USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Ipswich > Town annual report of Ipswich 1955 > Part 4
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When candidates applications are received, a careful screening process is carried on and several candidates are invited to Ipswich for an interview with the Superintendent, Prin- cipal and/or Supervisors. A limited number are selected for follow-up and are observed in a teaching situation, either in Ipswich or at their college or present place of employ- ment. From this group, one finalist is se- lected and the candidate spends a full day in the Ipswich school system meeting teach-
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ers and pupils. The School Committee interviews the candidate and numerous questions are asked, not only about the candidate's background, but also about ideas on educational matters.
When the candidate has been approved by the School Committee, an orientation program is put into effect so that the new staff member is completely familiar with all aspects of the local school system before entering the classroom. This orientation pro- gram includes observation in our classrooms, consultations with the Superintendent, Prin- cipal and Supervisors and discussion with teachers of similar grade and subject in' our system. The new teacher is then given teaching materials to look over in prepara- tion for the coming school year. The day before school starts, the teachers are given a review on matters previously discussed and in the first year of teaching, numerous professional conferences are held between the new teacher and administrative and supervisory personnel.
In spite of great competition, Ipswich has been able to attract and retain superior teachers. New teachers have come to Ips- wich and proven teachers have remained because they have found here a professional challenge they can have a part in solving. Another important factor that has held teachers in Ipswich has been a professional esprit de corps that is unusual.
We have lost and will continue to lose some outstanding staff members to other communities. However, superior teaching has resulted from the policy of attracting outstanding newcomers who will perform to the best of their ability in the years they do remain in Ipswich. These newcomers have worked well with proven teachers who have been and who will remain in the sys- tem for a long time.
Improving Curriculum Offerings -
The present Ipswich teaching staff has carried on professional studies and research work which can be matched by few com- munities of this size anywhere in the nation. A partial listing of the professional activi- ties carried on in the last few years follows: Elementary Grades.
1. Development of Educational Specifi- cations for the new Winthrop School.
2. Study of length of school day in conjunction with a Citizens Com- mittee.
3. Revision of elementary report cards in conjunction with a Citizens Com- mittee.
4. Study of handwriting curriculum in conjunction with a Citizens Com- mittee.
5. Analysis of provision for individual differences.
6. Revision of curriculum in elemen- tary social studies.
7. Revision of curriculum in elemen- tary arithmetic.
8. Revision of curriculum in elemen- tary language arts.
9. Revision of curriculum in elemen- tary science.
10. Study of reading program for pri- mary grades.
11. Institution of program of individual parent-teachers conferences.
12. Development of cumulative record system.
Secondary Level.
1. Development of Educational Speci- fications for Proposed new 4-year High School.
2. Revision of Educational Specifica- tions for Proposed new 4-year High School.
3. Study of curriculum for Junior High School.
4. Professional analysis of present and proposed High School curriculum using Evaluative Criteria
For Secondary Schools.
5. Revision of secondary school report cards in the High School in con- junction with a Parent Committee and students.
6. Institution of program of individual parent-teacher conferences.
7. Analysis of various aspects of sec- ondary school curriculum to provide enrichment for college preparatory students and additional opportunities for those not going to college.
8. Development of cumulative record system for high school pupils.
The procedure followed in carrying on most of these studies is to first ascertain and define exactly what Ipswich is doing in a particular area, then to determine what
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is considered the best practice in this field by studying professional writings and by observing and analyzing practices in com- munities that have done outstanding work, and finally, to make recommendations for reorganizing a program in terms of the specific needs of Ipswich.
The results of these studies have, in the main, been wholeheartedly accepted by the Ipswich School Committee and are now in practice in our system. We have already begun to see excellent results in our class- rooms.
To carry on studies as described in this section takes many hours of the teachers time. This time is vo'untarily given several afternoon; a week following a complete day of teaching, on the part of our staff. The press recently has carried reports of neigh- boring communities who are planning to provide and pay for an extra month of service by teachers in the summer so that they may carry on professional studies of this type. In Ipswich our staff has, and will continue to do this valuable profes ional job as part of their regular teaching assignment with no extra remuneration expected.
Providing Essential Special Services -
The Ipswich School Committee and School Staff are guided by a philosophy of educating ALL of our pupils. This means that special opportunities must be provided for the gifted as well as the slow-learning child. In order to carry out this philosophy, several special services have been initiated in recent years.
Before 1953 no organized Guidance De- partment existed in the Ipswich School System. School principals and teachers did their best to provide a guidance service to the pupils. However, because of the need of providing a comprehensive program of edu- cational, vocational, social and personnel guidance, a guidance department was estab- lished with many accomplishments resulting. An expanded testing program, a system of cumulative record keeping, revised method of reporting to parents, and numerous parent-pupil interviews are among the tan- gible results. The school drop-out rate has been greatly lowered ; placement of pupils in college and in job opportunities has been carried on smoothly and efficiently and
countless social and personal problems of students have been solved. The success of this guidance program has stemmed from inspired leadership by the Guidance Di- rector and the wholehearted cooperation and support of the teaching staff, parents and the students.
In 1954, a part-time position of remedial reading instructor was expanded to that of a full-time reading supervisor. This special service provided many of our pupils with an opportunity to improve reading disabili- ties which are a cause of failing subjects, not only in high school but in college. The responsibility of the reading supervisor in- cludes not only providing remedial instruc- tion to those who have reading disability, but also includes organizing the reading program in the system in such a way that the need for future remedial work will be minimized. In the first year and a half of operation, this program has made a real contribution to meeting individual differ- ences of pupils in grades 1 through 12.
Another important special service that was added in the fall of 1955 was the or- ganization of a class in special education. This program was designed to meet the needs of those youngsters who would profit from specialized individual and small group instruction in a class that would be smaller than our regular classes. After a careful analysis it was determined that there were about 18 pupils in our system, ranging from age 6 to age 14, who would profit from such specialized instruction. This spe- cial class, one of the first to be set up in a community our size, has been in operation only several months. Already there are in- dications that many of the students in this class are achieving academically and socially in ways that they could not achieve before in regular classes.
These special services are essential if the needs of all of our pupils are to be realized. The basic precept under which the Ipswich School System operates is that every child who is able, physically and mentally, to attend our schools should be given every opportunity to achieve to the limit of his individual capacity. A sincere attempt is made in regular and special classes to pro- vide for individual differences so that the gifted child will not be held up by the slower-learning pupil. Provision is also
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Citizens discuss ways of attracting good teachers
First Ipswich community conference on education
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made so that the slow-learning child is not in a position where he is expected to accom- plish unrealistic requirements.
Keeping School Costs Reasonable -
The Ipswich school budget has increased each year due mainly to increased enroll- ments necessitating extra expenditures for teaching staff, teaching materials and sup- plies. With more pupils to be transported, costs for bus expansion has shown a con- siderable increase and an expanded main- tenance and repair schedule has been carried out each year to rehabilitate buildings and grounds that will serve the youth of Ipswich for the next several years.
Costs for operating the schools each year have been kept at an absolute minimum with the school budget approved after months of study by the school staff, a care- ful analysis and reduction by school ad- ministrators and superintendent, and a final item by item check by members of the Ips- wich School Committee.
Once approved, items in the budget have been carried out as planned each year, so that those appearing in one year's budget did not reappear the following year.
In spite of increased services of an educa- tional and practical nature, our school bud- get has been kept at a reasonable level when compared with other communities within the State. In 1955, 75% of towns our size had a higher school tax than we did and 86% of towns our size paid more from the tax dollar for schools.
Providing Effective Education with Limited School Housing Facilities -
It is not the purpose of this report to go into detail relative to school housing needs. That matter has been thoroughly explained in previous town reports and through the press. The facts are clear and even with the new Winthrop School in operation in Sept. 1956. We will have 235 students remaining on part-time afternoon session and in the next six years this number will increase con- servatively to over 400 pupils without proper school housing. These figures do not include provision for any increased town population.
The purpose of reporting on the school housing shortage in this town report is to
indicate that our school staff is doing the best job they can under existing circum- stances. Staff members have attempted not to become discouraged as they have waited for the town to see its way clear to provide necessary facilities and the staff has done everything possible to insure youngsters now in our schools the best education possible. However, teachers on the secondary level have pointed out numerous times the short- comings of the abbreviated educational pro- gram that our afternoon session pupils are experiencing, and the restricted offerings available to our high school students. It is only fair to the citizens of Ipswich to point out the inadequacies that exist so that they will realize that students presently in grades 7-12 are only receiving a minimum educa- tion at this time.
A LOOK AHEAD
In the years immediately ahead, the chal- lenges will continue in: attracting and re- taining competent teachers, improving cur- riculum offerings, providing special services, keeping school costs reasonable and pro- viding education with limited school housing facilities. The solution to these problems cannot be found by the school staff alone. Instead, they require cooperative efforts of all citizens of our community. The extent to which we meet these challenges will be in direct relationship to the amount of public support that is forthcoming.
Instructive criticisms and suggestions are always welcome by school officials. It is hoped that citizens of the town will feel free to express their ideas on these matters of vital concern to our young people.
Outline of Professional Education Program for Ipswich School System 1955-1956
MAJOR OBJECTIVES-To provide by co- operative efforts of school, home and com- munity the most effective education in a desirable school environment, allowing each child to learn to the level of his individual capacity.
GOALS:
I. Cooperative efforts of school, home and community:
A. Organization of a Community Conference on Education at which
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staff and laymen will discuss and seek solutions to vital local educa- tional problems.
B. Continued work with laymen studying educational problems through the medium of citizen edu- cational advisory committees and P.T.A. organizations.
C. Increased contact between the home and school through personal con- ferences with parents.
D. Greater utilization of community resources, physical and human, for enriched pupil experiences.
II. Provide the most effective education:
A. Professional committee activity.
1. Curriculum revision stressing co- ordination of material offered in the different grade levels:
a. elementary science
b. primary reading
c. elementary language arts
2. Interpretation and effective use of new elementary report cards.
3. Evaluation of present High School curriculum through use of the Evaluative Criteria.
4. Evaluation of present High School method of reporting pu- pil progress to parents.
5. Expansion of High School extra- curricular program with new activities included.
6. Expanded use of audio visual aids program throughout the system.
III. Provide desirable school environment:
A. Provide professional recommenda- tions relative to equipping of the new Winthrop School.
B. Revise preliminary specifications for a new four-year high school.
C. Provide professional assistance to those working for, or planning, new school facilities.
IV. Provide opportunities for each pupil to learn to the level of individual capa- city:
A. Continued adjustment of instruc- tion in all subjects to the individual needs of the pupils with special
emphasis on the secondary school level.
B. Effective operation of the special education class.
C. Provision of more challenging edu- cational opportunities for gifted pupils.
D. Development of a policy relative to pupil promotion.
A Message From The Superintendent
Ipswich citizens have reason to be proud of the splendid young people they are sending to our public schools. These young- sters are deserving of the best we can afford and are entitled to the finest teaching avail- able in a school environment conducive to learning.
The extent to which the Ipswich school system has been able to achieve the objec- tive of "education for ALL" has been due to the cooperative efforts of many people. The support given by Ipswich citizens to their schools has been impressive, the con- tributions of the school committee mem- bers have been very valuable, and the pro- fessional service of school staff has been exemplary.
The kind of cooperation exhibited in the past provides a firm foundation as we face the educational challenges of the future.
Respectfully submitted,
DR. ROBERT F. SAVITT, Superintendent of Schools.
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
To the Superintendent, to the School Committee, and to the Town of Ipswich:
A LOOK BACKWARD
I have worked with all aspects of Ipswich High School during the last half of the 1955 school year. Attention has been given to discipline, attendance, supervision of in- struction, student activities, maintenance of the building and grounds, and all the depart- ments of the actual curriculum.
I wish to thank the staff of Ipswich High School for the wonderful cooperation they have given not only to carry on the program
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but the extra work that has meant progress for Ipswich High School. The teachers at Ipswich High School are doing an excellent job under the pressure of too little time and space to carry out even a minimum high school program.
We had during 1955 a school day which ran from 8:00 to 1:30 which would give sufficient time for a 5 period schedule with periods in excess of 55 minutes. There was an opportunity to schedule assemblies, re- leased time for religious education, and club activities within the regular school day.
Due to the increased enrollment and the necessity of placing Grades 6 and 7 on Afternoon Session, it became impossible to carry on the 5 period schedule. The school day for 1956 had to be shortened to a minimum of 40 minute periods which does not allow time for laboratory periods in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or General Science. Shop periods of 40 minutes do not allow time to do much beyond the teaching of basic skills. The main problems grow out of the crowding with the increased enroll- ment and limited space which result in an abbreviated school day.
The opportunities for extra-curricular activities are limited and in order to sched- ule assemblies we must drop a regular period from the school day. The space and time problems have made it increasingly difficult to schedule adequate time for Art and Music (both Band and Choral Groups) to meet for instruction and practice. Increased enrollment has meant 2 lunch periods which are at a bare minimum of 20 minutes each.
I wish to thank our custodians Mr. Cronin, Mr. Leet, and the building matron, Mrs. Scott, for the hard work that has enabled us to clean up the building and give attention to the routine maintenance of the building and equipment. They have handled the supplies and equipment in a business-like manner which has meant sav- ings to the people of Ipswich.
I wish to thank Mrs. Hinckley, the school secretary, for her cooperation and help in setting up new attendance procedures, for accounting and reporting of school funds, and the efficient handling of all office routine.
The Cafeteria Program at Ipswich High School includes the cafeteria for Shatswell
School. The total number of Type A din- ners served at Ipswich High School was 63,755. The total receipts from the Cafe- teria Program was $20,353.76. The com- bined milk served to Shatswell and the High School was 10,521 bottles in addition to milk included for Type A lunch. The total reimbursement from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for Type A lunch and milk was $7,997.84.
The school lunch program has been pay- ing from its receipts for all aspects of the program until January 1, 1956. Miss Marion Whitney, Program Supervisor, requested that a sum be provided for the payment of fringe benefits to cafeteria employees. These benefits are to include 2 weeks vacation pay. 10 days sick leave, 3 days granted in case of death in the immediate family, plus a cost of living allowance. All of this is in line with the benefits paid to other town em- ployees. The money from the receipts from the sale of Type A lunch will be used only for food and regular wages of employees.
The cost of replacement of cafeteria equipment and the maintenance of existing equipment will be paid from appropriated funds.
A LOOK FORWARD
The Fall of 1955 saw Ipswich High School on 2 seperate sessions-the Morning Session from 8:00 to 12:45, the Afternoon Session from 1:00 to 5:00. The Morning Session includes Grades 8 through 12-the Afternoon Session, Grades 6 and 7. The student enrollment increased and we found it necessary to use the Sewing Room for an 8th Grade Home Room.
We were not able to schedule released time for Religious Education. Religious Educa- tion is now carried on outside of the actual school day. Classes meet on Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:00 P.M. We do not schedule any activity or practice session which will inter- fere with Religious Education. It was hoped that we will be able to have time in the future to schedule from the regular school day this very important program.
The Recreation Room has been taken over by the Music Department and the Band uses it for practice. It is also available for choral groups to practice. One end of the Music Room has to be used as a Cloak
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Morning session - 425 high school pupils
Afternoon session - 235 grade 6 and 7 pupils
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Room for the Afternoon Session. During the summer of 1955 coat racks were con- structed because there was not locker space available to meet the increased numbers enrolled.
It is extremely difficult to schedule play practice or any dramatic activity for the gymnasium is used full time for basketball.
The teachers of Ipswich High School have given of their time and at the present they devote 5 hours to professional work each week. This is exclusive of their teaching or coaching duties. We have teachers meetings on Monday for 1 hour for both Afternoon and Morning Sessions. As principal, I enjoy working with this group of excellent teachers and hope that we may hold our faculty.
The parent-teacher conferences are a reality in the high school and a great many parents have held conferences with the teachers. This, to me, is a very important part of education, as I believe it will take team work and a feeling of shared respon- sibility in order to better educate our young people.
One hour per week is scheduled for stu- dents who need special help-two hours are devoted to professional improvement. We are working on a new report card for Ips- wich High School. 1956 finds Ipswich High School crowded to the point where the program is operating under great pres- sure. Part of this pressure comes from the fact that teachers do not have sufficient time to carry on a minimum program in terms of what is being taught and learned.
The school staff is now ready to do a complete evaluation of the complete high school program. We have been authorized by the superintendent of schools and school committee to do this project using the 1950 Edition of Evaluative Criteria which pro- vides a working check list for accomplish- ing this task. We hope that many parents and friends will want to have active parti- cipation in the program. The work is divided into 2 main committees. The first committee works to identify and determine the educa- tional needs of the youth of Ipswich. The second committee works on student popula- tion, how much we are spending per stu- dent, how many students drop out of our school and the reason why they left.
The second part of the work is to check each part of the program to see what is being done with what we have in the various subject matter fields; such as, English, Math, Science, Reading, and all other sub- jects that are being offered at Ipswich High School. When this is completed we invite a committee to go over our findings with us and after we have checked our reports we make commendations for things that are being done very well and make spe- cific recommendations to improve our school. This study is based on the ideal, and the recommendations are long range and should serve the committee for the next 5 to 10 years. We recognize the pitfalls of work- ing with ideals in that we seldom, if ever, achieve the ideal. However, it does serve to give direction to the educational program we offer to our young people. I can say with all sincerity that if we do not know where we are and what we are doing, we also will not know where we are going.
I wish to thank the superintendent of schools, the school committee, and admin- istrative and supervisory staff of Ipswich for the cooperation that I have received in the past year.
I actively seek the understanding and cooperation of all in helping to improve the program at Ipswich High School for I believe that better schools result in better communities.
Respectfully submitted, WARREN E. PRESSLEY Principal
REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IPSWICH HIGH SCHOOL
To the Superintendent, to the School Committee, and to the Town of Ipswich:
A LOOK BACKWARD
The beginning of a junior high school program as such occurred when grade seven was moved from the Shatswell School to the High School in 1953. The following year overcrowded conditions forced all sev- enth grades, ninty-seven pupils, to attend afternoon sessions from one o'clock to five. Then began a truly departmental division of work. Classes were divided into three
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homeroom sections. The movement into the High School while not considered desirable, did provide educational experiences which prior to this time did not exist or existed to a limited degree.
Pupils were afforded opportunities to use the special facilities which the building offered, namely, physical education, domes- tic science, graphic arts, industrial arts, music and gym. Specialists in these fields were utilized.
Many successful experiences took place this first year. A series of outdoor programs were held. These programs attempted to provide both social experiences as well as educational. They consisted in the main of field trips to local natural areas of interest; Crane's Beach, Bradley Palmer State Park, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. The ses- sions were held in the morning in the out- of-doors. The work of the morning was usually discussed during a science period in the classroom. Participation was voluntary, however, approximately 66% attended some or all of the outdoor classes.
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