A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Dear Lubec Consolidated School Staff, Support Staff and Families:

I am grateful for the very warm welcome I have received from the Lubec community and am honored to serve as your Superintendent.

Actions speak louder than words - and while I will keep you up to date on the District's actions and results as we implement our strategic plan - for now I have only words to convey my beliefs and what you can expect from me as I lead our District forward. I am sharing with you the same educational philosophy I shared with our School Committee as we discussed the role of the Superintendent in Lubec.

“What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all its children. Any other ideal for our schools is narrow and unlovely; acted upon it destroys our democracy.” - John Dewey

I don't presume to be the best or wisest person, however, the basis for each of my decisions as an instructional leader is whether I would accept the educational practice for my own child.

Every child needs a learning community that fosters individual inquiry, emphasizing learning by doing, educating for social responsibility, celebrating success, and acknowledging effective effort. A critical element to ensure student success is the recognition that each child has a unique way of learning, and that all children can learn. Dr. Ron Edmunds (1969) stated, “We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us.” This is a statement reflective of my core belief, that is, all children can learn when provided with the necessary resources, along with the appropriate instructional strategies and sufficient time. It is easy to say that all children can learn, but the challenge is and always will be to diagnose individual needs and to identify specific instructional strategies to ensure success. I am constantly reflecting on decisions and recommendations. My refrain always is, “Is it good for children?” Yet, the answer is not always the same for all children. I stress with my teaching staff that they must be cognizant of individual learning differences and the need to differentiate instruction to accommodate varying learning styles. Translating this into effective classroom instruction is the key to success.

What I know to be true about teaching and learning, aligns with the goals and initiatives already in progress and already making an impact in this District. The Lubec community's ideals are clearly reflected in the Mission of the Lubec Consolidated School and the vision of the Graduate. The vision will be a focal point for conversation and decision making this year. The increased emphasis on the use of data to inform decisions in the classroom and during budget development will help ensure that our resources are used to the greatest advantage. We expect that student outcomes will improve with the continued professional development of all staff on proven instructional strategies, with increased observation and support by building leadership, and with clear expectations for all staff.

My role as an instructional leader will be to ensure that high expectations, a deep understanding and integration of these important strategies into the classroom work effectively for each student.

In summary, my philosophy is inclusive. I encourage teachers to emphasize learning by doing, through real life applications and problem-solving, cooperative learning, integration of the arts and education for social responsibility. One size does not fit all and the best teachers are the ones who can reflect on their craft, adapt best practices to ensure that each of their students achieve, and set high expectations for all students. I encourage parental involvement as it is an essential factor for successful students. I invite each of you to support our students by attending parent-teacher conferences, communicating with teachers throughout the school year, and volunteering in our school. I strongly encourage all parents to monitor their child's or children's progress

I am confident that together, with this impressive faculty and staff, involved and caring families, a supportive community, and most importantly, our remarkable students - Lubec Consolidated School will achieve new heights! I am excited to serve M.S.A.D. #19 as Superintendent and look forward to hearing from you with suggestions or concerns. By working together, we will provide our students with a quality education to prepare each one for the future.

Sincerely
Brian M. Carpenter Superintendent M.S.A.D. #19

“THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY IS JUST A LITTLE EXTRA