for that for students and for our community,” notes Jennifer Reynolds, Coordinator of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment.“We have continued to grow each year, and we’re almost meeting what the state considers to be our universe, and I feel that’s been really instrumental in the progress that we’ve seen as a district.” Andover RSD now offers five preschool classes and one preschool disabled class. “It is a game changer for a lot of our families who struggle financially, to now have free preschool for all,” she says. SUPPORTING THE WHOLE CHILD The district takes a holistic approach to education, giving students a strong foundation for future success. “I really believe that in Andover, we all are responsible for educating the whole child,” Superintendent John Fritzky conveys.“That means academically, especially when it comes to things like literacy, but also the whole child in terms of them being able to learn how to emotionally regulate themselves and how to help others in their community.” One of the most important areas of focus in recent years has been social and emotional learning, specifically in helping students develop the tools to understand and manage their emotions.According to Nicole Dilkes, Principal of Florence M. Burd Elementary School, the need became especially clear as students returned to school following the pandemic. “Being an educator for 15 years at that point, I knew students were going to come back struggling,” she acknowledges.“We did see a lot of struggles, in terms of behavior and emotional regulation, character development. We saw the academic holes as well, but I was more worried about how they were coming to school and how they were going to be available to learn.” To address these challenges, the district implemented the Zones of Regulation program, a research-based framework that helps students recognize emotions and develop self-regulation strategies. “There are a couple of different programs out there, but we landed on Zones of Regulation because it is very simple,” expands Dilkes.“There are four colors, and it uses very child-friendly language. Those colors then turn into tools that you use to regulate your Zone to be successful.” EARLY LEARNING FOR STRONG FOUNDATIONS Another area of focus for the district has been early childhood education. Over the past four years, Andover RSD has expanded its early learning program through a state Preschool Expansion Grant, creating more access for families and benefiting academic outcomes. “The state really was pushing 263 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 02 ANDOVER REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
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