Dear Parents, Welcome to the eighth year in the history of Moharimet. We have had a wonderful opening and an exciting development of the Moharimet play field. Within the last two weeks, the PTO has purchased, with district funds, five hundred yards of loam, spread it and seeded it with the help of a UNH class. The children have done their part by first helping to pick up the large stones out of the field and, most importantly, staying off the field allowing the green to take over. Wow!! On the other side of the coin, I must tell you as I have promised to in the past that the class size issue has hit us again. I reported to the board that our class size in grades one through four is at 23.8 to 1. The major impact is on grades one and two where I had anticipated class sizes of 21 to 22. Currently, all first and second grade classes are at 24:1. This has been caused by an enrollment of 31 new first graders and 13 new second graders. In the past we have always had an influx of first graders caused primarily by parents who choose to send their children to all day kindergarten. That figure has historically been no larger than 12-15 children. I will be doing an analysis of where the new first graders have come from in order to provide the superintenndent and board with information which might help us all understand what is happening. Last year Moharimet was educating 440 children with 18 classroom teachers. This year we have 431 children with 17 classroom teachers. A long range solution needs too be found, and I have communicated this to both the superintendent and the board. I must also say that I do not support any drastic change in the organization of the school to achieve smaller class size at this time. The year is underway and there woullld be another major transition for children involved. On Monday, September 16, the first business meeting of the PTO was held. It is rewarding as principal of this school to know that our PTO is a COLLABORATION among PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND MY OFFICE. It is not the parent organization. No meeting of any part of the organization has ever had a formal gathering at which each part of the collaboration was not represented. As a result, Moharimet has multiple ways for parents, teachers and administration to connect and provide an environment of mutual support. As principal, I ask that you find a way to connect with your child's school. There are many ways ranging from supervising at Parents' Night Out, to baking cookies, to working on the education commiittee, or volunteering in one of the schools many programs. One final word - never feel that because you can only find the time to make the connection once or twice a year that you are somehow not doing the job. Each family and circumstance is differentt and we here all respect that. The quality of your interaction in the community is far more important than measuring time. On the other hand, sometimes it is a time of life or circumstance for a family that this is a year of maximum involvement and that is fine too. Working together we will provide the best possible schooling for your children. Have a great school year. Sincerely, Dennis Harrington, Principal
The quality of your interaction in the community is far more important than measuring time.
MOH News Staff Kathi DiSesa 868-5320 Jean Marquis 659-2054 Lorraine Murphy 868-1809 Claire Powell 868-1545 Kim Cohen

Last update on 29-Mar-99 at 10:38 PM.

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