Good Afternoon,

I want to wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season. Enjoy time with family and friends.

We're taking a moment to smell the roses and reflect what has been accomplished in 2018. I hope you enjoy a look back to see some of the opportunities that have been provided for our learners at Gilford High School. See how our learners are collaborating, being innovative, communicating, and thinking critically every day.

The October 1, 2018 enrollment (official count for the Department of Education) at Gilford High School (GHS) was 472. GHS bid farewell to Valerie Wright as she retired after 39 years of dedicated service in the Biology classroom. Her zest for science showed through her stories. Gene Duquette also retired but from the math classroom after 22 years. He will long be known for challenging his learners to think “out of the box” when solving a problem. We welcomed two new faculty members to our staff this year: Jessica Wallace (Math) and Greg Butler (Science).

Sincerely,

Anthony Sperazzo
Principal
We are thrilled to announce that 83% of the Class of 2018 attended a two or four year college, 15% entered the workforce, while 2% enlisted into a branch of the military. Our learners are prepared for their next career path based on the course offerings we provide to our learners through a comprehensive curriculum. One of our school goals has been to “Make Learning Personal”. This has deepened with our entire staff reading, discussing, and highlighting "The Innovator’s Mindset” by George Couros. This has allowed our staff to engage in conversations and provide examples of embedded practices where we allow learners to be innovative and lead their own learning. We are providing our learners with 21st century skills that will prepare them to be college, career, and life ready.
The Performing Arts Program had several outstanding performances to offer the community. “A Few Good Men”, “The Wind and The Rain”, and “Les Miserables” were three performances that captivated audiences. These shows were well attended by the community as well as our senior citizens who were treated to dinner and a show put on by the Interact Club in partnership with Gilford Rotary.
How are we doing?
Our Advanced Placement (AP) program continues to challenge our most motivated, academically-prepared learners who are likely to benefit most from AP coursework. By providing this level of academic rigor, we better prepare learners for the challenges of college as well as developing the skills and academic background necessary to succeed in the 21st century. We are proud to report that 76% of GHS learners that took the AP exam in 2018 scored a 3 or better (3 or better means the learner has proven himself/herself capable of doing the work of an introductory-level course in a particular subject at college) .

2018 AP Comparable Data Results
% of total AP students with scores 3+
Gilford High School - 76%
New Hampshire - 71%
Global - 61%
GHS learners continue to exceed state and national Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) results. Learners that took the SAT in 2018 on the statewide assessment day scored an average of 510.4 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 513.1 in Mathematics. 70% of GHS learners were proficient on EBRW compared to the New Hampshire proficiency rate of 66%. Proficiency rates on the math assessment show that 44% of our learners were proficient and above at GHS compared to the state average of 41%.
National Unified Champion Banner School
Special Olympics recognized GHS as a National Unified Champion Banner School! We are the first school in the state to meet these benchmarks. Our learners and staff are so deserving of this award due to our inclusionary model of recognizing everyone for who they are. With the continued implementation of Unified Sports programs as well as a Unified Writing class, GHS has definitely earned this recognition.
State Champions
The volleyball team, led by newly appointed varsity coach, Amy Tripp, captured the Division II state title going undefeated.
Social Emotional Learning
GHS continues to partner with local programs to offer learners a less stressful and a more physically and emotionally secure environment. We emphasized the importance of positive choices with our learners. Former New Hampshire Supreme Court Justice John Broderick spoke to our learners and families about having less stigma around mental illness. We also heard from Kathi Sullivan and her family’s story with alcohol. We are arming our learners with as much information as we can to lead healthy lives. We have also created a wellness room for our learners and staff members to utilize and implement mindfulness practices.
Giving Back to our Community
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Our learners continue to understand and value the importance of giving back to their community. As part of a learner’s requirement to graduate from GHS, a learner must take part in 24 hours of community service. GHS donated 554 pounds of food, led by our Student Athletic Leadership Team, in September, as part of New Hampshire Tackles Hunger. Our freshmen cleaned up their community, this fall, during Freshmen Community Service Day. These learners painted fences, worked with learners at Gilford Elementary School, raked leaves, cleaned windows at the library, organized closets, prepared a memorial garden for Veteran’s Day, cleaned the nature trail, and much more.
Staff Development
Throughout the year, GHS staff have focused their professional development efforts in the following areas: analyzed student data using recent and longitudinal evidence, developed curriculum using Understanding by Design, created a curriculum map placing our curriculum in one common area, wrote our self reflection for the New England Association for Schools and Colleges decennial visit in the spring of 2020, and implemented 90/10 grading practices that shift the focus for our learners to what they learned and not what they earned.
S cienceT echnology E ngineering M ath
The GHS Technology & Engineering Program implemented integrative STEM (iSTEM) career awareness. The sooner a learner can make decisions about these careers, the easier it is to gain proper knowledge and skills to pursue.
 
Each year, in celebration of National Engineering Week, community members are invited into GHS classrooms to speak to learners about their iSTEM related careers. The questions answered are: “What does my workday look like? How do I use iSTEM topics on a daily basis? Where did I learn these skills?” Last February, twenty-four iSTEM professionals spoke to 115 learners. These careers included law enforcement, manufacturing, engineering and other professions. Our first iSTEM activity took advantage of the Wings of Freedom tour by the Collings Foundation at Laconia Airport. Participating teachers developed lessons and activities that tied into the vintage aircraft and/or World War II to demonstrate how their subjects related to history and the technology of the day. Over 220 learners in creative writing, history, physical education, digital connections, engineering, and photography participated in touring the aircraft.

We are Gilford High School!
The positive culture at GHS is palpable. I believe this can be attributed to the close knit communities of Gilford and Gilmanton. We are truly “Making Learning Personal” for each one of our learners. Thank you for your support along the way.
Gilford High School
88 Alvah Wilson Road
Gilford, NH 03249