2008 has come to a close, and what an eventful year it was. Before we embark on 2009, I'd like to take a few moments to reflect on some of the major happenings in Port Byron Schools during the past year. In many ways, it was a breakthrough year for our school, consequently we don't lack for items to put on our list.

Among the biggest:

#&149; Dana L. West High School became Dana L. West Jr.-Sr. High School, as we successfully planned and executed a major district reconfiguration. This was not an easy undertaking, as countless hours were poured into the extensive process. Thanks to the dedication and perseverance of our staff, particularly members of the Reconfiguration Team, we were able to pave the way for the successful creation of our new 7-12 building. While we are still getting used to the new configuration, it has gone remarkably well to this point. Congratulations on a job well done. We'd like to think we've taken the best of two separate buildings and merged them into one cohesive school community.

#&149; Our district launched the largest comprehensive K-12 professional development initiative in many, many years. 2008 marked the beginning of a multi-year effort to incorporate the “Learning Focused Solutions” framework into the K-12 school structure. LFS is an extensive research-based model that emphasizes curriculum prioritization, instructional strategies development and the refinement of assessment practice. At this point, math and technology teachers have participated in extensive curriculum writing training, and all instructional staff has completed a two-day instructional strategies session. This is just the beginning as 2009 brings more staff development in the LFS model.

Eventually, LFS technology will allow us to put our curriculum documents on-line, making collegial collaboration and parent participation in the learning process easier and more impactful than ever.

#&149; 2008 brought a substantial increase in the utilization of instructional technology that directly impacts student learning. The use of SmartBoards has enabled many teachers to introduce new and exciting ways of learning (interactive white boards that work in conjunction with a computer and projector). It's amazing to see how our students have responded to this technology, and equally amazing to see how innovative our teachers have been in incorporating this technology into daily instruction.

#&149; Several new courses were introduced this past year for our students, including: AP English Language and Composition, College Spanish 103, College Math 108, Environmental Science, SAT Prep, Honors 9th Grade English, 8th Grade Honors Science and the 7th Grade Writing/Research Skills course.

#&149; With the reconfiguration came the development of a common 7-12 bell schedule. This created an opportunity to launch an advisory period at the 7th and 8th grade level. With this 35 minute period, students are able to access additional programs designed to enrich and enhance their existing program. New opportunities for our seventh and eighth graders includes the Student Leadership Organization and the comprehensive 7-12 Goal Development Initiative.

#&149; We also completed an extensive building project that upgraded many safety and security features in the district. This included the modification of the drop-off loop/parking lot and addition of security cameras.

This list just scratches the surface in terms of the exciting things that are happening at Port Byron.

The challenges facing schools in the coming year are daunting, but we are determined to continue in our evolution into a school marked by excellence. With the positive momentum built up in 2008, we can't help but be enthusiastic about our future in 2009.

I'm confident our list of accomplishments will grow considerably, and can hardly wait to give the report.

Shawn Bissetta is principal of Dana L. West High School in Port Byron