Superintendent's Blog

Today  The Lowell Sun features a great  article about the continuing contributions of Shawsheen Technical High School  students who have returned to work on the North Road Habitat for Humanity project.  To read the entire story, click here: http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_14353407?IADID=Search-www.lowellsun.com-www.lowellsun.com

This example of  “on the job learning”  is one of many opportunities students have at our technical high school.   As a member community Bedford is able  to propose projects that meet the needs of both students and the Town.

I am pleased to announce a special fundraising event for Haiti that is being sponsored by the Lane School:  Rebuilding Haiti One Town at a Time.   Here’s the details on the event:

Program: An evening of inspirational acts  presented by Lane School teachers and students to benefit Gressier, Haiti

Date:  Thursday, February 11, 2010

Time: 6:30-7:30pm

Place: John Glenn Middle School Auditorium

Donation: $5 individual / $10 family

This the the second major fundraiser sponsored by Lane School students and staff.   Please make an effort to support them.

Bedford Youth and Family Services has shared the following Press Release announcing an upcoming Cyberbullying Seminar for Parents. As we struggle with the complex issues of cyberbullying, Bedford is fortunate to be part of the Middlesex Partnership for Youth, an arm of the District Attorney’s office that provides both support and educational opportunities for member districts. Here’s the details on the event:

The internet offers almost limitless opportunities to gain knowledge and make contact with others. When used appropriately, it is a powerful and positive tool. However, parents and schools need to be aware of the risks inherent in the technology, and the Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc., in conjunction with the Office of Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone will provide a seminar for Bedford parents, school staff, and administration on effective prevention and intervention strategies. Make Sure Our Kids Are Cyber Safe will be offered Tuesday, March 2, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Bedford Town Hall Auditorium. Presenters will include Margie Daniels and Onyen Yong from the Middlesex Partnerships for Youth. Daniels is Executive Director of the organization, and Yong is Assistant District Atorney and Director of Information Technology.

The March 2^nd event is free and is sponsored by Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Bedford Public Schools, and the Violence Prevention Coalition of Bedford (VPC) and is part of a year long series of parent education events coordinated by Bedford Youth and Family Services (YFS). For more information about the Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, check out their website at www.MiddlesexPartnershipsForYouth.org.

If you have questions or need more information about the March 2^nd event, call YFS at 781-275-7727.

In today’s edition of The Boston Globe, James Varnis is on target in his column entitled “Obama Education Overhaul Well Received.” In his commentary on the reauthorization of NCLB, Varnis notes:

The new system would also scrap the 2014 proficiency deadline, preferring that states adopt standards under which students graduate from high school ready for college or a career. Schools that make substantial improvement toward the new goals would be rewarded, while those where performance is stagnant or declining would face sanctions, such as state takeovers, according to the budget document.

Faced with the highest standards in the nation, Massachusetts educators have long lamented the unattainable expectation that all students can or would reach proficiency in 2014. I f the Obama administration is able to establish more realistic goals for all students and more equitable standards across the nation, the reauthorization of NCLB will represent a positive change for all students. To read the entire column, can click here:

http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2010/02/02/obama_education_overhaul_well_received/

The January 26th meeting of the Bedford School Committee included an Athletic Program Presentation by Keith Mangan, Athletic Director. Mr. Mangan set the tone for the evening’s presentation as he presented the department’s philosophy:

The highest potential of athletes is achieved by committing to the ideal of pursuing victory with honor. Good faith efforts to honor the words and spiit of our philosophy will improve the quality of our program and the well being of all teammates.

To view the presentation, you can click here:

http://www.bedford.k12.ma.us/sc/pdfs/athleticsoverview1-26-10.pdf

On January 28th, the FY 2011 School Committee Budget was presented to the Bedford Finance Committee.  This budget represents a reduction of  $1,038,054 from the $32,781,189  budget that was presented on December 1st.  This  budget represents a variance of $ 354,780 from the Finance Committee Budget Guideline,  To view this presentation, you can click here:

http://www.bedford.k12.ma.us/info/pdfs/FY11BudgetFinComPresentation.pdf

The next step in the FY2011 Budget approval process will be the Finance Committee’s Saturday morning session on February 6th.  At that time the Finance Committee will conduct its final review and approval of town budgets for the Annual Town Meeting Warrant.

This was the sixth year that the Bedford Public Schools sponsored the summer institute. Tragedy and Hope: Exploring the Human Condition through Fiction, Poetry and Drama. Susan Rozen, Program Director for Reading, has worked with local universities to bring high quality professional development to our faculty.  The summer 2009 offerings included a two day poetry institute.   In her description of the outcomes from this institute,  Dr. Rozen noted:

Patti’s Messinger’s British Literature class piloted a new unit on Modernism using poems by Wordsworth, Arnold, and Yeats describing past and present events that pointed, even 200 years ago, to crises of faith, politics, and the natural environment. To help students further grasp the parallels among these poems Patti used the techniques and materials from the two-day poetry workshop taught by Daniel Albright of Harvard University. Students engaged in an exercise in postmodern intertextuality by recording and illustrating key lines from each poem on four panels. Then, by mixing and matching the panels, they found some surprising parallels between the poems’ imagery and themes particularly in their prophecies of a darkly apocalyptic future . Patti also used a technique she learned for teaching “epic similes” from the second two-day workshop taught by a Boston University’s Classic Department professor, Stephen Esposito. Homer used similes to help others enter into the emotional world of his characters at critical moments of his story. For example, when a guest in Penelope’s home (her husband Odysseus in disguise) relates to Penelope one of his memories of entertaining Odysseus many years ago, she cries. The way Homer describes the scene takes us deep into her psyche and her emotional landscape. Having students draw a picture of this simile encourages them to use their artistic imaginations and helps them to understand how a great writer can convey an inner world of meaning and beauty. Patti’s students selected the simile from several in the book that they wanted to interpret through drawings.

Dr. Rozen’s efforts to bring rich,  content based institutes to Bedford  is appreciated by both faculty members and students.  That  blending of appropriate continuing education for our faculty with classroom implementation is one of the many factors that contributes to continuous growth at our high school.

Principal Ackerman is justifiably proud of the generosity of Lane students and parents. Mr. McGrath, a 5th grade teacher, organized a Concert for Haiti during the lunch periods yesterday. I was privileged to join the third grade lunch and very impressed by both the decorum of the audience and the talent of the performers. Mr. Maffa stood proudly on the sidelines as his musicians stepped forward to share their talents. In a recent blog posting, Mr. Ackerman notes:

An anonymous Lane School parent has matched the fundraising total from yesterday’s Concert for Haiti. To think that someone wrote a check for $1600 is incredible! This brings our total to $3264 which will go directly to Partners in Health.

A press release from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education captures the enthusiasm of state leaders as Massachusetts submits its application for the RTTT grant.  In Bedford, we view this as an opportunity to shape the next era of school reform as we continue efforts to improve what we do and how we do it in our schools.  Here’s a snippet of the memo sent to superintendents from Commissioner Chester:

Two-thirds of the state’s public school districts and charter schools have signed a pledge to support the state’s pursuit of up to $250 million in Race to the Top funding, a new federal grant designed to transform public education nationwide.

In all, 256 school districts and charter schools have signed on, representing 86 percent of the state’s low-income students and 72 percent of K-12 students statewide.

“This is a great day for Massachusetts to have the partnership of so many teachers, school committees and superintendents in our efforts to transform our public schools,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “We still have much work to do to ensure that our education system serves all students and provides them with the support and guidance they need to become successful.”

“Race to the Top” is a competitive $4.35 billion grant program launched by the Obama Administration to assist states in implementing aggressive education reform strategies to turn around low performing schools and support world-class teaching and learning. Approximately 40 states are expected to apply for the funding. According to the U.S. Department of Education, Massachusetts is eligible for approximately $250 million.

The Bedford School Committee and the Bedford Education Association helped to lead this charge with their early support for RTTT.

Friday’s Professional Day activities included a riveting presentation by Michael Dorn, Executive Director for the Safe Haven International Organization.  Using a compelling personal memoir as the vehicle for his message,  Michael quickly commanded the attention of his audience sharing multiple examples to underscore his message that:   “All children can learn more if they attend a safe, orderly school which provides a caring and supportive environment.”

Most of us were speechless as he ended with an emotional plea to  educators  that “you have the power to protect, shield and heal children.”

Topically, Michael’s presentation included the following:

1. Correlation between safety and test scores
2. Assessment based safety
3. Access control
4. Supervision of students
5. What do your schools “say” about safety
6. Bullying and the Incredible Power of Advocates for  Children

Michael had the opportunity to tour both the high school and Lane School.  In both instances, he gave Bedford high ratings in terms of what the buildings “say” about safety.  For more information about Michael, you can visit his website.

http://www.safehavensinternational.org/aboutus_messageCEO.php

This presentation was supported by a grant that Chief Hicks secured for teacher training.