Front Page News
February 22, 2012
Pittsfield School District Awarded $2 Million Grant
From Nellie Mae Education Foundation To Implement Student Centered
Learning In Schools
Pittsfield Youth Workshop Awarded $130,000 As Lead Community Partner
The Pittsfield School District announced today that it has received
a three-year, $2,000,000 grant from the Nellie Mae Education
Foundation (NMEF), the largest charitable organization in New
England focused exclusively on education, to support
student-centered approaches to learning.
The grant will be used to support the long-term school
transformation work plan developed over the past year by the
Pittsfield Schools’ Community Advisory Council, a collaboration of
students, parents, citizens, civic and business leaders, and
educators. Among the priorities identified is a new staff position
to support dual enrollment (courses bearing both high school and
college credit), professional development for staff to strengthen
literacy and mathematics learning, and personal electronic devices
for each and every student that will allow students to take
advantage of current technology for personalized learning.
In order to prosper as a community, both the Foundation and school
district believe that communities need more learners achieving at
higher levels. Student-centered approaches are aimed at reshaping
education to move away from the current system’s "one-size-fits-all"
methodology to a truly personalized, highly empowering learning
environment.
Student-centered learning models are built around the recognition
that different students learn in different ways, including being
flexible about how time is used for both students and educators,
such as accessing learning opportunities outside the traditional
school calendar; harnessing the broader community to support and
deepen learning experiences; articulating and employing curriculum,
instruction, and assessment that promotes the skills and knowledge
needed for success in college, work, and life; basing advancement on
demonstration of proficiency in skills and knowledge.
"This grant acknowledges all of the hard work the people in
Pittsfield have been doing. It is another example of the successful
programs we have to provide students with multiple pathways to
graduation, more relevant and applied learning, extended learning
opportunities outside of the classroom, and expanding our online
learning opportunities for all students," said Commissioner of
Education, Virginia M. Barry, Ph.D. "We are proud of Pittsfield and
look forward to working with them and other districts to enhance
their Student Centered Learning programs."
The Pittsfield School District’s mission, that was articulated
during a series of community forums during the 2008-2009 school
year, states the aim is to "engage our children and youth in dynamic
learning that is personalized, monitored, and adjusted to promote
growth in each and every learner." The community is committed "to a
comprehensive system of support that ensures that our graduates
possess direction in life, sound academic skills, commitment to hard
work, an ethic of involved citizenship, and thoughtful plans for the
next phase of their lives."
"Members of our Pittsfield community have expressed their strong
support of student-centered learning through their work over the
past year and a half to develop a long-term plan for the development
of our schools," said John Freeman, Superintendent of Schools. "Our
community has articulated an exciting vision for the future of
Pittsfield’s schools, one that demonstrates a high level of caring
for our students and a strong commitment to positive school change."
The Pittsfield Youth Workshop (PYW) is collaborating with the school
district to actualize the ambitious plan for school transformation.
The PYW is a nonprofit youth organization committed to providing
programs and services that empower youth by helping them to develop
useful skills, self-esteem, and meaningful friendships by involving
them in activities that are interesting, challenging, and healthy
avenues to self-discovery.
"There has already been a lot of change happening in Pittsfield, and
we look forward to being an integral part of this transformation
over the next few years," said Zach Powers, executive director of
PYW. "We are most excited about giving community members, especially
students, a chance to take the lead to make education in Pittsfield
more collaborative and student centered."
Grants are being made under NMEF’s District-Level Systems Change
(DLSC) initiative that the Foundation is using to promote the
implementation of student-centered approaches.
"The combined challenges of more learners needing to succeed and
succeed at a higher level, led us to these partners," said Nicholas
C. Donohue, President and CEO of the Nellie Mae Education
Foundation. "We believe that these grantees are most aligned with
our theory of change, had a three-year plan that was developed
collaboratively by the district and its key stakeholders, and
display strong collaborations with community partners. We are
looking forward to seeing their successes."
About the Nellie Mae
Education Foundation
The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is the largest charitable
organization in New England that focuses exclusively on education.
The Foundation supports the promotion and integration of
student-centered approaches to learning at the middle and high
school levels across New England. To elevate student-centered
approaches, the Foundation utilizes a three-part strategy that
focuses on: developing and enhancing models of practice; reshaping
education policies; and increasing public understanding and demand
for high quality educational experiences. The Foundation’s
initiative areas are: District Level Systems Change; State Level
Systems Change; Research and Development; and Public Understanding.
Since 1998, the Foundation has distributed over $123 million in
grants.
For more information, visit
www.nmefoundation.org.
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