November Board of Ed: on Holyoke

 on to Holyoke

but first a student performance; a section of "Miss Nelson is Missing" which Holyoke High performed this past week

updating as we go

Holyoke's presentation is entitled "Moving Forward Together"
Holyoke Superintendent Receiver Soto: development of strategic plan
about 1500 provided input to plan
mission, vision, core beliefs
"students at the center of everything we do"
making sure teachers are prepared and supported
have made a shift this past year; have laid a good foundation in early literacy
educator development and retention and whole child
retain teachers in Holyoke
culture in schools; "school is a place kids want to come"
new curriculum for K-2 for ELA; high dosage tutoring in early grades supported by Davis Foundation
teachers high quality lessons with students producing high quality work 
takes time and practice; over half of teachers in first three years
all new teachers have mentors
what teachers learning in PD immediately being implemented
programs to go out and get kids who have dropped out or are thinking about it and bring them back
doubling of students who are engaging in advanced coursework
demographics of students participating also shifted; more reflective of student population
90% of staff participated in training for equity
Moriarty interrupts here "didn't fall off the fiscal cliff due to ESSER"
back to presentation: core is vision "what we want to see teachers doing in classrooms...students doing in classrooms"
number of educators of color "leading in Holyoke"
"we know students learn better when they see people who look like them"
want to go back to an elementary, middle, high school model
"a lot of unhappy adults, a lot of unhappy kids meeting new friends"
investing over $200M in physical infrastructure
financial development that is collaborative and sustainable

Mayor Garcia: love it when people come and visit Holyoke and see what we're doing here
"progress" difference in perspective
transition plan out of receivership
"wasn't one; we had to build it"
Devin Sheehan on transition plan: "much different back in 2015"
thank Healey-Driscoll administration, Acting Commissioner Johnston
"was a top priority for him"
"truly know that we are seen by the Commissioner, that our students are seen, that Western Mass is seen"
has gone through numerous trainings with Mass Association of School Committees
work on new school buildings, strategic plans
knowledge corridor with new building going up
capacity building plan with Commissioner and staff since past spring
superintendent evaluation and hiring, policy development, 
established goals for superintendent; established advisory committee
transparent, culturally competent process; also give advise on next steps in filling superintendent role coming back in February/March
finance and budgeting: receiver has been very transparent, so was not a lift for the school committee
important to have someone who understood, never a hiccup in that
reestablished subcommittees; finance and operations subcommittee
budget calendar and timeline; budget guidelines and priorities recommended
"we get to restart...look at our policies and say 'what are we doing from here?'"
"opportunity to go through every single policy"
work with MASC, the district, the Department do a full policy review; should be done by April 2025
"dive deep in this"
group of school committee members "who are fully committed to this transition"

Johnston: 
long legacy of leaders before these
districts leaders are not in the room "coming and going like bees" as work is not done
work with DESE
Committee members able to replace and share
"this leadership team will not lose its footing as we transition leadership"
"strength of a school committee" plan owned by all members of the school committee

Craven: the night that we took that vote
"and you recall that so well"
"what's the one thing that you're picking up as something that you can fix that was a problem in a school committee prior"
Sheehan: a more efficient and nimble government body
"have the authority, the ability, the push" to review
"push along some of our partners in city government to be more forward thinking, expeditious"
thank legislators and note their efforts
Garcia: doing all that "within our democratic republic structure elected by the people for people"
"so glad we're able to keep the practice of elected board members"
this is some Lawrence shade, I think
Craven: some foundational founding fathers
Rocha: "I can feel the love"
love to hear more about Aquí campaign
Soto: show families benefits of showing up every day
meeting with student cabinet, middle and high school
Sending data regularly

strong focus on early literacy and instruction
So hyperfocused on that; presenting regular data to our leaders
Craven: Moriarty as conscience
class of '79; "one of the few words in the English language with a silent L"
"a challenge this receivership did not succeed in" in terms of data
scrappy and vulnerable community 
models of state interventions that work, as this one does not
Garcia: being in this role as a local government manager
look at districts in receivership: economically disadvantaged, communities of color, "that we have systematically created"
disparities happening in their neighborhoods, social determinants of health
issues with landlords
so "there's a conversation to be had...how do we support their local governments to resolve these" other issues; improving municipal services so that kids can go to school much healthier and safer
Craven: "it's an all or nothing intervention with the state"
says former mayor "gave Lawrence to the state" 
uh...that's not entirely the story


PHOTOS AND BREAK 
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