School officials: ‘I think we’re raising the bar’

Administrators share vision for changing the program of studies

By Josh Bickford
Posted 3/31/21

School leaders believe in the change.

Barrington High School Principal Joe Hurley, Superintendent Michael Messore and Assistant Superintendent Paula Dillon said the district’s ongoing work …

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School officials: ‘I think we’re raising the bar’

Administrators share vision for changing the program of studies

Posted

School leaders believe in the change.

Barrington High School Principal Joe Hurley, Superintendent Michael Messore and Assistant Superintendent Paula Dillon said the district’s ongoing work changing the program of studies will be good for all students, will raise the bar for higher achievement, and will further the school department’s mission to empower all students to succeed.

The change started about four years ago, as school officials began eliminating some of the leveling of courses at the high school — Level 1 courses are some of the most challenging at the school, following by Level 2, and then Level 3 conceptual courses, which offer more supports for students. The change also includes the elimination of some Honors courses; instead the high school will offer students an opportunity to earn an Honors designation in certain courses.

The change has allowed for more heterogenous groupings of students, where more students will have greater opportunities, administrators said. There will be greater diversity, greater equity, greater creativity, they said.

“We have been going very slow with this,” Ms. Dillon said.

Administrators said the shift started in 2016 with history courses, adding that there has been some push-back along the way. They also said educators have committed to a significant amount of training. And as the work continues, the response has been encouraging, Ms. Dillon said.

“The feedback we’ve been getting is extremely positive,” Ms. Dillon said. Teachers have seen greater engagement, she added, and established a higher set of expectations.

Prior to this year, officials have focused the changes in the history department. There had not been any Honors courses available in history, but now, as part of the change, students have the opportunity to earn an Honors designation if they complete a more rigorous level of work. Ms. Dillon said the new structure allows more students to achieve deeper learning and to engage with a wider variety of learners.

Mr. Hurley said those students who choose to earn an Honors distinction have displayed an impressive level of learning in their courses.

“…it’s not just adding on a little piece,” he said. “It goes far beyond that.”

Mr. Messore said bringing different students together — including students who might not otherwise intermingle — has also proven beneficial. He said different students share different insights, different experiences, different cultures.

“This is what education is really all about,” he said.

Part of the push to change the program of studies at Barrington High School is focused on ensuring that each and every student was college-ready when they graduated. Mr. Messore said there were concerns that some students were not being prepared enough, but the change will, hopefully, correct that.

“We’re not lowering the bar for students,” Mr. Messore said. “I think we’re raising the bar.”

While the change to history courses garnered very little, if any, attention from parents of students, that has not been the case for alterations made to English language arts classes. When parents of Barrington High School freshmen learned recently that the 10th grade Honors ELA course had been eliminated from the course selections, they reacted loudly. Parents and students spoke out during school committee meetings, wrote letters to the editor, created petition drives, and initiated a movement to display their disapproval for the change with more than 1,000 little red flags planted in the lawn in front of the town hall, where the school administration office is located.

While some parents are upset with the change, Mr. Messore, Ms. Dillon and Mr. Hurley said there is evidence that the shift to heterogenous classroom groupings is good for all students. They pointed at BHS history courses — they said enrollment in history courses is one of the highest at the school. Ms. Dillon said Advanced Placement history courses are among the most-taken AP courses at the high school and local students score an average mark of 4 on AP history exams. (The best possible score is 5.)

The changing program of studies is knocking down barriers for BHS students, Ms. Dillon added.

Mr. Messore said that he believed it would take time for some people to adjust, “but the outcome will be what’s best for all students.”

The changing program of studies will move Barrington closer to fulfilling its mission statement, said Mr. Hurley.

 

Level 3 courses

Some people have voiced concerns about the elimination of Level 3 conceptual courses at Barrington High School and what it will mean for special education students.

Mr. Hurley said the high school is actually expanding the course offerings in transition programs, signaling more opportunities for students. Ms. Dillon questioned whether Barrington High School had been offering an inclusion program or a separate program. She said Level 3 courses were intended to be general education, but there had been a lack of inclusion in those courses.

Ms. Dillon said the district is developing new course offerings, including two more English courses and re-designed math classes.

Communication complaints

School officials acknowledged that they should have done a better job communicating about the change.

Mr. Messore said there is also some misinformation surrounding the shift — for starters, this is not a curriculum change. Mr. Messore said that would have required school committee approval.

Mr. Hurley added that the group of students being impacted by the elimination of 10th grade Honors ELA was in the middle school when officials were planning the changes. He said information could have better targeted toward that group of students.

Mr. Messore said that most importantly, parents and students need to know that the change is being done to improve the academic atmosphere, not hurt students or lessen the district’s achievement level and growth.

He said it is going to be difficult to change some peoples’ perspectives on this subject — they have a determined view of what is happening. But, he added, he and the other administrators will do all they can to paint a complete picture of the change and what it means for Barrington High School students. He wants people to know that this initiative is what’s best for all students, and it is moving the district in the right direction.

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