High School Renewal Newsletter | |||||
Boston Public Schools Office of High School Renewal
Share news about high school renewal in Boston by forwarding this newsletter to co-workers and friends. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, contact Mary Ellen Bower at bowerme@aol.com. We welcome you to add your voice to the newsletter! Teachers, students, parents and community partners are invited to email news items or suggestions for the resource shelf to Mary Ellen Bower.
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Boston Community Leadership Academy | |||||||||
 
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Articulate Knitters at Boston Community Leadership AcademyWith cold winter weather upon us, what is better than gathering with friends after school to knit festive scarves and hats? At Boston Community Leadership Academy, senior English teacher Candice Anderson-George has combined this social activity for students with an academic and community service edge. The group is called The Articulate Knitters, and the students have been learning to create hats and scarves with several BCLA staff members who drop in. Although they have just learned the difference between knitting and pearling, they have also been able to explore the world of words. Initially designed to attract attention and participation in the National Vocabulary Championship, a nationwide contest in which BCLA and other Boston Public Schools competed in this fall, Anderson-George believed the knitting would hook students and give them some hands-on fun while they increased their vocabulary. "As they knit, they discuss words and their meanings. The hope is that the physical act of knitting, stringing stitches together to create a whole, can be related to stringing letters together to create a word, words together to create meaning. Their hands knit and their minds become free to concentrate on developing a stronger vocabulary." Even after the National Vocabulary Championship contest is over, the Articulate Knitters remain strong. With stockpiles of donated yarn, students meet each week for knitting and vocabulary instruction while building naturally on BCLA's strong themes of community service. The result? The knitters have accomplished their first goal: sets of hats and scarves to donate to a local shelter for kids. The Articulate Knitters are committed to the idea that knitting is an important craft, both satisfying and inspiring, and have come to understand the importance of creating equally rich and inspiring language. | ||||||||
Business Themes | |||||||||
Small School and Small Learning Community Students Explore Business ThemesStudents in business-themed small schools and small learning communities are participating in a variety of authentic learning experiences. Charlestown High School's business students, taught by Lama Jarudi, have taken an idea for a custom clothing business to corporate status. With the sponsorship of Vitale, Caurano & Company, students have formed a non-profit that will benefit student spirit activities at the high school. The company, C-Town Enterprises, has already fulfilled its first order for NFTE with a custom-designed T-shirt. A Charlestown student was the winner of the design competition as well. Brook Farm Academy has launched Beacon Enterprises which will be running the student store, The Beacon Market. The store is a new, free-standing (and lovely) building in the BFA lobby. Already, with little of the interior finished, the store is doing well. Proceeds will support student activities. Other goals include the store being a launch pad for new small businesses by BFA students. East Boston High School students, along with business pathway teacher Heidi DeRosa, participated in the NFTE Entrepreneurial Conference at Babson College on January 9. Several other Boston high schools attended as well, and Boston students were shining with their professional conduct and knowledge. Noonan Business Academy has submitted requests for proposals to several area credit unions. Noonan is seeking to open a credit union branch at the school in order to provide students with important financial literacy training, employment experience and exposure to banking practices. One of concepts the school hopes to establish is small business micro-lending. English High School's business team members, Doreen Waishek and Hugo Santa Maria, participated in a thinking session with Suffolk University faculty on teaching entrepreneurship. Out of that discussion emerged a number of good concepts that will translate into articulation agreements between Suffolk and BPS along with courses for the community in entrepreneurial thinking and practice. Brighton High School's business courses include Accounting and Entrepreneurship. Monica Smalls is the teacher in the program where students are working on accounting software, specifically Peachtree Accounting. Students will not only benefit from the skills but also from the strategic thinking skills so important to any job in today's marketplace. | |||||||||
Health Careers | |||||||||
Health Disparities Symposium: Careers in Urban NursingA recent report from the Boston Public Health Commission firmly affirms that health disparities exist in Boston. A report printed April 2005 from this project identified exactly where disparities exist and included action steps and recommendations. One major finding of the Disparities Report identified the under-representation of racial and ethnic people of color among health professionals. What has this got to do with Boston's high schools? Our future is in our high schools. Our young people who are currently attending health-themed high schools in Boston have the power to change the face of health professionals in this city and many other cities across our country. For example, there are students in a number of our high schools who are involved in early nursing initiatives. One such initiative has students from Community Academy of Science and Health, Health Careers Academy and Brighton High School involved is the "Careers in Urban Nursing" initiative. This is a joint project sponsored by the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay and the Office of High School Renewal. Another early nursing initiative is the STAND GRANT (Students Taking Action for Nursing Diversity.) Students from Community Academy of Science and Health, Health Careers Academy, Parkway Academy of Technology, Madison Park High School and the Jeremiah E. Burke High School are taking part in this initiative sponsored by Bunker Hill Community College. All of these students came together on November 22nd at Boston University, School of Medicine. The students listened to an impassioned and informative presentation on Health Disparities from Elmer Freeman. Mr. Freeman is the Executive Director of the Center for Community Health Education, Research and Services and is widely known in the Health and Education communities of Boston and the country. After the presentation the students worked in small groups to create public service announcements, which would inform others about health disparities in Boston. The students presented poignant skits, created posters and wrote poems. Submitted by: Elizabeth Buckley, Health Industry Cluster Coordinator, Office of High School Renewal | |||||||||
Impact II | |||||||||
One More Time for Partners in Service LearningOnce again BPS high school teachers and students are applying classroom learning so they can do something for their communities. Thanks to an extension of a CHESP (Community Higher Education School Partnerships) grant, made possible by Learn and Serve America and the Massachusetts Department of Education, teacher grantees gathered for an Awards Orientation at High School Renewal on November 6, 2006 School teams celebrated material and moral support for their classroom based Learn and Serve projects. Affirming how partnerships with universities and community groups engage students in solving real world problems, attendees paid attention to the entrepreneurial Barbara Locurto, Director of IMPACT II @ High School Renewal. Teachers exchanged ideas about how to successfully partner with college and community groups. Time flew as they reached out to each other and did what teachers do best: advocate for active, informed students. Surprises followed when awardees received autographed copies of the handsome, brand new edition of the Boston Women's Heritage Trail Guidebook. Calling the grant process "very teacher centered," one awardee described the IMPACT II (Instructional Materials and Programs to Assist Classroom Teachers) approach as "making the most difficult steps easy." Participants also responded positively to Locurto's treasury of organizations that help teachers prepare students for responsible citizenship. From Adams National Historical Park http://www.nps.gov/adam/index.htm, to Boston Women's Heritage Trail (BWHT) http://www.bwht.org/, and We the People: The Citizen and The Constitution http://www.civiced.org/, her recommended resources support classrooms. Urging teachers to refer to the CHESP Sampler 2005-06 http://bostonteachnet.org/chesp/sampler.htm for information on how teachers build successful BPS partnerships, Locurto also pointed to Signature Projects http://bostonteachnet.org/chesp/chesp_main.htm by and for teachers on the newly revised web site Boston Teachnet http://www.bostonteachnet.org/.
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Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC) | |||||||||
BSAC UpdateThe Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC) is a citywide body of student leaders representing their respective high schools, which serves as the voice of students to the school committee. Among their many activities, BSAC members convene two Mondays a month; meet with the Superintendent and members of the School Committee to offer their perspectives on high school renewal efforts; and inform their respective schools about relevant citywide issues. What's the role of BSAC members?
BSAC members, represent their school at BSAC, School Committee, and other meetings, receive valuable training such as: Public Speaking, Leadership, Political Know-how, Event Planning, and Community Organizing Skills and work on important issues in committees such as: School Quality, Small Schools, MCAS, Tardiness Policy, Graduation Policy, Student Assignment, Cell Phone Policy, School Safety, Dress Code and Writing for Teens in Print (TiP) For more information on BSAC contact Maria I. Ortiz at 617-594-5721 or at mortiz@boston.k12.ma.us. | |||||||||
Brighton High School | |||||||||
| Five Brighton High School Seniors Receive Posse ScholarshipsOn January 4, 2007, five Brighton High School seniors received four-year scholarships through the POSSE Foundation. The POSSE Foundation, Inc. is a college access and youth leadership development program that identifies, recruits, and selects student leaders from area high schools and sends them in groups called "posses" to some of the top colleges and universities in the country. Posses act as a traveling support system to ensure that each Posse scholar succeeds and graduates from college. Brighton High School is extremely proud that the following students received Posse scholarships: Caroline Correa and Jhonnari Jiminez will be attending Bryn Mawr College, Abdirahman Abdillahi and Melissa Phineus will be attending Denison University in Ohio and Sugule Hassan will be attending Union College. These students, who have excelled academically and are enrolled in several A.P. classes represent all three small learning communities at Brighton High. | ||||||||
Brighton High School | |||||||||
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Brighton High School Participates in the NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship ConferenceLaura Rojo and Moises Maza, juniors at Brighton High School, along with several other students participated in the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship First Youth Entrepreneurship Conference. The conference was held on Tuesday, January 9, 2007, at Babson College. In the picture above, Laura shows off some of her custom made jewelry. She is the owner of Coste's Accessories, a business where she custom makes a necklaces, bracelets and earring sets out of beads, shells, etc. Laura recently won first place from her class in Brighton's School wide Business Plan Competition. The competition was steep as she presented against three other students in front of three judges. | ||||||||
Brook Farm Business and Service Careers Academy | |||||||||
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Red Sox Pitcher Takes Time Out for StudentsOn a cold day in the middle of November, warm memories filled Millennium Park as Red Sox Pitcher and former West Roxbury High School student Manny Del Carmen reminisced about his alma mater. While conducting an interview with the New England Sports Network (NESN), Manny took time to meet students at Brook Farm Academy (BFA). "It was really inspiring for me to meet Manny Del Carmen," said BFA student Bibi Pantoja. "Many students look up to professional athletes as role models." Bibi, an avid Red Sox fan, plans to play softball for the West Roxbury Educational Complex this spring. Bibi especially liked that Del Carmen talked about his experience playing baseball while in the Dominican Republic in his interview with NESN. "It was good to meet him; knowing that he graduated from 'Westie,' helps students believe they can make it. Also, because he is Dominican students can relate to him," explained Bibi. Bibi plans to attend college after graduating from BFA in June. Her hope is to be accepted to UMASS Boston. Like Del Carmen with WRHS, Bibi is happy with her academic experience at BFA, and being involved with the Prom and Yearbook Committee. When asked about how BFA contributed to her growth and success, Bibi noted the knowledge and expertise of veteran teachers and administration. Submitted by Charles A. Grandson IV | ||||||||
Burke High School | |||||||||
Small Learning Communities Form Ties in CommunityThe three Small Learning Communities at the Jeremiah E Burke High School are full of exciting student learning opportunities, engaging instruction and professional development activities. Burke students joined members of the Grove Hall community for the official groundbreaking ceremony for an addition and renovation of the Burke HIgh School / Boston Public Library Community Center. Participants included members of the Marine JROTC program in the Health and Human Services SLC, budding reporters from the Journalism Program in the Information Technology SLC, Mayor Menino, Superintendent Contompasis and members of the Grove Hall Community. Burke's Family and Community Outreach Coordinator is facilitating work with the Freedom House in strengthening connections between the school community, Burke families and the wider community. | |||||||||
The English High School | |||||||||
  
| Project Adventure
When the teams were shown the high ropes course, faculty and students stated "We're going up there?" Laughter turned to apprehension. This was the pivotal moment of the day. The teams quietly came together and formed a plan to move all members to a successful completion. They attached harnesses and straps and then hoisted and climbed up forty foot trees. The quietness of the forest transformed into cheers of encouragement and shouts of happiness as all students and faculty attempted the course. At the end of the day everyone was exhausted but not too exhausted to shout out applauds and thanks to their team leader, PA staff and faculty before climbing aboard the school buses for the return trip. The trip home was both quiet and reflective. This experience provided our small learning community with the strong initial step of building a true community. Students and teachers are now more willing to help and trust one another. Students are more vocal in voicing their concerns regarding their school. Most of the participants said they would like to attend again. Submitted by: Christophe Teulet-Cote | ||||||||
Fenway High School | |||||||||
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Men of MORE Visit Historically Black CollegesNine young men in Fenway's after school program for young males of color (MORE) journeyed for three days this past fall visiting Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Howard University in Washington DC, and Hampton University in Virginia. The days were long and often hungry, with dinners at 9:00, but students didn't mind. One said, "It was the most traveling I've ever done in my life, I loved it. We bonded." Although group members travel afar to visit family in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Barbados and other offshore countries, their travels in the U.S. are limited. To many of Boston's urban adolescents, rural Pennsylvania is more foreign than Cape Verde. Helping students move beyond geographical barriers is one aspect of Fenway's long-term college initiative. The school hopes that students will consider applying to private colleges outside the Boston area, where they may find more opportunities, supporting networks and financial aid. "The purpose of my parents in moving to America (from Haiti) was to get me an education. You must achieve more to be successful here. If you're going to be a statistic (young urban male of color) you should make it a good one." For the MORE youths, being in college settings among other men of color was a "priceless experience." At Howard University, students met with the Dean of the Dental School, a man with roots "in the hood". At Lincoln University, a 25 year old undergraduate, who had gone into the military after high school, urged them to continue their education. "He had some of the same struggles I do," one MORE student said. "Prior to the trip I was in a dilemma, but now I'm assured to go to college. He showed me something I can do." The HBC trip required enormous effort from two teachers, Mr. Gonsalves and Mr. Rhodes. However, they are pleased to see that it has already paid off. Seniors who went on the trip report that they now have "a good sense of what to look out for", class size, academic majors, extracurricular activities, fraternities, etc. in their college choices. Juniors are "glad to be only juniors." They still have time to raise their GPAs (grade point averages), improve their portfolios for Junior Review and get a head start on the college admissions process. Submitted by: Carlos Lowery | ||||||||
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School | |||||||||
 
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The Ties That Bind at Madison Park Technical Vocational High SchoolWith a generous grant from Mayor Thomas Menino's Office of Boston After School and Beyond, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School student and staff members launched MP's new Arts and Culture Club in September. Students and staff members of the club meet after school, twice a week, to learn about handcrafts and learn about each other! In the spirit of giving, Arts and Culture Club developed a service project to support those in our community who could use some holiday warmth. With quick fingers and vibrant patterns chosen, this dynamic group got to work: and work they did! Just before vacation, the group presented twenty two hand knit and hand crocheted scarves to the Twelfth Baptist Church as gifts for members of the Greater Roxbury Community whom they so generously serve. Students and staff alike were thrilled to be part of this worthy project and all agreed that they would like to make this an annual collaboration with Twelfth Baptist Church and those who need the warmth of powerful hands that truly make a difference at Madison Park! | ||||||||
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School | |||||||||
Madison Park Students Attend Massport ExpoRecently, students from the Automotive Technology Program at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School (MPTVHS) were invited to attend Massachusetts Port Authority's (Massport) Aviation and Transportation Education Expo at Boston Logan International Airport. Students from MPTVHS visited interactive displays, a wide range of aircraft exhibits, and a variety of informational presentations designed to raise participants' awareness of career opportunities in aviation and other related transportation industries. This annual event is cosponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United Airlines and the Massachusetts Port Authority and is in its thirteenth year of providing career awareness opportunities to Boston Public School students. | |||||||||
Media Communication Technology High School | |||||||||
Reaching Out!The Family Coordinator at the Media School, Huguette Vetiac, has been reaching out to the staff, students, and parents with her own newsletter recently. The purpose of her latest letter was to inform parents about new staff members and new policies at the school. Ms Vetiac interviewed four staff members that are new to the school this year. The information that she received made it possible for the school community to learn about the professional side of the person with a personal flare as well. She asked each person the following questions: What is your title? How many years have you been working with children? What is your reason for working with children and what is your biggest challenge? What is your philosophy of life? The reading audience enjoyed the responses of the new staff and now feel comfortable reaching out to them. The strategy worked as a true icebreaker and will be used again. The newsletter also emphasized two important policies at the school that are being implemented on a daily basis, tardiness and advisories. It is felt at the school that these two policies, if understood well, can make a big difference with student performance and achievement. Just reminding the school community of these important aspects of the school can truly make a difference. | |||||||||
Monument High School | |||||||||
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The Public Safety Internship Program: A Model Program for the Development of School Career Pathway ThemesThe Monument High School Public Safety Internship Program began in 2002 with nine students working at three public safety agencies. Since then, the Boston Police Athletic League (PAL) has provided over $150,000 in funding to support the Public Safety Internship Program at Monument High School. With this continued support from Boston P.A.L., the Public Safety Internship has continued to expand in both size and scope. This year, 45 Monument students currently participate in the Public Safety Internship Program at almost 20 public safety agencies throughout Boston. The Public Safety Internship Program provides Monument High Schools students with after-school paid internships that align with the small school's public safety pathway focus. Through professional work-based learning opportunities, students make essential connections between the classroom and the workplace, develop transferable skills, and experience meaningful mentor relationships with professional adults in the public safety field. Based upon the program's continued growth and success, the Monument High School Public Safety Internship Program operates as a model program for secondary schools' development of their career pathway themes. If you would like to learn more about Monument High School's Public Safety Internship Program, please contact Internship Director, Jonathan Sproul, at jsproul@boston.k12.ma.us. | ||||||||
Edward G. Noonan Business Academy | |||||||||
Math AdvancesNoonan Business Academy (NBA) math teachers have been meeting weekly since September with Professor Stan Dick from the Graduate College of Education at UMass/Boston. Professor Dick instructs teachers how to teach Math. Together, they have been tackling the topic of "college readiness." The group began with a look at data, particularly the results of the Accuplacer test given last year to all juniors and seniors. The group then looked at our curriculum and instruction. The team made two recommendations:
Based on these recommendations, NBA extended the day for all 9th graders, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. The Math Office provided a custom-designed middle school fundamental textbook. The initiative continues with Professor Dick pursuing a grant from UMass/Boston to bring tutors into the Algebra classes to support student learning as the level of difficulty increases. The school's goal is to improve grades in Algebra, improve MCAS scores, improve Accuplacer scores, and, ultimately, increase the number of students who bypass the remedial math courses in college. So far, the results are encouraging. The Math team is excited and enjoys working closely with the college. Attendance has been increasing in the after school program; it is gratifying to see so many students hard at work in Math long after 2:00. Finally, Boston may get another great teacher out of this experiment! One of the Extended Day teachers is a grad student at UMass/Boston and is now pursuing a position with the Boston Teacher Residency program and/or Teach Next Year for 2007-2008. | |||||||||
Edward G. Noonan Business Academy | |||||||||
Recruiting Ninth GradersAt Noonan Business Academy (NBA), we are trying a new tack in student recruitment to spread the word about improved student performance. Historically, the Dorchester schools have been under-selected because of dated negative perceptions. We've seen remarkable gains in the past few years - learning is not interrupted by false alarms, fights are a rarity, and we were #1 in the state last year for MCAS improvements - but the public is still unaware. This year, we decided to bring 8th graders here. As a pilot, we invited 25 students from the Cleveland Middle School to spend the morning at NBA. Our model was the college tours often taken by our seniors: take the students to the campus and let them see for themselves what the school is like. We wanted this be more than a sales pitch, but a useful day for all students, so we promised an interactive workshop where students could explore "How to spot a good high school." We paid for the school bus, 8 pizzas and soda, and gift bags for every guest. Cleveland sent along two chaperones. The day was a huge success. Our NBA students provided guided tours, answered questions, and gave the "inside scoop" on the school. The visitors were inquisitive, seriously interested, and funny at the same time. As they boarded the bus back to the Cleveland, more than one student was heard saying, "I'm going to Noonan." | |||||||||
Parkway Academy of Technology and Health | |||||||||
Extended Day Extends Learning and RelationshipsNinth grade students at Parkway Academy of Technology and Health now participate in an extended day program Monday through Thursdays. Students attend Academic Literacy that is a reading apprenticeship program and MCAS Mathematics preparation classes. The Academic Literacy classes focus on helping students read better in all classes. Students engage in meta-cognitive activities that allow them to make meaning from complex text. The basis of the course is to build upon the strengths that students already have as readers, thus allowing all students to build schemata to make a variety of texts comprehensible. The MCAS Math classes allow students to fine tune their basic skills and practice concepts that are needed for students to be proficient in Math. The average class size is twenty-one students. During the first hour of extended day students engage in this rigorous course work. During the remaining forty-five minutes, students work on homework assignments and receive one-to-one support from teachers and peers. One of the wonderful outcomes of this program is the opportunity for students to bond and support one another academically and emotionally. The extended day program also helps to create a culture where it is socially acceptable and expected for students to do well in school. Another positive outcome from the program is that students get the opportunity to interact with teachers they will have as they progress in their high school career. The students' attendance is excellent and they actually look forward to the additional support. Submitted by Leslie Gant, Assistant Headmaster, Parkway Academy of Technology and Health | |||||||||
Urban Science Academy | |||||||||
Peer Tutoring Program
The USA staff nominated over thirty upper classman for the program that they felt had strong positive relationships with their peers. Twelve applied. The peer tutors are hoping that the younger students will benefit at USA in the following ways, "helping them to gain confidence while learning, supporting them in understanding assignments by presenting the material in different ways, improving their grades, understanding the things they find difficult, catching up on work that has fallen behind, and by providing positive reinforcement." It is USA's hope that the peer tutors will further develop their leadership and teaching skills that will become assets for them in college and in future careers. Submitted by Lin Wilkins | |||||||||
Resource Shelf | |
Ready, Set, Go to CollegeThrough a new media campaign by the Massachusetts Department of Education and the Board of Higher Education, students are encouraged to explore college options. The website http://readysetgotocollege.com provides links to college and financial aid information. The website also has a copy of the new public service announcement, created by a youth advisory group, that encourages students to learn more about college options. Health Careers ExpoStudents in health career pathways will be registering for the March 28, 2007 Health Careers Expo. Students will explore career opportunities and meet professionals and college representatives to learn about careers in:
Teachers and students may download and print the Health Careers Expo flyer [Word] and go to http://www.highschoolrenewal.org/conferences/hecnexpo.asp to REGISTER for the Health Careers Expo. |
On Saturday, October 14, 2006 sixty-seven students and twenty-one faculty members from The English High School's Media and Arts Small Learning Community participated in a freshmen transitional program in order to promote community building. Students and faculty members arrived at school tired and questioning what lay ahead. The forty-five minute bus ride to Project Adventure in Beverly, Massachusetts was filled with nervous chatter for both students and faculty.
The Project Adventure staff first divided students and faculty into equal teams of six. Students and faculty were grouped collectively in order to foster equality. The first half of the day was filled with activities that promoted trust and geared to ensuring that the teams would support each other in the ropes climbing activities. 
Twelve USA students are participating in a peer-tutoring program this year. Each student is required to attend training sessions that are focused on peer tutoring techniques, peer tutoring roles and responsibilities, the habits of strategic readers, and current issues in education. Many of the students in the program are aspiring educators while others just enjoy "giving back". When the students complete their training they are then scheduled to work in the homework center one to two afternoons a week with 9th and/or 10th graders. Tutoring is available in Humanities, Spanish, I and II, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Algebra I, Geometry, and MCAS Prep. The peer tutors meet monthly to discuss and reflect upon their work and to share and expand their peer tutoring techniques.