October 2020 Redesign Update
We Are Salem
In order to maintain open and transparent communication between Salem High School and all stakeholders, I will be sending a monthly update to keep the community informed as to the status of our ongoing work toward our Redesign Plan.
SHS Core Values
- Celebration of Difference
- Collaboration
- Culture of Learning and Innovation
- Equity and Access
- Growth for All
- High Standards of Excellence for All
SHS Vision
SHS Mission Statement
We empower all students to chart a personalized path to success that includes a commitment to the common good.
Salem High School Redesign Pillars and Mental Model
Leadership, Shared Responsibility, and Professional Collaboration (Leadership Development)
The school has established a community of practice through leadership, shared responsibility for all students, and professional collaboration.
We begin this year with a stable and committed administrative and instructional team, ready to tackle the challenges presented in the Redesign work as well as those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This multi-talented team has taken on leadership in several of the redesign pillars, ensuring a distributed and collaborative leadership structure.
Key in this is student leadership and voice. Although the pandemic has slowed the work of our Student Council, this is projected to relaunch at the start of Quarter 2. Beginning at Quarter 2 also, I will be instituting a Principal's Advisory Board which will be comprised of student leaders from across the school. I am also thrilled that we have three student representatives on our School Site Council, which began meetings in October.
Intentional Practices for Improving Instruction
The school employs intentional practices for improving teacher-specific and student-responsive instruction.
SHS continues its shift to Standards-Based Practices (SBPs) to ensure equity and access for all of our students. Every student at SHS is held to the same rigorous learning targets based on state/national standards, and every student at SHS receives the support they need to demonstrate proficiency (learning) in those standards.
How SHS does SBPs:
Adapted from Thomas Guskey (2016)
Curriculum: SHS educators articulate clear learning goals that identify what students should learn (content) and be able to do (skills).
Instruction: SHS educators develop instructional activities that help all students achieve those learning goals.
Assessment: SHS educators identify what evidence best reflects students' achievement of those learning goals.
Reporting: SHS educators use grading and reporting strategies that meaningfully communicate students’ progression towards learning.
Student-Specific Supports and Instruction to All Students
The school is able to provide student-specific supports and interventions informed by data and the identification of student-specific needs.
One of the areas of growth that was identified for Salem High School through the redesign process over the past several years was the need to reimagine and restructure our Students Supports department. We are aggressively addressing this identified need in several ways.
In the spring we looked carefully at our organizational structure and reorganized responsibilities. We organized ourselves around the idea that we needed to implement systems and structures that allowed us to better focus on the hard work of student supports. To this end, we shifted responsibilities of Mr. Tombleson and created an Assistant Principal for Student Supports role. This shift of responsibilities is allowing Ms. Mullen and Mr. Mruck to focus on supporting the 11th and 12th grades and the 9th and 10th grades respectively.
Another big effort being undertaken this year is the implementation of the BARR Model at Salem High School. This structure is helping us to put supporting our students at the very center of our efforts. BARR stands for Building Assets Reducing Risks and is a school wide structure of organization that is proven by research to improve the educational outcome for all students. Check out this short video that describes what it means to be a BARR school and identifies some of the goals we hope to attain as a result of these efforts.
School Culture and Climate
The school is able to provide student-specific supports and interventions informed by data and the identification of student-specific needs.
Family Engagement
The Salem High School Community Office opened this month. We have already had a number of students visit the office in order to access support in connecting with their classes. This office represents the commitment of Salem High School and its staff to do whatever it takes to support our students and families. We are already looking for ways to expand in size and the hours we are open!
Anti-Racism
This group is led by Salem High School juniors and seniors and is focused on making Salem High School a safe and equitable space for all students. The work and key discussion points this month included:
- Do we want police officers in our schools?
- How can we have meaningful conversations around racism in the classroom?
- What obstacles are students of color facing?
- How can we make extracurricular and AP courses accessible to all?
10/7/2020
Surprised by how many people had an awareness that race has an impact
Lunchroom - why do we all sit together differently?
Access to activities growing up - no money, no knowledge of activity, no English at home
Language matters
French speaking population is not noticed in Salem
Inequities in sports and band - band requires money, access to instruments, parents to volunteer, transportation beyond the school day, fundraising, undocumented students
Transportation - not having a car is a big challenge
Salem has pride about being a diverse city and culture, but needs to back it up with actions. What does it mean to be diverse?
Chat question: Do you feel token-ized?
Black History Month - which teachers contribute?
Political conversations are the same as human rights conversations
Can we start hiring liberal-viewed staff because they are far more accepting of our student body
Are teachers really allowed to have these conversations, who gets hurt?
Trauma-Informed Practices
The need for schools to focus on increasing the use of Trauma-Informed practices is critical given our current environment. At Salem High School we’ve been leveraging the expertise of our School Adjustment Counselors and our College and Career Counselors to help our faculty improve their skills in meeting the needs of our students in this trying time.
Salem High School and the SPS Strategic Plan: Pillar 2 ("Reimagine the High School Experience")
Goal 1: Redesign programming and the instructional core around student-centered learning principles to better prepare students for college and career in the 21st century
Strategy 1
Support all students in the acquisition of rigorous core knowledge, skills, habits, and attitudes needed for success in post-secondary education and the workplace.
Strategy 2
Connect learning to the community and real-world experiences through internships and community service projects.
Strategy 3
Strengthen personalized learning approaches that will accelerate and deepen student learning by tailoring instruction/supports to each student's individual needs, skills, and interests.
Strategy 4
Prepare students who may choose to enter the workforce directly after high school with levels of skill and knowledge in a particular career area that will be valued in the marketplace.
Strategy 5
Enhance students' capacities to apply knowledge and solve complex problems using technology.
Salem High School
Email: smeier@salemk12.org
Website: https://spssalemhs.salemk12.org/
Location: 71 Willson Street, Salem, MA, USA
Phone: 978 745-9300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Salemhighschool.ma
Twitter: @_SalemHigh_