The Honorable Jon Mitchell
New Bedford City Hall
New Bedford, MA 02740
October 30, 2013
Dear Mayor Mitchell and Superintendent Durkin:
Pia Durkin, Ph.D., Superintendent
New Bedford Public Schools
455 County Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
After careful analysis of the Parker Elementary School’s low performance and lack of improvement over the past three years, consideration of ideas and suggestions presented at the roundtable held at the school on October 24, 2013 and submitted to me in writing, and pursuant to the authority granted to me in sections 1J (a) and (l) of chapter 69 of the Massachusetts General Laws, I have determined that the Parker is chronically underperforming – a Level 5 school under the state accountability system. It is my conviction that this school can and should do better. In these circumstances, the statute directs me to create a turnaround plan for the school, after convening a local stakeholder group and soliciting its recommendations, and authorizes me to appoint an external receiver to operate the school and implement the turnaround plan.
I have made the determination that the best opportunity to maximize the rapid academic achievement of students at the Parker School will be through placement of the school in Level 5 and through thoughtful and strategic state governance. The students need and deserve a much stronger education than they have received at the school over the past several years. The school and district had significant authorities and opportunities to improve during the three years that the school was designated as underperforming (Level 4). Despite that fact, the majority of students are still achieving below grade level expectations in reading, writing, and mathematics. The situation compels me to exercise the authority that the statute provides, in the interest of the students.
As the statute provides, I will convene a local stakeholder group no later than November 29, 2013 to make recommendations to me for the Level 5 turnaround plan for the School. I look forward to receiving significant input from school, district, and community representatives in the local stakeholder group. The group will include, among others, the superintendent or designee, the chair of the school committee or designee, and an administrator from the school, who may be the principal, chosen by the superintendent. Liza Veto will be the contact person from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the local stakeholder group, and may be contacted at (781) 338-3533 or LVeto@doe.mass.edu. I ask that the district identify an individual with whom Ms. Veto can work in convening the local stakeholder group.
After I receive the recommendations from the local stakeholder group, I will create a turnaround plan, designed to maximize the rapid academic achievement of students at the school. I anticipate calling on the district for data and other information in the creation of the plan, and look forward to receiving the district’s assistance to ensure the most effective plan leading to rapid improvement. The information I will require includes school and district budget information, relative to average per pupil funding at the school and in the district. An ESE staff member will be in touch with you in the next few weeks to begin identifying the required data.
Within the next few weeks, and in accordance with chapter 69, section 1J (r) of the Massachusetts General Laws, I will determine whether I will: (1) send a targeted assistance team to the school to assist the superintendent with implementation of the turnaround plan; (2) direct the superintendent to implement the turnaround plan; or (3) select an external receiver to operate the school and implement the turnaround plan. In any case, the school will be operated according to the terms of the turnaround plan, rather than as a traditional district school. I will communicate with you again once I have reached my decision on this issue.
Consistent with the direction contained in my July 17, 2013 memo (copy enclosed), until the new turnaround plan is finalized, the school should continue to implement the conditions and strategies in the existing Level 4 school turnaround plan. The district is not to make any significant changes in the organization, budget, or day-to-day operation of the school before the Level 5 turnaround plan is finalized – unless such changes are approved by the Department. Any questions about specific changes should be referred to Senior Associate Commissioner Lynda Foisy (781-338-3525 or LFoisy@doe.mass.edu). The turnaround plan itself will include a timeline for the implementation of strategies designed to improve the academic achievement of students at the school. Most of the changes that will be made at the school this year will be to lay the groundwork for a noticeably improved school in school year 2014-2015.
The designation of Parker Elementary School as a Level 5 school is a significant step, which I did not take lightly. With this step, the state will be taking responsibility for the plan to turn around the school’s performance. I am confident that the adults connected with the school – at the family, school, district, and state levels – share concern for the students and an interest in improving the school.
Working with the school community, and using the authorities and opportunities that the Level 5 designation provides, I expect that we will substantially improve educational outcomes for the students.
Sincerely,
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D. Commissioner
Enclosure
C: Deb Letendre, Principal
10 comments:
My heart goes out to all the teachers and administrators that worked extremely hard not only lay the academic foundation for the students at Parker, but to build upon it a solid structure that would serve them throughout their lives. Your efforts among your peers is duly noted.
It is the responsibility of our superintendent and staff to support you in a manner that is rational and professional as you work up to and through the decisions the will be out of your control.
Will Chester be drafting a turnaround plan for the uninvolved parents?
Enough with the parents already
There can never be enough about parenting. Until most parents take an active role in their children's education whether it be volunteering at school events, attending meetings, making good behavior mandatory, and ensuring homework/projects are done, students in New Bedford will never attain what other districts do. There would be a marked change in student performance even if New Bedford didn't spend another cent on education. It all starts with the expectations from home.
Hmmm... I guess Pia couldn't work her magic, after all. Maybe she'd consider visiting these students and their families living in neighboring homeless shelters and liberate them from their oppressive conditions in order to improve test scores. She was too quick in tooting her own horn. She is not the savior she claims to be, nor does she genuinely care.
I agree. It does all start with the expectations from home. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink!
It's time people realize that most teachers (and notice, I qualified that as "most", not all - the same as in any profession) are working overtime to provide the best services thay can. Some teachers certainly need to "up their game", (and in your building you know who they are), but we certainly do not deserve the percentage of blame that has been recently thrust upon us.
This take over shouldn't be a surprise to anyone in the school department. It's total ineffective leadership that has led to this. Parker School was a great school with good MCAS scores and parents who showed up in droves whenever there was a student assembly under the leadership of ****** *******. When Mrs. ****** retired ****** ******* was hired to be the principal. She had previously been fired as a teacher in New Bedford. So why did she get hired to lead this successful school? That's the million dollar question the staff at that school asked themselves on a daily basis. When she dragged the school down to a Level 4, she was given another job in the school department by Portia Bonner as the ******** of the *** program. This included a 3 year contract. That was her reward for poor leadership. After Bonner left, Mary-Lou Francis renewed ******'s contract and hired **** *** to lead the school out of a Level 4 status. He was from the charter school and did not have good MCAS scores. So why didn't anyone bother to check this before they hired him? He failed to turn the school around and now we're in a state takeover. The secret to a successful school is having a leader who builds a team in the building that is working toward the same goal and believing they can and will be succeed. When it's done correctly its the most important and hardest job there is.
I simply agree. These crappy administrators need to go as they set the tone, culture, and climate. We have identified them. They also perpetuate kill or be killed. That is so damn hostile. Who, in their right mind, would agree to work under such unhealthy conditions? It trickles down, and corrodes the mind, body, and soul. We are educators who chose this profession to make a difference, but in the end, we are defeated. It sucks the life out of you, as you hang in the balance. Give them enough rope... This assault on education is inexcusable!
This Bonner character is a real winner. Her successor, Durkin, is no better. We continue to attract them like flies on s..t, They drag in their cronies, and the cycle is repeated. Bully, berate, bulldoze, and bury! The truth, that is. Corruption is knee deep!
Pia makes Portia seem like Gandhi.
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