Union Hill Community meeting

Boone is in purple (she did most of the talking tonight) and parents are in green (hey, I'm running out of exciting colors that are legible!)

several tables of teachers (might they all be here?), parents, five School Committee members

Superintendent Boone: "you've read a lot of things and you've heard a lot of things...regarding the status of Union Hill School"
begins with thanking administration of Union Hill
staff meeting on Monday the 26th, so some of this will be repetitive for them
as parents, community and staff to turnaround the school
presentation, then conversation, then summarizing
met with staff before state released information
reported to School Committee, then some public reporting
January: Ed Reform act "forward thinking and dynamic process for the state to reform all of its schools"
ID schools that are lowest 20% of schools across the Commonwealth: 72 schools (no more than)
"does not mean that these schools have not made improvement...rate of improvement"
strength of Achievement Act: recognition that families and children often need support outside of school to be successful in school
groups of data of MCAS scores 2006-2009
composite index is calculated on an annual basis
growth model: how much growth did they show in that period of time? 50% of students showed expected growth during that timeframe
state's capacity to help districts improve underperforming districts: while no more than 72 schools can be designated, this time there were only 35 schools designated across 9 districts
Boston and Springfield have 20 altogether
Worcester has 2
stakeholder group established for each school: teachers, parents, central admin, mayor, community member, representative of health and human services, early childhood rep, workforce development
Superintendent has authority to design the turnaround plan for these schools
stakeholder group represents direct connection with Union Hill School: "will work together to recommend a plan that will move Union Hill" from underperforming to meeting benchmarks
data line: pulling data that stakeholder group has to consider: data by subgroup (race/ethicity, ELL, socioeconomic status, special ed status)..."what do we know about its strengths and its challenges?"
parental involvement and other supports
how does the school use time?
"stakeholder group serves in an advisory capacity"
plan taken to School Committee to provide input on the plan
Commissioner will review and either approve it or recommend changes to stakeholder group for redraft
once the plan is approved, there will be a "school based design team"
"will make the plan come to life"
research-based instructional best practices are what we'll be using
a three year plan: each school will have a set of expected benchmarks to meet for each of the Level 4 schools
check to see if progress is being made
"a companion piece to the Commonwealth's Act to Affect the Achievement Gap" is the federal education policy
NCLB is being reviewed and changes being recommended
"how are we assured that the adults are being held accountable for the workt that's going on"
funding will be avaliable to states and school districts who have underperforming students
competitive grant process allows schools to have an additional $500,000 a year to accelerate student achievement
"now we have our own capacity and ability to go forward"
"very controversial part of our greater conversation going forward"
"certainly I have some concerns with the process for accessing those funds"
four models: turnaround model (50% of staff and the principal leaves), close the school, turn school over to an outside org, or transformational model (principal leaves; teacher and leadership evaluation on teacher achievement; time and support in place)
"I have concerns with all of those models...been very clear that I am not convinced that anywhere in the city of Worcester is there a school at which 50% of the teaching staff needs to be replaced"
to close a school: where would the students go?
"I don't believe I have to give away the students in Worcester for them to be successful...had no appetite" for turning over the management of the schools
"continue to be challenged by what is to me an arbitrary decision to remove the principal of the building"
the principal of Union Hill has been principal for more than two years: "that is not an indication that Ms. Bahosh's leadership is" the problem at this school
"the bottom line of this...it's a system failure...haven't put together the right resources for every student to be successful"
"my intention as Superintendent...Ms. Bahosh will have a great seat on the bus of leadership in the Worcester Public Schools"
"our principals have not been fired...both will be employed next year in WPS should they choose to do so"
"I want to thank her and celebrate her as we go forward" (to standing ovation by her staff)
what are the timelines? how soon will this happen?
aspects in place this fall...complete design will not be finalized until later
parent rep, CAO and Quadrant Manager, union, rep of mayor
new principal named within next three to four weeks, will also serve on stakeholder group
intends to bring both groups (Chandler El and Union Hill) together for the first meeting for orientation
"45 days for this group to do intensive work"
group provides plan to Superintendent who has 30 days to finalize plan for each school
Commissioner has 30 days to review
plan then issued close to the beginning of the school year
some work accelerated
staff to do some summer planning, parents and student work
conditions for school effectiveness: research based school effectiveness aspects
evidence of these seen within the plan: to see if the school is turning itself around as designated
school leadership, aligned curriculum, effective instruction, student achievement, leadership authority, professional development, tiered instruction and learning time (perhaps extended day), social/emotional/health needs, family-school relationships, use of resources and budget authority

former school council member: had Success for All, and Cityscape Summer Program: what's to know what happened, because that worked for Union Hill School

parent question: when you explain that all the data is compiled...how often is the data reviewed?
MCAS is reviewed annually
"we haven't always pulled the data as a district by all of the subgroups...schools have done that at different levels...not only at MCAS, but MAP assessment..look at those data on an annual basis...sometimes there have been disconnects between what it takes for students and the resources it takes to get there"

"from a parent's point of view, we shouldn't ignore the warning...shouldn't wait to get to four years to get to this plan...and then what can we do to improve that?"
new accountability plan for the district: task force established
school improvement plans that are 80 to 100 pages long; accountability plan smaller and more focused and reviewed more often
"all of our schools in Worcester will have that new accountability plan...don't have to wait for the autopsy...more proactive mode"
"make sure that our principals and teachers understand the so-what of the question...what are the adjustments that we need to make?"

Parent question: "so much stuff was taken away from the students and the teachers, as a parent...my eldest is now 22...my question is more for the staff..I want to hear from the teachers, what is it you guys need? I don't believe that we are in this situation because of anything that teachers have done"
Boone: "have not maintained focus on student achievement like we should have"
31 of our 44 schools are deemed near-underperforming
"got to build-in systems... some things become preserved...one of the reasons...I'm not knocking my predecessors..when we have to decide where to put our resources, limited as they are...to better evaluate our" programs
wants to hold on the question to the teachers
"one thing I've heard clearly from the staff here at Union Hill: have to make sure their parents are real partners in education here at Union Hill"
sleep, checking homework (stresses that it's done, not done correctly), getting to school on time
attendance is a key issue: address it before a student gets 14 days absent
"we're all gonna have some 'aha's" once the data is laid out
when the community partners are here, then our partners can work with families to address those needs

"don't let anyone convince you that this school has failed...yet"
we're going to make sure this doesn't happen

Question: is this a new system? went through the system and maybe you're not ready for university
designation is new as of January
"in response to two things" state act
Massachusetts students in general do very well (on NAEP, SAT, etc)
certain kids do better than other kids: ELL students not graduating at same rate as others, students with special needs, students of poverty
huge achievement gap: "when only some of the students are achieving...have to do something"

Parent: child says a lot of behavior child just get sent here
why not make a school of just behavioral issues?
"even if you factor out some of those children, there still are a problem with the achievement gap"
parent cites child sent here from another school to here when he misbehaved
Boone: is there an imbalance of kids sent here for support for disability or for other reasons?
why (parent) can't we have this at all schools?
Boone explains clustering students together for staffing reasons

member of the Oak Hill CDC: my interpretation of this
"should not be a conversation of whose fault it is...everyone could take blame..this neighborhood is suffering drastically..majority of families paying much of their salaries toward rent...schools systems open to the community in various ways...might be a Know Your School Week"
switch conversation away from students
"I can honestly say that all students possess the ability to learn..what is the best way"
"what accountability measures for the community to see and know "
WPS make it avaliable
"fail the MCAS as a result of not getting a proper education and be in a bubble"
Boone: very clear what the school needs to do, what wrap-around and supportive systems needs to be brought to bear workforce development: if there are things that we can do, ways that we can do some workforce development to bring to this school, to over time reduce that economic stress

O'Connell: Success for All, children responded to it
students in it for the full year
Worc Academy and North students for mentors
"as I recall the MCAS scores at that time were quite good"
"fine staff can do with reasonable resources what has been done in the past"
Boone: one of the things we see happening in math and reading, not as much emphasis on science..infuse that balance, as well as arts, languages, athletics

EAW rep thanks parents for coming, wanted to remind parents that designation is based on MCAS, which is not a level playing field
NCLB has been an unfunded mandate
"two wars going on and the money goes there...as you're approaching the next election, maybe you should think about whom you're supporting...questioning the support to" president
Boone: "let me also say that while there are challenges with MCAS, we can look around this country and find schools that achieving off the map"
mentions Brownville, TX as achieving ahead of the rest of the state
(yes, I'm going to look that up)


parent "our children, our future" pleads that parents get involved
"how we can do the school better"
"need parent involvement..can only voice our concerns, our children's concerns"


Questions (which are close to those at the CPPAC Parent-Guardian Roundtable):
best parts of Union Hill?
Challenges at Union Hill?
What will it take to support dreams and aspirations of every child?