An article appeared in today’s Worcester Telegram that you may have seen. If you have not, I have provided you with a link to the article via the Internet below. I am disheartened that this article inaccurately rated Mahar (via chart) in comparison to other school districts in the Telegram’s distribution zone. It is true that our median Student Growth Percentile (SGP) is 35.0 in ELA and 33.5 in mathematics – but please keep in mind that this is comprised of the following SGPs:
Grade 7 Math – 20.0
Grade 8 Math – 37.0
Grade 10 Math – 54.0
Grade 7 ELA – 21.5
Grade 8 ELA – 36.0
Grade 10 ELA – 54.0
The districts to which the Telegram and Gazette compared Mahar have SGPs that are inclusive of students’ performance on assessments in grades 4, 5, and 6 as well. To compare Mahar with other K – 12 districts in an accurate fashion, the following SGPs would have been included in our median distribution:
Petersham Elementary SGP for all Grades
Math – 44.0
ELA – 43.0
Swift River Elementary SGP for all Grades
Math – 68.0
ELA – 80.0
Orange Elementary SGP for all Grades
Math – 37.0
ELA – 38.0
In the coming days I will be contacting the appropriate personnel at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to inquire about the existence of a Median SGP that is reflective of the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District and our K – 6 partnering districts.
You can see how the accountability standards under the No Child Left Behind Act calls upon the quantification of student learning by bunching data. I have questioned and continue to question the data that is collected and how it is used. In this case, the Telegram & Gazette accurately reported half of the data for our Pre-K – 12 model and all of the data from other Pre K – 12 systems. It is my hope that the Telegram & Gazette will consider writing another article that is indicative of the steadfast work of our teachers, staff, and administration. If the chart printed in the Telegram & Gazette focused only on Grade 10 SGPs in English and Language Arts, Mahar would have been placed on their continuum above Quabbin, Ashburnham-Westminster, Gardner, Northampton, Leominster, Lunenburg, and many, many more.
One other thought….the time that it took to create this response could have been dedicated to real work with our teachers and the time that it takes for our teachers to read this response could have been dedicated to planning instruction.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20091028/NEWS/910280439
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
"They focus on trying to have us become critical thinkers."
Last week I visited Cushing Academy in Ashburnham. I was able to sit in on a United States History Class and a Probability and Statistics class as an invited guest by my cousin Tyler. Tyler, an enthusiastic learner and hockey player is a member of Cushing’s Class of 2011. The experience was doubly unique for me – having spent so much time in and around schools I perceived teaching and learning in the same fashion that I do in my daily work but as Tyler’s invited guest I focused on his in class actions and behaviors. I left Cushing impressed with Tyler’s participation in his learning, and even more impressed with Cushing as a learning organization.
I have spent all but two years of my professional career in public schools. In the two years that I worked as an administrator in a private school I was able to see first-hand how the two systems are alike and how the two systems are different. The compare and contrast of public and private education has been the subject of countless studies, countless articles, and is always a topic of debate. Whether you are a public school or a private school advocate – the fact remains that there are differences, large and small.
If someone were to ask me if I believed in public education or private education, my answer would be, “Yes, I believe in education.” What is really important is that the student who is in the private school believes in his or her school and the student who is in the public school believes in his or her school just the same. Today I sent Tyler a text and asked, “You gotta take mcas @ Cushing?” He responded, “Nope. We have finals twice a year and that’s it.” I then sent another text asking, “They focus on SATs”?” Then Tyler responded, “Not exactly. They focus on trying to have us become critical thinkers.”
Of course I would rather see Tyler at Mahar – but given his answer today, Cushing is fine with me too.
I have spent all but two years of my professional career in public schools. In the two years that I worked as an administrator in a private school I was able to see first-hand how the two systems are alike and how the two systems are different. The compare and contrast of public and private education has been the subject of countless studies, countless articles, and is always a topic of debate. Whether you are a public school or a private school advocate – the fact remains that there are differences, large and small.
If someone were to ask me if I believed in public education or private education, my answer would be, “Yes, I believe in education.” What is really important is that the student who is in the private school believes in his or her school and the student who is in the public school believes in his or her school just the same. Today I sent Tyler a text and asked, “You gotta take mcas @ Cushing?” He responded, “Nope. We have finals twice a year and that’s it.” I then sent another text asking, “They focus on SATs”?” Then Tyler responded, “Not exactly. They focus on trying to have us become critical thinkers.”
Of course I would rather see Tyler at Mahar – but given his answer today, Cushing is fine with me too.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A Challenge for Maria
I am not sure if this is an oddity, but my father is a retired teacher, my older brother was a History Teacher and is now an Assistant Principal, one of my sisters was an English Teacher and is now a Professor at a University, and my other sister has just finished her degree to become an elementary school teacher. I suppose if I had more siblings and they also chose the field of education that our situation would become increasingly rare. Since the likelihood of me finding new siblings is unlikely, it appears as though we are just four for four in choosing the field of education as our lives’ work.
Maria (the Professor) and I often have conversations and debates about key issues facing teachers, administrators, and students in schools today. More often than not we agree and are quick to affirm one another’s beliefs in how to best go about the business of planning, teaching, assessing, and improving instruction. I think we provide each other with ideas about practices we can engage in during our workdays, and often motivate each other in working through the tough situations we are inclined to face in our work.
We often debate the merits and drawbacks of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) – and on any given day we can agree or disagree about some part of it. In our most recent conversation I stressed my frustration with the fact that many of the statistics reported on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) website provide viewers with insignificant data about our school district. I should say, the data is accurate – my frustration is with the fact that the reported numbers are often unimportant, lead people to make assumptions about our school that simply aren’t true, and in some cases I cannot even imagine why they are reported.
Now Maria is not one to accept what I say, or what any person says for that matter without empirical evidence, so she wouldn’t let me off the hook with just some random complaint about data reporting. I tossed some statistics at her that I found little value in and she was quick to refute. She provided me with new insights on why certain demographic data is published on the DESE website, who might be interested, and assumptions that could be drawn.
I looked over the website one more time and found a report that I will use to challenge my sister. Maria, by clicking the link below you will find the Massachusetts Department of Education’s “Staffing Age Report by Full Time Equivalency 2007 – 2008” for the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District. Can you tell me what the value is in reporting the age of a school’s faculty? Are there generalizations to be made about teachers who are under the age of 30 or over the age of 60? There are many teachers in their thirties who have been teaching longer than teachers in their fifties, so it is not reflective of teaching experience……….this one is tough to figure out.
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/teacher.aspx?orgcode=07550000&orgtypecode=5&leftNavId=828&
Maria (the Professor) and I often have conversations and debates about key issues facing teachers, administrators, and students in schools today. More often than not we agree and are quick to affirm one another’s beliefs in how to best go about the business of planning, teaching, assessing, and improving instruction. I think we provide each other with ideas about practices we can engage in during our workdays, and often motivate each other in working through the tough situations we are inclined to face in our work.
We often debate the merits and drawbacks of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) – and on any given day we can agree or disagree about some part of it. In our most recent conversation I stressed my frustration with the fact that many of the statistics reported on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) website provide viewers with insignificant data about our school district. I should say, the data is accurate – my frustration is with the fact that the reported numbers are often unimportant, lead people to make assumptions about our school that simply aren’t true, and in some cases I cannot even imagine why they are reported.
Now Maria is not one to accept what I say, or what any person says for that matter without empirical evidence, so she wouldn’t let me off the hook with just some random complaint about data reporting. I tossed some statistics at her that I found little value in and she was quick to refute. She provided me with new insights on why certain demographic data is published on the DESE website, who might be interested, and assumptions that could be drawn.
I looked over the website one more time and found a report that I will use to challenge my sister. Maria, by clicking the link below you will find the Massachusetts Department of Education’s “Staffing Age Report by Full Time Equivalency 2007 – 2008” for the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District. Can you tell me what the value is in reporting the age of a school’s faculty? Are there generalizations to be made about teachers who are under the age of 30 or over the age of 60? There are many teachers in their thirties who have been teaching longer than teachers in their fifties, so it is not reflective of teaching experience……….this one is tough to figure out.
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/teacher.aspx?orgcode=07550000&orgtypecode=5&leftNavId=828&
Friday, October 16, 2009
Readine$$ and $upport
For many who are outside of the public school system the No Child Left Behind Act appears to be a wonderful piece of legislation that was set forth to hold school systems and those who work in them accountable for their students’ performance. For many inside the public school system the No Child Left Behind Act is a not so wonderful piece of legislation that places students’ performance on mathematics and language arts assessments beyond all else. Those who work in Massachusetts Public Schools are reminded increasingly as the time approaches that all students must be passing these all important tests by the year 2014.
So, the goal is set. By the year 2014 we are aiming to have each and every student reach the level of “Proficient” on their MCAS examinations and that is that, right? The dialogue among teachers and administrators does not shed a promising light on attaining this goal. I have heard this goal be referred to as impossible, absurd, unattainable, illogical, and many more words that I do not care to type. The truth is that those of us who are in education for the right reasons…those of us to got into this business with the intent of being part of a system that makes our world a better place really, really, really wants to obtain this goal. For if we obtain the goal of 100% proficiency – then we know that we are doing our jobs and that we are doing them well…..at least with regard to our students passing tests.
Then we have our mixed messages. On October 8, 2009 Governor Patrick announced the creation of “Readiness Centers” to support our educators. These centers have been created with the intent of improving education by providing teachers and administrators with access to proven instructional practices, and focused professional development to support what is taking place in the classroom. What a novel idea, and kudos to the Patrick Administration for taking the time and energy to realize that teachers cannot be excellent teachers without support. Now that I think about it, just the same as our students need support from their teachers and their families, and our teachers need the support of their administrators through professional development, administrators and school systems need support too!
The question is will the positive impact of the Readiness Centers be overshadowed by an inability to support our educational system with proper funding for our teachers, facilities, and students? Our government passed the No Child Left Behind Act, our government demands all students reach the level of “Proficient” on state examinations by 2014, and our government created Readiness Centers to help us make this so. Today it is hard for me to fathom that this is the same government that could soon reduce the funding that our school district receives to educate our students. A piece of legislation and a Readiness Center will not be enough to reach our 2014 goal. We need our teachers, we need our transportation, and we need our professional development. We won’t be able to get this done without proper $upport.
So, the goal is set. By the year 2014 we are aiming to have each and every student reach the level of “Proficient” on their MCAS examinations and that is that, right? The dialogue among teachers and administrators does not shed a promising light on attaining this goal. I have heard this goal be referred to as impossible, absurd, unattainable, illogical, and many more words that I do not care to type. The truth is that those of us who are in education for the right reasons…those of us to got into this business with the intent of being part of a system that makes our world a better place really, really, really wants to obtain this goal. For if we obtain the goal of 100% proficiency – then we know that we are doing our jobs and that we are doing them well…..at least with regard to our students passing tests.
Then we have our mixed messages. On October 8, 2009 Governor Patrick announced the creation of “Readiness Centers” to support our educators. These centers have been created with the intent of improving education by providing teachers and administrators with access to proven instructional practices, and focused professional development to support what is taking place in the classroom. What a novel idea, and kudos to the Patrick Administration for taking the time and energy to realize that teachers cannot be excellent teachers without support. Now that I think about it, just the same as our students need support from their teachers and their families, and our teachers need the support of their administrators through professional development, administrators and school systems need support too!
The question is will the positive impact of the Readiness Centers be overshadowed by an inability to support our educational system with proper funding for our teachers, facilities, and students? Our government passed the No Child Left Behind Act, our government demands all students reach the level of “Proficient” on state examinations by 2014, and our government created Readiness Centers to help us make this so. Today it is hard for me to fathom that this is the same government that could soon reduce the funding that our school district receives to educate our students. A piece of legislation and a Readiness Center will not be enough to reach our 2014 goal. We need our teachers, we need our transportation, and we need our professional development. We won’t be able to get this done without proper $upport.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Would You Rather Make a Buck or Make a Difference?
“It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.”
- Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw certainly made plenty of bucks, and with his work on books such as The Greatest Generation also made a difference in the lives of many of our veterans. He also provided our veteran’s families’ a certain level of understanding of the trials and tribulations that their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents faced in the World War II era. The quote above transcends media and finds its place in many circles of people who are gathered for the benefits of others, which includes but is not limited to those who teach and work directly with our children.
Very recently Mahar’s Principal, Mr. Goodhind unveiled a process by which students can show their teachers, coaches, and Mahar staff gratitude for their time and effort in teaching them and/or making this school a better place for them to learn. The Appreciation Stations are two boxes – one in the Middle School Office and one in the High School Office. Our students are able to place the name of a teacher or staff member who has helped them in some significant way and write a sentence or two about how. Each week Mr. Goodhind selects one of the submissions and has it read during announcements so that the whole school can be made aware of the efforts of those who work in our school community.
Each Monday, Mr. Goodhind will publish via E-mail all of the “Appreciation Notes” that were dropped in the box during the week prior. I have to applaud this mechanism as it not only allows our students a way to say thank you but it also affords them the opportunity to return the kindness that they receive from our faculty and staff everyday.
These types of activities generate a positive and uplifting energy when they are talked about in school. We spend so much time worrying about the budget, focusing in on test scores, and engaged in school improvement efforts that sometimes we forget to be grateful for the hard work and genuine level of care that is exhibited by our teachers, administrators, and staff. Let us not forget that these people chose a life of working with children – and in most cases with the intent of “making a difference” in their lives.
Don’t get me wrong though. A school can be like any workplace….at times at least. Complaints, criticisms, and what I refer to as “people downgrades” happen just as frequently in a school as they do in an office building. A “people downgrade” is simple gossip – a conversation about a person who did a thing – and in order for it to qualify as a downgrade – it must be negative.
“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.”
- Dale Carnegie
Carnegie identifies what it takes to be a fool, and what it takes to establish that one has character. I think he might have added that it also takes a certain level of character to say “Thank-You.”
- Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw certainly made plenty of bucks, and with his work on books such as The Greatest Generation also made a difference in the lives of many of our veterans. He also provided our veteran’s families’ a certain level of understanding of the trials and tribulations that their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents faced in the World War II era. The quote above transcends media and finds its place in many circles of people who are gathered for the benefits of others, which includes but is not limited to those who teach and work directly with our children.
Very recently Mahar’s Principal, Mr. Goodhind unveiled a process by which students can show their teachers, coaches, and Mahar staff gratitude for their time and effort in teaching them and/or making this school a better place for them to learn. The Appreciation Stations are two boxes – one in the Middle School Office and one in the High School Office. Our students are able to place the name of a teacher or staff member who has helped them in some significant way and write a sentence or two about how. Each week Mr. Goodhind selects one of the submissions and has it read during announcements so that the whole school can be made aware of the efforts of those who work in our school community.
Each Monday, Mr. Goodhind will publish via E-mail all of the “Appreciation Notes” that were dropped in the box during the week prior. I have to applaud this mechanism as it not only allows our students a way to say thank you but it also affords them the opportunity to return the kindness that they receive from our faculty and staff everyday.
These types of activities generate a positive and uplifting energy when they are talked about in school. We spend so much time worrying about the budget, focusing in on test scores, and engaged in school improvement efforts that sometimes we forget to be grateful for the hard work and genuine level of care that is exhibited by our teachers, administrators, and staff. Let us not forget that these people chose a life of working with children – and in most cases with the intent of “making a difference” in their lives.
Don’t get me wrong though. A school can be like any workplace….at times at least. Complaints, criticisms, and what I refer to as “people downgrades” happen just as frequently in a school as they do in an office building. A “people downgrade” is simple gossip – a conversation about a person who did a thing – and in order for it to qualify as a downgrade – it must be negative.
“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.”
- Dale Carnegie
Carnegie identifies what it takes to be a fool, and what it takes to establish that one has character. I think he might have added that it also takes a certain level of character to say “Thank-You.”
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Drop Out Blog II
School administrators who are reporting school drop-outs in Massachusetts must follow a chart that is provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in deciding whether or not a student is, in fact, a drop-out. In most cases this chart allows me and my fellow superintendents the ability to accurately code whether or not a student is in school, some other type of academic program, or has some legitimate reason for not being in school. It really is a simple process – the DESE provides a list of student names and then the Superintendent or another school administrator decides which line on the chart corresponds with each student’s unique situation.
School districts are responsible for reporting data on student drop-out as accurately as possible. At Mahar, it is commonplace for every student on our drop-out list to get a phone call, or a visit from a guidance counselor, adjustment counselor, or administrator. We try to set up meetings with these students, and do whatever we can to get them back in school. In many cases last year Dr. Namin called students at their homes or at their places of employment to gather accurate information on their intentions to return to school and/or talk to them about our new programs that would allow them to earn their diplomas in new and creative ways. Like Dr. Namin, I have involved myself in attempting to get these students back in school.
The steps that we take at Mahar to reconnect our students with their education are also common practice at Mount Wachusett Community College. The Director of the Gateway to College, Mrs. Bibeau engages in the exact same practices that we do in attempts to get students back in school. As I mentioned in my last blog, the students enrolled at the Gateway to College at Mount Wachusett are considered to be students in the Ralph. C. Mahar Regional School District. Therefore, when a student drops out of the Gateway to College – the DESE considers the student to have dropped out of Ralph C. Mahar. So it is pretty clear that the partnership with Mount Wachusett is one that allows for us celebrate together, work together to help our shared students, and feel the same discomfort when these students decide to leave our program.
The single most frustrating of these discomforts that the Gateway to College and the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District share is when one of our students moves away. Believe it or not, if a student moves away – even if it is 150 miles away – and if the student does not enroll in a new school, he or she is coded by the state as a high-school drop-out from our district. We go ahead and enter the code on our report that informs the state that the student transferred to another district in the state, but if the student does not enroll in that district – he or she is a drop-out. This is frustrating because there is almost nothing that we can do for students who are so far away.
Imagine this:
A student moves in to one of our four towns and registers to be a student at Ralph C. Mahar.
He or she gets a schedule and attends classes for two weeks.
One of our counselors notes that this student has not been in school for a few days and calls the student’s home to check in.
The counselor discovers that the student has moved to another town that is 25 miles away.
The student does not enroll in high school in the new town.
After attending Mahar for only two weeks – the student is coded as a drop-out from Ralph C. Mahar.
The drop-out rate is a hot topic in the educational arena and is often reported by the media to our constituents as a number that symbolizes our efficacy as an institution that educates adolescents and teens. Consider that last year five students moved away from our district and did not enroll in the school districts in the communities to which they relocated – and you can see our frustration. We are reaching out to students to get them back to school. We are creating atmospheres to keep them connected to our organization and in some cases creating individual programs for success. The way in which the drop-out rate is reported is really not reflective our work.
School districts are responsible for reporting data on student drop-out as accurately as possible. At Mahar, it is commonplace for every student on our drop-out list to get a phone call, or a visit from a guidance counselor, adjustment counselor, or administrator. We try to set up meetings with these students, and do whatever we can to get them back in school. In many cases last year Dr. Namin called students at their homes or at their places of employment to gather accurate information on their intentions to return to school and/or talk to them about our new programs that would allow them to earn their diplomas in new and creative ways. Like Dr. Namin, I have involved myself in attempting to get these students back in school.
The steps that we take at Mahar to reconnect our students with their education are also common practice at Mount Wachusett Community College. The Director of the Gateway to College, Mrs. Bibeau engages in the exact same practices that we do in attempts to get students back in school. As I mentioned in my last blog, the students enrolled at the Gateway to College at Mount Wachusett are considered to be students in the Ralph. C. Mahar Regional School District. Therefore, when a student drops out of the Gateway to College – the DESE considers the student to have dropped out of Ralph C. Mahar. So it is pretty clear that the partnership with Mount Wachusett is one that allows for us celebrate together, work together to help our shared students, and feel the same discomfort when these students decide to leave our program.
The single most frustrating of these discomforts that the Gateway to College and the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District share is when one of our students moves away. Believe it or not, if a student moves away – even if it is 150 miles away – and if the student does not enroll in a new school, he or she is coded by the state as a high-school drop-out from our district. We go ahead and enter the code on our report that informs the state that the student transferred to another district in the state, but if the student does not enroll in that district – he or she is a drop-out. This is frustrating because there is almost nothing that we can do for students who are so far away.
Imagine this:
A student moves in to one of our four towns and registers to be a student at Ralph C. Mahar.
He or she gets a schedule and attends classes for two weeks.
One of our counselors notes that this student has not been in school for a few days and calls the student’s home to check in.
The counselor discovers that the student has moved to another town that is 25 miles away.
The student does not enroll in high school in the new town.
After attending Mahar for only two weeks – the student is coded as a drop-out from Ralph C. Mahar.
The drop-out rate is a hot topic in the educational arena and is often reported by the media to our constituents as a number that symbolizes our efficacy as an institution that educates adolescents and teens. Consider that last year five students moved away from our district and did not enroll in the school districts in the communities to which they relocated – and you can see our frustration. We are reaching out to students to get them back to school. We are creating atmospheres to keep them connected to our organization and in some cases creating individual programs for success. The way in which the drop-out rate is reported is really not reflective our work.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Collateral Data Damage: Drop Out Rate I
Superintendents across the Commonwealth are required to report certain data to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE - formerly known as the Department of Education). Some of this data is confidential as it pertains to individual students, while other parts of this massive data collection will be made public sometime after the end of this academic year. You can see the data that the state publicly reports at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Website by clicking on the link below. This data is available for all to see and is available for all public schools and public school districts in the Commonwealth.
Very recently we prepared our first report for this academic year. In preparation for our submission we engage in a process called “Data Scrubbing.” This is a process by which we look over the information that is going to be submitted and take steps to ensure its accuracy. For example, the state may need to be updated with regard to a student who they have recorded as a drop-out who is currently attending school or they may need to be updated as to a student grade levels, addresses, free lunch status, and so on.
Over the last three years the drop-out rate at Mahar has shown a significant decrease. Our former Superintendent, Dr. Namin took steps to ensure a low drop-out rate and last year Mahar reported a rate that was among the lowest in the state. This has been a statistic that we have been proud of – for it shows our willingness to reach out to students who are not feeling connected to school and offer to them alternative options for completing their high school diplomas. In our creation of two alternative education programs we found that we were able to keep students in school who were considering an early departure to go to work, or to earn a GED.
In our reaching out to this population of teenagers we attracted the attention of Mount Wachusett Community College and their program, “The Gateway to College.” The Gateway to College is a program that was started with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation about four years ago at Mount Wachusett. This program offers students who have dropped out of school as well as students who are on the verge of dropping out a new way to earn their high school diplomas. Since this program is only offered at only 24 community colleges in the United States, Mahar is honored to have been asked to be a partner, and naturally accepted the offer.
In June of this year the Mount Wachusett Gateway to College hosted the single largest high school graduation that the Gateway to College has had nationwide. More than 25 students from more than a dozen towns who would have been high school drop outs received their high school diplomas – and for this we are quite proud. Since all of the Gateway to College students are Mahar students, we are happy to report to the that more students will be earning Mahar high school diplomas than ever before.
I have to report however, that with this excellent news will come what I now call, “Collateral Data Damage.” You see, we are reaching out to a population of students who have either dropped out of school, or are very close to making a departure from the educational scene. So despite our efforts, these students often choose to leave school again. Once a student enrolls in the Gateway to College or is accepted into one of our Alternative Education Programs, if he or she chooses to leave school again the state will record this as a drop out from Ralph C. Mahar High School.
There will come a time next year when the media might report a jump in the number of drop outs at Mahar. This will be true with regard to data collection, but I hope that the media will also report how much Mahar is doing to reach out to students to keep them in school in our towns and in towns across Central Massachsuetts. We can accept the “Collateral Data Damage” because what we are doing is right. The philosophical question at Mahar is changing from “What is our drop-out rate?” to “How many students have you reconnected with education?”
Please don’t hesitate to post questions about data collection, drop-out reporting, or our special programs as they will be the focus of future blogs. I am happy to answer any questions and/or concerns.
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/student.aspx?orgcode=07550505&orgtypecode=6&leftNavId=303&
Very recently we prepared our first report for this academic year. In preparation for our submission we engage in a process called “Data Scrubbing.” This is a process by which we look over the information that is going to be submitted and take steps to ensure its accuracy. For example, the state may need to be updated with regard to a student who they have recorded as a drop-out who is currently attending school or they may need to be updated as to a student grade levels, addresses, free lunch status, and so on.
Over the last three years the drop-out rate at Mahar has shown a significant decrease. Our former Superintendent, Dr. Namin took steps to ensure a low drop-out rate and last year Mahar reported a rate that was among the lowest in the state. This has been a statistic that we have been proud of – for it shows our willingness to reach out to students who are not feeling connected to school and offer to them alternative options for completing their high school diplomas. In our creation of two alternative education programs we found that we were able to keep students in school who were considering an early departure to go to work, or to earn a GED.
In our reaching out to this population of teenagers we attracted the attention of Mount Wachusett Community College and their program, “The Gateway to College.” The Gateway to College is a program that was started with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation about four years ago at Mount Wachusett. This program offers students who have dropped out of school as well as students who are on the verge of dropping out a new way to earn their high school diplomas. Since this program is only offered at only 24 community colleges in the United States, Mahar is honored to have been asked to be a partner, and naturally accepted the offer.
In June of this year the Mount Wachusett Gateway to College hosted the single largest high school graduation that the Gateway to College has had nationwide. More than 25 students from more than a dozen towns who would have been high school drop outs received their high school diplomas – and for this we are quite proud. Since all of the Gateway to College students are Mahar students, we are happy to report to the that more students will be earning Mahar high school diplomas than ever before.
I have to report however, that with this excellent news will come what I now call, “Collateral Data Damage.” You see, we are reaching out to a population of students who have either dropped out of school, or are very close to making a departure from the educational scene. So despite our efforts, these students often choose to leave school again. Once a student enrolls in the Gateway to College or is accepted into one of our Alternative Education Programs, if he or she chooses to leave school again the state will record this as a drop out from Ralph C. Mahar High School.
There will come a time next year when the media might report a jump in the number of drop outs at Mahar. This will be true with regard to data collection, but I hope that the media will also report how much Mahar is doing to reach out to students to keep them in school in our towns and in towns across Central Massachsuetts. We can accept the “Collateral Data Damage” because what we are doing is right. The philosophical question at Mahar is changing from “What is our drop-out rate?” to “How many students have you reconnected with education?”
Please don’t hesitate to post questions about data collection, drop-out reporting, or our special programs as they will be the focus of future blogs. I am happy to answer any questions and/or concerns.
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/student.aspx?orgcode=07550505&orgtypecode=6&leftNavId=303&
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Evidenced by What?
The dawn of the next phase of continuous improvement is now upon our school district. In this phase we will engage in the constant examination of data to make decisions that directly impact the academic and social performance of our students. We will almost become Missourian in our culture when we say, “Show me.” Data driven decision making calls upon all members of the school community to believe statements to be true, only when there is evidence to support them. Take a look at the statements below, that you may have heard in the past about our school or perhaps some school you have attended.
“______________ is a good school.”
Put the name of any school that you know to be “good” in the blank above. Now I ask how you know that it is a good school. Do the students at that school have better attendance than students who attend bad schools? Are the students at the good school tardy less frequently than the students at the bad schools? Do the students in the good school have better performance on state examinations than the students at the bad schools? Are the hallways cleaner than the hallways at the bad schools? I could go on and on, as you can see.
“___________________ is a bad school”
Now you are thinking of a different place than you did in the beginning of this blog. Again, why is it a bad school? Do the students get suspended more frequently than the students in the good schools? Are the hallways darker there, the teachers meaner, the budget thinner, or the grounds messier? What makes a good school good, and a bad school bad? What is now being recognized in school improvement efforts all across the country is that some good schools aren’t as good as people think they are, and some bad schools are surprisingly better than local sentiment allows for them to be.
Truth be told is that good schools are made up of good students, good parents, good teachers, good administrators, a good school committee, good towns, and good….well good schools are just made up of good and that’s that. Then, once we examine the fact that schools are essentially placed in the center of their communities with the purpose of educating children, staffed by those who choose a life of working in the field of education, and parents who are sending the absolute best children that they have to school – I have to ask, how on earth can a school be bad???
A good sports team is good because they win more than the bad sports teams. An airline is good because it has no crashes to speak of and few if any delayed flights. McDonalds is a good business because they have sold a trillion burgers. Mahar is a good school district because……..now its time to go to work and make decisions that show why we are a good school – and engage in decision making that makes us even better.
“______________ is a good school.”
Put the name of any school that you know to be “good” in the blank above. Now I ask how you know that it is a good school. Do the students at that school have better attendance than students who attend bad schools? Are the students at the good school tardy less frequently than the students at the bad schools? Do the students in the good school have better performance on state examinations than the students at the bad schools? Are the hallways cleaner than the hallways at the bad schools? I could go on and on, as you can see.
“___________________ is a bad school”
Now you are thinking of a different place than you did in the beginning of this blog. Again, why is it a bad school? Do the students get suspended more frequently than the students in the good schools? Are the hallways darker there, the teachers meaner, the budget thinner, or the grounds messier? What makes a good school good, and a bad school bad? What is now being recognized in school improvement efforts all across the country is that some good schools aren’t as good as people think they are, and some bad schools are surprisingly better than local sentiment allows for them to be.
Truth be told is that good schools are made up of good students, good parents, good teachers, good administrators, a good school committee, good towns, and good….well good schools are just made up of good and that’s that. Then, once we examine the fact that schools are essentially placed in the center of their communities with the purpose of educating children, staffed by those who choose a life of working in the field of education, and parents who are sending the absolute best children that they have to school – I have to ask, how on earth can a school be bad???
A good sports team is good because they win more than the bad sports teams. An airline is good because it has no crashes to speak of and few if any delayed flights. McDonalds is a good business because they have sold a trillion burgers. Mahar is a good school district because……..now its time to go to work and make decisions that show why we are a good school – and engage in decision making that makes us even better.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Influenza Vaccination Update
I am happy to report that we have finished our preparations to offer free influenza vaccinations to our students and staff. We worked closely with the Orange Department of Public Health Director, Roger Mallet and the Office of Public Health at the state level to secure vaccinations for our school community. Now we are awaiting the delivery of vaccinations so that we move into the action phase of this project.
Soon, our students will be coming home with forms that must be filled out if they are to receive one or both vaccinations that will be offered during the school day at Mahar. We anticipate the arrival of the H1N1 vaccinations first, and then the seasonal influenza vaccine a week or two later. Any parent who is interested in having their child or children vaccinated simply has to fill out and sign the forms that come home with our students. As a safeguard, we will be calling parents to verify the authenticity of their signatures on the forms that we receive back from our students.
Anyone with questions or concerns about the H1N1 vaccination should consult first the fact sheet that we send home with the sign up forms. If questions and/concerns remain unanswered, parents can call the school and speak directly with our school nurse at 978-544-2542. It is important to note that the influenza vaccinations are optional – and are simply being offered at school as both a courtesy and convenience for our families.
I have learned that there are many different thoughts about vaccination in general. Some parents and community members are diligent about getting vaccinated every year, while others have gone their whole lives without having the influenza vaccination. It is our hope that this initiative will serve to reduce the number of H1N1 and seasonal influenza cases in our community, nonetheless.
Soon, our students will be coming home with forms that must be filled out if they are to receive one or both vaccinations that will be offered during the school day at Mahar. We anticipate the arrival of the H1N1 vaccinations first, and then the seasonal influenza vaccine a week or two later. Any parent who is interested in having their child or children vaccinated simply has to fill out and sign the forms that come home with our students. As a safeguard, we will be calling parents to verify the authenticity of their signatures on the forms that we receive back from our students.
Anyone with questions or concerns about the H1N1 vaccination should consult first the fact sheet that we send home with the sign up forms. If questions and/concerns remain unanswered, parents can call the school and speak directly with our school nurse at 978-544-2542. It is important to note that the influenza vaccinations are optional – and are simply being offered at school as both a courtesy and convenience for our families.
I have learned that there are many different thoughts about vaccination in general. Some parents and community members are diligent about getting vaccinated every year, while others have gone their whole lives without having the influenza vaccination. It is our hope that this initiative will serve to reduce the number of H1N1 and seasonal influenza cases in our community, nonetheless.
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