The Newsletter of the Mount Greylock Regional School District
Lanesborough and Williamstown, Massachusetts
The Forum
The Newsletter of the Mount Greylock Regional School District
Lanesborough and Williamstown, Massachusetts
Superintendent's Corner
by Dr. Mark Piechota
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February,
2004
The Year in Review: 2003
At Mt. Greylock the past year marked outstanding student achievements,
significant organizational developments, and numerous noteworthy events.
Student Achievements
Our students continued to make us proud with their academic accomplishments.
In June one hundred and ten members of the class of 2003 received their diplomas.
Ninety-seven of the graduates planned to continue their education, 79% going to four-year
colleges. The colleges they were heading to included Smith, Williams, UMASS/Amherst, the
Art Institute, Johnson and Wales University, Harvard, Ohio Wesleyan, and Duke.
As usual our students’ scores on the College Board Scholastic
Aptitude Test were above state and national averages, and on Advanced Placement exams
thirty-three of our students were recognized with honors. The National Merit Scholarship
Corporation notified six members of the Class of 2004 that they were finalists.
Our Junior Classical League won the state championship for the fourth
time in five years. Our Future Problem Solving teams won many honors at the regional
level, took second place at the state level, and placed in the top ten in international
competition. One of our students was the first place state winner in the National Peace
Essay contest.
In the spring fifty art students decorated Spring Street in
Williamstown with colorful posters of the season. Fourteen were invited to display their
work at the annual Norman Rockwell Art Show. Two students qualified for Art All-State, and
four were honored with Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards.
In March over fifty high school students performed an outstanding
production of the musical Hello, Dolly! Later in the spring we applauded an
innovative production of Ladies of the Jury, and in June forty middle school
students produced the lively musical Bye Bye Birdie. The 2003 theatrical season
concluded in the autumn with an impressive production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth
Night.
Meanwhile, our musicians were making us proud. Eleven students were chosen to
perform at the Western Mass Junior District Music Festival, and six students were chosen
for the Western Mass Senior District Music Festival. One of these students qualified for
an All-State Music Festival audition, and two won state honors for their musical
compositions.
In the athletic arenas our students were demonstrating the character,
sportsmanship, and teamwork necessary to ensure success. Our wrestling team was crowned
Berkshire County champions while our girls Alpine skiers won county and state
championships. Individual athletes on our girls track team garnered western Mass, state
and New England honors, and our boys tennis team won the county championship. The 2003
athletics concluded with both the boys and girls cross-country runners taking Berkshire
County championships.
In all, our athletic teams won five county championships and one state
championship. That was quite an achievement for a high school of just 770 students. We
averaged more than 200 students per season participating in athletics. Furthermore, in
victory or defeat they conducted themselves admirably, and in November the coaches and
athletic directors of Berkshire County awarded Mt. Greylock the Sportsmanship Award for
the 2002-2003 school year. This is the third year in a row that Mt. Greylock has received
this award, which recognizes the excellent character that our students display in all
sports. Furthermore, the Division 2 Girls Soccer Coaches, representing ninety-one teams in
the state, voted the Mt. Greylock girls soccer team the most sportsmanlike in the
division.
As our students displayed their academic, artistic and athletic
talents, they also demonstrated concern for others through activities and projects which
served the school and community. The Student Council had a very active year, involved in
many school-wide activities. It orchestrated fund-raisers, hosted a spring senior citizens
dinner, and contributed to needy families.
As part of the Presidential Service Challenge numerous students
committed themselves to performing one hundred hours of service to school and community.
By the end of the school year Mt. Greylock students had volunteered over 2500 hours of
their time in service activities. In the autumn we honored two for their exemplary service
to others, awarding them $1000 scholarships for outstanding service. The Williamstown
Community Chest supported our emphasis on service by giving Mt. Greylock a grant of $1000
to help fund these scholarships.
Meanwhile, our teachers were encouraging service through their courses
and activities. In the spring our Spanish students visited Lanesborough and Hancock
schools to introduce elementary youngsters to the language. Throughout the year our SMILE
volunteers gave to their communities, performing a concert at Sweetbrook, caring for pets
at the animal shelter, coordinating a blood drive, and volunteering at numerous community
fund raisers.
District Developments
Meanwhile, the district was moving forward. In October 2003 our total
enrollment was 770. Lanesborough students accounted for 222 of the total, while
Williamstown sent us 415 students. Included in this number were eight "A Better
Chance" students. Out-of-district students rose from 129 to 133.
The Mt. Greylock library instituted a birthday book program, with
startup funds provided by Bob Petricca. Through this program, parents, students, and
community members can purchase library books in honor of a loved one. In 2003 twenty-five
individuals were honored with birthday books, with contributions of $750.
During 2003 the district pursued outside funds and was able to win
$237,152 in grants to support and improve its programs. These funds provided Mt. Greylock
with diverse resources such as
Budget cutting was a major story of 2003. The adopted budget for
FY2004 was .2% less than FY2003. This reduction forced the cutting of the middle school
program, science labs, professional development, athletics and activities, supplies and
texts, and 10.8 FTE teaching positions. No additional cuts were needed because in May the
towns passed the Mt. Greylock assessments and Williamstown approved an override.
That same month Williams College announced a one-time gift to Mt.
Greylock of $250,000 to restore many of the teaching positions. Then parents came forward
to create the GAP fund. With their tireless efforts we were able to restore all sports and
activities, and reinstate .5 of the teaching positions.
Then parents and teachers formed Greylock Partners. This group of
parents, teachers and administrators came together to consider ways to increase
parent-teacher partnerships in the education of Mt. Greylock students. Their first major
effort, and a very successful one, was the autumn work day in which 200 parents and
students worked to spruce up the school—painting the cafeteria and doorways, building
benches and shelving, and planting hundreds of spring bulbs.
Parents continued to devote many hours every week to tutoring students,
assisting the middle school, and running the College and Career Center. In June the parent
group "After Prom 2003" sponsored an outstanding All Night Safe Celebration at
Eastover Resort in Lenox for the class of 2003.
The Friends of the Arts raised funds for theater productions and
contributed their time and effort to make successful all of the stage productions. They
helped students take field trips to Boston to see the BSO and to Lenox to see Ethan
Frome, and they funded a dancer as an artist in residence and provided art supplies
for a variety of teachers.
School Committee
Over the year the School Committee took action on a number of items. Its most
difficult action was adoption of a FY2004 budget, which represented a .2% decrease from
FY2003. With the contributions of the GAP fund and Williams College, just 4.6 FTE teachers
were finally cut.
The School Committee set four goals for the 2003-2004 school year.
1. To integrate and implement Mt. Greylock’s mission statement into the daily
life of the educational community in the following areas
Expectations for student learning
Curriculum, instruction, and assessment
Early identification and analysis of major
factors that can impact the budget
Forming a Greylock Partners Organization.
The See Fund
In April the SEE Fund awarded $3,900 in grants and $500 from
the John Allen Fund. These grants supported initiatives for sustaining educational
excellence at Mt. Greylock, and they enabled Mt. Greylock to
In November the SEE fund and the John Allen fund awarded an additional $2,104 in grants. These grants enabled Mt. Greylock to
The SEE Fund Board of Governors is continuing its efforts to enhance
the size of the endowment fund so that it can expand its efforts to enrich the education
of Mt. Greylock students. Over the long term, the Board hopes to attract donations from
bequests and planned gifts. Anyone wishing more information about the SEE Fund should
contact Mark Piechota, Superintendent of Schools at 413-458-9582, ext. 149.
Faculty Activities
For the second straight year the faculty was less able to attend staff
development workshops and conferences due to severe budget cuts. However, they still
showed their commitment to improve Mt. Greylock’s programs for students. Throughout
the year teachers were attending courses at nearby colleges and universities, pursuing
advanced degrees in their subject areas. One teacher was honored to be selected for a
three-week Fulbright trip to study Japan’s educational system.
Faculty continued their work to update curriculum in preparation for
the school’s re-accreditation in 2005. At the same time, they refined and approved
the graduation proficiencies for all students and proposed to the School Committee that
senior projects be the vehicle used to judge student proficiency.
In June Williams College announced that the math department was the
2003 recipient of the Williams Bicentennial Olmsted Awards. With the assistance of this
award and federal NCLB funds, the department will refine and upgrade the 7-12 math
curriculum.
Personnel Changes
2003 also witnessed a number of personnel changes at Mt. Greylock. In June
and July we said goodbye to one administrator, one custodian, ten teachers, and our
athletic director. Assistant principal Ed Davenport moved on to become principal of a high
school on Long Island. Custodian Justin Tucker departed as a result of staffing cuts. Art
teacher Jennifer Annand took a one year leave of absence. Nine other teachers departed for
various reasons—some because their positions were cut and others to pursue careers
elsewhere. They included Julia Bowen, Patty Korzec, Mike Hagen, Lydia Batten, Chris
Kapiloff, Phillip Lefevre, Robert Ross, and Randy Sherwood. We wished them well in their
new endeavors.
A big loss for Mt. Greylock was the retirement of John Allen, athletic
director and football coach. John Allen served as an inspiration and role model for four
decades of students. We thank him for all that he has given to Mt. Greylock and its
students.
In August we appointed Lynn Quadrozzi athletic director and Tim Payne
moved from social studies teaching to Assistant Principal. In September we welcomed the
following individuals to our school. Five paraprofessionals joined our special education
staff: Mary Angelo-Roberts, Michael Farris, Karen Rondeau-Brigham, Tom Sherman, and Patsy
Worley. We welcomed back Spanish teacher Allison Glover from a one-year leave of absence
in Spain, and Sally Sussman joined us to cover Mrs. Annand’s art teaching position
for one year. Five teachers filled openings in various departments: Drew Gibson in social
studies, Courtney Gibson and Joe Bazzano in math, Sherley Blood in Latin, and Peggy Talbot
in science.
2003 was a noteworthy year. Our students made us proud, faculty
continued to improve programs and grow professionally, the SEE Fund enhanced education for
our students, and we made significant progress in defining our graduation proficiencies
for students. We welcomed additions to our faculty and staff, even as we honored those who
had served Mt. Greylock and its students for so many years. The year was marked by
significant cuts to Mt. Greylock’s budget and its programs, cuts that were softened
by the efforts of parents and Williams College. Parent support and participation was a
particular highlight of 2003, and we look forward to its continuation into 2004.
December,
2003
Last spring, in the midst of very difficult budget cutting,
some community members suggested one way to save money. They called upon the communities
to consider consolidating the various school districts into one K-12 regional district.
Their assumption was that the consolidation would require fewer central office
administrators, and therefore there would be savings in their salaries. The Mt. Greylock
Educators Association had a similar orientation. Two months earlier it had urged the towns
and school districts to consider ways to make the operations of towns and school districts
more efficient.
These suggestions led the Mt. Greylock School Committee to approve the
formation of a Consolidation Study Committee. The purpose of the Study Committee would be
to articulate the pros and cons of consolidation and to clarify questions about
full-regionalization.
The Study Committee would be made up of representatives of the towns
and school districts of Hancock, Lanesborough, Mt. Greylock and Williamstown. However, as
of this writing the Study Committee has not yet met. The Williamstown Selectmen are
considering whether consolidation is a concept they wish to pursue.
Questions about school organization and efficiency are not new to Mt.
Greylock. As I review my office files I see that over the last thirty years there have
been numerous studies of the administrative organization of the district. In that period,
three options were considered.
The first formal study of school organization occurred when Mt.
Greylock was just eight years old. In 1969 the district had to construct an addition to
its original building. To receive state building assistance it needed to analyze various
options for school building utilization in Lanesborough and Williamstown, and it concluded
that expanding Mt. Greylock’s building and keeping the existing administrative
organization was the best option. In the process they drafted and discussed a revision of
the Regional Agreement.
Nine years later the Williamstown Elementary School Committee had to
justify its request for state building assistance because it needed to renovate the
elementary schools. Both it and the Mt. Greylock School Committee concluded that the
existing administrative organization was the best option.
In the late 70’s Lanesborough and Williamstown were debating the
equitable distribution of regional assessments. In the midst of this debate the
superintendent announced his resignation, and the School Committee asked him to make a
recommendation about K-12 school organization. He recommended consolidation of the three
school districts. The School Committee did not immediately act on his recommendation.
One year later the fiscal constraints of Proposition 2 ½ hit the
district, and the towns, and community members called for consolidation of the districts.
In 1982 a subcommittee of the School Committee reported to the Williamstown Selectmen on
the question of consolidation, and it recommended keeping the districts separate.
Around this same time an ad hoc committee was formed by the School
Committee to investigate a shared superintendency. It was a fact-finding committee and
made no recommendations. The School Committee reviewed its report and decided to keep the
existing administrative and educational arrangements—that is, keeping three separate
districts, each with its own superintendent.
However, the issue was not dead. In 1985 the School Committee used a
grant to employ a consulting firm to analyze "partnering opportunities" for Mt.
Greylock, Lanesborough and Williamstown. It reviewed the three options that I listed
above, and it recommended against all of them, urging the towns to keep the existing
administrative arrangements.
The latest study was in 1992. With the impending departure of the Mt.
Greylock superintendent and the imminent retirement of the Lanesborough superintendent, a
Regional Study Committee was formed. Representatives of the three school districts joined
the committee. The Study Committee recommended moving to consolidation while preserving
building autonomy with site-based management. The elementary schools did not support the
proposal, the cost savings were questionable, and therefore, the Mt. Greylock School
Committee decided not to pursue the issue.
Why has there been little support for consolidation of the three school
districts? On one level consolidation makes solid educational sense because it promises to
foster better coordination of curriculum and instruction among the districts. However, the
call for consolidation has usually been initiated for non-educational reasons. Usually it
has been based on a belief that such a consolidation would save taxpayers money—that
it would lead to savings in a variety of areas, particularly in administrative salaries.
The calls for district consolidation usually died for two reasons.
First, parents and community members were concerned they would lose control of their local
elementary schools. They valued their autonomy. Second, after careful analysis of all
factors, they discovered that there would be little monetary savings. They realized they
would not be able to cut as much administration as they assumed. They also discovered that
whatever savings would accrue from cutting administrative positions was counterbalanced by
the necessity to consolidate the three districts’ collective bargaining
organizations. The renegotiations of their contracts would likely absorb any savings in
administrative salaries.
Despite these findings, the School Committee has approved formation of
a Consolidation Study Committee because it believes the issues should be revisited. It
believes we should look again at the issues to see whether in this decade there might be a
new approach to educational organization that not only makes educational sense, but also
could save taxpayers some money.
If you would more information about this history of consolidation
studies, please contact Mark Piechota at 458-9582, ext. 149.
November,
2003
Over my many years working in public education I have
become convinced that schools should have a three-fold approach to education.
I am happy to report that Mt. Greylock adheres to this three-fold
approach.
Focus on Standards: For the past five years Mt. Greylock has taken an
approach to curriculum that is "standards based." We are focusing on what
students are learning, not just on what is being taught. We are articulating the "big
ideas" and essential ideas of curriculum units, and we are specifying the learning
objectives of our lessons. At each level we are asking for valid evidence of student
understanding.
As we focus on such evidence, we may begin with test results, but then
we go further, requiring that students demonstrate in authentic ways the important
knowledge and skills they have acquired. Our plans for the future aim for these
demonstrations to be shared with the community so that our school is accountable for the
significant learning that is well beyond what can be measured by standardized tests.
We are taking standards based education to this level, defining the
core proficiencies that we will expect all students to display for graduation. Included in
this issue of The Forum is a one-page summary of our mission and graduation expectations.
To receive a diploma, our students will not only need to acquire the requisite number of
credits in their course work and pass the MCAS. They will also have to demonstrate their
proficiency in a more integrative fashion and do so by showing that they have met the
graduation expectations.
We are in the process of defining the requirements of this
"demonstration of proficiency." It may take the form of a senior project,
portfolio, and presentation to a panel of educators and community members. This program of
graduation by demonstration promises to raise expectations for all students and engage all
school personnel in the achievement of carefully identified and commonly held goals for
students.
Focus on Students: As we focus on results, we are also focusing on
kids, being sensitive to their needs and differences. We have provided professional
development for teachers to help them recognize differences in student developmental
readiness, content knowledge, and learning styles. We strive to respect these differences
and uncover hidden talents and virtues. In these ways we can more efficiently help them
become solid scholars, proud students and self-directed learners.
We also know that schools can become productive organizations only if
they meet four basic student needs: for mastery, belonging, independence and generosity.
Healthy organizational climates are those in which their members feel personal efficacy, a
bond with the school community, latitude in decision making, and the sense that they are
contributing to the greater good. It is our goal to foster such a climate at Mt. Greylock.
Creative and Persistent Efforts: There is often a tension between a
focus on standards and a focus on students. It can only be resolved through creativity and
persistence. One way a school district nurtures creativity and persistence is through
professional development to expand repertoires of instructional strategies. We have
provided teachers with extensive training in teaching styles and learning styles,
cooperative learning, differentiated instruction, and standards based education. We have
also made extensive computer technology available to them.
A district also nurtures creativity and persistence in teachers by
promoting professional collegiality. We have instituted a four-year cycle for supervision
and evaluation that empowers teachers in their own professional growth and expects them to
work with colleagues in that growth. We have created other programs to foster
collegiality, but recent budget constraints have prevented us from implementing them for
this school year. Despite these cuts, we will continue our efforts to nurture
collegiality.
In conclusion, we value instructional excellence, curriculum that is
differentiated and standards based, and we strive to provide computer technology that
serves as a tool and catalyst for student growth. We support continuous growth in all, and
focus on our mission. We ask students to present authentic demonstrations of their
achievement. We support a school climate that promotes student mastery, belonging,
independence, and generosity. And finally, we pursue these values and beliefs in a
collaborative manner, seeking the input of all concerned to generate and implement
creative solutions to educational problems.
October,
2003
How do you typically approach challenges? What goes on inside your head
mentally and emotionally? In other words, what are your habits of mind? What are the
dispositions and mental behaviors that you typically employ in responding to situations,
particularly uncertain and challenging situations?
In their book series Habits of Mind Art Costa and Bena Kallick
have identified sixteen habits of mind that are necessary for humans who wish to be
thoughtful, compassionate, and cooperative human beings who can live productively in an
increasingly chaotic, complex, and information-rich environment. Included in this list of
sixteen habits of mind are
As I have reviewed Costa’s and Kallick’s work I have
applied their findings to our district mission. As you may recall, our mission is to serve
our "communities by helping students progress toward responsible citizenship through
an educationally challenging environment."
This mission focuses on the concept of responsible citizenship, and
when I think about responsible citizens, a particular image comes to mind. Such citizens
are active. They are engaged in local, national, and world issues, asking questions and
seeking the best information. They see themselves with rights and responsibilities as
members of communities, and nations. They are committed to the greater good, even as they
are committed to fairness and equity for all.
Recently I have tried to view responsible citizenship through the lens
of habits of mind, and I have asked what kinds of habits an active, engaged citizen
demonstrates. The habits listed above seemed relevant, and yet, for me they were too
abstract and lifeless.
I needed to translate them into a simple form that students, teachers,
and parents could easily remember, and I concluded that there are five essential habits of
mind that we should be promoting in our students.
I decided that the habits could be phrased not as abstract
orientations, but as questions. That is because our student citizens should be approaching
situations in an active, engaged manner—asking questions and seeking answers.
Instead of habits of mind, I call them habits of questioning. The five
questions that I believe our students should pose as natural responses to situations are
as follows.
With the first question (What are the facts?) the student citizens
are seeking information. They want to rise above rumors, hearsay and sound bites to get to
the facts. They want to take informed positions on issues so that they can influence
decisions in their community, state and nation.
With the second question (Says who?) they are double-checking whether
those are indeed the facts. They are consulting multiple sources and checking veracity.
They are questioning media accounts and politicians’ claims. And yes, they are
questioning authority, but doing so in a respectful manner.
The third question (What do you think?) has the student citizens
engaging each other in dialogue about the situation, recognizing that they can learn from
each other and that they live in an inter-dependent, diverse world. They seek others’
opinions, listen, and put themselves in others’ shoes. They try to understand
others’ points of view, developing a tolerance and respect for differences.
The fourth question (Is it fair?) has them asking about fairness and
equity. The focus here is not just on oneself, but what is fair and equitable for others.
With this orientation they are doing the right thing, speaking out against injustice, and
protecting the rights not only of themselves, but also of others.
The final question (How can I help?) conveys the willingness to
contribute time, effort, moral support and resources to improve situations and support
others. The question recognizes that we are members of an interdependent whole and that we
must contribute to the common good.
These five questioning habits, therefore, are integral to the
school’s mission—to develop responsible citizens. If you look into our
classrooms and listen in on our sports and activities, you will see our teachers, coaches
and advisors encouraging students to ask these questions. It is a normal part of their
interaction with students.
We will continue to encourage students to adopt this questioning
orientation. At the same time we will strive to model these habits ourselves as teachers,
staff, and administrators. In doing so, we will enhance student learning even as we
improve our daily functioning as a learning community.
