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! ”

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

Their final exam? Tutor an award-winning teacher

by Sharon Hessney
Mathematics teacher at the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science

I have been a math teacher for fifteen years who has been awarded one of four 2011 – 2012 Capitol Hill Albert Einstein Distinguished Fellowships.  Our 2010 – 2011 school year ends at 1:45 pm on June 28th.  At 4:00 pm, I will be on a plane to Washington to commence three days of interviews with the offices of senators and congressman.  Based on these interviews, I will offered positions for the coming year.
I know much about mathematics (I probably won the position because I am a seasoned statistician), but what do I know about the operations of Congress?  Not much more than what I learned in high school and what I can glean from reading the newspaper.
I needed to get prepared.  But how?  Read a book?  Go on the internet?  Wikipedia? 
Fortuitously, I bumped into one of the graduating seniors just after she had completed her Advanced Placement United States Government exam.  I asked her for suggestions.  Together, we discussed how her class, taught by Dr. Jim Diskant, could brief me.  When, I discussed this with Dr. Diskant, he recommended that the class’ answering my questions about the workings of Congress could be the class’ final exam.  He prepared a list of preliminary questions.  As teams, they prepared their answers. 
On Tuesday, May 31 and Wednesday, June 1, I came to their class and fired away questions. 
• What is the basis in the Constitution for Congress to act on educational issues? 
• How does legislation move through Congress? 
• How do the committees operate? 
• How does the House of Representatives relate to the Senate? 
• What percentage of the votes are needed to pass legislation?  Does it matter what the content is of the legislation? 
Dr. Diskant called on groups in order to respond and rebut.  I could ask for clarification and offer follow up questions.
At the end of the first day, I left the students with two questions that I would ask the following day.
• What is the status of education legislation in Congress?
• Where would you recommend that I work – the Senate, the House, or an Education Committee, and why?
After two days, the students had clearly seen that what they had learned could be used in the “real world” – Ms. Hessney working on Capitol Hill.  I was not asking the questions to give them a grade, but, rather, because I needed this information for my upcoming interviews and for working on Capitol Hill next year.  The requirement for completeness and accuracy was so apparent. 
Also, the students got to see the tables turned.  Their teacher needed their knowledge. 
And, possibly, some day, they, too, would need this knowledge to do their jobs well.

Two juniors last week provided their reflections on the final:

One student explained:  "For our Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics class final, we had the honor of tutoring our very own Ms, Hessney, a winner of the Einstein Fellowship award. She will be working very closely with Congress next year, and the class of 15 students were able to do a sort of "question and answer" session to prepare Ms. Hessney for her job in Congress. It took two class periods, but I think we were all able to really help her prepare for the work she would experience once in Washington DC. It was a very interesting two days, as Ms. Hessney asked us question after question about the nitty gritty details of congress, a refresher to the rather difficult unit we took a few months back. Each of her questions took some of us by surprise, and it was interesting to see that she was very prepared, and that Ms. Hessney really studied up on her reading about Congress. The session was also really tiring in a positive way, having us look back and forth from our notes and textbook to answer her questions. Still it was a very fun way to remind ourselves about Congress and the U.S. government, and I am glad to have been able to partake in such an event."

Another student added:  “I am a junior in the AP Government and Politics class at the O'Bryant with Dr. Diskant. I believe the way that the final was given was a great way to express the class' knowledge on what we were taught.  When certain questions were asked I felt very confident in the information that I was given and the information that my peers were discussing. I think that having the final in this way helped me realize how politics work and it gave me a chance to be placed in a situation in which government advisers could be placed."
Hessney, a 2011-2012 Einstein Fellow, won the 2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching.

Farm to School: providing food options

Farm to School is an initiative that looks to change the culture around food in BPS cafeterias by providing healthier options for students, while also educating them about those options. Farm to School works with local farmer's market to provide locally grown fruits and vegetables to BPS. The program which piloted in 2008 currently services over 58 schools.

In December 2010, the "Local Lunch Thursdays" program was launched. The program featured a local fruit or vegetable from a farmer's market on Thursday's school menu. One item that was on the menu was rutabaga. The rutabaga was cut into sticks and roasted into "fries" so that the natural sugars were drawn out. The menu was a hit! Students starting requesting for its come back. During a site visit from one of the staff members from Farm to School, a student stopped the staff member and asked, "When are you coming back with rutabaga fries? Those are really good!" It's important to note that all of the locally grown produce served on the lunch line has been purchased within the budgeted amount for fruits and vegetables per a reimbursable meal.

Farm to School is not only given students options by letting them taste all types of natural foods, but also empowering them by letting them decide what they may or may not eat. If students can request rutabaga by name then what's next...the kohlrabi?

Currently Farm to School is developing cycle menus that will most likely be implemented next year.


To learn more about Farm to School:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/F2S/reports/boston/1.htm

The Trotter runs for recess

On May 14, 2011, the Trotter School partnered with Playworks Metro Boston, an organization that encourages learning through physical activity during recess, for the second annual 5k Run for Recess at Franklin Park Zoo.
The event included a one-mile run for kids and over 30 participants, which were staff members and friends of the Trotter School. The school raised over $800 for its recess program.
To learn more about the Playworks program check out:
www.playworks.org/make-recess-count/play/playworks-boston

The First Golf 'IT' Mentoring Event with TechBoston Academy

On May 24, 2011 the Boston Society for Information Management (SIM) and the New England Chapter of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) partnered with TechBoston Academy for the first Golf 'IT' event at McGolf in Dedham. During this event students from TechBoston were partnered with mentors from SIM and HIMSS and learned the art of golfing.

The students that participated in this event were 24 technology leaders at TechBoston Academy. Mary Skipper, Headmaster of TechBoston Academy, was thrilled to have her students partake in this event. She stated, “TechBoston Academy students are tech-savvy and this opportunity to meet with professionals who are daily using the skills we teach in classes will give the teens a connection to the real world of work and a better understanding of the path they'll need to get there. These IT professional associations have come up with an innovative way to inform our students about careers in high tech while exposing them to golf fundamentals. I know it will be a memorable day in their young lives.”

To learn more about The Boston Chapter of SIM and The New England Chapter of HIMSS, check out the following sites:

www.bostonsim.org

www.nehimiss.org

First in Math puts a BPS school in first place statewide

Ellen Latham’s (far right in photo) 8th grade Algebra 1 class at the Gavin Middle School is participating in the on-line First in Math program.  They are currently in First Place for the top team in the city of Boston and the top team in the state of Massachusetts.  First in Math is a math website offering practice on broad math content, with an open-ended, self-pacing design that is great for differential instruction.

The program includes a “competition” component that offers the students sustained, positive motivation.  Christine Hall, Senior Program Director for Secondary Math, provided First in Math accounts for every Boston Public School student in grades 3-8, allowing for hundreds of students throughout the district to correctly solve math problems, earning points that accrue to their personal and classroom score. The program includes math problems that address all Massachusetts state mathematics standards.

Latham says, "My Algebra 1 students yearn for the rigor and challenge of the problems on First in Math, and they love the excitement of competing against friends at other schools for the top ranking."  She adds, "This has been one of my most successful implementations, and I have received a significant amount of positive feedback from parents and families whose children are now using their home computers and Internet access to strengthen their math skills."

2011 BATEC College Fair: Our Future is High Tech!

On Friday, April 1 over 1000 BPS high school students attended the 8^th Annual BATEC College Fair. The event was sponsored by two National Science Foundation grants – BATEC (Boston area Advanced Technological Connections) and CAITE (Commonwealth Alliance for Information Technology Education). These two NSF grants were created for under-represented students in Massachusetts to pursue post-secondary programs and careers in information technology.

Students who were enrolled in high tech courses were invited to attend the event. There were thirty-eight colleges offering IT-related majors in attendance. In addition, organizations such as TERI, Access, and Success Boston were also present.

During the event students had the opportunity to meet advisers for one-on-one college sessions and to set goals. There was also a 45-minute career-focused presentation by representatives from Microsoft, Cisco and ITA Software.

The students learned that opportunities in the high tech field are limitless!

Alliance for a Healthier Generation supports BPS nutrition efforts

Our friends at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation just sent this letter to members of the Boston City Council. We are so grateful for their support and for their wonderful work combating childhood obesity:

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation would like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts put forward by Boston Public Schools to support the health and well-being of its students and staff. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation was founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation in 2005. The Alliance’s goal is to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015 by fostering an environment that helps all kids pursue healthy and active lifestyles. Boston Public Schools has participated in our Healthy Schools Program since 2007 and has worked diligently to establish healthy schools as the norm and not the exception. 

Since joining the program, numerous schools in Boston have worked on assessing and improving in the areas of health education, competitive foods and beverages, school meals, staff wellness, before and afterschool programs, physical education and activity, and policy and systems. Innovative ideas and programs from Boston Public Schools (BPS) have inspired other schools across the country and served as a model for building school/community partnerships, increasing the quality of health education, finding time for more physical activity in a limited school day and getting high school students to participate in a school breakfast program. Success stories from Boston schools have been showcased in our national newsletter more than ten times.

Seven schools from BPS have received a National Recognition Award from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. The National Recognition Award is an honor given nationally to showcase and acknowledge schools that have implemented changes in order to create healthier school environments. To earn an award, schools must meet best practice criteria established by the Healthy Schools Program Expert Panel and outlined in the Healthy Schools Program Framework.

Please feel free to reach out if you have questions about the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the Healthy Schools Program or the progress of Boston Public Schools in the program.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Ginny Ehrlich, Executive Director
Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Boston Public School students answer the call for help

With the support of BPS staff, Boston Public School students are aiding Japan through various fundraisers. Below are some of the activities that have taken place and will take place in the future. BPS applauds the schools’ efforts and support.

• The Ohrenberger and Beethoven schools in West Roxbury held a “uniform free day” on Wednesday, March 16. Students were allowed to wear street clothes, rather than uniforms, once they made a donation to the American Red Cross. Last year, these two schools raised more than $5,000 for relief efforts in Haiti.
• Students at the Eliot K-8 School in the North End are collecting spare change through April 1, and will send donations to the Red Cross.
• Students at Snowden International School in the Back Bay are designing t-shirts and ribbons, with proceeds from the sale to go to the Red Cross.
• Timothy Nagaoka, a BPS foreign language teacher currently teaching Japanese, worked with students to make a thousand paper cranes at Bradley Elementary School, Taylor Elementary School, Dearborn Middle School, and Timilty Middle School. The Japanese Consulate in Boston also worked with students to dedicate the paper cranes to earthquake and tsunami victims.
• The Lee Academy Pilot School in Dorchester will host a representative from the Japanese Consulate for a “Japanese Awareness Day” on March 25.
• At Greater Egleston, staff made announcements regarding the status of Japan. The school also plans to raise money.
• The Hennigan School raffled four class parties. Students were able to buy raffle tickets to win: a pool party, a movie party, an ice cream party, and a pizza party
• On Friday March 18, 2011 Curtis Guild Elementary hosted “hats for Japan.” Students and Teachers wore silly hats and brought in donations to support students in Japan.
• The Quincy Elementary sold fruit smoothies during lunch. The fundraiser was a direct school-to-school effort, with money going directly to the Sendai school district.
• The Red Cross Club at Boston Latin Academy will be teaming up with local community agencies to support the victims of Japan.
• The Sarah Greenwood has planned four spirit days to raise money for Japan. There will be one spirit day per week for the next four weeks. To participate and be excused from uniform, students will pay $1 per day. The school has also planned a hat day, pajama day, wacky day, and favorite sport team day. The school hopes to raise at least $1000 for Japan, which will be sent to the Red Cross.
• The "La Fe Club" at Kennedy Academy is carrying out a "Spare a Dollar Campaign" for two weeks to help the victims in Japan. The fundraiser will be from March 21 - March 31. The "La Fe Club" is a group of high school students committed to educate their peers about social issues affecting teenagers. The group is also committed to help people in need. The funds collected will be donated to the Red Cross.

Monument High’s “Wellness Warriors” Encourage Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

On March 1, Monument High’s “wellness warriors” were recognized for their leadership in promoting a healthy lifestyle.The group was formed through the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, an in school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League.

The morning activities were filled with speakers and a fun physical activity. James Arena-DeRosa from USDA Food and Nutrition Service and child nutrition expert and dietitian Elizabeth Ward spoke to the audience about the importance of establishing healthy eating and living habits. In addition, the “wellness warriors” talked about their efforts to improve lunches and breakfasts with the help of the student body. Currently, they are looking to purchase a salad bar with the $3,000 program grant they were awarded. After assembly, students played a game of flag football against members of the school staff and Brandon McGowan, safety for the New England Patriots.

BPS congratulates Monument High for all of its great work.

To learn more about the Fuel Up to Play 60 program check out: www.fueluptoplay60.com

USA Voice issue three examines rap music, the prom, and senioritis

The Urban Science Academy writers have settled into a demanding publication cycle for "USA Voice," and have just released Issue 3. Check out Osahh Aim's article on how students view the influence of rap music, Nathalie Myrthil's look at "senioritis" (complete with a GREAT photo and the diagnosis that "the only way to get rid of senioritis is to get a high school diploma), and Laurie Paris's profile of the Teens Lead at Work LEAPS program, which will be held over April vacation.
Read the full issue here!

Students produce 'USA Voice' issue two

Justin Milligan at Urban Science Academy has let us know that his journalism students have just put issue two of "USA Voice" to press. Once again, they tackle the issue of the future of their school now that the School Committee has voted to merge USA and Parkway Academy of Science and Health this fall. The issue includes voices from students, parents, and district officials as they work to create a combined school culture.
Check out the latest issue here!

More BPS teachers get National Board Certification

Seven more BPS teachers now wear the official "National Board for Professional Teaching Standards" pin! According to the organization, teachers who achieve National Board certification have met rigorous standards through intensive study, expert evaluation, self-assessment and a peer review.

This means we now have 45 national board-certified teachers in BPS.

The teachers who earned the certification on December 14 are: Cara Fenner at Excel High School; Kelly Garofalo, Karen McCarthy and Robert Remetti at Brighton High School; Carla McCormack at Edwards Middle School; Adam Moore, formerly of Perkins Elementary School; and Jeffrey Timberlake at Boston Teachers Union School. In addition, Whitney Weeder at the East Boston EEC renewed her certification.

Congratulations to all!

BPS family and student engagement gets kudos in new Harvard report

Our Office of Family and Student Engagement has just earned a spot in a nationally-recognized Harvard study! Heather Weiss, M. Elena Lopez and Heidi Rosenberg of the Harvard Family Research Project looked at how BPS helps parents develop the tools they need to become partners in the education of their children.
The report, called "Beyond Random Acts: Family, School and Community Engagement as an Integral Part of Education Reform," notes that BPS "promotes family engagement as a strategy to improve student outcomes through increased attendance, decreased suspension rates, and other indicators linked to student achievement."
One exciting element of the work BPS Assistant Superintendent Michele Brooks and her team have undertaken this year is the launch of a fleet of Family Learning Guides that help teachers and parents understand the expectations that are set for students in every grade and in every class.

'Teens in Print' tackles tough issues

The latest "Teens in Print" newspaper has hit the streets and it's full of powerful articles written by BPS students. This edition explores the history of (and recent obsession with) vampires. It also contains emotional accounts of the effect that violence can have on teenagers in our city -- and how our schools have helped students cope with the pain of losing a close friend. Another article covers the debate over school uniforms, and on page 9, readers will find stirring accounts of how our students and schools value equality and diversity.

T.i.P is a citywide paper written by -- and for -- high school students, in partnership with Artists for Humanity, WriteBoston, the National Scholastic Press Association, the High School Journalism Initiative and the Boston Globe.

This week, 850,000 copies of Teens In Print are being distributed throughout our city. If you see one, please pick it up and take a few minutes to read it -- or visit www.bostontip.com right now. You'll be glad you did!

Global study names BPS one of the 'most improved school systems in the world'

A new study from the global consulting firm McKinsey & Company has named BPS one of the 20 "most improved school systems" in the world -- and just two of these school systems were in the United States (the other was Long Beach Union School District in California).

How did they pick Boston? According to the authors, the study searched for school districts that had sustained, major improvements since 1980. The 1994 Education Reform legislation and the launch of the MCAS in 1998 helped identify Massachusetts as an innovator in public education, and Boston in particular was positioned for meaningful success. The study cites the creation of the MyBPS student data system as a particularly powerful tool that has helped link teachers with critical information that can help them target lessons around individual students. (Our new, next-generation student information system is in development right now and will launch next year).

The study applauds BPS for taking bold steps to lift the number of students passing state math exams from 23 percent in 1998 to 84 percent in 2008. In reading, the passing rate jumped from 43 percent in 1998 to 91 percent in 2008.

The challenge for us now, the report says, is that BPS risks reaching a plateau. To break through it, McKinsey suggests we look to Singapore, which has "moved from rigid prescription to greater flexibility as it embarked on its good to great improvement journey."

The full report provides an unusually crisp, long-term look at education reform across the entire planet. You can read it here.

Urban Science Academy students publish first school paper

by Justin Milligan
Humanities & Journalism
Urban Science Academy

Journalism students at Urban Science Academy in West Roxbury have just published their first issue of USA Voice, the school newspaper. Their first issue was a great success and the result of much hard work and dedication. Since September, students have been studying various aspects of journalism -- the role of free press in a democracy, the ideal for objectivity, ethical considerations, media literacy skills, and various forms of news writing. Then, they went out in the community as reporters to investigate issues they felt to be relevant to the school. The staff was responsible for researching topics, conducting interviews, verifying information, peer editing drafts, and assisting in the layout and binding process. They also collaborated with Digital Photography and Yearbook students to capture images for their articles.

The first issue of USA voice covers an array of topics. For the cover story, Laurie Paris explains "Redesign and Reinvest" and its potential repercussions for our complex. In a well-researched article, Gladys Cooper investigates the increasing rate of violent crime in Boston. Sade Love interviews students and faculty about whether teens should be provided condoms to promote safe sex. Dan Carpino reports on cyberbullying and the dangers of social networking. Veteran reporter Diana Maria Rodriguez discusses the challenges that confront teenage parents. Nathalie Myrthil explains the college application process, as well as the academic history of girls outperforming boys at USA. Chris Legrand investigates high dropout rates in Boston Public, and Anthony McGruder questions whether marijuana should remain illegal. The issue also contains entertainment reviews-- Chelsea Rush gives the film Red two thumbs up, and Akeema Charles gives a five-star recommendation for Drake's new album. Finally, Haajar Penn recounts the West Roxbury Raiders' impressive 2010 football season.

Blogging 'PFAD'

Our annual "Principal for a Day" (or "PFAD" for short) was a big success -- and a few of our guests have even blogged about their experiences! Please check 'em out:

Marjorie Arons-Barron: "To understand urban education, walk in the principal's shoes"

Linda Noonan: "Principal for a Day at the Bates"

If there are other blogs out there, please let us know in the comments! We would love to be able to share your experiences with the public.