Superintendent's Blog

Looking Forward, Looking Backward

 

Perhaps you’re not familiar with school construction projects, so I should preface my remarks here by sharing that each week we get a progress report from the Hopkins School contractor. And if you haven’t been by the Hopkins School lately, you might be very surprised to see the vast expanse that is under construction, littered with excavators, drill rigs, rebar and--soon!--concrete trucks.

 

In this week’s construction progress report, I learned that “the first concrete [foundation footings] placement is scheduled for Monday at 12:00,” and the “drilling of the geothermal wells continues at a rate of two wells per day. To date, twenty-three of the thirty-six wells have been drilled. We anticipate the remainder of the wells to be completed by the end of next week.”

 

Meanwhile the kids look on--curious about the activity that takes place on the other side of the fencing. 

 

Like the kids, I, too, look on, anticipating what Hopkins will look like when it grows 28,432 square feet larger than it is today.  The Hopkins addition project is one part of a multi-faceted plan to address the enrollment growth in our public schools.  As school officials prepared for the addition to the Hopkins School--that is, as we were looking forward, so to speak, we were also forced to look backward. Part of looking backward meant examining the original Hopkins blueprints and reading through old Annual Town Reports. 

 

In the 1998 Annual Town Report, we found the early commitments to Hopkinton becoming one of the highest achieving school districts in the Commonwealth. Then School Committee Chair, Joseph Strazzulla, noted in his report:

“In the spring, all fourth, eighth, and 10th graders took the second annual set of exams given under the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) as mandated by the Education Reform Act of 1993. The average scores of Hopkinton students were above the state averages in all subjects and grade levels. However, the School Committee believes that our students are capable of performing at a higher level, and is supporting efforts planned by the Administration to strengthen the required skills and knowledge.” 

 

The town should be very proud that over the past twenty-five years, the community has come together to make Chairman Strazzulla and his committee’s collective educational vision a reality. 

 

In the same report, there is mention of a Special Town Meeting, held on Monday, February 2, 1998.   “ARTICLE 1” asked voters to determine “if the town would “vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money for the purpose of … the construction of a new High School.”

 

According to the report, “The fiscal year 1998 school budget increased by 14% reflecting an 8% growth in student population.”  Fall enrollment reached 2,546 students, with an increase of 188 students from the previous year.

Why else might that 1998 Annual Town Report be super important to this blog? Because “September 1998 saw the opening of the Edward Hopkins School located off Hayden Rowe Street….” As I noted earlier, district administrators studied the blueprints for Hopkins; it was originally built for 600 students, with 24 classrooms planned and with 25 students slated to be in each room. 

 

The 1998 Annual Town Report tells us that Hopkins School “was initially planned to house Grades 4 and 5, but due to overcrowding at the Middle/High School, the School Committee decided to have the fifth and sixth grades occupy it for three years - until the planned new High School opens.”  We’ve come full circle: Hopkins, in 2027, will once again become a five-six school.  

 

Reading through this history makes me wonder how people back in 1998 were feeling with all the change: the construction, the grade configurations, the budget stressors, the growth of the town. It was perhaps very unsettling. As Superintendent, I hear from people that what Hopkinton is experiencing now can also feel unsettling--a quarter century later and history is essentially repeating itself. 

 

In 1998, when Hopkins opened to the fifth and sixth grade students, the school also housed the Pre-K pro­gram, because there was the room to do so.  In fact, a school built for 600 students only needed to accommodate 454 fifth and sixth graders at the time. Some twenty-five years later, we have far outgrown that Hopkins building, a physical plant that was lots more than “roomy” when it first opened its doors!

 

The planning for the new high school seemed to follow suit. “On October 1, 1999, the enrollment of the four high school grades was as follows: grade 12, 120; grade 11, 133; grade 10, 139; and grade 9, 171, a total of 563 students” (housed in what is now the Middle School). Yet, Hopkinton went ahead and built a state-of-the-art high school (for many more than 563 students) that continues to make this community proud. It should be noted that the student population in our high school has doubled since the building opened in 2001.

 

I want to finish up this blog entry with a little deja vu-like moment, which again speaks to looking forward and looking backward. The Schools’ contribution to the 1999 Annual Town Report closes with this paragraph: “It is clear that Hopkinton is a community ‘on the go.’ Parents are extremely committed to the education of their children. The staff is committed to supporting ambitious learning for all students. Without a doubt, it is an exciting place to be.” This same statement could adequately sum up Hopkinton’s unwavering commitment to teaching and learning today.  Perhaps it will assuage some of the townspeople’s unsettled feelings to know that Hopkinton has been through challenging times before and has come out on top. We can do it again.

 

For those of you who might be history buffs, the Annual Town Reports are a beautiful series of “progress reports” for this community. The town should cherish them, as they celebrate your commitment to evolving at the highest levels and to providing incredible services for all of your residents, especially your children. 

 

And for me, I remain committed to looking forward with you.

We’ve made it through our first full week of school (well, I suppose today is technically a half-day for the kids), and from my vantage point, the three opening weeks have gone smoothly. (Phew!) This is my ninth opening of school here in Hopkinton, and dare I say, this was the best! Hands down.

While it might feel a bit disjointed for students to attend school two days the first week and four days the second, I find it’s a nice way for kids to ease into the transition from the liberties of summer to the more routine-driven school day. The kids need to build stamina. One of the strengths of this district is our focus on what kids need. 

Accordingly, at last night’s School Committee meeting the principals presented their School Improvement Plans (SIPs), and the energy was super high with excitement and anticipation for teaching and learning in the upcoming year. For those of you who are not loyal School-Committee-meeting-viewers (I’m guessing that’s more than 99 percent of you…), the SIPs generated a lot of talk about cultural proficiency, and how that influences learning. 

Cultural Proficiency refers to the practices our educators implement to honor the values and personhood of each individual student, practices that enable our school children to engage effectively with people and groups who are different from them. This is not a “separate-from” practice, but rather our educators are weaving culturally responsive practices right into their lessons. There is something very beautiful about every child feeling like they belong to a respectful and culturally diverse community. Research bears out that when kids feel a part of the community, it increases their capacity for academic growth.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)  offers the following definition, which comes from the work of Geneva Gay and Gloria Ladson-Billings: “Culturally responsive teaching uses students’ identities and backgrounds as meaningful sources for creating optimal learning environments. It entails immersing both students and teachers collaboratively in the process of developing an understanding and appreciation of multicultural perspectives through the study of rich content and the use of a variety of instructional practices. It teaches to and through the strengths of these students.”

Let me give you an early education example: I was in a kindergarten classroom this week in which the students were drawing self-portraits--clearly an activity that promotes cultural responsiveness. With this lesson, children not only get to know one another and get a little insight into other’s values and ways of living, but the teacher also gets to see which children can draw a face, attached to a body with arms and legs--a developmental assessment that is very appropriate to the start of kindergarten. When the teacher asks the children about their drawings, the teacher can discern the kinds of language skills children come equipped with. We learn a lot by listening.

And this is where my story gets a little humorous: There I am, in the kindergarten classroom, when the teacher helps a five-year-old staple his self-portrait to the bulletin board. He cocks his head a little, seems satisfied with his drawing and its placement on the board, and pivots on one foot to return to his seat. The teacher says, “How about we try a book now?” My guy says, “Uhh, no, I don’t think I’m in the mood for that.” I’m doing all I can to suppress my laughter. This little dude had pretty much worn himself out by one o’clock on that day.

While this narrative in its totality is a little non sequitur (guilty as charged), I think it illustrates a few things about the start of the school year. The start of school is an exciting time. Our kids are building stamina (and I have every confidence that by the end of the year, they will have grown in ways that are unique and powerful). Our administrators are jazzed for the highest quality of teaching and learning. And our educators are valuing the culture of every student, every day, and teaching the heck out of it. It feels amazing.

Blog Post 9-13-24.pdf 

Every day I get the New York Times newsletter “The Morning,” where journalists guide readers through things happening in the world and help them make sense of it. On the morning of March 29, 2024, I came upon an article entitled “School absences have ‘exploded’.”

 

The Times clarified: “Before the pandemic, about 15 percent of U.S. students were chronically absent, which typically means missing 18 days of the school year, for any reason. By the 2021-22 school year, that number had skyrocketed to 28 percent of students. Last school year, the most recent for which national estimates are available, it held stubbornly at 26 percent” [bold and underline added].

 

I found these numbers concerning; thus, the article made me wonder what Hopkinton’s K-12 absenteeism rates look like. Accordingly, I went to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website to retrieve our data. 

Fortunately, our data looks better than the numbers across the United States, but we do have a chronic absenteeism rate of 12 percent, meaning that 12 percent of our 4,200+ students were absent 18 or more days. That means over 500 students in our schools were out of school in the 2022-2023 school year in excess of 18 days. 

 

The New York Times reports that “absenteeism has increased across demographic groups…. Students are missing more school in districts rich and poor, big and small.”

 

Here in Massachusetts our General Laws give students seven excused days before the schools must react in some way. Some specific reasons for absenteeism do result in “excused” absences in Hopkinton, per School Committee Policy JH, which  states:

 

In addition to the allowable “seven day sessions or fourteen half day sessions of reported absences in any period of six months,”  students may be excused from attending school or being tardy for the following reasons: 

• Chronic or Long-term Illness or quarantine

• Bereavement 

• Weather so inclement as to endanger the child’s health and safety 

• Observance of religious holidays in accordance with the family’s religious beliefs 

• Other exceptional reasons with previous approval of the school’s Principal. As written in each school’s handbook, parents shall provide an explanation for a child’s absence or tardiness, either in writing or via telephone to the school nurse.

At times, we’ve heard from parents whose kids have contracted the flu and then strep, resulting in more than seven days out of school. These same children may have been out of school for bellyaches or runny noses or general malaise. Our school nurses are very careful when they look at students’ reasons for absenteeism, meaning back-to-back episodes of the flu and strep, which of course would be exceedingly rare, would likely be excused under the final bullet in the policy: “Other exceptional reasons.” 

 

So, what happens when a student exceeds seven absences in a six-month period? After seven absences in a six month period, families get a letter from our assistant principals explaining that their children have been out of school in excess of what Massachusetts General Law  G.L. c. 76, §2 allows. In essence, we are required to send those letters in accordance with the law, which reads:

Section 2. Every person in control of a child described in section one shall cause him to attend school as therein required, and, if he fails so to do for seven day sessions or fourteen half day sessions within any period of six months, he shall, on complaint by a supervisor of attendance, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars. 

What is super curious (at least to me it’s curious) is that the state allows school districts to fine a family $20 for excessive absenteeism. The Hopkinton Public Schools do not want to fine anyone nor have we. Ever.  But, perhaps the fine serves as an illustration of the value--however antiquated the fee may be--that the state has historically put on school attendance.

 

Continuing along the lines of stuff we don’t want to do, our assistant principals are not fans of sending these absenteeism letters to families. Each month, the assistant principals spend at least one full work day (if not more) preparing those letters. For example, Elmwood Assistant Principal Michelle Tynan has sent 213 absentee attendance letters to families this year (meaning 213 of the students at Elmwood have missed seven (7) days or more), and Mrs. Tynan has sent 89 letters expressing excessive tardiness to families. Mrs. Lamoreaux, at Hopkins, has sent 218 letters for absenteeism and 75 letters for tardiness. These assistant principals sometimes call families to help them work on tardiness, especially when it begins to impact children’s abilities to learn.

 

Part of Hopkinton’s absenteeism numbers also derive from long-term travel. Families get in touch with our building principals to report they will be traveling for both long- and short-term periods of time. To that end, families should be aware that School Committee Policy JH also states that “the school district will not be responsible for curriculum, instruction, or assessments missed during this unexcused absence.” Further, at the High School level, excessive absenteeism can result in loss of credit.

 

Why all the focus on attendance? According to former Commissioner of Education Jeffrey Riley, “Research supports the connection between regular attendance and a student’s personal, social, and emotional wellness, and their academic success. When students are not present in school, they miss out on opportunities for social development and are often not able to make adequate academic progress; they may disengage from learning as they get further off-track and may even drop out of school.” National research shows that chronic absenteeism erodes the academic, social skills, and mental wellness needed to succeed in school. Students’ attendance rates are also significantly related to several competency areas on the Holistic Student Assessment. The HPS School Committee policy states, “The District believes it essential that students establish consistent attendance behaviors in the early years to ensure continuity of attendance throughout a child’s years in the Hopkinton Public Schools.” In essence, a host of research indicates that when children frequently miss school in their elementary years it can lead to school phobia, school avoidance, and chronic absenteeism by the teenage years. If kids are in school, we have counseling staff--at every grade level--who work on helping children overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their access to curriculum. Children fare well when they feel connected to their teachers and peers.

 

Take a look at what has happened across the country since the onset of the Pandemic:

 

Everything I read tells me that attitudes toward school attendance--broadly--have changed since the onset of the pandemic, making school seem a little more “optional” in the minds of parents and students across the nation. Now please know that I am not advocating for people to come to school when they are not well, but I am wondering about our collective willingness to reprioritize school attendance. As we settle back into a post-pandemic rhythm, I’m hoping to see Hopkinton’s absenteeism rates fall.

 

I’ve written a lot about the downsides of the pandemic and attendance, but there are a couple of positives. Our secondary students, especially the kids at the High School, have learned to navigate online instruction, frequently using Schoology as a means of communication between themselves and their teachers. We used to hope that kids would take at least one online course before they graduated, just because it would be a good experience for them. Now, our kids can handle online instruction just because of the tools we use--even as we are back to school in-person, full-time.

Thank goodness. 

 

Before closing I want to go back to the letters. People wonder why they receive letters. They do because the law says we have to send them. And, the law always trumps school committee policy. 

 

Families,  please know that if you receive an attendance letter and you need any support whatsoever, reach out. Building administrators are always happy to meet with families, and our school social worker and school counselors are ready and willing to help. Our goal is never to disenfranchise families but rather to bring them and their students into the fold. Learning and healthy childhood development are shaped by consistent and supportive relationships, responsive communications, and the modeling of healthy behaviors. Let us provide those services to you.