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Date: 11/24/2021
SPRINGFIELD – Ahead of the year’s conclusion, the School Committee made preparations for their superintendent review during a Special Meeting on Nov. 16.
Superintendent Daniel Warwick provided a presentation detailing the growth the school district has experienced over his tenure, which began in 2012. As Warwick concluded, he noted that the district has shown development in every category since assuming office. “Every area went up even though last year brought its own set of challenges. COVID-19 affected numbers across the commonwealth,” said Warwick.
Among the improvements, the Springfield School District cut the dropout rate by 70 percent, reduced chronic absenteeism by 20 percent, increased SAT participation by 135 percent and decreased out-of-school suspensions by 56 percent. The district also continued to close the gap in MCAS participation with the rest of the commonwealth, with test scores for grades 3 through 8 and grade 10 experiencing a steady increase over the years.
Warwick also highlighted the implementation of core goals across the district. The two core objectives include effective utilization of remote and hybrid learning plans in support of ongoing student engagement and advancing culturally and historically responsive instruction in the district through professional development. The superintendent’s second goal was a part of a five-year strategic plan on shifting instructional practices.
The superintendent’s presentation provided extensive evidence supporting the successful integration of both goals. For remote and hybrid learning, Warwick discussed the strategic investment the district has made toward technology, including the distribution of 24,000 laptops and 5,000 Internet hotspots throughout the pandemic. He also spoke about Springfield’s success in creating viable hybrid and remote learning options during the pandemic, stating that the district maintained a 92 percent attendance rate despite the circumstances.
As far as creating responsive instruction, the superintendent showcased Springfield’s ability to attract and retrain diverse educators and staff. The district grew to a 37 percent diversity rate for all staff during the 2020-2021 school year while also increasing the licensed teachers in the district to 97.5 percent. While schools across the state have experienced staffing hardships, Warwick said Springfield Public Schools reduced teacher vacancies from 27 percent in 2019-2020 to 23 percent in 2020-2021.
After Warwick’s presentation concluded, the Springfield School Committee members were informed about the superintendent review process. The committee members will be required to complete their assessments by Dec. 3, with the final superintendent review subjected for discussion in a future School Committee meeting.