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Emily Hamilton was hired by
Seacoast Charter School July 2004. A seasoned, masters-level charter school
teacher and team leader from Massachusetts, Emily brought energy to address the
school’s final start-up hurdles—facilities and recruitment. Seacoast Charter
School and the Franklin Career Academy were the first two charters approved by
the State Board of Education under the new pilot program. SCS opens this week
and has openings for grade 3-4.
Q. You are going to be the new
leader for one of New Hampshire’s first-approved charter schools. You are
opening September 7th. How do you feel?
A. I’m very excited about the school opening. It’s been a pleasure—all of this
work. And in the last month we’ve been really lucky. Our school has found
quality space for this year in Stratham. We also found an engineer willing to
help us correct the septic system where we are leasing space. We found a
terrific second teacher with an arts background and this will help us develop
our unique arts program for elementary-aged children. And even with our late
space confirmation, we have parents thrilled to be the founding families of this
new chartered public school.
Space was the
stumbling block to opening. We have a wonderful space now, for this year, at the
Stratham Community Church. This is a fine community church responding to a
community need. The church leaders have been wonderful to us about a lease
agreement and we are helping them also by fixing their septic system. We are
thrilled. It’s a win-win relationship.
Q.. What is it that inspires
families to participate and be pioneers in this particular school venture?
A. Different
families have chosen this charter school for different reasons. Some families
are looking for a small school and believe their children will thrive in a
smaller school setting. Even when our school is at capacity we will be a small
school (approx. 120 students grades 3-6). Some families chose our school because
of our curriculum or commitment to arts education. Some parents want a very
content-oriented curriculum. In some families it’s actually the student who has
motivated the family. We’ve have students at the information sessions asking
very excellent questions. The students are excited to be helping to create a new
school.
Q: Have you found any animosity
about the school in the Stratham/Exeter area?
A: No, I really
haven’t. There have been people who have asked me lots of questions about the
school—they were surprised to discover that a charter school is a public school.
The local SAU here has been very supportive. We have a positive relationship.
The Superintendent and his staff have been wonderful and helpful, when we’ve
asked for help. The Superintendent assigned one central office administrator to
work with us, so we’ve enjoyed both independence and support.
Q: One goal of the charter school
effort is to encourage entrepreneurialism in addition to creating an excellent
choice school. Are their any entrepreneurial features that people might find
interesting?
A: The entire
school has to be entrepreneurial for financial reasons. Our furniture is on loan
from a school in Massachusetts.
And the whole art
piece of our program is entrepreneurial, I’d say. There are two main components
to the Seacoast Charter School: 1) rigorous academics (we will be following
aspects of the Core Knowledge curriculum and Chicago reading and math programs)
and 2) the arts component with an artist working along with me and finding ways
to bring art into our curriculum …in sciences and social studies, for example.
And the arts program
also has two components—the art that happens throughout the day, woven into the
basic academic curriculum, and then a separate arts immersion or
artist-in-residence program at the end of day. I’m working to identify artists
who would like to spend a week with our students, sharing their art form. We
hope to identify student teachers to come work with us.
Q: What will be your curriculum for
science and history?
A: For social
studies and science our charter includes using or referencing Core Knowledge
curriculum. It’s very content-oriented. Students will focus on ancient cultures
for the first 2 semesters in social studies. They’ll be studying American
History during the 3rd trimester.
In science we’re
going to be studying geology at first. One of the teachers is from California
and knows all about earthquakes. Other units in science will be electricity,
systems of the body, astronomy.
Q: You have a particularly strong
background in science as an elementary specialist?
A: I’ve taken
series of science courses through the Harvard Extension program over the last
few years. I’ve had a year of chemistry, a year of physics, and a year of
biology.
Q: What inspired you to take
physics and chemistry following your own graduate degree?
A: Actually, as an
upper elementary teacher I was using the Core Knowledge curriculum, and I was
teaching and thinking …”I want to know more about this.” The Core
Knowledge curriculum actually inspired me to take science courses so I’d have
more background to offer my students.
Q: Will the curriculum have room for
individual student projects?
A: Oh, yes. The
students will all do a science fair project the last 8 weeks of the school year.
Our charter also is committed to individualizing. Each student will have what we
are calling a Personal Learning Plan and one goal is identifying and nurturing
individual student interests.
Q: What grades will you have in
September?
A: We will have
grades 3 and 4, and our curriculum units will be on a 2-year rotation so that
students in grades 3 and 4 can work together on new material each of 2 years.
Q: You have worked in Massachusetts,
in a charter school there. And you have brief exposure to our charter law in New
Hampshire. Do you have any suggestions, regarding our statute?
A: The biggest issue
I see is clarifying the funding for charter schools in New Hampshire. Having the
adequacy money sent directly to the charter schools would be a great decision.
I really like the spirit in New Hampshire of the charter schools and local
districts encouraged to work together in a positive way. That’s a positive
difference from my experience in Massachusetts.
Q: Describe Seacoast Charter
School’s assessment program.
A. I’m very pleased
with this. Yes, oh yes. We are developing an assessment program that is based on
skills. So students and parents know where we would like children to be at least
by the end of each grade. Instead of receiving a letter grade, in our school
parents will be receiving a report of what the student knows and not just a
letter grade. We will be working toward content mastery. So the report to
parents will be really focused on the each student’s specific learning. I’ve
shown a draft of our math progress report to parents and they were really
impressed.
Q: So with a very late confirmation
of space, are you full for the first year? Do you have spaces available?
A.
We are
still accepting students and accepting applications…students can come
from anywhere in the state…grades 3 and 4. We will be taking in new students
until our slots are filled for this year. Interested parents should contact me
(Emily Hamilton: Head of School and Head Teacher) at our new school phone
number. 772 5019.
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