Audio: Esperanza School of Language and Culture

In July 2012, the Esperanza School design team met with the editorial board of The Standard Times.  Audio clips of the discussion are available at:
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130312/OPINION/130319970/

The following topics are listed:

• failure of English immersion
• identifying ELL students
• motivation for designers
• the plan
• parents' response
• languages in the city
• Esperanza school committee
• how will success be measured?
• the student body

Upcoming Meetings

The School Committee determined the following key dates at last night's meeting.

Special Meeting - Presentations on Innovation Schools
Wednesday, March 20th at 6 pm
The teams for Esperanza School of Language and Culture as well as Renaissance Community School for the Arts will present to the School Committee and answer their questions.  Since it is a special meeting, there is no public comment.

Public Hearing
Wednesday, March 27th at 6 pm
This is the final required step prior to voting to approve innovation schools (as detailed in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 92, Item m).  The entire meeting will be centered on listening to the city's residents and parents.  Members of the New Bedford community can make their voices heard!

Vote
Monday, April 8th at 6 pm
The School Committee will vote at the regularly scheduled April meeting.  In order for either innovation school to be implemented, at least four School Committee members must vote yes.


At this time, all meetings are at Keith Middle School (225 Hathaway Blvd, New Bedford).

Your View: Innovation schools would demonstrate city's resolve to improve

The Standard Times - March 2, 2013
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130222/OPINION/302220304/

By Sister Marianna Sylvester
Sister Marianna Sylvester serves at Our Lady of the Assumption Church.


Relevant Quotes: (Please follow the link above to read the complete article.)

As Mayor Mitchell stated in his Education Agenda — The Time to Act is Now: "We will move our school system and our city forward only if we recognize the need to change and to collaborate toward mutual goals."

A tangible sign that the city school district is moving forward comes in the form of a grant for $20,000 from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the design teams of the Renaissance Community School for the Arts and the Esperanza School of Culture and Language. The attainment of this grant money is a vote of confidence, and a reason for the district to be proud of the hard work that is being put forth by teachers and administrators.

Let us agree that "The Time to Act is Now!" The mayor and the School Committee have demonstrated their willingness to move the New Bedford Public Schools forward by seeking a new superintendent; two design teams have taken up the challenge to present excellent proposals; the state has allocated start-up grant money for these schools; the city is planning for a future with small neighborhood learning communities in the South End; and children need every opportunity to be successful now. A yes vote from the School Committee to support the creation of the Renaissance Community School and the Esperanza School of Language and Culture in 2013 will give credence to the reputation of a school district that states it is ready to grow and change.

Legal Requirements Regarding the Final Vote on Innovation Schools

Yesterday's blog post presented quotes from an article about the budgets for the innovation schools.  It was stated that the School Committee needed to make a decision on the innovation plans within 60 days of receiving them.  Both Esperanza School of Language and Culture as well as Renaissance Community School for the Arts are following the same timeline regarding the innovation schools process, as set out in the legislation (see below).

The plans were turned into Superintendent Shea in mid-December.  A period of negotiation with the New Bedford Educators Association followed, and a Memorandum of Agreement (detailing the waivers and modifications to the Collective Bargaining Agreement) was signed by the required parties for each school.

The School Committee officially received copies of both plans at their February 13th meeting.  According to the 60 day timeframe, the latest possible date for a vote is Sunday, April 14, 2013.  Currently, the votes for both schools are scheduled to take place at the April School Committee Meeting on Monday, April 8, 2013. 

The dates for the public hearings have not yet been determined, but will be held in late March. 

The following is directly from the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 92 (this text is also included in New Bedford Public School's RFP):
(m) Upon receipt of an innovation plan regarding an Innovation School, a school committee shall hold at least 1 public hearing on the innovation plan. After the public hearing, but not later than 60 days after the receipt of the innovation plan, the school committee shall, on the basis of the quality of the plan and in consideration of comments submitted by the public, undertake a final vote to authorize the Innovation School for a period of not more than 5 years, subject to subsection (n).

For innovation schools, devil in the (budget) details

The Standard Times - March 1, 2013
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130301/NEWS/303010351/

By Natalie Sherman, Writer for The Standard Times
nsherman@s-t.com


Relevant Quotes: (Please follow the link above to read the complete article.)

Innovation schools are in-district public schools with additional autonomy over areas such as curriculum. They receive funding through a per-pupil allocation and must contribute to parts of the district's overall budget — such as maintenance or costs of the central administration — but have the power to opt out of other services.

Members of the design teams said they first asked the district for the information this fall, as early as September in the case of the Esperanza School, to supply the information they need — such as what the district will require from them in terms of administrative or maintenance costs.

"The School Department didn't have a business manager for most of the fall. ... That's my understanding of the main cause of the delay," said Kerry DeJesus, one of the members of the Esperanza School design team, repeating the explanation provided by the district and a member of the Renaissance design team.

"I do hope that the mayor does understand that the reason why the budget has not been submitted is due to no negligence on the part of the design teams," DeJesus added. "We have done everything possible to get the information we need."

Renaissance Art School design team member Jennifer Clune said under the terms of the state innovation school statute the School Committee must consider the proposals in April, within 60 days of receiving the plans.

"I totally understand that people want to see a cost-neutral budget," she said, adding that some of the answers to St. John's questions are in the plans.