Winter 2012 (PDF) - Springfield Public Schools

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:30 PM Page 1
VOL. 4, NO. 3 WINTER 2013
SUPER
MAN
Back row from left, Balliet
School teachers Michelle
Liberto and Juliana Bondor,
Principal Shadae Thomas,
Springfield Superintendent of
Schools Daniel Warwick and
Zone One Chief Schools
Officer Veta Daley visit
Liberto’s second-grade class.
PHOTO: SEAN BROWNE
Warwick has
spent lifetime
preparing for
this position
BY PAUL HALLORAN
BY PAUL HALLORAN
As school districts across the state and nation try to devise
teacher-evaluation systems that accomplishes their goals while
earning the approval of teachers unions, Springfield has planted
the SEEDS for an effective evaluation tool.
The Springfield Effective Educator Development System
(SEEDS) was put into place at the Level 4 schools last school
year and implemented district-wide this fall. It was developed
collaboratively by Springfield Public Schools (SPS), the
Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) and the Springfield
Education Association (SEA).
As of 2012, school districts in Massachusetts were required to
When you discover that Daniel Warwick
has spent almost four decades in
Springfield Public Schools, you might be
surprised to learn he is only 58. Then when
you hear the energy and passion in his
voice as he discusses his plans for
improving the district, you come away
thinking he sounds more like 38.
“We worked on a strategic plan four
years ago and I updated that plan and
outlined goals in four areas,” Warwick
said, listing improving student
achievement, improving the graduation
rate and lowering the dropout rate, meeting
state benchmarks and improving
attendance as four priorities.
“I delineated clear strategies when I
See WARWICK Page 13 LEVEL 4
SEEDS planted for effective teacher evaluation
have a formal teacher evaluation system in place, as a condition
of the state’s receiving federal Race To The Top funding. Many
districts were forced to scramble to get an evaluation system in
place by the end of the 2011-12 school year.
“The timelines from the federal and state government were not
realistic,” said SEA President Tim Collins. “We worked hard to
get something up and running by the end of the school year.”
The fact that educators were involved in the planning process
is significant. “This system was designed for evaluations to be
done ‘with’ teachers and not ‘to’ them,” Collins said. “Our goal
at the district level is to have it be what is says: an effective
educator development system.”
See SEEDS Page 3
INSIDE:
COLLEGE
SPORTS
P.4-5
P.8-9
P.16

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:30 PM Page 2
2 - THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013
Committed to making college the goal for all students
A few weekss ago, I sat
immersed in work at my
computer when out of the
corner of my eye, I
caught a glimpse of a
large manila envelope
that a member of my
cabinet had left on my
desk for me. A teacher
DANIEL WARWICK had sent it inter-office
mail to her. Affixed to
the envelope was a note that simply said: “Thought
you might enjoy these!”
Inside was a packet of drawings created by a
kindergarten class at Beal School. Each drawing was
a letter to the student’s parents, asking their parents
for help in making sure that they would get to go to
college when they graduated high school. Several of
the kindergarteners promised to “be good” in
college. Some asked their folks to “help them get
money” to go to college. A few said they wanted to
read big books in college or play college sports.
Others explained that they simply had to go to college
because they wanted to be a doctor or lawyer. One
child said he wanted to go to college so that he could become
president of the United States.
Just two weeks before opening that envelope, I had stood
on the front steps of City Hall flanked by hundreds of school
children, college presidents, pastors, priests and rabbis,
educators, legislators, business owners, community leaders,
college mascots, reporters and news crews, community-based
organizations, concerned citizens, parents and many other
Balliet School second-grader David Jesus shows Springfield
Superintendent Daniel Warwick what he's working on in class.
PHOTO: SEAN BROWNE
Kindergarten students such as Jack want to go to college.
caring adults. We had gathered in support of a city-wide
initiative called College? YES!, which was aimed at
inspiring and supporting college goals for our students and
their families.
The package of kindergarten letters that I unexpectedly
received on my desk recently is further proof of what I
already knew: that the College? YES! initiative was a
worthwhile endeavor with unprecedented participation and
Superintendent is man
with a (5-year) plan
BY PAUL HALLORAN
The Springfield Promise is a
plan devised by
Superintendent Daniel
Warwick to promote a culture
of equity and proficiency,
raising the bar and closing the
achievement gap. The premise
is that if there are effective
principals and teachers in
every school, they can create a
learning environment
characterized by respect and
accountability, in which all
students can graduate collegeand
career-ready.
Warwick set forth goals for
significant improvement on
MCAS testing district-wide: In
English Language Arts, the
goal is for 74 percent of
students to score proficient or
advanced by 2017, up from 41
percent last year. In math, the
goal is 62 percent, up from 27
percent last year; and in
science, 59 percent up from 21
percent.
Warwick’s plan also sets a
goal of a 90-percent
graduation rate in five years,
up from 52 percent last year.
The goal is to reduce the
dropout rate from 11.7 percent
success.
Those of us who work in the school district are
lucky enough to see the fruits of that initiative
every day. But for many of the businesses and
organizations that participated, the weekend-long
event may seem to have been just that – just a
weekend activity, which existed in a vacuum. Let
the letters that landed on my desk reassure you of
the substantial impact your efforts have made on
so many of our students. As a city, we have
collectively begun to root college aspirations in
the minds of even our youngest students. The
children who wrote these letters to their parents,
for example, will enter first grade, sixth grade,
ninth grade, and become high school seniors
believing that college is a viable, reasonable next
step post high school graduation.
Be assured that our schools have built a great
deal of college aspiration momentum. Robust
conversations continue. Special assemblies
highlight career options. The college message is
plastered throughout many hallways, classrooms
and bulletin boards.
We continue to expand our capacities and we are
racing to meet self-imposed improvement goals because we
are committed to creating a district where all students
graduate college and career ready.
And we thank the Springfield community for sharing in
that commitment.
Daniel Warwick is superintendent of schools. Reprinted
from The Republican.
to 5.9 percent in five years.
“Strategies need to change,”
Warwick said. “The common
theme is the importance of the
quality of instruction.”
Warwick’s plan calls for:
training and evaluating
educators based on a clear
vision of strong instruction;
implementing a rigorous
curriculum built on common
standards with common
assessments; deploying data
that is timely and accurate to
make decisions; and
strengthening social, emotional
and academic safety nets and
supports for all students and
families.
In addition to improvement
on standardized testing, The
Springfield Promise envisions
schools with world-class
learning environments that
produce 21st-century leaders
and the district attracting
highly effective teachers and
principals who want to work in
a high-performing district.
“We expect kids to achieve
at every level,” Warwick said.
“We have to put in the
strategies and supports to help
them do that.”
CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
DOMENIC J. SARNO, MAYOR
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
MAYOR DOMENIC J. SARNO, CHAIR
CHRISTOPHER COLLINS, VICE CHAIR
BARBARA GRESHAM
DENISE M. HURST
PETER MURPHY, ESQ.
ANTONETTE PEPE
NORMAN ROLDAN
ARIANA WILLIAMS,
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
PUBLISHED BY:
SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
DANIEL WARWICK, SUPERINTENDENT
WWW.SPS.SPRINGFIELD.MA.US
SUBMIT STORY IDEAS TO:
AZELL CAVAAN
CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1550 MAIN ST.
SPRINGFIELD, MA 01103
TEL: 413-787-7575
CAVAANA@SPS.SPRINGFIELD.MA.US
PRODUCED BY:
GRANT COMMUNICATIONS
CONSULTING GROUP
781-598-8200
GCCG@GRANTGROUP.COM
WWW.GRANTGROUP.COM

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:30 PM Page 3
THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013 - 3
Martinez urges students
to set the sky as the limit
Asst. superintendent is passionate about learning
When Assistant Superintendent Lydia E. Martinez speaks
about Springfield Public Schools and its students, a broad
smile shines across her face.
“I am passionate about learning. I am passionate about
kids taking ownership of their own education and just
watching them grow. Having them want to come to school to
learn, that is my biggest goal. I know that our students can
achieve,” said Martinez, her eyes gleaming.
Martinez grew up in the North End neighborhood,
attending Springfield Public Schools. During an 18-year
career in Springfield Public Schools, she has worked her way
through the ranks, rising to the No. 2 position in the district.
She uses her story as proof for students that hard work pays
off.
“I tell kids all the time to set the sky as a limit, and if they
fall in the clouds they’re going to be OK,” she said.
After graduating from the former Springfield Technical
High School in 1983, Martinez became a first-generation
college student, completing her undergraduate studies at
Westfield State University in three years, earning a
bachelor’s degree in business management. She earned a
master’s degree in education with a minor in Spanish from
Elms College and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate studies
from Westfield State University. Currently, she is a doctoral
candidate at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
“I wanted to show myself and my family that I could
make it,” said Martinez. “It doesn’t matter where you came
from, it’s where you go, and school is the first place to start.”
In 1996 Martinez began her tenure in the Springfield
Public Schools as a teacher at Forest Park Middle School, a
position she held for six years. There, she also completed a
half-year principal internship. In 2003, she became assistant
principal at the High School of Science and Technology. A
year later, she was appointed principal at Chestnut
Accelerated Middle School, where she served for four years.
From 2008-09 she worked as Senior Administrator for
Leadership Continuum.
Prior to becoming assistant superintendent, Martinez was
a Chief Schools Officer for Zone 3, overseeing student
achievement and student interventions at Chestnut, Duggan,
Forest Park, Kennedy, Kiley, STEM, Van Sickle and South
End middle schools. In 2011, she also served
as Chief Schools Officer of The Springfield
Renaissance School and Central, Commerce,
Science and Technology, and Putnam high
schools.
She relishes all of the varied roles she has
experienced in the district. “It has always
been about the kids and about making sure
they have good opportunities and good
experiences in schools. I am here to serve
them,” said Martinez.
Martinez credits much of her success to
early lessons learned at the hands of Carol
Fazio, former principal of Forest Park Middle
School, whom Martinez considers a personal
mentor.
“She saw potential in me and took me
under her wing,” said Martinez. “She gave me
leadership opportunities and guided me into
becoming an administrator.” She also credits
Mildred Barend and the late Chief Master
Sargent Henry B. Palmer for believing in her
when she was young and for helping her get
into college.
Her openness to receiving good advice has
guided her to offer it whenever she can –
especially to students. The crux of that advice
is always simple and straightforward: Success
starts in school and you must try your very
best.
“I want students to understand that education is
what is going to open the doors in their future. Come to
school and just try. Give it a real shot. It’s OK not to know
in the beginning, that’s what learning is all about,” she said.
It’s a message that has rung true for her family; her sister,
brother and two nieces are all teachers. “We are a true
family. We are always together,” Martinez said. “We help
each other out.”
Martinez’ parents both live in Springfield, as do three of
her four siblings; the other also lives in Western
Massachusetts.
Lydia Martinez with Emma Valerio at the College? YES! rally.
When she is not at her job, Martinez likes to read, hike
and to travel with her family. Though she loves to get away,
she’s always happy to come back home.
“I chose to stay in Springfield. I want to be here. I love the
city, I love the students and I look forward to learning from
Superintendent Warwick. His passion for our students and
city are contagious and refreshing. I believe in his vision and
know that with his leadership, we are headed in the right
direction,” she said.
SEEDS planted for effective teacher evaluation
SEEDS: from Page 1
Kathleen O’Sullivan, Senior
Administrator for Educator Effectiveness
for SPS, said the district and the union
modified a contract developed by the state.
“It was fully negotiated between the union
and Springfield Public Schools,”
O’Sullivan said.
The primary difference between SEEDS
and previous evaluation tools is that
teachers now play a much more active role
in the evaluation process. “There is a real
collaboration,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s a
huge change in the way of doing business.
We have to do it right; so much depends
on it.”
“This is a dramatically improved
system,” said Superintendent Daniel
Warwick. “We all recognize this is about
improving instruction and outcomes for
kids. The union has been a great partner.
We’re not going to improve the system
without the teachers. They have had a real
voice in the process.”
SEEDS consists of a 5-part evaluation
cycle that includes:
Self assessment and student learning
goals – Teachers will assess themselves in
the context of the needs of their students
and identify support they might need.
Professional goals – Teachers identify
what professional development they might
need to meet student learning goals.
Principals, evaluators and teachers work
together to meet professional goals that
drive student learning goals.
Implementation – Unannounced
evaluations are conducted and the
evaluators provide feedback based on a
rubric of what proficient teaching is.
“There’s no gray area,” O’Sullivan said.
“Teachers know exactly what the
expectations are, and evaluators give
feedback to help them become proficient.”
Formative assessment – Teachers are on
either a 1- or 2-year cycle. Halfway
through the cycle, an evaluator meets with
the teacher to check on progress. The
teacher presents evidence of what he or
she is doing to meet goals.
Summative assessment – The teacher
meets with the evaluator to examine
performance in six areas that he or she is
evaluated on – the four standards in the
rubric, student learning goals and
professional goals. The teacher receives an
evaluation of: exemplary, proficient, needs
improvement or unsatisfactory.
“We are taking a holistic approach,”
O’Sullivan said, noting that the evaluator
may be any administrator. “Our message is
that we want to make a teacher’s best
better. We have great teachers, but
everybody can grow (in the profession).”
Collins said teachers are cautiously
optimistic that SEEDS will accomplish its
goal.
“We need to do it right so there is a
serious level of confidence on the part of
the evaluators and the teachers that this
will help improve the quality of teaching.
We will be reaching out to evaluators and
teachers to find out what’s working and
what’s not working. We’re all working
hard to see it accomplish what we want.
We want to take strong teachers and make
them stronger, and take developing
teachers and help them develop into good
teachers.”

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:30 PM Page 4
4 - THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013
Level 4 schools show
dramatic gains
Gerena Community School Principal Diane Gagnon and assistant principal Cynthia Escribano
kept their word and let students throw cream pies at them after MCAS improvement.
Gerena School first-grader Melliant Figueroa works at her desk.
PHOTOS: SEAN BROWNE
BY MEAGHAN CASEY
Bearing huge grins and cans of
whipped cream, students at German
Gerena Community School gathered in
early October to put the finishes touches
on dozens of cream pies – not in attempt
to show off their recipe for success, but
to reap its rewards.
The students were celebrating gains in
proficiency on the 2012 MCAS and were
presented with a rare opportunity to
throw the pies in the faces of their
principal, Diane Gagnon, and assistant
principal, Cynthia Escribano. Gagnon
said she promised the pie-throwing party
to students if they demonstrated
improvement, and they did. Two years
after being named a Level 4 school by
the Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
(DESE,) the percentage of Gerena
students scoring proficient or higher, all
grades combined, has increased by 14
percentage points in English Language
Arts (ELA) and 15 percentage points in
math.
“We’re proud of our results and it was
a great way to celebrate,” said Gagnon.
“A promise is a promise and this is one
that I was more than happy to deliver
on.”
In March of 2010, the DESE identified
Gerena and nine other Springfield
schools as Level 4 schools, declaring
they stood in immediate need of
improvement. Since then, the state
department has awarded the district more
than $13 million to implement
improvement strategies in those schools.
Gerena was one of four of the district’s
Level 4 schools that have met their threeyear
improvement goals in just two
years. The other three with the greatest
combined two-year gains were Homer
Street Elementary School, up 30
percentage points in ELA and up 39 in
math; Zanetti Montessori K-8 School, up
18 in ELA and up 27 in math; and
Brookings Elementary School, up 12 in
ELA and up 19 in math. They were
among the top 10 Level 4 schools
statewide to show improvement, joining
Burke High School and Orchard Gardens
School in Boston, Murkland Elementary
School in Lowell, Harrington and
Connery elementary schools in Lynn and
Union Hill Elementary School in
Worcester.
“I am extremely proud of our teachers,
principals and administrators who
dedicated hundreds of hours to think
through the urgent needs of their school
and, most importantly, implement new
ideas, practices and difficult changes to
address those challenges,” said
Superintendent Daniel Warwick. “Just as
significantly, I am proud of our students
and their families for not only adjusting
to the changes but actively partnering
with the district to make our plans
successful.”
Warwick credited the addition of an
extra 45 minutes of learning time every
day and the way teachers analyze student
performance from test to test, unit to
unit, day to day. Gagnon agreed,
explaining that like many other Level 4
schools, the Gerena School has increased
its ELA block to 150 minutes and its
math block to 90 minutes, and the
extended day affords an additional 45
minutes for an intervention block,
targeting math, reading and science. The
school has also rolled out a highly
specialized program that blends the
Montessori model with Cornerstone
Literacy’s framework and arts
integration.
“We were the first school to write our
own, state-approved, blended
curriculum,” said Gagnon. “It’s rigorous
work, but nothing is better than seeing
the students make progress. We’ve sat
down with every child and gone over
their progress so that they can better
understand their strengths, weaknesses
and next steps. The teachers have been
an integral part of that process and the
entire redesign plan. They’re serving on
the redesign team and on various
committees and have committed many,
many hours to professional
development.”
Zanetti has adopted a similar approach,
blending the Montessori and Cornerstone
models. Both Zanetti and Gerena were
named Cornerstone Anchor Schools and
are serving as local exemplars of best
practices, organized and supported to
strengthen literacy and, thereby, other
elementary instructional practices,
district-wide.
“Teachers are saying they are better
trained and prepared to teach literacy,
and they enjoy the professional
development,” said Zanetti Principal Tara
Christian Clark.
Zanetti has also introduced a new
program, Becoming a Writer. In focus
groups, teachers reported that the
program has helped to create consistency
across grade levels, build a community
of writers, and develop students’ writing
skills across all genres of writing. Clark
also pointed to the school’s safe and
supportive learning environment as a
factor for student success.
“The relationship between our teachers
and students is respectful,” Clark said.
“On an everyday basis, our faculty
members represent high expectations,
Continued on next page

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:30 PM Page 5
THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013 - 5
Continued from previous page
positive behavior and open lines of
communication. Our students respect that
and they respect themselves, their peers
and their environment. We’ve also
expanded our wrap-around services,
connecting with organizations like the
Boys and Girls Club, and we remain
committed to dealing with our students’
social and emotional needs.”
The DESE praised all of the district’s
Level 4 schools for managing services
provided by external partners and
strengthening their “capacity to manage
key partnerships in ways that further
enhance focus and impact, rather than
detract from their central focus.” In the
2011-2012 academic year, the district
engaged the following external partners:
Focus on Results to assist Level 4
schools in developing instructional
leadership teams; The Achievement
Network to conduct regular ELA and
math assessments, analyze the data
results, and set instructional goals to
address identified gaps in student
learning and performance; and
Organizational Health Inventory to
measure the quality of school climate
based on 10 factors that impact student
performance. The elementary schools also
contracted with City Connects to provide
school-based intervention, prevention,
and enrichment services to students and
families.
“Collaboration is so important, because
it’s letting the students know that their
families and communities care,” said
Brookings Principal Terry Powe.
As part of Brookings’ family and
community engagement efforts to
promote literacy, students have
participated in vocabulary parades and a
fairy tale ball, and Powe herself came to
school dressed as one of her favorite
literary characters to read to students. The
school has partnered with Hasbro, hosted
a Men and Women of Color series and
invited in guest speakers, such as author
Keshawn Dodds, to inspire students.
Nancy Laino, school improvement
specialist at Homer Street Elementary,
said she too believes much of the credit
for higher scores goes to discipline,
establishing a safe environment, and
having consistent routines, behaviors and
procedures throughout the building.
Laino also stressed the importance of
professional development and best
practices, and the district’s mentoring
program that matches students with
experienced teachers. In focus groups,
Homer Street teachers reported to the
DESE that instructional leadership team
members make frequent informal
classroom visits and both informal and
formal feedback is provided to teachers
as often as twice weekly, but at least once
a month.
Brookings School kindergartener Michael Anderson works on his writing during class.
Fourth-grader Carlos Rivera shows
Brookings School Principal Terry Powe his
math work.
Fourth-grader Kiana Rios works at her computer station in the Gerena School's
computer lab.
Classroom volunteers Vargen Ramos, left, and
Caroline Collazo work with Brookings School
kindergartener Miguel DeJesus.
DeBerry
joins list
of Level 4
schools
DeBerry Elementary School was added
to the list of Level 4 schools this year.
Superintendent Daniel Warwick said the
designation will provide an unparalleled
opportunity for the district to acutely
address issues that continue to impact
improvement efforts at DeBerry.
“DeBerry School has a rich history and
enjoys strong community support. Still, the
school continues to struggle,” said
Warwick. “Now, we have an opportunity to
realize accelerated academic
improvement.”
Currently, there are nearly 300 students
enrolled at DeBerry. Of that, 96.1 percent
are low-income, 15.7 percent are students
with disabilities and 25.3 percent are
students speak English as a second
language. Warwick said the DeBerry
School has the benefit of drawing on the
experience of schools previously
designated as Level 4 schools, including
Brookings, Gerena, Homer and Zanetti
elementary schools, all of which have
shown dramatic gains in the past two years.
“The state has more than proven its
commitment to the children of
Springfield,” said Warwick. “Its inclusion
of DeBerry School is further proof of its
support of turnaround efforts here in our
district and support for our promise to
build a culture of equity and proficiency
for all of our students.”

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:30 PM Page 6
6 - THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013
Music to their ears
Kiley Middle School music teacher Rachel Ryan directs some of the 120 students who take part in chorus.
Rachel Ryan brings
chorus program to life
at Kiley Middle School
BY MEAGHAN CASEY
The hills and the garden – the TD Bank
Garden, that is – came alive with the sound of
music on Dec. 5.
The Marcus Kiley Middle School chorus,
under the direction of music teacher Rachel
Ryan, sang the National Anthem at TD
Garden in Boston when the Celtics hosted the
Minnesota Timberwolves. Ryan, who is in her
first year as a full-time teacher, having
substituted at Kiley last year, submitted an
audition tape on behalf of her students earlier
this fall and was thrilled when they were
selected.
“The kids were so excited,” said Ryan, who
brought more than 70 Kiley students to
perform.
Ryan’s own interest in music began in
kindergarten and intensified when she was a
fourth-grader, after joining chorus. She
was active in school musicals at
Westborough High School, where she
graduated in 2007, and she continued to
act and sing throughout college. She
graduated from Westfield State University
in 2011, earning degrees in music
composition and music education. During
those four years, she performed at the
famed Carnegie Hall and the Pittsfield
Colonial Theatre, as well as in Prague.
Though performing and composing are
passions of hers, Ryan also knew she had a
calling to teach. When a more permanent
position at Kiley opened up, she was eager to
accept it.
“I loved working at Kiley, and I loved the
freedom the position offered to design my
own music program,” said Ryan, who has
breathed new life in a chorus program that
Kiley Middle School music teacher Rachel Ryan.
just began last year.
Ryan, whose great grandfather was a
musician, was always encouraged to pursue
her musical dreams. Though her parents did
not have backgrounds in the arts, Ryan’s
brother followed a similar path to her and is a
music teacher at a high school in North
Carolina, where he also directs the high
school choir.
Outside of the music department, Ryan
coaches volleyball – a sport she played in
high school and college. She recently
completed the fall season as an assistant
coach at Bay Path College in Longmeadow,
and will coach the Kiley boys team this
spring.

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:31 PM Page 7
THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013 - 7
An exterior view of Putnam Vocational-Technical Academy.
PUTNAM PRIDE
New high-school building
provides state-of-the-art resources
for vocational students
BY MEAGHAN CASEY
This school year marked the beginning of a new era, said Principal Gil Traverso, on the
opening of the $114-million Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical Academy. Unveiled in
August, the new facility is providing state-of-the-art technology and training to 1,600
students and faculty.
“It’s amazing,” said Traverso. “I can’t say enough. It’s been a breath of fresh air for our
students, parents, teachers and the community.”
The 308,000-square-foot building was constructed on the football field adjacent to the
former vocational school, which was originally built in 1938 on the same 16-acre parcel.
Some of the materials and features of the old school were preserved and incorporated into the
new school and its design, such as the main interior doors and a stone pediment that reads
“Springfield Trade School.”
“The old building had a lot of character,” said Traverso. “But after a series of additions, it
lent itself to isolation, with students traveling back and forth between nine different wings. In
the new building, there’s more of a sense of community and collaboration.”
Though slightly smaller than the former facility, the new school was built to meet the
requirements of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) program and
includes standard and special needs classrooms, food service facilities and administrative
offices and conference rooms. Unique program areas include hands-on labs and shops for 25
vocational programs in the following clusters: transportation; construction; manufacturing,
engineering and technology; agriculture and natural resources; hospitality and tourism;
business and administrative services; health services; arts and communication; and
information technology.
The hospitality, tourism and culinary arts suite includes a full kitchen, café and hotel mockup,
while the horticulture, landscaping and arboriculture program is equipped with a
greenhouse. The manufacturing program offers students the opportunity to work with all new
machinery, such as virtual welders and plasma cutters, and the auto body shop has state-ofthe-art
spray booth technology. There is also a dental suite, a child care section and an
expanded robotics lab, and the marketing and finance department will be unveiling a bank in
the coming weeks.
The construction project was funded by the Massachusetts School Building Authority
(MSBA), and the school is being supported by the Roger L. Putnam Technical Fund and
other private citizens and corporate partners.
Putnam freshman Dariaan Liriano works on a computer
during a business information management class.
“Our mission is to advance the employment skills of Putnam students, preparing them for
future success in skill-based vocations upon their graduation,” said York Mayo, chairman of
the Putnam Technical Fund. “The fund facilitates this by accessing, attracting and acquiring
the resources, equipment and leading-edge tools needed to effectively train the next
generation of highly-skilled technical workers.”
The estimated $125-million construction project was completed under budget at $114
million and ahead of schedule. The MSBA agreed to transfer the savings towards the cost of
renovating and expanding Forest Park Middle School, which is slated to reopen in September
2013.
State Treasurer Steven Grossman, who serves as chairman of the Massachusetts School
Building Authority joined Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and many other officials for Putnam’s
ribbon cutting on Aug. 15, which was followed by a tour of the building.
“The new school is a testimony to investing in the future, and represents a partnership of
educational leadership and business leadership,” said Grossman.
Putnam automotive technology instructor Dan Adamczyk, right, watches as freshman Alexi
Rivera helps move the car jack under a car.
From left, Putnam freshmen Kiana Crus, Saturn Rosario and Adianez Lopez-Andujar watch as
robotics and automation instructor Warren Schoonover operates a student-made robot.
PHOTOS: SEAN BROWNE

SpringfieldEducatorCenterFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 12:44 PM Page 1
8 - THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013 THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013 - 9
COLLEGE?
YES!
BY MEAGHAN CASEY
If college is the question, the answer should always be yes.
That’s the message city and school officials in Springfield are
hoping to promote with “College? YES!,” a city-wide effort to
inspire college aspirations. On Oct. 26, Mayor Domenic J.
Sarno, Superintendent of Schools Daniel J. Warwick and
Patricia Spradley, chief parent and community engagement
officer, joined a number of college presidents and throngs of
current and future college graduates and supporters kicked off
the initiative with a rally on the steps of City Hall. A questionand-answer
session for eighth-graders followed the rally, which
was a jump-start to a full schedule of weekend-long events. The
goal of the weekend was to ensure that college was a topic of
conversation in every school, on every athletic
field, on television and in social media, in
every neighborhood, in supermarkets and hair
salons, and from the pulpit of houses of
worship.
“The event was part of a strategic plan to
focus on college, from pre-K all the way
through to high school,” said Spradley. “When
students don’t have the exposure, it’s often
hard for them to develop the college-ready
behaviors and beliefs they need. At the end of
the weekend, we wanted them to really
believe that college is an option for them.”
In the classrooms, educators created ageappropriate
college-themed lessons,
programming and events. Local businesses
showcased displays and allowed staff to wear
College? YES! t-shirts. Coaches also donned
the College? YES! shirts and incorporated a
positive college-themed message into their
games and practices. College students fanned
out across the city, hosting campus tours and
sessions on how to apply to college.
Community organizations created special
sessions and programs around the topic of
college awareness. Houses of worship integrated the college
message into sermons and youth programs. A double-decker bus
filled with cheering supporters toured the city on Saturday,
stopping in many neighborhoods along the way and grabbing
the attention of many with loudspeakers, flash mobs,
cheerleaders and noisemakers.
Pledge cards were also distributed at various locations
throughout the city during the course of the weekend. Students
pledged to reach their full potential by attending school,
working hard, graduating and pursuing college or other higher
education options. Adults pledged to encourage and support the
child and partner with them to ensure they reach that potential.
Spradley said the kick-off event was just the beginning of a
more intensive push to engage students and families in the
college planning process. The Springfield Parent Academy is
offering a number of resources and free courses specifically
designed to support the College? YES! campaign. The courses,
which have been offered throughout the fall and will continue
through the spring, are designed to inform students and parents
about several important parts of the college process, such as
financial aid, how to write effective college essays, the role of
community colleges and how to decide on the right career.
“This is really about capacity-building,” said Spradley. “We
as adults need help too, and we need to not be afraid to ask for
help. I put four kids through college and every single time I
needed help filling out the FAFSA. We have created a vehicle
through the Springfield Parent Academy so that all of our
parents can fully support their children.”
Above: Mayor Domenic Sarno; background image: Patricia Spradley
Upcoming courses:
How to Complete the FAFSA
Western N.E. University student Nelson Reynoso
Thursday, Feb. 14
High School of Science & Technology
Thursday, Feb. 21
Putnam Vocational/Technical Academy
State Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera
Assistant Superintendent Lydia Martinez and Superintendent Dan Warwick
Transitioning Students with Special Needs
from High School to College
Thursday, Feb. 28
High School of Commerce
March 2013
*Times: to be determined.
Please check SpringfieldParentAcademy.com
Luora Webb
of Springfield,
the oldest
living Mount
Holyoke
College
graduate
*Location, date and time: to be determined.
Please check SpringfieldParentAcademy.com
Description: If you are the parent of a
special-needs child, you may never have
imagined that college was a possibility. With
all the academic and social challenges facing
college students, along with the cooking,
cleaning, and other life skills needed to live
independently, any parent might doubt that
their child is ready for the experience. This
course has been designed to help you
motivate your child about attending college,
and provide you with the information to
make the transition successful.
Description: Completing the FAFSA can
be a challenging task. This offering will
provide one-on-one assistance while
actually filling out the forms. Participants
must bring social security numbers, W2
for students and parent (if applicable) and
proof of any type of benefits (if applicable).

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:31 PM Page 10
10 - THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013
Choosing the
right college
is daunting task
BY ARIANA WILLIAMS
For many years, I thought
buying a car was one of the biggest
challenges I would face as a high
school student. Ideas such as
picking the right car, gas mileage
and insurance made me think that
putting everything in place to
actually own and operate a car
called for a lot of self-motivation,
research and perseverance. I was
right, but now I’ve entered into
another stage of high school that
requires that much concentration
and more – the college application
process.
I believe anything can be made
easier with a little patience and
self-confidence, but the process of
getting into college has really
taught me what those things are all
about. I have applied to the
University of Connecticut, Elms
College, Central Connecticut State
University, Fitchburg State
University and American
International College. I would like
to double-major in nursing and
psychology.
Actually, just figuring that out
required quite a bit of selfreflection.
I knew I had to pursue a
career that I would enjoy and that
would also challenge me and offer
room for continued growth. I
decided on nursing and psychology
because they represent a nice blend
of two things I very much enjoy —
helping people and science.
Once I narrowed down my
major interests to two fields, I felt I
had a stepping stone for the college
application process. I then
researched schools and started
filling out applications for the ones
that interested me based on their
location, academic programming
and the size of the school.
Along with filling out
applications, I had to write essays
and gather many documents. At the
same time, I had to think about
scholarships. This was one of the
most frightening aspects of the
process because I’ve always had a
fear that paying for college was
going to be difficult and leave me
in debt after graduation. I do not
like debt so I have been working
very hard to find scholarships that
I am eligible for and to fill out
those applications. It’s been a very
demanding process, and I’ve had to
stay focused on my grades during
all of this.
If I could tell every high school
student just one thing it would be
to never give up. I get discouraged
from time to time as I’m sure
many of my peers do, but I never
let it get me down. Next year, I
hope to be going to my dream
college, financially stable and
ready to take on some of the best
years of my life. I am happy to put
in the hard work now because I
know it will pay off later.
Ariana Williams is the student representative to the Springfield
School Committee.
Radio Disney hosted a celebration at Freedman Elementary in recognition of its many upgrades.
Green initiatives highlight
school building improvements
It may not be easy being green –
at least according to the late Jim
Henson – but the momentum of
going green is on the rise.
More than 30 school buildings in
the Springfield Public Schools are
now operating more efficiently and
ecologically thanks to upgrades
that have included the following:
basic energy management systems,
air handling unit replacements,
boiler replacements, steam trap
replacements, radiator valve
replacements, motors and variable
frequency drives, vending miser
installations, lighting fixture and
control upgrades, pipe insulation,
attic insulation, pool covers and
advanced energy management
systems to control power demands.
The upgrades have resulted in more
than $1.5 million dollars in savings
to the city’s utilities budgets.
“It has been a rewarding
experience seeing first-hand the
positive results of installing new
boilers, EMS systems, new roofs
and windows over the past four
years,” said Superintendent of
Schools Daniel J. Warwick. “An
improved learning environment has
a positive impact on teaching and
learning.”
The following schools have
received improvements: Beal
Elementary, Boland Elementary,
Bowles Elementary, Bridge
Academy Elementary, Brightwood
Elementary, Brookings Elementary,
Chestnut Accelerated, Deberry
Elementary, Dryden Elementary,
Duggan Middle School, Ells
Elementary, Glickman Elementary,
Harris Elementary, Indian Orchard
Elementary, Kiley Middle School,
Lincoln Elementary, Lynch
Elementary, Pottenger Elementary,
Sumner Elementary, Van Sickle
Junior High, Warner Elementary,
Walsh Elementary, Washington
Elementary, White Street
Elementary and Zanetti
Elementary.
“We’ve used every opportunity
during the upgrade phase to
educate students about energy
conservation and how energy
efficient improvements enhance the
climate and environment,” said
Gloria Williams, principal of
Freedman Elementary School.
In September, Radio Disney
hosted a “Rockin’ Recess”
celebration at Freedman in
recognition of its many upgrades,
including new air conditioning and
windows and a new roof and
boiler. The school was chosen by
Columbia Gas, which is providing
the city more than $1 million
dollars in rebates towards this
initiative. The event was hosted in
collaboration with Columbia Gas,
Springfield Public Schools and the
Department of Parks, Buildings
and Recreation Management.
“It is a great pleasure to thank
Columbia Gas in recognizing the
school district for their important
role in successful conservation
measures,” said Mayor Domenic
Sarno. “Our schools across the city
are healthier and more efficient in
providing a quality educational
environment for our youth and
teachers.”
“This project has provided longterm
benefits to our school
buildings,” said Patrick Sullivan,
director of the Department of
Parks, Buildings and Recreation
Management. “The energy
efficiencies are improving the
learning environment in the
classrooms and we have seen a
direct result in a reduction in the
asthma rates in our schools. We
will continue to work with
Columbia Gas in improving the
delivery of energy-efficient
services to all of our schools.”

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:31 PM Page 11
Superintendent adds to leadership team
Superintendent of Schools Dan Warwick has
appointed a former Chicopee principal whose
leadership transformed an elementary school
from Level 3 to Level 1 in two years to the
position of Springfield Public Schools Chief
Schools Officer.
A former Springfield Public Schools teacher,
Jordana Harper-Ewert rejoined the Springfield
district as Chief Schools Officer of Zone 1
(elementary schools) on Jan. 2. In the position,
Harper-Ewert has oversight of Balliet, Bowles,
Boland, Brightwood, Dorman, Dryden, Ells,
Freedman, Gerena, Glenwood, Homer, Indian
Orchard, Liberty, Lincoln, Lynch and Pottenger
elementary schools.
Special education teacher Kelly Crevison works with her students at the Van Sickle School.
Crevison found her calling at Van Sickle
BY PAUL HALLORAN
Jordana Harper-
Ewert
Harper-Ewert served as a principal with Chicopee Public Schools
since 2007. Under her leadership, Litwin Elementary School
progressed from Level 3 to Level 1 in two years, with students
meeting improvement targets in every category for the first time in
six years, and with student growth realized in every subject, grade
and group, particularly Special Education. Prior to her tenure in
Chicopee, Harper-Ewert worked as an elementary teacher in the
Kelly Crevison was a college administrator for four years while
studying for her master’s degree, but she never wavered on her true
calling.
“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” Crevison said. ”When I
was a little girl, I would always play school with my dolls.”
Crevison is in her sixth year as a special education teacher at Van
Sickle Middle School, and she could not be happier.
“I was in my first year as a history teacher and my principal (Cheryl
DeSpirt) told me there was a job that she thought I would like in
special education,” Crevison recalled. “I thought about it and it was a
like a light bulb going on in my head.”
Crevison has 29 students in her seventh-grade inclusion class at Van
Sickle – 15 special education students and 14 English Language
Learners (ELL).
“I love the middle school age,” she said. “You try to lead them in
the right direction and be a positive role model. I like the 1-on-1
interaction.”
The job is not without challenges. “You have to teach grade-level
concepts on a level they will understand,” Crevison said. “You
Veta Daley
Amherst Public Schools,
Greenfield Public Schools and in
the Springfield Public Schools.
The Chief Schools Officer
vacancy was created with Lydia
Martinez, former Chief Schools
Officer for Zone 3 (middle
schools), was promoted to the
position of Assistant
Superintendent.
Veta Daley, formerly Zone 1
Chief Schools Officer, has been reassigned
to Zone 3 and will now
also serve as Mentor for Chief
Schools Officer. Daley has served in an administrative leadership
role for the past six years, working as a school improvement, area
improvement and chief schools officer. She served as principal of
Rebecca Johnson Elementary School for nine years, as principal of
Kennedy Middle School for five years and as vice principal at
Duggan Elementary School for two years. She began her tenure at
Springfield Public Schools as a teacher at Forest Park Middle
School.
incorporate visual presentations to get across ideas and concepts.”
A native of Delmar, N.Y., Crevison came to Springfield to attend
Western New England University. A psychology professor suggested
she pursue a career in special education, which led to her taking a job
at the New England Center for Children in Southborough, a school for
children with autism.
Crevison taught at NECC for a year, and then went to Vermont to
teach migrant workers through a program at the University of
Vermont. She also taught at a Montessori School in Western Mass. for
two years.
Crevison went to American International College as an assistant
director of admissions while studying for a master’s in special
education. At AIC, Crevison worked with inner-city youth who were
first-generation college students. She set up tutoring, guided them
through the financial aid process and monitored their progress.
After one year as a history teacher at Van Sickle, Crevison found a
home in special education. “The kids completely mesmerize me with
the caliber of their work,” she said. “They make it all worthwhile.”
Crevison and her husband, Jason, enjoy traveling throughout New
England to visit friends and family. They do not have children, but, as
she is quick to point out, “I have 29 children – my students.”
THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013 - 11
Springfield
students get
head start
on college
BY PAUL HALLORAN
Thanks to a partnership with Springfield
Technical Community College (STCC),
Springfield Public Schools students have the
opportunity to get a head start on their college
education.
STCC offers a program – open to all
Massachusetts residents – in which high
school seniors can take college courses, either
on campus or online, and receive transferable
college credit. There is no charge for the
courses, but students are responsible for
getting to campus and buying their books.
STCC receives partial reimbursement for the
tuition from the state.
There are two summer sessions, a fall and a
spring session each year, according to Louisa
Davis-Freeman, Dean of Admissions at
STCC. Students are eligible to take the
courses starting the summer before their
senior year, meaning they can take a
maximum of four courses.
“Students can take one or more college
courses and transfer the credits,” said Davis-
Freeman, who estimated that more than 150
students participate each session, from as
close as Springfield to as far as Worcester.
One out of every three students takes the
courses online. In this year’s spring session,
there were approximately 25 Springfield
Public Schools students enrolled.
“Students take the same courses as STCC
students and attend the same classes,” Davis-
Freeman said. “Whatever grade they earn,
they keep.”
Students must get approval from their high
school guidance office and apply through the
admissions office at STCC.
“We feel as a community college part of
our responsibility to the community is to have
open access,” Davis-Freeman said. “In some
instances, this program encourages students
who may not be considering it to go to
college. They realize they can be a
competitive applicant even before they get out
of high school.”
Other students want to take specific courses
that are not offered at their high school, such
as Arabic, civil engineering and fire science.
“It really is a great deal,” Davis-Freeman
said, noting that 40-50 percent of the students
that take the courses end up enrolling at
STCC. “Taking college courses in high school
makes them better students.”
Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of
the Springfield Armory National Historic Site,
STCC is the only technical community
college in Massachusetts. It offers a variety of
career programs in disciplines including:
biotechnology, IT security, laser electro-optics,
nursing, robotics, sonography, and
telecommunications. STCC has an enrollment
of more than 8,500 day, evening, weekend
and online students.

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:31 PM Page 12
12 - THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013
NEW PRINCIPALS
New principals, from left, Daniel W. Rossi, Marisa Mendonsa, Robin Bailey-Sanchez, Superintendent Dan Warwick, Rhonda Y. Jacobs, Wedad Saada and Michael Calvanese.
Daniel W. Rossi, principal of Chestnut Accelerated
Middle School, previously served as principal of New
Leadership Charter School. He is also an adjunct faculty
member at Antioch University of New England in Keene,
N.H., where he teaches a summer graduate seminar for
aspiring principals entitled The Equity Challenge for
Leaders. From 2009-10, Rossi worked as an English teacher
at New Leadership Charter School and academic tutor for
the College Internship Program in Lee. Rossi began his
teaching career as an English teacher in New York City, and
later served as director of the Satellite Academy High School
and the Harvey Milk High School, both in New York City.
Wedad Saada, principal of the High School of Science
and Technology, served as principal of Lawrence High
School last year. From 2006-10, she worked as assistant
principal at Lawrence High. Prior to that, Saada served as
assistant principal in Haverhill and Chelsea. Saada began her
career in education in 1990 as an elementary art teacher in
Dracut and worked as a high school English Language Arts
and MCAS teacher in Chelsea from 1993-2003.
Michael Calvanese, principal of STEM Middle
Academy, previously worked as the academic coordinator of
Sabis International Charter School. His teaching career
began in 2002 as a middle school math teacher at Sabis.
Lynda Bianchi, principal of Walsh Elementary School,
worked as principal of William Elementary School in
Pittsfield from 2008-10. Prior to that, she worked as an
elementary teacher in the Adams Cheshire School District.
From 1986-2000, she worked as a science specialist in
Pittsfield Public Schools.
Rhonda Y. Jacobs, principal of Springfield Alternative
Schools, served as assistant principal at Springfield Public
Day Middle School for the past five years. Prior to that, she
served as assistant principal at Central High School. From
1996-2006, she served as an adjustment counselor for the
Springfield Academy for Excellence (SAFE) schools. She
also worked as a crisis intervention clinician for Psychiatric
Crisis Services in Springfield and served as an adolescent
unit supervisor for the Department of Social
Services/Department of Children and Families. Her
experience also includes employment as a psychotherapist at
the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children and as the director of Family and Community
Support at the Gandara /W.W. Life Center in Springfield.
Marisa Mendonsa, principal of Duggan Middle School,
served as assistant principal at Duggan last year. From 2006-
11, she worked at the Springfield Renaissance School,
serving in various capacities, including teacher, chairperson
of the governing board and team leader. She has also worked
as a seventh-grade teacher in Northborough, Amherst and
Reading public schools.
Christopher Sutton, principal of Kiley
Middle School, served as assistant
principal at Duggan Middle School for
two years and assistant principal at Kiley
Middle School for four years. Prior to
that, he served for a year as a Project
LEAD intern at Kiley. His experience also
includes working as the Twilight
administrator for the High School of
Chris Sutton
Science and Technology and as a math
teacher at that school. Sutton began his
teaching career as a math teacher at
Rebecca Johnson School in 1996. He also worked as a math
teacher at Van Sickle Middle School.
Robin Bailey-Sanchez, principal at Liberty Elementary
School, was an assistant principal at Brunton Elementary
School last year, Rebecca Johnson School from 2010-11 and
Homer Street School from 2009-10. She also served as an
administrator at White Street School. From 2005-08, she
served as principal of Brookings School, where she was
assistant principal from 2004-05. She also served on school
improvement planning teams, student council advisor and
chairperson of the social studies department. She has also
worked as a professional development presenter. Her career
with Springfield Public Schools began in 1995 as an
elementary school teacher.
Principal re-assignments for this year include:
Deborah Beglane, former principal of Indian Orchard
School, was appointed to Beal Elementary School.
John Doty, former principal of Walsh Elementary School,
was appointed to Brightwood Elementary School.
Jennifer Montano, former principal of Liberty
Elementary School, was appointed to Indian Orchard
Elementary School.
Alyson Lingsch, former principal of Kiley Middle School,
was appointed principal of Milton Bradley Elementary
School.
Shalimar Colon, former principal of Brightwood, was
appointed principal on special assignment, second language
acquisition.
Kathleen O’Sullivan, former principal of STEM, has
been appointed Senior Administrator for Educator
Effectiveness.
Thomas O’Brien, former Boland School Principal, is
serving as Senior Administrator of Human Resources.
Nancy Ross, current assistant principal at Boland, is serving
as acting principal at that school following O’Brien’s
departure.

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:31 PM Page 13
THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013 - 13
BY MEAGHAN CASEY
Mission accomplished
Springfield graduate has successful
career as Air Force officer, pilot
The sky was never the limit for Lt. Col. Juan
Galindez, a commercial pilot and retired U.S. Air
Force veteran.
“From as long as I can remember, I always wanted
to fly,” said Galindez.
Born in Puerto Rico, Galindez moved to
Springfield at a young age. He attended Brightwood
Elementary, Chestnut Middle School and the former
Technical High School, graduating in 1982.
“I have fond memories of the teachers at every
Springfield school I went to, and always had at least
one teacher who mentored me and pushed me to my
limits, challenging me not accept mediocrity.”
Galindez went on to earn a degree in aerospace
engineering at Boston University. After BU, he
entered the military and went to Sacramento, Calif.
for basic navigational training. He spent two years at
Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany and was
deployed to Bahrain during Operation Desert Storm.
He was later stationed in Columbus, Miss. for pilot
training before returning to Germany, to Ramstein
Air Base, which serves as the headquarters for the
U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). He spent three
years there, flying C-9A medical airliners.
Following his time abroad, Galindez was relocated
to New Jersey for six years and then went on to
work for United Airlines out of Chicago for three
years. After the attacks of Sept. 11, he moved to
Westfield, Mass. to finish his military career at
Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee. He served
in Afghanistan and Iraq and participated in a number
of humanitarian missions, including one in 2008 in
which a 10-person aircrew delivered 155,000 pounds
of food to citizens in war-torn Georgia. Galindez and
his crew also came to the aid of victims of Hurricane
Katrina and other national and international
disasters.
“I looked forward to those missions,” said
Galindez. “When you join the military, you have to
have a desire to serve your country, and there’s
nothing more rewarding than getting supplies to
people who need them when a national emergency
comes up. You know you’re helping them directly.”
Galindez retired from the military in August and is
still working as a commercial pilot and living in
Westfield.
“I’ve lived, flown and worked everywhere in the
world, but there’s nothing like being back home in
New England,” he said. “In this line of work, you
gain a greater appreciation of what we have in this
country and how lucky we are to live here.”
Galindez has remained active in the Springfield
community, participating in speaking engagements at
Chestnut Accelerated Middle School and at various
high school events.
“I always encourage the students to stay in
school,” said Galindez. “An education opens so
many doors. I also encourage them to find something
that interests them and apply themselves 100-
percent. The effort they put in will reap benefits.”
Superintendent sets
example with contract
As the person in charge of
Springfield Public Schools’ 4,000
employees, Superintendent Daniel
Warwick is leading by example
when it comes to his
compensation and benefits
package.
Shortly after being named
superintendent, Warwick agreed
to a contract that will pay him 23
percent less than the previous
superintendent – eliminating a
$15,000 annuity and $7,800
automobile allowance, and
providing him with only earned
sick days.
“Employee sick time has been
an issue in the district,” Warwick
said. “I wanted to set an example
for what we are looking for from
the rank and file.”
Warwick will accrue 1¼ sick
days per month, provided he does
not use any sick days that month.
The maximum he can earn in a
year is 15; the previous
superintendent received 18.
“I’ve taken almost no sick days
in my career,” Warwick said. “We
know there are huge gaps in
student learning when the teacher
is out. We’re asking the union and
administrators to look at a
combination of earned and
automatic sick time.
Warwick’s base salary is
$198,500, down more than
$58,000 from the salary earned by
the former superintendent last
year. He will receive an annual
two percent cost-of-living raise
and up to an additional three
percent based on performance.
“I am not receiving any benefits
that are not given to other staff,”
Warwick said. “It’s a completely
transparent contract. There are no
hidden perks. I’m not motivated
by money. This contract is fair
and reasonable.”
— PAUL HALLORAN
Superintendent well-prepared for job
WARWICK: From Page 1
applied for the job,” he added. “As a long-term
employee, I didn’t want anyone to think that I was
coming into this endeavor in a haphazard manner. I
actually put a plan together that could work to move
the system forward.”
“In order for that to happen, everything revolves
around improving the quality of instruction – in every
classroom, for every student, every day,” Warwick
said. “The strategies are built around that. We’re
developing a new curriculum, and training
administrators and instructional coaches to work with
the staff to improve instruction for students.”
The district is taking a 21st-century approach,
investing in improving data systems and “using realtime
data to make good instructional decisions for
kids,” Warwick said.
When Warwick was named superintendent in June,
it marked the crowning achievement in a career that
began in 1976 when he was hired as a substitute
teacher fresh out of Westfield State University. He
taught special education for 10 years, served as a
master teacher for two years and was supervisor of
special education from 1988-91. Warwick served as
principal of Glenwood School for 13 years,
overseeing its transformation from an
underperforming school to a national Blue Ribbon
School his final year there.
After seven years as an assistant superintendent and
a year as deputy superintendent, Warwick was primed
to take the top spot when Dr. Alan Ingram resigned at
the end of the 2011-12 school year.
“I wanted to be superintendent here,” he said. “I
was offered opportunities in other communities but I
didn’t pursue them. My goal was to be superintendent
in Springfield.”
That makes sense considering Warwick’s history in
the city, not only as a career educator, but also a
lifelong resident.
“I have great passion for this city,” he said. “My
mother (Eileen) was an Irish immigrant who came
here at age 27 on borrowed money from County
Kerry and settled in the Hungry Hill neighborhood.
She worked in the cafeterias in the public schools. My
father (James) and my brother were firefighters. I was
a first-generation college student and the first in my
family in America to graduate college.”
Warwick wants to make sure every Springfield
student has the same opportunity.
“We are working to improve instruction so that kids
will graduate college- and career-ready,” he said.
Assistant Superintendent Lydia Martinez has been
in the district for 16 years and has seen and
experienced Warwick’s effectiveness first-hand.
“Dan is an amazing leader,” Martinez said. “The
depth of his knowledge is incredible. He is gentle,
people-oriented and friendly. I aspire to be like him. I
know that working with him will take me to the next
level. He is really challenging me.”

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:31 PM Page 14
14 - THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013
Springfield DIRECTORY Schools
Elementary
Schools
Balliet
Shadae Thomas, Principal
52 Rosewell St., 01109
413-787-7446
Beal
Deborah Beglane, Principal
285 Tiffany St., 01108
413-787-7544
Boland
Nancy Ross, Acting Principal
426 Armory St., 01104
413-750-2511
Bowles
Thomas Mazza, Principal
24 Bowles Park, 01104
413-787-7334
Bradley
Alyson Lingsch, Principal
22 Mulberry St., 01105
413-787-7475
Brightwood
John Doty, Principal
471 Plainfield St., 01107
413-787-7238
Brookings
Terry Powe, Principal
Hancock St., 01105
413-787-7200
Brunton
Martha Stetkiewicz, Principal
1801 Parker St., 01128
413-787-7444
DeBerry
Mary Worthy, Principal
670 Union St., 01109
413-787-7582
Dorman
Rhonda Stowell-Lewis, Principal
20 Lydia St., 01109
413-787-7554
Dryden Memorial
Diane Brouillard, Principal
190 Surrey Rd., 01118
413-787-7248
Ells
Lisa Bakowski, Principal
319 Cortland St., 01109
413-787-7345
Freedman
Dr. Gloria Williams, Principal
90 Cherokee Dr., 01109
413-787-7443
Gerena
Diane Gagnon, Principal
200 Birnie Ave., 01107
413-787-7320
Glenwood
Martha Cahillane, Principal
50 Morison Terr., 01104
413-787-7527
Glickman
Martha Kelliher, Principal
120 Ashland Ave., 01119
413-750-2756
Harris
Shannon Collins, Principal
58 Hartford Terrace, 01118
413-787-7254
Homer
Kathleen Sullivan, Principal
43 Homer St., 01109
413-787-7526
Indian Orchard
Jennifer Montano, Principal
95 Milton St., 01151
413-787-7255
Johnson
Darcia Milner, Principal
55 Catharine St., 01109
413-787-6687
Kensington
Margaret Thompson, Principal
31 Kensington Ave., 01108
413-787-7522
Liberty
Robin Bailey-Sanchez, Principal
962 Carew St., 01104
413-787-7299
Lincoln
Kristen Hughes, Principal
732 Chestnut St., 01107
413-787-7314
Lynch
Linda Wilson, Principal
315 No. Branch Pwky., 01119
413-787-7250
Pottenger
Valerie Williams, Principal
1435 Carew St., 01104
413-787-7266
Sumner Avenue
James McCann, Principal
45 Sumner Ave., 01108
413-787-7430
Talmadge
Stefania Rascilla, Principal
1395 Allen St., 01118
413-787-7249
Walsh
Lynda Bianchi, Principal
50 Empress Ct., 01129
413-787-7448
Warner
Dr. Ann Stennet, Principal
493 Parker St., 01129
413-787-7258
Washington
Deanna Suomala, Principal
141 Washington St., 01108
413-787-7551
White Street
Deborah Lantaigne, Principal
300 White St., 01108
413-787-7543
K-8 School
Zanetti
Tara Christian Clark, Principal
474 Armory St., 01104
413-787-7400
Middle Schools
Chestnut Accelerated
Daniel Rossi, Principal
355 Plainfield St., 01107
413-750-2333
Duggan
Marissa Mendonsa, Principal
1015 Wilbraham Rd., 01109
413-787-7410
Forest Park
Medina Ali, Principal
Grade 6
91 School St., 01105
413-787-7420
Grade 7
34 Kopernick St., 01151
413-787-7421
Grade 8
1015 Wilbraham Rd, 01109
413-787-7422
Kennedy
Bonnie Osgood, Principal
1385 Berkshire Ave., 01151
413-787-7510
Kiley
Christopher Sutton, Principal
180 Cooley St., 01128
413-787-7240
South End
Timothy Allen, Principal
36 Margaret St.,01105
413-750-2442
STEM
Michael Calvanese, Principal
60 Alton St., 01109
413-787-6750
Van Sickle
Cheryl DeSpirt, Principal
1170 Carew St., 01104
413-750-2887
6-12 School
Renaissance
Dr. Stephen Mahoney, Principal
1170 Carew St., 01104
413-750-2929
High Schools
Central
Thaddeus Tokarz, Principal
1840 Roosevelt Ave., 01109
413-787-7085
Commerce
Charles Grandson IV, Principal
415 State St., 01105
413-787-7220
Putnam
Gil Traverso, Principal
1300 State St., 01109
413-787-7424
Sci-Tech
Wedad Saada, Principal
1250 State St., 01109
413-750-2000
Alternative
SAFE schools
Rhonda Y. Jacobs, Principal
413-335-5127
Dr. Mary Anne Morris, Chief of Pupil
Services
413-787-7176
Springfield Public Day Elementary
Lisa Pereira, Assistant Principal
34 Nye St., 01104
413-886-5100
Springfield Public Day Middle
Linda Singer, Acting Asst. Principal
118 Alden St., 01109
413-787-7261
Springfield Public Day High
Anna Gagnon, Acting Principal
90 Berkshire St., 01151
413-787-7036
Liberty Prep. Acad.
Michael Ellis, Assistant Principal
334 Franklin St., 01104
413-750-2484
Early College High School
Dwight Hall, Assistant Principal
Holyoke Community College
413-552-2176
Gateway to College
Vivian Ostrowski, Acting Dir.
Holyoke Community College
413-552-2370
Balliet Middle School
Sarita Graveline, Asst. Principal
111 Seymour Ave., 01109
413-787-7284
Springfield High School
Matthew Bean, Asst. Principal
140A Wilbraham Ave., 01109
413-787-7285
Student Attendance Resource
Center
Francisco Anelo, Asst. Principal
140A Wilbraham Ave., 01109
413-552-6495
Students encouraged
to Drop Back In
BY MEAGHAN CASEY
Springfield Public Schools is doing everything in its
power to help students who have dropped out of school to
drop back in.
The district launched an online credit recovery program
in 2010 to help students get back on track towards
graduation, recognizing that 14 percent of those who were
dropping out were seniors – most of whom did not have
enough credits to graduate on time. Through the program,
students have been able to attend night school, make up
classes online, or attend Saturday or summer school. As a
result of online credit recovery, 167 students with
recovered credits graduated in 2011 and 182 graduated in
2012.
“It was a successful intervention, but it was only meeting
the needs of the students that were still enrolled,” said
Yolanda Johnson, the district’s Director of Student Support
Services. “We wanted to find ways to proactively engage
students who had already dropped out, and expand nontraditional
methods to help them recover credits.”
The idea for Drop Back In – more formally known as the
High School Completion Program – emerged this fall as a
result of the district’s re-engagement efforts. Students are
able to visit the program, located in an existing site at 140
Wilbraham Ave., between the hours of 7:20 a.m. and 2:20
p.m. If the student expresses commitment to complete high
school and meets the requirements to re-enroll in SPS, then
an academic plan is developed to outline the path towards
graduation as well as participation in the MCAS. A fulltime
teacher is present for MCAS prep and academic
guidance, though most of the coursework is completed
online. A counselor is also at the site to help with postsecondary
planning.
“It’s self-paced,” said Johnson. “So if students are
motivated and attend regularly, students can complete their
course work in a timely manner. Or, students can pace
themselves accordingly if they’re trying to balance a job or
parenting commitments.”
There is capacity for 50 students at the site, and so far,
32 students who had dropped out within the past two years
have enrolled. Once they earn their credits, they will be
able to participate in spring graduation ceremonies should
they choose. “We want them to still have the same
milestones and memories that our traditional high school
students would experience,” said Johnson.
For more information or to enroll, please contact Linda
Lasorsa at 413-787-7183.

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:31 PM Page 15
THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013 - 15
AROUND SPRINGFIELD public SCHOOLS
United in Hope
Superintendent Daniel Warwick was the
special guest for United in Hope:
Celebrating Education, an event that
took place on Dec. 2 at the High
School of Commerce. The superintendent
discussed his blueprint for
improvement: The Springfield
Promise.
Students participate in electoral
process
As the nation headed to the polls on
November 6, students were also
focused on democracy in the form of
everything from mock elections to
musical tributes to the voting process.
From Sci-Tech to Central, high school
students across the district cast votes
in their schools. At Brightwood, students
learned and performed a getout-and-vote
to inspire the adults in
their lives. Proving that you are never
too young to cast your first ballot, elementary
students at Zanetti,
Washington and other schools also
voted for their favorite presidential
candidate during mock elections.
Humanics in Action Day 2012
As more than 2,000 Springfield College
students, faculty and staff fanned out
across the City of Springfield, several
public schools became grateful beneficiaries
of the college’s day of community
service. At Sumner Avenue
School, cultural heritage was celebrated,
pen pals were established,
and the joy of reading was shared.
Other Humanics in Action Day activities
across the district included everything
from playground to building
spruce-ups.
Change in School Uniform Policy
The wearing of leggings and jeggings by
middle and high school students while
in school has been disallowed by a
recent vote of the School Committee.
Leggings are skin-tight clothing covering
the legs. Jeggings are leggings
that look like jeans. Black or tan
tights may be worn under knee-length
skirts and knee-length shorts. These
measures have been taken to help
create school environments that promote
respectfulness and consistency.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Beal
Beal School students learned valuable
lessons during National Fire
Prevention Week in October.
Members of the Springfield Fire
Department shared lifesaving tips
on preventing and surviving a fire.
Students were even treated with a
rare opportunity to hold a working
fire hose and sit in the driver’s seat
of a fire engine.
Bowles
Just in time to help dress the
Thanksgiving Day table, more than
300 Bowles students spent a morning
at McCray’s Farm in South
Hadley, where the pumpkins were
plump and plentiful.
tion builds upon the commitment of
Springfield Public Schools and the
community to support efforts that
drive the development of early literacy
competency among Springfield
children. Last summer, the community-wide
campaign to promote literacy
by third grade, an initiative
led by the and Irene E. and George
A. Davis Foundation, won
Springfield recognition as an All-
America City by the National Civic
League.
Kensington
Representatives of Walmart gave several
parents of students who attend
Kensington School $50 gift cards.
The adults were grateful for the
store’s generosity in support of education
and anxious to stock up on
new school items for their children.
Walk, stopping to visit students in
their neighborhoods and homes and
welcome them back to school. They
walked every street in their boundary
and even visited churches, playgrounds,
grocery stores, restaurants
and clinics. Families and students
greeted the teachers with
smiles and gratitude.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Kennedy
Everything from sled-dog racing to
topics related to sustaining nature
and wildlife were lessons of the day
recently for students at Kennedy
Middle School. Real-life sled dogs
helped bring the message to life for
students. The visit, made possible
by Hill Town Wilderness Adventures
of West Chesterfield, was the first
step in a project that will include
student writings and videos for use
at the agency.
Van Sickle
Students at Van Sickle Middle School
got a hands-on lesson about fossils
in the Old Stone Age during a
recent trip to the Beneski Museum
of Natural History at Amherst
College. Included in the many activities
of the day was the opportunity
for students to handle animal skulls
and a human skeleton, analyzing
teeth and bones to determine survival
traits and species as part of
their study of the lives of early
humans.
Pakistan, spoke with students
about such topics as Abrahamic
religions, the presidential election,
international relations and the politics
of the Middle East.
DISTRICTWIDE
Tune in to SPS 15
Be sure to tune into SPS 15, channel
15 on the Comcast Local
Government Access channel, and
catch an episode of SPS Spotlight.
The show features a different
school every month.
Family Literacy Month
The Patrick-Murray administration
proclaimed November 2012 to be
the Commonwealth’s 16th annual
Family Literacy Month in recognition
of the pivotal role that parents
and family members play in the
educational success of their children.
Anti-Bullying Road Race
The third annual Joseph Walker-
Hoover Anti-Bullying Back-to-
School Road Race, which took
place on Sept. 13 in Forest Park,
drew a crowd of nearly 600 participants.
Dryden
Fifth-grade students enrolled in
Matthew Karsten’s math class
recently showcased their numerical
prowess when they participated in
a national Mathletics competition.
The students came in second among
all Massachusetts classes that participated
in the contest and first
among Massachusetts elementary
schools.
Dryden students collectively attained
a 93.1 percent CPI in math on the
2012 MCAS test. Its fourth-grade
class earned the second-highest
math scores of all fourth-graders
across the state.
Ells
Students and staff at Ells Elementary
School recently received $3,000
worth of school supplies to support
teaching and learning thanks to a
generous donation by Target
Stores. Superintendent of Schools
Daniel J. Warwick said the dona-
Lynch and Freedman
A member of the world-famous
Harlem Globetrotters recently paid
fun-filled and message-laden visit
to Lynch and Freedman elementary
schools. Globetrotter Cheese
Chisholm brought a bullying-prevention
message to students, with
a focus on action, bravery and compassion.
The Globetrotters
designed the program in coordination
with the National Campaign to
Stop Violence.
Rebecca Johnson
Students at Rebecca Johnson are
excited about reading. More than
200 students completed forms to
obtain city library cards at the
school this past fall.
White Street
A week before school started, White
Street School students and families
received a surprise visit. Teachers
and staff went on Neighborhood
ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS
Public Day
The imaginations of four seniors from
Springfield Public Day School put
the school front and center in an
October scarecrow contest. The
seniors created two scarecrows
using only instruments and bike
parts. Aptly named “Music Man”
and “Bicycle Woman” the winning
entries earned the school a $650
prize. Engineers of the artistic
scarecrows were students Luis
Rodriguez, Robert Henderson,
Ernesto Ocasio and Josian Perez.
Randall’s Farm sponsored the annual
contest.
Renaissance
Author and reporter Ethan Casey
spoke with Renaissance seniors and
freshmen as a stop on his journey
across America. Casey, who has
written extensively on Haiti and
Superintendent Daniel Warwick was the special guest for United in
Hope: Celebrating Education.

SpringfieldEducatorFallFinal_2012_Cushing Connector 2012 1/8/2013 1:32 PM Page 16
16 - THE SPRINGFIELD EDUCATOR Winter 2013
T H E S P R I N G F I E L D E D U C A T O R
SPRINGFIELD’S FIELD OF DREAMS
All schools benefit from new turf at Berte Field
BY PAUL HALLORAN
They did build it and they have come – to the new Fred Berte Field at Springfield
Central High School.
Thanks in large part to a grant from the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, Springfield
students are playing football, soccer and field hockey games on a new artificial surface
at Berte Field.
The FieldTurf surface was installed by Georgia-based FIELDS at a cost of
approximately $1.5 million. The Ripken Foundation provided $1.1 million and the
MassMutual Financial Group donated $130,000. The city contributed $200,000 from its
capital project fund and the school budget.
“Pat Sullivan (Director of Parks, Facilities and Recreation Management) and Mayor
(Domenic) Sarno) did an unbelievable job with this project,” said Central Principal
Thaddeus Tokarz.
With the amount of use it gets, Berte Field was a logical candidate for an artificial
surface. Last fall, it was used by the Central, Putnam, Sci-Tech and Commerce football
programs, as well as Springfield Cathedral. The field is also used for soccer and field
hockey, and will host outdoor track meets in the spring.
“It’s nice not having to go outside every period and check the puddles (when it
rains),” Tokarz said. “This makes it much easier.”
Athletic Director Mike Martin said the field represents a wise investment on the part
of the community. “You can get so much more usage out a turf field,” he said. “This will
be cost saving in the long run.”
Construction on the field began right after last school year ended and it was completed
in time for the Central-Putnam football game on Sept. 7.
“The kids love it,” Tokarz said. “We have the same surface as professional stadiums.
It is probably used more than any field in Western Mass.”
Central High School PE teacher
Yvonne Percy watches her
students do mountain climbs
on the schools new track and
field.
Students play a pick-up football
game on the new field.