Responding to parents’ concerns that the needs of students aren’t being met, Edgartown School officials presented a four-part plan for school improvement, announced nearly a dozen upcoming afterschool programs, and called for more people to join a school advisory council.
The administration shared updates on progress made since a February meeting in which many parents voiced frustration with the school’s communication, the resources and opportunities available to students, and other concerns.
The school committee also accepted the resignation of Assistant Principal Mary Ann Bartlett, which will take effect June 30.
School Principal Shelley Einbinder said that since the February meeting, schoolwide discussions have been held on improving the school’s climate, on instructional practices, on collaborative problem-solving, and on increasing family engagement.
“I’m sure a lot of us were at the last meeting, and there were a lot of concerns about our school,” Edgartown School committee chair Lou Paciello said. “And I believe [Einbinder and Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools Superintendent Richie Smith] are working hard.”
At Wednesday’s school committee meeting, Einbinder gave a report on progress since February, as did Superintendent Smith.
The meeting also featured live translation in Portuguese, a feature introduced on Wednesday that will be available at further school committee meetings.
Einbinder said that after the February meeting, she met with school district leadership. “I began by meeting with Richie, the superintendent, John [Stevens], assistant superintendent, to begin to develop a plan to address some of the areas,” said Einbinder. “I have met with individual staff members and grade-level teams to better understand how I can help support them.”
Einbinder’s report focused on a 2023–24 Edgartown School Improvement Plan (SIP), which features four targeted areas developed with the school advisory council. That council currently has seven members, and includes school administration, school staff, community members, and parents of students.
The SIP’s first target area, termed Social Emotional Learning/Culture, involves strengthening relationships among staff with the help of an Edgartown action team. The action team, Smith explained, examines issues related to culture within the school. The target area also involved training staff in collaborative problem-solving through the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Think:Kids program, training staff in de-escalation strategies over two years, and providing certain staff with full Safety Care Training. Think:Kids helps children with behavioral issues develop skills such as flexibility, frustration tolerance, and problem-solving.
The second target area, instruction, involves modifying instruction to improve literacy in reading and math; establishing two pilot programs for literacy; and in the summer, training six teams in co-teaching English learning, special education, and general education staff.
The third area, facilities, involves creating a working group regarding the school HVAC system, establishing a committee for the school’s outdoor-learning campus project, and securing further funding for that project.
The fourth and final area, community and culture, involves ongoing work on the school district’s equity audit, and to increase family engagement. Increasing family engagement will include meetings to plan and establish school events, a math family night to be held in May, an evening showcase, working to increase participation in the school’s curriculum night, and creating a calendar of events for the 2024–25 school year.
Committee member Kelly Scott asked Einbinder during the meeting whether the SIP could include outreach to the Brazilian population.
“We have a huge Brazilian population,” said Scott. “How are we being thoughtful of that, and making sure they’re included or engaged?” Scott also suggested that the school showcase Brazilian culture.
“Everything that we do is translated,” Einbinder replied, noting that translations are now available at school committee meetings. Einbinder also mentioned that the school’s annual Children’s Day celebration has highlighted Brazilian culture.
Scott also suggested that the committee receive a status report regarding the plan at each of its meetings, and Paciello suggested that school staff give updates at the committee’s meetings.
Einbinder’s report also focused on afterschool enrichment. “We are going to be offering two different sessions of afterschool clubs to help provide some challenge and activities of interest to our students,” she said.
These programs will include clubs for chess; cooking; science, technology, and math (STEM); Legos for small children; knitting; origami; a string ensemble; puzzles; outdoor games; and creative movement and dance.
Einbinder added that an announcement regarding the programs was sent yesterday to the school community, and that more than 30 families responded.
Einbinder stated that parents of students have been invited to schoolwide community meetings, which are held after the school’s monthly fun run events. The next such meeting will take place on March 22.
Principal Einbinder also said that the school has also posted job openings for additional staff, to increase student supervision. These openings include bus monitors, monitors during lunchtime, and an early morning staff member to oversee students before teachers arrive at 8 am. The school is seeking additional educational support professionals, and asking interested parents to volunteer for one hour a week each.
Superintendent Smith noted in his report that he has had three meetings with parents since Feb. 1, and that a major takeaway has been the need to adequately support all students. “The narrative of the parents that I have gotten in my conversations is, ‘Please support all kids. Make sure that the resources are in place in the school to do so.'” According to Smith, areas of concern at the school were visibility, decisionmaking, discipline, communication, care of staff needs, and safety issues.
Smith underscored the role of the school advisory council on Wednesday. “It is imperative that the school advisory council has a larger number of participants, a larger membership,” he said. He encouraged more teachers to join, noting that by law, more teachers joining means that the committee must then include more parents.
Smith also made a point to increase diversity in the council. “If we can encourage diversity of thought, diversity of culture, diversity of perspective in the school advisory council, you inherently address more needs. So that is a core move that needs to happen,” Smith said.
Smith highlighted the benefits of the school’s multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). The MTSS model is used to identify and serve students who require support, whether in terms of enrichment, special needs, or other needs. The tiers within MTSS commonly refer to an entire class, to small groups, and to individualized attention to a student. Students can be supported by different tiers according to their needs.
Other topics raised at the February meeting were revisited on Wednesday. Smith shared that he is working on implementing exit surveys for parents who choose to have their students leave the school, a policy that multiple parents requested in February.
The committee and administration also discussed reconsidering the school’s 18-student-per-class cap, which is exclusive to the Edgartown School on the Vineyard.
Eliminating that cap, said Paciello, could better address cases in which teachers at the Edgartown School want to enroll their children there. Without the cap, the school’s principal would have more discretion to allow exemptions to the cap. Currently, exceeding the 18-student cap for a class requires a vote of the school committee.
Superintendent Smith added that exemptions to the 18-student class size are sometimes made to accommodate students who experienced bullying at other schools. “[The] policy is as strong as the school committee allows, and the school committee sets up policy,” Smith said.
Smith said on Wednesday that more work was needed to improve the school. “This is just where it is. I won’t say it’s adequate. I certainly wouldn’t say this is all,” he said. “The school is in a place where, when we heard from parents, parents alerted us, [and] staff tells us what we need … I’ve been very blunt with Shelley, because I feel that bluntness is what we need right now to quickly pivot, and start really bringing the support that the school needs.”
Wednesday’s meeting was also one of the last for chair Lou Paciello, whose term is ending. “I just want to say, thank you all,” he said. “It was a pleasure to serve the town. I wish we got more done, as always — never satisfied … and I hope I did well enough in your eyes.”
How many parents/community members used the translation service at this meeting?
Honestly, taxpayers are paying for translators and translations, extra teachers, modified programs, wow…how many parents of Brazilian-American students showed up? How many, as Bill Simpson asks, used the translation service? I’m glad that Shelly Einbeinder pointed out that so much is already being done. At this point, it almost seems like even the handholding to invite more participation could be helpful, although it shouldn’t be necessary–parents, once they see that language is not a barrier, should invest in their children’s education.
I dislike feeling bitter, but I do. You almost feel like a fool, paying for so many services and bending over backwards to adjust the school system and you don’t really get even so much as a “thanks” or participation. All these things the Edgartown School District is doing voluntarily because of the students and it’s for the students, which is fine. But taxpayers are not a ATM to access to ever-increase the role of adaptation of learning, would everyone agree?
I don’t have a solution, the least I would like to see is some participation. If there could be more Brazilian culture–fine, but as I’ve written elsewhere, I’m not so sure why it’s up to the white and Black islanders who seem to handle everything on this island to be in charge of it. In some communities, such a thing would be considered a systemic problem should this be the only means of positive change.
The 18 children cap on classroom size should not be for all grades. The higher grades could certainly have 20-21 kids in the class and the lower grades should probably have less it should not be a uniform standard.
The higher grades could certainly have 35-40 kids in the class.
Schools like Falmouth Academy have 7-12.
Compare their college admissions to the Island’s.
Do you have any kids in the Island schools?
One is enough to have the service.
What if schools required each grade of student to pass a competency test each Fall, before the new school year? If the failed, they would not be allowed to advance until they passed.
The burden, the ultimate responsibility, would be on the parent(s) to ensure their child learned…not the school. Government agencies can only do so much.
Now, what would you like for breakfast?
What if schools required each parent of a student to pass a competency test each Fall, before the new school year? If they failed, their children would not be allowed to attend.
The burden, the ultimate responsibility, would be on no one. Government agencies can do so much more. We the people get to decide what we want the government to do.
“Now, what would you like for breakfast?” You can’t learn on an empty stomach. I am not surprised you are unaware.
2020 census…… these folks needed to be more pro active about their existence in the community…..filling out the census was and is not a reporting agency.
It is done in an effort to understand population and allocate government funds.
Doesn’t seem to be a problem now, when asking for more.
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