Published in the September 23, 2015 edition
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Lynnfield High School is looking to expand learning opportunities for students in new ways, High School Principal Bob Cleary told the School Committee.
Cleary appeared before the school board to discuss the school improvement plan for LHS. The plan, which includes three different components, is aligned to the school department’s strategic plan.
The plan involves looking into creating an internship program and college credit program. The plan also includes an initiative related to English language arts.
Internship
The first goal included on the LHS improvement plan seeks to explore alternative educational experiences and broaden student-learning opportunities in non-traditional ways.
Cleary said a committee will be formed to begin laying the groundwork for creating an internship program. He said the committee will be tasked with identifying and implementing potential student internship opportunities.
“We are really excited and energized about putting together a senior internship program,” said Cleary. “I think the sky is the limit with where we can go with this.”
According to Cleary, the internship program will be piloted by a limited number of students for the program’s first year. He hopes the program will be expanded in the coming years.
According to the goal, the internship program will be communicated with seniors interested in the program. He said students will be able to intern at a business or an area that interests students. He said the program will be made available to students who meet specific criteria.
In addition to having seniors intern outside of LHS, the high school will be offering internship programs inside the high school as well. The high school’s in-school programs would involve the Student Help Desk, the new Maker Space, robotics program, academic help centers and even athletics.
“There are a number of ideas and interests we are looking at,” said Cleary.
Additionally, a student survey will be administered to assess the program.
In response to a question from School Committee Chairwoman Susie Cleary, Principal Cleary said internship opportunities outside of LHS will only be available to seniors. He said in-school programs will available to both upperclassmen and underclassmen.
School Committee Vice Chairman Tim Doyle asked Cleary what time of year would the off campus internship program be offered. Due to logistical issues, Cleary said the off campus internship program will take place at the end of the school year, most likely after April vacation.
“I think a lot of the schools we’ve talked to and a lot of the students we have talked to have said an abbreviated internship that would go to the last two weeks of May before graduation is still going to be a great experience,” said Cleary. “I think our kids are excited about it.”
Doyle inquired if the proposed internship program is a growing trend taking place at area high schools. He also asked Cleary if the program would serve as a resume builder even though students will already be accepted to colleges.
Cleary said high school internship programs have been “around for quite awhile, but its something gaining traction.” He also noted the internship program will allow students to determine which areas interest them before they commit to a specific major in college.
“They will be able to test the waters,” said Cleary. “It’s a way to get kids exposed to what they want to do.”
As part of the plan to develop the internship program, Cleary said Assistant Principal Kevin Cyr will be leading a committee tasked with reviewing the high school’s existing schedule to “identify limitations, advantages or alternatives.” He said he would like the high school’s schedule to become more flexible.
In the past, Cleary noted the high school developed programs where LHS students worked with younger students at the elementary and middle schools “on specific projects.” However, he said coordinating those types of activities is currently difficult because of the high school’s rotating schedule.
“If we have students interested in going into education, we would like to give them an experience to work with elementary or middle school kids later in the day, perhaps during last period or the period before that,” said Cleary. “But right now, that period rotates around, so it might be first period one day and last period the next.”
School Committee member Dorothy Presser inquired if the proposal to revise the high school’s schedule would also “enhance student learning” in addition to providing internship opportunities to seniors.
“Without a doubt,” said Cleary. “If there is a perfect schedule out there, everybody would be doing it. Everybody loves parts of their schedule and everybody has parts they want to work on. We are constantly looking at our schedule to see how we can enhance all of our students.”
College credit
The high school improvement plan’s second goal seeks to provide students with the opportunity to earn college credit while earning their high school diploma.
Cleary said a committee will be formed to establish protocols as part of an effort to establish an early college program for high school students. He said LHS will partner with other local high schools and North Shore Community College to develop a “dual enrollment type of program that will provide students the opportunity to earn college credit in specific areas of study while fulfilling their high school graduation requirements.”
According to Cleary, the high school will be determining “acceptable credits to satisfy high school graduation requirements.” The high school will also identify potential students for the program.
In an e-mail with the Villager, Cleary said the high school has had a Dual Enrollment program “in place for years” and some students have taken advantage of it.
“This new program will add additional support for students that is not available in the current program,” said Cleary. “We do not expect a large number of students for the college credit program but obviously hope that students will be able to take advantage of the opportunity.”
Cleary said a number of area school districts such as Amesbury, Manchester-Essex, Masconomet and Swampscott have similar college credit programs.
School Committee member Jamie Hayman inquired how the college credit program would be funded.
According to Cleary, there are a variety of funding sources that are available for these types of programs, including state funding, parent funding and cost sharing initiatives. He also said some dual enrollment programs are free depending on the number of students enrolled.
“It’s a great opportunity and community college is a very affordable road to go,” said Cleary.
Hayman raised questions about the high school’s internship and college credit goals.
“I think goals one and two feel very, very senior heavy and will impact a very narrow number of students,” said Hayman. “Part of me wonders if we are focusing on the right students for something like this because we are making students more marketable for a college decision that has already been made.”
Cleary said he wants to expand the internship program to juniors at a later date. He also said he believes both programs will benefit underclassmen because the program will spark their interest.
“Right now, it seems very narrow,” said Cleary. “But we are looking to expand it as it takes off.”
ELA
The high school’s third school improvement plan seeks to develop and implement a grade 9-12 “continuum of instruction for teaching text” based on vocabulary through English language arts courses.
Cleary said the goal is connected to recommendations outlined by the ELA Committee. The high school will be developing “best practices” for vocabulary instruction, which will be implemented in grades 9-12. He said the high school’s goal is to expand the initiative into other subject areas in the future.
“We are going to look at our vocabulary from a contextual standpoint, which blends and bleeds right into what the new SAT format is going to be looking like,” said Cleary. “That is just good teaching and learning.”
