Norwood annual report 1960-1962, Part 44

Author: Norwood (Mass.)
Publication date: 1960
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1256

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Division of Special Services

Mrs. Phyllis V. Curtis, Assistant, Trainable Class, 228 Nichols Street, Norwood

Miss Louise Goodman, Speech Correction and Speech Improvement Classes, 722 Cummins Highway, Mattapan

Miss Katherine M. Lantery, Adjustment Class, Intermediate Level, 332 Billings Road, Wollaston

Miss Priscilla A. Williamson, Trainable Class, Harding Street, Medfield

Transfers

Mr. Robert H. Clorite, Teacher in the Junior High School, to the position of Teacher in the Senior High School

Mr. Richard D. Fusco, Teacher in the Junior High School, to the posi- tion of Teacher in the Senior High School Mr. Charles F. Parker, Teacher in the Balch School, to the position of Teacher in the Junior High School

Mr. John A. Poce, Teacher in the Junior High School, to the position of Teacher in the Senior High School

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TOWN OF NORWOOD

Mr. Edward F. Shaughnessy, Teacher in the Junior High School, to the position of Teacher in the Senior High School

Mr. Edward F. Sweeney, Teacher in the Junior High School, to the position of Teacher in the Senior High School

New Assignments

Miss Natalie A. Alger, Teacher in the Prescott School, to the position of Teacher of Adjustment Class, Primary Level

Mrs. Mildred R. Lane, Teacher in the Division of Special Services, to the position of Principal of the Balch School

Miss Ann A. Lanoue, Teacher in the Senior High School, to the position of Director of the Division of Special Services

Mr. Richard H. Mahoney, Teacher of Physical Education, to the position of Supervisor of Elementary and Junior High School Physical Education

Mr. John F. Monbouquette, Teacher in the Senior High School, to the position of Vice Principal in the Senior High School

Mrs. Kathryn S. Paige, Teacher in the Junior High School, to the posi- tion of Guidance Counsellor in the Senior High School

Mr. Orlando M. Scafati, Teacher of Physical Education in the Senior High School, to the position of Director of Athletics and Supervisor of Senior High School Physical Education

Retirements

Miss Grace M. Beverly, Principal, Balch School

Mr. John V. Collins, Senior Building Custodian

Miss Cecelia Mitchell, Balch School

Miss Marion Smart, Junior High School

Mrs. Viola B. White, Junior High School

Resignations

Miss Jane B. Atkinson, to teach in New York

Mr. Warren F. Averill, to teach elsewhere

Mrs. Frances (Connerty) Cosgrove, to stay at home Mrs. Joan (Doull) Craig, to stay at home Mrs. Madeleine (Lucas) Curtis, to stay at home Miss Joan C. Crogan, to teach in New York Miss Joan Devlin, to be married Mr. William E. Dunn, Jr., for reasons of health Miss Patricia Egan, to teach in Braintree Mrs. Eleanore (Cashen) Fitzgerald, to stay at home Mr. William Ganter, Jr., for personal reasons Mrs. Joan (Rand) Giardello, to stay at home Miss Eleanor V. Goldman, to be married Mrs. LaVelle W. Halbert, moved to Connecticut Mrs. Ann (Oliver) Hurley, to stay at home

Mrs. Eleanor (McGuire) Kayata, to stay at home

Mrs. Cynthia (Richmond) Kaye, to stay at home

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REPORT OF NORWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Mrs. Beverly (Wine) Kramer, to stay at home

Mrs. Joan (Bridge) MacPherson, to teach elsewhere

Mrs. Eleanor (Conners) McCaskie, to stay at home

Mrs. Roberta (Bodfish) McGonigle, to stay at home Miss Theresa McNulty

Miss Mary T. Moore, to enter religious order

Mrs. Deanna (Penkus) Nealey, to stay at home

Mrs. Nancy L. Peotrowski, to stay at home

Mrs. Lois (Narwitz) Resnick, to stay at home

Mr. Thomas P. Roche, appointed High School Principal, Warren, R.I. Mrs. Reeva (Scholnick) Sagal, to stay at home

Miss Ruth Schindler, to be married Mrs. Jo-Ann (Lydon) Shanahan, to stay at home

Mrs. Jeanette (Somma) Troiano, to stay at home

Mrs. Patricia (Santos) Twombly, to stay at home

Mr. Chester Wallace, television work in California

Mr. Edward F. Worth, to teach in Boston

Military Leave of Absence

John M. Twombly, Jr.

Death

Mr. D. Vincent Kenefick, Teacher in the Senior High School, January 20, 1961

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS December 31, 1961

It is a pleasure for me to submit my second annual report as Superin- tendent of the Norwood Public Schools.

Introductory

Ten years ago, the Norwood Public Schools had an enrollment of 2,800 pupils. Today, we have some 5,000 children enrolled in the schools. As an example of growth, in October of 1952, we had some 536 pupils enrolled in Norwood Senior High School. Today, we have 1,280 students in High School. Ten years ago, the Norwood Schools had a professional staff of some 137 people; today, we have double that number on the professional staff of the Norwood Public Schools. Mention is made of these figures to point up the fact that Norwood is no longer a small school system. It has become a large enterprise, the largest single enterprise in the community, and in terms of dollars and cents, it involves a plant that assumes some $10,000,000 equipped, and involves an annual operating budget of close to $2,000,000.

Since the acquisition of the new Cleveland and Prescott Schools and the present Senior High School Addition, we not only have added to our physical facility, but of necessity, because of increased population and

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TOWN OF NORWOOD

educational demands, we have had to add tremendously to our professional staff. This is a continuing problem, recognized by all. During the past year, an Elementary School Building Committee has selected an architect and has presented with School Building Assistance Commission approval, pre- liminary plans for a new 16 room elementary school to be completed by July of 1963 for occupancy September 1, 1963. Unlike many communities, Norwood is fortunate in that it can foresee the limits of the population potential. Within the next few years, there just won't be any more room for new homes or new people. It would seem then that within the next decade, two additional schools will complete the physical expansion for the Norwood Public School System and thereafter, adequately house all chil- dren of school age. With proper maintenance, repair and renovation, Nor- wood should have a physical plant comparable to the best that exist.

Curriculum

The only reason for a school's existence is children. We are remaining alert to new trends in curriculum that we might better serve the needs of children. Of particular consequence during the past year, we have had teams exploring the reading system with an eye toward adoption of a basal reader at the primary level throughout the Town of Norwood. We feel that this will greatly enhance and solidify our skills program with regard to word attack, phonics, and total word mastery. This also will tend to produce greater consistency in the given teaching method within and among all of the grade levels of the Town of Norwood. We have concerned ourselves with the refinement of the services of the Special Service Division. We are de- riving greater utilization from the resource people in this division with re- spect to actual classroom demonstrations, as well as giving teachers greater service through the medium of our own experts and their findings. We still continue to maintain individual and small group instruction in remedial reading, in speech classes, and in speech therapy.

We have also concerned ourselves with an enrichment program at the upper intermediate level. Those children who are able to cope more than adequately with the basic curriculum and who have met the multiple cri- teria for selection are engaged in expanded and enriched learnings in Language Arts, Arithmetic, and the French Language.

At selected fifth and sixth grade levels, we have some team teaching and coordinate teaching going on. Also, we have an experimental reading program now in its second year at the Callahan School. This is an adapta- tion of the New Castle Experiment in Reading. And, at the Norwood Senior High School, in the Social Studies Department, we have some team teaching being done by members of that department.

We have expanded our developmental reading program. It is our aim to have continuity from the intermediate through the twelfth grade level and presently, we are offering developmental reading at the Junior High School and the Senior High School level.

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REPORT OF NORWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The Foreign Language program for the Norwood Public Schools begins at the third level for all children. This aural-oral French offering is given to every third and fourth grade child and, again those who can cope ade- quately with the basic curriculum, may continue this on a selective basis at the fifth grade level. Children who have been selected for this program at the fifth level may continue this throughout the rest of their career. Those children who do not have the opportunity at the fifth level may again elect a foreign language at the eighth level and thereafter follow throughi with the normal college requirement in the language area.

At the Norwood Senior High School, we have a diversity of offering and every program is individually made for the particular student. Begin- ning at the eighth level, the more able student is selected for a more rigorous program and students who are able to maintain good academic standing may continue this throughout their High School career. The more able students selected for this type of program receive advanced instruc- tion, their program being enriched and extended vertically and laterally. Individual differences are of great concern and the students who can main- tain this pace are receiving advanced instruction over and beyond the normal college preparation.

The Norwood Public Schools have had a good reputation academically over the years. It is our intention to firmly hold this position. College ad- missions are one thing; completion of the four year program is another. Norwood again, has had an enviable record, as evidenced by the large num- ber of graduates from Norwood High School who have successfully com- pleted a four year college program at leading colleges and universities throughout the country.

Guidance

At the Junior High School and Senior High School levels, we have concerned ourselves with better staffing of the Guidance Department and presently we have two guidance counselors at the Junior High School and four guidance counselors at the Senior High School. Renovation of the physical facilities for this department have been completed and the environment for interviews and counseling is now of excel- lent quality. The expansion of guidance services in Norwood and tlie corresponding increase in personnel have pointed to the necessity for clarifying the status of this department with its numerous interrelation- ships. First steps have already been taken and a proposal of a guidance program to define and delimit the duties and responsibilities of guidance personnel has already been projected. The coordinate activity of tlie Director of Special Services and the Guidance Department will insure integration and better articulation within and among all educational levels.

Special Education

With regard to special education, last year we instituted a Class for Trainables. We also maintain educable classes at the Primary, Intermediate and Junior High School levels for the slow learner. Direct responsibility

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TOWN OF NORWOOD

for the special education program falls under the jurisdiction of the Special Services Division and more complete information about this program will be found in the annual report of the Director of Special Services.

N.D.E.A.

Annually at Town Meeting, the people of Norwood have made an ap- propriation consistent with the National Defense Education Act which has allowed the Norwood Public Schools, with matching funds, to substantially increase our Science, Mathematics, Foreign Language, and guidance areas with regard to instructional equipment, physical facilities and increased personnel. This federal aid for Norwood has been of great help to us in the areas mentioned and we have profitted greatly therefrom at all levels.

In Conclusion

A school system will be only as good as the people of their community will allow it to be. The Town of Norwood is fortunate indeed for the people in this community are desirous of an educational system second to none. During the past year, I have had the opportunity to speak to every parent- teacher association group within the community. Also, I have had the privilege of sharing educational ideas with many community and service organizations and the sincerity and expressed desires of all of the people have been most heartwarming to me for there is singleness of purpose and aim; to provide the best educational facilities possible for the young people of Norwood. An extension of this excellent educational interest and attitude has been evidenced by the cooperation of all Town Boards and Town De- partments which I have had the pleasure to work with during the year. We have the constant educational challenge before us because of the educa- tional desires of the people of Norwood. We shall do our utmost to con- stantly warrant the confidence and trust that has been placed before us.

I would like to thank all members of the Norwood Public Schools for their cooperation, enthusiasm and willingness to perform the many and varied tasks required of this highly moral vocation. And, to the members of the Norwood School Committee, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent cooperation and understanding help that has been extended to me. It has been a distinct privilege and a pleasure working with you in our common endeavors.

PHILIP O. COAKLEY

Superintendent of Schools

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REPORT OF NORWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

I have the honor to present my sixteenth annual report as Principal of the Senior High School.

An Overview

Predictions of burgeoning enrollment have indeed come true. The new thirty-four room addition to the school is rapidly approaching comple-

tion. Since September we have been operating on double sessions with Grades Ten through Twelve attending school in the morning, and the Ninth Graders coming in the afternoon. Outstanding cooperation of students, teachers, and parents has sharply minimized possible educational losses. We have been able to continue and even further to refine our programming practices designed to place throughout the day each individual learner in a series of classroom situations structured specifically to meet his individual needs and capabilities. Furthermore, temporary schedules have been so formulated that when it is possible for us to go on single session, this change will be effected without disrupting present teacher-pupil assign- ments. Thus with new and enlarged facilities in immediate prospect, the year just past in a sense marks the end of an era. Interested citizens will, however, we believe, find in this report a delineation of the major charac- teristics which will typify the emerging school.

Enrollments And Their Significance Table #1

Enrollment as of November 1, 1961 - Grades 7-12 inclusive

No. in St. Catherine's

Grade

No. in Public School

Parochial School

Total

348*

146

494

312*

145

457

376

383

241

250

in Junior High School

Table #2

Estimated Enrollment at Senior High for two-year period beginning

November 1, 1962:

Grade

1962

1963

375

403

350

370

360

340

230

350

1315

1463

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TOWN OF NORWOOD

Table #1 shows that as of November 1, 1961, there was a total of 1250 students in Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. These four Grades are now housed at the Senior High School. This in an increase of almost 40 per cent over last year's Senior High School enrollment. Table #2 indicates as an estimate that during the next two years there will be a further rise in High School enrollment of approximately 8 per cent. Thus in the Fall of 1963 a student population of approximately 1463 is predicted. This will approach the capacity of the facilities existing at that time.

Guidance Is Strengthened

In September two counselors were added to our existing Guidance Staff to give us four full-time guidance workers. The counselor-student ratio at the school is now approximately one to three hundred. Also, for guidance purposes we have divided the student body into four groups - each group to include approximately one-fourth of each of the four classes. One such group has been assigned to each counselor. Also additional floor space has been made available for guidance and remodeled to provide a guidance waiting room and library plus four individual conference rooms.

Over the years as secondary education has grown more complex, guidance has become an increasingly valuable adjunct to the total school effort. This will continue. In the future every aspect of the individual's adjustment to the school situation, including attendance and discipline, will at least initially be the concern and responsibility of his counselor.

Study Skills And Reading Courses

In September a second full-time Reading Teacher was added to the Senior High School faculty. This has now made possible at the Senior High School a new required course in Study Skills and Reading at the Ninth Grade level. Teachers have found over the years that not infrequently young people even in the eleventh and twelfth grades have yet to learn how to study efficiently and effectively. Of course a knowledge of how to read for the purpose at hand is an essential ingredient of effective study skills. All ninth-grade students are receiving instruction in these important areas. In addition, through a variety of measures including Diagnostic Testing of Reading Ability, ninth graders who need special remedial help in reading are being identified and assigned to special classes for this special instruction.

Meanwhile, strong developmental Reading Classes are being scheduled on an elective basis for upper classmen, college bound and otherwise.

The School Library Grows in Service

During 1961, almost 1000 new volumes were added to our School · Library. Also, for the first time last Spring, the School Library sponsored a paper back book fair featuring exclusively books which combine reading interest with high literary merit. At the fair 1026 volumes in this category were sold at modest prices to students. In another library undertaking, throughout the Fall each of the thirty ninth and tenth grade English classes individually was given a four-lesson orientation in the use of Library facilities.

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REPORT OF NORWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Furthermore since we have been on double sessions, the Library has been open for morning and afternoon use. Students have been able to come to the Library during their free half of the day. Many have done so. We expect this after-school use of the Library to continue when we are on single session.

The last five years have seen the School Library become an important and integral part of our educational program. With further expansion in immediate prospect, we are encouraged to hope that each of our young people will come increasingly to recognize the almost limitless contribution which books can make to successful living.

Advanced Secretarial Training Transferred

Because of crowded facilities at the Peabody School and the need to rotate the schedule of the comprehensive High School, this year for the first time twelfth-grade students who wish advanced secretarial training are receiving this instruction on a full-time basis at the Senior High School. Over the years we have been proud of the quality of the courses in Business Training available for our young people. Excellence in education has been underlined at all levels. Under the new plan this will continue. A fully integrated High School Business Department is now possible under a rotating schedule.

New Offerings in Foreign Language

In September for the first time at the High School, a fourth year of French and a third year of Spanish were included in our Foreign Language offerings. Both of these new courses give promise of success and will be continued. Four years of Latin instruction, of course, have traditionally been available. In our modern foreign languages, for the past several years we have placed particular emphasis on the aural lingual approach. In this connection I am happy to report that with the opening of the new building, we shall have available for language instruction a thirty-station electronic language laboratory. The language laboratory can indeed be a powerful teaching aid and will, we confidently expect, further implement this important approach to foreign language instruction.

Team Teaching in Social Studies

Three of our competent social studies teachers are this year as an experiment employing a form of team teaching in our Problems of Democracy classes. To prepare for this new approach, each teacher on the team had to become particularly well informed in a large and different segment of the total course content. At the beginning of the second and third terms, each teacher moves to an entirely new set of classes to consider in depth with these new students for that term the specific areas which are that teacher's particular competence. At the beginning of the fourth term, teachers will return to their original classes to cover the new material of the last quarter and to review and intergrate the year's work. While final evaluation must await the end of the course, we believe that there is much of promise in this approach. It will, we expect, continue.

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TOWN OF NORWOOD

New Approaches in Mathematics

Two years ago we extended and broadened our Mathematics IV course so that it would afford a more adequate preparation for college mathe- matics. In September we introduced for the first time courses in Modern Mathematics at the ninth, tenth and eleventh grade levels. The four teachers who are conducting these experimental courses are enthusiastic about them and are in agreement that we should continue and even accelerate the transition from classical to modern mathematics.

Furthermore, the first group of Norwood students who began Algebra in the 8th grade are now Sophomores. The work of these Sophomores this year in Junior Mathematics seems to indicate that the experience of having selected students to begin Algebra one year earlier is notably successful. Students who begin Algebra in the eighth grade and who successfully complete Mathematics IV in the eleventh grade will be able to take a full year of college mathematics in the twelfth grade and thus be eligible for advanced placement in college. This would seem to be a most desirable outcome.

Losses Sustained - The Drop-Out Rate

Over the years the holding power of the School has been truly remarkable. Our drop-out rate continues to be extremely low. While the National drop-out average is a disturbing 40 per cent and the State-wide drop-out rate in Massachusetts is 22 per cent, the drop-out rate at the Norwood Senior High School from September 15, 1960, to September 15, 1961, was actually less than 6 per cent. By definition it is the unique role of the public comprehensive high school in the United States to serve all the children of all the people. A drop-out rate of 6 per cent is, we submit, favorable evidence that the School is meeting its democratic commitment in this important particular.

The Quality of the Product

Of the 240 graduates in the Class of 1961, 147 or 61 per cent of the total are continuing with some form of post high school traning. Eighty young people or 33 per cent of the class are attending four-year degree granting colleges of National and World-wide reputation. In this connection, again this year every member of the graduating class who applied for college admission with even a reasonably adequate college preparatory record was successful in gaining admission, most of them to the colleges of their first choice. Furthermore, many of these graduates were awarded. scholarships based to a considerable degree on National competitive exam- inations. Thirty-nine per cent of those attending four-year colleges received scholarships of some amount. The total scholarship help for which individual graduates of last year's class qualified and which was actually offered to these graduates exceeded $100,000. This amazing sum was a new record in our scholarship experience. Also in the matter of success in college after admission, the record will show that almost without exception

In Memorium

D. VINCENT KENEFICK 1934 - 1961

The untimely death of Mr. Kenefick in January of 1961, brought to an end a career devoted to helping the young people of Nor- wood. Over a period of 27 years, Mr. Kenefick served faithfully and well as teacher, department head, and guidance counselor to hundreds of Norwood High School students.

Conscientious and diligent in the performance of his tasks, he was admired and respected by all. As an outstanding educator and citizen of Norwood, he will be long remembered.

We, Members of the Norwood School Committee, resolve that this statement shall be copied for public announcement and that a copy be sent ot his family.

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Norwood annual report 1960-1962, Part 44

Author: Norwood (Mass.) Publication date: 1960 Publisher: The Town Number of Pages: 1256

Author: Norwood (Mass.)
Publication date: 1960
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1256