Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report 1961-1970, Part 78

Author: Lynnfield (Mass.)
Publication date: 1961-1970
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1002

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report 1961-1970 > Part 78

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Bernard A. Huntley Superintendent of Schools

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Stanley I. Robinson, Principal

Graduation 1968. The culmination of 12 years effort

A major item in the 1968 Annual Report for Lynnfield High School must be the appointment of a new principal. For Mr. Cotton, it meant the severing of professional and community ties to go on to a challenging position in Long Island. For the new principal, it meant assuming a signi- ficant administrative post most capably developed by the former principal - Mr. Cotton.

Your new principal found the transition to Lynnfield High School to be an easy and pleasantone. All members of the School Department were most hospitable and coop- erative and high school staff members applied effective dil- igence to minimize the problems inherent in a transfer of administrators.

It is my belief that a major task of a new administrator is to evaluate the educational program for which he is res- ponsible and on the basis of this evaluation to make recom- mendations for the future.

The overall educational program at Lynnfield High School is impressive. Follow-up studies by the Guidance Department show a fine record of achievement in higher education and vocational objectives. The faculty is of high caliber and its stability attests to the School Committee's efforts to maintain high educational standards. The high school plant is maintained and equipped in a superior man- ner. It is to the credit of the clerical, custodial, and cafe- teria staffs that the high school building serves its function so well. Most importantly, there exists among the students an excellent attitude toward education. Participation in school activities and serious application toward studies is widespread and reflects community pride and respect for its high school.

As far as the future is concerned, the 1968 enrollment indicated an increase and projected figures for 1969 esti-

mate another increase of approximately 7%. This growth will be an influential factor in the educational program. Building expansion should be anticipated with the possibi- lity of incorporating the ninth grade into a four year high school.

Though growth poses space problems, it provides the impetus for curriculum expansion. As the student numbers increase, we must provide more avenues for the student who in not college bound. We must offer more exploratory and cultural experiences for the terminal student. We must use innovative measures to better account for individual differ- ences and to use the full potential of our faculty.

Neighboring communities are successfully using un- graded classes, mini-courses, computer based instruction, and independent study. Subject offerings include drama, computer programming, journalism, graphic arts, artand music appreciation, classical literature, humanities, psych- ology, and health.

A study is now being made of our physical education facilities. This phase of educational building has not kept pace with construction of classrooms. A major develop- ment of outside areas is necessary to provide adequate fac- ilities for a quality physical education program which em- braces athletics and recreation.

Two dominant thenies on the national education scene in 1968 were teacher negotiations and student activism. These influences have been felt in Lynnfield and, in my opinion, have made a positive contribution. Both issues require mutual respect and open communication lines by the parties involved or explosive situations result. In Lynn- field, common respect and open dialogue liave benefited our educational program. Ilook forward with anticipation and optimism to 1969.

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Leonard Nihan, Principal

As the result of one summer workshop group, composed of an elementary reading specialist, a reading and an Eng- lish teacher from the Junior High School, the curriculum has been expanded to include a developmental reading program for eighth grade students. The course is designed to increase vocabulary, to speed rate of reading and to im- prove comprehension. Various study skills such as refer- ence techniques, outlining and summarizing are included as an integral part of the reading course.

A second workshop committee, under the direction of Mr. Edward Fuller, foreign language department head, in- cluded language teachers from both Junior and Senior High Schools. Efforts of this committee have resulted in closer articulation between the language program of the two schools. Workbooks prepared during the summer months

are being used daily in conjunction with the classroom texts. Audio-visual media were explored and audio-visual materials such as tapes, slides, and films were adopted for use at the Junior High.

New on the scene this year are two teacher aides. Available a total of thirty hours, these two women have re- lieved teachers of the supervision of the twenty-four lunch periods scheduled each week. Additionally, the aides are doing clerical work, typing and running off duplicated material. They have provided valuable assistance to the librarian with her prodigious task of processing the more than 800 books added to the library this year.

Lynnfield's secondary schools are being served for the first time this year by the New England Education Data Systems. Through use of the NEEDS computers, report cards are processed, student averages arecomputed, honor rolls are printed, mark distributions by courses and by teachers are prepared, class lists are printed and mark and attendence labels are prepared for the permanent records. In addition to relieving teachers of hundreds of hours of clerical duties each marking period, NEEDS makes a great deal of valuable statistical analysis available to the building principal the same day report cards are issued.

From a student point of view, the past school year has been exciting. Under the direction of Mrs. Linda LaCombe and Miss Sue Glidden the students presented their first three-act play, "Max". Under the direction of Mr. Michael Cooney and the staff of the music department, the Junior High presented its first and very successful musical, "Rough'N Ready". To end the year on a successful note, the freshman football team of Coach Fred Huntress com- pleted a nine game schedule undefeated. Thecheerleaders, in spanking new uniforms purchased by the studentcouncil had a lot to cheer about.

HUCKLEBERRY HILL SCHOOL

Our entire democratic society is based on change. Change results in progress. Accepting the philosophy of change as a way of life is one reason Americans have ad- vanced to one of the most powerful and technological nations of the world.

Huckleberry Hill School is a school in transition. It is attuned to the song of change. Its whole rhythm of educa- tion is changing. It is faster. It is more insistent. It is more compelling. In each of us, it arouses a deep concern about the directions and trends that affect us all. For the staff, it is a year of study. It is a year of exploration.

What are some of these changes and explorations? First of all, Huckleberry Hill School has been organized into an intermediate school, housing grades three through six, with the overflow in the junior high.

...

New Wing at Huckleberry Hill School

Portions of the faculties of South and Huckleberry have been exchanged. This fusion ofteachers brought on an ex- change of ideas. New ideas often result in strengthening an institution.

At the third and fourth grade levels, classes are largely self-contained, changing for mathematics only. Theteach- er's intimate acquaintance with thechildren in her class is a distinct asset at this age level. This acquaintance provides the basis for friendly association and deep personal con- cern for each child's development. At the fifth and sixth grade levels, the block unit of organization is employed whereby pupils are in a self-contained situation for the language arts studies and change classes for mathematics, science, and social studies in the afternoon.

Construction underway at Huckleberry Hill School

Here in Lynnfield the curriculum undergoes close and continuous evaluation. All the elementary schools have adopted a new mathematics program, as well the linguistic approach to teaching language. The Huckleberry faculty is evaluating the basal reading program with the purpose of updating the program to reflect current interests of pupils and trends in reading.

With eager anticipation, we await the completion of the new addition to our building especially the· instructional materials center. The new center will evolve a new method of teaching and learning. We realize that children who merely learn to manipulate memorized rules are inadequa- tely prepared for thefuture. Educators are becoming aware of the fact that teachers must place emphasis on cognition rather than regurgitation, on research rather than rote. Therefore, our school must create an atmosphere that en- courages exploration and discovery. Already the towns- people have taken the giant step and built this "learning center". Our faculty will be having in-service training in preparation for the opening of this center.

This is a year of transition for the Huckleberry Hill School.

CENTER SCHOOL Dr. Nancy C. Santeusanio, Principal

The Center School has a rather interesting history dating back to its earliest beginnings in 1772 when it was located near the watering trough on the Common. Later in 1808 another school was erected on the Common in front of the present library until it burned down and had to be rebuilt in 1856. Overcrowding occurred even during this early period and the Meeting House served as an addition to the Center School until the present building consisting of two class- rooms was built in 1905. Two additional rooms were added in the early 1900's. These four rooms made up the wooden section of the building with one brick wing added in 1937 and another in 1948.

At present the Center School continues to operate as a primary building with ten first and second grade class- rooms housed in this building. Seven elementary class- rooms, namely five third grade classrooms from Center School and two sixth grades, are housed in the Junior High School. This overcrowding will be alleviated as soon as the new additions to the Summer Street and Huckleberry Hill Schools are completed.

Although the Center School is the oldest building, it has been well maintained. The physical plant has been made

more attractive with a large amount of interior painting during the summer months, and the floor space in the school library has been doubled by the removal of a par- tition. In addition, a food storage area has been constr- ucted adjacent to the cafeteria.

The school library was set up in 1962 with a collection of 488 volumes given in memory of Mildred Parkhurst Rourke, a former teacher at Center School. The library has continued to grow from its modest beginning in 1962 to a book collection which now exceeds 3,000 volumes. This growth has been made possible by an increase in school library appropriation from $1.00 per pupil in 1962 to $4.00 per pupil in 1968. In addition, Title II Federal Funds were allocated for elementary school library books in 1968.

Not only has there been a large increase in the number of library books, but a library of forty eight Wollensak Teaching Tapes has been purchased for the Center School Library. With teaching tapes and headsets, the tape re- corder provides an active learning experience stimulating pupils to participate as they listen since each tape is accom- panied by pupil worksheets. Teachers are using this audio- guided learning with small groups as reinforcement to their own teaching. In other words, the tape recorder and tape serve as a "second teacher" while the classroom teacher works with another small group of pupils.

An innovation to the curriculum has been a change in science education with an emphasis on the processes of science: observing, classifying, measuring, communicat- ing, predicting and inferring rather than on traditional con- tent or concept sequences.

Science -- A Process Approach, developed by the Commis- sion on Science Education of the American Association for the Advancement of Science has been introduced in a limited number of first and second grade classrooms at Center School. Instead of instructing and explaining, the teacher is presenting a problem or assisting the children in identi- fying a problem and then providing the children with dir- ection to guide them in its solution.

The Volunteer Teacher Aide Program was initiated at Center School in 1967 and continues to function as an in- tegrał part ofthe school. Many volunteers serve in varying roles. Volunteers work on the preparation of materials for teachers, collecting lunch money in first grade classrooms, and as helpers in the school library. In addition to volun- teer services, another innovation has been the employment of two School Aides to assist in the cafeteria, on the play- ground, in the library, and in the preparation of materials for teachers.

The Center School will continue to provide the building blocks or basic tools for high quality education with pri- mary emphasis on increasing reading ability in accordance with the mental and physical capacity of each child.

SOUTH SCHOOL

Richard W . Cogan, Principal

This year at South School has been an interesting and challenging one in that it witnessed the changing of South from an elementary school to one committed to primary education only. South School now includes four first grades, four second grades, and two third grades. The change meant an exchange of personnel and materials be- tween Huckleberry and South which was accomplished last spring. The change is complete and the school is operating smoothly.

Organizing South School on a primary basis has given us an opportunity to be of greater service to the children. Even though the redistricting meant busing of some children who might havewalked to Huckleberry, there are many ad- vantages to thenew system. Materials which are purchased for one grade level can now be used in four classrooms. Because of the increased number of classes at the first and second grade levels more kinds of materials can be bought. Another advantage is that people working at the same grade level can share the experiences of each other to im- prove their own teaching. Also, the children can be grouped efficiently for instruction. Children with specific kinds of difficulties can be helped more easily because we can now gather children from four sections of a grade to make an instructional group.

At the first grade level we have established a class smal- ler in number than the other first grade sections where we give intensive instruction to some children so that they will be better able to learn in second grade. Several kinds of instructional materials are used including tapes. These children could not get the kind of help they need in a large class.

At the second grade level we have grouped the children for instruction in mathematics. Each day the second grad- ers leave their regular room and go to another class where they learn with a group of children who have about the some achievement level as their own. Thus, the children with difficulties are given help while those who are quick in mathematics are pushed ahead. At the third grade level the children are also grouped in mathematics. Even though there are only two classes, both teachers give mathematics instruction at the same hour so they can divide the students between them.

In the area of reading the fact that the school has a large number of children at one grade level has meant that we can group the children more accurately for the teaching of reading. When we find it helps a child to place him in another reading group we can choose among groups in four classes.

In discussing the progress of South School, mention of the South School Parent Teacher Association must be made. This year the Parent Teacher Association purchased a tele- vision receiver to augment the school's two other sets. The first grade children are participating in television series on phonics and science. The Parent Teacher Association also provided the school with an excellent program that was both entertaining and educational which was attended by parents, teachers, and children. Finally, the Parent Teacher Association provided South School with library aides so that the school library could function. This job was par- ticularly important this year since the Huckleberry and South libraries had to be completely torn apart and reor- ganized because of the school reorganization. All the books received from Huckleberry were catalogued and shelved by Parent Teacher Association Volunteers.

The effectiveness of our staff was increased this year by the addition of two school aides to the staff. They provide supervision of the lunch room so that theteachers may eat privately, prepare lesson, or talk with parents. They also assist the office and teaching staff with clerical work. They aid the teachers in making instructional materials and run off teacher-made masters on the school copy machine. In short, they give the teachers more time for teaching.

In the area of elementary science, which is now my res- ponsibility, we again participated in the science camp pro- gram at the fifth grade level. Also this year we began in- vestigation of the " process approach" to elementary science education. The emphasis of this approach is upon the children learning concepts about science rather than spec- ific facts. The program evolved from recommendations of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. We have also begun to improve the articulation between the junior and senior high science departments and the ele- mentary schools. As part of this program we are looking for ways in which to make use of science resources in the junior and senior high schools in elementary school science instruction.

SUMMER STREET SCHOOL

George E. Caswell, Principal

The Summer Street School again this year functioned as a twelve-classroom intermediate grade school which housed children from the Center area of town in grades four, five, and six. Serving the needs of the children attending the school were the school principal, classroom teachers, spec- ialists in art, music, physical education, reading, and speech therapy, secretary, nurse, custodian, and kitchen personnel. Added to the forenamed people this year were an extra

teacher to help offset the impact of high fourth grade enrol- Iment, two school aides who supervise the children during lunch and subsequent recess, and a guidance counselor who is providing a composite of special services to all the ele- mentary schools.

Construction started in May on the addition to the school which includes six classrooms, an instructional materials center, a gymnasium, an enlargement of our present kit- chen facilities. When these new facilities are opened the children in grades three and in one of the grade six rooms who are presently housed in the Junior High School will be transferred to this newer section of the school.

Summer School sessions were held for the elementary school children this past summer. Four teachers assisted over one hundred children as they attempted to strengthen their skills in the reading and mathematics areas.

Running concurrently with the summer school sessions was a teacher-workshop formed to investigate learning aids in mathematics. These mathematical learning aids were the materials, equipment, and devices which could contributeto the teaching or learning of mathematics. Included in this group of aids were models, commercial or teacher-construc- ted devices, films, filmstrips, records, and transparencies. A major consideration of the six teachers participating in the workshop was the mechanics of communicating the in- formation gleaned to other staff members. During the early weeks of the fall term a demonstration center was used to allow teachers an opportunity to examine many of the learning aids available. A workshop member was also available to demonstrate the proper use of thelearning aids as one facet of realizing the objectives of mathematics.

Also instituted this fall was a pilot program in Language in one classroom in grades four, five, and six. An out- growth of a prior workshop in Language Arts and a course given to the elementary school teachers in linguistics, the pilot program is using new materials which emphasize the structure of our language. An emphasis on linguistics is a logical procedure in the teaching of language that makes use of the scientific investigations conducted in thelast sev- eral decades concerning the nature of language and its uses.

Once again this year we received active and enthusiastic support from our PTA groups which, incidentally, included many fathers. Regular meetings were planned to help par- ents gain insight into children's behavioral and learning patterns as well as to interpret the school's program in the major learning areas. Service has been the by-word as the PTA has provided the school library volunteers, sponsored Cub Scout Pack 52, furnished direction for twelveweeks of

art classes, supported the Lynnfield PTA scholarship Fund and the American Field Service, managed a Book Fair, and assumed responsibility for bringing into Lynnfield live en- tertainment for children through the productions of the Emerson Players.

During the past year we have involved teachers, students parents, and friends in varied ways because we believe that education is an interdependent function of us all. We con- tinue to try to bring that extra spark which ignites us all with the excitement and adventure of the miracle we call learning.

GUIDANCE

William J. Coughlin, Guidance Director

Guidance services are aimed at helping the individual student towards appropriate educational goals by means of the services of counseling, information, and aptitude testing. A graduating class should be regarded as being comprised of a number of individuals rather than as a group. To this end the guidance staff is committed.

Each Lynnfield student should be held as being worthy of the best that education can offer both at the high school level and beyond. Notevery student will attend college and we know this, thereby the average student as well as the gifted student must be constantly in our minds so that we may continue to offer a quality education to all.

Follow-up studies have shown that the Lynnfield grad- uates have performed exceedingly well at the numerous schools and colleges. Lest we diminish in our pursuit of ex- cellence we must always be alert to the needs and aims of every student. With the full cooperation of all concerned, then this goal will be achieved each year.

ELEMENTARY GUIDANCE Ronald G. Nutter, Elementary Guidance Counselor

The role of the Elementary Guidance Service is to aid the child in making a positive adjustment to school and to have the opportunity to develop a fuller understanding of self. An orientation program for school personnel was held dur- ing the early part of September. Thegoal of this program was to provide an explanation of the cooperative roles of teachers, principals and the guidance counselor.

The greater part of the counselor's time is devoted to in- dividual counseling and testing ( both academic and psy- chological). Providing children with additional help in the form of tutoring supported by periodic counseling and me- etings with parents comprises another aspect of the elemen- tary service. The counselor must maintain liaison between home, school and very often outside agencies to which children are referred for many different types of evaluation.

CURRICULUM

Gilbert F. Bullwy, Director

It is my pleasure to write the first report as Director of Curriculum for the Lynnfield school system. Theposition is new to the system since July 1968 and to date my contacts with all curriculum areas from grades 1 through 12 have been most exciting. In visiting classes throughout the sys- tem and in all buildings, I have been highly impressed with what I have seen and heard. Having been with the system for over ten years my recent observations have convinced me that we truly have a solid school system. Many people ask, "What is it you look for in a good school system?" and my answer has always been, "Highly effective and sincere teachers who are dedicated to helping students in a pro- fessional manner". This is the type of person who is teach- ing Lynnfield students and it is my task to continue to make improvements in this vital area of teacher-student-curricu- lum innovations.

It has been most rewarding, as the school coordinator, to work with the METCO ( Metropolitan Council for Educa- tional Opportunity) students at the Junior High School. The host students and families were organized early in the school year under the leadership of Community Chairmen, Mr. and Mrs. George Levey. The fifteen students have ad- justed very nicely to our school system and we believe that the community, especially the Junior High School students, have shown warm hospitality to our friends from Dorches- ter and Roxbury. It is our hope that many of you in the town will find the opportunity to meet these wonderful youngsters.

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Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report 1961-1970, Part 78

Author: Lynnfield (Mass.) Publication date: 1961-1970 Publisher: The Town Number of Pages: 1002

Author: Lynnfield (Mass.)
Publication date: 1961-1970
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1002