Murdock Middle School Impresses State-Appointed Education Officials

by Dr. Jonathan Landman
In each of the last five years, due to the school's accountability rating, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has sent a team of independent evaluators to Murdock Middle School (MMS) for an in-depth site visit to see how the school is performing. This year's site visit took place on Monday May 16th, when the school was visited by three individuals:

• Kristina Randall, Ph.D. - University of South Carolina Upstate, SchoolWorks
• David Prudente, Ed.D. - Institute for Strategic Leadership and Learning (INSTLL, LLC) Northeastern University
• Brett Lane, Ph.D - CEO and President of Institute for Strategic Leadership and Learning (INSTLL, LLC) Northeastern University

The visitors collected data by observing classrooms to rate instruction across ten areas of practice, and by conducting focus groups with administrators, staff and students. Ahead of time, they also conducted an extensive review of school data and documents. On Tuesday May 17th, Principal Vezina, the school's Instructional Leadership Team and several partners from DESE met with the visitors to hear a preliminary report of the site visit findings. The report was glowing!

Dr. Prudente led off:

"This school is a unicorn. We don't see what you've done here often in our work. It is impressive to see what you've done [at Murdock Middle School]. You are organizing and implementing [school improvements] at a much higher level. The goal is for this to translate into student achievement; this may not be the year we see the learning outcomes. But from my perspective, you are on the right track. You have systems in place to shift to student-directed learning. Summit helps to make it coherent for your students."

They found that "there is a well-defined and professionally valued system of monitoring and enhancing...instruction"...and they were excited by the results. Referencing the data they had collected while visiting classrooms, Drs. Prudente and Randall expressed surprise and admiration regarding the consistent level of solid instructional practice. Across the ten areas of instructional practice (e.g. implementation of standards-aligned instruction; creating a supportive environment for students; etc.) not one classroom was rated "Ineffective" in any area. In nine of ten areas, 75% or more of classrooms were rated Effective or Mostly Effective. In the last two years, Dr. Randall said, he has conducted site visits to 25 schools and he has "never been in a school that had zero's down the line in the ineffective column."

They found a very strong professional culture in the building, with faculty who collaborate with one another and with their administrators. They found that "administrators and teachers...are actively monitoring and assessing the implementation and impact of key improvement strategies, use of resources, classroom instructional practices and non-academic supports on student achievement."

The visitors especially admired the mentoring structures at MMS, noting that faculty mentors have meaningful relationships with the students, but also go beyond that to ensure that students are getting the direction and support they need to succeed. They were also very taken by the extent to which students use the Summit platform to monitor - and improve on - their own progress. As Dr. Prudente put it:

"When we hear students telling us that they set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable and Timed) goals for themselves, and then tell us what their goals are...this is next level. You've done something that many, many schools haven't figured out how to do. This is a school to study!"

Like all Winchendon Public Schools, the Middle School is committed to continuous improvement. The site visit also highlighted opportunities to continue honing existing strengths. The school has already begun to focus on these opportunities as they craft their improvement plans for the coming year.

Nobaleigh Laraba of Winchendon, MA, has been named to Clarkson University's Dean's List

POTSDAM, NY (05/26/2022)-- Nobaleigh Laraba of Winchendon, MA, a freshman majoring in biology, was named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2022 semester at Clarkson University.

Dean's List students must achieve a minimum 3.25 grade-point average and also carry at least 14 credit hours.

As a private, national research university, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation. We ignite personal connections across academic fields and industries to create the entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge and intellectual curiosity needed to innovate world-relevant solutions and cultivate the leaders of tomorrow. With its main campus located in Potsdam, N.Y., and additional graduate program and research facilities in the New York Capital Region, Beacon, N.Y., and New York City, Clarkson educates 4,300 students across 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, the arts, education, sciences and health professions. Our alumni earn salaries that are among the top 2.5% in the nation and realize accelerated career growth. One in five already leads as a CEO, senior executive or owner of a company.

Kindergarten Registration Is Still Open - Don't Forget to Register Your Kindergartner!

If you have a child that will be eligible for the 2022-2023 Kindergarten school year, you will need to fill out the registration forms that can be found on our website at www.winchendonk12.org/o/mes. They are located under the Menu dropdown, Kindergarten Registration. You can download and fill in the forms. Hard copies are also available at Memorial School. Once completed, you will need to return them to Memorial School along with the items listed below. You can do this any number of ways:

1. Fax: 978-297-3944
2. Email: mmacewen@winchendonk12.org
3. Mail: Memorial School, 32 Elmwood Road, Winchendon, MA 01475
4. Drop off: In person between the hours of 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

No child will be admitted to Kindergarten without having met the eligibility requirements listed below.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1. If your child is five (5) years of age by August 31 of the forthcoming year, he/she is eligible.
2. BIRTH CERTIFICATE- Original must be brought with you.
3. PROOF OF RESIDENCY - Current utility bill, or copy of lease.
4. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION INCLUDING VISION AND HEARING SCREENING BY YOUR PHYSICIAN MUST BE DATED AFTER AUGUST 31, 2022.
5. IMMUNIZATIONS - VERIFICATION WILL NEED TO BE PROVIDED BY THE END OF AUGUST. This must include lead screen results. Read or download complete immunization requirements (PDF)

Each child MUST have a physical examination completed by your physician. A signed printout from your child's doctor's office listing all the required information is also acceptable. Students cannot start school without a completed physical. We recommend calling your physician today to schedule an appointment as it sometimes takes several months to get one.

All completed immunization/examination forms need to be in the School Nurse's Office by Friday, August 26th before your child will be permitted to start school. These forms can be faxed by your doctor to the school at 978-297-3944.

There will be a Parent Orientation on Wednesday, May 18 from 6-7 at Memorial School. More information will be provided. A Kindergarten Screening will be conducted, as required by State and Federal school laws. Screenings will be Wednesday, June 1, Thursday, June 2, and Friday, June 3. You will be contacted as these dates get closer to schedule an appointment.

We share the excitement of your child entering Kindergarten and look forward to both of you being a part of the Memorial School family. Please feel free to call the school at (978) 297-1305, with any questions or concerns you may have.

Mount Wachusett Community College Confers 638 Degrees and Certificates to 592 Students During Commencement Ceremonies

GARDNER, MA - May 24, 2022 - Mount Wachusett Community College celebrated the academic achievements of its graduates during the college's 57th Commencement on May 18, 2022. A total of 592 students graduated, with 474 associate degrees and 164 certificates being conferred. In addition to the 2022 graduates, eight students from the class of 2020 and twenty-eight from the class of 2021 also marched in the first in-person commencement since 2019.

"It feels amazing to be back here with you tonight. We have waited for three years to be back in this space for this event together," MWCC President James Vander Hooven noted in his welcome address. "You represent the epitome of perseverance. You have risen to and overcome all the challenges placed before you to be here tonight. The importance moving forward, establishing and re-establishing human connections, relationships, and partnerships, in your future work and in your future education, must go forward with you. To commence means to begin, to move forward. While your educational journey with the Mount is coming to an end, it is just a beginning. This beginning comes with responsibility, the responsibility to use what you have gained for the betterment of your communities and your families."

Student speaker Jennifer Gariepy, who was receiving her associate degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, addressed her fellow graduates, "From here on out, I want you to stand tall with your head held high, because we earned more than a degree or certificate. We earned self-respect, self-love, and self-confidence, because our perseverance overcame the obstacles that tried to get in our way. We are starting the next chapter of our lives stronger than we were before."

The theme of perseverance was continued by keynote speaker Chris Gabrieli, Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, "Every ceremony is full of pride and joy, but this one is extra special to us all because we have been through so much to get here."

Gabrieli noted that the MWCC commencement was particularly special for him because of the college's leadership in the early college movement, a program that has been a touchstone for him through his time at the Board of Higher Education. "The Mount was a pioneer in this field far before I got involved, and it's a shining star now, taking full advantage of taking what the state offers to support Early College. I am proud and grateful to the Mount for stepping up, as they do so often and so well, to be a leader in imagining and executing on new ways students of every age can benefit from college and the learning offered here at the Mount."

"Congratulations to all of you with gratitude for the opportunity to share in the joy of this day, with optimism that you will make the world a better place with your educated skills, your courage, and your proven resilience," Gabrieli concluded.

The following Winchendon students received their diplomas:

Associates: Jacqueline Louise Bussiere, Krissiauna Shanea Chartier, Isabelle Jordan Costa, Meagan N. Cucchiara, Mollie Rebeccah Decosta, Kiley Donahue, Casey Drouin, Andrew M. Forest, Nicole A. Leeper, Emily Meyer, Matthew Ryan Perenzin, Rebekah Sawicki, Mansi Sureshkumar Prajapati, Greyson T. Suppa

Certificate: Jacqueline Louise Bussiere, Edward Bruce Coulter, Amy Marie Fasulo, Linda Hofhaug, Trevor Courtland Holland, Rubin Metellus, Emily Meyer, Joyce Rodriguez, Rebekah Sawicki, Samantha Leigh Thiers, Breanna Bethany Whittier