Students honored and showcase portfolio work at Regional School District 08 board meeting

The board recognized middle‑ and high‑school recipients of the Cave Student Leadership Awards and invited families to take photos after the presentations. Dr. Michael Sarussi, principal of RAM Middle School, introduced the middle school honorees and described the award’s criteria of leadership, academics and concern for others.

At the high school, administrators presented awards to Trevor Hooker and Eliza Rami for sustained leadership, participation in extracurriculars and academic achievement. Administrators encouraged families to celebrate the students and thanked staff for their support.

Teachers described a revamped senior portfolio process designed to foreground students’ mastery of district dispositions — communication, critical thinking, collaboration, motivation and integrity — and to give students a public opportunity to present their work. English teacher Jenna Rami told the board the portfolio was changed to be meaningful and to include an in‑person presentation component: "Using our skills and dispositions of communication, critical thinking, collaboration, motivation and integrity, we have questions the students had to answer to show how they've learned these skills at RAM." Students Jason Churchill and Emma Vernier described portfolio pieces that emphasized technical skill (architecture and welding) and reflective writing (AP Language work), and said the experience helped them prepare for college and careers.

Board members thanked the students and noted the presentations offered adults a clearer view of student growth beyond test scores.