DESE’s Student Councils Seek New Members for 2018-2019:
Massachusetts takes pride in being the only state where a secondary school student is elected by students to represent them as a full voting member of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. The state student advisory council and five regional advisory councils support the student member and offer all participating students leadership opportunities, a chance to engage with their peers from across the state, and an important voice in state educational policy. In the past, for example, students have worked on projects related to civic engagement, health and wellness policies, mental health, and college and career readiness.
The Department is seeking student council members for the 2018-2019 school year. The deadline for Student Advisory Council elections in schools is April 13. Election information is available online and includes a Survey Gizmo link to register students and schools. Anyone with questions can contact Donna Taylor at 781-338-6320 or dtaylor@doe.mass.edu.
|
|
2018 Massachusetts Green Ribbon Schools Announced:
Congratulations to the Arlington Public Schools and the Mendon-Upton Regional School District on their selection as the 2018 Massachusetts Green Ribbon Schools! These two districts are being honored for their leadership in reducing environmental impact and costs, improving the health and wellness of students and staff, and delivering effective environmental and sustainability education. Their winning applications have been submitted to the U.S. Department of Education for consideration as National Green Ribbon School Districts, which will be announced later this spring.
|
|
Advisory on Emergency Planning and Door Locking:
State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Commissioner Charles Borstel of the Division of Professional Licensure recently issued a joint advisory about school emergency planning and door locking. The five-page advisory includes sections on fire drills, lockdown plans, fire alarms, and classroom and exit doors.
|
|
New Advisory on Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Special Educators:
The Office of Special Education Planning and Policy recently issued an advisory on addressing the communication needs of students with disabilities through augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Augmentative and alternative communication is a form of assistive technology that can help students whose disabilities impede their ability to communicate. The guidance includes links to helpful AAC resources and examples of students with disabilities who have benefited from AAC. A cover memo from Senior Associate Commissioner and State Director of Special Education Russell Johnston accompanies the advisory. The Department encourages special and general educators, individualized education program (IEP) team members, and special education directors to review this important information.
|
|
Dropout Prevention and Re-Engagement Gathering:
On Wednesday, April 25, the Office of College, Career and Technical Education will host the Spring Dropout Prevention and Re-Engagement Work Group Gathering focused on grade 9 success. Students who fail even one course in grade 9 are 14 times more likely not to complete high school in four years, and the current state average for completing and passing all grade 9 courses is at 79 percent. The Great Schools Partnership will bring its knowledge, experience, and research to the day. The gathering is open to any district or school that wants to improve ninth grade success for ALL students. Registration is open online.
|
|
School Choice Reminder:
Each year, DESE asks school districts whether they plan to accept new school choice students during the upcoming school year. For the 2018-2019 school year, DESE is using a survey to collect this information. The results will be published on DESE's school choice website to guide interested families.
By law, districts are required to accept school choice students unless the school committee votes NOT to participate prior to June 1 (G.L. c. 76, s. 12B). Districts that participate in school choice are not required to hold a vote, though they may ask their school committees to vote to affirm this decision and/or to specify which grades and how many openings are available, although that information is not required and is not binding. Districts should complete the survey whether their school committees vote or not.
District officials should complete the survey once they know their district’s school choice status for the 2018-2019 school year. The survey is due by June 1 and should take only a few minutes to complete. Anyone with questions can contact Rob O'Donnell at rodonnell@doe.mass.edu or 781-338-6512.
|
|
MCAS Testing Schedule for 2018-2019 Released:
The Department has released the 2018-2019 MCAS testing schedule for grades 3-8 and high schools. The schedule for ACCESS for ELLs will be released later, as will MCAS test administration deadlines.
|
|
- Two Massachusetts schools recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Education: The Walsh Middle School in Framingham and the Escuela Amigos Elementary School in Cambridge were finalists for the Award for Academic Excellence in Spanish: School of the Year. To qualify, the schools had to have implemented two-way, dual-language, or Spanish immersion classes and use Spanish in the program between 25 and 50 percent of the time, depending on grade level. Congratulations to all!
|
|
|
|
