Congratulations to John Akers, Northwood, NH, who has been named to the President’s Honor Roll for the Fall 2014 semester at Bismarck State College.

Students must maintain at least a 3.50 grade point on a 4.00 scale while enrolled in at least 12 semester hours of classes to qualify.

Letter To The Editor

Full-Day Kindergarten: Too Much Too Soon?

This year Northwood voters and taxpayers are being asked yet again to create full-day kindergarten. 

The Northwood Budget Committee endorsed this Warrant Article even though, as they admitted, they didn’t know what it would cost. They also seemed unaware of the evidence showing that full day kindergarten doesn’t do what its advocates claim. The committee often gets things right, but did they this time?

Shouldn’t we look at the data before deciding whether to approve a measure that may actually do more harm than good?

Rand Education, with support from the Ford and Rockefeller foundations, has reviewed the progress of thousands of students over the course of their kindergarten to fifth grade years.  

The researchers decided “there was no evidence that full-day kindergarten participation enhanced mathematics and reading achievement.” In fact, a “full-day program may not enhance achievement and may actually be associated with poorer mathematics performance.” (My underlining, their words.)

They also observed that “children who participated in a full-day kindergarten program demonstrated poorer dispositions toward learning, lower self-control, and poorer interpersonal skills than children in part-day programs.” They consequently surmised that “full-day kindergarten programs may actually be detrimental to the development of nonacademic readiness skills.”

Furthermore, according to the report, children in full-day programs were more likely to suffer from the “presence of anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, and sadness.”

Rand Education’s conclusion was that “attendance in full-day kindergarten programs is not associated with long-term academic benefits,” and has a “potentially negative impact on nonacademic skills.”

Michael Faiella

Northwood

Technology Information Night Planned At Northwood School

Submitted By The Northwood Technology Committee

The Technology Committee at Northwood School would like to invite the Northwood community to an evening of learning and see what the teachers and staff are implementing for technology with their students. The teachers and staff will give five minute presentations on Thursday, February 12th starting at 6:00PM in the school library.  There will be time provided to rotate through stations and visit the websites by using the newly purchased laptops and ipads.

We are looking forward to a full house.  Please call the school office at 942-5488 to let us know you are interested in coming to this technology evening.

Score With Reading!

Submitted By The Northwood Literacy Committee

Through the months of January and February the Northwood School is involved in an exciting reading incentive program based on the Boston Bruins hockey team.  Each book read will score a goal!  Each book that is read at home or during free choice time equals a goal for the classroom. Families that read at home can write down the titles of the books and send them to their child’s teacher.

There are three bulletin boards in the school, displaying hockey rinks with the total number of books read.  Kindergarten AM is competing against Kindergarten PM, grades 1/2 are competing against grades 3/4, and grades 5/6 are competing against grades 7/8.

Results will be published after the games are completed in late February.

Letter To The Editor

Why All-Day Kindergarten?

When I was 7 years old, as I began the school year, I couldn’t read.  I knew the alphabet, but somehow these strings of letters we call WORDS weren’t registering meaningfully when I saw them. 

Fortunately for me, my ride to school got me there about 30 minutes before the school day began and other kids began to arrive.  And especially important was that my teacher, Miss Dye, also got there early and realized that I needed help.  

Together, we would look at WORDS.  As we practiced, I learned that some words are spelled the same but are pronounced differently and mean different things – like wind and wind.  Others are spelled differently but sound the same – like bare and bear. Some words are just spelled weird – like tough and tongue and liquor.  But I began to get it, and pretty soon I was reading along with the rest of the kids.

This experience made some of the research on all-day kindergarten especially important to me.  An ERIC Digest article, “Recent Research on All-Day Kindergarten” by Patricia Clark reports that researchers “found that children in the all-day classrooms were receiving more one-on-one instruction from their teachers” compared with half-day kids.   Other research found that all-day kids “scored higher on standardized tests, had fewer grade retention’s and had fewer Chapter 1 placements” 

The report concludes: “there seem to be many positive learning and social/behavioral benefits for children in all-day kindergarten programs…. An all-day kindergarten program can provide children the opportunity to spend more time engaged in active, child-initiated, small-group activities. Teachers in all-day kindergarten classrooms often feel less stressed by time constraints and may have more time to get to know children and meet their needs.”

Please support the petition warrant article for all-day kindergarten in Northwood. 

Tom Chase

Northwood

Letter To The Editor

I don’t think that anyone in the history of western civilization has rationally argued that education is bad (Ok, I could be wrong, since I haven’t read everybody, but I think an exception would prove the rule). That “education” is good, so how could any right caring person oppose it? was the straw man argument put forth by a proponent of all day kindergarten in Northwood.  The real consideration should be whether Good Education should be the community goal and whether the taxpayers can afford it.  The quality of education counts – good education is good...mediocre education is questionable...and bad education is not just bad but a detriment to a child’s future education.  To be forced to pay for the latter two adds insult to injury.

For those that are fond of government solutions to almost any societal “problem”you should know there have been numerous evaluations of the value of kindergarten (value to the children by the way, not others).  Among the most recent studies come findings from some of the most prestigious advocates of  “government knows best” Ford and Rockefeller foundations and Rand Education.  The report card for full day kindergarten was dismal. Any perceived benefits disappeared within the first few years of elementary school.      

So now we are being  asked to pass a  kindergarten warrant article that is not a good idea and that will cost in the neighborhood of 100 thousand dollars.  At budget committee hearings it became apparent in discussion that the cost ‘estimated’ is low by probably half. Whether this was a low ball or accident the real cost to the community is what counts.

The regular school budget is high now and growing in spite of some valiant efforts by a few.  This warrant article is not a “good”opportunity to spend more.

Joseph McCaffrey, 

Northwood

McFarland, Groth & McPhee / MGM Realty Announces Associate Brokers

MGM Realty Associate Brokers Winnie Fracassi, left and Judi Anthony 

McFarland, Groth & McPhee / MGM Realty is pleased to announce that Judith Anthony and Winifred Fracassi have each achieved the status of Associate Broker in our Northwood office. MGM Realty is located on Rt. 4 in Northwood.

Winnie Fracassi recently earned her associate broker license after working as an active sales associate since 1999. She is very familiar with the area, particularly the lakes, and stays current with the EPA requirements.  She has been very successful in selling lakefront properties in her career. She would be glad to meet with you and do research to give you a current market analysis.  If you are looking to buy, she will be happy to find a property that meets your needs.

Judi Anthony has lived in Northwood for many years. She has always loved architecture; so naturally, helping people find their new home or market their current home is an enjoyable venture for her and her clients. Whether you’re looking for an old house, a new construction, a fixer-upper, farm land or the perfect property to build your dream home, Judi can help you to make it happen. 

Letter To The Editor

Did you know that the proposed Northwood teachers’ contract to be voted on in March benefits the students at Northwood School? School will be extended an additional 15 minutes per day. This increase will enable teachers to boost instructional time to cover more of the ever growing curriculum. Over each week, students will gain 1 hour and 15 minutes of instruction. Over the course of a year, the students will gain 45 hours of classroom time with their teachers. 

Recently our K-8 curriculum has expanded to include instruction in the Six Traits Writing Program and the Northwood Technology Program of Instruction. The goal of these student focused initiatives is to make sure Northwood students stay competitive with their peers throughout the state and nationally. 

There are many clubs that teachers offer after school to enrich students and give them extra opportunities for fun and learning that are not available during the school day. A few of these include Book Club, Game Club, Snowshoe Club, Art Club, Lego Club, and Gardening Club. The new contract, if voter approved in March, will provide additional funding for clubs. 

To hear more about how the contract will help address students’ needs, please attend the Northwood School Deliberative Session on February 5 in the Northwood School gym. For more information, email questions to [email protected] or visit our website at Northwood Teachers for Learning. 

Sincerely,

Northwood School Teachers

Letter To The Editor

To the Editor,

“Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel.” John Quinton

Northwood is a small town. I don’t know about you, but after living in Europe, Africa and having lived or traveled in every State in the US, it is one reason I settled my family here. Elections are on March 10th this year. More than ever we need to pay attention. The two best places to do that are at the Town Deliberative Session on January 31st and the School Deliberative Session on February 5th. That is where to get informed.

The last thing needed is for everybody to say no but if you look at the face values of the School and Town Warrants the total is $1,341,118 over last year. If all were approved your taxes could easily go up nearly $3.00 per thousand of your property value that’s $750.00 on a $250,000 home. This might not be so bad for some of you but a big deal for others. Quite a stack of “Notice to Quit” forms went out this week to those in a struggle to keep their homes. Compassion seems to be missing in today’s world. Let the government handle it.

However, some Warrants should be approved. They are fair, just and needed to continue improving our little town of Northwood. Town elections are far more important to your everyday life than the midterms or presidential elections.  Become informed.

Please beware of those who want to solve every little problem with money and more bodies. It doesn’t address the issues. They are almost always lifelong government employees, good people but with no innovative ideas..

Vote and if you agree with me, vote often.

Tim Jandebeur

Northwood

Janet (Grover) Knowlton

Janet (Grover) Knowlton, 86, wife of the late David R. Knowlton, passed away on January 22, 2015 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House surrounded by loving family members.

Born January 28, 1928 in Danvers, MA she was the daughter of the late George Lloyd and Louise (Nutter) Grover. Janet was a graduate of Holten High School in Danvers, class of 1946.  She was united in marriage with David Rutherford Knowlton, also of Danvers, in 1950.  She was employed by AT&T as a switchboard operator and worked as a seamstress at various bridal shops. 

Janet was a Rainbow Girl, acting as Worthy Advisor of the Salem Assembly in 1948. She was also an active member of the First Church in Ipswich where she served as a Deaconess, and on a number of committees, especially the Music Committee.

She loved sewing, knitting, quilting, baking and her extensive travels with her late husband.

She is survived by her three sons, Royce Knowlton and his wife Susan, of Ipswich,  David Knowlton and his wife Rachel of Boxford, MA and Robert Knowlton and his wife Ann of Northwood, NH;  a daughter Laura Le Roux and her husband Richard of Rennes, France;  seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren who will all miss her dearly. She is also survived by her sister Katherine Grover of Cave Creek, Arizona and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband she was pre-deceased by her son Richard D. Knowlton formerly of Ipswich and a brother William A. Grover formerly of Billerica.

Services were held on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 in the First Church in Ipswich, Meetinghouse Green.  In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in her name may be made to Kaplan Family Hospice House, 78 Liberty St., Danvers, MA 01923  or the First Church in Ipswich Organ Fund, 1 Meetinghouse Green, Ipswich, MA 01938. To leave a condolence please visit www.whittier-porter.com