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March 2005 News | ||||
Superintendent Payzant Announces Selection of Headmasters of New Small High Schools
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Office of High School Renewal | ||||
  | Boston Public Schools High School Renewal Visitor ProgramIn Boston, we are very excited about our high school renewal initiative and welcome colleagues from across the country who want to visit and exchange ideas. In the past few years, our high schools have hosted many visitors from other school districts who are interested in learning how Boston has partnered with Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support the creation of small, dynamic learning environments that promote student engagement, positive relationships among adults and students, and a love of learning. This year, in order to maximize the benefits of these visits for both visitors and for our hosting schools, and in order to manage the increased number of requests for visits, we offered three two-day Visitor Program dates. Each two-day visit includes school visits and a planning session with staff from the Office of High School Renewal, Boston Public Schools, Boston Plan for Excellence, Center for Collaborative Education, Jobs for the Future, Boston Private Industry Council and Rachel Poliner an independent educational consultant. We hosted 37 educators from Florida, Indiana, Oregon, and Texas in January who noted that the program was "informative, an "eye opener" for what lies ahead for us" and "enlightening, motivating, encouraging." In February 41 visitors, some from the same schools as the January visitors, found the "big picture" presentation a valuable way to learn about the "why's & how's" of small schools. On March 21 and 22, 61 visitors from England, California, Illinois, Indiana, and Texas will visit to bring back information and ideas to their schools. On Thursday, April 7th, the Visitor Program will conduct Learning Walks for members of the Boston community. The agenda includes a welcome and orientation at the Office of High School Renewal, 7:30 to 8:30, school visits from 9:00 to 11:00 and a debriefing luncheon with High School Renewal partners from 11:30 to 1:00. For more information or to register contact: | |||
Brighton High School / National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) | ||||
NFTE Teacher of the YearMonica Smalls of Brighton High School was selected as one of the fifteen NFTE (National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship) Master Certified Entrepreneurship Teachers of the Year for 2005. Monica was chosen from a pool of dozens of international applicants. She and other award winners will be honored at NFTE’s annual gala celebration, The 11th Annual Salute to the Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards Dinner, Tuesday, April 26, 2005 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. As a winner, Ms. Smalls will receive an award of $1,000 and a commemorative plaque. In addition, she will receive a scholarship to NFTE’s Advanced Teacher Forum, an advanced concepts professional development seminar that will be held in New York City at Columbia Business School from June 26-29, 2005. | ||||
East Boston High School | ||||
East Boston High School UpdateThe East Boston High School community has been extremely busy lately planning for accreditation and high school restructuring into small learning communities for next year. Several other activities took place this past quarter. On February 10, the annual science fair was held in room 142. The projects were thorough, informative and creative. Students showed a mastery of science principles and experimentation.
The annual Job Shadow Day was held on February 2, 2005. This year, sixty students all dressed for success, went out to various hotels and hospitals in the Boston area. Twenty students visited various departments at MGH including, pharmacy, nursing, histology, the burn unit. Several other students went to the Harborside Hyatt at Boston's Logan International Airport, the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, and the Colonnade Hotel in Boston. The feedback was positive and there was a 100% attendance. On February 16th , Herman Banks, from Roxbury Community College, along with John Zinkowski from Tech Prep visited the seniors at EBHS. The session was followed by a field trip to the Roxbury Community College Technology Fair on February 17th. Also on February 17th, fifty students attended a field trip to UMASS Boston to kick-off a new mentoring program for at-risk students. A trip to Bunker Hill Community College is planned for March 9th, Both the Chelsea and Charlestown campuses will be visited to learn about health career programs offered. | ||||
Economics and Business Academy | ||||
Spirit WeekIn an ongoing effort to build the culture of the school and to give it an individual identity, the Youth Organizers of Teen Empowerment organized a spirit week of sorts, colloquially called "We be EBA!" Each day of the week before February vacation was marked by a theme: Monday (Valentine's Day) was twin day and red/white/pink. Tuesday was hat day and the students, usually prohibited from wearing hats of any kind, freely wore hats representing local sports teams, Sponge Bob Squarepants, skullcaps and brimmed berets. Wednesday was EBA colors day, which reminded old Dorchester High alum (some of the juniors and seniors) that EBA has its own mascot colors apart from DEC's red, black and white. Thursday was heritage day where students wore flags from their heritage country. There were flags and representations from Haiti, Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Grenada, Jamaica, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Africa. Friday was the culminating "We be EBA" talent show. The Youth Organizers performed role-plays that reenacted everyday scenes from a day in the life at EBA. Other students were invited to perform as well. There were several rap performances and two a cappella songs. The Modern Dance students performed a routine and the football cheerleaders did one of the dances they competed with at the Bel Biv Devoe Show Down competition at the Reggie Lewis Center in November. There were also spoken word poems and speeches regarding racism and culture in light of Black History month and an acoustic guitar medley by David Belcourt, Student Development Advisor. The objective of We be EBA! was not just to promote school spirit, however. The role-plays and spoken word pieces were meant to open the dialogue for students to discuss the problematic issues they fact in school and in the community. They talked about violence, cultural differences and discrimination with the goal of "bringing unity to the students and to help them be happy to find their identity" remarked Richard Wiley, one of the Youth Organizers. Minh Thach added "one of our goals was to make people proud to go to EBA." | ||||
Josiah Quincy Upper School | ||||
 | JQUS Joint French ProgramThis past fall, students at Josiah Quincy Upper School (JQUS), in collaboration with The Cloud Foundation, participated in a week-long program of activities with Les Bergers, a teen drama troupe from Paris, France. The participating students from JQUS, who are studying French with Ms. Kerri O'Keeffe, had the opportunity to use their language skills in real life situations with native speakers. Both French language and Francophone culture are stressed at JQUS; thus students were able to learn about French and Maghrebine culture since many of the students were of North African origin. The two groups met for a tour of the high school and a roundtable discussion, and then visited Chinatown with Student Services Coordinator, Ms. Agatha Tong and Ms. O'Keeffe, who served as translator These events provided a rich bi-cultural, bilingual experience for both groups of students. Warmth of spirit and a true sense of friendship were apparent, even in that first afternoon that the groups met. The following evening, JQUS students were treated to an arts showcase of dance and theater by their French counterparts, and the week culminated with an evening of festivities in Salem where JQUS shared their Halloween celebration with the French students. The French students really enjoyed their visit to JQUS, and when asked about it by the Boston Herald, one student remarked about the school, "There was a chemistry between teachers and students that is different from Ivry (the neighborhood outside Paris where the students attend high school)." A JQUS student noted, "In so many ways they are just like us. They like the same movies and music and clothing and they are so friendly and accepting of us." The two groups have maintained contact through letters and email and the JQUS students hope to visit Paris next spring and meet up with Les Bergers in their city, to experience French urban life and culture for themselves. In addition to the program with Les Bergers, students studying French at JQUS have also been part of At the Crossroads of Cultural Identity at The French Library, a French linguistic and cultural program that includes students from four Boston Public Schools. The students come together to improve literacy skills in English and French, promote leadership skills, and to strengthen the connections among schools. Students have attended lectures, films and a program at the Museum of Fine Arts. This month they will attend the opera The Little Prince and in March they will perform at the French celebration, La Semaine de le Francophonie, at the Boston Public Library, a festival hosted by The French Consulate. In this way, JQUS hopes to provide its students with authentic world language experiences to enhance its curriculum and to strengthen its mission of preparing students to live in a pluralistic and global society. | |||
Josiah Quincy Upper School | ||||
Science Fair WinnersThe Josiah Quincy Upper School (JQUS) was honored to welcome to the school on February 11, 2005, three illustrious scientists to serve as judges in the Josiah Quincy Upper School's Second Annual Science Fair. Their job was not an easy one as JQUS student exhibitors presented a variety of imaginative, well-designed and distinctive science exhibits. Joining us as judges were Estela A. Balmaceda, Ph. D., originally from the Philippines and currently on the faculty at M.I.T. in the Department of Biomaterials Engineering and Chemical Engineering; Dae-Sung Choi, Ph.D. from Korea, a specialist in cell biology and toxicology at M.I.T. and a United Nations Weapons Inspector since 1991; and Alina Grigorescu, Ph.D. from Rumania and a molecular biologist at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. The judges could not have helped but to be highly impressed with the depth and rigor of the empirical research conducted by 34 JQUS talented high school students. The task of the judges was not an easy one, as it was evident to them that the exhibits represented the culmination of serious and at times complicated scientific research. But they were invited to the school to choose winners, and as hard as this may have been for them, they fulfilled their responsibility by selecting the following winners in the science fair:
We congratulate these students and commend them for their efforts. Their achievements are noteworthy, and their accomplishments as well as those of all the students that participated in the science fair are testament to the seriousness of purpose they bring to the learning process. A listing of all exhibits is found below. Ms. June Li, science teacher organized and coordinated the JQUS Science Fair. The range and quality of the exhibits as indicated by the comments of the judges and the listing that follows testifies to the strength of the Quincy Upper School's science program, which continues to evolve to meet contemporary requirements. We are pleased to recognize those students that exhibited science projects. Topics include: Lenses * Effect of Drugs and Alcohol on Babies * Bubbles * Mice and Their Habitual Reactions * Passive Transport in Carnations * The Physics of Curve Balls * Recycling Paper * Star Genealogy * Aloe Vera * Car Safety * Water Purification: Built Filter vs. Brita Filter * Electrolysis * Alternative Car Power * Which Substance Melts Ice the Fastest? * Recycled Paper * Aroma Therapy * Test Tube Baby * Evaluating Shampoo * Crystals * Comparison of Smoking and Alcohol * Crystals * What Stimulates Aggressive Behavior in Fish? * Acid Rain | ||||
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School | ||||
Livin' Fit Video Conference at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School
Livin' Fit was sponsored by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and demonstrated the Foundation's continued commitment to empowering young people to live a healthy lifestyle. Students had an opportunity to ask questions of the three participants who were panelists at Madison Park, Blackstone Valley and Revere High School. At Madison Park, Brandy Cruthird, championship college athlete, teacher at the Quincy Upper School and owner of Body by Brandy Studio in Roxbury, urged all participants to make healthy lifestyle choices and to commit to balancing nutrition, exercise and sleep to insure they will continue their commitment to Livin' Fit! To learn more about Livin' Fit and how you can commit to a healthier lifestyle, log on to http://www.livinfit.com. | ||||
Monument High School | ||||
  | Monument High School's Public Safety Internship UpdateMayor Thomas Menino, BPS Superintendent Thomas Payzant, Monument High School's Headmaster Jonathan Pizzi, and public safety partner officials recently presented a $30,000 check to the Boston Police Activities League from Nextel Communications. Since most public safety locations are government funded, they are unable to hire high school students or fund programs. However, this unique corporate partnership allows Monument High School the ability to provide its students with after-school, paid internships that develop interest in the school's public safety pathway theme. Currently, 25 Monument High School students have internships 2 times per week at locations such as the Boston Police Department, Boston Fire Department, Boston EMS, Boston Park Rangers, United States Coast Guard, South Boston Trial Court, Northeastern College of Criminal Justice and Discovering Justice. In addition to the workplace internship, interns manage school-based projects one day per week. For example, in partnership with Girls Learn International, Inc., a group of students adopted a partner classroom at the Nasra School in Pakistan. Interns have participated in a variety of educational, communication, fundraising, advocacy and outreach projects on behalf of the Nasra School and global public safety education. The Monument High School Public Safety Internship Program was also awarded a grant from Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). As part of this initiative, the interns completed public safety road-side surveys and in response to the data collected developed their own public safety message about the importance of avoiding cell-phone use while driving. For more information about the Monument High School Public Safety Internship Program, please contact Program Director: Jonathan Sproul at jsproul@boston.k12.ma.us or (617) 635-9865. | |||
WriteBoston | ||||
 | Searching for Justice"She couldn't defend herself and there was no one there to help her. We did what we could by calling the police and I think this shows that the community cares for the community." James Romikitis, a senior at Monument High School in South Boston, began a reading of student essays at an assembly on February 10th with this meditation on justice. Romikitis' essay, an account of his decision to intervene in an instance of domestic violence by calling 911, was one of many submitted to the WriteBoston writing event by Monument and Odyssey High School students at the South Boston Educational Complex. Students at both schools were asked to write essays in response to the question, What is Justice? In addition to Monument and Odyssey headmasters, teachers, and students, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and WriteBoston staff attended the assembly. Menino spoke to students before the reading, stressing the importance of writing and noting that it is a skill employers regularly refer to as vital to job effectiveness. Menino also emphasized the importance of education in furthering each student's future. WriteBoston, founded by Menino, is a citywide initiative that mobilizes schools, families and community agencies to improve writing proficiency among Boston high school students. Betty Southwick, Executive Director of WriteBoston, said of the assembly, "WriteBoston is committed to promoting writing in the public high schools in Boston. The Mayor's visit and the student essays provided a venue where student writers could be celebrated and encouraged to write. Hopefully, more students will understand that writing gives them a voice in their community and the broader world." "I'm glad I did it," Romikitis said of his choice to read his essay at the assembly. "It set examples for people to say what they feel. I learned that everyone's point of view about justice is different. I saw that sometimes people find justice and sometimes they don't." Several student readers chose to define justice by recounting personal struggles that brought them face to face with the presence or absence of justice in their lives. In all, six students read powerful, personal essays which silenced the auditorium and brought tears to many eyes. WriteBoston Writing Coach Michael Richman helped coordinate the event with the support of Monument English teachers Lindy Johnson and Anne Severson and Odyssey English teacher Thelma Davis. Michael Cameron, a senior at Odyssey, read an essay about his experience witnessing a confrontation which ended when his acquaintance was stabbed eight times. Cameron chose to stay out of the conflict when asked if he would assist in avenging the attack. As he noted in his essay, "My decision to remain nonviolent was based on my always being told by people who love me that violence is not the answer. My choice to live a peaceful existence is justice to me." Anne Severson, a Monument High School teacher whose seniors wrote essays for the event, said, "We spent several weeks talking about issues of justice. The kids started with issues that were close to home and moved into thinking about justice from someone else's perspective. Ultimately this became a lesson in compassion." Indeed, the personal nature of many essays inspired the caring audience to create a compassionate environment during the reading. When one student, Carineh Lovelace, was overwhelmed for a moment before reading her essay, many in the audience cheered her on. Students shouted, "Come on, Carineh! You can do it!" Lovelace then delivered a compelling reading of her work. Her essay, about the wrongful death of a close friend, was among the most powerful. Virginia Ordway-Macrina, Headmaster of Odyssey High School, said of the assembly, "I was impressed by the seriousness of the topics the students chose to write about. It was a way for the contributing students to validate cases of injustice they have experienced. The fact that many of the students came from different ethnic backgrounds demonstrated to them that injustice is a worldwide problem and not a parochial one. I would like to see programs such as this expanded so more students could have the opportunity to exercise their voice." | |||
Resource Shelf | |
National Foundation for Teaching EntrepreneurshipRead about Boston students' participation in National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) programs in The High School Graduate. Go to http://thehighschoolgraduate.com/editorial/BO/entrepreneur.htm. For more information about NFTE visit http://www.nfte.com. Visitor Program MaterialsSelected materials from the High School Renewal Visitor Program, including Powerpoint(TM) presentations, handouts, etc. are available online on our Bulletin Board. Click on Visitor Program materials. Readings on High School RenewalNational Governors' Association Summit Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation High School Renewal in Boston |
Students at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School were chosen by media powerhouse, The Rendon Group, to participate in a live video conference with students from three other Massachusetts high schools. Students in T.V. Production worked with The Rendon Group to lay the groundwork for this significant event.