Monfredo: Worcester Public Schools Strategic Plan Shows Progress
Saturday, November 30, 2019
John Monfredo
There are five broad goals:
- Culture of Innovation – evidence-based practices and support of school leaders in making improvements.
- Academic Excellence – all students will have access to rigorous and personalized learning supported by technology. Part of the plan calls for the district to improve early education to ensure all students have the knowledge and skills to become lifelong learners.
- Welcoming Schools – All students will gain a holistic set of skills and be supported by a network – inclusive of their families and the community – to realize their personal, academic and professional goals. The schools will support students’ social and emotional health and foster collaboration with the families and the communities.
- Investing in Educators – All students will be supported by effective educators who demonstrate leadership and commitment to enhancing student learning and development. It recommends that the district enhance its educator workforce by recruiting top candidates from diverse backgrounds and support educators through training and instructional support in social-emotional learning, and integrated instruction with technology and cultural competence.
- Technology and Operations – Worcester will come together as a city, community and school district to prioritize and support success for all students. This includes more public participation in school policy discussions and new strategies to advocate for state funding.
The Superintendent. who embraced the plan from the beginning stated, “I feel the strategic plan is a strong document that includes the input of families, students, educators, and the community and business leaders. Each area has broad goals to be met by the 2023 school year.”
Thus, the first progress report on the implementation of these benchmarks and its movement was explained at the meeting by the superintendent.
As a School Committee member, I was impressed with its progress in year one. Here are just some of the many changes taking place within the district as the plan moves forward. They have added more instructional coaches and more mental health instructors to the staff, and currently, there are four agencies providing after school counseling at six schools with the hope of adding on two more agencies in the near future.
The district has expanded its dual-language program and more staff training is taking place in key areas including additional training for principals. There has been more support given in early learning and this I believe will lead to more students reading on grade level by the end of grade three. This is a key benchmark for those who succeed in reading become successful in school.
Other significant information in the report included more chapter 74 courses being offering at all the high schools. The district now has student world language ambassadors, additional dual-language courses, and early college programs that will continue after school at Quinsigamond Community College and at Worcester State University. The advanced academies continue to flourish, technology is on the upswing with additional courses and training being offered and the AVID program has been added to the NCC young adult programs and that will be plus for the young adults.
Also, more welcoming opportunities at all schools have taken place with each school meeting monthly with their parents, students and community members to discuss ways of moving forward at their school. In addition, the Superintendent’s Advisory Council is developing a “Welcoming Schools” digital guidance document.
In keeping with the promise of recruitment of diverse education candidates a Chief Diversity officer was hired and thirteen instructional assistants are on schedule to receive post-baccalaureate by 2020. It will make them eligible to become teachers in our district.
As for the benchmarks, the district has exceeded the 2023 benchmarks on chronic absenteeism down to 13.8% ( the district was to reach 14% by 2023). Perhaps a goal of 10% could be reached by 2023.
Site council involvement is up to 50% and again the target was 50% by 2023. There has been a reduction in discipline for the year as well.
In addition, the district reported an increase on diversity hires up over 25% with its goal at 25% for 2023. Another target reached was the number of students engaged in a digital learning experience. One area not reached was in math and the superintendent indicated that more work will be done in that area with more resources and training being added.
Superintendent Binienda was most pleased with the progress for she stated, “The Worcester Public Schools has achieved many of the 2019 benchmarks on the goals of the Strategic Plan. We will continue to review what needs to be done as we look at our next quarterly report. The district will also continue its work with the Rennie Center to evaluate and improve its progress.”
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