Back to School with Fresh Zeal

School bells rang a few days early for teachers as they gathered at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School to rally after the summer and before the Sept. 7 first day.

New teachers met veteran ones. Superintendent Diana Rigby invited Harvard School of Education professor Dr. Tony Wagner to speak to the audience about the global achievement gap, and teaching the new survival skills to today's K-12 students.

For Jon Burrows, a new Metco tutor who will be working at Sanborn, his job is an "opportunity to establish myself and promote change." Burrows has a background in criminal justice with a psychology focus. He was a behavior specialist in Hopkinton before coming to Concord.

Next to Burrows stood Doug Shattuck, a middle school applied technology teacher who, he said, blends science and engineering. He's taught at the middle school for six years, coming out of retirement.

"I teach them to problem solve, using science and math skills," said Shattuck.

Robin Cicchetti, a librarian at the high school, came with Jennifer Barnes, a new staff member. Barnes is splitting her time between the CCHS and Gleason Library in Carlisle.

"I'm going to make connections between the two libraries," said Barnes.

"I'm excited about it," said Barnes. "I've never worked in a high school where you are with your audience. It's different from a public library where you wait until someone comes up to you."

Barnes will be a reading specialist and add to the social media platform, Cicchetti said.

Marcia Smith has taught special education at the middle school for 22 years. She said while special ed requirements have changed, the students have not.

"They are still typical kids who have different learning styles," said Smith. She marveled at the new technologies that can assist her, whereas in the past, she said she'd have to write form after form and send them to Boston to get an IEP together.

Scherrhawn Brinkley is a new Metco tutor at the high school. She lives at Hanscom Air Force Base as a military spouse, she said. She has a degree in social work, and the new job "is right up my alley."

"I think I could make a positive impact," said Brinkley as she stood near the array of fruit and muffins around the cafeteria.

Veteran teacher and coach Ray Pavlik is gearing up for another year as varsity soccer and teaching earth science. He was Science Department Chairman for six years, and has spent 14 years at the high school in all. After his day in the classroom, Pavlik can be found on the soccer field.

Willard School Principal Pat Fernandez said this year will be easier than last, when she had a brand new school building and while she loved it, there were kinks that needed to be worked out. Not so this year, when she said the place is just about perfect.

"There are no boxes to unpack, no construction," said Fernandez. She has been principal for 11 years.

Fernandez said the incoming class of kindergarteners has grown along with the K-5 population as well. She said the year ended with 389 students and now 449 youngsters will step off the buses on Tuesday.

Fernandez is excited about the solar panels on the school roof, "another green element" in the design that is benefiting the town. She said the school uses 30 percent less electricity than the other elementary schools with the panels that generate 7 percent of the school's power.

"It's a wonderful teaching tool," said Fernandez, "that the kids can learn about green technology and how it works."