Holyoke Public Schools is seeing a strong start to the new school year, which school and district staff say is a reflection of key initiatives and planning over the past year, including:
Robust planning and execution of the district’s Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) Plan;
Stronger school-family, teacher-student, and staff-to-staff relationships as HPS enters the second year of rezoned schools;
Revised teacher work days; and
Improved professional development for teachers and staff.
“We are encouraged to see some strong early data during the first six weeks of school,” said Superintendent Anthony Soto. “The numbers point to growth and improvement, thanks to the combined efforts of our teachers, staff, students, and their families.”
Key data points for the start of the school year include:
Referrals decreased by 46% for the first six weeks of school compared to the same time period last school year.
Suspensions also decreased 37% for the first six weeks of school compared to the same time period last year, with referrals continuing to decrease over the past several weeks.
BOY STAR Early Literacy results show that more students started this school year with proficient literacy skills compared to last year—with this year's first-grade students demonstrating a 50% increase in their literacy proficiency compared to last year.
During recent classroom walkthroughs, school and district staff identified a numbers of areas of strength, including:
An 80% student engagement rate;
A steady increase in the amount of time students spend writing;
Time set aside for students to practice their learning independently;
Teachers effectively using one or more priority instructional strategies during 89% of the walkthroughs; and
Teachers using inclusive practices during 82% of the walkthroughs.
“We are also seeing a shift in our teachers as they move from classroom management to a sharper focus on rigor. For instance, they are using more exemplars* as they monitor independent student work,” Assistant Superintendent Stephen Mahoney said. “This strategy will become a primary focus for coaching and supervision in the coming weeks.”
*Exemplars are examples of strong student work or teacher-created examples that help students understand what is expected of them in an assignment.
“Our work continues to be guided by our strategic plan and our key focus areas for the 2024-25 school year,” Superintendent Soto said, which include:
Delivering high-quality lessons so that all students are supported to develop grade-level skills and knowledge, with a focus on early literacy for grades K-2;
Using instructional feedback and student data to identify what students know, what they need, and adjust planning accordingly; and
Executing schoolwide systems and classroom strategies to promote student connection and positive learning behaviors.