High School Renewal Newsletter
November 2004

Boston's Portfolio of Small Schools and Small Learning Communities Grows

Welcome to the November 2004 High School Renewal Newsletter. This month's newsletter brings news and updates from high schools around the city. At the recent school committee meeting, the superintendent unveiled recommendations for seven new schools to open in 2005 at Hyde Park and West Roxbury High Schools. This fall, Burke High School and Charlestown High School have launched new small learning communities. Also this fall, Boston Evening Academy has grown to Boston Day and Evening Academy, a pilot school with both day and evening classes to meet the needs of older students. These schools add to the growing portfolio of small schools and small learning communities for Boston high school students (see full story below).

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 Linda Younis at lyounis@boston.k12.ma.us.

June 2004 Newsletter October 2004 Newsletter Index of Past Articles

 New Schools: Coming in 2005: Seven New Small Schools
 Academy of Public Service: APS Announces New Courses for 2004-2005.
 Boston Arts Academy: BAA Starts Seventh Year
 Boston Student Advisory Council: News from BSAC
 Brighton High School: Visitation Day for Brighton High School Students
 Burke High School: Small Learning Communities at J.E. Burke
 Charlestown High School: Small Learning Communities at Charlestown High School
 Charlestown High School: English Language Learners Visit Topsfield Fair
 East Boston High School: East Boston Students Participate in Health Care Career Day
 Economics and Business Academy: EBA Business Club
 Health Education & Careers Network: Coaching and HECN - What's So Unique About This Model
 IMPACT II: IMPACT II @ High School Renewal Engages Students as Active Citizens
 Madison Park Technical Vocational High School: Dr David Maron Volunteers at Madison Park
 Madison Park Technical Vocational High School: Massachusetts AFL/CIO President Bob Haynes is Madison Park Technical Vocational High School's Principal For A Day
 Quincy Upper School:  Presidential Debate Comes to the Josiah Quincy Upper School
 Resource Shelf: Visitor Program, BSAC Website, College Fair

New Schools

Coming in 2005: Seven New Small Schools

At the November 10, 2004 Boston School Committee meeting, Superintendent Thomas Payzant and Special Assistant to the Superintendent for High School Renewal Kathi Mullin announced recommendations for the seven new small schools that will open at West Roxbury and Hyde Park High Schools in Fall 2005.

The design process has been exciting. In June, teachers, students, parents and community partners came together to propose concepts for new schools and to form design teams. Over the summer, these design teams worked intensively to develop these concepts, and submitted their proposals this fall to the Office of High School Renewal and the Office of the Superintendent. The seven new schools include:

Hyde Park
  Social Justice Academy
  Engineering Academy
  Community Academy of Science and Health

West Roxbury
  Parkway Academy of Technology and Health
  Media Communications Technology High School
  Urban Science Academy
  Brook Farm Business and Service Career Academy

The proposals for the seven new schools will be formally voted on by the school committee next week. The school committee is also going to vote on proposed changes to the graduation policy, which would allow students three to five years to complete high school rather than the standard four.

In the past few years, new small schools and small learning communities have opened around the city:

Excerpts from HSR Timeline

For more information about these schools and their history, see the High School Renewal Timeline and visit our School Profiles.

Academy of Public Service

APS Announces New Courses for 2004-2005.

At Dorchester Educational Complex, the Academy of Public Service (APS) is now in its second year. The Academy of Public Service offers a comprehensive four year curriculum for 9th through 12th graders which was initially designed by the National Academy Foundation, the National Career Academy Coalition and the faculty of the Academy of Public Service. This year's new course offerings are:

• Technology Literacy (9th grade)
• Honors English 10 & 11 (10th and 11th grades)
• African American Studies (10th grade)
• Law & Justice (11th grade)
• International Relations (11th grade)
• Personal Finance (12th grade)
• Senior Math Seminar (12th grade)
• Video I (12th grade)

From APS Update

Boston Arts Academy

BAA Starts Seventh Year

We start our seventh year at Boston Arts Academy with a revised mission statement, the result of hard work by our Board, parents, students, and faculty. We haven't changed many words from our original mission statement, but we have sharpened our focus.

Here's the mission we agreed on:

The Boston Arts Academy, a pilot school within the Boston Public Schools, is charged with being a laboratory and a beacon for artistic and academic innovation. The Boston Arts Academy prepares a diverse community of aspiring artist-scholars to be successful in their college or professional careers and to be engaged members of a democratic society.

The first sentence acknowledges the role we have played - and will continue to play - in the larger education reform movement. We work with other schools, both in Boston and beyond, to share successful practices (and the lessons learned from not so successful ones). Our first Summer Institute this year brought together 35 educators from around the nation to learn from our experience, including our autonomies as a Pilot School in governance, budgeting, curriculum design, scheduling, and hiring.

We continue to expand and deepen our curriculum in both artistic and academic domains. In math, for example, we are piloting a curriculum that incorporates elements of design. In science, we are teaching engineering for the first time. We continue to examine ways in which artistic and creative endeavors are linked to one another and to academic pursuits. Because of this, many of our teachers teach outside their primary certification area. All of us teach reading and writing. Our students and parents realize that an education at Boston Arts Academy is not a traditional one.

The second sentence of the statement underscores the dual nature of our school. The words "artist" and "scholar" are connected by a hyphen (not a slash, which would mean "or") because they stand not in opposition to one another but, rather, linked intimately. In their final year at BAA, students explore, through a senior project that connects to the community, how an artist-scholar creates and contributes in a democratic society.

Engagement and democracy are, for us, the bottom line. Our world is increasingly fragile; our communities are besieged by violence, poverty, and unemployment, yet we send our poor out to die in faraway lands. How can the arts help us to confront, understand, and change the powerful social forces that lead to inequity, intolerance, and the destruction of culture and human lives? From our mission statement we derive our schoolwide goals. This year they are:

• To create a culture of excellence by cultivating seriousness of purpose
• To increase our students' access to critical conversations by supporting their functional and cultural literacy.

Seriousness of purpose in all our classrooms remains a primary goal. Sometimes students think this means they have to be "serious," as in grim or unsmiling. But we refer here to commitment and passion-to work hard in class, in rehearsals, on homework. We strive to create a culture where all students regardless of disability, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or linguistic background work together to produce excellent artistic and academic work.

Our second goal is about having sometimes difficult or uncomfortable conversations about race or gender that will help us understand one another better and increase our capacity to function in a diverse world. Functional literacy refers to the ability to read and discuss complicated texts; cultural literacy includes the ability to understand those texts from the perspective of culture and to connect that understanding across communities and cultures different and larger than our own.

As the year commences we want to continue to debate our mission statement and challenge ourselves to keep it our minds in all that we do. We will also track progress on our schoolwide goals; we hope all the members of our community will participate in that endeavor. Our faculty write their professional development plans in relation to these goals; in each classroom students discuss what these goals mean to them personally. It is in creating these long-term plans and this search for personal meaning that we do our most important work.

Linda Nathan, Headmaster
Boston Arts Academy

Boston Student Advisory Council

News from BSAC

BSAC student leaders have enjoyed a full September and October agenda as they organized an Election 2004 event and hosted Voter Registration Drives at twelve BPS high schools. This year, monthly meetings have evolved into bi-monthly meetings, usually held at the Office of High School Renewal.

In October, BSAC students prepared for addressing school issues by conducting a Mock School Committee Meeting at 26 Court Street. Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Chris Coxon and School Committee Secretary Laurie Ciardi advised how BSAC sub committees can respond to current issues. BSAC members are preparing to research and report on the conversion of large high schools into small schools or small learning communities, MCAS support, characteristics of Quality Schools, and before/after school funding also known as Supplemental Education Services.

Watch for more on these topics as BSAC students contribute to T.i.P. (Teens in Print), the citywide newspaper created for BPS high school students, and develop student opinion reports for the School Committee. Meanwhile, IMPACT II at HSR looks forward to BSAC students serving at the November 20 CHESP Learn & Serve Conference. For more information, contact Barbara Locurto at blocurto@boston.k12.ma.us or 617-635-9440.

Visit the BSAC webpage at http://www.bostonteachnet.org/bsac/index.htm.

Brighton High School

Visitation Day for Brighton High School Students

On October 13th, 2004. Brighton High School's junior class met the challenge of taking the practice SAT. This opened up some free time for Upper School seniors to explore local area colleges and universities on that day. The seniors learned about a variety of colleges including Boston College, Boston University, Fisher College, UMass Amherst, and UMass Boston.

One group of students met at UMass Boston's new campus center. An admissions counselor and tour guides were assigned to the group. Questions concerning campus life, financial aid, and entrance requirements were answered. A campus tour and lunch on the college campus were included in the program. Students left with the information necessary to make a more informed college choice.

Burke High School

Small Learning Communities at J.E. Burke

This fall, the Burke High School introduces three new Small Learning Communities (SLCs): the Information Technology SLC, Arts and Humanities SLC, and Health and Human Services SLC. Each small learning community includes students in grades 9-12, creating an environment in which a dedicated group of teachers are invested in the success of a small group of students over four years. This structure helps to ensure student achievement of high academic expectations and social standards.

Teachers at the Burke are currently working in their SLCs to prepare students for the November 15th MCAS by providing one-on-one mentoring using the Efficacy model, "All Kids Can Learn." This is one of many ways the Burke encourages students to stay the course, work hard and believe that they can learn and pass the exam. This individualized tutoring also helps alleviate student alienation and creates a more personalized learning environment for both students and teachers.

Charlestown High School

Small Learning Communities at Charlestown High School

Charlestown High School is now organized in five Small Learning Communities (SLCs), each with a Signature Theme. These include the following.

English Language Learners Visit Topsfield Fair

The ELL students of Charlestown High School Unit E (Business/Technology) visited the Topsfield Fair on October 8, 2004. For some of these English Language Learners it was their "first field trip in America." (An Lang, ESL I)

One of the best teaching strategies in the sheltered English approach is the use of visual clues as writing prompts. One of the educational objectives of this field trip included students taking pictures during the day. In class they write essays based on these pictures, describing the scene and identifying the animals and vegetation. Students also had to write about the day in terms of what food they ate, what items they purchased, how much money they spent and how they felt about the experience. "There were many animals I never saw before ... the biggest pumpkin was 1,250 pounds ... the ice cream was $4.00!" (Huan Ning Xie, ESL I)

The students also brought along a Global Positioning System (GPS) to track the coordinates of the field along with tracking the location and area/distance of the Topsfield area.

The day was a truly enriching experience for students and teachers alike.

East Boston High School

East Boston Students Participate in Health Care Career Day

On October 5, 2004, thirty juniors in the Academy of Health & Human Services at East Boston High School attended the statewide Health Care Career Day at the Sheraton Colonial in Wakefield, MA. This full day event was designed to educate students about the various careers in Health Care. Representatives from many careers portrayed a typical workday, explored different aspects of working in the Healthcare field and provided information about the skills necessary to enter their professions. Local hospitals were also involved to help provide an in-depth look into occupations such as radiology technologists, nurses, EMTS, doctors, pharmacists and therapists.

The highlight of the day was the case study of a simulated car accident involving three teens suspected of using drugs and alcohol. Students followed the patients through various departments from the ambulance to the Emergency Room, Laboratory, Radiology, Operating Room, Intensive Care Unit, Nursing, Psychiatry and Physical Therapy. Health Care Career Day is sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Education in partnership with BostonWorks.

Economics and Business Academy

EBA Business Club

As members of a business school, EBA students actually run businesses. Internships and entrepreneurships are integrated into the four-year curriculum. Students take a business class complete with the internship/entrepreneurship program each year. In addition to the in-school business emphasis, there is also an extracurricular component. In early October, over a dozen interested students signed up for the EBA Business Club.

In weekly EBA Business Club meetings, students discuss earning without spending, profit margins and price points. They talk about how all of these concepts help determine how to meet demands of customers while still yielding a profit. With business teacher Tim Lavin as their advisor, students have been working together to choose a product to design, package, promote, advertise, distribute and sell. The EBA Business Club is using MicroSoft Publisher to design holiday cards for distribution and sale next month. Mr. Lavin has also been working with one of EBA's business partners, Sovereign Bank, where the EBA Business Club will set up and sell their product off campus, thereby reaching a wider customer base. Once the cards are selling, the EBA Business Club students will calculate profits and analyze results.

W. Megan Fidler-Carey, EBA Grant Writer
Email: wfidlercarey@boston.k12.ma.us

Health Education & Careers Network

Coaching and HECN - What's So Unique About This Model

"It's been a long, nerve wracking day. It started with a 5:30 a.m. commute, managing a demanding schedule and trying to find time to squeeze in the final touches for a presentation on congestive heart disease. I don't know if I can do all this. I really need to speak to my personal Life Coach."

When reading the above paragraph one could think these were the words of a very busy and important individual, possibly a chief executive officer of a major corporation or health facility. Would you be surprised to find out that they are actually the words of an inner city high school student enrolled in the Health Education & Careers Network of the Boston Public Schools?

Personal Life Coaching is one of the many unique aspects of this citywide Health Careers exploration program whose mission is to provide access to opportunities for any student interested in exploring health professions - we welcome all learners: advanced placement students, students with disabilities, and "at risk" students. Boston's high school students have been offered opportunities to explore Health Professions in an exciting and nurturing environment for fifteen years through the efforts of the staff of the Health Education & Careers Network. The network is supported by long-standing collaborations with major health facilities, hospitals, and post-secondary partners throughout the Greater Boston area.

You might ask, why Personal Life Coaching? We think, why not? If Personal Life Coaching worked for adult professionals, it made a good case for replication and creation of a model for a younger population. The HECN staff piloted their model during the academic year 1998-1999, starting small and building capacity throughout all HECN components.

Staff was presented with the concept and discussed the pros and cons of replication. Ideas for implementation of a coaching model were presented and agreed upon. Staff next received critical "coaching" training and practice prior to starting their work with the students. The difference between coaching and counseling is a hard lesson to internalize and all coaches need to learn to never cross the line into counseling. Opportunities for on-going coaching practice need to be provided so that coaches can hone their skills and learn from each other. This on-going peer practice is a critical factor in sustaining a coaching model and developing skilled coaches.

Students are presented with the coaching concept through a series of demonstrations and role-playing. Once they have a firm grasp of the model, each student has an initial coaching session with their personal coach. The first objective during the "Vision" phase is to establish a comfortable relationship between coach and student. The next objective for the coach is to assist the student in articulating their vision or career goal. This can be either a short-term or long-range goal. We have found that when working with a younger population one needs to be very flexible in this area, as our young people are just beginning to explore the "world of work" and have boundless opportunities available to them. Coaching should be a means to envision all the possibilities of what could be.

An example of a key coaching strategy is the "miracle question." When you have a scenario where a student has so many obstacles that they cannot figure out where to even begin to address them. The coach would ask the student to envision their life after a miracle has occurred and all their problems are solved. When you can assist a person to imagine a life without obstacles, that person can begin to see the possibilities. They can start to look at the issues in a different way and develop a plan to address the issues one at a time and in a sequence that makes sense for them.

In summary, coaching works for our students. Since adopting coaching as our main support strategy, we have seen increased percentages in attendance and punctuality rates, and more successful outcomes for our student groups. Coaching works for all students. It is as viable a strategy for students with disabilities as it is for non-disabled students. The coaching environment also allows "at risk" students to address long-standing issues in a safe and comfortable setting, where they are in control of the relationship. Since we initiated our Personal Life Coaching model we have seen students take responsibility for their lives, their actions and their futures.

If you would like further information on Personal Life Coaching for young people, please contact Elizabeth A. Buckley at the Health Education & Careers Network, 617-635-9785.

IMPACT II

IMPACT II @ High School Renewal Engages Students as Active Citizens

With a whirlwind schedule of high school voter registration, school visits to local presidential sites, and other civic education projects, IMPACT II @ High School Renewal (HSR) is proving that a strong Community, Higher Education, School Partnership (CHESP) guarantees successful Service Learning initiatives.

On September 30, at HSR, BSAC (Boston Student Advisory Council) student leaders joined with community and higher education partners to inform about Election 2004. Moderated by Gary Van Deurse, a Tufts Scholar from Tufts University College of Citizenship and Public Service, the session included a video Live! From the New Hampshire Primary presented by Tufts Scholar Larry Mahl, along with comments by Tufts Scholar Kayt Norris on Interning at the Democratic National Convention, and Future Frontrunners: A Day at the DNC, a PowerPoint by BSAC member and Boston Latin Junior Lisa Jing.

During the first week of October, BSAC students supported by Tufts Scholars Ilan Behn and Adam Rowell, Executive Director of Kids Voting Chris Perry, and volunteers from The League of Women Voters, Peg Collins, Clare Hayes, and Ann Schmalz helped eligible high school students register to vote. Congratulations to Boston Community Leadership Academy (BCLA) and Another Course to College (ACC) at Taft Education Complex; Brighton; Monument, Excel and Odyssey at South Boston Education Complex; Boston Latin Academy; Boston Arts Academy; Fenway; Economics and Business Academy (EBA) & Academy of Public Service (APS) at Dorchester Education Complex; and Boston Latin School for their civic engagement.

Kids Voting's mission is to "educate America's youth about responsibilities of voting to sustain democracy." This year, IMPACT II @ HSR recruited 85 Boston elementary, middle, and high school teachers to administer the Kids Voting Civics Alive! curriculum. Attending professional development sessions at The Boston Globe and other sites, participants received curriculum materials and ideas on involving students in elections. The good news is that nearly 12,000 students voted in 45 BPS schools on November 2.

Thanks to advertising by IMPACT II @ HSR, more than 400 high school students participated in John F. Kennedy Library's recent High School Debate Program 2004. With transportation funded by the President's Heritage Foundation, classes from APS, TechBoston Academy, Fenway, Madison Park, Excel, Monument, and West Roxbury contributed to several simulated Town Hall Forum debates. Role-playing the presidential candidates, elected leaders like State Senators Steven Tolman and Joanne Sprague, along with former Governor Jane Swift, answered questions from an informed high school audience. As they addressed important national issues, BPS participants were well prepared and articulate.

More debating occurred at Quincy Upper School on October 28. Coached by Tufts Scholars Dan Grant and Kayt Norris, 2 teams representing Quincy freshmen, sophomores, and juniors argued their well-researched positions before the entire school. "Inspirational," was the reaction of one observer who applauded each debater's background knowledge and demeanor.

Pen and Parchment at Adams National Historical Park

Adams National Historical Park in Quincy, Massachusetts describes itself as a "unique setting where history comes to life." This fall, thanks again to the President's Heritage Foundation, IMPACT II @ HSR insured that nearly 500 BPS students participated in Pen & Parchment From Penn's Hill to Pennsylvania. The interactive program allows students to learn how Abigail and John Adams helped their nation during the American Revolutionary War. Reflected one teacher whose students participated in the reenactment of the first Continental Congress, "Learning about colonial times and the political situation of the day suddenly became relevant. Students asked pointed questions about how and why, and were able to make connections with the current political situation." We're convinced: students who explore local history are well on the way to becoming active citizens.

Next on our agenda: CHESP Learn & Serve Conference on November 20 where BPS High School teachers will enjoy opportunities to apply for a $750 grant, plan class visits to Adams Historic Site or John F. Kennedy Library (includes Transportation, Admissions, & Pre-Post Materials), and sign up for Bostonian Society Workshops.

For more about how IMPACT II @ HSR connects Classrooms, Communities, and Careers to build Citizenship and Character, click on CHESP http://www.bostonteachnet.org/chesp/index.htm at our Boston TeachNet web site or contact Barbara Locurto at blocurto@boston.k12.ma.us or 617 635-9440.

Madison Park Technical Vocational High School

Dr David Maron Volunteers at Madison Park

Dr. David Maron has joined the group of volunteers that are the lifeblood of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School! After many years in a very successful practice in Quincy and service as a member of the Board of Dental Examiners, Dr. Maron who is a Hyde Park resident, offered to collaborate with Ruby Elder Bush, the Dental Assistant instructor at Madison Park.

With a recently refurbished dental laboratory, thanks to a huge commitment of capital funds from the BPS, Ms. Elder Bush is able to continue to place students in co-operative jobs, internships and shadowships with even more industry specific skills.

The addition of Dr. Maron as a volunteer brings much to the Dental Program at Madison Park. Besides bringing years of experience to the Dental Assistant students each week, he has brought equipment, materials, dental molds and other industry specific resources for the students to use in their new lab.

We are very fortunate to have Dr. David Maron working with our students in the Dental Assistant Program at Madison Park! His love of his profession, his gentle manner and his experience as a dentist are invaluable as we continue to prepare our students for both post secondary education and the world of work.

Massachusetts AFL/CIO President Bob Haynes is Madison Park Technical Vocational High School's Principal For A Day

We at Madison Park were thrilled to have Bob Haynes, President of the Massachusetts AFL/CIO as our Principal For A Day. Mr. Haynes came to Madison with his Boston Plan For Excellence, sponsors of PFAD, homework completed and armed with lots of questions for students and staff.

It was a whirlwind day for Haynes. He visited shops, classrooms, teachers' rooms and the library reaching out to students and staff members, gathering information along the way. It was obvious to all that spoke with Bob that he is a man who has passion for union organizing and a passion for working with young people.

At the end of his day as Principal at Madison Park, President Haynes promised to return. As he was preparing to attend the Principal For A Day luncheon, hosted by the Boston Plan for Excellence, Bob said: "I like this place! You can feel the energy in this school. Lots of good stuff is going on here! I'm coming back soon!"

For more information about Principal For A Day, please contact Dottie Engler at the Boston Plan For Excellence (617-227-8055 or http://www.bpe.org.)

Josiah Quincy Upper School

Presidential Debate Comes to the Josiah Quincy Upper School

On Thursday, October 28, 2004 ten students from the Josiah Quincy Upper School (JQUS) high school campus participated in a mock presidential debate before their fellow students in the auditorium. Students from Tufts University’s debate team worked with the JQUS students to train and guide them in preparation for this event. The JQUS students voluntarily elected to join the weekly after school debate team, the first in the school’s history. The program began on October 5, 2004 and will run throughout the remainder of the school year.

The Tufts University debate team members worked to strengthen the students' understanding and command of the positions held by President Bush and Senator Kerry on six major issues. These issues included the war in Iraq, health care, abortion, education, gay marriage, and the economy and jobs. They also began to explore the finer points of debate with the team. The success of the initial debate forum, as witnessed by the loud applause each debater received after presenting, gives staff and students reason to be optimistic about the future of the debate team initiative and the prospect of additional successful debates on issues relevant to the school community.

The mock presidential debate found the debaters on two sides, one speaking in the voice of the incumbent, President George W. Bush, and the other speaking in the voice of the challenger, Senator John F. Kerry. The debate afforded the participants an opportunity to challenge themselves and develop the courage to stand in front of their peers to represent the views of the two candidates. They had no reason to fear. They voiced the candidates’ views in the first person articulately, accurately and succinctly. One staff member was overheard to say, "If only the real candidates could be as concise and passionate." The student members of the audience, in turn, were exposed to the kind of information that they need, both as future informed voters and as young citizens of today. The debate demonstrated to students that it is possible for humankind, including politicians, to disagree strongly with others agreeably. This is most assuredly an important lesson for all of us.

Ms. Robin Coyne, Team Leader-High School and Career and College Exploration teacher, and Ms. Agatha Tong, Student Support Coordinator, organized the school’s debate program. For further information on this program, contact either Ms. Coyne at rcoyne@boston.k12.ma.us or Ms. Tong at atong@boston.k12.ma.us or at 617-635-8490.

Resource Shelf

Visitor Program

Do you have out-of-town colleagues who are interested in visiting Boston to learn about High School Renewal? Let them know about the High School Renewal Visitor program, which is new this year. In this new two-day program, visitors will enjoy a one-day workshop with the Office of High School Renewal, followed by a one-day visit to high school renewal schools. For more information, read about the Visitor Program on our website or email Linda Younis at lyounis@boston.k12.ma.us.

BSAC

Visit the new BSAC website at http://www.bostonteachnet.org/bsac/index.htm.

College Fair - November 18

Youth Opportunity Boston is having our 3rd Annual College Fair on Thursday, November 18th from 3 - 5pm at its site on the 2nd floor. Colleges from most on New England and some Historically Black Colleges and Universities will be in attendance. There is no fee to attend and students will be able to get helpful information on entrance requirements, scholarships, SATs, cost, etc. for various schools. For more information, contact Shannel Sturgis at 617-541-2652.