Liberty for all

Jeff Liberty, headmaster at Boston Green Academy is a former BPS student, who grew up in a modest family home in Dorchester. While attending Boston Latin School he learned that doing well academically meant a chance at the middle class and a move away from poverty. Education was connected to prosperity.

While in high school he worked hard, which led to his acceptance to Brandeis University. Initially, he thought he wanted to be an attorney- although his grandmother wanted him to be a priest-but after having extraordinary history teachers while in college he decided that teaching would be his profession instead. During his college years, he worked for Upward Bound, which solidified his desires to be a teacher, thus following graduation he would return to Boston to become a teacher.

In 1992, he found himself at Fenway High. Larry Myatt, a founder of Fenway and also a Brandeis graduate, hired him as a student teacher. At this time Fenway High was also trying to create an identity and redefining the meaning of teaching. Fenway’s goal was to graduate every student. While at Fenway, he received great training and established great relationships with staff and BPS families.

Soon after, Jeff was offered a job at Madison Park as a history teacher. After two years at the school he took a job in Sao Paulo, Brazil. While in Brazil, Liberty ascertained the importance of having skilled faculty members and dedicated teachers. He also witnessed inequalities in education. The wealthiest students had the greatest access compared to everyone else. Teaching in Brazil developed his teaching skills. As Liberty says, “ I cut my teeth as a teacher while in Brazil.” After four years in Brazil he made a decision to come back to the states.

When he returned, he taught for two years and then decided to work for the administrative offices of BPS. He wanted to see how the external and internal offices operated and how to reform existing schools. He worked with the High School Renewal program, now known as High School Support. While there he proposed new models for new schools. During this time he also interned as a leadership fellow to prepare himself for his future role as headmaster.

During his fellowship, the Horace Mann Charter was making headlines in education. This new concept intrigued Liberty. It would allow for more flexibility and autonomy. Thus, when the opportunity came to lead a new Horace Mann Charter school starting in South Boston that would take over an existing lower performing school, Liberty jumped at the chance.

As the headmaster of Boston Green Academy, Jeff aligns his goals with that of the Acceleration Agenda. The school looks to prepare every child for college. “We do a good job graduating high school students, but not college. That’s why at BGA we try to incorporate curriculum that prepares students for college,” Liberty says. He is establishing relationships with families based on trust and common vision. The BGA community also is doing more to learn about the trauma of its students.

He has been able to this with the strong support of Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “Dr. Johnson has a real commitment to think differently and creatively. I take genuinely her goal to talk to parents and also to engage them about the process. She is an inspiration to me,” Liberty says.

Jeff Liberty looks to give back to his Boston community by offering a great education to all students. “I’m from Boston. It made me and I am grateful for the experiences,” Liberty continues, “ I am committed to having my students receive similar experiences. Now we just have to do it and we will!"

Teaching Ambassador Update!

In August Arne Duncan, the US Secretary of Education announced the 2011-12 fellows for the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship. The mission of the fellowship is “to improve education for students by involving teachers in the development and implementation of national education policy.” There were 800 applications and only 16 were chosen. Robert Baroz, a literacy and data coach at the Curley K-8 School, and Shakera Walker, an elementary teacher at Young Achiever Science and Math School, are two of the chosen fellows. Robert Baroz is a part time fellow as a classroom ambassador and Shakera Walker is a full time fellow working in DC.

Recently, I checked up on Baroz and Walker to see how the fellowship is going.

As a classroom ambassador, Baroz participates in several types of outreach activities on the behalf of the U.S Department of Education. He has attended local events like the Blue Ribbon event at Boston Latin School and has visited Providence, Rhode Island for a town hall meeting on education. Baroz has also been part of the American Jobs Act round table discussions. He offered suggestions on how money can be used for teachers. In his role, he serves as an advisor for other educators and also provides feedback to the Department of Education. “Policy influences the classroom and this is a great opportunity for communication to travel from the school to the top,” Baroz noted and continues, “Two-way process of communication is key and listening is just as important.”

Baroz is grateful for the opportunity and encourages other people to apply within the district. “Boston teachers have a track record of getting selected. We can aim to be the model. I love to be teaching in urban schools and especially at BPS. I wouldn’t want to be in any other district,” Baroz said.

While Baroz is busy traveling in and around Massachusetts, Walker is also hard at work in DC. “Things are going great,” Walker said. She works in the early education office. As an early education teacher, she is able to share her experiences and bring her perspective to the table. “Many times, policies are being made without taking into account the perspective of the teachers, and my presence in the decision process is very important,” Walker said. It has been a great learning experience for Walker. In her role she has facilitated learning across the country and has met with many policy makers. The process has also taught her about the competitive nature of Race to the Top funds.

Walker is thankful for the opportunity to share stories with other like-minded colleagues, who have a passion for education. Although she misses her students, she feels the experience will help her serve the students better. When she returns to Boston, she looks forward to taking on more leadership roles. “I strongly recommend this programs to others and I am happy that a program like this is in place,” Walker said.

To learn more about the Teacher Ambassador Fellowship: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/index.html

Getting in and getting through....how?

I attended the Education Policy Conference, Getting In, Getting Through, and Graduating, hosted by the Freedom House on Saturday November 19, 2011 and learned about the challenges facing students, families, and educators. A student spoke of his struggles transitioning into college. He felt he was not prepared. A mother spoke of the cultural barriers that exist for her and her family. She did not speak English and found it hard to navigate through the school system. Gail Snowden, Executive Director for the Freedom House told a story of a student who would leave her college campus and come to the Freedom House for the support she felt was lacking on campus. Dr. Ferguson, Senior Lecturer for The School of Education at Harvard, talked about a study done by his department which found that some students were hiding effort because they feared being ridiculed by their peers for appearing smart. Neil Sullivan, Executive Director for Boston Private Industry Council (PIC), noted that business partners want to provide students with jobs, but also want assurance that students are prepared for the workforce. “We understand that the youth employment rate has declined by 50% and the labor market for youth has in fact collapsed”, he continued, “but in order for businesses to come on board, they want to see results and how they will benefit.”

During an open table discussion, the following comments were made :

• Generate environments in which other students are encouraging their peers to learn and ask questions.
• Create safe havens like the Freedom House.
• Learn to navigate through the non-traditional forms of communication.
• Adapt to the cultural norms of the student and families.
• Teach students how to code-switch. Some students are not able to differentiate between the expectations and practices of the workforce and those of the home.
• Teach students that they have a personal stake in their success.

The ideas are in line with those of the Boston Public Schools. BPS is currently working with the English Language Learners Initiative to improve the ways in which leaders communicate with families. This means providing information in various languages, going to local community gatherings, and reaching out to local radio stations and newspapers. Parent University is a BPS program that helps parents improve their skills through classroom sessions focusing on child development, what children are learning in school, and effective parenting skills. The BPS College Readiness program makes sure that high school students are ready for graduation and prepared for college by providing workshops on college essay and SAT Prep. The 10 Boys Initiative provides males -who are at a greater risk of failing or dropping out of school-with the encouragement and support needed to achieve personal and academic success. In every BPS high school a PIC (Private Industry Council) officer is assigned to prepare students for the workforce.

All these programs brings us a step closer to closing the achievement gap. BPS understands that more work is needed and will continue to work toward more effective strategies. If you can offer more creative ways to build stronger partnerships and assist families, please forward your ideas to communications@bostonpublicschools.org

To learn more about the above programs, check them here: October College Month, Parent University, Private Industry Council (PIC) and 10 Boys Initiative.

Checking in with Phoebe

On August 8th I introduced you to the BPS Green School Fellow Phoebe Beierle. Recently, I checked in with her to see what has happened since our last interview.

Phoebe has worked on projects with partner organizations such as Green Streets Initiative, Alliance for Climate Education, Learning By Design and many more. She noted that many initiatives have been taking place to “green” BPS schools – everything from promoting walking and riding to school to incorporating hands-on environmental curriculum to improving recycling programs. I learned from Phoebe that this year alone, Boston has had the following success around green schools and environmental education:

1. The Boston Green Academy opened its doors as the first school in the district to integrate concepts of economic, environmental and social equity in its curriculum.

2. The Recycling Committee is working with schools to set up better recycling systems. The Committee has re-engaged Recycling Coordinators from the Nathan Hale, Haley, Hernandez, Kenny, Russell, Warren Prescott, Young Achievers, Edison, Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy, Adams, Dorchester Academy, Mather, Mission Hill, Everret, Trotter, Henderson, Mason, Tobin, Ohenberger, Phillbreck, and Greenwood schools- with hopes of getting representation from all 120 schools!

3. The Green Schools Fellow received a $2,000 grant to implement a hands-on unit focusing on appliance energy usage. The unit is being piloted at Boston Latin School and other schools across the state.

4. Boston Latin School’s YouthCAN group provided environmental literacy professional development services for 50 teachers and was the first public school in the country to receive the prestigious Eco Schools USA Green Flag Award

5. The facilities department learned that it saved the district around $75,000 in energy costs last year by installing occupancy light sensors (the lights turn on only when there is someone in the room) in 19 schools.

6. Green Streets Initiative received a $15,000 grant and is working collaboratively with Safe Routes to Schools and the BPS Health & Wellness department to encourage students, staff and parents to walk and ride (bikes or public transport) to school.

As you can see there are exciting green work happening in our schools, but much more can be done. “On average ‘greening’ our schools can save $100,000/yr on operating costs, which is enough money to pay for up to two teachers, 200 computers or 5,000 textbooks!” Phoebe said. If you’re inspired to take steps to green your classroom, check out these 11 tips that are based on the Earth Day article published on the Center for Green Schools Blog in 2011 


Also, to bring recognition to teachers who have already taken steps to green their classrooms, the US Green Building council (the organization that is funding the Green Schools Fellowship) and 2041 launched the Coolest Teacher in the World Search and will be selecting one teacher from Boston to attend an expedition to Antarctica from February 27th – March 12th 2012. To take part in this opportunity, Boston teachers must apply by November 30th. Application details are here: www.centerforgreenschools.org/coolestteacher

UPTOWN

Suzanne Mathews, school librarian for the Trotter School, helped to bring illustrator Bryan Collier to the school on Friday November 4, 2011. “The Trotter School is approximately 75% African American and 24% Latino," Suzanne said. "I felt that it was incredibly powerful for the children to meet someone who looks like them and makes his living creating art for children's books.” The event was sponsored by the Children’s Foundation for Children’s Books. The organization’s School Visits and Residency Program, which started in 2005, brings authors and illustrators into under-served schools in Boston.

During the event I had a chance to talk to Bryan. He was very excited to be at the school. He said, “It is important that children see successful individuals who look like them follow their dreams. It gives them hope and shows them one can triumph despite one’s circumstance.”

Bryan is an artist from Harlem. As a child, he says he was always encouraged to read. The first books he recalls reading were The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats and Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. “I liked the stories but really liked the pictures,” Bryan said. He noted that seeing the first black illustrated character in a book empowered him. Ezra Jack Keats was the first American illustrator to portray black characters in children’s literature. “A book is both a window and a mirror,” noted Bryan.

His fascination with pictures led him to become a self-taught artist. He started to create a name for himself in the Harlem community and in school. He became known for his unique art style, which encompasses both watercolors and collage. He attended the Pratt Institute in New York City and graduated with honors with a bachelor of fine arts degree. While in school, he volunteered at the Harlem Horizon, which provides working space and materials for other self-taught artists in the community. “It’s important that people give back, and it’s especially important that I give back to my community because I can be that window, that opportunity.”

As I finish talking with Bryan, he prepares for his conversation with the students in the auditorium. Once everyone is settled, he starts the conversation by telling his story through his artwork. He pulls out his books and collages and asks the students, “What do you see?” As the students raise their hands and respond, Bryan asks them to go further. The kids don’t quite understand where he is going with all the questions, but he later explains that the pictures are telling them a story. Brian tells the students that he wants them to think critically and ask more questions.

He then pulls out a book with the image of Rosa Parks and asks the kids what she did for work. All the kids raised their hands. Bryan starts to call on the students. One answers, “She sat in front of the bus and didn’t give up her seat when she was asked to move to the back.” “Ok,” he says, “What else did she do, what did she do for work?” There were no hands and the students are confused. Bryan then goes on to say, “Did you know she was a seamstress?” Some shake their heads. Bryan tells them it’s important to be more inquisitive and go beyond what is given and told to them, challenging them to be critical and independent thinkers. His message aligns with the BPS vision, to “cultivate students who love to learn, to view the world as a classroom without walls, and think critically about the issues within it.”

After his presentation he asks the students if they have any questions. Hands goes up. The students are interested. They are curious and asking questions. They want to know why did he want to be an illustrator, how can they be an Illustrator, and how long would it would take to illustrate a book. A window is opened!

After the visit, I asked Suzanne Matthews for her thoughts on the event. “Overall, I think it was a wonderful, memorable and powerful experience for the Trotter student,” Suzanne said. She added, “Now when the students read a book and examine the illustrations, they can picture in their minds an illustrator like Bryan Collier making the artistic and creative choices and decisions that he described in his own process.”

The Trotter is grateful to the Foundation for Children's Books for bringing Mr. Collier to the school and the donation of 26 books to the school library. To learn more about the organization, visit www.thefcb.org.

Welcome to the King!

In 2009, Dickerman Elementary School merged with the King Middle School as part of the Pathways to Excellence project, which focuses on “expanding academic excellence, increasing access, ensuring quality and improving efficiency and effectiveness.“ After the merger, Jessica Bolt, former Principal at the Dickerman, was appointed principal for the renewed King K-8 School and she has not only helped to change the attitude of the school, but also the look.

Recently, I visited Jessica at the King to talk about the great things taking place at the school. When I arrived, I was greeted by a warm welcoming smile. Jessica was eager to give me a tour of the school. “People don’t know what’s going on at the King,” she said. “They need to come inside and take a look at this great school.”

Jessica informed me about the many programs and partnerships with the school. Massachusetts Housing has been with her for more than 13 years. “Every day we get a mentor who comes to the building to help the teachers and students,” Jessica said. Some other partnerships include Charles Street AME, Wellesley Congregational Church, Harvard University Educational Outreach Program, and Massachusetts College of Art. The partners have assisted with field trips, computers, counseling, books, and after-school tutoring. “We also have many other activities available at the school such as ‘Kings of the King,’ a program that focuses on our young men. We want them to be leaders in the community. We also have Generation Inc. that will be starting up soon. The program brings senior citizens into the classrooms to help with literacy.”

As I walked through the building, I noticed it was clean and well kept. “It is important that kids not only get a great education at the King, but that they are welcomed in a clean environment,” Jessica said. When she says clean, she means spick and span- she stopped three times during my visit to pick up pieces of dropped paper.

During my tour, I took note of the many pictures and quotes. Jessica informed me that a lot of the artwork and quotes on the walls relate to Martin Luther King. Jr.’s vision and dream. “I noticed that the kids liked to spend time mingling in the hallways and I thought I would put some inspiring quotes on the walls to not only give them something to read, but to remind them of Dr. King’s message,” she said.


The students adore Jessica, which is evident when we visited the classroom- Jessica was a recipient of many hugs and smiles.

After the tour we stopped by her office, which is filled with artwork. She tells me that she is an avid art collector and a follower of jazz, which is apparent in the paintings. Also stored in her office are birthday “goodies.” Jessica usually carries it with her while in the hallways. If a student’s birthday happens to fall on the day she is walking the halls, she will distribute a gift to the student. She also acknowledges birthdays of staff members. While in the office, she received a call to remind her of a teacher’s birthday. She quickly makes a note of it so she can recognize the teacher before the end of the day.

I learned more about Jessica while in her office. She has been with BPS since 1978. She is originally from New York, but in 1972 she moved to Boston to attend Northeastern University. After she graduated, she became a middle school reading teacher. From a young age she knew that she wanted to be an educator. She credits her career path to her parents, who were both educators, and to the great teachers she had while attending middle school and high school in West Hempstead, NY. After serving many years as a teacher, she became a principal (she was at the Dickerman School for 15 years before moving to the King).

I wrapped up my interview with Jessica and thanked her for the hospitality. Jessica ended with “No, thank you! I want more people to learn more about the King. I want parents and people in the community to come into the building. I look forward to more visits,” she said.

So if you are in the neighborhood stop by and say hello. Jessica always has a seat ready for you!

Meet Dr. Deborah Dancy

BPS is privileged and honored to have some of the best and brightest educators in the country on our team. This school year we would like to put the spotlight on some of them by introducing you to the school leaders, teachers, and administrative staff of BPS. This month we present to you Dr. Deborah Dancy.

Dr Deborah D. Dancy is the new principal at the Mildred Ave K-8 School and although she is new to the school, she is not new to BPS. Dr. Dancy has been with BPS for more than 25 years. She started as a student at Boston Technical High School where she was one of three girls to graduate in the class of 1974. Once she finished her studies in higher education, Deborah returned to BPS and worked in various roles: a teacher, a department head, assistant principal, and finally a principal.

“I am excited to be at Mildred Avenue because this is my neighborhood. I grew up 5 doors down from this school, and as a child I played on the lot that this school is built on. Through the Boston Public Schools, I have traveled national and internationally and attended some of the best universities this country has to offer. I want to inspire children to think outside of the box and to break out of the box. The world is a beautiful place for those who are prepared. Our children deserve the best and we will give them our best at Mildred Avenue,” said Dr. Dancy



Dr. Deborah Dancy was a vocalist at the New England Conservatory in 2005, a Television Producer for Boston Neighborhood Network in 2008, a recipient of the Crystal Apple Character Award in 2007 and Massachusetts Outstanding Leadership Award in 2008, a Japan Fulbright Scholar in 2006, and the author of two books: “Count Me In! Strategies For Success With All Children “(2011) and “ Yes We Can! Strategies for Closing The Achievement Gap”(2009).

A teacher who worked with Dr. Dancy when she served as the principal for The Channing Elementary School said about her, “Dr. Dancy has led us, me in particular, to understand what being a leader is all about. She has done that with caring approach, which allows us to be what we want to be, teach the way we need to teach...her successful formula is that she would do anything honorable for staff, her students and their families. That is leadership, that is character! ”

New beginnings

Summer has gone, but don’t worry, fall is here! It brings another school year, which means yellow buses, early morning wake-ups, high school football, exams, homework, and most importantly, new beginnings. This is especially a new beginning for me as the new Communications Specialist for BPS. My name is Thelma DaSilva, and as new member of the Communications team, I hope to share good news and information while also celebrating the great work happening at BPS. I hope that as I share with you, you can also share with the BPS community.



As you prepare to put away the summer clothes and bring out the jackets, remember that this season is the perfect opportunity to hit the refresh button and set new goals and expectations for yourself. Ask yourself: What do I want to accomplish this school year? How will I accomplish this? And then, “Just do it!”



Here are 7 things I usually do when I am looking to re-vamp:


1.) Write goals down.


Writing things down helps you remember the goal. It’s a constant reminder of what you said you wanted to do.



2.) Give myself a timeline.



Setting up a timeline helps you stay organized and keeps you on track.



3.) Share my ideas.



Telling people about your goals allows you to get help and feedback along the way. Feedback is essential when you want to learn what you are doing right or what you may be doing wrong.



4.) Encourage others.

The more you give the more you receive. One day you may need encouragement, so give now so you can receive later. It also feels great to do something nice for someone. 



5.) Evaluate!



Check in with yourself and see if you are where you are supposed to be. Are you working closer to your goals? If not, then it’s time to reassess and change it up!



6.) Treat myself.



When you accomplish a milestone, small or large, it's always good to reward yourself. This helps keep you motivated.




7.) Keep it fun.

Remember that in anything you do, it’s important that you are enjoying yourself and having fun doing it. This makes for a happier you.



Hopefully these seven tips will help you get organized, get motivated and get results. I would love to hear what your goals are or what steps you are taking to jump-start yourself this school year? Sharing is caring, so drop us a note or a comment.

Community service

Mass College of Arts and Design has a summer program in which students work with a local organization in the community to build a small project. This summer, Mass College of Art and Design partnered with the Haley School and Mass Audubon to create an outside classroom.

The Haley School is a pilot school that focuses on community and environment. It has a long working relationship with the Boston Nature Center. The Boston Nature Center has provided a "teacher naturalist" to the school since 2003. The "teacher naturalist" coaches teachers on how to connect the classroom to nature during and after school. Students have become excited about digging and finding “treasures” outside.

Outside teaching has become a hit at the Haley School, so much so that teachers and students started to advocate for an outside classroom to help support outside teaching. When Mass College of Art and Design learned about the request, it decided to help make that a reality.

The project was completed the first week of August and an official ribbon cutting will be held in the fall- stay tuned!

Mass College of Art and Design is always looking to partner with the community. If you are interested in learning more about its program and how you can be a partner send an email: Sam, sbatchelor@designlabarch.com

Boston leading and "greening" the way

Boston Public Schools and the Sacramento City Unified School District were selected from a pool of 30 applicants to be the first to host a US Green Building Council “green school fellow.” Boston was chosen in part due to its large size, urban location, diverse student population and proven leadership around green initiatives. One thing that stood out for Boston was its Energy Management Program, which tracks utility/energy usage for all BPS buildings dating back to 1988. In addition, Boston has a history of supporting cutting-edge building design standards. Boston was the first city in the nation to implement LEED™ green building requirements for both private and public projects .


Boston has been the city of many "firsts." In 1635 Boston Latin School was established as the first public secondary school. The first school for the blind, Perkins Institute was opened in 1829. The first public school for African-American children, the Abiel Smith School, was opened in 1835. When Boston decided to strengthen its mathematics, sciences, and language programs for the gifted, Congress followed by passing the National Defense Education Act in 1958. In 1963, when former Superintendent Ohrenberger learned of the disadvantages of inner city kids, many programs were formed, which were later emulated in 1965 by the passing of The Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Boston has a reputation for being the trendsetter. We are proud BPS will be among the first to host a USGBC Center for Green Schools Fellow.



So what exactly is a green fellow? The Boston Green Schools Fellowship is supported by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and their Center for Green Schools. The positions were made possible by a sponsorship from United Technologies Corporation (UTC). Over three years the Fellows will work with their school districts to design healthy, and energy efficient schools. The Fellows will collaborate with local leaders and community agencies to bring new environmental education and engagement opportunities into schools.


Phoebe Beierle, the Boston Fellow, will be working with the district over the next three years to bring environmental education to students as a way to close the achievement gap and foster engaged citizens, while making our schools more energy-efficient. Her goal will be to connect with students to enhance educational enrichment and link the classroom experience with greening our community. Some of the projects Phoebe will engage in are:

• Implement a comprehensive recycling and waste reduction program in all schools within 3yrs
• Train staff and teachers on energy and environmental topics
• Work with teachers and principals to incorporate sustainability curriculum into classrooms, afterschool programs, etc.
• Maximize energy efficiency opportunities

Phoebe says, “ This fellowship is a unique opportunity to work with the City and each department in the district to further our green initiatives, contribute to the City’s climate reduction goals, and provide unique learning opportunities for our children. We cannot afford to wait to green our schools. The opportunity is now and I’m thrilled to be working with BPS for the next three years to realize this transformation.”

If you are looking to learn more about the “green fellow” project or looking to help Phoebe achieve some of the goals then email her at: pbeierle@usgbc.org