School & Main Institute Congratulates all 2020 Graduates!!!

“First, think. Second, believe. Third, dream. Finally, dare.”

- Walt Disney 

 

Phase 1 & 2 of Receivership with the Dever School in Dorchester, MA

In February 2020, School & Main Institute was appointed by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education as the next receiver of the Paul A. Dever Elementary School in Dorchester, Massachusetts.   With the appointment, SMI began a process of getting to know and learning about the school in preparation for July 1, 2020, when SMI's receiver role formally begins.  The ultimate goal is seeing the school return to the Boston Public School District by the end of the school's turnaround plan.  

During the first phase of the work, SMI worked to build relationships with staff, faculty and stakeholders and to gain a thorough understanding of the school's culture, climate and opportunities for building greater student success.  Our objectives are to create a school culture and climate based on strong relationships between students and staff, and culturally sensitive and "warm-demanding" expectations for all students in a rigorous academic environment.  We believe this approach will lead to improved student academic outcomes and close the proficiency gaps.  A COVID-19 contingency plan to address different SY20-21 school start up scenarios will also be part of the planning leading up to the opening of school for the 2020-21 school year.

Systems for Student Success District Leads Kick Off Meeting

On May 22nd, the Department of Early and Secondary Education(DESE), in collaboration with the School & Main Institute team, hosted the 2020 Systems for Student Success(SFSS) kick-off meeting.  The meeting served as an initial meet-and-greet for grant recipients and launched the 2020 SFSS Initiative.

The SFSS Initiative brings together 15 grant recipients representing urban and rural school districts across several Massachusetts regions. This year’s cohort spans Massachusetts from as far west as Pittsfield to as far east as Martha’s Vineyard.  

SFSS promotes student success by creating opportunities for schools to critically review, assess, and strengthen their existing systems.  As part of the grant, school districts receive funding, technical assistance, professional development, and ongoing networking opportunities.  These supports will assist districts in tackling priorities such as culturally responsive teaching, family engagement, and academic and social/emotional tiered supports.  The next 2020 SFSS cohort meeting is scheduled for June 19th, 2020 and will be engaged in learning and conversations around racial equity.

The Systems for Student Success (SfSS) initiative is designed to support districts that want to thoughtfully examine and significantly strengthen systems and core practices that can either promote or hinder students' ability to thrive in and outside of school.

Fo more information, click here. 

Reimagining Juvenile Justice Feedback Session

In the spring of 2019,The Annie E. Casey Foundation supported by SMI, brought together a cohort of 34 juvenile justice professionals to attend its first ever Reimagining Juvenile Justice Institute. The Foundation launched the Institute to help juvenile probation staff and other juvenile justice professionals deliver the RJJ curriculum in their home communities. To read more on The Annie E. Casey website, please click here.

After a year of delivering the curriculum, we virtually reconvened in March 2020, for a 2-day feedback session to reflect on the work accomplished and envision the road ahead for the next RJJ institute.

RJJ Impact
By the end of 2019, our 34 trainers from 15 sites across the country had trained 450 juvenile justice professionals.  The curriculum provided tools and effectively empowered professionals to integrate a positive youth development(PYD) framework and a cross-system approach, resulting in a youth-centered juvenile justice system.

MTSS Planning Institutes

MA DESE and School & Main Institute, Inc. worked together to host two statewide MTSS Institutes. The first, was held in Springfield, MA, February 3-4 and the second, in Newton, MA, February 11-12. Over 700 registrants representing 93 Massachusetts districts participated in these MTSS Leadership Institutes.

District teams engaged in facilitated planning to strengthen MTSS work and align it with overall district improvement and Student Opportunity Act efforts. Different approaches to rolling out MTSS in their district were also explored, with special attention paid to shifting adult mindset and building stakeholder buy-in. Teams deepened their understanding of MTSS and engaged with new resources to support implementation. And finally, clear next steps were identified to move MTSS work forward in participating districts.

At both sessions, participants were treated to a rousing performance and a sing along from an improvised band of musicians, proving that even across districts people who don’t know each other can collaborate.