By Alex Malm
Before the Londonderry School District Deliberative Session began on Feb.11, Superintendent, Dan Black, gave the public an update of what is happening with the school district.
“We’re back to normal and we’re loving it,” said Black.
He explained that for a couple of years during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic “there were some dark days.”
However, around this time last year, things began to turn around, he said.
“That’s where we are right now,” said Black.
In addition to academics, Black said overall, the school district wants students to be career and college ready as well as well rounded students.
“We want to make sure they have a great co-curricular program to learn outside the classroom as well,” said Black.
One of the things pointed out by Black is their quest to continue to improve their academic program. He added that most years they have around 85 to 90 percent of their students that are accepted into a two or four year college before graduation, and nearly 700 students are enrolled in AP classes and or running start classes at the highschool.
Black also noted that students are “consistently above state and national averages on i-Ready, PSAT, SAT, and NH Standardized tests,”
“It’s a very strong place to be,” said Black.
Black said that one of the focuses in order to improve academics is through “portrait of a graduate.”
“This vision of our academic program is being embedded in all our curriculum work as a district,” Black said.
Another thing that was pointed out by Black is the goal of having a positive school culture.
“We always want to make sure we have a positive school culture in our classrooms, and that’s a very hard thing to do,” said Black.
He stated that this year rebuilding a positive school culture has gone well.
Where the school district is focusing their efforts on has also shifted, Black pointed out.
“After many years of implementing Math in Focus grades K to 8 as a system, our elementary schools are now shifting their focus on literacy to make sure we build more skilled readers, writers, and communicators for their 6 to 12 classes,” said Black.
Additionally, Black also pointed to a shift of their curriculum to meet the digital age.
For example, he said that starting in the fall, after three years of budgets, Londonderry High School students will all have their own devices making the school 1 to 1. He added that if the warrant article is approved then it would mean that Londonderry Middle School will be in the same situation. They have also included a mobile technician in the budget to help support the additional devices added to the district over the last few years.
Black said they want to continue to improve, and that the staff is focused on it.
“We always want to get better,” said Black.