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Warning label handed to PVMHS
by Alix Roy
PEABODY – Although they praised its familial atmosphere, small learning
communities, and dedicated teachers, the organization charged with evaluating
Peabody Veterans Memorial High School placed the school on warning status
for its inadequate resources, an outdated facility and high faculty turnover.
In a five-page letter to high school Principal Edward Sapienza, Director
of the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC) Pamela Gray-Bennett
outlined the various findings of the Commission on Public Secondary Schools,
which conducted a three-day study of the school in April.
Among the positives were the efforts of the high school to raise awareness
of its mission, expansion of the vocational program, meaningful relationships
between students and teachers and “positive school climate.” The
report praised the faculty for its “genuine and wide-spread efforts…to
meld the use of rubrics into the teaching culture” and “align
course-specific rubrics with school-wide rubrics.” The report also commended
the school for its progress in elective areas, which offer students opportunities
to “extend learning beyond the school campus.”
The list of negatives, however, was much more lengthy, and included lists
of concerns regarding instructional practices and community resources for
learning.
Under the instruction category, the report cited inconsistent instruction,
high turnover among teachers, technology shortages and outdated textbooks
as areas in need of improvement.
The bulk of the concerns fell under the resources category where the report
found fault with everything from the science labs to the stair treads. Insufficient
storage space, a poorly lit student parking lot and music practice rooms converted
to offices were some of the other problems cited in the report. In addition,
PVMHS lacks “a strategic plan to address future problems, enrollment
changes, staffing, facility, equipment and technology needs,” the report
stated.
The good news is that many issues on the list have already been resolved,
said Sapienza during a presentation to the School Committee last Wednesday.
The recent $21 million renovation of the high school solved most, if not all,
of the school’s compliance deficiencies but was still in progress during
the NEASC team’s visit.
“Many [improvements] were hidden behind plywood,” he said, pointing
to the 19 new ADA-compliant bathrooms as an example.
The Commission grants school officials a full year to submit a Special
Progress Report detailing how their recommendations have been addressed. Only
schools placed on warning status are required to complete the report in addition
to the standard two-year update. A school’s warning status will not
be removed until it can demonstrate that all of the areas of concern have
been satisfactorily resolved.
Sapienza said he had no intention of waiting a full year to change his
school’s status and plans to correct as many of the report’s findings
as soon as possible.
“I wouldn’t even want to wait two months,” he said. “The
things that are in my control must be corrected immediately.”
Problems that will likely linger are instructional problems and budget
issues, he said, but remained hopeful that they too, could be addressed. With
such a young staff, more mentoring and professional development is necessary
to provide the consistently rigorous and effective instruction the report
calls for. Teachers spent five of the six hours of professional development
on Election Day going over the report, and Sapienza said each department has
been given an assignment to construct and compare rubrics. Individually, his
staff will improve with time, he said.
“As our teachers become more experienced more and more of these things
will go away,” he said.
The new teacher contracts, which stipulate additional reimbursement for
teachers pursuing higher education, should help in retaining faculty members,
Sapienza said. Financial instability throughout the state will also limit
the amount of jobs available for teachers looking to go elsewhere for higher
pay.
In the resources category, Sapienza said his administration would work
with the School Committee in the next round of budgeting to address deficiencies
regarding textbooks and technology. The school recently purchased 31 laptop
carts with projectors and eight smartboards, which Sapienza said he would
mention in his follow-up letter to the Commission.
To receive a warning label despite millions of dollars in renovations and
technology purchases angered some School Committee members and Mayor Michael
Bonfanti.
“I am not a big supporter of NEASC,” said Bonfanti. “However,
when we get a report that comes in that has findings we do everything we can
to correct those findings.”
School Committee member David McGeney said the Commission, which is made
up of teachers, made statements outside of their area of expertise.
“It seems to me in many, many areas of this, they were really reaching,” he
said, referring to complaints regarding worn stair treads and varying air
temperatures.
While it is easy to place a school on warning status, it fosters a negative
public image that makes it difficult for the school to improve, he said.
“I feel this report, although it may be well-intentioned, makes it harder
for us to do our job,” he said.
The current economic landscape makes it even more of a challenge for the
district to correct the many shortcomings the report identified.
“This report does not recognize an economic reality,” he said. “Not
only in Peabody, but statewide.”
Sapienza commented that although the report is lengthy, no single recommendation
represents a crushing blow to the school.
“I don’t think there’s anything here we can’t overcome,” he
said.
In looking over reports for other schools, Sapienza said resource deficiencies
were common. Instructional issues are what he is paying the most attention
to.
“My biggest concern would be instruction,” he said, adding that
he was impressed with his teachers’ performance while under scrutiny
by the Commission. “I’m somewhat pleased. With the young staff
that I have…I think they represented us quite well.” |
