John Monfredo: Worcester Schools Get Mid-Term Grades
Saturday, August 03, 2013
- Standard I: Instructional Leadership
- Standard II: Management & Operations
- Standard III: Family and Community Engagement
- Standard IV: Professional Culture
The School Committee, working with Dr. Boone, developed the following goals for the school system.
- 100% of students guaranteed a rigorous core curriculum resulting in measurable gains in student learning
- Focus on the percent of students proficient in reading, ELA and math
- Focus on the percent of students successfully completing high school coursework that prepares graduates for college and career readiness
- Increase student academic achievement through instructional strategies resulting in high levels of student performance
- Implement and monitor strategies to ensure welcoming, safe and secure learning environments in all Worcester Public Schools
- Strengthen communication through strategies to transfer information of effective practices and needs among all stakeholders
After the presentation of the Superintendent at the July meeting, school committee members in July and again in August /have the opportunity to comment on her goals and make suggestions. I took that opportunity to comment and to give Dr. Boone other ideas on moving forward. Thus, here is part of my presentation as it relates to Dr. Boone’s report:
As an Urban school system, we have every reason to be proud of what we have accomplished and most importantly that we continue to move forward. Instead of continuing to be critical and look for the glass to be half empty, let’s look at what has been accomplished and then what else needs to be done.
Heading up a school district that serves more than 25,000 students with over 70% on free and reduced lunch and encompasses over 80 different languages is a challenge in itself.
Creating the next generation of community and leaders who understand and appreciate their differences but still share the core values of democracy, is what Dr. Boone sees as the school district’s mission.
Moving forward
Earlier this year we received information that for the fifth consecutive year, the four-year graduation rate of high school students has increased. Our school system has been a progress-oriented venture since Dr. Boone came on board. We have seen a number of schools receive awards for excellence recently… Worcester Technical High School, Worcester Arts Magnet, South High School, Columbus Park School, West Tatnuck Elementary, University Park Campus and a host of other schools that are at Level one status. Thus, measureable gains continue to take place.
We have seen AP courses double, enrollment in the courses increase substantially as the number of students achieving qualifying scores are keeping pace with the AP enrollment. Additionally, our dropout rate continues to decline and our MCAS scores continue to rise.
However, we all know that more needs to be done for we, and especially Superintendent Boone, continue to look for areas that need to be addressed and to look for the necessary resources to meet those needs.
I found Dr. Boone’s mid-year report comprehensive and factual, but as always with education more needs to be done. On standard one… instructional leadership...meeting the needs of our “at risk” students and our best and brightest within the curriculum is an on-going process. It certainly appears that necessary staff development training is in place and that the system through the accountability office, is on target in reviewing the needs of our school system from test data to the early warning system. I would suggest that we have in place a comprehensive plan to have all of our schools involved in the Early Warning System starting with our elementary grades.
The evidence page for Standard I was well documented and it gave me a good snapshot of the work going on in our school system.
Standard II – Management and Operations
Under the environment topic, many parents have remarked on the improvement in the over-all cleanliness of their school. This is a positive for as one enters a building first impressions are important. School safety audits continue to take place for safety has been a high priority for our school system. We do have a comprehensive anti-bullying plan in place and I would once again encourage all schools to be sure that this plan is explained to all parties at the beginning of the school year and for administration to continue to be vigilant in the reaching out to the community about the importance of the anti-bullying process.
Human Resources Management Development … our school system continues to try and recruit the best and brightest educators for our school system. I would again suggest that we recruit in the early spring prior to budget time and attempt to bring the best talented educators on board. Our partnership with Eagle Hill for instructional workshops for new teachers continues to flourish and more is being done with professional development to address the needs of teachers. The communication with our educational leaders in the system has been on-going with weekly information and monthly meetings taking place. I was pleased to see that we are also offering professional development to our Instructional Assistants this summer.
Fiscal Systems
Budget time continues to be a time for our school system to reflect what is working and what additional resources are required to meet the needs of our students. During the past few years, despite having to work with a budget that is at minimum funding our school system has moved forward. However, there continues to be many more resources needed in our system that will have to be addressed when additional funding is made available.
Standard III–Family and Community Engagement
This goal is critical for the communication with families and the community is essential if we are to establish a strong partnership within the city. It is essential that we continue to remind all staff members about good customer relations as we reach out to our parents and establish them as partners within each school setting. There are many parents who do not know how to navigate the system and feel left out. We need to reach out to those parents and make them part of the process.
The same can be said about reaching out within the community and articulating our mission and asking for assistance. Dr. Boone has been visible throughout the Worcester Community by attending school events, business roundtable meetings, United Way and a host of other social agency meetings. Well done!
She has continued with her “State of the School “presentation and that in itself sheds light on the importance of education in this city. Also, the surveys given to parents and students are an important step in finding out what the community needs are and in what direction we need to go. However, those surveys are only effective if we listen to what is being said and discuss what changes are necessary for us to move forward.
Standard IV–Professional Culture
High expectations for all are the calling cards for our school system. It’s an area that needs to be emphasized over and over again by all schools and to get our students to believe in themselves. I applaud Dr. Boone for continuing to articulate her beliefs in high expectations and about giving all students the opportunity to succeed.
Dr. Boone, as the educational leader, has continued to make herself available in the community as she is called upon by many community groups to present her ideas about the state of education and how we are all part of the “Village” in raising our children. She has been most professional in her approach and is appreciated by the community.
Professional workshops for all continue to take place for there is a commitment to reviewing “best practice” research for our schools. Emphasis is placed on having a shared vision with all (goals... directions for the year and our progress) and the system’s vision is also shared with the students at Dr. Boone’s Student Advisory Council meetings.
Dr. Boone, as part of her reaching out to all, meets with the EAW representatives on a regular basis to resolve issues before they escalate and to share ideas and her vision about our school system with the leadership of the EAW.
It has been a good year for the children in the Worcester Public Schools and in the future I would suggest that consideration be given to making Grade Level Reading by the end of grade three a top priority and that we review a plan for chronic absenteeism and review our policy on suspensions. Lastly, let’s consider an expansion of our summer school program as well. I will send Dr. Boone my ideas and thoughts on these issues for her consideration for this coming year.
In closing I’d like to end with the following quote, “leadership is the ability to do, not the ability to state… thank you Dr. Boone for moving our system forward…
A copy of Dr. Boone’s report may be seen on the Worcester Public Schools website.
Related Articles
- John Monfredo: Anti-Bullying Conference Focuses on Efforts in Worcester
- John Monfredo: May is the Month To Remember Our Teachers + Nurses
- John Monfredo: Worcester’s One City, One Library Launches
- John Mondredo: Time To Run For Worcester Schools at Foley 5K
- John Monfredo: Arts Are Alive and Well in Worcester Public Schools
- John Monfredo: North High Students Explore Careers in Teaching
- John Monfredo: Worcester: The City That Reads Hosts 7th Annual Book Drive
- John Monfredo: “Three Doctors” Inspire Worcester Tech Students
- John Monfredo: Bullying—A Problem for Everyone
- John Monfredo: Reading In Our City Week
- John Monfredo: 10 Ways To Help Your Child Stay Smart This Summer
- John Monfredo: Head Start Worcester Cuts Will Hurt 200+ Children
- John Monfredo: Rethinking School Suspension
- John Monfredo: 100 Things Dads Can Do For Their Kids This Summer
- John Monfredo: It’s Time To Get Serious About the “Summer Slide”
- John Monfredo: Summer Learning Is More Important Than Ever
- John Monfredo: 11 Ways to Make Summer Learning Work
- John Monfredo: Knowledge of American History and Civics in Danger of Becoming “History”
- John Monfredo: Summer Resources For Better Math Skills
- John Monfredo: 50 Things A Child Needs To Do
- John Monfredo: Making Education a Priority in Our City
- John Monfredo: WTHS Grant Invests in Future Business Leaders
- John Monfredo: AVID—Making A Difference in Worcester’s Secondary Schools
- John Monfredo: Making Worcester “The City That Reads”
- John Monfredo: Worcester Schools Expand Breakfast/Supper Programs
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It