WEST SPRINGFIELD – The last two West Springfield School Committee meetings of the 2018–2019 year, on May 28 and June 11, were focused on honoring the work of educators and preparing for the changes ahead.

Mike Connolly of the Massachusetts School Administrators Association presented Peter Gillen of West Springfield Middle School with the Middle School Principal of the Year award. He said it was Gillen’s “passion for all things West Springfield,” and “empowerment of staff, students, and community,” that earned him the award.

Among Gillen’s accomplishments are improved special education services, a one-to-one Chromebook program, and the creation of Makerspace, an area of the school library where students can design and create something to support their learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).

There is a large number of retiring staff in the West Springfield School District this year, including six teachers from the high school, three from the middle school, three from Fausey, and one each from Memorial, Coburn, and Cowing schools, as well as, an elementary librarian and several paraprofessionals.

Tim Hardy, a Fausey reading teacher, was on hand to accept a certificate for his service. He told the story about teaching Reichelt, describing him as a “nice little boy, very quiet.” Reichelt grinned while Hardy talked about teaching him to read.

“I was so proud and happy and I told the teachers I worked with, I said ‘look at this kid, this kid is good. He's going to grow up to be mayor someday’ and you know I was right,” said Hardy.

“I can attest that Mr. Hardy is the reason I can read today," Reichelt said.

Paul Heath, an administrator who has worked at Fausey, Mittineague, and Tatham elementary schools, also received a certificate.

“Thank you. It's been a wonderful career. I couldn't have asked for a better place to be," Heath said. “You are like a family to me.”

There were 17 educators nominated as Shining Stars for special education this year. The shining stars, a program from the Special Education Advisory Council, are nominated by parents and students.

Many changes are on the horizon for the fall, including two new principals. Kathleen Morneau has been selected as the next principal of Tatham Elementary School, while Coburn Elementary school will be led by Gina Martin-Ryan. Martin-Ryan held a meet-and-greet with staff June 12.

“By all accounts,” Superintendent Richard said, Martin-Ryan is, “a passionate, instructional leader.”

Turning to the Coburn School renovation project, Richard said that the owner’s project manager submitted an estimate of $54,788,019 while an architect, TSKP Studio, submitted an estimate of $54,330,107. Richard said the fact that the difference between them was only one percent was a good sign that the estimates were accurate.

“We’re feeling really good about where we are in the project,” Richard said. The Coburn project must now go before the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to be approved, at which point the district will know how much the MSBA will reimburse for the project.

Assistant Superintendent Kevin McQuillian spoke about the request for proposals regarding the modular classrooms at Tatham Elementary. He said that while several businesses expressed interest at a school walk-through, only one submitted a proposal, Vanguard Modular Systems.

Both of the two options that Vanguard proposed came in under the $1.2 million appropriated by the Town Council. Option one was a row formation that would require students to enter and exit through the cafeteria, while option two would locate a four-square formation of modules in the back of the building, aligning with the rear door of the current structure.

The modules will have internet, fire alarms, security alarms, and communication between buildings. Richard said they will be, “integrated with the building to the extent possible."

The company also committed to an occupation date of October 28.

“I would hope that we would make every effort to encourage the vendor here to give us an earlier date and really push for an earlier occupancy,” said School Committee Member Pat Garbacik.

“If they’re not ready, there is a transitional plan,” Richard said.
The contract was awarded to Vanguard at a cost of $1,198,651.

The Cowing Alternative School status was changed from an “approved public day” program to an “integrated program”. This was the next step in a process to integrate 16 to 24 Cowing students into Coburn School.

Richard said this will give the students, “access to the general education curriculum instead of operating at a substantially separate program that where they would not be able to access art and physical education and music with other students.”

School Committee Vice Chair Nancy Farrell asked Richard how the integration would affect accountability.

“The work that we’ve been doing at Cowing sets us up for those students to perform and not drag down test scores,” Richard said, adding that most of the Cowing students are there for social-emotional and behavioral challenges.

“In fact, I would argue that many of them are extremely bright and outshine their peers in general,” Richard said.

The change is effective as of the opening of the new Coburn School.

This year, 264 West Springfield High School students receive diplomas, 3 obtained certificates of attainment, seven received certificates of completion, and four adult education students earned diplomas.

As part of the District Improvement Plan, Richard discussed the Alternative Pathways for students to complete diploma requirements. He said that students were enrolled in the “Gateway to College” and “Mount Tom Academy” programs, from each of which two students will graduate this year. Fourteen students were also enrolled in the Adult Education Center at the Annex.

“We’ve learned a lot about the ways that students who have that limited or interrupted formal education learn,” said Richard, but he added, “There’s more to do and more to grow.” The district is submitting paperwork for a $50,000 grant to support the students.

Principal Kathleen Bailer of John Ashley kindergarten presented the ways that the school is addressing social-emotional learning and school readiness.

“We've chosen self-regulation as a foundational social-emotional skill,” said Bailer. She said self-regulation, which is also commonly referred to as impulse control, is linked to the Massachusetts social-emotional learning standards.

One of the tools being used by Hannah Melendez, an adjustment counselor, is Zones of Regulation. The zones help students identify what they’re feeling, and strategies to either change or stay in their zone.

In the activity performed for the school committee, three students did a self-check to see what emotions they were feeling and chose the zone that matched their mood, blue, yellow, red, and green. Students then helped members of the school committee find the zone for their feelings, after which kids identified strategies to help calm down when upset.

In addition to self-regulation, Bailer said kids learn an increased vocabulary of emotional terms, recognizing others facial expressions, perspective-taking on how others see and react to their own behavior, and insight into events that trigger behavior. Bailer said the work being done, “encompasses the foundations of school readiness.”

West Springfield High School Counselor, Shamis White, requested approval from the committee for an April 2020 trip to Dingle, Ireland. Students have visited their sister city twice before when 22 students visited in the spring of 2016 and 25 students in 2018. Forty students from Dingle visited West Springfield at the beginning of 2019.

“They just really had a great time,” White said of the students trip. “With the use of social media, these students have really connected and stayed in touch.” White also spoke of the students’  experiences and opportunities to learn about another perspective. The committee approved the trip.

The Fiscal Year 20 school budget of $45,172,916, which had already been approved by the city council on June 3, was approved unanimously by the School Committee.