Principal's Letter

Dear Families,

Each school year I update this letter to our families in the hope of capturing all the elements that make Chelsea Intermediate School such a unique and positive place for our students. In the five years I have spent as Principal here, I can assure you that each fall brings a new set of opportunities that are built upon the experiences gained in the previous year. It is our goal to share with you our successes, so we can celebrate them together to continue learning, so we can engage in ongoing improvement and maintain our investment in each one of your children, so they can reach their maximum potential.

One of the ways that we work to address the needs of each individual learner is through the Response to Intervention Process (RtI). This is a data driven process in which all students are assessed through a Universal Screening Tool in the areas of reading, math, and writing, three times a year. This information, along with Terra Nova scores, ISAT scores, and classroom assessments, are compiled, reviewed, and discussed repeatedly throughout the year. From there, we work to identify students who are struggling or excelling in any content area so an appropriate educational plan can be developed. Response to Intervention has often times been misrepresented as a program for struggling learners alone. The RtI process, if implemented with fidelity, is intended to look at every child’s progress so we can identify those in need of more challenging curriculum, as well as those in need of more interventions to achieve success. In order to meet the needs of varying learners, we have placed a strong emphasis on flexible grouping in the areas of reading and math. This allows the teacher to work with small groups of students at their instructional level on a regular basis to appropriately challenge and provide remediation during the learning process.

In addition to curricular goals, we also have a variety of activities and programs designed to meet the needs of students in the social/emotional realm. Our focus on the Social Emotional Learning Standards (SEL) is supported by our Sensory Integration Initiatives, Social Thinking Program, Bully Prevention Program, Caught Being Good Program, and Student Ambassadors.

The Sensory Integration Initiative is intended to educate students about how their sensory systems work, and how that affects their academics and their behavioral choices throughout the day. We use the Sensory Room, which was secured through a generous grant by the Whittingham Foundation, as well as sensory kits within the classrooms, to act as tools that will help students regulate their sensory systems in an appropriate way throughout the day. Social Thinking compliments the goals of our Sensory Integration Initiative by giving students a framework for learning about how their social interactions affect themselves and others.

The Bully Prevention Program is designed to educate students about the true meaning of bullying, the steps they can take to assist their peers in bullying situations, and the avenues they can pursue to get help should they find themselves unable to resolve a bullying situation on their own. We use the reinforcement provided by the Caught Being Good and Student Ambassador programs to promote the positive choices made by our students. The goal is to celebrate the successes our children are having with their conduct and behavior on a daily basis. As a result of all of these efforts, it is our hope and expectation that our students will represent the six pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS! as they progress through their days here at Chelsea Intermediate School.

I have spent much of this letter outlining some of the formalized approaches we have taken to reach our goals. However, it is the personal connections between staff and student, as well as home and school, that make any building initiative meaningful for each individual child. We will continue to partner with you this year, as in years past, and we thank you for your commitment to our school and your child’s education.

Sincerely,
Kristin Simpkins