What's new at Dana L. West High School this year?
A lot!
As a matter of fact, you don't need to look any farther than the very name of our school to notice the first noticeable change of the 2008-2009 school year. We are now Dana L. West Jr.-Sr. High School. The transformation of Port Byron Central Schools into a kindergarten through sixth grade and seventh through 12th grade district is now complete.
With the new grade configuration comes many exciting new changes and opportunities. One major change is the presence of a shared bell schedule for all staff and students in seventh through 12th grades. This has allowed us to both offer a wide variety of courses and to maximize the full talent and experience of our instructional staff.
A small sampling of new opportunities and courses offered this academic year include:
• Advisory period in seventh and eighth grades
• College level Spanish
• College math 108
• Honors eighth-grade science
• Seventh-grade library research course
• AP English language and composition
• Environmental science
• Honors ninth-grade English
• SAT Prep
The addition of the seventh- and eighth-grade advisory period will make a profound and immediate impact on student learning. Our grade level teams now have a 35-minute block of time in the middle of the day (just before lunch periods) to work with students on a myriad of important skills. The seventh- and eighth-grade teams have done an outstanding job in planning innovative activities geared to assist students in enhancing study skills, test-taking strategies, organizational skills, reading and writing exposure and character education and motivational activities.
Given the opportunity to design and implement an extensive program to benefit their students, our teachers have hit it out of the park. Their professionalism and high level of collaboration has paved the way for a substantial new opportunity for all of our students to maximize their potential as learners. We are incredibly excited to watch this program evolve during the course of the year.
At the district level, we are experiencing a large scale curriculum and instruction initiative led by our district wide curriculum/staff development council. We are positioned better than ever to provide our students the highest quality educational experience possible.
Our initial staff days on Sept. 2 and 3 were a great testament to the positive direction we are moving in, and perhaps the best example of the spirit of collaboration and high level of professionalism that permeates our district.
Every grade level team and department in the district presented their goals for the year, along with the action plan through which those goals will become a reality. These presentations were a response to two district wide goals established by our school board and superintendent:
1) Improving student learning through increased analysis and utilization of performance data
2) Parent involvement in the educational process
Determining how these areas would be addressed within each grade, content area and individual classrooms became the key focus area in order to most effectively implement our 2008-2009 goals. Listening to colleagues talk about their goals and priorities to benefit our students was a terrific way to set a positive tone for the new year.
Not only are their systemic and structural changes now in place in Port Byron, there are many new people. We would like to welcome an outstanding group of first year educators to our Secondary Instructional Team.
New staff include: Assistant principal/athletic director Joe Bernazzani, guidance counselor Kevin Barber, library media specialist Kelly Cullen, science teacher Gregg Fedigan, math teacher Jessica Matt, art teacher Corrine Wakeman, Spanish teacher Eve Danboise, physical education teacher Robb Aitchison, teaching assistant Deanna Wilkinson and special education teacher Jessi Felice.
With numerous upgrades made possible through our soon-to-be completed building renovation project, exciting new programs in place and an exceptional group of new and veteran staff members, we are poised for a break-out year. The most exciting news of all is that the students and families that we serve will be the biggest beneficiaries. Here's to the promise of a sensational year in Port Byron.
Shawn Bissetta is principal of Dana L. West High School in Port Byron.
As a matter of fact, you don't need to look any farther than the very name of our school to notice the first noticeable change of the 2008-2009 school year. We are now Dana L. West Jr.-Sr. High School. The transformation of Port Byron Central Schools into a kindergarten through sixth grade and seventh through 12th grade district is now complete.
With the new grade configuration comes many exciting new changes and opportunities. One major change is the presence of a shared bell schedule for all staff and students in seventh through 12th grades. This has allowed us to both offer a wide variety of courses and to maximize the full talent and experience of our instructional staff.
A small sampling of new opportunities and courses offered this academic year include:
• Advisory period in seventh and eighth grades
• College level Spanish
• College math 108
• Honors eighth-grade science
• Seventh-grade library research course
• AP English language and composition
• Environmental science
• Honors ninth-grade English
• SAT Prep
The addition of the seventh- and eighth-grade advisory period will make a profound and immediate impact on student learning. Our grade level teams now have a 35-minute block of time in the middle of the day (just before lunch periods) to work with students on a myriad of important skills. The seventh- and eighth-grade teams have done an outstanding job in planning innovative activities geared to assist students in enhancing study skills, test-taking strategies, organizational skills, reading and writing exposure and character education and motivational activities.
Given the opportunity to design and implement an extensive program to benefit their students, our teachers have hit it out of the park. Their professionalism and high level of collaboration has paved the way for a substantial new opportunity for all of our students to maximize their potential as learners. We are incredibly excited to watch this program evolve during the course of the year.
At the district level, we are experiencing a large scale curriculum and instruction initiative led by our district wide curriculum/staff development council. We are positioned better than ever to provide our students the highest quality educational experience possible.
Our initial staff days on Sept. 2 and 3 were a great testament to the positive direction we are moving in, and perhaps the best example of the spirit of collaboration and high level of professionalism that permeates our district.
Every grade level team and department in the district presented their goals for the year, along with the action plan through which those goals will become a reality. These presentations were a response to two district wide goals established by our school board and superintendent:
1) Improving student learning through increased analysis and utilization of performance data
2) Parent involvement in the educational process
Determining how these areas would be addressed within each grade, content area and individual classrooms became the key focus area in order to most effectively implement our 2008-2009 goals. Listening to colleagues talk about their goals and priorities to benefit our students was a terrific way to set a positive tone for the new year.
Not only are their systemic and structural changes now in place in Port Byron, there are many new people. We would like to welcome an outstanding group of first year educators to our Secondary Instructional Team.
New staff include: Assistant principal/athletic director Joe Bernazzani, guidance counselor Kevin Barber, library media specialist Kelly Cullen, science teacher Gregg Fedigan, math teacher Jessica Matt, art teacher Corrine Wakeman, Spanish teacher Eve Danboise, physical education teacher Robb Aitchison, teaching assistant Deanna Wilkinson and special education teacher Jessi Felice.
With numerous upgrades made possible through our soon-to-be completed building renovation project, exciting new programs in place and an exceptional group of new and veteran staff members, we are poised for a break-out year. The most exciting news of all is that the students and families that we serve will be the biggest beneficiaries. Here's to the promise of a sensational year in Port Byron.
Shawn Bissetta is principal of Dana L. West High School in Port Byron.
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