Barrington School Committee members waited for more than two hours to share their comments and ask questions about the honors program at Barrington High School during Wednesday night’s meeting. 

Following a lengthy public comment period, committee members took turns drilling down into the honors program issue. 

What led up to the change?

What role did heterogenous classes play in the decision?

Is anyone listening to the students’ voices?

How will the new program work?

When will the plan be ready?

How will it be communicated with families?

At the end of the discussion, school committee members requested that there be an update in May — a meeting that will include the plan for the re-worked honors distinction program. Committee members also want clear data on the current honors distinction program, lessons learned from the problem-plagued program, how the new program will be communicated to parents and students, and the expectations for the new program. 

Firm timeline

The honors distinction option is shift from the previous honors courses. In years past, students would choose whether to take an honors course or a general education course in the same subject. 

But more recently, Barrington’s education leaders began moving away from honors courses — instead, students were placed in the same general classes (referred to as heterogenous grouping) in certain subjects and allowed to try to earn an honors distinction. 

In order to do so they needed to complete a deeper learning project and maintain a certain grade level, said officials. But implementation of the honors distinction program did not go as planned at Barrington High School. Students, their parents and teachers struggled to understand and communicate the requirements, and student stress surrounding the project soared. 

Early into Wednesday night’s meeting, Barrington High School Hurley admitted that despite changes officials made mid-year to the program, “it still wasn’t working the way it was supposed to work.”

Recently, Hurley gathered advisory opinions about the current honors distinction program — he spoke to members of the School Improvement Team (SIT), as well as leaders in the English and Social Studies Department. The SIT called for some type of honors program to remain; the teachers told Hurley to eliminate the honors distinction option, he said. 

About three weeks ago, Hurley sent his recommendation to Barrington Superintendent of Schools Michael Messore, and shortly thereafter, an email was set out district-wide. The high school, regarded as one of the top schools in Rhode Island and the region, was eliminating more honors options, stated the email. 

Parents and students responded; the news media aired reports outside the high school, and school committee members called for a meeting. 

On Wednesday night, with about 100 people in attendance and even more logged in online, Hurley shared an update: He said the head of the BHS guidance department had discovered that eliminating honors would negatively impact BHS students’ chances of receiving merit scholarships, and therefore, he was recommending the district re-instate the honors distinction option. However, changes would be made to the program, he said, making it better for everyone.

Hurley, who is set to retire this year, told committee members he would have a clear plan ready by late spring or summer. 

Committee member Erika Sevetson questioned that. She said spring or summer was too vague.

“We need a firm timeline. People are feeling jerked around,” she said. 

Committee member Megan Douglas said spring or summer would not allow an opportunity for feedback from students and others. She said the district needs a plan while students are still in the building. 

Hurley nodded in acceptance.

Committee Chairwoman Gina Bae questioned whether BHS teachers — that same group who had asked for the honors distinction program to be eliminated — could embrace a new honors distinction program. Bae said that situation raised a red flag in her opinion.

Hurley said he has already started the process, adding that he recently met with department chairs. 

Bae responded: I don’t have a sense of how you’re going to engage the staff.

Hurley’s reply: We’re going to have to work together. 

Patrick McCrann spoke about the process surrounding the decision to change the program, then eliminate some courses, and most recently recommend the re-instatement of the honors distinction program. He asked for the actual written copy of the recommendation Hurley gave to Barrington Superintendent of Schools Michael Messore. 

McCrann said the recommendation was supposed to come before the school committee, but it never did. He also urged that moving forward, officials create a process that allows for these decisions to be discussed in public before they are incorporated into the curriculum. McCrann said information from school administrators about the honors program change was “a slow drip,” which made it very hard for committee members to evaluate. 

He said officials have to do better. 

Committee member Amanda Basse asked if officials were giving teachers an opportunity to share honest feedback. Hurley said they did give honest feedback.

Committee members also asked if teachers needed additional resources to ensure the success of the honors distinction program. 

Hurley said the biggest issue was time.

Bae was critical of the how the changes have been communicated with the community. She urged Hurley and the administration to develop a plan to regain the trust of the families in the district. She asked how officials could ensure that the new honors distinction program would be successful. Bae said this felt “like Groundhog Day,” adding that committee members had been previously told that the prior program change had been vetted. 

Sevetson also asked Hurley if the district could return for one year to the leveled system, which had honors courses, and then later institute a new honors distinction program. 

Hurley said he did not think they could do that, adding that there was not enough time to do so. He said the course selection process had already been completed. Hurley said he also did not agree with bringing back the “level 3” classes. 

Eventually, committee members agreed on holding a meeting in May where Hurley could provide an update about the new honors distinction program. 

Afterthoughts

Following the meeting, Hurley and Bae shared some comments about the situation:

• Hurley: “Right now the current system… the kids aren’t accessing it the way we thought they would. The numbers of kids that opted out, particularly in the first semester, I thought was way too high. So we need to come up with a better system.

“I think we can. It is a tall order.

“I think the talk tonight about conceptual classes… when we looked at what was happening in the Level 3 classes, we knew we needed to make a change.”

• Bae: “Am I comfortable with where we’re headed? I don’t think I’d say I’m comfortable until I hear from Mr. Hurley for the points we mentioned during the meeting, as with updates regarding data that was collected this year, what their plan is for next year as far as revisions. It may not be a full plan, because I know they need time. That was noted. I think Mr. Hurley has a huge task as far as gaining the buy-in from the teachers. 

“…I still believe in the heterogenous grouping. I believe in inclusion. .. Particularly for students in our conceptual classes (that wasn’t happening). 

“I believe there’s a benefit for heterogenous grouping for students of all abilities to be in the same class… I think those are lifelong skills that will serve our students well in life moving forward wherever they go, whatever they do…

“Like Liana Cassar mentioned today, I think it’s worth the effort.”