THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013 GILFORD, N.H. - FREE Lakes Region’s Finest take a “dip” in support of Special Olympics BY DONNA RHODES conjunction with the Law his splash with the AG’s of- [email protected] Enforcement Torch Run or- fice. LACONIA — This year’s ganization. As a result, Wave B consisted of many fifth annual Winni Dip to many who were involved in community supporters, in- benefit Special Olympics the event came from police cluding the Lakes Region New Hampshire saw not on- and other law enforcement Community College Dip- ly record participants and agencies from across the pers, Connecticut River Val- spectators, but also raised state, but community and ley Special Olympics team just over $60,000 for Special civic organizations did their and Team Northway. Olympians who participate part as well. Jenny Williams of North- in the Summer and Winter Despite relatively pleas- way Bank’s Tilton office said Games, nearly double last ant air temperatures for the this year’s team was a small- year’s totals from the event. unseasonable swim, water er than they had hoped for, “It was pretty impressive temperatures at the beach but they were still very this year.We also had 110 peo- behind the Margate Resort pleased with their great ple who dipped, which is al- in Laconia last Sunday bare- fundraising efforts and look most twice as many as last ly stretched to 33 degrees. forward to an even bigger year as well,” said SONH But that didn‘t phase the team of brave dippers in Communications Manager, brave men and women who 2014. Anna Brennan-Curry. pledged their support for “We raised almost $5,000 Each year, the Winni Dip Special Olympics. this year, which was really is sponsored by SONH in This year’s theme was PHOTO BY DONNA RHODES awesome,” Williams said. “Cops and Robbers,” and as “Team Cold Justice” of the State Attorney General’s Office was joined by WMUR’s Adam Sexton and represen- “We’ve done this for the past Watch for election participants got into the tatives of the Gilford, Laconia, Merrimack and Nashua Police Departments, along with Team Woodstock and three years and are very pas- light-hearted spirit of the representatives of Lakes Region Community College, as they plunged into the near freezing waters of Lake sionate about Special results next week day, a pre-dip parade includ- Winnipesaukee last Sunday. The teams were part of the annual Winni Dip, which raises money each year for Olympics so we will contin- Due to recent changes ed many who had chosen cos- New Hampshire Special Olympics. ue our support in the fu- in our production sched- tumes varying from police Leading off the chilly dip Justice.” Joining them were partments, along with ture.” ule, this week’s edition of uniforms to jailhouse stripes into the lake for Wave A was members of the Gilford, La- WMUR reporter Adam Sex- Sanbornton Police Chief the Gilford Steamer went and even a Cat Woman out- Attorney General Michael conia, Merrimack, Wood- ton, who chose a three-piece Steve Hankard took his first to press before we were fit. Delaney and his team, “Cold stock and Nashua police de- attorney-style ensemble for SEE DIP PAGE A13 able to obtain results from Tuesday’s town and school district elections. A full re-cap of the final Iditarod creates learning opportunities for GES students results on all town and dis- BY ERIN PLUMMER ing some extra lessons from trict office races and War- [email protected] a famous dog sled race dur- rant articles will appear in Students at Gilford Ele- ing a program on the Iditar- next week’s edition. mentary School are receiv- od. The famous Iditarod dog sled race runs 1,150 miles across Alaska, and lasts School board discusses ideas around two weeks. As the race goes on in Alaska, it is for personalizing education being used as a multidisci- plinary education tool for BY DAN KANE CONTRIBUTOR lios on Google Sites that can students around the world. be accessed by their teacher During the month of March, At the March 4 meeting of and allow teachers to better students at GES will take Gilford’s School Board, the understand them as learners part in trivia questions, race board’s main topic of discus- and people. facts, and see a collection of sion was online portfolios “Our goal is to give stu- items from the Iditarod in a and how to further personal- dents what they need, when display case. ize education in the district. they need it with the com- GES teacher Donna Superintendent Kent mon course standards in Finner started teaching the Hemingway reported on the mind as well,” Hemingway Iditarod in her classrooms use of new digital portfolios said. “Our emphasis needs to beginning in 2000. Finner is and shared document in Gil- be the student for the learn- a K9 reporter for the race, PHOTO BY ERIN PLUMMER Artifacts from the Iditarod are on display at Gilford Elementary School. ford schools. The district has ing.” posting stories on the Iditar- developed these technologies School board member od’s Web site. She was also a the common core standards; Iditarod into her classroom, the 12 Iditarod traveling through HIPPA compliant Kurt Webber was skeptical of finalist for the Teacher on taking concepts and putting Finner applied for the quilts with squares made by server. this idea, feeling that stu- the Trail program. them into math, history, ge- Teacher on the Trail pro- teachers (including five “This work is an exten- dents do not always know The Iditarod has a strong ography so were still meet gram. The winning appli- made by Finner). The quilt is sion of current efforts to per- what is in their best interest. educational component, the common core goals the cant travels to Alaska, spend- the backdrop for the display. sonalize learning and create “This is sounding a bit too with aspects of the race be- children are learning about ing time on the trail and re- Also featured are a dog har- a system where students will touchy-feely for me,” he said. ing used in a variety of dif- the race at the same time.” porting back his or her expe- ness and dog booties as well gain and retain new skills Curriculum and Assess- ferent subjects. Finner and her husband riences to classrooms as books fictional stories on and knowledge both in and ment Director Scott Lalib- “They work very hard to are from Florida, and lived around the world. Finner the Iditarod. Three students outside of the classroom,” erte spoke in support of on- integrate different aspects of in Ohio for a time. While they was chosen as one of three fi- will come down during the Hemingway said in his re- line portfolios a gateway to a the Iditarod into the cur- were living in Ohio, Finner nalists in 2002, but did not day to read race updates. port. new way of thinking about riculum,” Finner said, say- said they took a trip to Alas- reach the top spot. She still There is also a daily trivia For example, students at education. ing the new director of the ka in the summer of 1999. stayed with the Iditarod’s ed- question in which students Gilford Middle School have “We are asking teachers to Iditarod is “working very They ended up visiting the ucation committee. submit answers. The win- been keeping private portfo- SEE SCHOOL BOARD PAGE A13 hard to incorporate it into home of one of the mushers, For around five years, ning student wins the prize watching the racer train Finner has been a K9 re- of a dog bootie. with the dogs pulling a porter for the race; reporting Finner said the Iditarod wheeled cart. race details on the Iditarod‘s program has been popular in “They put puppies in your website. She also used to take every class she has brought hands, and you’re hooked,” comments from children it too. In one past school she Finner said. around the world. Finner was also able to bring in a The couple visited a gift herself has nine Siberian dog and sled for a further shop, and Finner said she huskies and runs them recre- demonstration. found pencils she said she ationally. “I found for those two was going to bring back for She currently works at weeks behavior was good, her class. Gilford Elementary School everyone wanted to be a part “Someone in there who as a special education pre- of it, the kids were excited,” was a musher heard me and school teacher, and has been Finner said, saying students said, ‘Do you know how you teaching at the school for the would follow and root for in- can incorporate this in your past nine years. The Iditarod dividual mushers through classroom?’” Finner said. had been taught in previous- the race. “The excitement is Finner incorporated the ly at GES, but not in recent really neat to see. There Iditarod into her classroom years. Finner said the new something about kids and for the first time in 2000, and principal Danielle Bolduc dogs across the board.” has done so in every school wanted to spark more inter- She says she wants to try she has taught. After teach- est in incorporating the Idi- to have this program again ing in Ohio and Florida, tarod into the classroom. A next year.Hopefully,this will Finner first brought her les- week before the race Finner lead to more teachers incor- COURTESY PHOTO sons into New Hampshire pulled together souvenirs porating the event in the cur- Centerplate donates to Lakes Region Disabled Sports while teaching at the John she had gathered from the riculum.