK Training @ Durham Town Hall, 11/2/11, 11/16/11, 12/7/11 Regular
  11. ADJOURNMENT

The School Board reserves the right to take action on any item on the agenda.

Respectfully submitted,

Leon Levesque, Interim Superintendent

Friday, October 14, 2011

Lee and Madbury Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Reminder! Saturday, October 15th is the Dover-Rollingsford-Lee-Madbury Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day at the Dover Community Services Garage, 271 Mast Road in Dover. [MAP] For more info what will be accepted for disposal, see the HHW flyer posted on the Town of Lee's website.

Upcoming Events - 14 October 2011

New England Fall Astronomy Festival

The New England Fall Astronomy Festival (NEFAF) promises an immersive weekend of astronomy-related activities and experiences for children, families, and people of all ages and expertise. Hosted by the UNH Physics Department and staffed, organized, and driven by members of the astronomical community from throughout New England, NEFAF promises to be a weekend that's not soon to be forgotten!

NEFAF is being held at University of New Hampshire Observatory located on Spinney Lane in Durham, located on the west end of the campus, near the Old Durham Reservoir [DIRECTIONS] and is 100% absolutely FREE!

When: Friday, October 14 — 6:00pm through Saturday
Where: UNH Observatory
Info: UNH Department of Physics or NEFAF Press Release

Mast Way PTO - Parents Night Out

Date night! Once a month (usually the second Friday), Mast Way PTO volunteers watch children, play games, organize activities, and screen movies. Families can pay a small fee to send the children in to have fun from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Sponsored by the Mast Way PTO.

When: Friday, October 14 — 6:30 - 9:30pm
Where: Mast Way Elementary School
Info: District Calendar

UNH Fall Orchestra Festival

On Saturday, October 15th, the UNH Orchestra will host over 80 high school string players in the 2011 UNH Fall Orchestra Festival. The event is also co-sponsored by NHASTA, the New Hampshire chapter of the American String Teachers Association. The festival will provide the high school musicians the opportunity to rehearse and perform with UNH woodwind, brass, and percussion sections, under the leadership of Dr. David Upham and Dr. Mark Latham. A free public concert will be given that evening at 7pm in the Johnson Theater in the Paul Creative Arts Center.

Students applied for the festival in the spring of 2011 through their private studio and public school teachers. The number of applications was overwhelming, and was great enough to merit the creation of two festival orchestras. The Festival Symphony Orchestra will feature over 50 string players with the UNH winds and brass. It will be led by Mark Latham, the conductor of the New Hampshire Youth Symphony, and will perform selections including Aram Khachaturian’s “Waltz” from Masquerade, Alexander Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia, and Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia.

The Festival Chamber Orchestra will be a select group of about 30 high school string musicians, again performing with UNH winds and brass. It will be led by UNH’s Orchestra Conductor, David Upham. The group’s evening performance will feature the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No.1, Jean Sibelius’ Valse Triste, and “The Enchanted Garden” from Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite. The evening concert will begin with Dr. Upham also leading the UNH Symphony Orchestra in Glinka’s Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla and selections from Alberto Ginastera’s Four Dances from Estancia.

The concert is free and open to the public.

When: Saturday, October 15 — 7:00pm
Where: Johnson Theatre in the Paul Creative Arts Center
Info: UNH Department of Music

UNH Concert Choir in Concert

The University of New Hampshire Department of Music presents the UNH Concert Choir, under the direction of William Kempster. The concert is scheduled to take place in the Johnson Theatre of the Paul Creative Arts Center on Sunday afternoon, October 16, 2011 beginning at 3:00 p.m. They will be presenting a program featuring the music of English composer Jonathan Dove. Dove has been acclaimed in Britain as perhaps the most important composer to emerge in that country since Benjamin Britten, and the Concert Choir, accompanied by pianist and organist Paul Merrill, will perform two of Dove's most substantial recent works, the Missa Brevis, from 2009, and The Passing of the Year from 2000. The Missa Brevis is a terse setting of the Mass text (minus the Credo) for organ and chorus. The Passing of the Year is a major work written for piano and double choir, and was originally commissioned by the London Symphony Chorus. The texts are by a variety of well known English poets, such as William Blake, Thomas Nashe and Alfred Lord Tennyson.

This concert will also mark part 1 of the launch of the new compact disc recording by the UNH Concert Choir and UNH Chamber Singers, Connections. Part 2 of the release will be at the Chamber Singers concert on November 9.

The concert is free and open to the public.

When: Sunday, October 16 — 3:00pm
Where: Johnson Theatre in the Paul Creative Arts Center
Info: UNH Department of Music or call (603) 862-2404

Moharimet Pumpkin Stroll & Bonfire

Come to Moharimet for an evening bonfire and stroll through the Moharimet Woods. Magically carved jack o' lanterns sparkle and shine through the darkness, guiding you back to the cozy warmth of the Sugar Shack. Open to all! Bring a friend!

Volunteers Needed! Click here for more information on volunteering.

When: Wednesday, October 19 — 5:30 - 7:30pm
Where: Moharimet School Grounds
Info: District Calendar

High School Concert

The ORHS Concert Band, Jazz Band, Choir, and World Percussion Ensemble present an evening of music on Thursday, October 20th. Some of the works being performed:

  • Concert Band
    • Pueblo — John Higgins

  • Jazz Band
    • Moten Swing — Count Basie Orchestra
    • South 21st Shuffle — Maynard Ferguson Orchestra

  • Chorus
    • Medley from "Phantom Of The Opera" — Andrew Lloyd Webber

  • World Percussion Ensemble
    • "Fanga" — Traditional World Rhythm from Liberia, West Africa

The concert is free and open to the public.

When: Thursday, October 20 — 7:00 - 9:00pm
Where: High School Auditorium
Info: District Calendar

Friday, October 7, 2011

Long Range Planning Committee Meeting - October 13

The next meeting of the Long Range Planning Committee (notice [PDF]) will take place on Thursday, October 13th at 7:00pm in room C-120 of the high school. The posted agenda [PDF] for the meeting is reproduced below.

Oyster River School District
Long Range Planning Committee Meeting
Thursday October 13, 2011 at 7PM
Agenda

  1. Introduce the committee and potential new members.
  2. Review October 1 Enrollment figures for the district.
  3. Housing start reports from the three towns.
  4. Discuss what needs to be done before projections are reported.
  5. Set target date for reporting to the school board.
  6. Suggestions for work the committee may do in the spring.
  7. Set date for next meeting.

School Board Special Meeting - October 13

The ORCSD Board will be meeting for a special session (notice [PDF]) on Thursday, October 13th at 7:00pm in room C-124 of the high school. The posted agenda [PDF] for the meeting is reproduced below.

Oyster River Cooperative School District
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH WORKSESSION
Special Meeting
Agenda

Oyster River High School, C-124 October 13, 2011 7:00 — 8:30 p.m.

  1. Call to Order
  2. Discussion
    1. Work session with NESDEC (Superintendent Search Firm)
      • Superintendent Search Schedule
      • Advertisement
      • Announcement
  3. Adjournment

The School Board reserves the right to take action on any item on the agenda.

Respectfully submitted,

Leon Levesque, Interim Superintendent

Upcoming Events - 7 October 2011

CONCERT! All Together Now for the Durham Public Library!!

Join the Durham Public Library as they kick off the Library Campaign with Beatles tribute band "All Together Now!"

Come enjoy the Beatles timeless music and show your support for the Library.

This concert is free and open to all. Refreshments will be available.

When: Sunday, October 9, 5-7pm (Rain Date: 10/16 at 3:00pm)
Where: Mill Plaza
Info: Durham Public Library

Idea Greenhouse — Gadgets for Cash on Main Street

Tom Elliott and the Idea Greenhouse is taking their Gadgets for Cash Program to the streets next Tuesday, October 11th at Breaking New Grounds on Main Street in Durham, NH. Trade-in your used iPhones, laptops, video games, and all things gadgety!

Have used e-waste to recycle? Tradeport USA will be on hand with a scale and a truck to haul away your electronics and responsibly recycle them for just $1 a pound!

When: Tuesday, October 1 — 6:00 - 8:00pm
Where: Breaking New Grounds
Info: Idea Greenhouse

Seacoast Mystery Author K.D. Mason to Speak

Rye mystery novelist KD Mason will speak about his books, including Harbor Ice: "It has been a brutally cold winter in the New Hampshire town of Rye Harbor, leaving drifts of sea water frozen solid in the salt marsh.Finally, the weather warms enough for the ice to begin to break up and drift out to sea. That's when a woman's body is found under a slab of ice left by the outgoing tide."

Changing Tides is KD Mason's second novel. From the book: "This taut page-turner in the Jack Beale mystery series is set against the beautiful backdrop of coastal New Hampshire and the azure waters of Belize. Jack Beale once again risks it all to save his beloved Max from a wealthy yachtsman who has swept Max off her feet, but is not who he appears to be."

When: Tuesday, October 11, 6:30pm
Where: Durham Public Library
Info: Durham Public Library

Moharimet PTO - SASS Presentation

Every year SASS visits all of the classrooms at Moharimet and presents puppet shows about personal body safety. The SASS Education Director will speak about the program and answer questions at this informative meeting. Light refreshments and child care will be provided.

When: Tuesday, October 11 — 6:45 - 8:15pm
Where: Moharimet Elementary School
Info: Moharimet PTO & District Calendar

UNH Jazz Bands in Concert

The University of New Hampshire Department of Music presents the UNH Jazz Bands in concert on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 beginning at 8pm in the Johnson Theatre of the Paul Creative Arts Center on the Durham campus. David Seiler directs our two jazz bands playing favorite and timeless standards.

The concert is free and open to the public.

When: Tuesday, October 11 — 8:00pm
Where: Johnson Theatre in the Paul Creative Arts Center
Info: UNH Department of Music or call (603) 862-2404

UNH Wind Symphony in Concert

The University of New Hampshire Department of Music presents the UNH Wind Symphony, under the direction of Nicholas Orovich, in concert on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 beginning at 8 p.m. in Johnson Theatre of the Paul Creative Arts Center on the Durham campus. This concert will include works by Giovanni Gabrieli, W.A. Mozart, Alec Wilder, Leonard Bernstein, James Currow, Jim Colonna, and Andrew Boysen Jr.

The concert is free and open to the public.

When: Wednesday, October 12 — 8:00pm
Where: Johnson Theatre in the Paul Creative Arts Center
Info: UNH Department of Music or call (603) 862-2404

Mast Way SINI Plan Presentation

Mast Way will be presenting on the School In Need of Improvement (SINI) plan following the Mast Way PTO meeting. This is a repeat of the SINI presentation from July 2011.

When: Thursday, October 13 — 7:00-8:00pm
Where: Mast Way Elementary School - North Commons
Info: District Calendar

UNH Concert Band and Symphonic Band in Concert

The University of New Hampshire Department of Music presents the UNH Concert Band, under the direction of Casey Goodwin, and the UNH Symphonic Band, under the direction of Mark Zielinski. Symphonic Band repertoire will include works by Richard Saucedo, Percy Grainger, and Norman Dello Joio. The Concert Band will perform Overture for Winds by Charles Carter, Air for Band by Frank Erickson (conducted by graduate student Brian Raymond), Night Dances for Wind Ensemble by Bruce Yurko, and Third Suite by Robert Jager. The concert takes place on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. in the Johnson Theatre of the Paul Creative Arts Center on the Durham campus.

The concert is free and open to the public.

When: Thursday, October 13 — 8:00pm
Where: Johnson Theatre in the Paul Creative Arts Center
Info: UNH Department of Music or call (603) 862-2404

New England Fall Astronomy Festival

The New England Fall Astronomy Festival (NEFAF) promises an immersive weekend of astronomy-related activities and experiences for children, families, and people of all ages and expertise. Hosted by the UNH Physics Department and staffed, organized, and driven by members of the astronomical community from throughout New England, NEFAF promises to be a weekend that's not soon to be forgotten!

NEFAF is being held at University of New Hampshire Observatory located on Spinney Lane in Durham, located on the west end of the campus, near the Old Durham Reservoir [DIRECTIONS] and is 100% absolutely FREE!

When: Friday, October 14 — 6:00pm through Saturday
Where: UNH Observatory
Info: UNH Department of Physics or NEFAF Press Release

Mast Way PTO - Parents Night Out

Date night! Once a month (usually the second Friday), Mast Way PTO volunteers watch children, play games, organize activities, and screen movies. Families can pay a small fee to send the children in to have fun from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Sponsored by the Mast Way PTO.

When: Friday, October 14 — 6:30 - 9:30pm
Where: Mast Way Elementary School
Info: District Calendar

The Big, Green Bus Stop

On Saturday, October 15th, come check out what some Dartmouth College students are doing! They have converted a coach bus to run on waste vegetable oil, and outfitted it with solar panels. After a summer touring the country they're back in NH and they are coming to Durham. Stop by to tour this awesome bus and check out other local groups and business with a focus on sustainability!

First Stop: Emery Farm at 9:30
Second Stop: Durham Marketplace at 10:40

Sponsored by The Green Oyster, The Big Green Bus, Durham Marketplace and Emery Farm — An Initiative of the Oyster River Sustainability Committee

When: Saturday, October 15 — 9:30am (Emery Farm), 10:40am (Durham Marketplace)
Where: Emery Farm and Durham Marketplace
Info: Lee E-Crier

UNH Fall Orchestra Festival

On Saturday, October 15th, the UNH Orchestra will host over 80 high school string players in the 2011 UNH Fall Orchestra Festival. The event is also co-sponsored by NHASTA, the New Hampshire chapter of the American String Teachers Association. The festival will provide the high school musicians the opportunity to rehearse and perform with UNH woodwind, brass, and percussion sections, under the leadership of Dr. David Upham and Dr. Mark Latham. A free public concert will be given that evening at 7pm in the Johnson Theater in the Paul Creative Arts Center.

Students applied for the festival in the spring of 2011 through their private studio and public school teachers. The number of applications was overwhelming, and was great enough to merit the creation of two festival orchestras. The Festival Symphony Orchestra will feature over 50 string players with the UNH winds and brass. It will be led by Mark Latham, the conductor of the New Hampshire Youth Symphony, and will perform selections including Aram Khachaturian’s “Waltz” from Masquerade, Alexander Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia, and Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia.

The Festival Chamber Orchestra will be a select group of about 30 high school string musicians, again performing with UNH winds and brass. It will be led by UNH’s Orchestra Conductor, David Upham. The group’s evening performance will feature the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No.1, Jean Sibelius’ Valse Triste, and “The Enchanted Garden” from Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite. The evening concert will begin with Dr. Upham also leading the UNH Symphony Orchestra in Glinka’s Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla and selections from Alberto Ginastera’s Four Dances from Estancia.

The concert is free and open to the public.

When: Saturday, October 15 — 7:00pm
Where: Johnson Theatre in the Paul Creative Arts Center
Info: UNH Department of Music

UNH Concert Choir in Concert

The University of New Hampshire Department of Music presents the UNH Concert Choir, under the direction of William Kempster. The concert is scheduled to take place in the Johnson Theatre of the Paul Creative Arts Center on Sunday afternoon, October 16, 2011 beginning at 3:00 p.m. They will be presenting a program featuring the music of English composer Jonathan Dove. Dove has been acclaimed in Britain as perhaps the most important composer to emerge in that country since Benjamin Britten, and the Concert Choir, accompanied by pianist and organist Paul Merrill, will perform two of Dove's most substantial recent works, the Missa Brevis, from 2009, and The Passing of the Year from 2000. The Missa Brevis is a terse setting of the Mass text (minus the Credo) for organ and chorus. The Passing of the Year is a major work written for piano and double choir, and was originally commissioned by the London Symphony Chorus. The texts are by a variety of well known English poets, such as William Blake, Thomas Nashe and Alfred Lord Tennyson.

This concert will also mark part 1 of the launch of the new compact disc recording by the UNH Concert Choir and UNH Chamber Singers, Connections. Part 2 of the release will be at the Chamber Singers concert on November 9.

The concert is free and open to the public.

When: Sunday, October 16 — 3:00pm
Where: Johnson Theatre in the Paul Creative Arts Center
Info: UNH Department of Music or call (603) 862-2404

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Superintendent's Report: September 2011

Superintendent Levesque has published his monthly report [PDF] for September 2011. Highlights in this month's report include:

  • Report on skateboard and traffic safety including assistance from the Town of Durham
  • Report on student composition and enrollment
  • Announcement and welcome to the new High School Athletic Director, Corey Parker
  • Report on the superintendent search and selection of NESDEC to conduct the search
  • Details on the October 4 working session with the ABC

Monthly reports can be found in the Superintendent Corner of the Oyster River Cooperative School District website.

Wired: Why Do Some People Learn Faster?

There's an interesting article by Jonah Lehrer in Wired covering two experiments on responses in the brain to making mistakes. The first by Jason Moser of Michigan State University proposes there are two distinct reactions to mistakes and suggesting that those with an open mind are more likely to change behavior -- i.e. learn from their mistakes. The second by Carol Dweck of Stanford has practical application for developing the positive learning event following a mistake:

Her [Dweck] most famous study, conducted in twelve different New York City schools along with Claudia Mueller, involved giving more than 400 fifth graders a relatively easy test consisting of nonverbal puzzles. After the children finished the test, the researchers told the students their score, and provided them with a single line of praise. Half of the kids were praised for their intelligence. "You must be smart at this," the researcher said. The other students were praised for their effort: "You must have worked really hard."

The students were then allowed to choose between two different subsequent tests. The first choice was described as a more difficult set of puzzles, but the kids were told that they’d learn a lot from attempting it. The other option was an easy test, similar to the test they’d just taken.

When Dweck was designing the experiment, she expected the different forms of praise to have a rather modest effect. After all, it was just one sentence. But it soon became clear that the type of compliment given to the fifth graders dramatically affected their choice of tests. When kids were praised for their effort, nearly 90 percent chose the harder set of puzzles. However, when kids were praised for their intelligence, most of them went for the easier test. What explains this difference? According to Dweck, praising kids for intelligence encourages them to "look" smart, which means that they shouldn’t risk making a mistake.

The conclusion offers the upshot that praising for intelligence instead of effort discourages the revision of existing mental models (i.e. not opening your mind to new possibilities) and results in less effective learning.

The problem with praising kids for their innate intelligence — the "smart" compliment — is that it misrepresents the psychological reality of education. It encourages kids to avoid the most useful kind of learning activities, which is when we learn from our mistakes. Because unless we experience the unpleasant symptoms of being wrong — that surge of Pe activity a few hundred milliseconds after the error, directing our attention to the very thing we’d like to ignore — the mind will never revise its models. We’ll keep on making the same mistakes, forsaking self-improvement for the sake of self-confidence. Samuel Beckett had the right attitude: "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."

Parents — encourage those kids to try new things, pick themselves up and try again, and let them know you appreciate their efforts inside and out of the classroom!

» Wired Article

School Board Regular Meeting - October 5

The next regular session of the ORCSD Board (notice [PDF]) will take place on Wednesday, October 5th (today) at 7:00pm in room C-124 of the high school. The posted agenda [PDF] for the meeting is reproduced below.

Oyster River Cooperative School District
REGULAR MEETING

Oyster River High School, C-124 October 5, 2011 7:00 PM

  1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
  2. CLOSED SESSION (RSA 91 A:3)
  3. PRELIMINARY ACTION ITEMS
    1. Superintendent Actions
      1. Nominate ORHS/ORMS Activities (See Lists)
    2. Announcements
      1. District
      2. Board
    3. Correspondence
    4. Commendations
    5. Approval of minutes: 9/19/11 Special SB minutes, 9/21/11 Minutes
    6. Approval of manifests
  4. REPORTS
    1. Curriculum & Instruction Report(s)
      • Mike Shackleford Update - Danielle
    2. Superintendent's Report
    3. Student Senate Report
    4. Other: Business Administrator
      • Information on FY11 Fund Balance/DOE 25 Report
  5. SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEES
  6. PUBLIC COMMENTS
    BOARD COMMENTS
  7. DISCUSSION ITEMS
    1. District per Pupil Expenditure
    2. Role of the SRO - ORHS
    3. Sustainability Committee Report
  8. ACTION ITEMS
    1. List of Policies for second read/adoption.
  9. PUBLIC COMMENTS
  10. CLOSING ACTIONS
    1. Agenda Planning — Setting/Review of Future Agenda Item List
    2. Future meeting dates: 10/19/11, 11/2/11 Regular
  11. ADJOURNMENT

The School Board reserves the right to take action on any item on the agenda.

Respectfully submitted,

Leon Levesque, Interim Superintendent

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Upcoming Events at the Durham Public Library

I Want to Write a Book! Tips from Local Authors on Making it Work

Local authors Toby Ball and Kristin Duisberg will speak on the ins and outs of the publishing world, share their stories of getting their novels published, and how to make it good as a writer.

Ball is the author of "The Vaults," a thriller, and his hotly anticipated second novel, "Scorch City," was recently released. Ball is Business Manager at the Crimes against Children Research Center and the Family Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire. He lives in Durham with his wife and two children.

Duisberg is author of "The Good Patient: A Novel,"described by Publishers Weekly as a "penetrating psychological study." The novel tells the story of a young woman struggling with buried memories of near madness and self-mutilation.

When: Wednesday, October 5, 6:30pm
Where: Durham Public Library
Info: Durham Public Library

CONCERT! All Together Now for the Durham Public Library!!

Join the Durham Public Library as they kick off the Library Campaign with Beatles tribute band "All Together Now!"

Come enjoy the Beatles timeless music and show your support for the Library.

This concert is free and open to all. Refreshments will be available.

When: Sunday, October 9, 5-7pm (Rain Date: 10/16 at 3:00pm)
Where: Mill Plaza
Info: Durham Public Library