High School Renewal Newsletter | ||||
Boston Public Schools Office of High School RenewalStudent voice is a strong theme throughout this newsletter. Read about Governor Deval Patrick's visit to East Boston High School to provide an ear for student voices, about BSAC's work on military recruiting practices, and about English High School's in-school television news show. In the Student Writing Gallery, read a selection of student essays and poems. Boston faculty are also speaking on behalf of high schools: on the Resource Shelf read about APS Headmaster Jack Leonard's and UMass professor Lisa Gonsalves' new book New Hope for Urban Schools. After 53 years in the BPS as a student, teacher, and administrator, Barbara Locurto is retiring. We wish her the best and thank her for making a difference in the lives of so many! Congratulations Barbara! Read more: Barbara Locurto Retires | CHESP Scrapbook. High School Renewal wants to thank all the schools that have contributed to the on-line newsletter this past academic year. We have received much positive feedback on the articles and resource shelf. We hope you will again hop on board next year and share the wonderful things that are going on at your school. It is a great platform to give different ideas to different populations. We also want to give special thanks to our student writers. For comments or additional feedback please email Mary Ellen Bower at bowerme@aol.com. We wish you all a restful, safe, productive, and happy summer! We look forward to connecting again in the fall.
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East Boston High School | |||||
Governor Patrick Joins an English Class at East Boston High School
Students wrote personal narratives as a class assignment, producing the highest quality writing of the year. Students, however, thought the assignment pointless, believing no one in power cared about their lives. Asked for an audience that they could write for to make a difference, a student answered simply, "Get the governor in here." Mr. Morse replied with an equally simple, "Okay." Disbelieving students insisted the governor would never come, but the morning of May 25 removed all doubts. After receiving Mr. Morse's invitation letter explaining the situation, Governor Patrick jumped at the opportunity to meet privately with the students. In a media-free event (per the governor's request), Governor Patrick sat with students who shared their goals and views on discrimination, immigration, violence, family struggles, and internal conflicts. Governor Patrick responded personally to each student, probing for ways to improve their lives and giving advice from his own experience. Extending the forum an additional 40 minutes, Governor Patrick continued discussing and searching for how he could best impact the students' lives. Students have since expressed feeling empowered, hopeful, and heard as a result of the governor's visit. The student-centered forum allowed students to recognize the power held in their writing and created a lifelong memory for all involved. | |||||
High School Renewal | |||||
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Articulation Signing Event
The new articulation agreements provide several innovative pathways for students to enter careers offering a livable wage, career advancement, and long-term employment. What is unique about all this? This is the first time that apprenticeship-training programs are partnering with the Boston Public Schools through formal written agreements. Apprenticeship-training programs have always recognized the work of graduates from vocational technical education high schools and, members of apprenticeship training programs have always participated on advisory boards at Madison Park. However, the new articulations give graduates a variety of new incentives including the following:
This is also the first time that Madison Park, Greater Boston Community Colleges, apprenticeship training programs, and employers have signed a common articulation agreement that allows students to move freely between work and education as students' careers develop. Signing Partners:
Participants at the signing event included included Chuck McAfee, Headmaster, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, Michael Contompasis, BPS, Jeffrey Wheeler, Department of Education, Terrence Gomes, President, Roxbury Community College, Suzanne Bump, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, Senator Diane Wilkerson, and Representative Michael Flaherty. If you have any questions regarding the new articulations please contact John Zinkowski at the BPS Office of Career and Technical Education, jzinkowski@boston.k12.ma.us. | ||||
Brighton High School | |||||
Brighton High Heads to NewportThe students in Ms. Johnson's and Ms. Coyle's eleventh grade SLC A English classes headed to Newport, Rhode Island on May 16th. After reading The Great Gatsby in their English classes, the students traveled to see the historical mansions of the Newport Preservation Society to imagine how Gatsby might have lived and picture what one of his famous parties could have looked like. The monstrous mansions of the Vanderbilts provide a very realistic parallel to what the homes of the East and West Eggers could have looked like in the 1920s. The students were so excited as they toured the mansions. "Wow! You could fit like forty people at this dining room table" and "Look at that view! We should have had our prom here" were just some of their comments. Students first took an audio tour of Marble House, which covered everything from daily life at the mansions to the mythology in the art and architecture. Then, they traveled to the largest mansion, The Breakers, where a guide took them through the house and pointed out the highlights. Everyone had a wonderful day and caught a glimpse of what life could have been like in Gatsby's Roaring 1920s. | |||||
Brighton High School | |||||
Brighton High's Bye Bye Birdie
The cast of Brighton High's Spring Musical "Bye Bye Birdie" played to a packed house on Tuesday, April 3rd in the school auditorium. Senior Alex Hoover played a lead role, "Hugo Peabody," and he has this to say about the experience of being in the show. "It was great, we all became like a family because we spent so much time together." He also felt that the experience had a positive impact on his senior year. "I gained the respect of many teachers and friends for being a part of this, and for the courage it takes to get on stage. I worried my friends would make fun of me, but the opposite happened; they were encouraging. This experience I can tell my own children about someday. I learned that you should never be afraid to take on a new challenge. I never thought I would be in a play or musical, especially at school. I have never done anything like this before." The cast practiced nearly everyday after school, for 2 to 4 hours, studying lines, choreography, character behavior, and rehearsing scenes. Many teachers were dedicated to this show, which was directed by Theater teacher Ms. Johnson, Math teacher Ms. Blatz, Speech Therapist Amy Thorne and Literacy Coach Ms. MacDonald. "So many teachers came together to help make this a success. Mr. G and Mr. Rametti helped me with my lines, and he never got frustrated with me," said Alex. The many students and staff who were dedicated to make this musical a success are to be commended. There was so much amazing talent on our stage, and they made Brighton High School proud. In the words of Conrad Birdie himself, senior Darryl Randolph, "if what you feel is true, you make them feel it too." | |||||
BSAC | |||||
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BSAC Opt-Out CampaignBy Demitrus Glover, Community Academy of Science and Health and Adeoye Owolewa, Boston Latin School - Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC) members
When we learned about section 9528 of the so-called "No Child Left Behind" Act of 2001, we found the answer. Section 9528 states: (1) ACCESS TO STUDENT RECRUITING INFORMATION- Notwithstanding section 444(a)(5)(B) of the General Education Provisions Act and except as provided in paragraph (2), each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide, on a request made by military recruiters or an institution of higher education, access to secondary school students names, addresses, and telephone listings. (2) CONSENT- A secondary school student or the parent of the student may request that the student's name, address, and telephone listing described in paragraph (1) not be released without prior written parental consent, and the local educational agency or private school shall notify parents of the option to make a request and shall comply with any request. (3) SAME ACCESS TO STUDENTS- Each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as is provided generally to post secondary educational institutions or to prospective employers of those students. Most students do not know that their personal information is being turned over to the military for the purposes of recruitment. Nor do they know that they have the right to opt-out, by requesting in writing that their names be taken off the list that is submitted. Recognizing that this law unfairly targets public school students, as private schools not receiving federal funds are not subject to NCLB, and that military recruiters are aggressively approaching students to the need for military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, we decided to take action. With a goal of educating 1,000 of our peers and assisting them to opt-out, we went to work in our schools, talking to our peers in homerooms, advisories, in lunchrooms, on the way to and from school. In the end, we far surpassed our goal, collecting 1,332 signed opt-out cards from high schools across Boston. The rally on City Hall Plaza was a celebration of our success, as well as a public witness against the NCLB military recruitment provision. During the rally, the Rt. Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, Episcopal bishop of Massachusetts, praised all the students, saying that while the Democrats and the Republicans and most adults who opposed the war had found it hard to express their opposition, the students had taken direct action and worked hard for real change. Following the rally, thirty-five students walked to 26 Court Street for a meeting with Superintendent Michael Contompasis. During the hour long meeting, we explained to the superintendent our reasons for being involved in the opt-out campaign. The invasion of privacy, the pressure from military recruiters, and the fact that students have no idea that their information is being turned over were common themes. We presented the superintendent with a list of demands regarding notification about NCLB section 9528. The demands were as follows:
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The English High School | |||||
ETV: Lights, Camera, Action!Modeled after a news desk, our anchors, Risa Mckenzie '09, Luis Rivera '07, and Kendra Lara '08, report on school issues and introduce student videos in a lighthearted but edgy fashion. While the format of the show is familiar, the content and tone is unique and refreshing. With the added support from Headmaster Duarte and various generous grants, the Media Lab's technology has been fully updated, giving English High students the opportunity to work with some of the television industry's best equipment. The latest software and equipment in the hands of the senior Executive Production team of Ergy Jean-Baptiste '07, Eric Avalo '07, and Kheron Bethel '07, has brought the quality of the show to such a level of professionalism that it rivals the finest college-level productions. In addition to creating original video content for ETV to broadcast during the morning homeroom period, students have experimented with events coordination, mostly notably: The Clash of the Titans I & II dance contests, The Gavel, which is a student-run disciplinary committee, Peep My Locker in which a worthy student is rewarded with a 'hooked-up' locker, and lastly a Class of 2007 Time Capsule. What started out as an experiment with old video cameras and outdated computers has grown into a cultural force at English High. No longer are staff and students just talking about 'student voice' they are listening and watching it on their homeroom's TV in the morning...and they like what is being said. Please take a look at our students' skills on http://www.youtube.com/medialab1821 or http://www.1821club.com. [Note: some school or office networks don't allow you to view videos, and if so you might view it at home instead.] | |||||
Excel High School | |||||
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Excel High School Students Earn Over $2 Million in College Scholarship60 graduating seniors setting example for future classes The 60 graduating seniors of Excel High School in South Boston to date have earned over $2 million in scholarships and acceptance to over 20 institutions of higher learning. To celebrate the student successes, the staff at Excel has started to post the student's name and college of acceptance in the guidance area every time a new letter comes in to help inspire other students, including those in the earlier grades, to work hard and pursue the path to college. The Excel High School Class of 2007 has earned to date $2,331,400 in total scholarships, including one student who has been offered a total of $594,076. Almost 2/3 of the Class of 2007 have attended Excel High School for all four years of their high school careers, dating back to the inaugural years of Excel operating as one of the small high schools within the South Boston Education Complex. "I am very proud of all my students and the Class of 2007 is no exception," said Excel Headmaster Ligia Noriega. "Every year, the senior class sets higher goals for college acceptances and academic scholarships. This year's seniors have clearly done an excellent job. It is amazing to see how Excel students have developed a true sense of academic purpose, propelling them to extreme success. Because of this class' determination our 9th graders are already looking at their GPAs and extra curricular activities. At Excel we make sure that all our students start thinking about college and careers early on because we want all of our students to not only pursue, but ultimately to fulfill their dreams of an excellent higher education." The guidance counselor and teachers at Excel provide intensive support for students as they work through the college and financial aid application process. All of the work is done before or after school so that classroom time is saved for learning. "The key to the success of our students securing scholarships is that all of the staff here commit themselves to discussing college and post-graduation activities with all of our students early on," said English teacher Blake Barich. "Also, as students have been accepted into more colleges and have received more and more scholarships, underclassmen are witness not only to the efforts of students and staff but also the rewards." The Excel students have been accepted to colleges across the state and across the country including Babson College, Bay Path College, Bennet College, Bentley College, Boston College, Boston University, Emmanuel College, Lassell College, Mt. Ida College, Northeastern University, Regis College, Salem State, Simmons College, Suffolk University, Syracuse University, University of Bridgeport, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Virginia Union University, Virginia Wesleyan University, West Virginia State University, Wheelock College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. | ||||
Fenway High School | |||||
Technology Goes Home (TGH) at Fenway
Here's an opportunity you might find easy to resist, particularly if you were a teenager: 12 weeks of school Tuesday night from 5:45 to 8:15 with your parents. Why are the families in these photos smiling? Because, working together, they successfully completed Technology Goes Home (TGH), an evening program held in 50 schools across Boston this year. The "carrot" that initially attracts families to TGH is the offer of a no down payment, no interest loan on a high-quality computer and printer, at a low price. Families receive their new systems on the evening they "graduate" from TGH. Families also receive a hefty TGH Resource Guide that leads them through lessons on basic computer operations, internet access, email, and Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. One parent studied the Guide every week while riding the bus up from New York City to attend classes! Fenway joined TGH for several reasons. There is, of course, the tangible reward of the computer system for families who otherwise couldn't afford it. Equally important, TGH focuses on building skills that both students and parents can put to immediate use. For example, the internet lesson used the MBTA website to find out how to get around Boston. For students who might be struggling in daytime classes, TGH engendered a new self-confidence that came from going through the program with their parents. "We were both learning at the same time," one student explained. Another, who had a deep fear of speaking out in a group, was able to stand up with his parent to give a "bang-up" PowerPoint presentation. The quote comes from Amy Carrier, who co-taught TGH with another Fenway teacher, Anthony Rhodes. Ms. Carrier enjoyed watching students become teachers and mentors for their parents. In some cases, that mentorship will have financial benefits. "My [parent] was scared to touch computers before. Now [s/he] has one for business," a student reports. The biggest benefit of TGH, however, may have little to do with computers. "I didn't think I was going to get anything out of TGH," a computer-savvy student admitted. "But I learned a lot, and I got to see my [parent] every week." At home, teenagers and parents rarely spend time alone together, and that time may be contentious. There was some friction in Fenway's computer labs over the 12 weeks, but it got worked out. For families of seniors especially, the chance to work and learn side by side was precious. | |||||
High School Renewal | |||||
Honored as Service-Learning LeadersOn April 30th , two Boston educators received Community Service-Learning Leader Awards at the Massachusetts Annual Statewide Community Service-Learning Conference at Holy Cross College. English High's Science and Media Teacher Sue Mortensen was the first of four Massachusetts teachers to be recognized. Presenting a plaque to Mortensen, Alan Melchior, Deputy Director at the Center for Youth and Communities, Brandeis University, cited her "outstanding commitment to service-learning as a teaching methodology." Barbara Locurto, IMPACT II Director @ High School Renewal, received the CSL Coordinator/Curriculum Leader Award from Julie Bartsch, the Co-Chair, Community Service-Learning Advisory Council to the Board of Education She described Locurto as one of the early "champions of CSL." She recalled Barbara's legendary Saturday Service-Learning Conferences attended by hundreds of Boston Teachers and Community Partners. Following the Award Ceremony, a Boston team of teachers presented at a well-attended workshop. TREASURE (Teacher REsources And SUpport for Real-world Education) lived up to IMPACT II's motto, "Take an idea and go creative." Media Communications Technology High's Maggie Hoyt, King Middle School's Sarah Johnson, Trotter Elementary School's Charlotte McCullough, and Sue Mortensen shared materials, ideas, and images of service-learning projects. Locurto's PowerPoint traced the history of more than a thousand pages from Boston TeachNet http://www.bostonteachnet.org/ the Service-Learning web site designed by and for teachers. It also illustrated how four years of a CHESP (Community Higher Education School Partnerships) grant, made possible by Learn and Serve America and the Massachusetts Department of Education, supports teachers and students who serve with partners like Boston Women's Heritage Trail and Tufts University's Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. These teachers' handouts, display boards, video, computer slide show, and most of all, enthusiasm impressed workshop participants that Boston educators lead the way in Service-Learning. | |||||
Josiah Quincy Upper School | |||||
The Quincy Upper School Debate TeamThe JQUS Debate team has made its presence this year. In March the team participated in the fourth tournament of the Boston Urban Debate League which was held at the Academy of Public Service in Dorchester. The team consisted of four members, Alexander Chan, Christopher Gray, Jason Lam, and Jack Trieu. Noah Kaufman and Amanda Hahnel, Tufts University students, coached the team. Mr. Richard Chang served as the faculty advisor. Christopher Gray and Jack Trieu, seniors, and Alexander Chan, junior, came away with several team and individual awards. Jack Trieu captured the first place Varsity Team Award while Christopher Gray and Alexander Chan placed second. Team members also won several individual speaker awards. Christopher was the "gold medal" winner, Jack placed fourth; and Alexander finished fifth.
Besides the first place team victory, Jason Lam won a 4th place Varsity individual award and Jack and Jason shared the JQUS Spirit of Boston Award for teamwork. At this competition, Jason and Jack were asked to take the negative position on the proposal to establish a medical peace corps. Mindful that debaters often are required to argue on behalf of a position with which they may disagree, we offer the following points made by Jason and Jack in opposition to this proposal:
The issue isn't whether you agree with the arguments posited by Jack and Jason. We present them only to point out Jason and Jack's intelligence and skillfulness in being able to come up virtually on the spot with articulate arguments on either side of the proposal. The JQUS debating team has a lot to be proud of this year. | |||||
Grade 8 Essay Contest Winner
For some fortunate students the choice of subject for their essay may have been difficult, but for Taliya Woolfork, a student in Ms. Chu's grade 8 class, the choice was easy. Taliya knew that there was one special person in her life who shined above all others in the courage and perseverance that she has displayed throughout her life - her grandmother, Varian Woolfork. Taliya worked hard on her essay to insure that its readers would grasp what it took for her wonderful grandmother whom she admires so much and holds in such high esteem to persevere in life. Taliya also wanted to insure that the readers of her essay would grasp the importance and meaning of Mrs. Woolfork's life for her granddaughter. Almost 200 essays were submitted for consideration and Taliya was awarded first place. Taliya Woolfork received her Perseverance Award at a ceremony sponsored by the Boston Women's Heritage Trail and the BPS in March at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School. Mrs. Varian Woolfork herself was also given a Perseverance Award. This was a proud moment for both Taliya and her grandmother. It was also a proud moment for Ms. Pamela Chu, Taliya's English Language Arts teacher, who had encouraged and guided her students to prepare essays for this contest. Ms. Chu clearly was successful in these efforts as other students in her class received honorable mentions. They included Avernelle Callender, Tyler DeLoach, Samantha Huang, May Lam, Lily Mei, Vivian Tang, and Helen Wu. | |||||
JQUS Student To Become a Harvard ScholarMr. Steven Watson, English teacher, reports that one of his students, Ana Delgado, Class of 2010, has been accepted to the Crimson Summer Academy. Mr. Watson has excerpted for us the following program description from the Academy's website: "The Crimson Summer Academy is an exciting and innovative program for motivated high school students with a passion for learning and a desire to excel. Over the course of three consecutive summers, 30 students recruited from public and parochial schools in Boston and Cambridge engage in a stimulating mix of classes, projects, field trips and recreational activities as they prepare for success in college and beyond. Through small group instruction, sustained support, and close mentor relationships with Harvard students, the Academy seeks to encourage high school students to expand their vision of what's possible as they prepare to become viable candidates for admission to a range of challenging four-year colleges and universities." Mr. Watson, an instructor at the Crimson Summer Academy, states that the Academy "may just be the finest college preparatory program available for low-income students in Boston". By attending this challenging program at Harvard, Ana will be considered a young Harvard scholar, and as is the case with postage stamps, her academic value as a student is sure to increase with time. | |||||
| Eighth Grade Band Competes at MICCA FestivalThe JQUS band, under the direction of Mr. Ben Das, music teacher, was one of only three Boston schools competing at the MICCA (Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association) Concert Festival in March. The band for this concert was made up solely of grade 8 students. The concert was held at Hopkinton High School. Mr. Das reports that this event was a wonderful experience for these young performers. It is important to note that these players are relatively new to their instruments and have been playing them for less than two years. For this reason they deserve special commendation for entering the competition against bands with much more experienced players. The band received a Medal of Merit, which in light of their limited experience, is, in the words of Mr. Das, "as good as gold." | ||||
| JQUS Music Teacher Ben Das HonoredMr. Ben Das, JQUS music director, and the Josiah Quincy Upper School were honored on stage at opening night of the Boston POPS. Keith Lockhart presented to Mr. Das with Fidelity Investment's Inspire the Future Award for "his dedication to enriching children's lives through music." Mr. Das is quoted as being inspired by his experiential finding that "students of diverse backgrounds can work together to create something that has no boundaries." Dr. Wong and the JQUS were also recognized for offering students in grades 7 and 8 a five day a week music program testament to the JQUS's recognition of the importance of the arts as part of the total learning experience. Mr. Das's award was highlighted on the back cover of the night's program indicating the prominence of this award and its esteemed nature. As a result of this award, Fidelity Investments will present a cash award of $10,000 to the school to be used in support of our music program. We thank Fidelity Investments for their substantial contribution. | ||||
| Award to JQUS Teacher Melanie SmithWe are proud to announce that Ms. Melanie Smith from the Quincy Upper School was honored by Lesley University with the William Dandridge Educators Book Award for teaching, dedication to urban education, teacher leadership, and academic standing. Dr. Dandridge, who currently is Director of Urban Initiatives at Lesley University, served as a Deputy Superintendent for the Boston Public Schools some years ago. Ms. Smith sees this award as not only honoring her personally but also as a testament to the mentors who have supported her during her teaching career. We congratulate Melanie Smith on receiving this special award. | ||||
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School | |||||
| Certified Nursing Assistants Celebrate Senior AwardsAt a formal ceremony held at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, senior Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) gathered to applaud their instructors and each other. The seniors, along with Nursing Instructors Ginny Donnelly and Michele McAfee, are pictured above. CNA students must complete a comprehensive nursing curriculum while preparing for the rigorous Commonwealth of Massachusetts Certified Nursing Assistant exam which is administered in the Health and Human Service Academy's simulated hospital room. In addition, students must complete their clinical rotation under the close supervision of their instructors and staff at a local long term care facility in West Roxbury. The majority of students will pursue post secondary education in the field of nursing at Salem State College, Roxbury Community College or Bunker Hill while others will delay attending school for a year and work full time as CNAs in the Boston area. For more information about the Certified Nursing Assistant Program at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, please contact Health and Human Services Director, Debra Fox at dfox@boston.k12.ma.us or visit our website: http://www.madisonparktechvoc.org. | ||||
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School | |||||
| PIC Achiever AwardAt the Private Industry Council's (PIC) Annual Meeting at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School Job Development Coordinator Doreen Harris was recognized as a PIC Achiever. Along with sixteen other members of the Boston education, business and non profit communities, Ms. Harris was applauded for her tireless work preparing Madison Park students for co-operative work placements, internships and clinical rotations. For more information about Job Development at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, please contact Doreen Harris at dharris@boston.k12.ma.us or visit the web site at http://www.madisonparktecvoc.org. | ||||
Noonan Business Academy and Academy of Public Service | |||||
Health and Exercise MentorsA project between the University of Massachusetts, the Department of Health and Exercise Science, the Office of High School Renewal and two of our new small high schools is currently underway. High school students are being trained to mentor younger children on the benefits of exercise and wellness. UMass is undertaking this program to study the impact of wellness on the health and well-being of inner city children. The high school students will go through a summer program in exercise and conditioning while they learn how to instruct other kids. The preliminary training has included an intensive Red Cross program in First Aid, CPR, AED and Sports Injury Prevention. In addition students participated in career readiness workshops; they are learning Personal Life Coaching and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. This program is being offered to our most at-risk high school students, based simply on their desire to participate. Those that maintained appropriate work readiness skills, including punctuality, good work skills and willingness to learn, completed the pre-placement program. Each student grew in the program and thirteen completed part or all of the Red Cross training. The students grew and met higher expectations. All of the students from the initial group will receive employment placement services and eight will enter the GoKids program at UMASS. | |||||
Noonan Business Academy | |||||
Noonan Students Speak about Financial LiteracyThree students from the Noonan Business Academy recently provided expert testimony to the Joint Education Committee of the Massachusetts Legislature on a proposed bill that would mandate financial literacy education for all Massachusetts school children. Citing the rise in foreclosures, especially in their communities, students explained how, at their school, they learned how to evaluate a mortgage offer and determine its feasibility for a family. All three students are heading off to college and they spoke about the need for students to understand the financial aid process, especially loans. They also shared their concerns about students getting solicited for credit cards the minute they walk on a college campus. Students took full responsibility for preparing and presenting to the Committee. Before the legislative hearing, each student also went to their local Representative's and State Senators' offices for their community to talk about the program. Early feedback from one of the bill's sponsors is that our BPS students played a major role in helping the bill advance to the next stage of consideration. | |||||
Student Writing | |||||
Gallery of Student WritingLooking for inspiration? Enjoy this gallery of student writing from Charlestown High School and Excel High School. [Click on each link to view in the gallery or right click to open any piece in a new window.] College Essay | Death Penalty or Life Imprisonment? | Techno Morality | Free With Blood | Genocide in Darfur | Gossip | I Know That You Don't Feel For Me | I'm Done | Leaving | Me and The Sky | Moving | POEM | Running With No Place to Go | Stay Strong | The Unexpected | What I Fear Most…Me | When I'm With You | Illustration by Alantis Perkins, APS Student | |||||
Resource Shelf | ||
Book by BPS Headmaster Jack Leonard and UMass Professor Lisa Gonsalves Looks at High School Reform
Jack Leonard and Lisa Gonsalves look back over 60 years of history at the former Dorchester High School, a chronically troubled school noted for violence, low test scores and one of the highest dropout rates in the Commonwealth. By studying the high school history in the context of city politics, School Committee decisions and community relationships, they develop a case for a new approach to high school change efforts called "cultural reform." Dorchester High faced trends, policies, and challenges similar to those of high schools all over the country, so the lessons learned there should be instructive for urban high schools across America. Gonsalves and Leonard give special emphasis to the community partnerships and relationships surrounding Dorchester High School. The book-writing project itself is a living example of the community partnerships addressed in the book. LISA GONSALVES is Assistant Professor at the Graduate College of Education, University of Massachusetts Boston. In 2006, she served on the Boston Public Schools Superintendent Search Committee. JACK LEONARD has worked at Dorchester since 1996 and became Headmaster of Noonan Business Academy at the restructured high school in 2003. The book can be seen at http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/C9165.aspx. | ||
