RPS Superintendent's Update
Dr. Branco - 11/1/22
In Good Hands
Dear RPS Community,
As we enter November, the school year is in full swing with students engaged in a wide variety of learning experiences, extra curricular activities and athletic events. RPS educators have been actively involved in professional development focused on developing an equity mindset in an effort to ensure that we are getting to know each of our students and provide them with an inclusive, innovative and individualized experience that challenges all learners to maximize their potential and positively impact our world.
I am excited and humbled to report that as I visit classrooms, I continuously observe teachers working to make authentic connections with students, and students who are actively engaged with the content demonstrating their developing skills and knowledge in a variety of ways. Over the past four weeks my visits included the following high school classes: Mr. Gagnon’s Honors US History, Mr. Larson’s AP US History, Ms. Walker’s US History through Film, Mr. Lawnsby’s AP Calculus, Ms. Duffy and Ms. Schram’s Spanish classes, Mr. Bean’s Chemistry, and Ms. Swanson’s AP Biology class who learned about DNA with guest clinicians from Gloucester Biotechnology Academy. I also got to see the great interdisciplinary work being done in Ms. Crocker's The Art of Science middle school elective. Recent elementary visits included: Mss. Pizzimenti, Proposki, and Rice’s Kindergarten classes who were working on the number 6; Mss. Barenboym, Kluge, and Zerilli’s first grade classes who were involved in morning meetings and word problems; Mss. Archer and Perrotti’s third grade classes who were learning about money (math) and water (science); Ms. Weaver, Ms. Notte, and Mr. Swanson’s fifth graders who were reading and journaling. I also had a great time jumping rope in PE with Ms. Canniff’s first graders and playing hand drums with the preschoolers in Ms. Shaw-Reeses music class. I’d be remiss if I didn’t recognize our incredible choral students and Ms. Pike, Ms. Shaw-Reese, and Mr. Lawnsby for their incredible performances at the Choral festival.Check out some of the pictures below.
The release of MCAS and NAEP results at the state and national level has raised concern among many that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused learning setbacks for America's children, sparing no state or region. RPS has a strong culture of progress monitoring. MCAS is one of many data sets used by RPS educators throughout the year. Additional progress monitoring tools include:
Galileo (ELA 3-12, Math K-Algebra II, Science 5-8 & HS Biology)
Subject specific formative & summative assessments
PSAT, SAT, AP
In an effort to meet the needs of all students, the above data is reviewed throughout the year by educator teams and used to:
adjust individual, small group, and whole class instructional practices
develop & implement support and intervention strategies
adjust instructional materials & resources
review and update programmatic design & implementation
Through continued focus on progress monitoring and adjustment to practices, our talented educators are committed to ensuring that our students will demonstrate growth and achievement and continue to be prepared for college and career when they graduate from Rockport High School. Our students are in good hands!
Superintendent’s Entry Plan
I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to complete my entry plan survey and those stakeholders who have or will soon participate in one-on-one interviews. These activities allow me to collaborate with school and community stakeholders to identify areas of strength as well as areas in need of improvement in an effort to develop a new Strategy for District Improvement that will guide our work and help us define and reach our long-term goals.
School Cancelation Process
As we begin to enjoy the fall, it is also important that we plan ahead for another New England winter. In the event that the District has to delay or cancel school, the following protocol will be followed:
If possible, we will make a decision regarding a delayed opening or cancellation the night before. If not, a decision will be made by 5:30am that morning.
Families will receive a phone call, email, and text message.
Delay or cancelation notice will also be posted on the District's website and all District social media accounts
Rockport Public Schools
Email: mbranco@rpk12.org
Website: rpk12.org/
Location: 32 Jerdens Lane, Rockport, MA, USA
Phone: (978)546-1200
Twitter: @Mark_Branco