Vine Street School

                              Highlights 2021-2022

Excellence

The State of Maine used the NWEA to measure proficiency.

• In math, 87% of all students demonstrated proficiency.
• In reading, 83% of all students demonstrated proficiency.

Learning and Teaching

• Vine Street was thrilled to welcome a half-time social worker to our staff this year.  Mrs. Anne Small quickly became a key member of our team especially with students in the Choices program.  Her contributions this year were exceptional!
• Mr. Joshua Johnson transferred to Vine this year to teach music.  Welcome Mr. Johnson!
• Mrs. Kristin Wallace joined our Choices team as an ed. tech.   We are happy to have her on our team!
• Mr. Lucas Lockhart and Mr. Aiden Shepherd joined the 21st Century Program as the Director and School Coordinator respectively.  They were able to bring back in-person after school programming to the Vine Street School.
• At the school level, professional development focused on Dr. Melissa Sadin and Nathan Levy’s text, Teacher’s Guide to Trauma.  This book provided both general foundational knowledge for staff on what trauma is as well as specific strategies for implementing trauma-informed instruction.
• Staff also read Jon Gordon’s One Word learning about how the one word can impact all six dimensions of life:  mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and financial.  Staff choose the word Empathy to focus on for the 2021-2022 school year.
• Some staff participated in a regional day of training on social and emotional issues at the March inservice day.  Special education staff worked with Director Babin and Assistant Director Ganglfinger on topics relevant to their instruction.  Choices support staff participated in a full day training on mental health first aid.  PreK teacher, Emily Robinson, PreK ed. tech. Lacey Guthrie, and Principal Lynn Silk worked with district Prek staff on reviewing available PreK curricula to make recommendations for implementation next year.  All teachers of mathematics received training on the Early Mathematics Diagnostic Tool from teachers Carol Gilpin-Heidemann and Jo Clark.
• Staff attended several trainings during regular staff meetings including:
  • Language Strategies to Support Learning–Presented by SLP Alaimo
  • Zones of Regulations and Sensory Input–Presented by OT Hutchins
  • Trauma Informed Instruction-Presented by Acadia Hospital
  • Trauma in Young Students-Presented by Principal Silk
  • Mentoring-Presented by Mrs. Kimball
  • Epi-pen Training-Presented by Nurse Streams
  • Strategies for Behavior- Presented by Dr. Rogers
  • NWEA-Presented by Principal Silk
  • RTI-Presented by Principal Silk
• Staff participated in grade level reading Response to Intervention meetings every three weeks led by Literacy Coach Curtis.  At each meeting the team discussed students who were not meeting expected benchmarks.  The team identified, using data, a specific skill for the teacher to address, strategies to use for instruction and set a goal for improvement to be reviewed at the next monthly meeting.
• Staff participated in grade level Math Response to Intervention meetings every three weeks.  Teachers used data from an analysis of assessments and daily work to determine skills in need of remediation.  The team identified strategies for instruction and set a goal to be reviewed at the next meeting.
• Principal Silk and Literacy Coach Curtis met weekly to discuss academic data, goals and progress.  During meetings they adjusted Title I support, planned coaching cycles for teachers, planned professional development opportunities for staff and created opportunities to build student excitement about reading.
• Mrs. Campbell earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  Congratulations, Mrs. Campbell!
• Several teachers continued taking courses in pursuit of a Master’s Degree.

Engaged relationships   

• Staff chose Susan Verde’s story, I am Human, as the mentor text for the school this year.  Illustrated by staff favorite Peter H. Reynolds, this story helps readers to understand and embrace the concept of empathy.  The story encourages us to focus on what makes all humans similar and to find command ground to be connected with others and the world around us.
• Principal Silk served on the district’s DEI Committee for the 2021-2022 school year.  She worked as part of the curriculum subcommittee.
• Principal Silk co-chaired the Mental Health Advisory Committee.  She led the subcommittee on best practices.
• The PTO met regularly both in person and virtually throughout the year.  The group, under the leadership of President Imke Schessler, focused their goals on being active partners with Vine Street in the education of their children.  They completed several service projects, sent representatives to serve on various committees, and provided a new level of volunteer support.
• Vine staff hosted an in-person Open House in August.  The excitement was palpable as students and their families met face-to-face with Vine staff.  It was great for families to be able to see the classrooms and to interact in person.
• Understanding the importance of children having their own book collection at home, Title staff implemented a Free Book Friday program, where once a month, students had the opportunity to select from a wide variety of new and gently used books to take a book home for their very own.
• Title I staff coordinated a year-long PEAK activity for families that challenged and encouraged students to read regularly at home.  Parents received information about ways to incorporate reading into their daily lives.  Children were rewarded with a book when they reached their goals.
• Vine staff hosted a PEAK night in conjunction with the Spring Fair.  Students and families received an opportunity to use reading skills on a real world projects.  Students used written directions to build a bookcase that they could keep to house the books they have earned throughout the year!
• Title staff organized a Math PEAK night in March where students and their families interacted with Vine staff in playing fun games that would reinforce math skills.  Each student got to take a game home to continue the fun at home.  PreK, kindergarten, and first grade received Uno;  second grade received Mancala boards, and third grade received cribbage boards.
• The Behavior Team comprised of the school psychologist, principal, guidance counselor, BCBA, OT, special education teachers and educational technicians, and regular education teachers as appropriate met weekly to analyze data, revise plans and make specific action steps to help students regulate their behaviors.  
• Principal Silk and Guidance Counselor Morris met students and their parents each morning at the Larkin Street entrance.  Head Custodian, Mr. Whitney, met bus students each morning.
• Mr. Whitney (Head Custodia), Mrs. Robertson  (School Secretary), and Mrs. Murphy (Lunch Accountability Aide) exemplified the concept of One Team One Mission by working with children 1:1 to promote reading skills and/or to be a trusted adult to help support children during the day.
• 16 staff formally participated as mentors this school year.
• The 21st Century returned to in person activities this year.  111 students participated in at least one club. Clubs included diverse offerings including Lego Club, STEM Club, Glee Club, Mentoring, Arts and Crafts, Drama, Garden, and French Club.
• The 21st Century partnered with the Maine Discovery Museum to offer a vibrant Summer Camp experience for students during the summer of 2021.
• The Walking School bus walked each day that weather permitted.  Special guest walkers included members of the University of Maine’s baseball and football teams and a very special guest walker, Senator Susan Collins.
• On the last day of school students and staff celebrated with a slide show depicting life at Vine Street through pictures.  Every student was represented in the show with the focus being on third grade students and their journey at Vine throughout the year.
• 7 students in third grade this year have been Vine Street students since PreK.
• Several community groups partnered with the Vine Street School to support our mission including:  Bangor Police Department, Bangor Fire Department, Bangor Public Health and Community Services,  UM, Husson University, Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, Bangor Public Library,  Maine CDC, Maine DOT,  Bangor Savings Bank, USDA Community Eligibility Provision Grant, Maine DOE,  Charleston Church, and the Vine St. PTO.
• Social Worker Anne Small coordinated with the Good Shepherd Food Bank to provide a weekly meal to  Vine Street School families in need through the Backpack program.
• Transitions are difficult.  To help ease the third graders’ concerns over moving into Fairmount, several action steps are initiated including:  sharing a guidance counselor between the two schools and  having Fairmount special educators attend IEP meetings at Vine.   Fairmount Principal Mr. Enman visited both third grade classes as did guidance counselor Mrs. Tlili.  Former Vine Street students now attending Fairmount met with third graders virtually to share their experiences at the grade 4-5 school.   Students had the opportunity to visit the Fairmount School to see the facility and meet some of the staff.  Additionally meetings are held between the two building principals, the guidance counselors and third grade teachers and special education teams to consider how to continue to best serve the needs of the students.
• Teachers Mrs. Bosco, Mrs. Dionne, Mrs. Gould and Mrs. Perrow as well as SLP Alaimo and SW Small hosted student interns this year.

Safety and well-being

• Vine Street continued to implement the Reopening Plan, adjusting as changes were adopted.
• Guidance Counselor Morris presented guidance classes to all classes throughout the year.  Additionally, she met with children in small groups or 1:1 to help them with issues around anxiety and/or changes in their lives.
• Social worker, Mrs. Small made multiple home visits to check on students and to help provide essentials to families in need.  Additionally, she provided in person support daily to students, primarily in the Choices program and kindergarten.  She did 1:1 sessions as well as small group lessons.
• 102 students and staff participated in Pool testing.