http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20130211/NEWS02/702119927
Things are looking up in the Springfield School District, according to a recent presentation of its five-year strategic plan.
Outgoing Superintendent of Schools Frank Perotti presented the School Board some good news last week about the district.
Perotti and dozens of stakeholders developed a strategic plan to improve educational opportunities for elementary, middle and high school students. The strategic plan was approved in September 2009 and had six goals: To achieve a 100 percent high school graduation rate, make capital improvements, provide students with additional academic support, develop individualized learning plans, enhance support structures for educators, and strengthen school and community connections.
One of the plan’s biggest accomplishments is more graduates and fewer dropouts. According to Perotti, the high school’s four-year graduation rate improved from 67 percent in 2008 to 75 percent in 2012 and is in line with state graduation requirements.
“Our dropout rate in 2008-2009 was 10.15 percent. In the last two years, that rate went down to 7 percent,” Perotti said.
Improvements also included new playgrounds at Elm Hill Primary and Union Street Elementary Schools, transferring the North School property to an organization for conservation purposes, and establishing a joint committee made up of School Board and Select Board members to determine the best usage for the now vacant Park Street Building. Perotti said advisers now work with Riverside Middle School and high school students to develop personal learning plans. He also said Windsor Community Partners provides mentoring to students during and after school.
According to Perotti, staff development opportunities are increasing, access to new technologies is improving, and turnover of faculty and staff has is going down. School and community connections have also improved through a variety of means, he said.
Literacy, math and science coaches are available at the high school. Riverside Middle School offers more in math and language arts classes.
The middle school now has standard-based report cards as well. The new grading system at Riverside has improved student performance, Perotti said.
Math and reading instruction has also improved at the Union Street Elementary School, effective academic monitoring of students is in place, and teachers are using game-based language programs to enhance student learning. At Elm Hill, there are math, writing and reading labs and new social-based programs for early learning. Seclusion rooms, a concern raised by parents last year, are not longer used, Perotti said.
Springfield schools still have room for improvement, but according to Perotti, the school district is much better off today than it was before it had a strategic plan in place.
“I don’t expect it to be complete, but we’ve made a lot of progress moving forward and we have a lot to be proud of,” Perotti said.
Schools improve under five-year strategic plan
By Christian Avard
Staff Writer | February 11,2013
Rutland Herald
SPRINGFIELD —
Perotti says there is less turnover, but it seems like there are a lot of resignations and retirement requests on the agenda for School Board meetings lately. Isn't that considered a turnover of teaching staff?
ReplyDeleteGood Point anon 7:23- Another thing I love about this article is that the strategic plan is one that HAD to be written, just as it has to be submitted every year, as a state requirement for schools in need of improvement. The plan of improvement is submitted to the state and THE STATE either approves it or sends it back for revision with notes as to what it is lacking. So this isn't a Frank idea and plan.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that the State has sent someone to look at the school's and what the needs are because they are schools in need of improvement. A previous poster stated that they are here in the district for a year. I don't know the validity of that but the schools are being watched. The SPED process has continually been a mess with mistakes and formal complaints made ALL the time. Don't forget that the Federal Dept. of Ed recently made the school make changes and add things per an article in the local papers from some kind of settlement or finding or something. I guess the schools might be improving but that is because they HAD to and were forced to, NOT because of some over inflated ego of a superintendent that was forced out. Give me a break!
100 % graduation ..... go smoke another..
ReplyDeleteHow about real goals.
2013 proof the United States ended already.
lower the bar and everbody passes
Delete"Springfield where Dumb is GoOD"
It is true, there is a person assigned and at the central office by the Agency of Education to over see the district. Maybe this is why the superintendent is being place on a leave tomorrow night by the school board for the rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteIts about time. Actually it sounds like him working the system. Sick time saved up and/or used and now a leave with pay. They should have paid him in advance and sent him on his way. This story and the others are just bolsters for his album and for the next sucker to hire him. So he can say "look-see what I have done"
DeleteAny chance we can have the school band playing in the parking lot as he drives off?
Yeah all true. There is a consultant (not an AoE assigned employee or otherwise) to advise the district on improvement...not run it, not oversee it. Frank is going on leave to let Zack get a running start, not because of a consultant. So yeah, everything you said was true...except that parts mentioned above.
DeleteZach will do a good job! It's going to be hard picking up and cleaning the messes before he really can start to work.
DeleteOHHHHH this is the consultant who is doing the climate assessment I bet, which was part of the settlement with the Office of Civil Rights thing. If so it has nothing to do with how the district is run but rather what parts of the law they are missing in terms of Federal Requirements and laws- Title 6 and 9.
ReplyDeleteI bet that is exactly who they are. If so then it would be a woman from or based in Rhode Island. Does anyone know?
Go back and read the article in Eagle times about that. I distinctly remember it being mentioned. That is why I stated the above.
DeleteFrom School Board meeting minutes:
Delete"Introduction of Director of School Effectiveness, Nicole Saginor
Nicole introduced herself, gave a summary of her experience (42 years in public education), and
explained her job responsibilities. She will serve as the Educational Leader for the District and
will report to the Secretary of the Agency of Education. She will be with the district through June 2013."
Thank you for the clarification...that is good to know. Explains a lot then!
DeleteWhere were they if they improved and now only have an f- in math?
ReplyDeletehow bad was it ?
Is it going to take another 5 years ???
how is this good news ?
I am going to N. Korea for my MATH ...
Can't anyone be happy that our schools are doing well? Perotti had a hand in all of this. He helped make this happen. We were lucky to have him here. Thank you Frank!
ReplyDelete