School Committee receives report on curriculum

Date: 1/17/2012

Jan. 18, 2012

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Editor

WEST SPRINGFIELD — High School administrators outlined how they are taking steps to better prepare students for 21st century careers during a presentation to the School Committee on Jan. 10.

Noting that “two-thirds of new jobs from 2000 to 2010 required some form of post-secondary education,” West Springfield High School Principal Michael Richard and Assistant Principal Erin Panteleakis gave the committee an overview of new and updated courses proposed for the high school curriculum.

“We need the majority of our students to go on to college to make a living wage,” Richard said. “Tonight we present exciting changes that will set students on path to two-year or four-year schools.”

Panteleakis said the program includes the addition of new Advanced Placement (AP) courses in statistics, U.S. government and physics designed to “challenge students more.” She said the high school is also initiating a Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) preparation class for sophomore students, emphasizing foundations in mathematics and language arts.

“This is designed to assist students so they are successful in their first attempt at the MCAS exams,” she said.

School Committee Vice Chair Nancy Farrell complemented the high school staff on the improvements to its program of studies.

“The increase in AP classes for those who need to be challenged and the classes for sophomores who need help … looks at both ends of the spectrum,” Farrell said.

School Committee Member Patricia Garbacik said the curriculum subcommittee “voted unanimously” to recommend the curriculum update to the full School Committee.

The committee accepted the curriculum as presented by a vote of 7-1.

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School Superintendent Dr. Russell Johnston continued the message of district upgrades to prepare students for the 21st century in his report to the School Committee.

He said that the School Department was designating monies from its Race to the Top grant for use in two areas — textbooks and instructional materials — to “provide teachers with the resources they need” to achieve excellence in the classroom at the high school and middle school levels.

Johnston said the focus at the middle school would be on integrating interactive teaching materials into the classrooms, and most immediately, on replacing the science texts, which are 11 years old and don’t include updated materials in the areas of “physical science and technology” needed to keep students current in those areas.

Johnston said the high school also needed to purchase new textbooks for the AP classes added to the curriculum, as well as to insure instruction in core Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) classes remains up to date.

He also outlined a new interactive math homework program, ASSISTments, which would be available to high school and middle school students. The program allows teachers to post math homework online, students to complete the assignments and teachers to “sign on and see how they did.” The program, provided to West Springfield Public Schools by Worcester Polytechnic Institute at no cost through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, would also give students “hints and tips as they do their homework,” according to Johnston.

In the area of elementary English language arts, Johnston said the district is evaluating new instructional materials that would incorporate the new common core standards and also unify the teaching of language arts across the district. He said administrators would be evaluating materials from two selected vendors.

Johnston also told the committee that the district would begin testing its new crisis planning preparations in February. He said he would notify families through the district’s phone messaging system prior to the start of the drills “because when parents hear there is a school lockdown, there is immediate fear” regarding the situation and the safety of their children.

Debbie Gardner can be reached by email at debbieg@thereminder.com