Salem Community Patriot | September 23, 2011 - 7 Girl Scouts Making a Difference
by Doug Robinson Cassandra Saif and Remy Sprague, both of Salem Girl Scout Troop 10095, recently gifted to Feline Friends of Salem food, supplies, and personally built 12 cat stands which were then donated to Feline Friends. Feline Friends was established in 1992 and has assisted more than four million homeless pets. Feline Friends specializes with cat adoption, cat and kitten fostering, free-spray programs for mother cats, low-cost spray or neuter, feline rescue assistance, trap-neuter- return assistance, and health screening. Feline Friends is a no-kill non-profit organization and is licensed by the New Hampshire through the Department of Agriculture. Feline Friends is an all-volunteer organization, made up of people who share the same vision - to make a positive difference for felines. “We do not have a shelter, but use foster homes and an adoption center located in the PetSmart store at 290 South Broadway (Route 28) in Salem, New Hampshire,” states Feline Friends. Their mission is to “reduce the number of homeless felines through rescue and adoption and to work with the public to reduce feline overpopulation. Feline Friends does anything and everything that
helps to make life better for cats. We work with the public to solve feline related issues. Some of the services we provide include.” Cassandra and Remy became involved with Feline Friends during their Girl Scout activities involved with the earning of their Bronze Award. The requirements to earn the Bronze requires the Girl Scout to “address a ‘need’ that requires a plan of action to meet that need. Projects should not just be casual community service hours. Projects cannot raise or collect funs, but can collect tangible items for donation. Projects should reflect your interests and abilities,” states Girl Scouting of America. “The two girls organized and coordinated two food and supply
drives for the homeless cats and have several boxes of supplies and food to deliver. In addition, the girls developed and carried out plans to build 12 cats stands to donate to the Feline Friends. This included design of the stands, calculation of materials needed, raising money for the materials and constructing the stands with adult assistance,” commented Julie Sprague and Deanna Saif, Leaders Troop 10095.
Feline Friends representative Laurie Kennelly accepts the generous donation for food, supplies, and cat stands from Girl Scout Remy Sprague. Cassandra Saif was unavailable for the photo.
NECAP Science Test Results Released
submitted by NH Department of Education Results of the New England Common Assessment Program
(NECAP) science test, administered to students in grades four, eight, and 11, were released today by Commissioner of Education Virginia M. Barry, Ph.D. The science test, administered in May 2011, measured what students know and are able to do in the areas of Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, Life Science, and Inquiry. NECAP is a collaborative partnership involving three states: New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island. This partnership was established in response to the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which requires that states annually measure the achievement of all students in grades three through eight, and in one grade in high school. Reading and mathematics assessments have been required since 2005. Science was required to start in 2008. The NECAP scores in reading and mathematics for grades three through eight and 11 are used in the calculation of school and district AYP determinations. Science is not included in AYP determinations at this time. These tests marked the fourth year of NECAP science assessments. New Hampshire scores have improved at all three grade levels since the initial 2008 assessments. Fifty-five percent of New Hampshire students tested scored proficient or better in science at grade four (up one percentage point from 2010). In grade eight, 28 percent scored proficient or better (up one percentage point from 2010), and in grade eleven, 27 percent demonstrated proficiency in science (up three percentage points from 2010). It is important to note that
Rockingham Christian
Church Welcomes Families to XtremeKidz Live
the NECAP is only one measure of academic progress and a single annual assessment is not a sufficient way of measuring overall student success. “Score results show improvement in science proficiency at all
three grades tested,” said Commissioner Barry. “This is an indication that schools and districts are working to improve their science instruction, as well as align their professional development plans to support this work. We need to continue to help schools and districts so that all educators have the resources and knowledge they need to teach science effectively.” The NECAP Science Assessment brings advancement in science assessment to New Hampshire by focusing less on what students can remember (facts and figures) and more on how students can use their understanding of science concepts. Because of cost savings realized by working with Rhode Island and Vermont, the NECAP Science Assessment includes an Inquiry Task at each grade which evaluates the way students make connections between science content knowledge and the nature of science and scientific thinking – an important 21st century skill. The remainder of the test includes both multiple choice and constructed response items in the three core areas of Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Life Science. The NECAP science tests are based on a common set of standards
known as Science Assessment Targets, developed by teams of educators from the three states. Together, the teachers identified the critical elements of the domains of science represented within their already established state science standards. The Science Targets articulate the skills, concepts, and content knowledge a student should be able to demonstrate across the grades in order to be scientifically literate by the end of high school. The Science Assessment Targets are embedded in the New Hampshire Curriculum Frameworks for K-12 Science Literacy. These revised science standards and assessment focus on preparing our students to think scientifically and become scientifically literate. The complete
set of NH Curriculum Frameworks can be found at
www.education.
nh.gov/instruction/curriculum/science/index.htm. NECAP results are reported using the same four achievement
levels as the other content areas. These levels describe a student’s proficiency on the content and skills taught in the grade spans K- 4, 5-8, and 9-11. Performance at Proficient (Level 3) or Proficient with Distinction (Level 4) indicates that the student has a level of proficiency necessary to become scientifically literate by the end of their high school experience. Performance at Partially Proficient (Level 2) or Substantially Below Proficient (Level 1) suggests that additional instruction and student support is needed on content and skills. NH Alternate Learning Progressions Assessment results were also released today. Both the NH-ALPs results and NECAP results and analysis, as well as released test items from each grade level assessment can be found at
www.education.nh.gov/instruction/ assessment/necap/results/
index.htm.
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Te service includes informative and entertaining skits
by S. Aaron Shamshoyan “It’s about bringing the church and families together,” said Brady
Gerdts, Worship Arts Minister at Rockingham Christian Church, speaking on behalf of the new XtremeKidz Live program held on Saturday afternoons at 4 p.m. The service is designed for elementary school children and their parents to enjoy church together. The afternoon service consists of singing, acting, and biblical study in a fun and interactive way designed to entertain children and their families. Services last just under and hour, and provide take-home activities for the families relating to the topic of the day. “This is a place where kids bring their parents to learn,” said Chris
Snyder, a member of the performance’s cast. The program is run by Amy Snyder, Director of Children’s and Family ministry, at the church. More information can be found on the Website
www.rcsalem.com, or by coming to a weekly service, Saturday afternoons at 4 p.m.
Alleged Heroin Dealer Indicted on Charges After June Police Chase
by Andrea Ganley-Dannewitz A man from Peabody, MA, who nearly struck a Salem police officer and led officers on a two state, three town police chase on June 14 has been indicted on charges against him in the state of New Hampshire. Wagnel Luna, 28, was indicted by a Rockingham County Grand
Jury on drug charges and charges of driving under suspension. Luna was under investigation by Salem detectives for allegedly selling heroin in town. On May 24 and June 14 Luna was witnessed to be making heroin sales at a home on Brookdale Road. When police attempted to stop and apprehend him after the sale on June 14, Luna fled at a very high rate of speed, down Brookdale Road and attempted to strike Sergeant Mike Wagner, who was directing traffic at the time. Wagner attempted to stop Luna, but had to get out of the way as Luna attempted to run him down with his vehicle. With officers and detectives in pursuit Luna continued to operate
recklessly through several towns in Massachusetts before coming to a stop in a neighborhood with no outlet. It was then that Luna fled on foot and hid $1,000 in cash under a log, which was found by Salem Police K-9 Til while searching with his handler Officer Paul Benoit. A two-mile search for Luna consisting of Salem Police, Dracut, MA, police and Methuen, MA, police ended successfully after a brief struggle. A search conducted on Luna’s vehicle also resulted in heroin being found in the vehicle. Luna was indicted on two counts of criminal threatening,
conspiracy to sell a controlled drug, sale of a controlled drug, disobeying a police officer and operating after suspension. In Massachusetts, Luna is also charged as a fugitive from justice, possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (motor vehicle), and operating after suspension.
Luna has been held at the Rockingham County Jail since he waived extradition to New Hampshire in August.
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We introduced our train logo and theme, “The Little Bank
that Could,” over 25 years ago. Thanks to a lot of hard work and satisfied loyal customers, we are no longer just a small bank with a dream. We are now one of the largest and strongest community banks in the area, with $625 million in assets. To better reflect that, we have streamlined our popular train design and created a new theme -
“On Track Together since 1891.” We still approach every day with the same determination, and still provide the highest level of personalized service. But now we also have the size and strength to meet the ever-increasing demands of both our personal and business customers. We're excited about our new logo and theme and
hope you are as well. For our customers and for others looking for size and strength along with small-town personal service, we promise better banking for today and in the future.
Haverhill, MA 978-372-7731 • Salem, NH 603-893-3588 Hampstead, NH 603-329-7333 •
www.pentucketbank.com
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