The Compass
The Compass, 3/8/2020
 Planning for spring begins as winter loosens its grip on the island. Seedlings are sprouting, succulents are taking root, and the aquaculture equipment has been prepared for fish and floating lettuce beds. Robins have been spotted on island, bringing with them the promise of spring. Daylight Savings is another reminder that the days are getting longer and warmer. Adjustments to the time change can be interesting in schools. We’re really looking forward to the week ahead. Freelance woodwind and jazz artist, Glen Sargent, visited with Music students at the beginning of the week. Eighth graders spent a day visiting Mid-Coast School of Technology on Thursday. ICS’ Math Team competed and did very well at Cony High School. They will go to the state meet, next month, where there will probably be close to 100 teams competing. Grades four and five enjoyed their last ski lesson at the Camden Snow Bowl. Play practices are in full swing and making wonderful progress. Tuesday Game Days after school with Ms. Renee is gaining popularity as evidenced by the growing number of students joining in the fun. We continue to boast a busy calendar full of interesting opportunities for students. Congratulations to ICS junior Pia Gibson, who has been admitted to the prestigious New England Young Writers' Conference at Bread Loaf! We are proud of Pia and wish her a fulfilling and enriching few days in Vermont this spring. It’s becoming more evident that we need to be vigilant in our efforts to keep healthy. To that end, ICS’ Crisis Response Team has been coordinating closely with other island organizations. We’ve been meeting regularly, sharing information and strategizing in the event the coronavirus gets closer to our area. At the time of this writing, Maine is free of the dangerous virus. We’ll continue to share information as things evolve. In the meantime, we recommend practicing good hand-hygiene and avoid touching one’s face. Warmly Chuck Hamm Head of School |
The Compass, 2/29/20
 February break found students and staff traveling across Maine, as far as Florida, California, and Europe. That brought up concerns regarding the historic development of the coronavirus. We immediately went into action working with Islesboro medical experts, state officials, and the Department of Education. We are pleased to report we are all healthy and taking proper precautions. The Crisis Response Team will develop plans in the event the pandemic does come to the Mid-Coast. This past week seems to bring with it a sense of preparation. The graduation committee met and began planning for June. The budget process is well under way, and negotiations for the next teacher contract is going well. We had the Winter Sports banquet and enjoyed a wonderful dinner as we honored our student athletes and coaches. The Kinnicutt Center also hosted the Islesboro Annual Winter Information Meeting. Approximately 24 residents were in attendance. Topics covered ranged from the coronavirus, the Preschool, ICS, clean water and soil, and rising sea levels. ICS reported on many wonderful aspects of the school, including a recent grant supporting continued research of Islesboro’s clam flats. We also recognized 11th grader Olivia Britton for her work on desalination using cellular nanofibers. She will present her findings at a Nanotechnology conference in Finland. More on her story will be forthcoming. Congratulations, Olivia. You make us all so proud.
Warmly; Chuck Hamm Head of School |
The Compass, 2/15/20
 We cannot get a break with the weather and driving conditions lately. It’s tricky with an island that has such a wide range of conditions. Thursday posed a challenging decision regarding a snow day. Consultation with bus drivers, island staff, and satellite weather maps, all influence the final decision with safety being the bottom line. The weeks continue to have noteworthy highlights. For instance, English teacher Heather Moore, from Scotland, spent the day visiting Ms. Kristen’s classroom, chatting with students about Scotland and learning about ICS. We are happy to explore new ideas and experiences with our students by hosting guests from abroad. Grades four and five spent a day at the Camden Snow Bowl learning how to ski and snowboard. It was great fun and a wonderful excursion for those young Mainers. Ms. Betha and Ms. Renee apparently had a wonderful time too. We welcome the addition of a new ICS family member. ICS. librarian, Tammy, delivered a baby boy earlier this week! Mother and baby are doing well. We are anxiously awaiting to hear his name. Congratulations to Tammy and Nate! Valentine’s Day was Friday and a half day of school. As we wrapped up another week, we take this opportunity to wish students and staff a restful and rejuvenating February break.
Warmly; Chuck Hamm Head of School |
The Compass, 2/8/20
 Another week of interesting weather. ICS joined schools throughout the midcoast area and had an early release Thursday due to slick road conditions. Friday was a snow day as a major ice storm covered the entire state in a film of ice and snow. Regardless of the short week, we continue providing academic excellence to our students. Speaking of academic excellence, our very own Chris Morris has been nominated as Waldo County Teacher of the Year. We are proud and fortunate to have Chris as our Director of Special Education. His level of expertise, poise, and wisdom, exemplify traits found amongst the outstanding ICS faculty. Congratulations Chris and thank you for your steadfast devotion to our students. Several initiatives are well underway, including the development of a Crisis Response Team. Twelve experts from within the school and greater community met and began the initial stages of identifying potential crisis situations and the development of action plans. The Team represents school leaders, island law enforcement, medical staff, a church parishioner, and the Town Manager, along with school counselors. Our work will create a safer school and community through the development of procedures and protocols. Head of School and Science teacher Mr. Van Dis attended an informational session at the Islesboro Community Center (ICC) featuring a presentation on Island Fellows in collaboration with the Island Institute. Potential joint ventures are being explored in hopes of continuing the school’s relationship with ICC and the Island Institute. This work has the potential to dovetail nicely with our ongoing work identifying the Portrait of a Graduate (PoG). Please stay tuned and contact ICS if you are interested in being involved as a Lead Learner in the PoG project.
Warmly; Chuck Hamm Head of School |
The Compass, 1/25/20
 In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, ICS was closed Monday. Despite the short week, we continued our energetic pace and accomplished quite a bit. Congratulations to Ellura, Harper, and Skye on acceptance in the 2020 District 3 Sixth Grade Honors Chorus! This is a festival which includes some of the best sixth grade singers from about 30 schools from Freeport to Augusta to Lincolnville on a map. Our students show a strong appreciation for the arts. They eagerly take part, whether carving soapstone in Ms. Casey’s Art studio, performing in our annual musical, or singing in a community concert, K-12 students thrive in our well-rounded curriculum. It might have something to do with our busy visiting artist schedule and talented teachers. Just this week, Ms. Jen’s 3-4 class, hosted Scot Cannon. Scot is a local musician and gifted educator, specializing in building self-esteem and anti-bullying. He wrote songs with students, played the banjo, and sang witht them. High School Music students rounded out the week by attending the Maine Music Educators Association High School Honors festival. We are looking forward to hearing about their experience. Students maintain busy schedules at ICS. Just this morning, our Varsity Boys Basketball team played AR Gould at home. A grueling competition that ended with a loss of 35-36. It was a terrific display of endurance and skill. Our young team held their own and made the crowd proud to cheer them on. Go Eagles!
Warmly; Chuck Hamm Head of School |
The Compass, 1/18/20
 Despite the minus zero temperatures, school is lively and full of warm smiles. The fresh snow that prompted a snow day on Thursday made for much better sledding on the playground. Students happily braved the cold in hopes of making the perfect run with their favorite sled. Thank goodness we have hearty staff willing to spend time outdoors with them at recess. The Head of School attended the 26th Annual Convocation, hosted by the Maine School Superintendents Association, this week. The Honorable John T. Broderick, former Chief Justice of the NH Supreme Court, spoke in collaboration with Jeff Levin, Founder of the Reconnection Project. Their message focused on the need to recognize and support mental illness and “Digititus”, a term Jeff coined regarding the cell phone epidemic. They also discussed their top concerns facing educators today: climate change, school shootings, political rancor, cell phones, and the opioid crisis. We cannot overestimate the seriousness of these topics. Commissioner Makin was in attendance. She reflected on her first year in office and spent some time answering questions. She is scheduled for a May 1st visit to ICS. Staff participated in some training sessions on how to better utilize Infinite Campus, our reporting platform. Basketball has kept students busy, Pathways teachers met off campus, and curriculum work continues at the elementary level. Apparently, there is never a slow week at ICS. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Warmly; Chuck Hamm Head of School 01182020 |
The Compass, 1/11/20
 We’ve enjoyed a great deal of initiative throughout the school this week. Students and staff pass the weeks with an energetic pace that, at times, is dizzying. Seniors are receiving acceptance letters from colleges and mid-year exams are right around the corner. Sandy and David Perloff graced ICS with a visit this week. We appreciate their continued funding and collaboration. 3-D printers, aquaponics, and aeroponics are just a few examples of their support in action and directly in the hands of students. Our Pathways Team has been enjoying meeting with students and their families lately. Pathways has become the cornerstone of our middle and high school students’ experience at ICS. It is a joy to have their families on campus for their individual meetings. Head of School spent time at the Mid-Coast School of Technology attending a joint meeting of leaders from the tech center and surrounding islands. The Island Institute hosted and organized the day with a focus on shared local resources and credential opportunities for our students. Simultaneously, Dean of Students was in Boston, attending a conference hosted by the Barr Foundation. She has been preparing to launch our Portrait of a Graduate initiative previously mentioned in last week’s Compass. This week we take time to recognize the recipient of this month’s Fly High Award, Grace Burns. Grace embodies the values of ICS and well deserves the recognition. Congratulations! As always, thank you for your support and for reading our weekly Compass. Warmly; Chuck Hamm Head of School |
The Compass, 1/4/20
 The new year has begun and staff and students appear rested and ready for the next chapter of the school year. We typically have good news to share and this week is no exception. We have recently been awarded a “Portrait of a Graduate” grant from the Barr Foundation. The Island Institute is excited to be partnering with the nonprofit Rural Aspirations Project to bring together three small, isolated, rural Maine high schools and take an in-depth look at the unique role and purpose of rural education and its connection to rural community, vitality, and sustainability. The schools are: Islesboro Central School and Vinalhaven School in Penobscot Bay and East Grand School in northern Washington County, Maine, near the Aroostook County border. The University of Maine’s College of Education and Human Development as well as the Maine Department of Education will also be involved in this collaboration. We will look for community involvement. If you would like to included, please contact Dean of Students Meredith Diamond at mdiamond@icspathways.org. In other news, students Collin Peterson and Veda Lecompte are both very excited to be studying abroad this summer. They are the recipients of the Oxbridge scholarship. Thank you, Lucy Burr, for funding this incredible opportunity for ICS students. Warmly; Chuck Hamm Head of School |
The Compass, 12/14/19
 This week’s high point was our Winter Concert. Students performed to a full house. Standouts included grades K-3 train costumes, combined band performances, and solo vocal performances by students from several grades. When students experience the support of their families and the community, as they did at the concert, their confidence soars. It is often the synergy of the entire community working together that makes ICS such an incredible school. On behalf of our students, thank you all for joining us as we showcased an incredible array of skill and talent. Staff took part in a serious training session regarding suicide awareness. It is a state-required mandate. We support training of this nature and welcome expanding our understanding of this serious topic. Our administration and counseling staff are working diligently revising our emergency response plan. Working in tandem with local officials and emergency response teams, it will better prepare ICS if tragedy strikes. Basketball has kept our student athletes very busy lately. We’ve experienced both wins and losses. We cannot underestimate the benefits of student participation. Happily, our athletes are known for showing wonderful sportsmanship, regardless of outcomes. As the holiday season continues, we wish all our readers contentment and happiness, as well as a healthy, and prosperous new year. Warmly; Chuck Hamm Head of School |
The Compass, 12/7/19
Staff enjoyed seeing families at our Sports Banquet and Parent/Teacher conferences recently. Thank you all for attending. It’s always nice to see your friendly faces in the building. Head of School attended the Maine Principals’ Association’s Fall Conference recently. Keynote speaker Alex Kajitani, otherwise known as the Rappin’ Mathematician and founder of Multiplication Nation.com, was energetic and thought provoking. Conference sessions included Vaping, Restorative Practices, Tough Issues in Administration, and Expanding Computer Science in Schools. Time spent with other principals from around the state is worthwhile professional development and good for the overall growth of the school. Our island location is often a topic of interest amongst principals from around the state, as is our high student success rate. The winter is already giving us some challenges. It seemed like the whole state of Maine was shut down with this last Nor’easter. Our students are happy with the fresh snow and the hillside sledding. Thanksgiving has come and gone. We at ICS are continually thankful for the wonderful children we serve. Their smiles and eagerness to learn makes our jobs as educators, that much more rewarding. Our annual Winter Concert will be on December 12. Please join us for an evening of live music and performances. Chuck Hamm Head of School |
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