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Date: 3/23/2023
SPRINGFIELD — The 2021 graduation rates and dropout rates for the Springfield school district showed more improvement as discussed at the School Committee’s meeting on March 15.
Superintendent Daniel Warwick said the information compiled by the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) showed that for students completing high school in four years the rate was 84.6 percent, the five-year graduation rate was 85.6 percent and the five-year extended engagement rate was 89 percent.
Warwick explained the latter statistic showed the success of program the district has initiated to keep those at-risk students involved in taking classes and working towards graduation.
To show the progress made in the dropout rate, Warwick noted in 2012 the dropout rate was 10 percent but in 2021 it was 1.9 percent. He added the dropout rate for 2022 was 3.9 percent, which was affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
School Committee member Christopher Collins said there have been allegations that graduation rates were being manipulated by the district. He explained that DESE is responsible for the statistics.
The committee formally approved sending a Statement of Interest letter to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), which asked for the repair of the German Gerena Community School or its replacement. The statement passed by the committee read, “Resolved: Having convened in an open meeting on March 16, 2023 prior to the SOI submission closing date, the School Committee of Springfield, in accordance with its charter, bylaws, and ordinances, has voted to authorize the Superintendent to submit to the Massachusetts School Building Authority the Statement of Interest Form dated April 18, 2023, for the German Gerena Community School located at 200 Birnie Avenue, Springfield, MA which describes and explains the following deficiencies and the priority category(s) for which an application may be submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in the future Priority 1, 5 and 7, for the replacement and installation of the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems for the entire educational complex and for the associated exterior envelope repairs required by the new HVAC systems; and the review and buildout of all pod classrooms; and replacement of or addition to obsolete buildings in order to provide for a full range of programs consistent with state and approved local requirements; and hereby further specifically acknowledges that by submitting this Statement of Interest Form, the Massachusetts School Building Authority in no way guarantees the acceptance or the approval of an application, the awarding of a grant or any other funding commitment from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, or commits the City/Town/Regional School District to filing an application for funding with the Massachusetts School Building Authority.”
Warwick called Gerena “a complicated school” due to its physical plant challenges. He said his office consulted with Jack McCarthy, the executive director of the MSBA about the letter and added he had a “very positive conversation” with him.
The meeting opened with an extended public speak-out that featured a number of Springfield teens, with all but one identifying themselves as students in the public schools. Organized by the Pioneer Valley Project (PVP), the teens spoke about the need for high school students to have access to mental health services.
Mayor Domenic Sarno said prior to the remarks that if a student needs mental health services “we would work very hard to get those services to the student working through the custodial parent.”
One student, Essence Burton Jordan, said the PVP had distributed a survey with 250 responses about mental health issues. She said that teens experience anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. They also believe they can’t trust anyone in schools.
Davian Pagan, a student at the Honors Academy, said, “Students are hurting.”
The students wanted to meet with the School Committee to discuss it.
In remarks following the speak-out, Sarno noted, “We want to help. Maybe there’s more information you’re not aware of.”
Later in the meeting, Warwick said the district has spent millions of dollars in mental health services for students and have built partnership with mental health services providers. Counselors in every school in the district can refer students to services, he added.
School Committee member Denise Hurst said she appreciated hearing from the students and noted that May is Children’s Mental Health Month. She suggested the district does more outreach and provide greater communications about the services that are now available.
Warwick agreed and pledged to work to inform students and parents better about the services.