Pathways Program Helps Students Blaze Their Own Trails
by Marissa Donelan
mdonelan@sentinelandenterprise.com
published June 11, 2011
Members of the class of 2012 at the Pathways Early College Innovation School arrived from all backgrounds -- home-school programs, urban high schools and and private schools.
But when they graduate from the program, a trailblazing partnership between the Ralph C. Mahar school district and Mount Wachusett Community College, the 20 teens will already have their associate degrees, and they'll have at least one special designation in common: They'll be the first-ever round of alumni from the state's new Innovation Schools program.
On Thursday, Gov. Deval Patrick stopped by the campus to hear their stories, smiling when he heard students describe the class as a family. Patrick and state legislators last year passed an education-overhaul bill that made Innovation Schools possible.
Under the Innovation School program, any group of stakeholders in a community -- teachers, community groups, businesses or colleges, for example -- can partner with a local school district to tailor a plan designed to meet students' needs, whether through a theme, such as dual-language programs, or a different structure, like extended-day programs or longer calendars. Qualified proposals receive planning grants, and can move forward seeking local and state approval.
Pathways Principal Garo Papazian said the first class of students -- who used School Choice from 11 school districts -- are advanced learners who were ready for the challenge of college-level classes, mature enough to navigate more independent learning.
"When you know students, you see where they're going to go, you see what they can do," Papazian told Patrick. "With these kids, you see something in their eye and know they need more. One-size-fits-all education doesn't work for everybody."
Patrick agreed, saying: "That's the whole point of ... the bill, to meet kids where they are."
Twenty new students will enter the program in the fall, MWCC officials said. There are challenges -- students move from their comfort zone to a new program in their junior year, and they're responsible for their own transportation to school.
Mahar District Superintendent Michael Baldassarre said the idea for the program was developed even before legislation was passed to create Innovation Schools. The goal was to form an academically challenging program for motivated students who weren't thriving in a "four years, four walls" high school.
Ashley Williams, 17, of Leominster, said she looks forward to coming to school every day with students who choose to be there. There are no distractions from reluctant or disruptive classmates, and professors have high expectations, Williams said.
Pathways is only the second Innovation School in Massachusetts, and the first high school-level program, said Bridget Rodriguez, director of planning and collaboration for the Executive Office of Education. Nearly 30 Innovation Schools have since received approval for development across Massachusetts.
Fitchburg High School Principal Richard Masciarelli visited the school along with several state and MWCC officials, Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke and state Rep. Rich Bastien.
Masciarelli said he's encouraged by Pathways, and other partnership programs and alternatives, as signs students will continue to have increasing, worthwhile options for their education.
Patrick said he's excited about the success of the Pathways program and was impressed with the students' motivation in seeking a school program that would best suit them. The idea behind autonomous Innovation Schools is to create niche programs to help students excel.
He listened as Lynea German, 17, of Townsend, spoke about moving from home-schooling to a public charter school to a religious school before she found Pathways, which has had "a profoundly positive effect" on her life.
"What were you searching for?" Patrick asked German about her jump from school to school.
She looked at her classmates, then the governor, and responded: "This."
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Patrick Gets Up Close View of Local Innovation in Education
By Andres Caamano - Senior News Editor/NIE Director
The Gardner News
Published On Friday, June 10, 2011
Pictured:
Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) Vice President, Patricia Gregson (Left); Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick; Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District Superintendent, Michael Baldassarre; MWCC Board of Trustees Chair, James Garrison (Right)
In a visit that was in the works for about a month, Gov. Deval Patrick spent time Thursday morning with area school officials and Mount Wachusett Community College administrators to discuss, among other things, the Pathways Early College Innovation School.
While the likes of Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke were among numerous officials on hand for a roundtable discussion that led off the governor’s visit — surrounded by a wide representation of public school officials from surrounding districts — the notable absence of any Gardner Public Schools administration was glaring.
It wasn’t long ago that Pathways’ predecessor, Gateway to College, incorporated a partnership between the Gardner schools and MWCC, from 2006 to 2009. That program was created as an alternative to students thinking of dropping out, and having fallen behind on credits, it offered a second chance to earn a high school diploma. But while Gateway might have left the Gardner public schools, it thankfully did not leave the region, moving 20 miles west to the Mahar Regional School District in Orange.
Even though Gateway to College is no longer represented in Gardner’s public schools (or isn’t involved in Pathways), this space was encouraged to hear Hawke acknowledge the benefit of having at least the college involved in both.
“The people in this room have touched so many lives, and I consider it incredibly fortunate to have Mount Wachusett Community College and these programs here in Gardner,” noted Hawke to the governor.
And from Gateway’s birth came Pathways last year, with the new program meant to provide motivated high school juniors a chance to earn a high school diploma while also earning college credits.
On paper, it sounds like a great idea, but unfortunately, so many public schools seem trapped into a focus that they are solely a K-12 operation, and fail to understand the need to collaborate with schools at the higher education level.
Pathways became possible with a unanimous vote last June by the Mahar Regional School Committee, as the state’s second “Innovation School” came into being.
While Mahar Superintendent Michael Baldassarre admitted to Gov. Patrick that some of the initial steps to create it were “actually very easy to do,” particularly with the help of MWCC, he added, “This is what the power of a partnership is, because we give (MWCC) what they need.”
Once implemented, upon hearing the oft-repeated reactions to the program from its students, Baldassarre wasn’t taken aback.
“With me, it resonated, as I was a teacher, then an assistant principal and a principal. I know what it’s like for a lot of the students,” he said. “You have students in any high school that go above and beyond every day, but do so quietly, humbly, and they don’t ask for anything. They just want to transcend the barriers and become something.”
Unfortunately, for these students, despite these aspirations, the Mahar superintendent acknowledged the numerous hurdles they must deal with at their age.
“Teenage life is sometimes very difficult. Teenagers — as much as we want them to be responsible, young adults — are developing socially and emotionally,” he said. “Sometimes that plays out in concerning ways. So for that student who doesn’t want to be a part of that, there’s a place.”
And for the 14 Pathways students on hand Thursday at MWCC, they each spoke highly to the governor about how the program has proven to be the right “place” for them. It was often framed in the context of how they’d become frustrated in high school, with issues ranging from having to deal with “the politics” at a school to the lack of course choices.
After discussing the program with area school officials, though, Gov. Patrick noted, “There are actually other models like this, which is one of the reasons I’m here. No. 1, though, is that we want to encourage innovation in education, because the more we try these things and meet kids where they are, the more motivated they are, the better the result.”
Among things the governor also took quick note of was the strength in the partnership between Mahar and the college.
“They have a great advantage here, and an extraordinary partnership with Mount Wachusett Community College,” said Gov. Patrick, who added that the program was also achieving the administration’s goal of closing achievement gaps, while promoting innovation and excellence.
While the governor might have deemed that there are “other models like this,” Baldassarre took a different view, stating, “This is the only one of its kind right now. There isn’t anything else that allows you to get the associate’s degree and high school diploma at the same time. It’s very unique.”
With what has been accomplished thus far, the Mahar superintendent went further, deeming it ready to be spread across the country. And proof of an interest to do just that, have been discussions with educators from as far away as Kansas, to want to learn more about Pathways.
“This program is certainly attracting attention, and for one program of 25 kids, people see that it can be replicated,” said Baldassarre. “We’ve established that it is successful, and we’d like to see it replicated to offer more opportunities for more students.”
At the current pace, approximately 20 students each semester are enrolling in Pathways. That was the size of the first class, spread across 11 different school districts, and Baldassarre voiced a hope it could annually graduate between 15 to 20 students annually.
Considering what the Pathways students had to say about the program, such a goal doesn’t seem outlandish.
“We all want to be here, and you are not forced to be here, as you are in high school,” noted Ashley Williams, formerly a Leominster High student. “Then there is the environment and the freedom. Here you have a choice and you want to stay.”
Or as noted by Lynea German of Townsend — who had attended a number of area schools, along with being homeschooled, having last attended Francis W. Parker Charter School in Devens — “School was dragging and dragging. I had been at every type of school and this is allowing me to realize my dreams.”
When Gov. Patrick asked German what she had been searching for, she quickly replied, “This program kicked me into gear.”
Even with options like Gateway or Pathways, Baldassarre emphasized Mahar hasn’t stopped there. Another alternative, he noted at Mahar is the “First Year Experience” program, where students are taught college-level courses by Mahar teachers at the school, with the credited authorized by MWCC.
“We’re acclimating students to the college experience as quickly as possible,” he said. “It started with seven or eight students, and now we have 44 students registered this year. So the partnership isn’t only alive and well on (MWCC’s) campus, but also in the school district environment.”
It simply comes down, he said, to offering students a multitude of choices to expand their education.
“So we have students earning college credits everywhere. They are earning them (at MWCC), they are earning them online, they are earning them (at Mahar) in our classrooms. And they are earning them for free. That’s a big thing. If a student leaves Mahar with 12 or 15 or 18 college credits, we’ve saved that family thousands of dollars, and the student has already developed a college transcript.”
(Andres Caamano is the Senior News Editor/NIE Director at The Gardner News. He can be reached at acaamano@thegardnernews.com.)
The Gardner News
Published On Friday, June 10, 2011
Pictured:
Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) Vice President, Patricia Gregson (Left); Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick; Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District Superintendent, Michael Baldassarre; MWCC Board of Trustees Chair, James Garrison (Right)
In a visit that was in the works for about a month, Gov. Deval Patrick spent time Thursday morning with area school officials and Mount Wachusett Community College administrators to discuss, among other things, the Pathways Early College Innovation School.
While the likes of Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke were among numerous officials on hand for a roundtable discussion that led off the governor’s visit — surrounded by a wide representation of public school officials from surrounding districts — the notable absence of any Gardner Public Schools administration was glaring.
It wasn’t long ago that Pathways’ predecessor, Gateway to College, incorporated a partnership between the Gardner schools and MWCC, from 2006 to 2009. That program was created as an alternative to students thinking of dropping out, and having fallen behind on credits, it offered a second chance to earn a high school diploma. But while Gateway might have left the Gardner public schools, it thankfully did not leave the region, moving 20 miles west to the Mahar Regional School District in Orange.
Even though Gateway to College is no longer represented in Gardner’s public schools (or isn’t involved in Pathways), this space was encouraged to hear Hawke acknowledge the benefit of having at least the college involved in both.
“The people in this room have touched so many lives, and I consider it incredibly fortunate to have Mount Wachusett Community College and these programs here in Gardner,” noted Hawke to the governor.
And from Gateway’s birth came Pathways last year, with the new program meant to provide motivated high school juniors a chance to earn a high school diploma while also earning college credits.
On paper, it sounds like a great idea, but unfortunately, so many public schools seem trapped into a focus that they are solely a K-12 operation, and fail to understand the need to collaborate with schools at the higher education level.
Pathways became possible with a unanimous vote last June by the Mahar Regional School Committee, as the state’s second “Innovation School” came into being.
While Mahar Superintendent Michael Baldassarre admitted to Gov. Patrick that some of the initial steps to create it were “actually very easy to do,” particularly with the help of MWCC, he added, “This is what the power of a partnership is, because we give (MWCC) what they need.”
Once implemented, upon hearing the oft-repeated reactions to the program from its students, Baldassarre wasn’t taken aback.
“With me, it resonated, as I was a teacher, then an assistant principal and a principal. I know what it’s like for a lot of the students,” he said. “You have students in any high school that go above and beyond every day, but do so quietly, humbly, and they don’t ask for anything. They just want to transcend the barriers and become something.”
Unfortunately, for these students, despite these aspirations, the Mahar superintendent acknowledged the numerous hurdles they must deal with at their age.
“Teenage life is sometimes very difficult. Teenagers — as much as we want them to be responsible, young adults — are developing socially and emotionally,” he said. “Sometimes that plays out in concerning ways. So for that student who doesn’t want to be a part of that, there’s a place.”
And for the 14 Pathways students on hand Thursday at MWCC, they each spoke highly to the governor about how the program has proven to be the right “place” for them. It was often framed in the context of how they’d become frustrated in high school, with issues ranging from having to deal with “the politics” at a school to the lack of course choices.
After discussing the program with area school officials, though, Gov. Patrick noted, “There are actually other models like this, which is one of the reasons I’m here. No. 1, though, is that we want to encourage innovation in education, because the more we try these things and meet kids where they are, the more motivated they are, the better the result.”
Among things the governor also took quick note of was the strength in the partnership between Mahar and the college.
“They have a great advantage here, and an extraordinary partnership with Mount Wachusett Community College,” said Gov. Patrick, who added that the program was also achieving the administration’s goal of closing achievement gaps, while promoting innovation and excellence.
While the governor might have deemed that there are “other models like this,” Baldassarre took a different view, stating, “This is the only one of its kind right now. There isn’t anything else that allows you to get the associate’s degree and high school diploma at the same time. It’s very unique.”
With what has been accomplished thus far, the Mahar superintendent went further, deeming it ready to be spread across the country. And proof of an interest to do just that, have been discussions with educators from as far away as Kansas, to want to learn more about Pathways.
“This program is certainly attracting attention, and for one program of 25 kids, people see that it can be replicated,” said Baldassarre. “We’ve established that it is successful, and we’d like to see it replicated to offer more opportunities for more students.”
At the current pace, approximately 20 students each semester are enrolling in Pathways. That was the size of the first class, spread across 11 different school districts, and Baldassarre voiced a hope it could annually graduate between 15 to 20 students annually.
Considering what the Pathways students had to say about the program, such a goal doesn’t seem outlandish.
“We all want to be here, and you are not forced to be here, as you are in high school,” noted Ashley Williams, formerly a Leominster High student. “Then there is the environment and the freedom. Here you have a choice and you want to stay.”
Or as noted by Lynea German of Townsend — who had attended a number of area schools, along with being homeschooled, having last attended Francis W. Parker Charter School in Devens — “School was dragging and dragging. I had been at every type of school and this is allowing me to realize my dreams.”
When Gov. Patrick asked German what she had been searching for, she quickly replied, “This program kicked me into gear.”
Even with options like Gateway or Pathways, Baldassarre emphasized Mahar hasn’t stopped there. Another alternative, he noted at Mahar is the “First Year Experience” program, where students are taught college-level courses by Mahar teachers at the school, with the credited authorized by MWCC.
“We’re acclimating students to the college experience as quickly as possible,” he said. “It started with seven or eight students, and now we have 44 students registered this year. So the partnership isn’t only alive and well on (MWCC’s) campus, but also in the school district environment.”
It simply comes down, he said, to offering students a multitude of choices to expand their education.
“So we have students earning college credits everywhere. They are earning them (at MWCC), they are earning them online, they are earning them (at Mahar) in our classrooms. And they are earning them for free. That’s a big thing. If a student leaves Mahar with 12 or 15 or 18 college credits, we’ve saved that family thousands of dollars, and the student has already developed a college transcript.”
(Andres Caamano is the Senior News Editor/NIE Director at The Gardner News. He can be reached at acaamano@thegardnernews.com.)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Press Release from Governor Patrick's Office - June 9, 2011
Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick (head of table) meeting with School and Community College Administrators
Governor Patrick Visits Pathways Innovation School
Thursday, June 9, 2011 – As part of the Patrick-Murray Administration's strategy to close achievement gaps by promoting innovation and excellence in education, Governor Deval Patrick today visited the faculty and staff of the Pathways Early College Innovation School - the state’s second Innovation School - to hear from students and staff on the success of their first year in operation.
“The Pathways Early College Innovation School is using the Innovation School model to provide a dynamic education to their first class of students,” said Governor Patrick. “The students and staff here are trailblazers and I am excited for their strong start and for their future as a school.”
The Pathways Early College Innovation School is operated through a unique partnership between the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District and Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC). The primary purpose of the school is to provide motivated 11th grade students, some of whom have faced educational and other challenges, with an alternate pathway to higher education. The school was established by the unanimous vote of the Mahar Regional School Committee in June 2010, and it became the state’s second Innovation School. During his visit today, Governor Patrick met with students and staff to learn about their first year and about how the flexibility and autonomy of operating an Innovation School helped ensure success for the students.
“The powerful stories of achievement of the students at the Pathways Early College Innovation School are inspiring,” said Education Secretary Paul Reville. “This is a powerful model for collaboration between school districts and community colleges, and I am very proud of the accomplishments of the students, the Mahar Regional School District, and MWCC.”
The school is located on the MWCC campus and currently serves students from Athol, Barre, Baldwinville, Bolton, Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster, Lunenburg, Orange, Shirley, Sterling, Townsend and Winchendon. The students are enrolled in MWCC courses and receive credit toward both their high school diplomas and certificate or degrees. In addition, they receive individualized academic and career support, participate in internships and other employment opportunities, and have access to all MWCC facilities and services.
“The Pathways Innovation School wouldn’t be possible without our many talented teachers and educators and our strong partnership with Mount Wachusett Community College,” said Mahar Superintendent Michael Baldassarre. “The Pathways Early College Innovation School is accomplishing its mission of helping all students access an education that prepares them for a long and successful future. We believe that the opportunities provided by the school can inspire and inform the rest of the school districts in the Commonwealth.”
“What is amazing about the Pathways Innovation School and MWCC’s Access programs is that the work is going on at a relatively small community college in a relatively rural area by a highly motivated group of professionals” said MWCC President Daniel Asquino. “This is a testament to the vision and inspiration led by Governor Patrick and Secretary Reville born out of the Readiness Project of which I was privileged to sit as a member of the team. This educational opportunity is priceless and the success of the program serves as a model to be used beyond Mount Wachusett Community College.”
The Innovation Schools initiative, a signature component of the Patrick-Murray Administration's Education Reform Act signed in 2010, gives educators the opportunity to create in-district schools that operate with greater autonomy and flexibility while keeping school funding within districts. These schools can implement creative and inventive strategies related to curriculum, budget, school schedule and calendar, staffing, professional development, and school district policies to improve learning outcomes for all students and reduce achievement gaps.
The Dennis-Yarmouth School Committee recently approved the proposal for the Marguerite E. Small Innovation School which is set to open in September. The vote brings the statewide total of Innovation Schools to nine, with several more in the pipeline.
The Executive Office of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education have secured Race to the Top funding as well as grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Boston Foundation and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation to award planning and implementation grants and provide site-based technical assistance to applicants. Twenty-four planning grants were awarded in March and additional grants will be awarded at the end of the calendar year. The deadline for the first round of implementation grants is June 30, 2011.
Guidance documents and additional information about funding sources are available at the Innovation Schools website: www.mass.gov/edu/innovationschools
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Massachusetts Education Secretary Paul Reville to Speak at Commencement - June 3, 2011
The Pathways Innovation School is an “Early College High School.” In this scenario students who attend may receive an Associate’s Degree and High School Diploma in the same time that it takes to earn the high school credential. This program is made even more enticing by its ability to provide the Associate’s Degree to students at little or no cost.
The Innovation School is a true innovation and is one of many that have taken place in Mahar’s recent history. The clearly articulated vision, mission and core values provide a philosophical road map for members of the Mahar school community to move in an upward direction in student achievement, personal growth, school climate, partnerships, and school finance. In essence, district and school leaders use this plan to engage in student-centered decision making.
In 2008 the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District entered into an agreement with the CAPS Educational Collaborative to provide educational services to students with severe disabilities on the Ralph C. Mahar Regional campus. The students come to Mahar from the Mahar Regional member towns of New Salem, Orange, Petersham and Wendell. Other students in the program are from surrounding school districts such as Gardner, Winchendon, and Barre.
During this academic year one student, a member of the class of 2011 asked her principal, Mr. Scott Hemlin if she could be allowed to work as a volunteer in one of the two CAPS classrooms that cater to students with special needs. In response to this request, and in accordance with the Ralph C. Mahar Core Values this young lady was provided with an opportunity to provide service to the students in the classroom. At the same time she earned high school credit toward graduation as she learned about the education of students with special needs. At the Class of 2011 Awards Ceremony on Wednesday night not many in attendance were surprised to learn that she will be going to college to become a teacher for children with special needs.
The CAPS/Mahar partnership was created in accordance with the Mahar Mission. The effect of this partnership was felt not only when Candace began working in the class. It was felt when the students in the class began to participate in Mahar student events such as the Senator Games – a competition in which each class competes in athletic events against one another. Even more emotional was the standing ovation that the entire Mahar student body gave to the CAPS students at a pep assembly after showing the medals that they won in the Special Olympics.
When the Class of 2012 (next year’s senior class) met with their guidance counselors to select their courses for the next academic year, even more students requested to work in the CAPS classrooms. When I heard that twelve students out of a senior class of 140 requested to be of service to the students in the CAPS classrooms, I was amazed. Our partnership not only provided opportunities for personal growth – it also improved our school culture. It will be our pleasure to show Secretary Reville the quality education that is offered to students in our regional district when he arrives tomorrow evening. The CAPS program is one of many opportunities our students have to learn and grow.
Please visit the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School website (www.rcmahar.org) to learn more. School choice applications are available on our website and are due in the Superintendent’s Office before July 1, 2011. Please do not hesitate to call with questions, or to request a tour of our facility.
Hannaford's Awards Mahar $1,474.00
Under the terms of the program that ran from September 5 to December 5, shoppers could raise funds for local schools by purchasing participating products. This year, there were more than 900 eligible products, including Hannaford brand items and products from partners General Mills, Clorox, Heinz, Ocean Spray, Gorton's, Bush's Beans, Kellogg's, Bayer, McCains, New World, Coke, Hershey, Nestle Beverage, Purina, Tyson, Mott's and Welch's. More than 2,700 schools in five states participated in the program, raising more than $650,000 overall. In the 11 years since its inception, the Hannaford Helps Schools program has raised more than $6.75 million for participating schools.
There was no limit on the amount that could be raised by each school. Each store has awarded an additional $1,000 education grant to the one school registered with that store that raised the most funds. Mahar was Athol/Orange Hannaford’s education grant winner.
“On behalf of Hannaford, it gives me great pleasure to present this check to Mahar Regional,” said Store Manager Joe Goody “Hannaford is committed to improving the quality of life in the communities we serve, and I can’t think of a better way to do so then by investing in our local schools.”
About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 176 stores and employs 27,000 associates in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. Most Hannaford locations have full-service pharmacies and all stores feature Guiding Stars, the nation’s first storewide nutrition navigation system. For more information, visit www.hannaford.com.
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