WPS Summer Technology Program motivates student learning, improves comprehension

By Lorraine Glowczak

According to ID Tech, research indicates that about two months of reading and math skills are lost by students over a single summer. Often referred to as “summer slide” or “summer learning loss,” the students most affected by this educational shortfall are in Grades 1 through 8. Many elementary school teachers across the nation find that they need to re-teach basic math and reading skills when students return to classes in the fall.

WPS Principal Dr. Kyle Rhoads initiated a summer
technology program to keep students excited about learning
during the summer, preventing possible summer learning loss.
Students Leah Leighton, and her sister, Addison, stayed on
track with math and reading skills and show off their
certificates of completion. PHOTO BY BETH LEIGHTON 

However, that is not the case for many students at Windham Primary School (WPS) who have participated for the past three years in the free Summer Technology Program there. The students not only gain learning targets once school begins in the fall but develop a love of learning and can easily engage in the regular classroom setting.

WPS Instructional Interventionist Debbie Greenlaw has led this innovative summer program since its inception. She said that students who participate in at least 35 to 60 minutes a week of reading and math exercises during the summer months continue to make great educational strides.

“Since starting this program, I have noticed that students are more inspired to stay engaged in the classroom and the overall testing scores have improved,” she said. “Students have also increased in phonemic awareness, meaning they can recognize and master the spoken parts of words, syllables, etc.”

Students can choose to participate from among one to three online summer classes. Two include reading programs, one known as Lexia and the other as Raz-Kids, and one math program known as I-Ready.

“Part of the reason why the Summer Technology Program works so well is because the three online curricula promote fun learning adventures with computer-generated animation that young students love,” Greenlaw said. “They don’t even know they are learning, improving their math and literacy skills. Also, each program creates personalized learning paths for students with scaffolding activities to use at their own pace.”

There are several reasons that parents encourage their children to participate in the program. One parent, Beth Leighton, had both of her daughters, WPS second grader, Addison and her sister Leah, a fourth grader at Manchester School, join the summer program because they were receiving additional help during the school year and had made considerable progress.

“I didn’t want them to lose it over the summer and thought this would be the best way to keep them going since they both enjoy the online programs,” Leighton said.

Leighton believes the summer program prevented her daughters from summer learning loss.

“I do believe the program helped them when it comes to being excited and engaged in the start of the new school year,” she said. “In the past years there was a lot of anxious feelings about starting back up and struggles in getting back on track with the reading and math, and this year they were both excited to start school and so far, no emotions over school being ‘too hard.’”

WPS Principal Dr. Kyle Rhoads initiated the idea for promoting the Summer Technology Program and reached out to Greenlaw to lead it.

“We experienced that during the school year, the use of academic technology programs by many of our learners was a motivating learning tool,” he said. “Many of our learners were engaged by the gamified nature of the programs. We believed there was an opportunity to expand the use during the summer and at home. We felt strongly that we would need a staff member to oversee and facilitate the use by families and Mrs. Greenlaw was just right for leading this program.”

Greenlaw said she enjoys observing the triumphant feeling that the students experience.

“Every student has their unique way of learning, and it is my personal goal to figure a way to help the students become more confident with their reading,” she said.

Greenlaw is quick to point out that the success of the summer technology program is a team effort.

“I had a lot of support and assistance from the WPS Technology Department and teachers Matt Calder and Rebecca Miller. I couldn’t have done it without their assistance. I also want to give a big shout-out to Kellie Sampson at Central Office who helped me stuff all the envelopes with gifts for the students and mailed them out for me so efficiently,” she said. “And of course, the parents who supported their children along the way. But most of all, it was the students themselves who worked so eagerly on their own literacy and math skills during the summer months that moves me most of all.” <

Windham High School Quiz Team opens season with second-place trophy

By Lorraine Glowczak

The intellectual competitions for the trivia-loving Windham High School students begin again this year as they sailed through their second tournament at Plymouth Regional High School in New Hampshire on Saturday, October 15. The High School Quiz Team sparred against about 10 other New England high school teams that traveled from as far away as Syracuse, New York.

The Windham High School Quiz Team gathers with their
second-place trophy on the Gould Academy Campus. Front
from left are, Nolan McPhail, Greta Paulding, Kaitlyn Farrin,
and Alex Pooler (team manager). Middle from left, Juliar Demar,
Will Stuart, Delia Tomkus, Victoria Lin, Al Potter, John
Ziegler, and Nicole Densmore. Back is Ralph Leavitt. 
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Although the team didn’t place in this tournament, the players faired very well at the Maine Quiz Bowl Alliance tournament at the beginning of the month at Gould Academy in Bethel. The WSQT finished second overall, placing first among Maine teams.

“Kaitlyn Farrin [Junior] finished eleventh in the tournament in scoring, Victoria Lin [Senior] finished eighth, and Greta Paulding [Senior] finished second,” co-advisor and WHS math teacher John Ziegler said.

Ziegler also stated that a newcomer to the team, sophomore Julia Demar, had a fantastic performance in her first tournament. He also shared the successful contributions of other team members.

“Julia finished15th in the tournament in scoring. Freshmen Nolan McPhail and Delia Tomkus also played well in their first tournament. Returning veterans Al Potter [Senior], Will Stuart [Junior], and Ralph Leavitt [Junior] provided both leadership and good answers as they rounded out the team. And, of course, it is great to have the support of our team manager, Alex Pooler [Junior], who is always there keeping score.”

The HSQT members prepare weekly for these highly competitive, albeit fun, tournaments. To become well-versed in various topics, they often meet and focus on specific categories until they can easily recall random facts.

“We meet for 1 1/2 hours after school on Mondays and for 30 minutes in the morning on Fridays,” co-advisor and WHS English teacher Nicole Densmore said. “We also meet during the summer for two hours or more every Friday. We focused our summer learning on US and World history, as well as opera and North American poets.”

There are many reasons why students join HSQT, and it doesn’t require an individual to know every trivial category or to be considered a genius. Instead, team members say what matters most is to enjoy learning about random facts, wanting to make new friends, and – most importantly - having fun.

“The HSQT is what I would describe as a beautiful chaos,” HSQT team member, Tomkus said. “Somehow, all of us, with our random bits of knowledge, manage to fill in each other's gaps and answer most of the questions. It's really fun, and I have learned a lot since I joined.”

Tomkus continued, sharing what she discovered from her first experience at the Gould Academy tournament.

“I learned that while you still try your hardest, you can also rely on the other team members. For my first tournament, I would say I did fairly well, and I answered a few random questions about music and mythology. Poetry and specific names and dates were probably the hardest for me, but my teammates answered quite a few of those questions.”

Even the advisors get in on the fun as they help guide and prepare the students to be the best they can be.

“What I love about being a High School Quiz Team advisor is getting the opportunity to interact with a fantastic group of students in a positive way,” Ziegler said. “As a teacher, some of your students are excited about learning, and others less so. As an HSQT advisor, all your students are excited about learning, or they wouldn't be there. For example, on our trip to Gould Academy, Greta and I quizzed the team members about US presidents. Nolan felt he didn't know his presidents well enough, so he went home and memorized the list of all the presidents from Washington to Biden. Only an HSQT student would do that.”

Densmore said she enjoys watching students learn new things about the world simply because they are curious, or the topic interests them.

“I really enjoy watching them joke, sing, and interact, whether we are on the road or in the classroom,” she said. “The students who participate are adorable and admirable because they give so much time to the trivia cause and take care of the team by building learning tools like Quizlets or Kahoots or making treats for each other’s birthdays. We are a close group.”

This close-knit group of wise and witty students not only prepare for the tournaments throughout the year but also participate in quiz bowl games with the hope of winning a spot once again on Maine Public Television’s Quiz Show. The HSQT finished in the top four among 15 other participating teams in last season’s Quiz Show, and they hope to participate again this year.

Although it is the team’s focus to display their intellectual prowess on public television, the real purpose of being an HSQT member is already in motion.

“We have become our own family of trusting and caring people who just happen also to love little-known facts and trivia,” Densmore said. “Being with these students is always fun and funny, and we enjoy each other's quirks and unique contributions.”<

Lifelong learning improves healthy mental wellbeing and inspires happiness

By Lorraine Glowczak

Windham Raymond Adult Education offers more
than 300 various learning opportunities annually
including how to speak English, complete a high
school credential, become a U.S. citizen, prepare
to go on to post-secondary education or training, 
or learn to hunt, paint, cook and many more.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

“I am still learning.”

This quote has been attributed to several well-known geniuses such as Michelangelo and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Although they may have uttered and written those words during their lifetimes, the first known individual to capture the idea and importance of lifelong learning was the Roman philosopher, statesman and dramatist, Seneca. He wrote this often-quoted statement in a Letter to Lucilius, published around the year 65 AD, when he was almost 70 years old.

Although the perception is changing, it is widely believed that learning stops once the diploma, certification or degree is obtained. But this could not be further from the truth. In order to keep up with the ever-changing world, we constantly need to learn. However, there are many who yearn to continue discovering new things because, as studies have indicated, acquiring additional knowledge inspires creativity, promotes innovation, and increases self-confidence. Life-long learning even contributes to happiness and a healthy state of mental wellbeing.

In his research, U.S. News journalist Philip Moeller has written, “Education has been widely documented by researchers as the single variable tied most directly to improved health and longevity. And when people are intensely engaged in doing and learning new things, their well-being and happiness can blossom.”

Continuing to discover about the world around us also helps us learn more about ourselves, establishing a level of inner growth. It also makes us look at our actions in the world and what motives for those actions.

Tom Nash, Director of Windham/Raymond Adult Education, speaks to this idea from firsthand experience.

“Through my 30-plus years of serving various communities providing learning opportunities to people of all ages as a teacher and Director of Adult Education, I have learned some simple and profound truths,” Nash said. “We engage in learning and personally grow from it as a person, when it is relevant, meaningful and timely. We must also reflect upon those experiences and apply them in our lives for us to truly change.”

But what exactly is life-long learning and what does it look like?

“It can encompass so much,” Nash said. “The Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) provides a clear and comprehensive picture of the state of adult learning and education (ALE) around the world. Aspects of education and lifelong learning they determined were of import to seek, to understand, and/or explore in one’s life included: Critical thinking and problem solving, political knowledge and civic engagement, personal development and human dignity, socio-emotional skills, intercultural dialogue and communication, prevention of violent extremism, community empowerment, gender equality, inclusion and equity, human rights, peace, justice and non-violence, globalization, climate change, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection, biodiversity and conservation, sustainable development.

Catherine Giuffre- Renaud, Adult Basic Education Coordinator, who is also from Windham Raymond Adult Education, added to Nash’s explanation.

“Lifelong learning entails a desire to continue the pursuit of knowledge in whatever way that feeds the mind, body and soul. It can happen at any time and in any format, whether individually, in a group setting, in person, or virtually.”

But perhaps most importantly, lifelong learning can include just about anything. Nash encourages one to pursue what gives them joy and fills their cup.

“Read a book, play an instrument, practice and perfect your golf-swing, listen to a podcast, or join a live, on-line discussion group about any topic under the sun, engaging in lifelong, informal or formal learning can only help to enhance one’s life. As Shakespeare quipped, “The world is your oyster!” Explore it and you never know what you will discover. If the pearl is not there, alas don’t give up, but rather dig deeper for one knows not what awaits, but the thrill of the adventure and journey is worth it! Keep on seeking newfound truths and joys!”

There are many organizations right here in the Sebago Lakes Region that can provide opportunities to learn and grow – most of which are either free of charge or come with a nominal fee. The Windham Public and the Raymond Village Libraries are two prime examples. Although programming is currently limited due to the pandemic – one can still check out a book to learn a new skill or read something that challenges your point of view.

Also, Windham Raymond Adult Education (WRAE) offers more than 300 various learning opportunities annually. Whether you are seeking to learn how to read or speak English, complete a high school credential, become a U.S. citizen, prepare to go on to post-secondary education or training, learn to be a safe hunter, learn how to paint, prepare an ethnic meal, or take care of your mental and physical health through meditation or exercise classes, WRAE has more than enough opportunities to provide many lifelong learning experiences.

Whichever way one chooses to dive into the adventure of the mind or to uncover new experiences, sit back and watch your life, and your happiness, grow. <