A version of this post was also published as the "Superintendent's Corner" column in the Fall 2014 Shrewsbury School Journal.
We are almost three months into the new school year, and I am pleased to report to the community that the significant additional investment we have made in our schools is already paying off in many ways.
When I visit classrooms, the contrast to recent years is stark now that they contain many fewer students than before, sometimes by as much as one third. The physical space is not nearly as strained, allowing for teachers to arrange students flexibly and creating a more calm and focused atmosphere by simply having fewer bodies and voices competing for space and attention -- and as a result fewer distractions.
When asked how this year is different, teachers cite having more time to work with individuals and small groups of students as a major improvement. Teachers have had the opportunity to get to know their students more quickly, build strong relationships, and understand individual needs. This not only helps educators better target and tailor their instruction, it also creates more positive classrooms and schools where students are motivated and focused on learning. It is well understood that ensuring strong, positive connections between students and adults in school communities is a critical factor in having safe schools.
Having more time and fewer students greatly benefit the quality of teaching and learning. Feedback is more immediate and robust; teachers have more time to plan in order to craft engaging lessons; and teachers have more time to engage in the kinds of professional collaboration with their peers that results in innovative practices, which has been a hallmark in Shrewsbury for decades. Having smaller numbers of students in a class allows the teacher to provide instructional experiences that are not possible or effective with very large class sizes, such as hands-on science experiments, simulations, and focused small group rotations.
Smaller class sizes and caseloads are having the secondary benefit of freeing teachers to provide extra opportunities for students. Rather than triaging only the most pressing student issues and being swamped by the demands of core responsibilities such as grading for excessive numbers of students, teachers now have more time to assist students who need extra help and to participate in other elements of the school program by serving as club advisors, coaches, mentors, etc., which has a positive impact on students’ overall experience.
Beyond reducing class sizes and caseloads, investments have also been made in upgrading curriculum materials for mathematics and restoring curriculum support positions that had been cut in previous years. Thanks to these new materials and additional support, teachers of mathematics in grades kindergarten through eight have been shifting their practice in order to provide students with more rigorous math instruction, where students are required to solve more sophisticated problems with accuracy while being able to clearly articulate how they arrived at the solution. We are confident that over time we will make an already strong math program even more effective at preparing students for success in college-level math and to take advantage of an economy that values strong math skills more than ever.
Finally, it is important to note that investments in providing additional supports for students with mental and behavioral health needs. By increasing school psychologist support at the elementary level, adding a second behavioral clinical coordinator, and implementing an innovative in-school support program for at-risk students at SHS, we have more capacity to meet critical student needs within our schools and reduce our risk of needing to provide more expensive outside placements to provide such support. While students who experience these challenges are a small percentage of our population, their number has been growing, and the impact on both the school environment and budgetary resources can be great. By adding resources to address these issues in a more proactive manner, we aim to keep more students in their home school communities while delivering cost effective service.
This year, the difference in our schools’ ability to meet the demands placed upon them is substantial, and this would not have been possible without the town’s support of the override. The critical investments that Shrewsbury has made in our children will bring a substantial return by preparing our students for success and enhancing the quality of life in our community. While it will take time to realize all the positive effects these investments will bring, we are already seeing immediate benefits in our classrooms. On behalf of our students and staff, I again thank you for these resources, which are already making a positive difference for our town’s young people.
