Bridget Kahn

This State of the Schools Report for the Gorham School Department evaluates the provision of student-centered education amidst evolving demographics and increasing student support needs. It highlights progress in academic achievement, particularly in math, and strong post-secondary readiness at the high school level. Key challenges identified include persistent chronic absenteeism and declining readiness rates at elementary and middle school levels. The report outlines strategic next steps for continuous improvement, focusing on strengthening tiered support systems (RTI, SEL, Special Ed), tackling chronic absenteeism, addressing declining readiness at key educational transitions, boosting academic proficiency in foundational grades, expanding equity-focused programming, and monitoring staff culture and retention.

The workshop focused on reviewing the draft of the Superintendent's goals for the upcoming academic year, the meeting schedule for the school committee, the development timeline for the future fiscal year budget, and the report on the state of the schools.

This Pandemic Operations Plan for Gorham School Department outlines a comprehensive framework for managing school operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. It details three adaptive operational levels—Red (fully remote), Yellow (hybrid), and Green (traditional with safety measures)—across five domains: Operational, Instructional, Student Support, Human and Fiscal Resources, and Professional Development & Training. The plan prioritizes student and staff safety, continuous high-quality instruction, and social-emotional well-being, while maintaining an inclusive culture and adapting to evolving health guidelines.

This document is a State of the Schools Report reflecting on the previous academic year's growth and progress, and planning for future improvement. It utilizes pre-identified data to assess the school department's progress in meeting strategic plan goals. Key areas of focus include demographic information, district-wide student achievement data (attendance, curriculum pacing, and NWEA growth scores), and the newly established Gorham Metrics of Success. The report highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on enrollment and student achievement, particularly for younger students, and outlines strategies for intervention and curriculum adjustment, such as implementing a new K-9 math curriculum. The objective is to ensure the highest quality education for Gorham's students and to foster continuous improvement.

The committee discussed winter athletic COVID-19 safety protocols, including masking recommendations. Updates were provided regarding the upcoming winter convocation, potential increases in Federal Title funds, and a restructuring of membership dues. The Deputy Commissioner reported on bus driver shortage adjustments, the closure of CRF funds, remote learning day requirements, and Chapter 115 rule changes. A comprehensive legislative overview of various carry-over and new bills was presented. Finally, the committee engaged in robust discussions concerning the need for the MDOE to establish an off-ramp strategy for school masking requirements and to take further action on workforce shortages impacting schools.