Front Page News
May 22, 2013
Pittsfield High Presents At National Showcase
Submitted By Derek Hamilton, Site Council Co-Chair
The Community Engagement Team visited Washington D.C. prior
to its presentation at the Breaking Ranks School Showcase in
National Harbor, M.D. Presenters (left to right) Rebekah Adams,
Alexandra Briggs, Elizabeth Cyr, Noah Manteau and Bob Bickford are
pictured in front of the White House.
At the recent Breaking Ranks School Showcase in National Harbor,
Maryland, the presentation from students, teachers, and
administrators from Pittsfield Middle High School (PMHS) earned the
highest rating. The annual showcase was hosted by the National
Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Center
for Secondary School Redesign (CSSR). PMHS was one of eighteen
middle and high schools invited from across the country to share
innovative strategies that improve student performance.
For the past four years, PMHS has undergone a comprehensive redesign
resulting in higher student engagement and increased test scores.
PMHS hosted an engaging, ninety-minute workshop that told the story
behind the school’s redesign efforts and recent success. The
presentation was highlighted by a video on student-centered learning
and interactive breakout sessions on best practices. Participants
had the opportunity to learn information first hand from students
who articulately described the role of the Site Council and Advisory
Program.
Seniors Rebekah Adams and Elizabeth Cyr shared their experiences as
representatives of the Site Council, the student-majority governing
body of the school. They explained how Site Council has raised
student interest in school groups and improved climate and culture.
Adams noted, “With student representation on groups typically made
up of staff, students not only have a place at the table but a voice
that is respected.”
Junior Max Tuttle and freshman Noah Manteau presented on the
Advisory Program, which has strengthened relationships among
students and staff. In advisory, with the guidance of an advisor,
students develop professional portfolios to explore college and
career interests. Tuttle, the student co-chair of the Site Council,
remarked, “The advisory program connects students with an adult to
help them develop pathways for success in high school and beyond.”
The workshop also featured presentations from PMHS principal Bob
Bickford and teachers Alexandra Briggs and Derek Hamilton on
community engagement, authentic assessment, and common planning
time. The workshop received high praise from participants and tied
with two other schools as the highest rated presentation at the
showcase.
All of the presenters are members of the Community Engagement
committee, a subcommittee of the Site Council. Over the past three
years the Site Council has evolved as the decision-making body of
the school and has expanded its focus to informing the greater
community of its work. Since last spring the group has been sharing
presentations on the school’s redesign efforts, best practices, and
recent achievements for a wide range of audiences.
The original audience included several local organizations such as
the School Board, Rotary Club, and Pittsfield Listens hosted by
Pittsfield Youth Workshop. As PMHS gained notoriety for its
innovative practices the presentations expanded to the Investing in
Innovation (i3) Network PAR Board, representatives of the Carnegie
Institute, and a regional workshop at Noble High School in Maine.
The Breaking Ranks School Showcase gave PMHS the opportunity to
share its work on a national level. In an interview on School Tube,
Tuttle said, “It’s awesome to be able to come to Washington and
present. It’s definitely on a different stage and to be representing
such a small school, in such a big arena, it’s an honor.”
Since its return, the Community Engagement committee has continued
sharing its presentation in the local area. In April, the group
presented to the Women of Rotary and is booking other organizations
for next fall. This past week PMHS received an invitation from the
NASSP and CSSR to return to the Breaking Ranks School Showcase to
present in 2014. PMHS will be one of only four schools returning to
the conference which will be held in Dallas, Texas.
“The opportunity to share our work with the local community has
created a stronger understanding of the work at PMHS and presenting
it nationally has been a tremendous experience,” said Principal Bob
Bickford. “The most frequent comment we have heard from audiences
is how effective and professional the student presenters are, which
is a direct result of the hard work of the faculty and staff at
PMHS. We all have a clear focus on student centered learning.”
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