August 2008                    

Dear Students, Parents, and Members of the Windham Community:

As you of course know, the entire Windham community has been working hard to bring the vision of a state-of-the-art high school, located in Windham and for Windham, from an ambitious concept to a reality.  Although at times the importance, scope, and sheer complexity of a project of this magnitude may have made the task of building a high school seem insurmountable, I am pleased and excited to report that plans for Windham High School are not only continuing on schedule, but rapidly accelerating.  The time in which the first Windham students will enter Windham High School is now months, not years, away!
 
As you also know, several high school planning committees, consisting of dedicated and knowledgeable Windham citizens, diligently worked for a period of years to develop the foundational programs, curriculum documents, and overall recommendations for the development of Windham High School.  These recommendations have greatly assisted in the current planning of Windham High School and form the basis for the programs at our new school.  The Planning Team, and the school as a whole, are appreciative and grateful to these citizens.  Their educational recommendations are sound, and they have allowed the high school planning to reach its present state of development.
 
During the winter and spring of 2008, the High School Planning Team, consisting of the high school principal, Athletic Director Bill Raycraft, and several academic deans, was hired.   These members include Lisa Roeder, Dean of Humanities, Karen Sayward, Dean of Arts, Mary Fries, Dean of Math, Science and Technology, and Kellie Steward, Dean of Students (Guidance).  Each of these individuals was selected to bring his or her experience and expertise to the process of planning Windham High School.  Their contributions will shape the development of a high school program designed to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of the students of Windham High School. Brief biographies of Planning Team members can be found elsewhere on this webpage under “Meet the Faculty”.  

The academic deans officially joined the Windham School District on August 25, 2008.  However, they worked for several weeks during the summer of 2008 to prepare a draft proposal of the Program of Studies and to initiate the next phase of the planning of Windham High School.  This Program of Studies will describe the curriculum of Windham High School and provide other important academic and co-curricular information.  In addition to course descriptions, the Program of Studies will list the graduation course requirements for Windham High School and describe for students and parents recommended courses of study to best prepare students for post-secondary schooling.  Students and parents will see a commitment to interdisciplinary instruction and learning rarely found in high schools-public or private.

A second task of the Planning Team is to continue the planning of the high school in light of recent New Hampshire Department of Education educational regulations and statutes.  These rules have come into existence since the curriculum planning began back in 2004.  Mandated competency-based assessments, the development of digital portfolios, and high school credits earned through ELO’s (Extended Learning Opportunities) are among some of recent state initiatives that have been adopted and which must be addressed at Windham High School.

Each member of the Planning Team will be present at Salem High School and Windham Middle School during the coming year.  Both schools have provided office space for the Windham High School Planning Team such that students will have regular and easy access to Windham High School educators during the coming school year.  Both Principal Hagen and Principal Becht have been outstanding in offering assistance and guidance to the Planning Team.

We are aware that many students and parents would enjoy the opportunity to visit the high school site and tour the facility.  The high school building is approaching the point at which it will be safe to schedule an open house so that interested students, parents, and community members will be able to actually view the high school campus. It is difficult to determine whether the building or the site is more spectacular but, taken together, all Windham residents, and especially Windham students, will be impressed by and proud of Windham High School.  

During the coming months, and throughout the 2008-2009 school year, additional information will be regularly published regarding the planning and subsequent opening of Windham High School.  The high school will emerge as the flagship building for the entire community, housing not only the high school educational programs, but a range of civic and cultural events as well. The advent of this historic moment in the history of the town of Windham will generate a new source of civic pride and be shown to be well worth the wait!

Sincerely yours,

Rich Manley, Principal, WHS