Principally Speaking...

Farewell, Mansfield...

2011-06-26T22:38:00.000-04:00

Thursday marks the end of my tenure as principal of Mansfield High School. Per usual, I still feel like I have a zillion things on my "to do" list before I leave. I guess the more things change...

I leave this school community with a sense of gratitude for serving as its principal. There is a strong sense of pride over so many programs- and there should be. I am proud that I worked with an outstanding professional and support staff. The past few years have been so challenging, with increased enrollment and numerous staff cuts. Nonetheless, our students still have received a high-quality education and have achieved at the highest levels. MHS' teachers are the heart and soul this school and that will never change.

I also appreciated the support of parents who pushed me to be a better principal. I had the pleasure of working with bright, personable individuals who strived to stay abreast of current research and best practices in education so MHS could continuously improve. For that, I was blessed.

I thank my administrative team, assistant principals Mike Connolly, Dave Farinella, and Dawn Stockwell for their support and collegiality. Having a cohesive team is integral to having a smooth running school, and these three have always shown nothing but professionalism and loyalty to MHS. I am a richer person for working with them.

Most of all, I will miss the students of MHS. It's not exactly a military secret that being a high school principal can, at times, be a stressful job. The times that always brought a smile to my face were when I was in a "kid's world," i.e., sitting in a class, watching any of our music groups perform, or being at an athletic event. There was no stress here- only joy. I will miss MHS students and their character and passion they bring to just about all things in our school.

So I leave.... a little nervous but also with excitement as I take on my new professional challenge as the Superintendent of Schools of the Mendon Upton Regional School District. I invite you to stay in touch, as I will continue blogging, this time reporting the news of a new district but also commenting on other larger (dare I say relevant?) topics affecting schools.

Perhaps I should not say "farewell" here. Instead, let me close borrowing a phrase I learned earlier this year... À Bientôt, mes amis.

See you soon, my friends...

What Happens When the "Everyone Gets a Trophy" Generation Fails?

2011-06-20T08:17:00.003-04:00

As I have been coaching both of my daughters in softball for the past nine years, it invariably happens every game. A girl will strike out by weakly waving at a pitch two feet over her head... and then I'll hear it... Out of the stands or even from another coach, "Nice try! Way to go! Good job!" with the gratuitous clap.

I stand next to the dugout and think to myself, "Um. No.... that wasn't a good job."

Now don't get me wrong. I believe in giving praise to kids in my role as a parent, educator, and coach. To my girls who strike out or botch a play, sometimes I like to give them give perspective that this is only a game, and I'll usually remark, "Let's get 'em next time."

But false praise in the face of failure? Never.

As a coach, I stress the same things that I do as a teacher, namely: Learn from your mistakes. Effort = Achievement, so practice and you'll get better. Hard work makes all of the difference.

To be sure, those lessons were taught to me by my parents and my teachers. It was an era that was less politically correct, one where there was less emphasis on cultivating a child's self esteem and more on teaching life's lessons- where there are winners and losers and natural consequences.

This point is driven home in the cover story of the July-August 2011 issue of The Atlantic. This captivating piece, entitled, "How to Land Your Kid in Therapy," details the repercussions of what is becoming more commonplace: parents' obsession with their children's happiness. The author, psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb, traces how the generation of young people in their late teens and twenties (commonly referred to as "millenials") are increasingly unable to handle adversity in life due to over-parenting. The end results are young adults who are anxious, withdrawn, and/or depressed while seemingly having all of the external trappings (e.g., great job, good salary, positive relationships, etc.) of a successful life.

The article describes some disturbing trends. First, college professors and administrators at competitive schools now refer to some freshmen students as "teacups" because without their hovering parents to ward off the pressures of school, they are very fragile and crack under the slightest pressure. Second, Gottlieb describes (see video below) an increasing phenomenon that today's employers cite. Twenty-something aged employees report that they feel "unappreciated" and devalued because they are not receiving praise from their bosses when they do a good job... over things that are in their job description!

As Gottlieb points out, sometimes failure for children is a very good thing, as it is part of the natural growth process. However, helicopter parenting does not allow this to take place.

Will the pendulum ever swing back the other way? From my perspective as a principal for the past 13 years, I see it getting worse. I have dealt with many cases throughout the years- from ones of discipline to academic integrity- where parents will "go to bat" for their child at all costs fully knowing that their child is in the wrong. With increasing regularity I hear appeals of administrative decisions for that very reason.

I also wonder if in K-12 public education we are part of the problem vis-a-vis "everyone getting a trophy"? In an era of grade inflation at all levels, do we feed the beast as evidenced by practices that lead to endless honor rolls and too many awards for kids?

All kids should- and can- achieve rigorous content and performance standards, but are they achieving them to the degree that we say they are? Nationally, the follow-up data tells a mixed story when looking at measures such as the number of freshmen in remediation courses and college graduation rates.

Are we all that parent in the stands, clapping and yelling "Good job!" for something less than that?

2011-06-20T08:16:00.001-04:00

Congrats and Godspeed, Class of 2011!

2011-06-11T21:45:00.009-04:00

To be sure, last Friday night was special. Our annual commencement exercises for the Class of 2011 resonated as a memorable ceremony, one where there was a positive energy and flow to the evening. It was a fit conclusion to a class that has achieved so much during some of the most challenging economic times.

I am very proud of all of our student speakers. Bridget Davis, the class president for all four years, (pictured above)started the program by reflecting on the accomplishments of the class. She concluded, "we can take prided in the fact that we've excelled in the classroom, in music and the arts, and on the playing field throughout our high school career."

Salutatorian Amanda Zieselman (pictured above), battling laryngitis, worked her speech around the famed Dr. Seuss work, Oh the Places You'll Go! Her reflection on the class took a longer view (the K-12 one), as she remarked, "Bottom line is we care about each other- we've laughed together and cried together, worked together and procrastinated together... and being in school for a grand total of 2,340 days or 14,040 hours we've become a family."

Valedictorian Walter Xu (pictured below) struck a cerebral tone with his speech, painting a wonderful metaphor around our feet and the steps we must take in life's journey. He spoke of two separate journeys he had recently taken- one to a clifftop in Nice and the other to the top of the Empire State Building (using the elevator to get to the top). The one to Nice was much more satisfying, as he could reflect on where he had been. "Though the steps may be fatiguing, enjoy every moment as it is the steps that will comprise most of your life," he surmised.

Per usual, the music selections were spot-on. Hats off to graduate Allison Passanisi (pictured below) for arranging and conducting the senior choir presentation of "Footprints in the Sand." Simply outstanding! The band's rendition of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and the orchestra's presentation of "Zooster's Breakout" were equally strong.

Good luck, Class of 2011!! You have served Mansfield High School well. I wish you nothing but the absolute best!

Above: Graduate Katie MacLeod performs "Pirates of the Carri bean" with the MHS Concert Band.
Above: Grad Ellie Farrell shows her joy at being presented her diploma by Mansfield School Committee Chair Mike Trowbridge.

A Visit from the Commish

2011-05-30T21:42:00.005-04:00

Above: Commissioner Chester with Superintendent Hodges, Jordan Jackson Co-Principal Kathy Podesky, and me.

Last Monday was a key day in our district as we hosted the State Commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Dr. Mitchell Chester. As he usually visits at least district per week, Mansfield was selected for a distinct reason. Michael D'Ortenzio, Jr., a senior at Wellesley High School, and the chairman of the student advisory board for the DESE heard about the campus setup of the Mansfield schools from his colleagues of the advisory board, MHS seniors Justin Deckert and Jonathan Paz. Being curious as how to the campus environment could foster collaboration amongst the schools, D'Ortenzio suggested the visit to Dr. Chester.

During the two-hour visit to all four schools, the commissioner and Michael saw areas that have been focal points for the district in recent years. At MHS, they learned of the work done in the Academic Learning Center (ALC) and the recent efforts to make the response to intervention (RtI) process viable to assist students that are struggling academically. Highlighted was the use of student tutors from the ALC. These tutors work not only with their peers from MHS but also students from the Jordan Jackson and QMS. They also learned about MHS' Senior Option program and how the Career Pathways students perform internships throughout the district's schools and throughout businesses in the community.

Tours of the elementary schools featured an example of how technology is being utilized at Jordan Jackson, demonstrated a smart board lesson at Robinson, and highlighted the theater program at Qualters Middle School. Additionally they viewed the Little Hornets daycare program at the Robinson. This program enables over 75 MHS students to gain a meaningful hands-on experience through the child development coursework.

The visit concluded with a small reception in the MHS library for the guests, Mansfield teachers, students, and parents. During some brief comments and a Q & A session, Commissioner Chester stated, " “I like what I see. It’s down to business but a student-centered atmosphere. The campus atmosphere is not unique to Massachusetts but its not typical. I’m impressed with how Mansfield has taken advantage of that here.”

Virtually all of us were impressed with Michael D'Ortenzio, this articulate young man who will be continuing his studies as a political science major at Boston University this fall. He spoke with ease and confidence on such heady topics such as educator evaluation and school funding. It should be noted that as the chairman of the state's student advisory board, he is also a voting member of the state board of education. Kudos for the state for empowering student voice to this degree! With the young, bright Mr. D'Ortenzio, I could think of no better representation.

Above: Michael D'Ortenzio chats with Director of Buildings & Grounds Walter Parker

Most Unflattering Pic Ever!!

2011-05-28T21:42:00.007-04:00

If you didn't catch Friday's Mansfield News, there was a collection of photos from the annual MHS All Sports Boosters Club 5K, which was held a couple of Sundays ago. A great time, a great race, and most importantly, raises some decent money for our kids...

One of the photos was the one above... copied and pointed out to me by my assistant, Cathi Horowitz!! Yes, that's me, behind a mom and her 2-year old, ready to stroke out any minute as I cross the finish line!

Some random thoughts after seeing this:

I need to hit the salad bar.... really.
No, the 2-year old did NOT beat me in the race!
No, I didn't catch any flies...
No, I wasn't in pain.... just winded.
My finishing song on my iPod was "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas. Ummm, didn't exactly charge me up!

You Wouldnt Believe the Error's

2011-05-15T21:09:00.014-04:00

I have to smile when I see my 15-year old daughter correcting her friends' poor spelling and/or grammar while they are posting on her Facebook wall. Most of their errors are in the they're/there/their and you're vs. your milieu. The usual suspects...

I say this since my daughters were practically toddlers, we have been playing a little game. We will be out anywhere- at a restaurant, shopping, at the park- you name it. I tell the kids, "I bet Daddy can find a misspelled word or bad grammar somewhere!" And true to form, I usually can find some sort of error on a sign, advertisement, or menu. It doesn't take much effort...

Over the past year something has jarred me. Maybe it's an epidemic. Maybe I just didn't notice it before. Maybe it's yet another snapshot of the dumbing down of America. I'll state it this way:

How many people were absent that day in the third grade when proper usage of apostrophes was taught??!!

The error I see time and again is the use of an apostrophe to make a noun plural. For example, here's a picture I took at my car dealership's service window last week when I got my car serviced:

"Saturday's"?? Saturday owns who or what at this Saab dealership?

Then there was this posting in the Mansfield News to advertise that MESA (the Mansfield Elementary School Association) would be holding a "casino night" fundraiser:

"Mansfield School's"?? Geez, don't they still have something called a copy editor??

Then there is the opposite grammatical crime: the sin of omission. For example, I was walking the east side of Providence and noticed this outside of a medical office:

"Apostrophe?? We don't need no stinkin' apostrophe at this doctors office!!"

The sad fact is that it didn't take me much time at all to find these errors and take some quick pictures on my Blackberry. Just like the game I play with my daughters...

Alas, I take comfort in the kindred spirits that have started the Apostrophe Protection Society, a group of Brits who formed the society with "the specific aim of preserving the correct use of this currently much abused punctuation mark in all forms of text written in the English language."

To summarize from our friends at the APS, there are only three simple rules for correct usage of the apostrophe:

1. They are used to denote a missing letter or letters, for example: "I can't" instead of "I cannot"

2. They are used to denote possession, for example: the dog's bone
... however, if there are two or more dogs, in our example, the apostrophe comes after the 's':
the dogs' bones

3. Apostrophes are NEVER ever used to denote plurals!

Simple enough, no? The apostrophe is your friend.... don't abuse it!!

Full Steam Ahead for New Teacher & Principal Evaluations

2011-05-01T14:21:00.010-04:00

I don't know if you have caught recent pieces in the Boston Globe, but in the next 1-2 years evaluations of principals and teachers in the Commonwealth are going to look different. Very different.

As part of its Race to the Top application, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education laid out a vision that is very much aligned with the national conversation about teacher quality. This conversation, one led by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, is really the next phase of accountability for improved student outcomes. It makes the case that no longer can teachers be evaluated using merely a "checklist" instrument where performance is rated simply as "satisfactory" or "not satisfactory." Rather, teacher and principal performance should be measured against professional standards and then differentiated into distinct levels. Furthermore, the best teachers should be recognized and rewarded accordingly and the lowest rated teachers should be replaced. The same is true for principals.

While differentiating teacher performance into distinct categories is nothing new (see the work of Charlotte Danielson and the Framework for Teaching, which has been in existence since 1998), the significant piece in this new vision is the use of the results of student assessments (e.g., MCAS scores) as a gauge of teacher effectiveness. This is truly the flashpoint on the issue.

DESE has detailed its Proposed Regulations on the Evaluation of Educators and is inviting public comment on them before the DESE Board of Education votes on their approval on June 28. The overwhelming majority of these regulations is based on current research and best practices. They envision a system where teachers would be evaluated against four major standard areas: Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment; Teaching All Students; Family and Community; and Professional Culture. Each of these standards contains indicators that detail a proficient performance. Using a rubric, evaluators would rate teacher performance in one of four categories: Exemplary, Proficient, Needs Improvement, or Unsatisfactory. The overall rating in a teacher's summative evaluation would have major implications. For example, a teacher would not be granted professional status without an overall rating of proficient or exemplary. A teacher with a needs improvement or unsatisfactory rating would be required to complete a "Directed Growth Plan" to address deficiencies within 90 days. If the teacher was non-tenured, he/she could be dismissed at any time.

The regulations also detail that "student performance measures shall be a significant factor in the summative evaluation." So for ELA, math, and science teachers, the expectation that aggregate MCAS scores and median student growth percentiles would be used as a measure is laid out. But what about the the 10th grade social studies teacher? Or the 5th grade art teacher? How do you measure their effectiveness in terms of student performance measures?

The regs state that "By September 2013, each district shall adopt a district-wide set of student performance measures for each grade and subject that permit a comparison of student performance gains." Furthermore, it states that each district shall have at least two measures per grade and subject area and these measures must be used to determine if the educator is having a "low, moderate, or high impact on student learning."

So what does this all mean?

With the exception of MCAS, the state is truly putting the onus on the local districts to figure out what type of assessments could be used for the purpose of demonstrating growth. This will have HUGE implications for a given district's assessment system and teacher assessment literacy. These new regs state that districts will determine the type of assessments that will be used as evidence of a teacher's effectiveness. Shouldn't these assessments be considered "high stakes" as well? These assessments should be fair, valid, and reliable. They should be collaboratively developed and evaluated.

These assessments should be performance-based, measuring a set of student outcomes and skills in an authentic way.

This doesn't sound like the traditional Scantron-based midterm or final exam to me...

If this is do be done, and done well, two things need to happen. First (as stated in the regs), all of this needs to be negotiated. I believe that this is a good thing, as without teacher ownership, none of this will work. Second, districts will have to make an investment in the degree of time and training in student assessment that is offered to teachers. If student performance measures are going to be used, this will be the heart of creating fair and credible evaluations of teachers and principals.

Au Revoir, Châteaulin

2011-04-25T07:25:00.003-04:00

As I write this I am now home for the Easter holiday with my family. I came home three days ago and the rest of the exchange group will be coming home tomorrow. I am still reflecting on the experience, as it was one filled with new learning about people, cultures, and how we best educate kids.

Here’s some thoughts swimming around in my head, in no particular order of importance:

Many thanks to Monsieur Gérard Benoît and Madame Leslie Gildersleeve for inviting me to be part of this! They work so hard to make this exchange be the tremendous success that it is!! Magnifique!

Their counterparts at Le Collège et Lycée Saint-Louis, Mme. Magali Ropert and Mme. Ani Dréan, and M. Claude Toscer are top-notch teachers and people as well! Many thanks to them.

I’m glad I got the opportunity to reconnect with my friend and colleague, the director of Le Collège et Lycée Saint-Louis, Monsieur Olivier Queneuder. He is a fine leader, as he is bright and hard-working, but most importantly, has a vision as to where he wants to take Saint-Louis.

To Olivier’s wife, Ann Marie- merci!! You were a remarkable hostess and your excellent command of English was my saving grace as I fumbled through my attempts at French! You’re an outstanding teacher and mother!

The 13 students that Monsieur and Madame brought to France are amongst our best and brightest. They have represented Mansfield with nothing but class and pride. I certainly hope that this experience has been filled with meaningful learning for each of them. I know you’ve taken your command of French to a new level… I hope you’ve established some new, life-long friendships as well. I know I have.

À Bientôt!

Off on a Bit of a Tangent...

2011-04-24T21:01:00.005-04:00

Why am I showing the above 19-second clip? Because it’s around a topic I feel very passionate about- universal health care coverage.

If you’ve seen Michael Moore’s 2008 documentary on the American health care system, Sicko, you are probably aware that he covers the French health care system quite a bit. Part of his coverage includes a look at how a team of French doctors (the SOS Medecins Service) still make house calls.

I mention this because the above is exactly what I witnessed the other night. My host’s six-year old son had an incessant cough for two days and it probably developed into bronchitis. Thus, Ann Marie, Olivier’s wife, called the doctor service at approximately 8:00 pm and a physician was at the home a little after 11:00 pm.

I was amazed by this efficiency and rapidly pointed out to Olivier and Ann Marie that something like this would never happen in America. At best, Ann Marie and her son would be in the pediatrician’s office the next morning.

The house call was not free; it cost 60 Euro. However, they will be reimbursed upon submitting the receipt to the National Social Security Service. But the money is not the big issue here- it’s piece of mind. This doctor came and spent 20-25 minutes with Ann Marie and Olivier, examined their son, gave them some pragmatic advice on caring for him over the next couple of days, and provided some prescription medication for his cough and congestion. Even though this doctor was a complete stranger, the care he provided was professional, personalized and reassuring.

Sure, this is only a snapshot… but it was one that made a huge impression on me. On the way things should be with regard to the way health care is delivered.

I think we could learn a lot from the French…

Our Sister School- Le Collège et Lycée Saint-Louis

2011-04-23T19:20:00.008-04:00

At face value, Le Collège et Lycée Saint-Louis is very, very different from MHS. First, the “collège” is the middle school and the “lycée” is the high school. The two levels serve approximately 900 students from throughout the region as many students travel from neighboring towns to attend the school. There are also another 24 students studying in a special post-secondary program in technology and communication.

Saint-Louis is private Catholic school spread out in five different buildings on a sprawling campus. Though it is a Catholic school, it does not have the feel of what we commonly associate with a parochial school. Students do not wear uniforms nor do they have to take mandatory courses in Catholic religious education. Parents pay only 400 Euro (approximately $600) for a year’s tuition. The school is clearly college preparatory in its mission as the overwhelming majority of graduates go on to study at a university. It also stands out as a contrast to Châteaulin’s public secondary school, which is smaller and has more of a career and technical emphasis, particularly in agricultural science.

Students attend school Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:25 pm. This sounds like a long day, however the pace is very child-centered, and dare I say, sane. All students have 90 minutes for lunch and 20-minute breaks are built into the morning and afternoon sessions. During these breaks the younger students play outdoors and the older students congregate. All students have schedules that are akin to a schedule a student may have in college, where not all classes meet daily. Students must take scheduled one-hour classes in all core academic areas, English, the arts, and technology. Lycée students may also access German or Spanish as a foreign language. Interestingly enough, the sports teams (soccer, swimming, basketball, table tennis, and gymnastics) practice during the school day as their time is built into the schedule, not after school.

The class sizes vary. Some, particularly in the college, are very large as I observed over 30 students in one class. I also observed very reasonable ones in the range of 20 in the lycée. The interesting piece is that the students do not change classrooms throughout the day- the teachers do. Thus, the same cohort of students stays together all day in the same classroom, much like we do in the US with elementary school students. The teachers move in and out of classrooms based upon their schedules. It should also be noted that the typical teacher schedule involves teaching two classes per day. Time for planning, professional development, and parent conferences is built into teacher schedules and is highly valued.

12-year old students in the collège during an English class. (And yes, they stood for me when I entered the room...)

Despite these many structural differences… kids are kids! Monsieur Benoit, Madame Gildersleeve, and I have heard the same joys and challenges of teaching from the Saint-Louis teachers that we hear back home. Pride over the student who works hard and achieves at the highest level. Finding new ways to use technology so students may be effective communicators and problem-solvers. Frustration over students who are apathetic and don’t follow through on completing assignments. Students who are incessantly tardy. In that regard we are the same and share a common bond with our sister school!

Above is the student library of Saint-Louis.

The gymasium/field house of Saint-Louis. It is used for both students and community members for sports such as soccer, basketball, and gymnastics.

Some Thoughts on French Cuisine

2011-04-23T18:30:00.005-04:00

Andrew Marcaccio, Joe Presentato, Andrew Moomey, Pritha Ray, and Chris Menz enjoy some croque monsieurs in a Paris cafe.

This is my first time visiting France and I feel the need to comment on the cuisine. I should say upfront that I generally dislike all stereotypes because they are often untrue…. But not in the case of French food! I can honestly say that I never have eaten more bread and cheese in the past week than in my entire life!

So far our diet has featured the following staples:

• French baquettes- at each and every meal
• Jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) everywhere in every possible configuration
• Crepes... they are a staple as a whole meal or as a dessert. In fact, it seems as if half of the restaurants in both Paris and Chateaulin are “creperies.” As a meal crepes are stuffed with ham and cheese, egg, or chicken. As a dessert they are stuffed with various fruits, jam, chocolate, Nutella (yum), or just topped with butter and sugar.
• Paté is very big, particularly in Brittany. Somehow salmon paté with little pickles on top doesn’t really cut it as a salad for me…
• A bottle of water is always on the table for all. For the adults, wine is always offered.

My best meal was prepared by my host, Olivier, the director of the exchange school: roasted duck! Tres bien!

I’m sure we would all agree that our very generous French hosts have served us wholesome, hearty meals. No one has gone hungry here!

And one more thing: French people really do say “Bon appetite!” before starting a meal! : )

If you like fresh bread and pastries, you'd be in luck in France... with a Boulangerie/Patisserie like this one in Chateaulin seemingly on every corner...

"Get thee to a creperie!!"

Châteaulin: Rich In History and Culture

2011-04-22T21:25:00.005-04:00

The center of Châteaulin, as seen from the mayor's office.

The town where our exchange school, Le Collège et Lycée Saint-Louis, is located in Châteaulin. Located about 30 km north from the Brittany city of Quimper, the town is only about a half hour drive from the west coast of France. Nestled in between hills, the town is absolutely picturesque as the center is a typical French village, filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants constructed from stone in the 18th and 19th century. The narrow Aulne River cuts through the center of town, separating the north and south ends. This river used to be a vital part of the community, as salmon fishing was the major industry. However, in the past 30 years the salmon population has greatly dwindled, perhaps due to the increased use of fertilizers by farmers. As a result, there are less Châteaulin fishermen and the overall population of the community has dropped from 10,000 to under 6,000 residents.

As there are very few roads throughout the town, there are no “neighborhoods” per se. Other than the center of town, the community very much has a rural feel, as farms are plentiful. Nonethless, many of the conveniences of modern life, such as a supermarket, exist within the town.

On Tuesday the Mayor of Châteaulin, Gaëlle Nicolas (referred to as “Madame Le Maire”) held a formal reception for the MHS and St-Louis exchange students at City Hall. At the reception Madame Le Maire shared a bit of the history of the town and stressed how important Le Collège et Lycée Saint-Louis is to the community. In fact, all three of her children have attended or are attending the school and her daughter will be one of the students coming to Mansfield in October.

The view of Châteaulin from our exchange school, Le Collège et Lycée Saint-Louis.

Bretagne is Beautiful

2011-04-18T14:27:00.007-04:00

We are now in the village of Châteaulin, nestled in the heart of the French region of Brittany. Before I post anything about Châteaulin or our sister school Lycee et College de St. Louis, a few words need to be written about Brittany. Bretons are fiercely proud of their land and heritage... and they should be. To say this region of France is absolutely beautiful is an understatement. In the northwest section of France, the region is filled with hills and lush green countryside. It also contains beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and Breton Sea. Because this region has a temperate climate, people from throughout France and Europe are already enjoying holiday on the many beaches. In fact, most of our students (and myself as well) spent a portion of yesterday at the coast (the picture above is from Pentraz Plage). Nearly all of Bretons are Roman Catholic. In each village the church or cathedral is literally and metaphorically the center of the community. Each village has a church that is very old and rich with history. For example, the town of Locronan is a classic French village with cobblestone streets with shops, cafes, and restaurants (see below). In the "place" (French for center courtyard) is St. Ronan's Church, an amazing church built in the 16th century.

Also adding to the beauty of the area is evidence of the smart way the French have harnessed natural resources- through wind power. In fact, it is the third most popular way electricity is generated in France. Omnipresent through the hills are many large windmills that power turbines. Quite the majestic site!

Maxence, the 13-year old son of Olivier, my host here in Châteaulin, says the following. "I like the United States, but I like France more." After I smiled and nodded, he continued, "But most of all, I love Bretagne!"

Je comprends. (I understand.)

Bienvenue a France!

2011-04-17T13:16:00.011-04:00

We made it! After a six and a half hour flight and staying up for over 36 hours, this year's French exchange group made it to Paris on Wednesday morning at 6:30 am Paris time. It has been cooler than usual Paris in April standards, as it has barely made it to 55 degrees. Nonetheless, we have all had a great and educational time. Some high points in Paris included a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower (it really is stunning architecture and mind-boggling how high it is!), to the 12th century cathedral Notre Dame, to the majestic Palace of Versailles, and of course, to the Louvre. I can say that our students have been awestruck by the richness of the culture and history of these places.

It has been a whirlwind tour.... very little time to sleep as Madame Gildersleeve and Monsieur Benoit have run everyone ragged. Traveling the Metro, sight-seeing, shopping, and dining everyday from 8 am to 12 midnight!

Above, Lindsey Beise, Laura Burnham, and Ashley Goverman do their best thinking in front of Rodin's famous statue at the Rodin Museum.

Madame poses in front of the beautiful cathedral, Notre Dame.

Andrew Moomey, Chris Menz, Monsieur, and Andrew Marcaccio at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Poetry In Motion

2011-04-09T18:32:00.008-04:00

Above you will see the 2011 Class AA Marching Band New England Champs-the Mansfield High School Percussion Ensemble! Courtesy of Arnie Harchik and the Mansfield Band Parents Association, above is a video of their first place performance at last weekend's NESBA (New England Scholastic Band Association) Finals at Dartmouth HS. The ensemble scored an amazing 94.05 (out of a possible 100 points), their highest of the season. This score certainly puts the group in an elite few in the nation... a perfect time as they leave this coming week to compete at the WGI World Championships. This annual event in Dayton, OH features the finest groups from throughout our nation and the world. In years past, the MHS ensemble has performed very well and has even outright won the competition for its class. Let's do it again!

Congrats to a great group of young men and women! There is hardly a night that I leave MHS after a meeting or a sporting event that I don't see or hear them practicing in the cafeteria, auditorium, or bandroom. Theirs is a journey that began last June, and along the way there has been a lot of hard work, meticulous planning, and perseverance. Regardless of the results of WGI, you have already been big winners and have done our school proud! Good luck!

2011: A French Odyssey

2011-03-26T22:48:00.017-04:00

I have to admit that I'm very excited to be going to France in three short weeks with Madame Gildersleeve, Monsieur Benoit, and 16 very smart MHS juniors and seniors that have been studying French for the past 4 or 5 years. As part of the annual exchange with our sister school, Les Eleves du Lycee St. Louis, we will be traveling first to Paris and then to the remote Brittany village of Chateulin, where the school is located. Once there, I will stay with my friend Olivier Queneuder, who serves as the principal of the school. In a sense, Olivier is returning the favor, as I housed him during his travels to Mansfield last school year.

So right now I'm anxious. Real anxious about my knowledge of the French language. For the last 2 months I have been hitting the Rosetta Stone software package, trying to get some of the basics down. It's just so hard to commit the hour or two per day that it really requires. So when I can, I sit on my family room sofa with my laptop, headset in place, looking at screens like this:

With the program there isn't a single word of English, as it is supposed to be "immersion" as you're learning the language intuitively, much like a young child would learn his/her first language. And that's pretty much how I feel with French.... like a toddler! I've been trying to tell Madame Gildersleeve of my latest French understandings, but they're still real, real rudimentary. Last week I was making small talk with Madame and Chris Kalinowski, MHS' math department chair, and Chris said to me, "Hey, how is the French going?" I made a grimace and Chris replied, "What's wrong? You're just not a French kind of guy?" With her typical dry humor, Madame replied, "Well he certainly knows how to say "The cat is under the table" real well!" (BTW, that would be Le chat est sous la table.)

Okay, maybe I'm being a bit impatient. I do, however, feel like a 7th or 8th grade student at QMS learning French for the first time. The Rosetta Stone takes some getting used to, as it does not teach the language in a classic way. From my three years of studying Spanish in high school, I am still expecting to conjugate verbs in the classic way. With this program.... not so much. At this point, I just have to give it my all and put my best foot forward. I am told that the French love the Americans that give a good faith effort at the language. Still... I'm kept up at night with nightmares that go like this:

Me, with a group of teachers from Lycee St. Louis:

Them: Que pensez-vous à l'administration d'Obama ? (What do you think of the Obama administration?.... Those French, they love talking politics...)

Me: La pomme est verte.

They start laughing hysterically. I break out in a cold sweat...

I need to hang with some French speaking people.... and fast! Excusez-moi, j'ai besoin d'étudier mon français!

The Heart of It All... Innovation

2011-03-18T21:03:00.013-04:00

This week a colleague shared an editorial piece entitled, "Riding the Innovation Wave" that was in Monday's Boston Globe. Written by the presidents of Harvard and MIT, the piece made the passionate plea that the U.S. must continue to invest in education and research if we are to truly emerge from this severe recession and lead the global economy. Citing other challenging times from our history (e.g., after the Civil War and World War II) the authors claim that "America restored its economic momentum with great bursts of technological innovation, paired with ambitious national commitments to education."

The editorial states that there must be a greater commitment to basic and applied scientific research, as in recent years the U.S. has fallen behind the research and development expansion efforts of such nations as China, India, Korea, Russia, and Brazil. Concomitantly, there must be an intense focus on K-16 education. After all, where is the next generation of researchers and developers going to get its inspiration?

The piece warns against having "a national deficit of inspiration," in that we must not give up the push to improve our schools despite the current budget shortfalls. Indeed, this is true now more than ever. We must press on with curriculum and practices that cultivate 21st century skills- problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, technological literacy, and perseverance to name just a few- as they are the building blocks of innovation.

As the price of gasoline quickly creeps back to $4.00 a gallon or you are watching the latest news report on the Japanese nuclear power plant crisis, consider the following simple facts about renewable energy in America:

Despite that it has the potential to be the "Saudi Arabia of wind," wind turbines on farms throughout the Great Plains of the U.S. produce less than 3% of our nation's electricity. The reasons for this are plenty- social and political- as right now wind energy is not always cost-effective. However, a pragmatic problem also exists: creating and building high capacity transmission lines to carry the produced electricity from the rural wind farms to urban areas.
Arizona is the sunniest state in the United States. In fact, if 2% of the total square mileage of the state was covered with photovoltaic cells, it could power all of our nation's cities. However, in recent years the solar industry has developed much faster in Europe and Japan, so much so that the leading manufacturers of solar cells are outside of the U.S.
Automobiles powered by hydrogen fuel cells show great promise, as this fuel source would emit nothing but water vapor, hence being very beneficial to further climate change. Again, political and economic problems are shaping the advancement of this technology, but scientists are still trying to solve the practical problem of the required amount of compressed hydrogen and precious metals needed to power a car.

I chose to underscore some issues with green, renewable energy, but I could have also posed problems from the fields of medicine, engineering, or information technology. I brought up these facts to illustrate the larger point: innovation is the key. We need to give our students the STEM content and skills so they can think outside of the box and have the opportunities to innovate.

Students in our classrooms will solve these problems in the not too distant future. Our very existence and livelihood is depending on them!

Garden Party Part Deux

2011-03-13T19:33:00.006-04:00

Who would have thought a year ago we would be back at Boston's TD Garden for our own version of March Madness, i.e., the quest for the MIAA Division I South Championship?

What a magical, miraculous run it's been for both the boys' and girls' basketball teams this season. The boys' squad had an amazing 23-2 record (a perfect 12-0 in the Hockomock League) and went into the MIAA Tournament as the #1 seed. The girls' team had a historic season, going 24-1 (also perfect for its Hockomock League schedule, 13-0) and was the #2 seed.

As almost as a twist of fate.... or perhaps symmetry, this year's results were the opposite of last year's: the girls lost to the top-seeded New Bedford, 47-68 and the boys beat #7 Newton North, 48-46. Both championship games were very tight as both featured great play and several lead changes. Everyone saw very exciting games!

The boys will go on to face St. John's Prep, the Division I North champs, this Tuesday night at 7:45 pm in the Garden. To be sure, it will be a tough game. The winner will play the Western MA/Central MA game winner on Saturday at the DCU Center in Worcester for the sole state championship.

I am very happy for both of these programs. Coaches Mike Redding and Mike Vaughan and their staffs have done a remarkable job being first and foremost teachers, and setting the right tone for these great teams. Most importantly, this group of young women and men are great examples for students of all age in our community: they are fine students with great attitudes, have consistently demonstrated good sportsmanship, and have represented MHS with class both on and off the court. Congratulations!

If you are part of the half of Mansfield that wasn't at the Garden Friday night (This town travels remarkably well!), here are highlights of both games courtesy of the MHS alum/Sun-Chronicle sports writer Mark Farinella. Enjoy!

MHS Student Making a Green Difference

2011-03-05T08:39:00.011-05:00

MHS senior Lexie Raczka's passion was sparked in the 7th grade as a student at Qualters Middle School. Her science teacher, Mrs. Meredith Azevedo, had been teaching a unit on alternative fuels. She involved Lexie and the other students with a unique project her husband, Keith Azevedo, a MHS environmental studies teacher, had been developing: a "bio bus" that ran on biodiesel and vegetable oil. This meaningful, project-based learning caused Lexie to reflect on her own lifestyle and consumption. "I converted my whole life to become more green. I became more mindful about waste. I became completely vegetarian, eating organic foods. I got my family to start using green, non-toxic cleaning products," she recalls.

During Lexie's sophomore year her mother Mary had a chance meeting with Robin Organ, the executive director and founder of Green Schools. Green Schools is a non-profit organization with a membership of over 100 schools throughout Massachusetts and New England. Green School's mission is to create healthier and greener learning environments through education and awareness. Robin, a Mansfield resident, invited Lexie to be part of the Green Schools Student Ambassador Program, a network of 35 middle and high school students who have the opportunity to work on innovative projects to make their schools healthier through environmental community service. This year Lexie has served as co-president of the ambassador group. In this capacity, much of her time is being spent planning for the Annual Green Schools Summit on April 29. This year's summit, which will be here at Mansfield High School, will feature Governor Deval Patrick as a keynote speaker.

As the MHS Senior Project must involve a "learning stretch" and encompass rigorous research in a field of interest, Lexie's senior project is a fascinating one. Her essential questions are the following: What is the annual carbon footprint of MHS? And what can all of us do to reduce it? (As a side note, Lexie has to date calculated MHS' annual footprint to be 492 tons of emitted carbon- not including student transportation. This translates to the mass of 107 average size elephants!) As part of the project, Lexie has been and will be showing all members of our school community cost-free and cost-effective ways how they can reduce the carbon footprint. As she notes, "I want people to accept that it doesn't cost a lot of money to go green. Even something simple like using a reusable water bottle can save the landfill space. Every little bit counts."

With that can-do attitude and commitment, Lexie will be presenting the Green Schools latest project to the Mansfield School Committee this Tuesday night. The group is proposing that a greenhouse be constructed on the MHS grounds. Procured through fundraising and Rep. Jay Barrows' Together We Can organization, the greenhouse will be integrated with both the wellness/nutrition and environmental studies curriculum.

One person can make a difference.... and Lexie is the epitome of that special student with intelligence, drive, and passion that can make a difference in a school. That's why it is so fitting that she was honored at the State House yesterday for her fine work with the Green Schools Student Ambassador Program. I know she will continue to make the difference this fall when she enrolls as a freshman at Dickinson College as an environmental studies major.

Congratulations, Lexie.... and keep up the fine work!

More Schools Embracing iPads

2011-02-26T10:43:00.008-05:00

This week featured the launch of the much-ballyhooed Motorola Xoom, the tablet PC which industry analysts claim poses the biggest competition to the Apple iPad. However, I was struck by a front page story in Monday's Providence Journal, "Electronic Tablets Break Down Barriers in RI Schools." The piece highlighted recent efforts in some Rhode Island charter schools and districts to integrate this technology into the curriculum.

The story highlighted iPad use at the Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts, a brand new charter school in south Providence for students in grades 7-12. Over the Christmas break the school purchased the tablets for all 34 of its students and its six teachers. (The school has such a small enrollment due to the fact that it is only in its first year of existence.) The seventh grade students there use the iPads in all content areas- from doing research and essay writing for their ELA class to blogging about the political upheaval in Egypt in social studies. As a major tenet of the school is parental engagement, the school wisely established an online portal that allows parents to review their child's math homework assignments nightly. As standard protocol, students upload their work through the use of the iPad, adding to their sense of responsibility.

Critics such as Stanford University's Larry Cuban state that tablet PCs are just the latest technological fad and there is no solid research yet that shows the benefits on improving student learning. He further states that districts should be investing resources into more human capital, i.e., providing more funds to recruit, hire, and train more teachers, particularly in these economically challenged times.

I don't necessarily agree with that notion for several reasons. First, schools cannot be oblivious to emerging technologies. We need to train our students for the 21st century workplace, one where these technologies are omnipresent. (In fact, you could easily make the case that our kids already have these technologies in their homes!) The real challenge is integrating this technology into the curriculum so that it is not just a "flashy fad" that grabs students' attention, but is a meaningful tool that enables the use of higher order thinking. As I said in an earlier post, the use of a technology like the iPad is only as good as the skill of the teacher who is facilitating its use.

The teachers at Trinity Academy are also using the iPads as e-readers, citing the cost-effectiveness of using it instead of purchasing paperback novels. In fact, many of the books (such as the complete works of William Shakespeare) are in the public domain for free, which could be an opportunity for considerable savings. Also, as yesterday's Wall Street Journal reported, two of the nation's largest textbook publishers are dramatically expanding their textbook offerings for the iPad. This surely is a sign that the tablet is becoming more mainstream in K-16 education.

This is good news from a pragmatic standpoint. But are we there yet?? With a $500 base model price tag, it would be a cool $750 K to outfit all students at MHS with an iPad. Licensing fees for downloaded textbooks would also be a large expense. I believe that like most technologies, the price of the iPad will eventually come down (witness the now-$49 iPhone). We will reach a point in time where it will make more economic sense to go the tablet/e-reader route rather than make a significant annual investment in textbooks. This is the future.... and we are almost there.

Besides.... don't we want to save the backs of a future generation??

Roll Out the Barrels!

2011-02-24T10:16:00.006-05:00

Kudos to MHS parent Neil Rhein and Keep Mansfield Beautiful for keeping the Trash Can Be Beautiful program going this year! As it was very successful last year, the program allows residents to put their own creative stamp on the town's trash barrels. The project aims to keep our town cleaner and greener. Here's some of the specifics:

MHS mom and local artist Kristi Johnson will conduct two barrel-painting workshops on March 20 and March 27, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the DPW Garage on Route 106 in East Mansfield.

KMB will provide each participant or team with a town barrel that has been cleaned, sanded, and primed.

At the March 20 workshop, Kristi Johnson will get you started and offer suggestions and ideas. You have the option of taking your barrel home to work on it, but you must bring it back for the March 27 workshop.

KMB will provide basic paint colors and brushes, but you are encouraged to bring your own special colors or artist’s brushes. The paint must be an exterior acrylic latex. Please check the label to ensure that it works well on metal surfaces.

Barrels will be deployed in the spring to locations on town-owned property, as determined by Keep Mansfield Beautiful and the Mansfield DPW.

For more information, visit the program's web page or download and complete the registration form. The program has limited space, so register early!

Thinking Outside of the (Black) Box

2011-02-12T15:22:00.011-05:00

MHS Visual Arts Department Chair Scott Brigante had a problem. A big one.

Last spring when scheduling his department’s courses, he noticed that he had 40 students signed up for the popular and rigorous AP Art History class. With the loss of a teacher in his department due to budget cuts, he only had the available staff (himself) to offer one section of the class. As the course was a considerable source of pride for Scott, he had seen the enrollment grow from 11 to 40 in two short years. Turning students away by limiting the enrollment was not a tenable option.

He was committed to teaching all 40 in one section…. But where to put them?

Scott quickly thought of the Black Box Theatre of the MMAS (Mansfield Music and Arts Society) on North Main Street. This intimate, 75-seat black box theatre has been serving the southeastern Massachusetts community for 18 years, and as Scott points out, “It’s absolutely perfect space for the nature of the AP Art History class, where we frequently lecture, show slides of great works of art, and provide multimedia presentations.” He also notes that the pace replicates many of the larger lecture-style classes that students may experience in college.

MMAS Executive Director Ken Butler was very quick to agree to allow the AP Art History class to use the space on a daily basis. “It was a simple decision, as this partnership is part of our mission to foster the arts within the community. It has been great to offer this opportunity as the kids have been great… and it has also broadened the horizons for people who didn’t even know we exist.”

Thus, since the start of the school year the period 1 class meets either at the start or end of the day depending on the week’s schedule rotation. All of the juniors and seniors in the class arrive or leave using their own transportation. Scott is quick to point that all of them have lived up to the level of responsibility and freedom that they have been given, as attendance and punctuality have been outstanding. This is understandable, as they are committed to the course. However, the off-site learning environment also provides a nice variety to their day.

The MMAS recent expanded its space to include the Morini Gallery (for emerging artists to display their work) and studio space for rehearsal and educational needs. This allows for the students to spread out should they need to, particularly if they are conducting project work. For example, last month the students constructed models of classic Greek temples as they were studying the Ionic and Doric order of architecture. The additional space was invaluable for this purpose.

The non-profit MMAS also owns an undeveloped 10-acre parcel of land along Rt. 140. The AP students have also used that space to create some great photographs in a natural setting.

The bottom line is that this has been a great partnership for both MHS and MMAS. I see it as a win-win for the arts in our community. Kudos to Scott and Ken for thinking outside of the box. Let’s keep this going!

Above: AP Art History teacher Scott Brigante conferences with Ashley Upham and Amy Sterling in the Black Box Theatre.

Above: In the MMAS studio space AP Art History students Josh Marohn, Julia Ready, Megan Alksninis, and Jess Visconte create henna tattoos as part of their learning about Hindu culture.

"Be You" Offers Plenty of Insight

2011-02-04T17:23:00.008-05:00

With all of the recent attention on bullying, never has it been more important to start at square one with students and have the conversations about the things that really matter. I'll call them the "other three r's": reality, respect, and relationships. With that in mind, the Qualters Middle School Parent Advisory Council (PAC) has been planning for the past year to provide programming for both students and parents to start this dialogue.

With that goal, the PAC sponsored nationally-renowned author and parenting expert Rachel Simmons to present to girls and parents. Ms. Simmons, the author of NY Times bestsellers Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls and The Curse of the Good Girl, is an educator and coach that strives to help girls and young women grow into authentic, emotionally intelligent and assertive adults. She delivered a workshop entitled "Be You" to over 500 MHS, QMS, and JJ parents and daughters on Thursday night and then to all girls in grades 6-9 on Friday morning. In all three workshops Rachel shared honest and open information on topics such ranging from friendship breakups to social media use/overuse. The feedback from participants has been outstanding!

Rachel is an engaging and dynamic speaker as she aims to relate to girls on their level, frequently citing examples from her childhood in exploring the dynamics of BFFs, or close girl-girl friendships. She used humor in describing how girls frequently "erase" hurtful comments/actions against one another and then ugliness manifests itself through later passive-aggressive actions. The key, according to Rachel, is practicing the expression of emotions through thoughtful, deliberate language. This is the essence of being a confident, assertive person. Moms and dads must also be cognizant that they are modeling these types of behaviors for their daughters at all times.

A tool she shared with girls- and one that could be applicable to anyone, for that matter- for conflict resolution with friends can be summed up with the simple acronym "GIRL": G-ather your choices, I-choose which one, R-easons are for my choice, L-et's think about the outcome. This process allows young girls to think about how their decisions will pan out and serves to make the right choice clearer.

Many thanks to the QMS PAC for all of their hard work in planning and organizing this timely and relevant event! Also thanks to Rep. Jay Barrow's Together We Can Foundation for co-sponsoring the event, and Glee Gifts and the Mansfield Savings Bank for their support. Great work!

It's Global Climate Change, Not Just Global Warming...

2011-01-29T08:22:00.010-05:00

Okay, I don't want this to be my second straight posting on snow.... I'll say that up front. But I want to share some random thoughts that have been floating in my head since our last snow storm a couple of days ago. Call it the science teacher in me.

During our last snow day on Thursday morning, I was sitting on my family room sofa, drinking my third cup of coffee and watching the Today show while waiting to get plowed out. Per usual, they featured the latest storm, having field reporters in various northeast cities comment on snowfall totals, school and mass transit cancellations, etc. etc.... I found it interesting that Matt Lauer then turned the show's attention to one simple question: Why? Why are we in the northeast seemingly in this pattern where we're getting socked with so much snow? For that answer Lauer turned to physicist Dr. Michio Kaku of the City College of New York, who theorizes that global warming could be behind this weather pattern. Here's the clip:

We can talk about "global swings" as Kaku refers to them, but one fact is irrefutable: our planet is getting warmer. In fact, 2010 was tied as one of the hottest on record since records have been kept since the 1880's. I for one believe it is due to human consumption of carbon, not merely natural ebbs and flows of climate. Kaku's theory of the increased moisture in the atmosphere due to the increased temperature of the Gulf of Mexico certainly is an interesting one. It makes you wonder when you piece these recent snowstorms together with the other weather "aberrations," i.e., floods in Australia, mudslides in Brazil and California, and hurricane seasons that seem to expand in duration and intensity each year. Are they all by products of global warming? Are they our new norm?

All of this made me have flashbacks to 21 years ago when I began teaching. I taught an Integrated Science class to high school freshmen where one of our major units was on climate. One of the the topics we covered was "the greenhouse effect," where we studied the effects of carbon dioxide, CFCs, methane, et. al. on the atmosphere. I showed my kids this fascinating video I taped from Channel 2 entitled "After the Warming". The premise was interesting: British broadcaster James Burke was presenting a documentary fictitiously recorded in the year 2050. In it, he reviews how climate change has affected human history for centuries. The second part is the most fascinating, as he "recalls" was has happened from the 1990's to 2050 to address global warming. In turns out that this part of the video (which was shot in 1989) is downright prophetic, as Burke tells of such stories as $5.00 a gallon gasoline, oil spills in the Gulf, American wars in the Middle East due to oil, cap and trade legislation, and massive refugee displacement due to climate changes such as drought and flooding. The film also paints a negative picture of the governments of industrialized countries (including the US) during the early 21st century for the failure to take meaningful action to control carbon emissions and proliferate alternative energy sources. Sound familiar?

A key part of After the Warming that I distinctly remember is a section where Burke describes potential changes to the Atlantic Conveyor, the convection flow of the Atlantic Ocean that carries warm waters northward and cold waters southward. Most importantly, this "conveyor belt" is a key influence on the weather patterns for the northeast states. As Burke (and many other climate scientists) postulates, as polar ice caps melt due to global warming, the ocean waters are less salinated, thus the slowing the flow of the conveyor. Such a circumstance could bring strange weather patterns to us. Here is a clip from After the Warming:

Right now the data from NASA suggest that this is indeed not the case, but the recent weather does make you think about these global climate change theories.... and how much evidence we must see before there is a true call to action.

Interestingly enough, the After the Warming video is available for free in its entire 2 hr format on on a YouTube page dedicated to all of the scientific videos of James Burke. It's wonderfully educational and I strongly recommend it.

Watch it on our next snow day!

A Real Snow Job

2011-01-22T12:58:00.008-05:00

It wasn't a good week.

First, our beloved New England Patriots sleepwalk through a playoff game against the hated NY Jets. Then we have another three-day school week due to a holiday and another snow day yesterday. That's three snow days in two weeks! With 50" of the white stuff already fallen in Mansfield this winter, I think we're all starting to get a bit snow fatigued.

In the past week I've had both teachers and students comment to me how challenging it can be when the school week starts up and then shuts down due to a snow day. There's a certain disconnect, where the momentum of learning can be lost. That certainly can be frustrating.

Plus, now we are looking at June 27 as our last day of the school year.... yikes! I have received an e-mail or two inquiring about that one. In the likely event we have another snow day before the end of the second semester (which is March 18), we will extend the trimester so there is an equitable amount of instructional days for third trimester.

I say "likely event" seeing that today is only January 22 and there's a full two months of winter joy left. Then in perusing the online edition of the Mansfield News, I see this wonderful article where Accuweather Chief Long Range Forecaster Joe Bastardi is forecasting that the remainder of our winter will be colder and stormier than usual. This graphic basically sums it up:

Ugggh! That La Nina pattern certainly is not helping us this year. We're in a bit of a rut.... and now they're telling us that there could be yet another big storm this coming Wednesday!

As my late grandmother always told me, there's no sense in worrying about anything we have no control over. So we'll take it one day at a time, keep warm, and pour another cup of coffee...

Think happy thoughts: 22 days until pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers. : )

Walking Through the PARCC

2011-01-16T15:14:00.012-05:00

Now that Massachusetts has adopted the Common Core Standards, what’s next? What is going to happen to the MCAS? I have had many teachers and parents ask me this question for the past few months. Now the picture is starting to become clearer…

Massachusetts is governing state in a new initiative known as the PARCC (Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness in College and Careers), a state-led assessment consortium with 11 governing states and 26 member states (see above graphic) all together. In fact, Massachusetts’ Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, Mitchell Chester, is the chair of the committee of governing states. The U.S. Department of Education awarded some $170 million in Race to the Top funds to the PARCC for the development of a K-12 assessment system aligned to the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics.

The emphasis of the PARCC will be beyond the 10th grade MCAS, which establishes minimum competency in ELA and math. PARCC’s goal is to dramatically increase the number of students graduating from high school college-and career-ready by creating a next generation assessment system to help meet that goal. PARCC states are committed to building an assessment system that is internationally benchmarked and anchored in what it takes to be college- and career-ready; scoring “proficient” on the assessments will mean students are on track for the next steps in their education, including postsecondary education and training after high school. Thus, with the PARCC parents will receive results that state how well their child is progressing toward college readiness.

Administered in every grade from 3 to 11, the PARCC will be designed to test students' ability to read complex text, solve complex problems, complete research projects, excel at classroom speaking and listening assignments, and work with digital media. PARCC will also replace the one end-of-year high stakes accountability test with a series of assessments at key points throughout the school year. (For a schematic of that schedule, click here.) The mindset behind this is two-fold: 1) to reduce the weight given to a single assessment given over a day or two, and 2) to incorporate more formative assessment, i.e., giving teachers more ability to access useful information on how well their students are learning. So the turn around time of the PARCC results is shortened, students in the middle and high schools will take these shorter but more periodic assessments online.

Some timelines that have been established for districts: 2012- all ELA and mathematics curriculum should be aligned with the Common Core Standards, and the 2014-15 school year- the administering of the PARCC in Massachusetts and all consortium states. The consortium plans to start the piloting the PARCC during the 2012-13, but it has not yet been determined in which states and with which grade levels. Seeing that Commissioner Chester is chairing the governing states, it wouldn't exactly be shocking to see a pilot in several districts or perhaps even statewide during the 2012-13 school year.

Much work lies ahead for us at MHS. It will be challenging but also exciting, as it all has implications for improving our curriculum, our assessments, and how we design and deliver them. More on this to come...

And Now for Something Completely Different: The Finnish Approach

2011-01-08T08:10:00.015-05:00

During the holiday break, two different colleagues e-mailed me a link to an editorial piece in the Boston Globe regarding the most recent PISA (Program for International School Assessment) results. The PISA is a standardized test in reading, mathematics, and science literacy that is administered every 3 years to 15-year old students in 65 nations worldwide by the OEDC (Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation). There has been more national hue and cry since the most recent results (from 2009 testing) were released last November. Below are the results from the NY Times:

As you can see, the US results (23rd in science, 17th in reading, and 32nd in math) aren't quite exactly stellar, and in the case of math, are below the average international score. But something also stands out about these results. Notice that Finland is near the top of the list for each test. Why is this? What can we learn from this Scandinavian nation of 8 million people?

For starters, the educational system is structured slightly differently, as compulsory education is mandated for all children from the ages of 7 to 16, as nearly all public school students spend 6 years in primary school and 3 years in secondary school. Their school day and year is very similar to those in the US (approx. 6 hours, 180 days). It should be noted that 97% of school-age children attend public schools, and Finland has 5th highest high school graduation rate in the world at 91%. Furthermore, 95% of these students go on to post-secondary study, many of whom go on to a state-supported university system. A world-high 30% of Finnish college students major in a science-related field.

The above statistics- enviable by most nations- were not always the case. In fact, a mere 25 years ago Finland lagged behind most nations on most international benchmarks.

So how was the change made? The Finns carefully studied other nations' accountability systems (including our own) and adopted what works. The heart of the Finnish system is not based upon a philosophy of choice and competition that is in vogue today in the US. In contrast, Finnish students never take a standardized test such as the MCAS while in school. There are no rewards or punishments for schools and teachers based upon the results of testing. There are some sample-based tests that are administered to students. Those results are shared with parents, teachers, and researchers to refine the curriculum and improve instruction.

The key is in the cultural mindset. According to a 2008 report from the McKinsey Global Institute the Finns recognize first and foremost: there is nothing more important than teacher quality. Only the best and brightest university students are allowed into the teaching profession, as credential standards require that prospective teachers be at the top of their classes in content knowledge and pedagogical skill.

Finnish teachers are immersed in a professional culture that supports better teaching and learning. There is very little, if any, teaching in isolation. Teachers typically visit each other's classrooms and plan lessons together in a system called "lesson study" that includes "rounds" just like the medical profession. Teachers also get an afternoon off per week for professional development. During these regular and ongoing sessions teachers collaboratively improve the curriculum and refine their assessments. As a result, the professional skills of teachers may grow.

The bottom line is that teaching is a highly respected profession in Finland, much like the medical profession. Finns trust the public schools more than any public institution with the except of the police. As a result, going into the teaching profession is highly desirable to young, talented people.

Couldn't the US take some lessons from Finland?

Beyond the Lab Report

2011-01-02T12:34:00.009-05:00

First off, Happy New Year! May 2011 be a year filled with happiness, good health, and prosperity for you and your family!

I'd like to highlight some of the fine work that is presently being done by members of the MHS Science and English Departments. Their interdisciplinary collaboration is so timely and relevant that they had the opportunity to present it at the annual National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) National Convention in Baltimore a few weeks ago.

Here's the rub: Most science educators will tell you that the biology MCAS test is largely a reading and writing test. To be sure, students must have content knowledge. However, equally important is the ability to critically read a passage, analyze the facts, and then structure a reasonable written argument based upon analysis for an open response test item. Thus, the challenge is to ensure that all students have sufficient opportunities in their coursework to engage with this type of writing.

With this mindset, science department chair Janet Hogan started to brainstorm with her colleague, English teacher Bill Sheehan. Bill, who teaches AP Language and Composition, is particularly passionate about the teaching of writing. He teaches his students the classic rhetorical triangle (pictured above) as the framework for structuring a written argument. Simply put, a rhetorical analysis is a written explanation about how a writer attempts to change the mind of his or her audience. An effective rhetorical analysis demonstrates a full understanding of the interplay of the rhetorical triangle. The writer must be cognizant of the purpose, audience, and most effective strategy to be employed to convince the audience of his/her argument. As Janet Hogan points out, "This is the perfect model for the type of writing we need to be asking kids to do- where they have to defend the way you think, as you must present your data to back up your thoughts."

Thus the science department has set out to create more assessments where the writing goes beyond the typical lab report and the rhetorical analysis is employed. With these new assignments, the teachers are aiming to cultivate students' higher order thinking skills where they explore, analyze, and evaluate concepts. Furthermore, the required writing demands that they apply the new skills and concepts in other contexts.

For example, in Debbie Fournier's biology classes, students perform a classic lab on dialysis where a plastic bag containing glucose and starch is placed in a beaker of distilled water and Lugol's solution. Students get their data, then apply their understanding in a writing assignment where they must write a letter to a local grocery store and make an argument about things such as produce bags and fold-top sandwich bags: do they have integrity and can they keep our food safe?

As another example, in Anne Carroll's classes the students read the work The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Sloot. The recent work tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, an an African-American woman who 60 years ago was the unwitting donor of cells from her cancerous tumor, which were cultured to create an immortal cell line for medical research, research that has saved thousands of lives. This topic creates a rich forum for students to argue the bioethics of this situation. Again, the rhetorical analysis method is used, where students in groups start by brainstorming interests, experiences, previous knowledge and questions. They rank the list according to interest, expand the list to two or three topics, expand each topic by listing knowledge, terms to be defined, questions about topic, contrary opinions, journalist’s questions, causes and effects, etc. and then research by reading, generating questions, finding answers, generating new questions, synthesizing and developing a position.

The science department will be working to implement this type of writing not only in biology classes but in all classes. It is certainly timely work as the newly adopted Common Core Standards in English language arts detail specific literacy skills that all students in grades 6-12 should possess as a result of their study in other core subjects such as science and social studies. In other words, the teaching of reading and writing should not solely be the responsibility of English teachers: it should be taught and reinforced across the curriculum.

This work is challenging, but the science department is off to a great start!

Life-long Lessons of Team

2010-12-07T20:50:00.008-05:00

Let me throw a few words at you. (P.S.- They're not mine...)

Unbeaten... gritty... solid... smart... hard-nosed... dedicated... aggressive... unheralded... tough... Herculean... stellar... clutch... game-changing... talented... electric... swift... sportsmanship... poise... camaraderie... commitment... and, MIRACULOUS.

These are all words that have been used by the Sun-Chronicle's Mark Farinella in articles, columns, and blog postings during the last six weeks to describe the actions and characteristics of the 2010 edition of the Mansfield High School football team. Mark is a talented guy (and a proud MHS alum) who I consider to be a friend to our school community. Most importantly, he has aptly captured the incredible run of this team which culminated in last Saturday's 29-26 Division II Super Bowl victory over Reading. And what a run it has been!

Over the course of this season I have heard more than once that this Hornet squad was not the biggest- and maybe not the most naturally gifted. However, any shortcomings were always made up with their hard work, heart, and character. Granted, there have been some big time performances by some prime time players on this team... but different students have stepped up at key moments in critical games. You could see this squad's intelligence and confidence build as the season progressed, particularly after that critical North Attleboro game. They had the character to set goals, persevere through practice, and as the motto has been for years, "never surrender"! And that is the very definition of what team is all about, as the whole became greater than the sum of the parts.

I would urge all of these fine students- particularly our seniors- to savor this championship for the coming months, for there is plenty to be proud. Well after you graduate the years will pile up and some of the memories may fade a bit, but never forget the life long lesson of the value of being part of a successful team. Never forget the careful mentoring from this great coaching staff. Never forget the attention to detail that you put into your practices and game preparations. Never forget how you pushed but also supported one another. Never forget the lessons of true sportsmanship that you've learned both on and off the field.

I truly hope you can apply it to other aspects of your lives well after MHS... and there too you will be champions.

Congratulations!

Accountability Redux

2010-11-28T13:54:00.010-05:00

This past week the New York Times ran two columns by Thomas Friedman dealing with the current state of affairs in American education. I found them filled with insight, particularly as we inch toward the implementation of the reforms of Race to the Top. A major portion of these reforms deal with standards and accountability, as they mandate that principal and teacher effectiveness be in part judged by student assessment results. Furthermore, results of standardized tests such as the MCAS will now be "drilled down" to the teacher level. Therefore, within the next year you will be able to access the aggregate results and Student Growth Percentile median values for a specific teacher. According to Race to the Top guidelines, these figures must be used for a portion of each teacher's formal evaluation. The intent behind this new system is to recognize and reward effective teachers and to weed out ineffective ones. The RTTT Program provides competitive grant money for districts who take it one step further and implement a merit pay system to reward the most effective teachers.

The challenges of implementing such a system will be great, as is always, the devil is in the details (which still have not been unveiled by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). To be sure, all of us working in schools should be held to the highest standards of accountability, as the bottom line is student achievement. If our kids are successful, so are we. In that sense, I applaud RTTT for bringing data and transparency to a new level. However, as Friedman's column, "Teaching for America" points out, is there faulty logic in some of the philosophical underpinnings of RTTT? Some notions worthy of consideration:

There are presently 3.2 million active teachers in the U.S. Within the next ten years it is estimated that nearly one half will retire (the baby boomers). There clearly will be teacher shortages. If the premise of RTTT is to get rid of ineffective teachers, where exactly are all of the candidates waiting in the wings to take the place of all of the bad teachers? I know from personal experience that there are presently a dearth of high quality candidates in certain content areas, particularly in the critical STEM-related (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. Friedman makes the case that teacher training programs need to be made more rigorous, and perhaps like nations that outperform us on international tests- such as Singapore, South Korea, and Finland- only the best and brightest should be permitted to enter the teaching profession. In these nations only graduates who finish in the top third of their class are allowed to become teachers. If the U.S. adopted such a system, teacher compensation would have to be much greater than it is today.

In today's knowledge economy, all graduates must possess essential skills such as the ability to problem solve, critically think, effectively communicate, and collaborate. This point is consistently driven home in the research and is highlighted in Tony Wagner's recent work, The Global Achievement Gap. However, as rigorous of a state assessment the MCAS may be, does it measure all of these skills in a comprehensive manner? Therefore, should teacher effectiveness be confined to just this assessment? Or should we be using multiple measures of learning, some of which are performance-based in nature (e.g., portfolios, senior projects, exhibitions, etc.)? Wouldn't these better get at the heart of these essential skills?

The push for greater teacher effectiveness is only one side of the coin. We should do everything to reform our practices and ensure that all kids reach the highest standards. All of our schools should strive to be creative and do whatever it takes. Anything less is unacceptable. But this will get us only so far.... Part of the accountability dialogue must be around how ready to learn our students come to school. It is hardly a surprise that the annual Boston Globe Listing of District MCAS Performance is usually in the same rank order of the socioeconomic status of the 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. It has been well documented since the federal Coleman Report of 1966 that home-related factors, such as socioeconomic status, access to health care, stable housing, etc., are the greatest factors in predicting a child's academic success, far outweighing school-related factors. Furthermore, how the parent supports the school and his child's learning, effort, and habits of mind is also paramount. As Friedman concludes his column:

"... If we want better teachers we also need better parents — parents who turn off the TV and video games, make sure homework is completed, encourage reading and elevate learning as the most important life skill. The more we demand from teachers the more we have to demand from students and parents. That’s the Contract for America that will truly ensure our national security."

Where are these ideas in the accountability dialogue?

Happy Thanksgiving.... Mansfield 32, Foxboro 12

2010-11-26T21:30:00.005-05:00

Congrats to the Mansfield Hornets, who were 32-12 winners over rival Foxboro in the annual Thanksgiving tilt. The win, which was the fourth consecutive one on Turkey Day, left little doubt who was the Hockomock League champion. Stalwart tailback Jamal Marshall (pictured above) gave a gritty effort with 78 yards rushing on 12 carries while battling bronchitis. However, the Don Currivan MVP Award was presented to junior QB George Busharis (pictured below with his parents) for his outstanding performance (9 for 11, 223 yards, 3 TDs). Congratulations!

The Hornets finish the regular season with a 10-1 record and a perfect 9-0 mark in the Hock. They next face Walpole in the Division 2 playoffs this Tuesday night, 11/30 at 7:45 pm at Weymouth High School.

Strike Up One for the Band!

2010-11-13T08:04:00.008-05:00

The MHS Band marching down Fifth Avenue, NYC on St. Patrick's Day, 1957

If you know MHS Band Director Peter Conti, you know he is a talker. Big time. I cherish our nearly everyday chats where he fills me in on the latest on his family, the band, and what's happening in the community. I also value his institutional knowledge, as Peter is a lifelong Mansfield resident and a proud member of the MHS Class of '76. On many occasions he has shared anecdotes about the halcyon days of the band in the 50's, 60's, and 70's when it dominated the social landscape of our school. These were the days when one-third to one-half of the student body was a member of the band, drill team, or colorguard, and there was a very real sense of cache in being part of it. (Mind you, the sports teams weren't exactly championship caliber in those days.) Additionally, when the band performed in competition, from Boston to Disneyworld to Ireland, it always outshined the other schools. To say the least, Peter's descriptions of the band's accomplishments are epic in proportion.

This point came clearer to me with last weekend's MHS Band Reunion, where members of the band from the years 1950 to 1980 gathered in Mansfield not only to reminisce but to also pay tribute to band director Jim Gallo, who served MHS for 29 years during that era. As part of the weekend's events, last Saturday over 200 band alumni marched down Main Street with our current band, led by Jim and Peter. That evening over 300 gathered at the Holiday Inn for a banquet in Jim's honor. Many had traveled great distances to participate, as far as Washington state and Alabama. As I had the pleasure of attending, I was struck by the deep fondness and gratitude that our band alum had for their experiences and their teacher, Jim Gallo.

Like all great programs in any school, the MHS band had great leadership. Along with the late, great Bob Dolan (who served as the drill team and colorguard director), Jim built up the program from the ground. From speaking with the alumni, it is clear that Jim's passion and commitment were the driving force for such success. Jim ate, drank, slept, and breathed MHS Band, Drill Team, and Colorguard. He had the vision of what it could be and then applied 29 years of hard work to see it though.

But perhaps the greatest measure of Jim's greatness as an educator was his ability to connect with all of his students on a personal level. Not only was Jim a teacher but a mentor to thousands of MHS students. He had that perfect blend of being an authoritative role model that demanded excellence and a caring adult who consistently communicates genuine concern. Although I never worked with Jim or even observed him, this fact was clear from hearing from the alumni individually and during the banquet's presentations. He touched so many lives, and this is the essence of his success. This was true 60 years ago when Jim started... and it is true today.

I am happy and proud that Jim's legacy lives on today in so many ways with his outstanding student, Peter Conti. Many thanks to Peter and the Band Reunion Committee (Chaired by Barbara Kudzol, '62) for putting on a great event!

Jim Gallo leads the alumni and band down Main Street, Saturday November 6

The mentor (Jim Gallo) and his student (Peter Conti) on the town common, November 6

Foreign Language Honor Societies Induction 2010

2010-11-06T12:23:00.007-04:00

It was a great night last Thursday as the 24th annual Foreign Language Honor Society Induction Ceremony at Mansfield High School was held in the MHS Auditorium. Seventy-four French and Spanish students were inducted into the Société Honoraire de Français sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French and the Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

These honor societies are national organizations and the criteria for selection is uniform, mandated, and of the highest caliber. Each inductee has maintained at least a 90 average in his or her respective language for two years prior to consideration. In addition, the inductee must have a cumulative scholastic average of 80% or above in all other subjects.

As I am asked to do every year, I gave some opening remarks, striving to even give a few words of wisdom in French (thank you, Mrs. Gildersleeve and Mr. Benoit!). I congratulated the inductees and current members, reminding them that they were well on their way to acquiring a 21st century skill, the ability to speak another language. This is a skill that I believe will soon be a necessity in our global economy, as I have recently read of the emergence of more English speakers in China than in the United States within the next twenty years, underscoring the need for a second or even third language acquisition.

Senior members of each society, David Brown, Matthew Cioe, Bridget Davis and Maura Harwood conducted the ceremonies in the target languages. Walter Xu, Co-President of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, and Jonathan Paz, member of the Société Honoraire de Français, opened and closed the ceremony, marked by the passing of the candle of knowledge and presentations by both societies. French Vice-President Kevin Sankey introduced the French song, “Un p’tit air de 1925”, reminding the students of times where having fun did not need to involve iPods or Playstations. The Spanish song, “El Universo Sobre Mi” ably introduced by Spanish Co-Secretary Kirby Viera, reminded us to be happy to be alive and to enjoy all that life has to offer.

The seniors who participated in 2010 Spanish exchange program with the town of Aranjuez, Spain were the guest speakers. Kristina Ivas, Faye Harwell (SHH), Catherine Hamel (Co-President, SHH) and Kylie Nelson (SHH) shared their personal experiences and photographs with the inductees and the audience. Their presentations all reflected on both hosting the Spanish students here in the United States as well as their experiences in Granada, Madrid and Aranjuez.

A reception in the main lobby of the High School followed the ceremony.

The following students are the 2010 inductees:
Société Honoraire de Français
Krishna Bandi , Lindsay Beise, Medha Biswas, Michael Blackman, Laura Burnham, Lauren Connors, Brent Doherty, Taylor Donnelly, David Elofson, Brett Fortin, Carlos Gómez, Ashley Goverman, Katherine Hogan, Amanda Iandoli , Thomas Joncas, Sowmya Kuruganti, Marielle Lajoie, Andrew Marcaccio, Ennya Monestime, Meghan Parrett, Joseph Presentato, Kristina Rothchild, Michaela St. Jean, and Christopher Walsh

Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (pictured above)
Micaela Allen, Joshua Bayliss, Michaela Bowes, Joshua Buonpane, Brianne Burke, Meghan Carroll, Milena Casamassima, Megan Cole, Anna Craft, Catherine DeBruyn, Richard Erickson, Brian Ferreira, Michelle Flynn, Andrea Gemme, Kevin Giffels, Melissa Godfrey, Anne Claire Grammer, Morgan Grant, Matthew Harris, Katherine Hrach, Michelle Ivanoski, Elijah Karpf, Joshua Lampron, Nicholas Leonard, Patrick Maloney, Aubrey Matthews, Paige MacPherson, Victoria Mello, Nathaniel Michener, Colleen Moore, Hanna Nash, Allison Neenan, Mitchell Negus, Christopher Nugent, Gabriel O’Connor, Terrence O’Mara, Nicole O’Neill, Ariana Pasquantonio, Luke Pastor, Kailee Paulson, Kenneth Ratliff, Colleen Riley, Cori Roach, Nathaniel Somes, Theresa St. James, Andrew Sullivan, Jessica Todesco, Guy Vareewong, Jack Vultaggio, and Laura Whalen

To these fine students, felicidades and bonne chance!

Thoughts on "Waiting for Superman"

2010-10-23T21:45:00.014-04:00

This past week I had the opportunity to see the documentary Waiting for Superman, a thought-provoking film about the current state of American public education. The work, directed by David Guggenheim (of An Inconvenient Truth fame) has received a considerable amount of press. The title is a metaphor for where we seemingly are: waiting for a powerful solution, a "Superman," to rescue us by improving outcomes in our schools, as by all national and international measures, student achievement has been flat for the past 35 years.

The film portrays the stories of elementary and middle school-aged children from New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC who are in so-so to poor schools. Their prospects are poor at best, as they will be soon transitioning to middle or high schools that Guggenheim terms as "failure factories," schools that are rife with chaos and disengagement. Thus, each of the children's parents enroll their student in a lottery for various charter schools, ones portrayed as remarkable schools where they can beat the odds of failure. Unfortunately there are very few openings versus applications, and as the film climaxes, the viewer knows that very few of these children will actually get into these charter schools.

At least half of the film is dedicated to charter schools that have posted impressive gains in student achievement, most notably the Harlem Promise Academy and the KIPP Academy in New York City. These amazing schools have visionary founders like Geoffrey Canada, a committed educator and reformer who passionately believes that it's great teachers that make all the difference. In fact, the film repeatedly stresses this fact... and eventually segues into an indictment of the systems and structures that impede the removal of ineffective teachers. Here is where the educational bureaucracy and teachers unions take their shots, as Guggenheim shares the most over-the-top stories of adult entitlement and protection of the incompetent.

Being a former charter school director, by no means do I believe that they are a panacea. Trust me, there are plenty of bad charter schools out there. (Guggenheim glosses over very quickly that only 1 in 5 have results superior to traditional public schools.) However, the beauty of their existence is that they offer a new way of doing business- and specifically innovation- for our neediest kids. I have been at charter school lotteries for schools such as Providence's Times2 Academy, where just like the ones in the film, being selected as a student is often a 1 in 50 proposition. When it happens, the students and parents cry tears of joy, as if they have won millions of dollars in an actual state lottery. This is truly bittersweet to observe.

It should be pointed out that successful schools like the Harlem Promise Academy and KIPP are true labors of love, where the staff are deeply committed, going well beyond the parameters of what we typically expect in a school. Students in these schools attend for 8-10 hours per day, and many of their social services needs are tended to. I have personally known teachers at similar schools, and their accessibility to students and their families is great, as contact at home during the evenings and weekends is the norm. In some cases, staff act as parent figures, as they are the most meaningful adults in their students' lives. It is apropos that one of the children featured in Waiting for Superman is attempting to get into Washington DC's The SEED School. The SEED School is a public charter boarding school, as a 24-hour education in academic, life skills, and enrichment is delivered to inner city youth. Like the other schools portrayed in the film, staff at the SEED School are committed to doing what ever it takes so all of their kids may learn at the highest levels.

Am I suggesting that all schools must take such measures? Hardly. However, we must change how we do business- and the film does a great job in driving that point home. So many of our structures in public education are relics of the past, as they were created in the late 1800's or early 1900's, designed to educate children of the industrial age. These children were well-prepared to find jobs in the manufacturing and service industries, with a select few going on to college. This system will no longer work today, where students need to go to college to be competitive in our economy.

Like the featured charter schools, we must always do "whatever it takes." We must be innovative- and use research-based practices that improve student results. We can longer expect that a 180 day, 6 hr. school model will let us be competitive with our global counterparts. We can no longer have a "one size fits all" approach to teaching and learning.

During the film's closing minutes, several tag lines are interspersed with the credits. One reads, "Our education system is broken." Another reads "We know what works in schools."

After a fade to black, it is followed by "We must do it."

Amen.

The (Dis)Connected Generation?

2010-10-17T10:07:00.014-04:00

"Jumping off the gw bridge sorry"

These disturbing words were the last status update that Tyler Clementi, 18, a Rutgers University freshman, posted to his Facebook page hours before taking his own life by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. As I am sure you have heard of this tragic story recently in the press, Clementi was distraught after being cyberbullied by his roommate and the roommate's friend.

There are also recent reports of four teenage suicides in the past two years, all of the teens being students at Mentor High School in Mentor, OH. According to several accounts, these students experienced extreme cases of bullying where they were hate was constantly spewed at them verbally and online due to their nationality, appearance, dress, likes, and sexual orientation. To same that these students were dehumanized by the bullies would be an understatement.

Therefore, I read an article in this morning's Boston Globe entitled, "The Empathy Deficit" with great interest. The author, Keith O'Brien, makes the point that today's youth are connected to one another more than ever (vis-a-vis cell phones, texting, IM, social networking, etc.), however, recent research from the University of Michigan shows that college students today are 40% less empathetic than they were in 1979, with the sharpest decline occurring in the last 10 years. Additionally they note that more college aged students tend to be narcissistic. The researchers find plenty of ironies here, as student-to-student communication and access to one another has never been better. Nonetheless, many admit that “other people’s misfortunes” usually don’t disturb them. In other words, they might be constantly aware of their friends’ whereabouts, but all that connectedness doesn’t seem to be translating to genuine concern for the world and one another.

Think about the role empathy plays in our lives... and the quality that it brings to all of our social/emotional interactions. Now think of a world where fewer and fewer people understand social norms, etiquette, and downright human decency because empathy was somehow not properly instilled. Is this recent spate of bullying to tragic consequences- where victims are dehumanized- part of the larger trend of lack of empathy?

Like most problems in the world, you probably cannot blame only one factor for this apparent problem. As O'Brien writes in the article:

These students...would have been born in the 1980s, raised in the ’90s on video games, 24-hour cable television, and widespread divorce, and sent off to college with laptops and cellphones — the young pioneers of the digital age. Perhaps, some suggest, technology has connected them in one sense, but pushed them away from each other in another. “It’s very shallow, a lot of these connections,” said Jean Twenge, coauthor of “The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement.” “You don’t really have an emotional connection with someone on Facebook.”

Perhaps, others argue, the problem is the advent of 24-hour cable and Internet news; young people today have been inundated with news to the point that they cannot care anymore. The oil spill in Louisiana this week, the flood in Pakistan next week — the tragedies all run together, making it harder to care in any sort of sustained way. Parenting could also be at fault, Konrath speculated. Perhaps today’s less empathetic children were raised by more narcissistic parents. Or the problem could be a hypercompetitive world in which everyone is trying to get into the best schools, get ahead, get more.

The ideas in the above quote very much resonate with me, as I see it everyday. It didn't surprise to read a recent study by the Pew Research Center that found that today's teens text more than they talk. I can think of many times I have picked up my teenage daughter from a social gathering, and as I see her sitting with her friends, they are all feverishly texting (each other??), often having multiple text conversations simultaneously. Seeing this depresses me.... what ever happened to good ol' conversation??

No one believes in the limitless possibilities of technology to improve teaching and learning more than me. However, I see the dark side of technology as well, as I fear that for some, it has replaced the foundation of what makes us human. Nothing is more important than the ability to engage, to communicate, to relate.... face to face. Without that ability, there can be no empathy.

Today's youth need a world not only with empathy- but one with compassion, wisdom, and patience as well. This comes only from quality relationships with adults who have invested in their lives, not from a "friend" on a social networking site.

Get Spooked, Save a Pooch

2010-10-11T09:26:00.006-04:00

It's wonderful to see a new cohort of MHS students pick up the Mansfield Haunted Hollows mantle. This annual event, which features a haunted house adventure in the woods off Oakland Street, has raised over $20,000 for the Mansfield Animal Shelter Building Fund since its inception in 2008. It was originally the brainchild of recent MHS alums Ben Yeransian, Tate Shephard, Tyler Schmidt, and Lauren Pilsbury. Since they all graduated, there was some question as to the fundraiser would continue. Lo' and behold, three Mansfield families, the Colberts, the McLoughlins, and the Roses, stepped up and provided leadership and guidance to the over 50 students who volunteer their time and efforts to tasks such as designing and building the attraction, soliciting local businesses for support, and the actual acting for the haunt. This great event provides a wonderful community service opportunity for our students, many of whom are active in the MHS Performing Arts Department.

More information about this year's Mansfield Haunted Hollows may be found on their website. The spooky event runs the next three Friday and Saturday nights: October 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, and 30 starting at 7:00 pm. Once again, all profits will go to support the Mansfield Animal Shelter. Please come out for a good scare and support a great cause!

Pictured above, From left to right: BJ Chancy, Gregory Rose, Colleen McQue, Marc Thomas, Mary Colbert, Matt Lambert, Mike McLoughlin, Matt Mederos, Sean Lambert, Megan Pilsbury, and Connor McLoughlin.

If U Txt While U Drv U Dserv A Tckt

2010-10-02T13:24:00.013-04:00

True Story:

The year was 1988, and then I was working as a pharmaceutical sales representative for the now defunct Upjohn Company. As my territory was the greater Hartford, CT area, I would spend a great deal of the day in my car, circumnavigating Routes 84 and 91, the two major highways that intersect in the capital city. One morning when the traffic on I-84 was particularly jammed, where cars were crawling along at a 5-10 mph clip for several miles, I glanced over at a car to my right. In the car was a guy who was professionally dressed in a suit and tie. However- no word of a lie- in his lap he had a tv tray that had a plate with his breakfast on it (scrambled eggs, pancakes, etc.). He was eating his breakfast and taking sips of his commuter-mug coffee in between bites. But best of all, with the same hand he was using to steer, he was also holding up a half-unfolded Hartford Courant against the steering wheel, reading its contents! I initially laughed out loud after seeing such a freakish sight, but the more I reflected upon it, I was disturbed. How could someone show such reckless abandon toward attentive driving? Never in my wildest dreams could I ever envision a scenario where such distraction would become commonplace.

Flash forward 22 years to last night. I was in my hometown, picking up some take out food for the family. I was parked on Main Street, and I needed to cross the street to get to the restaurant, thus I made my way to the crosswalk. As I started to cross in the walkway, a car sped by, not appropriately yielding, and it missed me by 5 or 6 feet. I looked at the driver and affixed to this young man's ear were his hand and cell phone as he was deep in conversation, seemingly oblivious to me on the well-lit road.

The sad reality is that this is definitely NOT the first time that this has happened to me, a member of my family, or a friend. The amount of distracted driving that occurs is downright staggering. There is not a single day that while I am heading home on Route 95 that I don't see a scene that looks like this:

It is common to see a driver with the cell phone nestled at the top of the steering wheel, so the driver can attempt to text and steer simultaneously. Others try (unsuccessfully) to be more clandestine, so they text with their phones on their laps, occasionally looking up to survey the road. I've seen this in all walks of life: teenagers, adults, truck drivers- you name it. Sadly, I'm sure all of you reading this posting can attest to the same.

So I believe it is welcoming news that Massachusetts became the 30th state this week to enact a law banning texting while driving. If caught by police texting and driving, the driver will face a fine of $100 for the first offense. If the driver is under 18, the ban is applicable to not only texting but also cell phone usage. For these 16 and 17 year old drivers, the first offense will result in not only a $100 fine, but also loss of license for 60 days and attendance at a mandatory retraining course.

It is a shame that we must legislate what should be common sense. With statistics like nearly 6,000 deaths resulting in the US and 400 crashes in Massachusetts in 2008 due to distracted driving, sometimes some folks need to be saved from themselves....

Thoughts for Hockomock Captains

2010-09-24T21:38:00.008-04:00

Yesterday marked the Hockomock League Captains Leadership Conference, held at Lake Pearl Luciano's in Wrentham. The annual event is held for the senior captains of all interscholastic sports in the 10-school league. Mansfield's athletic director Joe Russo was responsible for the planning and implementation of the event, and he did an outstanding job, as the workshop for 480 student athletes featured preesentations on such timely topics as bullying and sports-related concussions.

I was asked to give some welcoming remarks to the students. Below is the text of my comments. This was an easy one for me, as I wanted to work in the recent story of Armando Gallaraga, a vignette that to me represents all that is right in sports!

Good morning and welcome! It certainly is a pleasure to be speaking to some of the best and brightest that the Hockomock League has to offer. I am certain that most, if not all of you are not only leaders on the playing field and court, but also in the classroom. Confidently, I speak for all 10 schools’ principals and athletic directors in the Hock when I say we are all very proud of your accomplishments and we wish you nothing but success in this school year! Keep up the outstanding work!

At today’s conference- you’re going to hear a lot of recurring themes: character, leadership, and sportsmanship- to name a few… But I also feel like we all need perspective. Out of curiosity- just by a show of hands- how many of you here plan on playing a sport at the college level? How many of you plan on being drafted to play for a pro team out of college within 4 or 5 years from now? Well, according to the most recent statistics from the NCAA, slightly under 4% of all high school student athletes go on to play at the collegiate level. They also report that 0.015 % of high school athletes- that’s 15 out of every 100,000 are drafted by Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, or MLS. Not such great odds, huh?

I don’t bring up these statistics to be a downer, but rather to make a point. While many of you will here will no doubt be in that 4%... and with a little luck, one or two of you may even be the next Lofa Tatupu, and be in that 0.015%.... for the large majority of all student athletes in the Hock, high school is the highest level of organized sports they’ll reach. That is the reality, but for over 3,000 students who play a sport in our league, it is a very meaningful thing- a real passion in their lives as students. As captains in your respective sports you have the opportunity to positive shape their experiences. You have the opportunity to set the tone, demonstrate character, and lead by example, therefore making a real difference in so many lives. That, in my opinion, is a great responsibility but also a wonderful gift.

I’m sure you caught in the news two recent events in sports that I believe speak to character and sportsmanship (or lack thereof). In July, ESPN aired this ridiculous 2-hour special entitled “The Decision” which broke the news on which NBA team LeBron James would be signing his next contract. After much contrived suspense, LeBron announced that it would be the Miami Heat for a mere $110 million. He followed up the special with a garish press conference in Miami the next day- one complete with screaming fans, dancing cheerleaders, a smoke and laser show, and his two new teammates, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. During the special and press conference LeBron kept repeating that he joined the Heat because he wanted to win championships- win a lot of them- and how there would be a new, dominant “big three.” Did he ever discuss his love and respect for the game? Nope- just winning, and winning now. Did he ever speak about team building and chemistry? Nope- just how this new big three would cement his legacy as an NBA great by winning multiple rings. Now don’t get me wrong…. LeBron James is a great player, but his recent actions have caused many in the media to characterize him as a self-absorbed narcissist. I would have to agree with that assessment.

In contrast, there is the story of Armando Gallaraga. Now you may be sitting in your seat asking yourself, “Who the heck is Armando Gallaraga?” Armando Gallarago is a starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who presently has a 4-7 record and a 4.5 ERA. One night in June he electrified Detroit by pitching a perfect game no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. Now mind you, a perfect game has been pitched only 18 times in the history of the game! The only problem here is that it wasn’t considered a perfect game due to a colossal blunder by first base umpire Jim Joyce. In the top of the ninth with two men out, Gallaraga pitched to the 27th Cleveland batter, #9 hitter Jason Donald. Donald hit a ground ball between first and second, the first baseman Miguel Cabrera made a nice play and tossed it to a covering Gallaraga. While it was blatantly obvious that the runner was out, the umpire called him safe, thus ruining the perfect game. Despite the protests of the Detroit manager, Joyce and the umpire crew did not change the decision, nor did Gallaraga react negatively. Thus, Gallaraga finished with a one-hit shutout, not making history.

After the game, when Gallaraga was pressed by reporters how he felt by getting so robbed by such a bad call, Gallaraga just smiled and shrugged and said, “Everyone makes mistakes… those things happen in the game.” To his credit, the umpire apologized directly to Gallaraga for the bad call, and even pleaded with Major League Baseball to reverse his decision but to no avail. The very next day, at the start of the game, Gallaraga brought out the Tigers scorecard to Joyce, who was the home plate umpire. The two men talked, shook hands, and embraced. The crowd at Comerica Park gave them an extended standing ovation for the incredible class, grace, and sportsmanship that was displayed.

So what’s my point in sharing these two contrasting stories? In my opinion, the sports world needs more Armando Gallaragas. And the good news is that it can start with all of you! We need to consistently stress sportsmanship- and respecting the game and each other- much more than winning and losing. We need to always conduct ourselves with class and dignity, as things in the game don’t always go as planned. These simple ideas transcend the playing field and will always be applicable to life- well after your high school playing days are over.

Chances are you will never play on as big of a stage as a LeBron James or Armando Gallaraga. However, your impact on your peers can be just as great. The way in which your impact will be realized is leading by example, namely by consistently making good decisions, treating all with respect, and exercising good sportsmanship. This is the true measure of your character as athletes, and most importantly, as leaders. I am confident you will live up to this challenge.

Have a great day, and best of luck in all of your seasons! Thank you.

Could the iPad Be a "Game Changer"?

2010-09-17T17:14:00.016-04:00

During the tax-free holiday weekend in August, I woke up early and made my way to the Mansfield Best Buy for its 7:00 am opening. I was glad that I did, as I waited for the doors to open along with 50 or so other folks, with at least 48 of them being there for the same reason I was: to purchase an iPad. That day they were selling them like hotcakes!

I got myself one... actually it was for my 10-year old daughter, Molly. My wife and I decided that it would be a nice back to school investment for her, as she was entering the fifth grade and starting a new school. While she has definitely used it a great deal, and has downloaded a plethora of applications and silly games, I have been pleasantly surprised with its value as much more than an electronic game. Last Thursday night in our family room I noticed Molly very quietly and intently studying the iPad screen. When I asked her what she was doing, she informed me that she was reading Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, a book that her class was assigned to read. On her own she downloaded the work from iBooks and was enjoying reading it. Seeing this with my own child made me think of the larger possibilities....

The iPad is a tablet PC, and there's certainly nothing new about that. However, its slick and intuitive Apple interface make it very appealing. When Apple CEO and founder Steve Jobs did the iPad product launch, he heralded it as downright revolutionary, as its superior text/book download and visual capacities would ultimately be the new medium for the fledgling newspaper and newsmagazine industry. While I question this, it is interesting think of the potential once the cost of technology like the iPad decreases even more. Education columnists and bloggers speculate that the iPad could replace the use of textbooks where students would simply download the textbooks they needed from year to year. The textbook content could be much more interactive, incorporating video as well chat, wiki, and blog capacities. Needless to say, this would be greatly beneficial to the environment, cutting down on all of that paper.

As of today, Apple has developed over 5,000 educational applications for use with K-12 students. As an example, here is The Elements: A Visual Exploration that could be used in any physical science or chemistry class. Check it out:
Think of the potential applications or "apps" yet to be developed-ones that could help the Web 2.0 generation process, synthesize, and evaluate new information. This technology has potential that I believe we have not fully tapped.

Most of all, the iPad is mobile- and invites peer interaction (such as discussions and editing), collaboration, productivity, and communication- essential skills for college and career readiness. Like most technologies, it is only as good as the skill of the teacher who is using it to facilitate the learning. In other words, it's only as good as how it's used.

But the possibilities!

Green Roof?? A Great Start!

2010-09-11T07:02:00.011-04:00

When students returned to MHS this past week they noticed something new when they used the stairwell on the far end of the building near the modular classrooms. It looked like this:What they noticed was the fruition of the senior project of recent alum Kjirsten Seiler, '10. During last school year Kjirsten researched the topic of the green roof, a roof (or a portion of a roof) that is covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. This type of roof has become more popular in the past 5-10 years, particularly in new urban construction. Its benefits include providing insulation, absorbing rainwater, reducing heat loss and energy consumption, and filtering out pollutants and carbon dioxide of the air.

While the scope of this project was small (only a portion of the roof to the modular wing was done), Kjirsten planned everything and constructed it over the summer with the help of some MHS friends. This includes the frame, the membrane, the drainage system, the medium, and plants. Interestingly enough, Kjirsten used a product known as GaiaSoil as the growing medium. This "soil" is an ultra-light, recycled foam that is enriched with nutrients so vegetation may grow. She also planted very low maintenance, ground cover plants such as sedum album and sedum pachycladus, ones that should flower in the spring.

With an increased emphasis on schools to be "green," this addition certainly is a timely one. More importantly, it was the culmination of one student's project-based learning. This topic is clearly one that Kjirsten is passionate about, so much so that she would like students from successive classes to continue the project, building their own sections. Perhaps that vision may be realized...

Many thanks also to MPS Director of Buildings & Grounds Walter Parker for his help with this project!

MA Scores $250 M in Race To The Top.... What Does It Mean?

2010-09-02T20:52:00.006-04:00

Last week came the monumental news that the Commonwealth was one of the 12 recipients of the federal government's Race to the Top competition. Largely based upon total student population, Massachusetts was awarded $250 million by the US Department of Education. This is certainly great news.... but to be clear, by no means is this extra money for the operating expenses of cash-strapped districts. Rather, it is an infusion of funds for a four-year period to help accelerate the reforms envisioned by the Obama administration.

As the Massachusetts RTTT application indicates, the vision of the use of the funds is clearly aligned with the RTTT Program priorities: improving standards and assessments, improving teacher and principal quality, improving data systems that support instruction, and support to turn around failing schools. While implementing the four "turnaround" strategies is important for schools with chronic failure as measured by poor MCAS scores, poor graduation & attendance rates, etc., I honestly don't believe that aspect of the grant will affect our world that much in Mansfield. Here are the areas in which I believe it will:

1. Along with 34 other states and the District of Columbia, Massachusetts has adopted the Common Core Standards in English Language Arts and mathematics. This set of rigorous standards will replace the MA Curriculum Frameworks which have been in place since the early 1990's. While the new standards are very closely aligned with the existing MA standards, some curricular adjustments will need to be made in various grade levels. The grant calls for the provision of numerous curriculum maps and resources to help teachers with this change. Also, we can anticipate that the MCAS in ELA and mathematics will change, as a new state assessment (one that is computer-based) will commence in 2014 or 2015. Needless to say, there has been considerable political debate about this potential move.

2. Massachusetts' already rich education data warehouse will become more user-friendly, providing a wealth of information on student performance for teachers. However, accountability will take a quantum leap forward as the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) will require all districts to provide student schedules and teacher names for the data warehouse database. The intent is to link student performance and growth on MCAS with individual teachers and classrooms. For teachers who do not teach MCAS-tested subjects, the grant calls for the creation and implementation of benchmark assessments to be given at all grade levels. Similar to MCAS results, student performance on these assessments would be tracked back to individual teachers.

3. The RTTT grant also will provide for a new teacher and principal evaluation framework that will help both have clearer standards of performance. A huge change here is the provision that student performance (as measured by MCAS results, benchmark assesssment results, MCAS growth factor, etc.) should be a significant portion of the criteria by which teacher and principal effectiveness is evaluated. Needless to say, the is an enormous shift!!

It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out in the coming year. Of the grant, $125 million is staying at DESE to develop these structures. The other half will be dispersed to the districts who signed on to RTTT vis-a-vis Title I eligibility. This money very much will have strings attached, as the expectation will be to have completed targets in the above strategic areas. To see this work through will take a tremendous amount of time and effort, but I believe that it is the next step in the standards and accountability evolution.

ImPACT Testing- A New Proactive Approach

2010-06-20T20:09:00.004-04:00

I've heard some startling statistics recently regarding high school student-athletes and concussions. Roughly 1 in 5 student athletes experience one each sports season. Upwards of 85% of all concussions are never diagnosed. Fifty percent of all high school football players will experience at least one concussion during their playing tenure. The below short video clip from CBS News sheds more light on the topic:

Watch CBS News Videos Online

The Mansfield High School Athletics Department has purchased the ImPACT concussion evaluation software that is shown in the above clip.

ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is the first, most-widely used, and most scientifically validated computerized concussion evaluation system.

Developed in the early 1990's by Drs. Mark Lovell and Joseph Maroon, ImPACT is an approximately 30-minute test that has become a standard tool used in comprehensive clinical management of concussions for athletes of all ages.

The ImPact program is a computerized neurocognitive test which evaluates verbal and visual memory, reaction time, and impulse control. The test provides baseline information which can be used to help determine the severity of injury when a student hits his/her head and is believed to have a concussion.

Please refer to http://www.impacttest.com/ for more information.

Baseline measurements need to be taken of each student-athlete. The Athletic Deptartment will begin baseline measurements at Mansfield High School on June 21, 2010 for all high school students who are planning to participate in the fall sports of football, boys' and girls' soccer and field hockey. Students will be given schedules of testing times this week.

Thereafter, only new student-athletes receive a baseline measurement while anyone who is suspected of a concussion is closely monitored according to his/her situation.

Please note that if you do not want your child to participate in this program, the Athletic Department needs to be notified by the student’s parent/guardian in writing.

Outliers and Schools... What are the Implications?

2010-06-13T21:11:00.007-04:00

I recently finished Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers: The Story of Success, a fascinating exploration of what factors truly lead to success. This book studies exactly what creates success for any individual person. Gladwell uses the term “outlier” to describe men and women who do things out of the ordinary. These are folks who are really at the top of their game or the best in their chosen field, hence they enjoy success. Furthermore, he debunks the notions that people are “born into greatness” or there’s such a thing as a “self-made man.” Rather, all of us have an advantage in one particular area, and good old-fashioned effort and hard work make the difference.

Interestingly enough, Gladwell asks the following question in the book: How much practice do you have to have before you’re really great at something? Through fairly detailed research, he comes up with the answer which he calls the “10,000 Hour Rule” which is this: For you to become truly outstanding at any cognitively complex task, you have to commit 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to it. Outliers have lived up to the 10,000 hours and probably then some…

The book gives examples from throughout history of famous outliers. For example, Mozart began playing the keyboard and violin at age 3, and started composing at age 6, easily working on his 10,000 hours by creating over 400 concertos before age 12. The Beatles amassed roughly 10,000 hours of live performances in Liverpool, England and Hamburg, Germany when they were still honing their craft between 1960 and 1964. Bill Gates, as a geeky, awkward adolescent, had the opportunity to practice computer programming (his passion from age 12 on) for about 10,000 hours in the elite Seattle prep school he attended from 1968 to 1973. When all of these individuals were presented with the opportunity to follow a passion and improve, they put forth the effort and practiced with a vengeance. Gladwell's point about these outliers having sufficient opportunities to meet these 10,000 hours is well-taken. Imagine if all students could have opportunities such as Gates', where a student could follow a passion to the highest degree in a highly personalized learning environment!

A second major area Gladwell delves into is the relationship between achievement and culture as he aims to untangle long-standing puzzles about success and nationality.

"One of the puzzles that educators have thought about for years is why is it that kids from Japan, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and China vastly outperform their American or Western counterparts in math," Gladwell writes. "They score substantially better than American kids do."

Gladwell states that Asian children might be inheriting a particular cultural legacy from their parents and their society that was helping them succeed in math — and he says he found the answer in the agricultural tradition of rice farming.

"Rice farming lays out a cultural pattern that works beautifully when it comes to math," Gladwell hypothesizes. "Rice farming is the most labor-intensive form of agriculture known to man. It is also the most cognitively demanding form of agriculture … There is a direct correlation between effort and reward. You get exactly out of your rice paddy what you put into it."

While American students often say math skills are innate, Asian students more frequently attribute success in math to hard work. This was confirmed in a 2008 study by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania who dug deeper when looking at the TIMSS (Trends In Mathematics and Science Study) results for 4th grade students in the US and Singapore. They found that when students were interviewed after taking the TIMSS test, both the American and Singapore kids thought the problems were challenging, but there was a stark difference in attitude. Many of the American fourth graders got frustrated with many of the problems and gave up after a relatively short period of time. In contrast, the kids from Singapore had a “can-do” attitude, where they firmly believed that if they gave it their best effort, they would be successful! From this attitude, they would try numerous approaches to a problem until they had success. The UPenn researchers found that it is in the Singapore culture- and most of Asia on a whole- to instill in children starting as toddlers this mindset of strong, consistent effort.

With findings such as these, it is little wonder that so many of the major whole-school reform initiatives (such as the University of Pittsburgh's Institute for Learning or the network of KIPP Academy charter schools) stress organizing for effort as their philosophical underpinnings. I can honestly say that after 20 years as a teacher and principal, effort does determine ability- and everyone can achieve at high levels.

However, do we have systems and structures in place where effort is consistently rewarded? Do our instructional practices recognize that achievement of standards is a process, and effort is a key component? Do assessments that are given to kids reflect this? Food for thought...

Class Day 2010

2010-06-05T00:44:00.005-04:00

As is tradition each year, last Thursday was Class Day for the Class of 2010, the 132nd class to graduate from Mansfield High School. It is a special ceremony to recognize individual student and whole class accomplishments. It is a wonderful celebration for our students, their parents, and the community. Below is a copy of my welcoming comments from the ceremony:

Good morning, and welcome to the 2010 edition of Mansfield High School's Class Day! As Principal of Mansfield High School, I wish to welcome our parents, relatives, students, special guests, teachers, and most importantly, our seniors on this special day to recognize and honor the achievements of the Class of 2010. I would also like to acknowledge the presence of some key individuals who have been instrumental in the support and promotion of our students' success: first, the entire Mansfield School Committee, Chair Michael Trowbridge, Assistant Chair Frank Delvecchio, Jean Miller, Lisa Losiewicz, and Jim Perry, our Superintendent of Schools Brenda Hodges, Director of Finance Ed Vozzella, my right hand men and woman, Assistant Principals Dave Farinella, Mike Connolly, and Dawn Stockwell, and the two outstanding class advisors to the Class of 2010, Gail Farrington and Christine Reilly.

When I think of this class, several words come to mind, among them, hard work, perseverance, commitment, and excellence. At 338 strong, not only are you the largest ever to graduate from Mansfield High School, you are one of the finest. Just look at some of the academic indicators- the highest MCAS scores in our region, the highest SATs in our school's history, outstanding AP participation rates and test scores, the number of students that have been inducted into the Spanish, French, and National Honor Societies, and so on... all of these facts can be attributed to this class. Athletically, you were second to none, as you took our school to new levels. Throughout your four-year tenure, the MHS varsity sports teams won 31 Hockomock League championships and 14 state championships in fall, winter, and spring sports, and 38 individual student-athletes achieved all-state or all-region status in their respective sports. You also have been the heart and soul of an outstanding school band, orchestra, and chorus that have won countless regional and national competitions, and might I add, a percussion ensemble that continues to dominate its competition. But most importantly, you are a class filled with young ladies and gentlemen- students who consistently act with class and respect for one another. Your collective character, integrity, and compassion- demonstrated consistently through acts where you gave to others, from tutoring students throughout the district through the ALC, to being a buddy through Project Teammate, to providing community service locally through vehicles such as The Leaf Raking Project and the Great Mansfield Cleanup….to name just a few. This work certainly has defined you as an outstanding class, one of the finest to graduate from MHS.

However, this Sunday afternoon, oh… by 3 o’clock… you will no longer be Mansfield High School seniors, but rather, Mansfield High School alumni. I urge all of you to never forget that you’re Hornets, but also never forget that you are an integral part of the larger community of Mansfield. There certainly is a great deal of pride that resonates in town as being an MHS alum. Please realize that you, Class of 2010, are the 132nd class to graduate from this institution. To be sure, you are a fine class, but you are also one deeply linked with the past, through your family connections and your work throughout the community. Always keep that link with Mansfield alive and strong…. as there will always be many in the community that love and support you, and likewise, the community needs the vitality and creativity that you bring as young adults. Thus the reciprocal cycle begins once again, part of what we are celebrating here at Class Day!

So I offer my most sincere congratulations to all of you! You deserve the many awards and accolades you will hear today. Reflect on your past successes and dream of the excitement of future opportunities. Thank you for serving Mansfield High School so well!

Making Senior Year More Meaningful

2010-05-23T19:32:00.010-04:00

When the US Department of Education's National Commission on the High School Senior Year delivered a comprehensive report entitled "Raising Our Sights" in 2001, one of the key recommendations was for schools to "require performance-based assessments such as portfolios for seniors to showcase their best accumulated work... and senior projects where students may demonstrate their capabilities for research, creative thinking, rigorous analysis, and clear written and oral communication." It is with this vision that thousands of high schools nationwide have implemented a senior project program. We too have begun the journey at MHS.

Thirty-eight members of the class of 2010 recently completed this year-long independent project, which culminated on May 14 with oral presentations on their research to panels of faculty members, parents, and community members. During their presentations, each student gave an overview of their study area and also talked about their specific research in the field. Throughout the school year, each student had to identify a mentor who is an expert in their chosen field of study, conduct at least 15 hours of fieldwork, reflect in writing upon their experiences, and submit a research paper on the topics. All experiences are also documented by the students through the use of an online electronic portfolio where artifacts of their learning are uploaded and assessed.

The student topics were diverse and interesting. From topics ranging from the feasibility of starting a ski and snowboard apparel business in light of an economic recession to the influence of intellectual property on the medical field, all projects had one thing in common: they were selected by the students based upon what they have a passion for learning.

Many thanks to MHS Senior Project coordinators Bill Deasy and Ben Caisse for their hard work and facilitation throughout the year. Great work!

Pictures:

Above: Chaelyn Saunders presents on the physics of dance and her work with choreography.

Below: Greg O'Brien presents on his work on creating and patenting an experimental medical device; Ali Dorval presents on her topic of increasing AIDS awareness among teenagers through conducting a charity community event.

MCAS/AYP "Readjustment" In Store?

2010-05-17T10:10:00.004-04:00

Over the past decade, the biggest driver of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in American public education has been the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2002. For better or worse, the act has led to the creation of very complex state assessment and accountability systems that measure how well students are meeting state standards in reading, writing, and mathematics. Most states, like Massachusetts, have gone the route of high-stakes testing, where passing a standardized test like the MCAS is necessary for grade promotion or graduation from high school.

A key element of the act was establishing AYP, or the adequate yearly progress each school must demonstrate by increasing the number of students that score proficient on tests like the MCAS. Baseline proficiency levels were established in 2002 with the target of 100% proficiency by the year 2014. Keep in mind that for a school to attain AYP, improvements in both the aggregate and various student subpopulations (e.g., low income, special education, English language learners, various racial groups, etc.) must show improvement. As we have moved closer to 2014, more and more schools across the Commonwealth (and the nation) have failed to achieve AYP, most often because there is an achievement gap among the subpopulation groups and the aggregate. In fact, based upon the 2009 MCAS results, over half of the state's schools have been identified as failing or in need of improvement due to their repeated failure to attain AYP.

Thus, it is interesting news that the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is considering a new proposal where the 100% proficiency goal will be readjusted to a target of 85% of students scoring proficient or advanced on all grades' MCAS tests by the year 2020. Proponents say that this new target is simply more realistic than the 100% mark and will give educators more time to design curriculum and instruction to address persistent achievement gaps, particularly for those students who are English language learners and have disabilities. It will also give more time to strengthen elementary literacy programs throughout the state. Because this proposal is contrary to the mandates of NCLB, the state cannot act on it until Congress acts on the Reauthorization of NCLB. It is believed that this may occur sometime later this year.

Where does this leave us in the world of MHS? We have already achieved this new target, at least in the aggregate (2009 MCAS results: 94% proficient/advanced in ELA, 89% proficient/advanced in math). Below are some slides from a presentation that I gave to the MHS School Council last fall, showing exactly how MHS was doing relative to the AYP targets. The system contains somewhat of a complicated metric, known as the Composite Performance Index or CPI. This CPI score is what determines a school's AYP is:

NCLB Targets for MHS

View more presentations from jpm66.

If you look through the above slides, the aggregate CPI for the 10th grade ELA and mathematics tests has been progressively increasing for the past seven years. So have the results for the two significant subpopulation groups, students with disabilities and limited income students. However, you will notice that the CPI scores are much closer to the state target than the aggregate results. If the results for these groups stay static or dip over the next year or two, MHS will not attain AYP and could be labeled as "in need of improvement."

To their credit, our teachers have aptly used the data from previous year's MCAS to make improvements to the ELA and math curriculums and their instructional strategies. When so many students are scoring proficient or higher-say in the 90-95% range- it is that much more challenging to move the last 5 to 10% of students to proficiency. The challenge here is to analyze and use the data at a micro-level. Who are the students who are struggling? What specific standards/content strands do they not understand? What type of interventions and instruction work best with these kids?

While I am not a fan of high-stakes testing and I passionately believe in the use of multiple measures to assess a student's learning, I do think that NCLB has forced us to think in these terms. And that's a good thing...

A Life-Changing Trip

2010-05-09T22:01:00.010-04:00

It's hard to believe that it's been nearly five years since the Gulf Coast was forever changed by the devastation that was Hurricane Katrina. For the past three years, a special group of students and teachers have been making the trek to the region, pitching in wherever they could to help the ongoing relief efforts. This year's trip certainly was a memorable one.

Led by MHS science teacher Debbie Fournier, the group of 15 students set up camp in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, a small, rural, coastal town about an hour and 15 minutes east of New Orleans. The group stayed at the Mission on the Bay Camp, a self-contained camp for relief workers run by the Lutheran Episcopal Services of Mississippi. The group was fortunate to have as a guide Mr. Chris Lagarde, special assistant to Congressman Gene Taylor (D-Mississippi). Mr. Lagarde is also a Bay St. Louis native and has spent considerable time working with high school and college students serving as relief workers.

The students worked hard... very hard, removing debris from homes on Main Street in Bay St. Louis. They also worked in preparing houses for painting, performing the arduous task of scraping the shingles (as pictured above). Many of the homes in this devastated region are still abandoned, as people cannot afford to rebuild or insure their existing properties. As chaperone Leslie Gildersleeve points out, "Most people don't realize that the majority of FEMA funds went into rebuilding roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. Many everyday people are so dependent on volunteers to help them recover and restore. As a result, so many of the residents were so appreciative, constantly thanking us."

Mr. Lagarde also connected the MHS group with the University of Mississippi, with a major project to restore the delicate ecosystem by replanting the dune grasses in Biloxi. To be sure, a time-consuming but important task:

The group also had a unique adventure in clearing debris from a house that had been literally blown into the middle of a swamp. Unbelievably, this house was only discovered in March!

As a result, the students cleared pieces of the house crossing a makeshift bridge made literally from planks and plywood that was scattered:
The students had the opportunity to take in New Orleans one day, enjoying such historical features such as the French Quarter. Led by Mr. Lagarde, they also witnessed the areas that still have not recovered, such as the Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish. They also noted the many oil, sugar, and coffee refineries that still are not up to speed.

Both the students and adult chaperones were struck by how warm and genuine all of the residents were. The residents of the area were consistently friendly and grateful, demonstrating how much they value the work of the students. While the students gained this new service learning, they also gained something more. As junior Justin Deckert, one of the 15 students, states, "We all gained a new perspective- that our community is so much bigger than just Mansfield. The people there were just like us, only that they have critical needs."

Once again, a job well done!

What Teaching 21st Century Skills Looks Like

2010-04-28T20:38:00.009-04:00

A former student of mine, Cara Glew Hetrick, works as an integrated math and science teacher at High Tech High, a public charter school in San Diego, CA. Tonight on her Facebook page she posted the below video and a link to this web article, Is This the Best High School In America?. The school started in 2000 as a single high school dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics but has expanded in the past 10 years as a conglomerate of nine schools (five high schools, three middle schools, and one elementary school) that serve approximately 3500 students. The mission of the schools is "to develop and support innovative public schools where all students develop the academic, workplace, and citizenship skills for postsecondary success." Watch the below video: there's a lot going on here to successfully meet that mission.

I am struck by the comment at the beginning of the video by Mr. Riordan, the "Emperor of Rigor" of HTH. He states, "There are three axioms of public education in this country, particularly in high schools. They are that you separate students apart from another based upon their perceived academic ability, you separate hands from minds, and you separate school from the world beyond." HTH is all about the antithesis of this, where their curriculum is all about integration: integrating all of the students (regardless of ability level), integrating traditional college prep content with career and technical skills, and integrating student learning with real-life applications.

The premise of this school is amazing: give all students career and employability skills that they need to be successful in the 21st century workforce. In this short clip you can see the 21st century skills- problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration to name just a few- all successfully being delivered in the context of project-based learning. Most importantly, the students know their teachers, and know them well, so there is a strong sense of personalization in the school setting. Much of the school's success can be attributed not only to the curriculum but also the established relationships.

You could argue that HTH is a charter, and yes, the kids and their parents want to be there. The school has also been blessed with many corporate connections that have infused great technology into the school. However, I believe the success is all about the school's structures and commitment to 21st century skills through non-traditional curriculum and instruction. This school is committed to "meeting kids where they are" and is finding the best ways to teach them meaningful content and skills. This school has found one of the new paradigms that all public high schools must adopt if we are truly going to improve student learning.

When Cara posted the link to the above article, she commented how proud she was that High Tech High was the place she worked. She should be!!

Mansfield Healthy Futures Family Fun Night

2010-04-13T07:02:00.004-04:00

Many thanks to the students, parents, and community members that came to last evening's first annual Mansfield Healthy Futures Family Fun Night at MHS. Thank you also to Rep. Jay Barrows, Pat Harrison, and the Hockomock YMCA for putting the evening's events together. As I promised during my presentation, here is the PowerPoint with the Communities that Care Youth Survey data from last spring. Keep in mind that this data collection is only the first step; we must consistently keep the message about good decision-making in the fore throughout our schools and community.

Communities that care

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Why Geology Education is So Important

2010-04-08T21:50:00.005-04:00

This video that has been making the rounds on the Internet has left me dumbfounded. It features Congressman Hank Johnson (D-Georgia) during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on a budget request to relocate naval personnel to the island of Guam, a US territory. Check it out:

Guam might tip over??? You're kidding me, right???

To be fair, the day after the hearing Rep. Johnson issued a statement claiming that his "tip over and capsize" comment was made strictly in jest. He wrote, "The subtle humor of this obviously metaphorical reference to a ship capsizing illustrating my concern about the impact of the planned military buildup on this small tropical island." He also reiterated that the "tip over" comment was actually in fact, a reference that Guam would reach its "tipping point" with added stress on the island's fragile ecosystem.

Uhhhh..... I don't know about you, but I don't see that in the video. Watch the admiral's reaction!

Did someone miss that day in the fifth grade when we learned that islands are actually mountains whose bases are below sea level, and anchored to the sea floor?

All Hands on Deck

2010-04-01T21:04:00.006-04:00

I got a call from Superintendent Brenda Hodges around 11:00 am on Tuesday in the midst of the deluge of rain that we received Sunday night through yesterday. She said, "Joe, it's a real mess out there. The governor has declared a state of emergency, and there's some spots in town that are in real bad shape." She proceeded to tell me that a dump truck filled with sand was en route to MHS and town officials were looking for some help in filling sandbags to be used at various locations in town where flooding was occurring. Thus, we decided that students 18 years old and older could volunteer, provided they had parental permission.

Now mind you, it was the first time in my career (and presumably the last) I have gotten on the school's PA and requested volunteers to fill sandbags! However, in a very short time I got approximately 60 students who were more than willing to give their time and efforts to help out during a critical time. From 1:00 to 4:00 pm they filled over 700 sandbags in the front student parking lot (in a driving rain I might add) and loaded them in DPW trucks and emergency vehicles. Some of these students also went on a school bus and delivered the sandbags to those flooded homes. The school department also used its mass-calling system to enlist parents and their children to help out, and yet another 700 sandbags were filled into the evening hours.

It is always nice to see a community come together, particularly during a difficult time. To all of these students who helped out- THANK YOU!! You did it with great spirit, and once again, you have done MHS proud! Thanks also to our ladies who work in the main office for organizing the students and procuring parental permission. Great job by all!

National Honor Society Induction 2010

2010-03-28T14:19:00.006-04:00

As I sat on the stage of the MHS Auditorium last Thursday night I couldn't help but smile. My heart was filled with pride as 108 of our best and brightest students were being honored with induction into the Mansfield High School chapter of the National Honor Society. To be a member, these juniors and seniors must provide evidence that they have met the NHS' rigorous standards of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. All of these students have a cumulative average of 88 or higher and have provided leadership in the school through student government, athletics, or co-curricular programs. However, what was particularly interesting was hearing the diverse array of community service involvement that was detailed as each inductee entered the stage with their faculty sponsor. I heard accomplishments like being a Relay for Life captain, volunteering in the pediatric wing of Norwood Hospital, and even missionary work in Mexico. These untold stories impressed me and really spoke volumes about the character of these fine young men and women. Congratulations to them on this great honor!

The 2010 NHS Inductees are:

Kelsey Alexander, Jacqueline Allen, Kayla Allen, Chelsea Almeida, Alexander Armstrong, Shayna Baker, Tahreem Bhatti, David Brown, Emily Broyles, Erin Bruno, Brogan Buckley, Paul Buonpane, Casey Burns, Jenna Bush, Nikolas Busharis, Kathryn Campbell, Samantha Carter, Megan Cavanaugh, Matthew Cioe, Ashley Cipolletti, Joseph Cole, Lindsay Coleman, Matthew Colletti, Shayne Collins, Amanda Connolly, Amanda Conte, Jessica Cooney, Colleen Copley, Emily Crump, Kierstin Darragh, Sarah Davidson, Bridget Davis, Justin Deckert, Christina DeGirolamo, Devon DelVecchio, Kaitlin Dempsey, Alex DeSimone, Marissa DeSimone, Briana Doody, Christopher Drinan, Ellen Farrell, Nicole Fontes, Jesse Fredrickson, Melissa Godfrey, Brittany Greene, Matthew Grina, Brittany Hallgren, Catherine Hamel, Paige Harrington, Faye Harwell, Maura Harwood, Samuel Hayes, Jeffrey Hill, Thomas Hurley, Kristina Ivas, Robert Joyce, Noah Kane, Meghan Keohane, Melissa Kirejczyk, Brian Kronenwetter, Andrea Lahlum, Taylor Lombardi, Nicole Lynch, Kaitlyn MacLeod, Emalee Mahoney, Michael Mallon, Joshua Marohn, Gregory Maslin, Rachel McCaw, Kristen McDonagh, Kyle McGuire, Jacqueline McPherson, Hannah Melton, Monique Mendonca, Kyle Michel, Shannon Moore, Kevin Murphy, Katherine Nash, Kylie Nelson, Adam Osowski, Kevin Otto, Edwin Paz, Lisa Pechilis, Eric Pederson, Ryan Pepi, Tyler Powell, Alexandra Raczka, Daniel Raney, Luke Reynolds, Cori Roach, Joshua Sacco, Elissa Sachs, Kaitlyn Sestak, Sarah Shear Stephanie Silva, Julianna Slarve, Amy Sterling, Lindsay Sullivan, Marc Thomas, Julianne Tocchio, Anthony Todesco, Ashley Upham, Kirby Viera, Brandon Weiner, Lindsey White, Kathryn Wirth, Walter Xu, and Amanda Zieselman

Thank You, Mr. Rosa

2010-03-19T12:59:00.005-04:00

If you walk through the MHS Guidance Office you will see many plaques, honors, and awards hung on the walls. These recognize some of the great achievements of former MHS students, classes, and staff. There is one in particular outside of Dan Fitzgerald's office that honors Mr. Edward Rosa, who served as principal of Mansfield High School from 1980 to 2000. The plaque was given to him upon his retirement in 2000, as it notes the vision he established for the school during 20 years as its leader. On the award are a compilation of statements that were Mr. Rosa's core values as an educator. On it reads the following:

"Lines we cannot cross:

Believing that some students cannot learn

Believing that there are some students we can't or shouldn't teach

Believing that some classes or some subjects can exist without others

Believing that our only responsibility is to our class/subject and our department rather than all subjects and the entire school

Believing that others owe us support, automatically

Believing that the end justifies the means "

I have passed this plaque probably hundreds of times in the past two years, but to be honest, I have never really read it. The other day I was having a conversation with Mr. Fitzgerald about next year's Program of Studies and scheduling students, and the plaque caught the corner of my eye. After I finished my chat, I walked over to it and read it carefully. As my head was swimming with thoughts of the present budget crisis and how it may affect programs at MHS next year, reading these words offered a welcome respite.

Upon reflection, I believe that Mr. Rosa's core values get to the heart of one overarching theme: having an all-kids agenda. We as educators are here to give our very best to all kids, and invariably, we must always think of the greater good of all students in our school community. The good of the whole school is what must always take precedent over any one individual department or program. All of our programs- be they academic, co-curricular, extracurricular, or athletic- are linked and work with each other to educate the whole child. I too embrace these values as they have always guided my practice.

As I thought about these values I juxtaposed them with my fears regarding the present school budget gap for FY 2011. To be sure, this is the worst budget crisis in recent memory, if not for all time. Some impossible decisions are going to have to be made as difficult cuts in programs may be sustained. It is a natural tendency to look at a situation from only one's self-interest, and we tend to mobilize when there is a threat to that self-interest. However, now more than ever, all school stakeholders must apply Mr. Rosa's global thinking when contemplating what is for the greater good of MHS. What do our kids really need to get the best possible education? What will serve all students well? How can we work together to make the best decisions to benefit all students? That will be the challenge in the coming months, but rooting all decisions in core values such as Mr. Rosa's is the best place to start.

Where are the Hot Jobs?

2010-03-13T12:37:00.005-05:00

The following video clip was featured on Providence's Channel 10 news last week. The report highlights what the "hot jobs" are presently in Rhode Island and southern New England, despite the dismal economy. Check it out:

The immediate point that jumps out at me is the fact that all three featured fields- bioscience, information technology, and healthcare- are all in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (now commonly referred to as "STEM") realm. This correlates to a U.S. Department of Labor study from 2007 that projected there would be an increase of 2.5 million job openings in STEM-related occupations from 2004 to 2014. It is also no coincidence that a major component of the federal $4.3 billion Race to the Top grant (of which Massachusetts is one of 16 semifinalists) is the provision of competitive grants for school districts that improve STEM curriculum and offer new initiatives. This news on the few glimmers of hope in the current job market speaks to what our kids need: a rigorous curriculum that promotes problem solving and critical thinking, scientific literacy, and technological proficiency. Only with these 21st century skills will our students be competitive in a future economy.

A Garden Party for MHS!!

2010-03-07T20:25:00.008-05:00

Last Friday was one for the ages! Both the boys' and girls' basketball teams made it to the MIAA Division I South finals, and thus had the chance to win the championship on the parquet floor of the TD Garden in Boston. What a remarkable experience!

The girls' squad defeated the Durfee Hilltoppers 60-50 for the afternoon tilt. The Lady Hornets were led by sophomore Michaela Bowes (who you can see at the left, being interviewed by Channel 5's Mike Dowling) who scored 17 points in the victory. A great game, as the girls were in control of the game from virtually the onset. With this win, the Division I South champs will now take on the Division I North champs, Andover High School for the Eastern Massachusetts Division I championship. This game will also be at TD Garden on Tuesday night at 7:45 pm.

The boys' team (the #3 seed) faced off against a very tough Madison Park (the #1 seed). The Hornets hung tough through the first quarter, but in the second quarter Madison Park pulled away with a great deal of speed and tight defense. The Hornets ended up losing 72-60, ending a historical season that saw them winning the Hockomock League championship for the first time in 50 years while posting an outstanding 21-3 record. Phenomenal!

Over 3000 tickets were sold to Mansfield High School students, parents, and community members. Both teams are such a strong source of joy and pride in our community, and should be congratulated for terrific and historical seasons. In my view, they were both winners on Friday... Go Hornets!

More on 21st Century Learning Skills

2010-02-25T21:38:00.005-05:00

21st Century Learning Skills

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Above are slides from a PowerPoint that I presented to the MHS School Council and the Parent Advisory Council this week. The topic was 21st century learning skills- what are they and why are they important? As I have mentioned in earlier postings, 21st century skills are a list of what all high school graduates need to know and are able to do in order to be successful in college and in their careers.

There certainly are skills/competencies here that are not new, like effective communication, problem-solving, use of critical thinking skills, and mastery of core subjects. However, there are new demands- ones such as the ability to collaborate, creativity and innovation, and flexibility and adaptability- are also necessary to be competitive in a new, global economy. Additionally, the 21st century skills framework calls for new literacies, among them technological, media, and information, so students can navigate a complex world where information is expanding exponentially every year. Research consistently shows that students need these skills if our workforce is going to be economically competitive in the coming years. Recently Thomas Friedman, Daniel Pink, and Tony Wagner have written extensively about this subject and, unfortunately, the apparent gap- where even our best schools aren't giving all kids these skills that they need.

It's one thing to detail these skills and proclaim them important, but the heart of the matter is actually implementing them in the school setting. There are clear implications for curriculum and instruction, as embedding them into existing school programs and courses is going to be hard work. For example, do all students get enough opportunities to use technology, to solve meaningful problems with real-life applications, and to collaborate on a daily basis? How do we actually measure student mastery of 21st century skills through meaningful assessments where students are using higher order thinking skills? How do we ensure that all students are receiving such assessments?

Much work lies ahead to answer these questions, as they all have implications for school structures, our curriculum, teacher practices, and teacher professional development. It should be noted that the idea of 21st century skills being part of the school's core curriculum is the very foundation of the Standards for Accreditation of the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), the agency that accredits Mansfield High School and 95% of public and private high schools in our region. The standards call for MHS to define what 21st century skills all students should possess upon graduation, and then to build curriculum, instruction, and assessment around those skills.

This work will- and must- commence so there is significant progress before our decennial accreditation visit by NEASC in the spring of 2012. While this challenging work is an accreditation requirement, it really is so much more. I believe that it is the foundation of a vision of Mansfield High School truly moving forward- a school where every graduate is extremely well-prepared for post-secondary study and beyond in a rapidly-changing society. The world our kids will live and work in demands it.

Hockomock Champs!

2010-02-17T21:59:00.007-05:00

Okay, let's get a little perspective here.... The last time the MHS Boys' Basketball Team was the Hockomock League Champs, Ike was finishing his last of eight years in the White House, gas sold for 25 cents a gallon, and the enrollment at MHS was 457 students! That date was March 3, 1960, and MHS beat Randolph High in a one-game playoff to determine the league champion. (Thank you, Mark Farinella, for the history lesson!) So needless to say, last Friday night's accomplishment by this year's Hornets was a big deal!! It was done in fine fashion, a 63-46 dismantling of rival North Attleboro. The 18-2 Hornets now head to the MIAA Divsion I South Tournament as the #3 seed, as they will host the winner of a preliminary round game between No. 14 Brookline (12-8) and No. 19 Natick (10-10). That game will be this coming Wednesday night, 2/24 at 7:00 pm in the Albertini Gym.

Congratulations to Head Coach Mike Vaughan, the entire coaching staff and this fine group of young men! Good luck in the tournament!

Life is a Cabaret

2010-02-10T09:14:00.022-05:00

Wow... what a show!! I am talking about last weekend's 6th Annual Cabaret Night put on by the MHS Performing Arts Department. The show featured 37 outstanding numbers from the MHS Concert Choir, Select Choir, After School Choir, and Dance Team. While most of the selections were classics from Broadway shows, there were a few contemporary pieces (dare I say campy?) including "What I've Been Looking For" from High School Musical, "Tell Me What You Want" from The Spice Girls Movie, and the show-stopping "Pokemon Song" from The Pokemon Movie! Congratulations to all of these talented students, as all of the performances were outstanding! Congrats also to MHS Choir Director Sheila Newton for once again putting together a show that highlights amazing talent. As Sheila pointed out at the start of each night's show, for so many students, the Cabaret represents a "stretch" where they are pushed to take risks and perform songs at their highest level. The students succeed, and it does wonders for their confidence and future aspirations. Isn't that what true learning is all about?

Here are a few snapshots of some of our performers:

"Comedy Tonight" performed by the Select Choir: (l to r)- Nicole Lynch, Johnny Fullerton, Duncan Fuller, Janelle Celestine, and Lloyd Hewitt

MHS' own Spice Girls: (l to r)- Nicole Lynch, Mariah McGrath, Katie Maleiko, Monica Cusak, and Julia Bogden

"Journey to the Past" performed by Ashley Traphagen

"Stars and Moon" performed by Emily Ruddy

Many thanks to Kelli Noonan, '09 for letting me "borrow" these photos and video! For a glimpse of the quality of performances, check out the below video, which is Allison Passanisi's rendition of the classic, "Alfie." Enjoy!

Know thy child's Facebook

2010-02-07T15:16:00.020-05:00

This past week my assistant principals and I dealt with three issues of students using Facebook to harass other students. While this was not the first instance of this type of behavior, nor will it unfortunately be the last, it is interesting how these events are blurring the lines between what happens inside and outside of the schoolhouse. These incidents, commonly referred to as "cyberbullying," include harassing/threatening posts on social-networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, threatening instant messaging and text messages, and "sexting" (the transmission of sexually explicit images through text messaging).

A recent editorial by the LA Times entitled "Mean kids, online" states that, "Mean girls- and mean boys- have been terrorizing their classmates since the first schoolhouse was built." The new reality is that the Internet has eroded clear distinctions of physical locations, thus student harassment can extend far beyond the reaches of the school campus. The editorial points out the fact that courts have recently been reversing school disciplinary decisions where cyberbullying has occurred but not during school time or on school grounds. Furthermore, the courts state that schools have failed to prove that the behavior caused a substantial disruption to the school setting. While making the point that parents must educate their kids about cyberbullying, the piece fails to recognize that principals are charged with creating a warm, safe, and orderly school environment where all students can learn and grow. Cyberbullying is insidious, and when it goes unchecked, it can have very real negative consequences in the school setting. It invariably adds fuel to the fire, and the cycle of verbal and at times, physical harassment continues in school. Several cases in the news, the most recent being the tragedy at South Hadley High School where a 15-year old freshman committed suicide after being tormented by a group of peers both online and in person, have brought to the fore how severe the victimization can be.

With so many teenagers there does not appear to be full cognition of consequences. It's almost as if they do not understand how powerful their words are- especially now that they're in the public domain. Some make the demarcation in their minds that what is posted in cyberspace on their time cannot be addressed by the school. For example, last week when I called one young man into my office to confront him on some Facebook postings- ones that were incredibly crude and insensitive and directed at a complete stranger (whose relative emailed me the link due to her dismay)- his immediate reaction to me was, "You can't do anything about that! I did that outside of school!" While he had a point, there was still a moral responsibility to address this behavior. Luckily I had support when I shared the posting with his parents, who then in turn took appropriate action.

And that's where it all starts.... with parents in the home setting. While it is laudable that the State Legislature will soon be passing a new comprehensive anti-bullying law that envelopes cyberbullying, the first line of defense starts at home. Research consistently shows that 90% of parents claim that they regularly check what their children are doing online, but when the same kids are surveyed, only 50% say that's true. Parents must ensure that this "monitoring gap" isn't the case in their homes. I say from first-hand experience: know what your kids are posting. If your son/daughter has a Facebook account, you should too. Make sure you friend them and then have unrestricted access to all of their postings, photos, videos, etc. Know who they are talking to online and the content of their communications. Ensure that all privacy settings for your child are intact and they are not sharing personal information (e.g., home phone, cell phone, address, sibling names, etc.). These may seem like simple, common-sense measures, but it is alarming how few parents follow through on these steps.

The Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) at Bridgewater State College has published a document on avoiding and responding to problems on Facebook. It may be found be clicking here.

Happy Groundhog Day

2010-02-02T11:50:00.008-05:00

Alas, as it has happened 100 times since 1887, today a silly groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow, and thus there will be six more weeks of dreaded winter. (Note to self: Do you think the shadow might have anything to do with the thousands of video cameras and 5,000-waat klieg lights that descend on Punxsutawney, PA every year??) So to my colleagues Mr. Farinella, Mr. Fitzgerald, and Mr. McGovern- don't even think about teeing it up comfortably in mid-March!

Speaking of Groundhog Day.... did you catch the oddball piece that made the national press last week, where the animal rights group PETA proposed using a robotic groundhog instead of Phil? Are you kidding me? First off, a groundhog is part of the marmota monax species, a.k.a. the woodchuck. We are talking about a rodent here! I'm all for not being cruel to animals, but don't you think these folks are going a little off the deep end here??

Besides, the last time an animatronic rodent was featured, things didn't quite end so well.... (Sorry....I couldn't resist- my favorite movie!)

Who Wants To Be Jeetayu Biswas?

2010-01-31T20:36:00.004-05:00

One of the best and brightest of the MHS Class of 2009 recently did his hometown proud on the ABC gameshow, "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?" Last Wednesday, Jeetayu Biswas, who is now a freshman at Brandeis University, appeared on the show as a contestant.

While he did not capture the ultimate prize of $1,000,000, the cool, calm, and collected Jeetayu did great, earning $10,000 toward his future educational expenses. After correctly answering the first four questions, Jeetayu was unsure on the $12,500 question which was: Which poet made the now-famous declaration of "Good fences make good neighbors"? Unsure of the answer, Jeetayu used his last lifeline, the "Phone An Expert" (in this case, ABC's Good Morning America weekend host Kate Snow). Snow said that she believed it was Robert Frost (which it was), but she was not certain. Rather than risking everything, Jeetayu walked away with the ten grand. Good for him!! That was one tough question for $12,500!!

During his four-year tenure at MHS, Jeetayu was an honors student, a member of the Student Council and state STUCO Leadership Group, a member of the National Honor Society, a National Merit Scholar, and a standout on the swim and track teams. He is presently studying neuroscience at Brandeis with the ultimate goal of being a doctor someday.

Way to go, Jeet!

An Everyday Hero

2010-01-23T11:54:00.007-05:00

It takes many people to make a school run successfully. At Mansfield High School there are many teachers, paraprofessionals, food service workers, maintenance people, and custodians that professionally do their jobs everyday with a positive attitude and little fanfare. They strive to give their best due to pride and a consistent desire to do what's best for kids. I call these people everyday heroes because they are the heart and soul of a school community and make a difference in so many lives. Debbie McLaughlin was an everyday hero.

There has been a great deal of shock and sadness in the MHS cafeteria in the past week. Last Tuesday Debbie McLaughlin, a Mansfield Food Service worker for the past nine years, unexpectedly collapsed and passed away, presumably from a massive heart attack. She was only 55 years old.

Debbie was an absolute sweetheart and a pleasure to work with. I will never forget her easy-going and affable manner. She was always there to welcome our students with a smile and a greeting of "How are you today, honey?" (everyone was "honey"). When she worked the register at one of the a la carte stations, she was always kind and patient, as it was never a big deal if a student was a dime or quarter short. She always "got it" and always had a heart of gold.

She was one of the first people I met during my first lunch on the first day of school last year. After introducing herself, she proceeded to give me a lay of the land, explaining the flow of how efficient the operation in the MHS cafeteria was, especially in light of how much the student population has grown in recent years. Most of all, she shared with me how much she really loved the kids at MHS, how kind and respectful they were and how they made her job very easy.

I would talk to Debbie on most days. Simple chit-chat about what was on our minds. Over the course of the last year and a half she shared with me all sorts of thoughts about our school and town. We would talk about our families. She shared with me her joy about becoming a grandmother for the first time last year, a beautiful baby girl for her daughter, Shannon. She spoke of the pride she had for her son, Justin, a 17-year-old junior at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School. Our conversations were about everyday, slice-of-life types of things.

It is during these sad, quiet, and reflective times that I am reminded of a lesson I have learned in my life. We tend to focus on the big things- our goals, our dreams, our accomplishments. It's easy to gear our existence toward those things. But in reality, our true worth may be found in the everyday, simple events: how we treat and interact with each other, how we view the world, and the attitude and spirit we project to others. Those are things that really count, the things that we remember. By that measure, Debbie's life was an unqualified success.

Debbie leaves behind two daughters, Shannon and Melissa, and her son, Justin. During this difficult time I ask you to keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Devastation in Haiti

2010-01-18T11:44:00.009-05:00

I am sure that all of you have seen the horrific images of the devastation created by last Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake centered in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This is one of the largest humanitarian disasters of our lifetime. Latest estimates from the UN have over 200,000 dead and up to 4 million injured, most of these requiring medical attention and not receiving it. The international forces that are presently mobilizing in this poverty-stricken country have major challenges in getting food, water, shelter, and medical care to literally millions of people.

How You Can Help:

Here is a brief list of reputable organizations that are actively involved in providing relief efforts to the earthquake victims:

The American Red Cross: Perhaps the easiest way to donate is to text the word "Haiti" to 90999 and $10 will be charged to your cell phone bill. As of today, the Red Cross has received over $9 million in donations via this method.
The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund: Formed by former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, the fund is committed to providing the necessary resources that Haitians need. Donations may also be provided by texting the word "quake" to 20222 (also a $10 donation).
Doctors Without Borders: is striving to provide as much surgery and general care of patients as possible.
Save the Children: is on the scene providing life-saving assistance such as food, water, shelter, and child-friendly spaces for youth, particularly those who may be orphaned.
United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund: The UN's humanitarian fund that responds to emergencies like the earthquake in Haiti.
CARE: This international organization has 5,000 volunteers in the country, as they are focusing on the health of children, distributing water sanitation tablets, food, hygiene kits, and emergency health care.
Catholic Relief Services: has made an immediate commitment of $5 million for emergency supplies. They are distributing food and relief supplies, and importing plastic sheeting, mosquito nets and water purification tablets from the Dominican Republic.

The MHS faculty donated a sum of $400 to Doctors Without Borders last Friday with money raised from a staff dress-down day. The Visual Arts Department will soon be organizing a fundraiser so students may get involved. More to follow...

Communities that Care Youth Survey Results- What Do They Tell Us?

2010-01-10T19:37:00.019-05:00

Recently both the Sun Chronicle and the Mansfield News ran pieces about Mansfield's results from the Communities that Care Youth Survey, a survey that was administered last June to all students in grades 6-12 in Mansfield, Foxboro, and Norton. The survey asks teens questions about their attitudes and practices with regard to tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana usage. It was done as a first strategic step as the work of the Tri-Town Drug and Alcohol Awareness Task Force commenced. The mindset of the group, comprised of educators, police, local and state lawmakers, and representatives from various social agencies, was to obtain good data on the extent of substance abuse by teens in the three communities. To see a summary of the results, follow this link to the Mansfield Public Schools website.

In the past three weeks I have presented the results to different groups of teachers, students, and parents. There's probably nothing shocking in the results, as it is a snapshot of the attitudes and practices around alcohol and marijuana use in our state and throughout the country. And that in itself is part of the problem.... we have all grown so accustomed to the idea that kids drink and it's a "rite of passage."

For example, the survey asked all students if they have used alcohol in the past 30 days. Here are the results for Mansfield:

As the results show, approximately half of MHS seniors have been drinking at least once in the past month. These results are similar to those found statewide (where 46% in grades 9-12 report use of alcohol in the past 30 days). The survey also shows that a smaller number, 27% of MHS students, have smoked pot in the past 30 days. This is slightly higher than the state results, where 25% of students in grades 9-12 have used marijuana in the past month.

The survey asks questions that identify risk factors (things that may lead to abusing substances) and protective factors (things that may protect from abusing substances). An obvious risk factor is how easily teens may obtain alcohol or marijuana. Here's how Mansfield students perceive how easy it is to procure alcohol:

By comparison, here is how easy it is to obtain pot, according to students:

These results indicate that our students find it relatively easy to obtain alcohol, and to a slightly greater degree, pot. This apparent availability of these substances presents a definite risk factor for Mansfield's youth. This fact underscores the point that this is a community problem, not just a school problem. As a community we must come together and present a consistent, unified message about the decisions our young people make with regard to the use of drugs and alcohol. As high school principal, I have no bigger fear than getting the call that there has been yet another needless tragedy, and the life of one my students has been lost due to a poor decision.

If you are interested in seeing and discussing the Communities that Care Youth Survey results, I will be holding the first meeting of the MHS Parent Advisory Council on Monday, January 25 at 7:00 pm in the MHS library. This topic will be our first agenda item. All are welcome to attend.

This is a problem that we as a society have been grappling with for generations, and it definitely is not going to be solved overnight. However, we can definitely do more than we presently are. We must strive to get the message out to youth more consistently. We must continue to support positive options for kids such as extracurricular programs and sports. We must find tangible ways to bolster the kids that buck peer pressure and consistently make good choices. We must support policies that close the loopholes and appropriately penalize minors and their parents/guardians that violate state law by permitting abuse.

If any new ideas, programs, or policies make a difference to save the life of even a single child, isn't it worth it?

Race to the Top.... What does it all mean?

2009-12-31T18:00:00.015-05:00

Last summer the US Department of Education announced that it would release $4.3 billion to states through competitive grants as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Known as Race to the Top, this program essentially is phase two of the federal stimulus monies for public education. There are strings attached to this money, as states applying for the monies must met a very defined set of eligibility and selection criteria. Some of these criteria must already be in place and the applying states must demonstrate they have reform plans in place. The four criteria areas are the following:

1. Standards and Assessments: States must design and implement a set of "internationally benchmarked common standards and assessments that build toward college and career readiness." Massachusetts' well-established Curriculum Frameworks and MCAS system as well as its participation in the national Common Core State Standards Initiative positions the state well in this area.

2. Data Systems to Support Instruction: States must design and implement a comprehensive data system that details student achievement data over time (showing growth, etc.), can communicate with higher education data systems, and can match individual students with teachers. Massachusetts has done a lot of work in this area by establishing the Educational Data Warehouse and its new Student Growth Percentile reporting, but the next step, starting in 2011, will be to match student achievement data (e.g., MCAS results) to individual teachers. This data, according to the RTTT Grant, must be made easily accessible to all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, students, principals, and all district and union leaders.

3. Great Teachers and Leaders: States must provide alternate routes to teacher certification, ones other than traditional teacher prep programs. They must also come up with a plan where teachers and principals are evaluated annually and differentiated by effectiveness, using student achievement data as at least one measure of effectiveness. Data on teacher and principal effectiveness should be used for the purposes of evaluation, compensation and promotion, granting of tenure, and dismissal. Teacher evaluation should be based upon distinct standards of performance and should utilize a multiple rating scale. Additionally, states must have plans in place to increase the number of highly effective teachers in high-need schools (e.g., urban districts) and in shortage subject areas (e.g., math and science). Finally, state plans should also use student data to drive teacher and principal supports such as professional development and common planning time.

4. Turning Around Struggling Schools: States must already have the legal authority to intervene in persistently low-performing schools or districts and also have a statutory framework that is supportive of high-quality charter schools (e.g., no cap on new charters, etc.). States must also develop a plan where superintendents/local educational agencies (LEAs) should have the authority to turn around the state's lowest 5% of schools by using one of three options: 1) reconstitution of the school's leadership and/or professional staff; 2) handover of the school to a charter school or other educational management organization; or 3) outright closing of the school.

There obviously is a lot new here in the RTTT requirements. As it is estimated that Massachusetts' share (if funded) of the RTTT funds is approximately $250 million over the next four years, the state has made some efforts to create plans to support the above reforms. Most notable is the Education Reform Act of 2009, which the MA Senate passsed on November 17 and the House will be debating starting next week (for a summary of this bill, click here). The bill is meant to strengthen the state's RTTT application, as it provides for more authority and autonomy for superintendents to intervene in in underperforming and chronically underperforming schools, lifts the cap on new charter schools, enabling school committees in underperforming districts to establish them, and allows communities to establish "innovation schools," which have increase autonomy and flexibility in all phases of operation. Seeing that the RTTT application is due to the feds by January 19, the bill in some form will likely pass in the House in the next two weeks.

Also to bolster the state's application, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has sent out a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to all 299 of the state's districts. The MOU states that the district is committed to implementing the four above reform areas of RTTT and will support the state's plans to implement the reforms. DESE is asking that each district's superintendent, school committee chair, and teachers' union president sign this MOU and return it by January 13. If a district does not return the MOU, then it will not be eligible for any of the Massachusetts RTTT funds.

It should be noted that 50% of the RTTT funds will be dispersed based upon how much Title I (which is based upon poverty) a district receives. This does not bode well for Mansfield, as our Title I funding is relatively minor.

So much of this represents change- and with that will come a great deal of controversy. I personally believe that there's a great deal of positive reforms in RTTT, such as increased use of data, requirement of benchmarked, teacher-generated assessments, annual evaluations based upon professional teaching standards, and the possibility of rewarding the best teachers through differentiated compensation. These ideas will no doubt cause great dialogue, and their merits should be debated. Educators may love or hate these reforms, but they are here to stay.

The reality of the situation is simple: RTTT has strings attached, and in the worst economic times since the Great Depression, most, if not all districts are cash strapped and need the RTTT funds. The reforms of RTTT are clearly the agenda of US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and the Obama administration. They are not leaving us for anytime soon. The way I see it is that we can go "kicking and screaming," or hop on the train, so to speak. My hope is that educators can embrace many of these reforms and shape what they actually look in practice so that kids ultimately benefit.

An Alternative View: "My Lazy American Students"

2009-12-21T08:21:00.003-05:00

I read the following in this morning's Boston Globe. This opinion piece, by Babson College History Professor Kara Miller, is the antithesis of the point that cultural anthropologist Michael Wesch is making (as shown in my post of yesterday).

My lazy American students - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

There is probably a lot of truth in what Ms. Miller is bemoaning. But, I would love to see a snaphot of what is happening in Ms. Miller's classroom. Why are her students checking their e-mail during her class? Why are they sleeping?? What is she doing to actively engage them in their learning?? I don't think this is strictly a cultural phenomenon as she is suggesting!

The Future of Communication

2009-12-20T19:49:00.011-05:00

Michael Wesch, a 2009 National Geographic Emerging Explorer and a professor of cultural anthropology at Kansas State University, has produced several short videos (the most notable being Web 2.0 - The Machine is Us/ing Us) that have been viewed millions of times on YouTube. His commentary on communication, education, and technology are definitely thought provoking. One of his latest, The Future of Communication, is no different. At 16:49, it is a little lengthy, but I urge you to stick with it as the payoff is great!

Wesch teaches with college students, but all of the points he makes are equally applicable to high school students. As he says, we live in a world where there is ubiquitous information on ubiquitous networks that do ubiquitous computing anywhere about everything at anytime, anyplace at unlimited speed on unlimited devices. Any parent with a teenager with a computer and a smart phone could testify to that fact!

When our students are put in the traditional classroom, frequently it is a completely different paradigm. The questions asked are far too often not ones around genuine curiosity and learning, but rather ones around outputs such as, "How long does this paper have to be?" and "What do I have to do to get an A?" Wesch calls this the "getting by and getting the grade game." He considers much of the current state of affairs in many classrooms to be a crisis of significance.

Wesch's premise is that we have to harness the current reality of ubiquitous technology so learning is significant and relevant to all students. Students thirst to be empowered to access information and engage with it, to collaborate, to problem solve, and to create. These skills also happen to be known as "21st century learning skills," but they are also tied to a new literacy- digital literacy. Yes, our students know how to access their Facebook pages, but can they apply that same savvy to the use of technology in creating a great piece of writing? Or great art? Music? How do we as teachers enable this to happen?

It is little wonder that Wesch was named as the Carnegie Foundation's 2008 Outstanding and Doctoral Universities Professor of the Year for his innovative teaching strategies.

His message strongly resonates with me.... What do you think?

What Is Success??

2009-12-13T21:12:00.008-05:00

I shared these thoughts during my brief comments during last Thursday night's annual Gridiron Club banquet. It is quite a huge event, as over 400 MHS football players, cheerleaders, their families and friends, and coaches/support staff attend each year.

In the past year and a half I have faithfully read the work of Mike Hardman, who chronicles the ups and downs of Mansfield HS sports in the weekly Mansfield News. I really like his columns and articles, as he enthusiastically writes about our student athletes and frequently gives our school great publicity.

In his column entitled, "Something was Missing" of December 4, Hardman reflected on the football team's 36-0 dismantling of rival Foxboro on Thanksgiving day. Though it was a great victory, Hardman postulated that there was something hollow about it, as there was no possibility for a Hockomock championship or post-season play for the Hornets. He wrote:

"... this is Mansfield where seasons are rated on whether you won the
Super bowl or not.... Still, 9-2, which the Hornets finished at, is not
good enough to earn a postseason birth. With the way it is now, it's
basically perfection or bust. That's why on the perfect Thanksgiving,
there was something missing."

I took from this piece two main ideas: 1) that the current MIAA playoff system demands that a football team have a nearly perfect season since there is only one representative from the highly competitive Hockomock League, and 2) due to the unprecedented accomplishments the football team has enjoyed in recent years, the bar for measuring success is extremely high in Mansfield.

True, wins and losses on the playing field are important. However, they pale in comparison to the bigger picture of the successes that students enjoy just from the experience of playing a sport and being part of the team. I think of the approximately 150 young men who gained immeasurably from the tutelage of Coach Mike Redding and his assistant coaches this year. These students have learned skills such as: time management, balancing academics and athletics (as evidenced by typically 75% of the team achieving honor roll status), respect of self and others, camaraderie, perseverance, resiliency, sportsmanship, fair play, and winning and losing with class. These are all life-long lessons that will serve our students well beyond their four years at MHS. The true success of the MHS football program is not the many Hockmock and Super Bowl championships, but rather how well the above traits have been instilled in our student athletes. The same can be said for many other fine sports programs at MHS that have dedicated coaching staffs.

I believe we live in a sports-crazy society, where winning at all costs is often the bottom line. We have enjoyed much success in athletics at MHS, but making the postseason tournament is not what it's all about. True success may be measured by the qualities that our young men and women now possess as a result of competing. That's what our focus should and must be...

Happy Thanksgiving.... Mansfield 36, Foxboro 0

2009-11-30T20:33:00.004-05:00

I hope you and your family have had a happy Thanksgiving!! There is much for all of us to be thankful for...

The Mansfield Hornets beat their Thanksgiving rival, Foxboro HS, 36-0 at Ahern Middle School. Leading the way in his final game was senior Sean Doherty (pictured at the left) who scored an amazing five (count 'em, 5) touchdowns. Sean earned his second straight Don Currivan MVP Award by amassing 136 yards on the ground and 51 yards in the air by catching four Nik Busharis passes. Sean finishes his career as the all-time Hornet rusher, and one of the all-time greats to ever wear the MHS uniform. Great job!

The 9-2 Hornets finished second in the Hockomock. Congrats on yet another successful season!

State Champs Again!!

2009-11-30T18:48:00.004-05:00

Pictured above, l to r: Ryan Petrella, Patrick McGowan, Shayne Collins, Brendan Boyle, Jeff Boyle, and Matt Hernon; front: Matt Cioe

Once again, the MHS Boys Cross Country team is the State Division I champions! On Saturday, November 21 the team traveled to western Massachusetts to the hilly Northfield Mountain course. The team edged out Methuen 133 points to 137 points. Leading the way was senior Pat McGowan, who was the individual state champion, with the winning time of 16:5.4 on the challenging 5K course. Also in the top ten were senior Brendan Boyle (8th place) and junior Shayne Collins (9th place) with great times of 16:25.6 and 16:29.3, respectively. Rounding out Mansfield's top five were junior Matt Cioe (69th place) and senior Matt Hernon (105th place).

The MHS harriers were also the state champs in 2008. Congratulations to these outstanding athletes and their fine head coach Julie Collins!

Something New: Student Growth Percentiles

2009-11-21T20:06:00.006-05:00

Recently the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released a new set of data to all of the Commonwealth's districts and schools. This data, known as Student Growth Percentiles (SGP), serve to quantify how much each student has grown each year as measured by his/her performance on the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) test each spring. One could simply look at a student's performance and score from year to year, but that wouldn't necessarily be a valid judgment, as the relative difficulty of each grade's tests and accompanying cut scores have some variability. Thus, some scale that could judge a student's performance relative to his/her peers is needed. That's exactly what the DOE has created.

It works this way: Say a student scored 240 (Proficient) in the fifth grade on math MCAS test. He takes the math MCAS in the sixth grade, and that performance is compared to all of his peers in the same grade who also scored 240 in the fifth grade. He scores a 242 as a sixth grader (also Proficient), but his SGP is 70, which means he scored in the 70th percentile of his peers (he scored the same/better than 70% of his peers, and 30% of his peers did better than him). Thus, the SGP is a statistical feature that quantifies growth on a 1-100 scale, comparing each student to his/her peers based upon how they did in the previous year.

This is another nice piece of the data collection that schools now possess to ascertain how well students are learning. The DOE has also released median SGP values for individual districts and schools for the MCAS tests in ELA and math in grades 4-8 and 10. Typical growth has a SGP value of 40-60 while high growth is 70 or higher. These values could show that a school with high proficiency rates (achieiving AYP, or adequately yearly progress) is not growing, a low-performing school is showing growth, or something in between. When the DOE announced the new SGP data, they highlighted the schools that showed significant growth from 2008 to 2009. Many of these schools are in urban settings.

For more information on SGP data, click here. For the Mansfield SGP data, click here. If you will note, the median SGP for the Mansfield High School grade 10 ELA is 60 and grade 10 math is 63. These percentiles show the growth that last year's sophomores (the class of 2011) have made since they took the test as 8th graders in 2007. As a school community, we are pleased that we have demonstrated some growth while maintaining high proficiency rates (94% in ELA, 89% in math, and 86% in science).

SGP data for individual students has been released to schools but not to parents. Parent reports will include SGP data starting with the spring 2010 administration.

The Bulldog Challenge

2009-11-18T21:25:00.003-05:00

On November 14, 2009, two teams of four students went to Bryant University in Smithfield, RI for the day to compete in the Bull Dog Challenge. This business education event, hosted by Bryant University, gives students interested in business the opportunity to compete against other high schools. There were ten high school teams from MA, RI and CT in the competition. The event started at 8:30 am with a briefing from one of the professors at Bryant. Teams were then taken into rooms where they were presented with the Harvard Review case study. Students and their Bryant University student adviser (the adviser and MHS business teacher Judy Foley were only there to facilitate) worked through a grueling analysis of the case for four hours. During this time, students had to develop a strategy and a PowerPoint of their strategic recommendation of what the company should do. Students then had to present their recommendations to Bryant professors and alumni.

One of our teams won the event. This team consisted of four juniors from Mansfield High School, pictured above (l to r), Amanda Eardley, Josh Marohn, Megan Cavanaugh and James Parsons. This was an amazing experience for these fine students, as they had the opportunity to visit the campus, meet professors, work with Bryant University students and faculty. It was an outstanding event for all students who participated. Thanks to Mrs. Foley and congratulations to these students for their great work!

Annual Leaf Raking Project

2009-11-15T20:37:00.003-05:00

Once again, many Mansfield students stepped up and gave back to the community by participating in the annual Leaf Raking Project this past Veteran's Day, 11/11. Over 225 students from MHS and QMS cleaned the yards of 31 households, mostly those of elderly residents. Many thanks to the Mansfield Police and the Mansfield Council on Aging who partnered with us to make this worthwhile event once be successful. Also, thank you to local landscapers Kevin Guerrini, Sean Flynn, Shawn McGuire, Herb Prew, Pete Presentato, and Aaron Fine for assisting with the cleanup and leaf disposal. A special thanks to MHS Nurse Extraordinaire Donna Harrington for organizing this day once again... Great job, Donna!

Shift Happens

2009-10-30T08:25:00.005-04:00

The above video, entitled "Shift Happens," presents some fascinating and thought-provoking statistics on how the world is ever-changing and what the implications are for our students that will soon be entering the workplace. This video has been making the rounds since 2006 and is available in many different versions on YouTube.

I have used this video in staff meetings to get teachers thinking about a hot topic in education right now: 21st century skills. What exactly is meant by "21st century skills"? These are skills that most employers define as essential for workers to be successful- for today's jobs and those that have yet to exist. These skills have been detailed in recent years in works such as Thomas Friedman's The World Is Flat and Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind. These skills include: critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and leadership, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurialism, technological literacy, effective written and oral communication, the ability to access and analyze information, and curiosity and imagination. Many of these skills are clearly not new, as he have been talking about infusing more critical thinking into the curriculum for decades. However, much of it is new as far as the inclusion of skills such as collaboration, adaptability, and entrepreneaurialism into schooling. The implications of 21st century skills for school curriculum, instruction, and assessment are broad-reaching. How exactly does a school integrate these skills into the curriculum of all content areas? And how exactly does a school assess how well students have mastered these skills? We have begun that conversation at MHS.

The national conversation is being supported by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a coalition of 13 states (Massachusetts being one of them), the US Department of Education, the National Education Association, and several large tech-based corporations, including Dell, Cisco Systems, Apple, and AOL Time Warner. The organization's mission is to serve as the catalyst to position 21st century skills in K-12 education nationally be fostering more partnerships between schools, business, community, and government.

I'll have more postings on this important topic soon!

SAT Scores for the Class of '09

2009-10-24T22:22:00.003-04:00

The College Board recently released the results of the SAT Reasoning Test for the Class of 2009. Below, in table form are the mean values of this year's results for MHS, the state, and nationally. For the sake of comparison, I have also added last year's results:

As the results show, the gains from 2008 to 2009 are tremendous, so much that the combined score of 1662 places Mansfield High School fifth in all public high schools south of Boston. These mean values represent the results of 251 students, which is 74% of all graduates. This is truly a credit to our most recent grads and the outstanding teachers who prepared them. Kudos!

Bonjour amis!

2009-10-17T21:23:00.007-04:00

Late Thursday afternoon 12 students from Les Eleves du Lycee St. Louis (loose translation: St. Louis High School) in the village of Chateaulin, France arrived at MHS. As part of the annual exchange program, 12 French students come and stay with 12 of our students who take upper level French for approximately 10 days. Our 12 students had spent time with the same students last April when they traveled to France. Additionally, they have been accompanied by two of their teachers, who in turn are staying with two of MHS' French teachers, Leslie Gildersleeve and Gerard Benoit. Also accompanying the French students is their principal, Olivier Queneuder (pictured above). I have had the pleasure of hosting Olivier for the past couple of days.

Olivier's school- and world- are very different than mine. First, St. Louis is a Catholic high school with a student enrollment of approximately 500 students, ages varying from 12 to 24. Rather than sorting students by the traditional grades, French students are grouped by academic and developmental ability. The students' parents pay the school 40 euros per month in tuition (which is equivalent to $60), however a sizable portion of the total tuition is subsidized by the French government as a voucher system exists. The school day is longer than the American one, as Olivier's students go to school from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, with no after school sports or extracurricular activities as part of the school's offerings. Classes meet for roughly an hour, and students have lunch for 90 minutes! From Olivier's descriptions, the pace of the school day sounds markedly slower, with a "laid back" feel. Unlike a Bishop Feehan or a Xavarian Brothers High School, St. Louis students do not wear uniforms, however, the typical class size is typically over 30.

Interestingly enough, the teachers' work week is only 18 hours long, as they must be present at the school only for the time they are teaching students. They also have 16 weeks of vacation annually. According to Olivier, most are paid a salary of 24,000 euros ($36,000) annually.

This is Olivier's first time in America, and he has shared with me that some of his preconceived notions about America (e.g., big cars, big houses) have lived up and some have not (e.g., our classrooms looking like those depicted in the film, "Dangerous Minds"). On Friday, he and his teachers had the opportunity to sit in a multitude of classes, including AP Calculus, Visual Basic, Chorus, Studio Art, English 11, and of course, French 2. At the end of the day when I asked Olivier what he thought, he described MHS students as "serious." When I pressed him on what exactly he meant by "serious," he stated how impressed he was by the behavior of our kids and how they seemed so committed to academic success. He commented on our teachers' excellent classroom management and how the students responded so positively by focusing on their own learning. Good feedback!!

Merci to Madame Gildersleeve and Monsieur Benoit for all of their hard work in providing this great cultural and learning experience for our students! So far it has been a great learning for me as well!

Some Thoughts on Foxborough's New Policy

2009-10-11T15:05:00.002-04:00

Last week there were reports throughout the press that a new policy was being implemented at Foxborough High School, one where breathalyzers would now be used during the school day if a student was suspected to be under the influence. The new policy was publicized by FHS Principal Jeff Theodoss and Foxborough Police Chief Edward O'Leary as part of a larger school improvement safety plan. Furthermore, the plan is slated to be endorsed by the Foxborough School Committee on October 19. The controversy here for some is that school administrators will potentially be using the breathalyzers in the school setting, not just before school social functions such as the prom or the Homecoming Dance. An ACLU lawyer has termed this new policy as a "terrible idea" and some parents may agree.

I see this news item as much ado about nothing. Foxborough High School, like several neighboring communities (including us at Mansfield HS), has recently been using breathalyzers at social functions as a deterrent to underage drinking. What is the difference if they are now using it as an additional tool to determine if a student is breaking the law? Yes, it is true that 95% of the time a trained administator can tell if a student has been using alcohol by physical signs (i.e., smell of breath, dilated pupils, behavior, increased blood pressure, etc.) and usually will work with the school nurse to ascertain this information. But why not use good technology if you have it at your disposal?

When I first became a principal nine years ago I was working in Rhode Island for a superintendent who was the first to bring breathalyzers to his former school district, Swansea. This occurred in the late 1990's, and I believe that Swansea was one of the first districts in eastern Massachusetts to implement their use. When the superintendent pitched the idea to me, and then the school committee, there was mostly a negative reaction. I was uncomfortable with the idea as I believed that their use would send a bad message: that we did not trust the majority of kids and thus we would have to breathalyze them all. Many on the school committee felt the same, and thus the idea did not gain support and went nowhere.

I chalk up my old feelings as mere inexperience as my viewpoint today is now the antithesis of what it was in 2000. Why? For the simple reason that in that time span, I have been to the wakes and funerals of four children that were students in my schools. All four died due to poor decisions they made regarding drugs or alcohol. I have seen first hand the pain and devastation such a death brings to a family, friends, and an entire community. It is always unnatural for a parent to bury a child, but this type of death is the cruelest because it is always preventable. We must never forget that, as it seems far too often that our collective memory is short after going through a tragic death. Why then, do so many teens revert back to destructive behaviors even after a loss of a friend or classmate?

So now I don't mind if any student feels that I don't trust him/her by using a breathalyzer. If my "lack of trust" makes the difference in just one life, just by making that decision not to drink... it's worth it. Nonetheless, the breathalyzer is only one very small weapon in the arsenal. The biggest- and best- is open and honest communication between kids and their parents. That is the heart of the matter, and will be the emphasis of the Tri-Town Drug & Alcohol Awareness Partnership group as it commences its work. As State Representative Betty Poirier said last Thursday night at "Intervention Town Hall Meeting" as she opened the program, "Our long term goal is to ensure that all of our parents here tonight become grandparents.... It's the most beautiful and wonderful thing!" Amen.

Cameron Clapp Visits MHS

2009-10-06T21:27:00.004-04:00

Today an extraordinary young man by the name of Cameron Clapp visited MHS and presented his life story to our students. As the picture shows, Cameron is a triple amputee. A 23-year-old native of California, his life was forever changed in September 2001 when he was struck by a train not too far from his home. Integral to this story is the fact that he was intoxicated when it happened, so much to the degree that he was barely coherent to his surroundings when it happened.

Cameron has made much of his life since the tragic event of eight years ago. To say that he has come back with many normal functions would be an understatement. In fact, he has been recognized as an outstanding track and field athlete as he has competed in the annual Endeavor Games as well as several triathalons. He is also an aspiring actor, as he has recently landed roles in the 2008 feature film, Stop Loss, and the NBC TV series, My Name is Earl.

As a motivational speaker, Cameron is frank in talking about the bad decisions he made as a 15-year old that led to his present disability. He pointed out how getting involved with substances to "improve" his social life in actuality stopped him from pursuing his passions: running, surfing, extreme sports, etc. In quite a bit of detail and aided by an outstanding multimedia presentation, he documented for all of us his road to recovery and his raw determination to walk, and yes, even run again. Throughout the presentation, he interwove recurring themes for our students: establish a vision of what you want, set goals to reach that vision, work hard, persevere, battle through adversity, and always pursue your passions. He underscored the fact that drugs and alcohol will always subvert you from achieving your goals and true passions in life. He reiterated several times through the presentation what I believe was his theme: It's not about what happens to you in life..... it's about what you do with it.

Cameron's message today was overwhelmingly positive and it really resonated with our students. In fact, he signed autographs and connected with kids in the cafeteria during lunch after the assemblies. I strongly believe that we need to keep his message- about positive decision-making- consistently in the forefront of our kids' minds.

For more information about Cameron, here is a link to his website. He will also be part of the panel that will present during the Intevention Town Hall Meeting this coming Thursday night at Showcase Live at Patriot Place at 6:00 pm (see below). I urge all of you to come to this meeting to see this thoughtful young man. Thanks, Cameron!

Food for Thought?

2009-09-30T19:05:00.004-04:00

According to today's Boston Globe, less than 10% of American high school students get a sufficient amount of fruit and vegetables in their daily diet. This finding was based upon study conducted by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in 2007 where approximately 100,000 high school students across the nation were surveyed. The study found that only 13% of students get the recommended three servings of vegetables and only 32% get the recommended two servings of fruit. Less than one out of ten get enough of both combined.

It is almost as bad for the adult population, where the CDC found that only 27% got the recommended allowance of vegetables and 33% for fruit.

In an era where 1 out of 5 people in the Commonwealth are obese and over 17% of children aged 12 to 19 are obese (defined as having a BMI or body mass index over 30), I wonder if we're doing enough in our schools. Are we serving enough whole, non-processed foods in our cafeterias? Do we need to do more with our health/wellness curriculums to promote better eating.... even if that message isn't being lived in the home?

Town Hall Meeting on Underage Drinking on Oct. 8

2009-09-30T10:50:00.004-04:00

The Tri-Town Drug and Alcohol Awareness Partnership (a group of community-based and school leaders from Foxboro, Mansfield, and Norton) is partnering with the A & E Network and the Comcast Organization to present a screening of the groundbreaking, Emmy-nominated series Intervention which airs on A & E. Following the screening, a live town-hall meeting will take place featuring interventionist Jeff VanVonderen. Mr. VanVonderen is a nationally renowned speaker with experience working with families in crisis related to drugs and alcohol. This town hall meeting will be taped for a later airing on A & E.

The event will be held on Thursday, October 8 at the Showcase Live at Patriot Place in Foxborough. A reception starts at 6:00 pm with the program running from 7:00-8:30 pm.

This very important event is the start of a series of events aimed at giving families public support on the issue of drug and alcohol awareness and helping our kids make good, safe decisions, particularly in light of recent drug and alcohol-related tragedies in our communities. The Tri-Town Partnership will continue to provide information that encourages communication between teens and their parents.

For more information on this event, here is a link to the Sun Chronicle's article from Monday.

This event is open to all students, parents, and community members. If interested in attending, please RSVP to Linda_Trubiano@cable.comcast.com or call (508) 858-5319

The All-Sports Booster Club Needs YOU!!

2009-09-28T19:28:00.004-04:00

I recently read a report in the Boston Globe that more and more communities south of Boston have implemented user fees for high school student athletes. In the Hockomock League alone, six of the nine schools have gone the route of “pay to play,” with the median fee being $225 per sport. Numerous studies and both the state and national level show that the initiation of such fees results in a deleterious effect on student participation rates. Additionally, Northeastern University’s Center for Labor Market Studies reports that the percentages of Massachusetts high school students aged 16 to 19 years old employed in a part-time job dropped from 45% in 2000 to 30% in 2009, most likely a reflection of the deterioration of the economy. As employment opportunities for students continue to decline, it is imperative to expand access to athletic and after school programs to replace the social and behavioral gains when students have jobs.

So what’s my point? It’s simple. I feel blessed to be the principal of a high school where 68% of our students participate in at least one sport. If you add extra- and co-curricular activities to the mix, the rate climbs to 91%. A sizable majority of our students are clearly benefiting from lessons they are learning outside of the classroom, delivered by dedicated coaches and advisors. These real-life lessons teach our kids characteristics such as the value of hard work, commitment, and perseverance, which are the bedrock of creating a responsible citizenry.

Last spring the Mansfield School Committee was faced with an extremely challenging budget, one where millions of dollars of cuts needed to be executed. Once again, the issue of sports user fees was proposed, and the committee carefully and thoughtfully deliberated the topic. Despite the financial pressure, the committee decided not to implement user fees, citing that MHS’ high participation rate would decrease. Continued equity and access to our fine athletic and co-curricular programs was their chief concern.

Thus, the vital support of parent and community organizations such as the All-Sports Boosters Club are critical now more than ever. Through the fundraising efforts of this group, our students athletes are able to get the “extras,” i.e., equipment, supplies, uniforms, etc., that help in giving them a competitive advantage. Additionally, the group gives generous scholarships to deserving seniors each spring. Parents in the club also give countless hours of their time- from organizing and printing the seasonal sports program books to working the gymnasium concessions- for the good of the all of the programs. This Boosters Club has been run by a small but passionate and dedicated group of parents; however, many of them are no longer as their children have graduated. If you have not done so yet, I urge you to join the All Sports Booster Club. Please give of your time and resources; we need you! For more information, please contact Athletic Director Joe Russo at (508) 261-7540, X-3113 or via e-mail at Joseph.Russo@mansfieldschools.com

Go Hornets!

Welcome to "Principally Speaking"!

2009-09-27T08:46:00.008-04:00

Hi Everyone-

This year I thought I would try something new and start a blog for MHS. While blogging certainly is not new, it is fairly novel among school principals. I am excited about the possibilities it may hold!

Why a principal's blog? It will serve many purposes, including:

1. To post news, notes, events about MHS in a quick and efficient way (and save a tree or two, to boot!).
2. To share some thoughts on issues/topics that are germane to education not only here at Mansfield High School, but also within our community, and at the state and national level; and,
3. To solicit your ideas and feedback. Since the very nature of blogs is to be interactive, you may subscribe to this blog by clicking here, and then post your own thoughts.

I will be posting new material on at least a weekly basis, so please visit frequently!