Update on Holyoke

written update here
Chester: keep looking at program at the Peck
first quarter monitoring visit last week
not just dealing with safety of kids but quality of program
started a way of honoring their strongest teachers: named after Ann Cullen
acceleration academies as in Lawrence
Dean Vocational received a capital grant for their manufacturing shop
honored by College Board Gaston Caperton Opportunity Honor Roll for expanding access to college for kids who don't usually have access
Johnston: recruitment
Anthony Soto to be Chief Financial and Operations Officer for Holyoke; current Springfield budget director
Beth Gage "Chief Talent Officer" from Springfield Empowerment Zone (she was admin there)
Sagan: two towns stealing back and forth? Or are others stepping up?
Johnston: need ladders within districts
two people from Holyoke have gone to Springfield this year as well
"wouldn't say it's necessarily a trend"
schools and districts working in partnership with one another
bring teachers in to support schools as quickly as possible
"helping Holyoke rethink what it means to recruit talent"
Ventura Rodrigues: Acceleration academies starting in math and hoping to expand
teacher induction program: work in couple of weeks in August; more work over year
common vision, more support for what kids need as teachers come in
Moriarty: two positions for every one in the Valley
Soto being received very excitedly: Dean Tech grad, local, Latino
"a balance"
Peyser: program for new teachers: does it address certification issues teachers may have?
not just meeting requirement: make them as effective as possible
need to do other work to continue in certification, as well
Stewart: community engagement?
Rodriguez: vision, stronger systems, shared understanding of what it would look like