Front Page News
January 22, 2014
Governor Hassan Visits Pittsfield Middle High School
Governor Hassan recently visited Pittsfield
Middle High School to learn how students, staff, and community
members are leading the school district through its journey toward
student-centered learning.
Pittsfield Middle High School students, including Ryan
Marquis and Nathaniel Jackson (pictured), participated in an open
discussion with Governor Hassan moderated by Superintendent John
Freeman.
Student-centered learning is not a phrase you will find all too
familiar across the nation. In Pittsfield, it’s the norm.
Student-centered learning is an approach to engage students in their
learning by focusing on the way each student learns best and offers
multiple pathways to achieve success.
NH Governor Maggie Hassan visited Pittsfield Middle High School
recently to hear and learn more about the district’s work in this
area of transitioning from traditional classroom experiences toward
an environment that encourages students to take ownership of their
learning. NHDOE Commissioner Virginia Barry was also present to show
her support for Pittsfield’s work.
After being greeted by students and a student led tour of the
school, the Governor visited an advisory and seventh grade language
arts class to hear and see how teachers and advisories at the school
prepare students for life beyond graduation. Some time in Advisory
is spent focusing on self-assessment, Career Cruising, and
developing 21st Century Skills like time management, collaboration,
and organization.
The visit ended with a roundtable discussion with Pittsfield Middle
High School students and faculty. Students spoke of their personal
experiences in Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) for dual
credit (high school and college).
They also shared the work of the school’s Site Council, the
governing body of the school of which ten of the nineteen members
are students, giving their voice the majority. The Site Council is
currently working on revising the Student and Family Handbook to
align with the school’s shift toward student-centered learning. A
student representative regularly attends School Board meetings to
update the Board on the Council’s work.
The Restorative Justice Committee is currently wrapping up their
work addressing behavior management within the school. In the
Spring, students will have a voice in this process by hearing some
cases of students whose actions may have not been consistent with
the school’s norms. The Justice Committee will resolve incidences
through focusing on how the community may be restored rather than
offering traditional punishments like detentions or suspensions.
In closing, the Governor commented on how the work in Pittsfield is
consistent with bringing the results future institutions and
workplaces would be looking for from a graduate. She noted how
important skills like the ones she had seen in Pittsfield are to
colleges and businesses.
Much of the work toward student-centered learning has been supported
by a grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation of which
Pittsfield was selected to receive from over 350 schools in New
England.
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