USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1958 > Part 11
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II. Staff Changes
Since January 15, 1958, Mr. Alton C. Bennett has been capably serving as Assistant Principal and Dean of Boys. For the school year 1958-1959 Mr. James Aldrich has been appointed Head of the Social Studies Department, taking Mr. Bennett's place.
Miss Hazel Percy is now the Head of the Mathematics Department; Miss E. Jane Reed serves in a similar capacity as Head of the Business Education Department. Mr. Walter E. Hawkes joined our staff this year as Director of Athletics and has brought energy and enthusiasm to the expansion of our program of athletics and intra-mural activities.
Miss Helen Hart and Mr. John Pacino are now teaching only two classes a day and are devoting the remainder of their time to guidance activities and counseling under the direction of our able Guidance Director, Mr. Ara Karakashian.
This year our school was able to fill all of the teaching vacancies on our staff with promising, enthusiastic, and well-trained teachers. Seventy-eight percent of our new teachers have had considerable teach- ing experience in other schools. Repeating my observation of last year, I should like to state that the high school pupils of Reading are for- tunate indeed in having a new, modern high school staffed by an able, dedicated group of teachers.
Reading High School's instructional program continues to be aided by the moderate size of its individual classes. Our annual study of class size during the current school year indicated that our average class (exclusive of Music and Physical Education) consists of between twenty-three and twenty-five pupils - an ideal situation for both pupils and teachers.
III. Educational Highlights 1958-1959
During the current school year the faculty and staff have been hard at work examining existing school practices and constantly striving to improve the curriculum of our school and its educational effectiveness for all of our students. In this worthwhile task they have been aided in countless ways by the loyal and enthusiastic co- operation of our entire student body.
This year a modest beginning was made in offering accelerated and enriched courses for able, entering 9th grade pupils in Latin, Science, and Algebra. These pupils were given extra work in the 8th grade and were then kept together when they entered the 9th grade in our school. This experiment shows real promise; we hope to do more of this type of subject revision so that our gifted pupils may be challenged to work up to the level of their intellectual capabilities. As time goes by, we shall try to introduce more Advanced Placement Courses into our junior and senior years.
This year our Social Studies Curriculum was reorganized. More pupils are now taking United States History in Grade 11. A new course, Problems of Democracy, is now being taught in Grade 12. We have also introduced an Advanced Placement Course in U. S. History this year. Mr. James Aldrich, the teacher, and his pupils are finding this experiment most challenging and stimulating.
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In the last year we have encouraged our pupils to enrich their programs by taking a fifth subject, preferably in art, music, home eco- nomics, or shop. As a result, we have fewer pupils in study hall and have been able to reduce the use of our auditorium and cafeteria for large study groups. Our Home Economics course of study has been revised, making it possible for more pupils to take Foods, Clothing, and a new course inaugurated this year, called Home and Family, which has a substantial enrollment of girls from Grades 11 and 12.
We are emphasizing this year the importance of Physical Edu- cation which is required of all pupils except those excused for medical reasons. Ninety-nine percent of the freshman class is taking gym; a few classes are taking it three times a week instead of the customary two periods. Two pilot classes, one of boys and one of girls, are de- voting this third period each week to the study of First Aid, using the materials and instructional aids supplied by the American Red Cross.
The laboratory equipment of our science department, already quite good, has been augmented by the acquisition of additional items among which are 17 new microscopes. With the generous help of Mr. Philip Broeg and other interested citizens and parents, we have been able to put into actual operation a short wave transmitter and receiver. Whenever new money becomes available from the new federal Na- tional Defense Act, we plan to add further to our science equipment. On March 26, 1958, our science department combined with the teachers of Art, Home Economics, and Shop to present a most interesting and extensive all-school Exhibit and Science Fair which was well attended by large numbers of parents and citizens. Our mathematics curriculum was revised and modernized this past year; the fourth year course in advanced mathematics has been changed along the lines suggested by the College Board Committee.
IV. The Future Evaluation of the School by the New England Association.
In 1955 the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, of which Reading High School has been a member for many years, became a regional accrediting association. All member schools were henceforth required to be re-evaluated at intervals of not more than ten years for continued membership. Such an evalution first requires a self-evaluation by the school's faculty using the Evaluative Criteria published by the Cooperative Study of Secondary School Stand- ards, followed by an evaluation of a visiting committee which has been scheduled to come to Reading High School on April 5, 6, and 7 of 1960.
While this self-evaluation of our school by our own staff will entail hours of hard work and careful, advance preparation, yet it will be a valuable educational experience which will permit the teachers and administrative staff to take inventory of our own school, to analyze the validity of our educational objectives, to study the soundness of our courses of study, to assess the effectiveness of our work, and to make any changes necessary to render an even greater service to the community.
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V. Conclusion
In the last year there has been a more critical appraisal of public education everywhere in the United States. In some cases this sputnik sputtering has been all buzzing and no honey. In other cases sincere individuals, properly concerned, have constructively aided teachers and school administrators to bring about desirable changes, already in progress, which would improve our schools and challenge all of our pupils.
A study by the United States Office of Education recently revealed that less than 15% of high school students in the United States are studying foreign languages, while half of our high schools - the smaller ones - offer no modern foreign language at all. A study made at Reading High School in April 1958 revealed that 538 pupils, or 55% , of our student body, were studying foreign language. Twenty-two percent were enrolled in Latin; 20% in French, with 12% in Spanish.
Mr. Sloan Wilson in an article in Life charged that on the basis of his (somewhat questionable) statistics only 121/2% of our high school population was taking any mathematics more advanced than 9th grade algebra. In March 1958 our school had 301 pupils, or 31%, taking second, third, and fourth year mathematics. Seventy-nine percent of our student body was taking some type of mathematics, with 55% enrolled in college preparatory mathematics.
In the last year we have frequently heard the complaint that the high schools in the United States were not challenging the able pupil. To find out whether or not this might be true at Reading High, Mr. Karakashian made a careful study of the 80 pupils in our present senior class who were in the top three ability groups in the 8th grade of the Junior High School four years ago. This study of our able pupils revealed that:
96% have pursued a college preparatory course.
84% have had three or more years of college preparatory math.
-50% have had three or more years of laboratory science.
91% have had two or more years of laboratory science.
65% have had four or more years of foreign language.
82% have had three or more years of foreign language.
50% or more have had three or more years of social studies, while everybody has had at least two years.
While all of us here at Reading High realize that our school is far from perfect, we do feel that we are headed in the right direction. It is a real privilege and a challenge for a principal to be associated with a school of this type where the teachers, the office staff, and the custodians work together with enthusiasm and loyalty to maintain and to increase the excellence of our institution.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM W. RODGERS, Principal
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REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL W. S. PARKER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Our enrollment this year - 590 - is approximately 100 more than it was a year ago.
As noted in last year's report, we will be well over our established capacity in the fall of 1959. At that time we will have about 700 pupils in a school whose capacity is 600, based on the Massachusetts Depart- ment of Education standards. This presents a serious problem. At the present time every classroom in the school is in use, with class size ranging to an undesirably high 35. There are various alternatives for handling this large enrollment, none of which is as good a solution as having more classrooms available in addition to our present facilities. Of all the alternatives the least unsatisfactory, in my opinion, is having a double session for Grade 7. All proposals for other solutions have features which seem to me to offer greater drawbacks than a double session does. At the present time Grade 7 is in double session in Wakefield and Woburn on a plan almost identical with that for Reading.
We had an extremely small teacher turnover this year. One teacher left to accept a 2-year fellowship at Cornell; one left to be married; and Walter Hawkes, after 25 years as an outstanding member of our staff, became Athletic Director for all Reading schools. We have secured good replacements.
As in previous years our teachers are meeting by departments with the purpose of constantly seeking to find ways of improving techniques, material, and evaluation methods. This year each depart- ment is completely reviewing its entire program, and making new and up-to-date outlines.
Teachers also meet regularly with grade chairmen to make plans for home room periods. Time is provided for a considerable amount of both group and individual guidance. In Grade 7 most of this con- sists of orienting pupils to the new school, its aims and regulations. In Grade 8 considerable time is given during the second half of the year to helping pupils with programs of study for the High School. Results of the Differential Aptitude Tests, taken by members of Grade 8 in December, are used in counseling students. Mr. William O'Keefe; the Youth Adjustment Counselor, attends many of the homeroom teach- ers' meetings as a part of his activities in helping youngsters make proper adjustments.
In addition to our usual testing program, new tests are being in- troduced this year. In October the English Department gave the Gates Basic Reading Tests to members of Grade 7. This test was used to discover those pupils whose reading ability was not up to their general ability so that appropriate action might be taken with them. The Iowa Language Ability Test will be administered to Grade 7 in January. Among other things this will indicate which pupils are properly equipped to elect a foreign language in Grade 8. Girls in the clothing section of Home Economics will receive a test at the end of the half year designed to discover whether or not they have attained the objectives of the course. It might be noted here that our course in Home Economics includes much more than just cooking and sewing, and that consider-
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able equipment, including audio-visual material, is used.
Interest in our Industrial Arts or Shop Program is at its highest in several years. Under the direction of Mr. Hackett and Mr. O'Gorman all boys in both grades work in the shops for wood, metal, and graphic arts during the year. The two elective groups for Grade 8 boys are filled to capacity and many return after school to work on projects. Among other things the boys learn how to plan and carry through various projects, the purpose and use of several kinds of material and equipment, and the basic construction in wood, metal, and type. The personal satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment a boy receives from the articles he makes are an important concomitant of this course. Several of the girls have demonstrated an interest, and last year Mr. Hackett gave up most of his lunch period to teach some 8th Grade girls the simpler skills of wood working. This year Mr. O'Gorman has 18 girls in wood shop during the activity period, and many more for whom there was no room were interested in taking part.
Our two activity periods offer a wide variety of service and interest activities. The activities this year are as follows:
Engineers, Traffic Leaders, Student Council, Glee Club, Orchestra, Crafts, Junior Red Cross, Chefs, Camera Club, Dramatics, Girls' Shop, Current Events, Newspaper, Teen Age Books, Clerks, Remedial Reading, Remedial Mathematics, Square Dancing.
One period a week is ordinarily reserved for an assembly period for the entire school as a part of the educational plan. Our first five programs involve our school elections, in which pupil candidates for office first take out nomination papers and secure signatures. Follow- ing the primaries, two candidates for each office conduct a campaign which leads up to speeches by them and their managers in which their qualifications and platform are outlined. The elections are concluded by an impressive ceremony at which the members of the Student Council are inducted into office. At various times during the year each depart- ment prepares a program in which pupils participate, and individual teachers tell of their trips to interesting places at home and abroad, illustrated by slides. The pupils also prepare and present appropriate programs at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Memorial Day. We also will have this year seven paid programs by people with outstanding talent of some kind, or who have interesting experiences to share with us.
Again this year we have had four meetings of our PTA. The num- ber of parents who attend these meetings is a gratifying example of the interest they take in the school and in the education of their children. It apparently has become an annual event that at our first evening meeting in the fall the parents shall follow a modified pupil program for the equivalent of five class periods. At this time teachers explain the aim and subject matter of the course, materials and methods used, and in general try to give parents a better understanding of what each subject involves. The fact that we have an extra large number of parents present that evening indicates they are interested in a program of that type.
ALBERT H. WOODWARD, Principal
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REPORT OF THE SUPERVISING PRINCIPALS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The opening of the elementary schools on September 8, 1958, was preceded by an intensive 3-day workshop period in all schools. The focus of the workshop period was on the improvement of instruction and coordination of the educational program within each building. This pre-school meeting of all teachers was a valuable method of intro- ducing new staff members to the particular building routine, curriculum, and other responsibilities of teaching personnel.
Careful and specific planning for this school year was especially necessary since this was the first year within recent years that a stable organization pattern of Grades 1-6 was an actuality within each of our large elementary buildings. The 1957 fire at the Highland School had prevented a full realization of the projected plan to house Grades 1-6 in each of our large buildings.
Our elementary school population continued to grow in Reading and it was again necessary to do a small amount of redistricting at the Prospect and Birch Meadow School areas this fall. Despite the fact that a new eighteen-room elementary school was opened in Sep- tember of 1957, this year found the elementary schools with only one extra classroom. Some crowding still exists at several grade levels throughout the town.
Staff
As is true in every community throughout the country, the Reading elementary schools had some turnover in its staff. Eleven elementary teachers were hired to replace staff members who resigned for various reasons. Two additional teachers were hired; one to assume responsi- bility for teaching a special class which was organized at the Birch Meadow School, another to handle increased enrollment at the Pearl Street School. The elementary school administrators have felt that our new staff members have justified our pre-employment estimation of their ability.
The salary schedule in any community is an important factor in providing adequate classroom instruction. As the State Legislature has increased minimum salaries, communities have been faced with the inevitable task of providing competitive salaries which are comparable to surrounding towns, Reading has not been an exception. In the desire to provide the key to a good elementary education - the teacher - careful interviewing and screening of a large number of prospective teachers has been annually undertaken by the elementary principals. It is our considered opinion that the new elementary personnel, some of whom have had prior teaching experience, are of superior calibre.
Mental Health Workshop
A fifteen-week Mental Health Workshop for Teachers was held this fall under the direction of Dr. Libby Bower of the Massachusetts Mental Health Association. Approximately sixty members of the teaching and
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administrative staff participated in this worthwhile program. The small group atmosphere proved to be most effective and much was gained by the teachers in the friendly interchange of ideas and in the dis- cussion of mental health problems as they apply to all grade levels throughout the school system.
Instructional Program
In this era of Sputniks and the Space Age, we are constantly ap- praising our instructional program. Greater emphasis is being focused on the continuous evaluation process. Each classroom activity is ex- amined for its intrinsic value to the educational progress of each child.
Our pupils in grades 2-6 have been taking full advantage this past fall of the educational television programs being broadcast each morning over WGBH-TV, Channel 2, Boston. Through the efforts of each of the local P.T.A.'s, there are now a total of ten TV sets in our elementary schools.
The television programs have served as both supplementary and enriching experiences for the pupils. Programs being currently tele- vised to a different grade each day are as follows:
Grade 2 - MUSIC - Folk Songs and Instruments
Grade 3 - LITERATURE - Book Talk and Story Telling
Grade 4 - SOCIAL STUDIES - New England Heritage
Grade 5 - NATURAL SCIENCE - "Discovery" Programs
Grade 6 - PHYSICAL SCIENCE - Demonstrations and Experiments
Although all of the programs were not of equal caliber, the first year of programming has been most satisfactory and well worth the twenty-five cent per pupil investment that Reading has made in this new educational venture.
The physical education program has been strengthened through the addition of an elementary school physical educational supervisor. A well-planned program has been instituted at the intermediate grade level. Classes meet with the supervisor on an alternate-week program. Definite skills are taught for each major sport area.
The Rinehart Functional Handwriting System was again added to the school curriculum this September after a lapse of three years. This system adds impetus to the regular penmanship program in the schools through monthly teaching guides and test papers, and regularly sched- uled practice sessions. Considerable improvement has already been noted in the many classrooms throughout the system.
In February of 1958, a Special Class for children of primary school age was openel at the Birch Meadow School. Under the leadership and guidance of a teacher experienced in the field of Special Education, the pupils in this class pursue a program that, although limited in scope, provides a firm foundation in the basic skills to children who cannot follow the course of study offered in the regular classroom sit- uation. At present, nine boys and girls are attending this class where they profit from individual and small group instruction.
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During the last summer, the School Department, in cooperation with the Reading Parent-Teacher Council, operated a six-week summer school program at the Highland School for all pupils in the Town's elementary schools. The prime purpose for the organization of this program was to offer to pupils the opportunity for additional work in skill subjects. Upon recommendation of the building principal and classroom teacher, parents were urged to send youngsters to the summer school, especially those youngsters who were not producing the quality of performance which their ability indicated was possible.
Approximately one hundred students pursued the course offerings at this summer school. Under the guidance of several of our regular staff, pupils attended school for a morning session of three hours; special diagnostic and remedial materials were provided to discover specific weaknesses of each pupil. Careful pre-planning and continuous communication by the summer school staff resulted in substantial gains for many pupils who were able to attend this program.
Because the School Department is unable to operate any program on a tuition basis, the P.T.A. Council acted as the official sponsor. Each pupil, therefore, was required to pay a sum of Thirty Dollars tuition to cover the cost of educational materials, general supplies and staff salaries. The success of the summer school during its initial year indicates that an expansion of the program in the summer of 1959 is almost a certainty.
Respectfully submitted,
R. HILDA GAFFNEY WILLIAM E. SIM ELEANOR M. SKAHILL ERNEST SPENCE
Supervising Principals
REPORT OF THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
Ara A. Karakashian, Director
During 1958 the Guidance Department functioned in much the same way that it has in the past but with somewhat greater effectiveness. The increase in effectiveness was in direct proportion to the increase in time made available for individual counseling of pupils.
At the elementary level, Mr. William O'Keefe, working full time as our Youth Adjustment Counselor since September of 1957, has done an excellent job in expanding counseling services to pupils and parents and in establishing better lines of communication between the school, the home, and various community agencies.
At the beginning of the year there were four part-time counselors in the High School devoting two periods per school day and additional time after school to guidance duties. A counselor was assigned to
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each class with the understanding that he would continue to work with the same group of pupils until they were graduated or were other- wise terminated. The thinking behind this arrangement was that the counselors would get to know their pupils better and would be of greater service to them because of continued contacts over several years. Personnel turnover and reassignment has forced a modification to this plan which I hope is only temporary. Since September of 1958 the staff at the High School has consisted of Miss Helen Hart, Mr. John Pacino and myself. Both Miss Hart and Mr. Pacino now devote four periods during school hours and additional time after 2:30 p.m., to guidance duties. Miss Hart is counseling the pupils with whom she began in September of 1957 and who are now juniors. Mr. Pacino like- wise is counseling sophomores. I am trying to counsel both seniors and freshmen and find this an impossible task. It becomes increas- ingly evident that when the pupil-fulltime counseling ratio is in excess of 300 to 1, some pupils are going to be sadly neglected. It is important, therefore, that we plan ahead and provide adequate numbers of full- time counselors at the secondary levels.
Another great and continuing need in personnel is a fulltime clerk or secretary assigned to the Guidance Department. Even with sub- stantial (about halftime) use of a member of the regular adminis- trative clerical force and part time help on the part of clerical students, counselors are finding it necessary to spend an inordinate amount of their time on clerical detail. We are still woefully weak in such im- portant areas of guidance service as placement and follow-up and longitudinal evaluation. A fulltime guidance clerk would help tre- mendously to unify and expand piece-meal and diffuse efforts in these important areas.
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