Brian M. Stack's School Leadership Blog

Sanborn Sophomores Work with field consultants from UNH at Pow Wow Pond in Kingston, NH in May 2013 At my New Hampshire school, Sanborn Regional High School , project-based learning (PBL) is helping my students connect with their world and their community in ways that a classroom experience never could. Instead of sitting in a classroom learning about Biology from an outdated textbook, last Spring every sophomore in my school participated in a joint partnership between the school, the local conservation commission, and the University of New Hampshire. Students traveled to a local lake to determine why the south edge was filling with vegetation, why this was a problem, and what they should do about it. After collecting and analyzing data they determined the root cause and then returned, shovels in hand, ready to help properties owners implement solutions that included the establishment of rain gardens and vegetation buffers. This project was a culmination of a year’s worth...

This article was co-authored by Mr. Stack and Curriculum Director Ellen Hume-Howard The Need For Change: Brian’s “Uh-Huh Moment” I was watching a cooking competition on the Food Network the other day. The contestants were asked to create the “ultimate grilled cheese sandwich” for a panel of judges to sample. The judges then assessed the sandwiches on a variety of characteristics including overall taste, texture, presentation, and what they called a “wow factor” that included the use of unique ingredients. This competition really got me thinking. Brady and Cameron, my eight and six-year-old sons, and I make grilled cheese sandwiches all the time. Through trial and error, we have learned what works and what doesn’t. Some of our discoveries have included what kinds of cheeses melt best; how much butter to use to get a crispy crust; what kinds of breads produce the best flavors; and how hot to make our pan to get the right sandwich. There have been plenty of mediocre sandwiche...

Dear Students, Parents, and Staff, As of 6:00 PM Sunday evening I have been notified that our building is ready to re-open Monday morning for normal operation. As you know, a fire in the second floor boy’s bathroom forced the evacuation of our school at approximately 11 AM last Thursday. Students and staff were bused to nearby Swasey Gymnasium where they were later released to go home. Due to the fire the building took on some smoke damage, particularly on the second floor. An environmental cleaning crew army was quickly dispatched and has been working with a team of subcontractors around the clock since the incident to repair the damages. Work has included the temporary installation of about 50 air-scrubbers and deodorizer machines, a complete vacuum and clean-out of our HVAC system, surface cleaning on walls, furniture, and other vertical and horizontal surfaces, and the replacement of hundreds of ceiling tiles on the second floor. Throughout the work, the company has perfor...

To The Students of Sanborn Regional High School, As your Principal, I am so proud of each of you for the way you conducted yourselves in the wake of yesterday’s fire. It wasn’t easy to be forced out into the cold, put on school buses, and brought to another location. Throughout the entire ordeal, you cooperated with your teachers and administrators. You stayed calm. You handled yourself in a mature and respectful manner. It would have been easy for me to get discouraged yesterday in all the “chaos.” It would have been easy for me to wonder if yesterday’s events would force the public to look at our school community and think that students were out of control. They don’t think that way, and you are anything but that. You are a group of mature, responsible young adults who care deeply about Sanborn and you take deep pride in your school. One of my hundreds of emails yesterday was a note from Nancy Poirier, the Sales Manager at the Granite Rose, the site of our recent sem...