The school district will present a new senior citizen outreach program at the April 5, 2016 school board meeting. The letter and survey below details the new program.
Dear Neighbor:
On behalf of the Londonderry Senior Center and the Londonderry School District, we are excited to share with you an expansion of in-town services, events and offerings all
designed with you in mind. Starting soon, the school district and the office of senior
affairs will collaborate to offer a variety of programs and events to inform and entertain
our community’s 55+ population.
As you know, the Londonderry Senior Center is being renovated and expanded. Soon,
work will be completed on two additional activity rooms, a larger kitchen, a new health
services room and several amenities that will boost the capabilities of the center to host a variety of brand new programs for local residents. The goal is to become a central
activity center to meet your needs and interests.
But an improved senior center is just the beginning. It dawned on both the district and
the senior center that there are many opportunities for seniors and school children to
connect on a fun, yet meaningful level. Did you know that right now, Londonderry
schools currently host more than 250 afterschool activities every single week? From
music to drama to athletics, there is always something happening at our schools.
In addition, Superintendent Nate Greenberg would like to bring the community into
schools by offering programs and events catered directly to the 55+ population nearby.
Working together, we are excited to offer some great new events, such as a “Technology
Fair” where students can teach local seniors how to better navigate their smart phones
and iPads, or free “Londonderry Senior” passes to any concert or event at our local
schools, and opening our high school on cold weekend mornings to allow Seniors to get
fit by walking our hallways in a warm and safe environment.
Imagine a music concert coming to the senior center for a personalized performance.
Picture local high school students visiting your residential community as part of a
community service project. Perhaps our program can bring our technology fair straight to your door, as part of an on-site forum on how to use your home devices? Our younger generation can offer a great deal to local seniors in both knowledge and service. We would be thrilled to make better connections with you through programs offered jointly by the Londonderry school district and the senior center.
We see the benefits to students as well. Some of our best “guest speakers” have come
from the senior community, such as a Holocaust Survivor who shared his story with a
class of students who were riveted by his words; you could have heard a pin drop in the
room that day. You have experience and wisdom to share, and you might enjoy reading
to young children or sharing your stories on “Career Day” in our schools.
In the coming weeks, we will mail home a survey asking you for input on various
programs we can create for seniors in Londonderry. We are excited to augment our
programs and open the doors of our school system for all of you to take advantage of the exciting events and offerings we can create with you in mind.
We know there will be questions as these new programs are created and welcome the
opportunity to answer them for you. Your feedback is valuable and will be built into the
Londonderry Senior Plan. Look for the survey in your mailbox sometime soon.
With warm regards,
Catherine Blash, Senior Affairs Director, Londonderry
Nate Greenberg, Superintendent, Londonderry School District
LONDONDERRY SENIOR SURVEY
1. If Londonderry Schools and Londonderry Senior Center worked together to offer new programs and events for local 55+ residents, would you be interested in attending? (Yes/No)
2. Where would you most prefer these events and programs to be held? (Senior Center/High School/No Preference)
3. If Londonderry Schools made free tickets available to you for drama productions, music concerts, athletic events and other special student-led programs, would you attend? (Yes/No)
4. If Londonderry Schools hosted a “Technology Fair” at the school or at the senior center, to help seniors better understand how to navigate their IPads, smart phones and related technology, would you attend? (Yes / No)
5. Would you be interested in volunteering your time with students, whether it is a reading program for young children, an “adopt a grandparent” program, “career day” participant or something similar? (Yes / No)
6. Would you attend an event held at your residential facility featuring local student performances of music and/or drama? (Yes/No)
7. Would you be interested in any of these programs or events to be sponsored by the Londonderry School District and Londonderry Senior Center (Check all that apply)
– Senior Breakfast at Londonderry High School
– Senior Wellness Fair
– Londonderry High School Drama Production
– Londonderry Band / Music Concert
– Ice Cream Social with Students
– Reading Program for Young Students
– Weekend Exercise Program/Walking the Halls for Seniors
– Technology Fair
– History Workshop
– Culinary/Cooking Workshop
– Framed Student Artwork on Display at your Senior Center
– Career Day participant
– Adopt A Grandparent Program
– “Buddy” to a Needy Child
– Free Tickets to Special Programs and Athletic Events
– Other
8. Would you like to see Londonderry Schools expand its Community Service programs for 55+ communities? (Yes/No)
9. What volunteer programs would you most like to see?
10. What is the best way to share information about events and programs being developed at Londonderry Schools and the Londonderry Senior Center? (Mail/Email/Other_____)
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