Adams-Cheshire Regional's Action Plan Seeks to Raise Test Scores
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Plagued by low standardized scores and tight budgets, the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District is going back to basics in a bid to improve performance.
Interim Superintendent Robert Putnam reviewed an action plan at Monday's School Committee meeting that focuses heavily on classroom instruction and teacher feedback. He believes strongly that the district can reverse its low performance despite the challenges.
"I think the important part is this school improvement plan is focused on student achievement," he said. "I want to point out the difficulty we're facing when we're implementing these goals. And I focused on intentional practices for improving instruction ... due to financial and personnel considerations.
"Our efforts would be greatly enhanced if we are able to implement the practice of providing students specific support but budget cuts over several years have reduced intervention personnel positions, increased class sizes and removed scheduling flexibility."
The school district has cut more than two dozen teaching and support positions over the past several years because of budget restrictions. "Our only choice is to focus on classroom instruction," Putnam said.
Putnam reached out early on to the state's District and School Assistance Centers for support in implementing researched-based best practices in instruction. Programs include the Bay State Reading Institute, with which the district has been working for several years, a National Science Foundation program through Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and math programs.
Adams-Cheshire has been a Level 3 district since the 1-5 rating levels were introduced in 2012. Level 3 means that students are not advancing in proficiency in relation to overall state numbers.
Putnam has planned out performance goals at all three schools and is looking at "low-hanging fruit" where the district can make up points but targeting certain areas, such as the percentage of students' underperforming in science. Extra credit can be earned for increasing the number of students in advanced proficiency and decreasing the number in warning and failure categories. Earning 300 to 500 points will help narrow the gap.
"I expect to see improvement in student performance across the board," he said. "Progressing toward those goals will earn us points ... and enable us to move out of the Level 3 status ...
"We don't have to hit the goal, we have to show continuous improvement."
The second prong in this plan is professional development and observation and feedback working with teachers on classroom performance. The most important thing will be student engagement in all schools, Putnam said, joking, "you don't want a Ferris Bueller day."
DSAC had also reviewed his plans for Hoosac Valley High School, describing them as "ambitious," he said, and recommending a two-three year approach.
Putnam said performance has to be related to two core items — curriculum and instruction. If those are strong, student performance should be likewise. "The thing is, you've got to shoot high," he said.
The superintendent said he has benchmarks measured out and will give the committee a monthly update on how the plan is rolling out. He expects to implement it in December.
It was critical, he said, to have everyone from students to parents to teachers "buy-in."
"I would like to have the same sort of fervor we see ... at sporting events," Putnam said. Part of that will be helping parents understand how they can help their kids. And, he said, "I think that the more we can get kids involved in their own education the greater the results are going to be."
School Committee members are strongly encouraging residents to attend Thursday's session from 6 to 8 p.m. with the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at Hoosac Valley. The center is seeking input from the community as it prepares recommendations for the regional district's future.
Vice Chairman Stephen Vigna was disappointed that only 45 people attended the Saturday morning session, although Chairman Paul Butler thought it a "nice cross-section."
In other business:
• The committee heard an update on technology and Web changes. The district will move its websites to SchoolWires in January, which will provide a better package, form and functionality. It will also switch to Clever educational applications for its software management and is looking to implement a virtual high school in offering online courses not currently available at Hoosac Valley High School.
• Learned the Student Council will host the annual Art Hathaway Dinner on Dec. 7. The dinner for district's senior citizens will include raffles and items donated by area businesses. DuFour is also donating a bus to transport seniors and Big Y is again contributing 400 pounds of turkey. Anyone wishing to volunteer can contact a student council representative.
• The committee also reiterated its opposition to Question 2 on the November ballot that would lift the cap on charter schools. It approved a resolution against the measure in May.
• The Northern Berkshire Drug-Free Schools program and the district attorney's office is working with all five school districts to implement educational awareness of substance abuse. The district approved a policy required by the partnership in July; the program is expected to be implemented in the spring.
ACRSD District Improvement Plan 2016-18 by iBerkshires.com on Scribd
Tags: ACRSD, standardized testing,
