A SUMMER MESSAGE TO OUR PUBLIC
As the first heat wave of summer passes, we are closing out school year 2009-2010 and beginning preparations for 2010-2011. If school years had titles, I would give these:
2008-2009 Stabilizing
2009-2010 Recovering & Rebuilding
2010-2011 Transforming
Going forward into the 2010-2011 school year, Greenfield’s school initiatives will be transformative. We are strengthening our academic programs at every grade level, improving our ability to monitor every child’s academic achievement, and building more cohesion among support systems for learning and citizenship.
These programs will be in place next year:
- Children’s chorus
- Architecture education at Federal Street
- A Math/Science Pilot School for Grades 6 & 7
- A GPS Virtual School serving the state based and administered here
- Interactive Technology in almost every classroom by October 2010
- Advanced Placement expanded at GHS, e.g. AP environmental science
- NWEA skill screening for all students 1-8 leading to focused, individualized planning student by student
- Planning for Greenfield’s High School Renovation
By the time our students reach high school, they have developed and pursued interests, learned how to learn, overcome obstacles, matured, and a maximum number of graduating students (25%) receive full college tuition at MA public colleges (criteria involves very high MCAS scores).
As more students register for Greenfield schools, we are recruiting the teachers we need. We may have 8 kindergarten classes this year. Greenfield’s school committee has adopted a philosophy of continuous improvement and our parents and public hopefully see the ongoing effort to provide engaging and excellent education for students at all grade levels.
Susan Hollins
Superintendent of Schools