U.S. Department of Education

A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Abstracts of 1996-1997 National Awards Program Winners for Model Professional Development (February 1998)

Samuel Mason Elementary School, Roxbury, Massachusetts: Profile of Award-Winning Professional Development

Samuel Mason is a controlled choice school in the Boston Public Schools. The school sits in an old warehouse district and draws students from several nearby housing projects. A large proportion of students are of Cape Verdean decent, and there is a high percentage of parents who are unemployed. Mason, a K-5 school with 296 students.

Demographics:

71% African American
14% White (not Hispanic)
11% Hispanic
2% Asian or Pacific Islander
2% Native American or Native Alaskan
23% Limited English Proficient Students (5 languages spoken)
74% Qualify for free/reduced lunch
26% Receive special education services

Critical Factors That Led to Developing a Professional Development Model:

  1. The appointment of a new principal in 1990 saved the school from closure. This principal had a vision that incorporated a belief in site-based management and concern for all the students in the building. Under this new leadership, in five years (1991-96), Mason went from the least chosen (79th) to the 12th most selected school in Boston, while more than doubling its enrollment from 133 to 296 students. The groundwork for the professional development model was begun in 1990 with the creation of the School-Based Management/Shared Decision Making Team. The initial focus for this group was school improvement in instruction, curriculum, and assessment.

  2. The threat of closure served as a catalyst to rethink "business as usual" at Mason. The conversation focused on how better to serve the students in the building. Issues concerning reading, writing and problem solving, as well as parental involvement in schooling, emerged as primary concerns.

  3. The commitment of the teachers at Mason to raising the achievement of all students proved to be an important factor in the subsequent development of a professional development model that is grounded in analyzing student achievement data and using research on best practices to reform instruction.

Framework for Professional Development Model:

The Professional Development Team (comprising teachers, principal and parents) prepares the yearly school improvement plan that aligns professional development activities with the goals for student achievement. All the staff in the school, including the school secretary and the principal, are also required to complete personal professional development plans. Several blocks of time are used at Mason to address the professional development needs of teachers. First, summer and release-day time is used for schoolwide work. Mason has embraced much of the Accelerated Schools model for school improvement (schoolwide work has included a focus on the principles of accelerated learning, project-based learning, technology as a learning tool, and alternative assessment strategies). Second, creative scheduling is used to enable both grade-level teams and study groups to meet once a week during the school day; typically, a single issue is investigated across the school year. In addition, teachers frequently meet both before and after school to incorporate readings, discussion and the use of consultants in problem solving. Third, lead teachers in each subject area are available to assist teachers in incorporating new practices into their classrooms. These lead teachers engage in direct instruction, team-teaching, mentoring/consultation, and participation in common planning. Fourth, time is created for teachers to visit each other's classrooms (for observation and peer coaching), as well other exemplary classrooms within and outside the Boston Public School system. Finally, teachers are supported to make professional presentations at both regional and national meetings.

Mason staff have been particularly resourceful in locating funding to support this range of professional development activities. The budget draws revenue from the City of Boston General School Purposes Fund, Massachusetts Department of Education's Education Reform and Restructuring Network, Federal Title I, and grant writing. A partnership with John Hancock also provides an invaluable in-kind support for summer externships that team teachers with parents. Two important components of the program supported because of this resourcefulness are the involvement of parents in programming (e.g., monthly parent workshops and the school-based Family Center, offering weekly meetings to integrate all those adults who have an impact on student learning), and the after-school and Mason Summer Camp initiatives, which extend the learning opportunities for students.

Evaluation of the impact of the professional development activities is a high priority at Mason. This is noteworthy because the school has adopted a policy of including children with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities in all classrooms. Approximately a quarter of the students are classified as Limited English Proficient so a number of different indicators are used to measure success. Not surprisingly, reading and writing receive the major emphasis. Data from the Metropolitan Achievement Test in Reading Comprehension (a standardized test) show that Mason's average three year gain for Grades 2-5 surpassed that of the city of Boston. Also, data from a Grade 4 writing test developed by the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation and Educational Policy at Boston College show that in each of four subtests, Mason students exceeded the average score for the City of Boston and other urban school systems involved in the UDAC project. In addition to these measures, work-sampling assessment, portfolios, and twice-yearly exhibits of student's work in writing, art, and science show growth. To connect these data with professional development activities, grade-level teams monitor these data on a four-week cycle. Adjustments are made to the content of the professional development program based on these periodic assessments.

Several programmatic initiatives designed to raise student achievement provide teachers additional opportunities to engage in professional development: student teachers and interns from local universities work with teachers to develop best practices to enhance student learning; teachers mentor a ten-member team of young adults (sponsored by a partnership with City Year) who spend a year assisting in classrooms; and teachers work with a large number of parent volunteers.

Contact Information:
Samuel W. Mason Elementary School, Roxbury MA
Mary L. Russo
Principal
Samuel W. Mason Elementary School
150 Norfolk Avenue
Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119
617-635-8405
617-635-8406 (FAX)
russo@meol.mass.edu


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Last Updated -- February 20, 1998, (pjk)