2010-2011 State Successes Page 1

Community Highlights Page 2

Meet our Members Page 3

Meet an Education Champion Page 4

An In-depth Look at Policies

that Shape our Schools Page 5

Fall 2011Massachusetts Newsletter

www.stand.org/ma

Dear Members, as summer draws to a close and a new and exciting school year begins, I am thrilled to release this autumn

newsletter to our growing membership across the state. the past few months have been extraordinarily

successful for our affiliate here in Massachusetts with major wins at both the state and local levels. that success is

rooted in the hard work members like you perform on a day-to-day basis. as always, thank you for your good work

and let’s continue to make a difference for Massachusetts’ students.

In June, the board of education approved new educator evaluation guidelines, and last month, with the support

of members across the state, we filed a ballot initiative to bolster these new guidelines and ensure that every

classroom is being led and every child is being taught by a great teacher in Massachusetts. the Great Teachers

Great Schools initiative will provide educators with a clear, common-sense avenue to hone their craft and

elevate the teaching profession. this initiative will ensure that teachers are placed in classrooms based on their

professional ability to generate better outcomes for children, not simply by the number of years they’ve worked in

the system.

today, I’m pleased to say that our ever-growing reach for children in communities throughout the commonwealth

is not only being recognized, but is inspiring others to take action for kids. In worcester, we’ve increased our

crucial work in level 4 and Innovation schools, and in Boston we are continuing to lay a strong foundation to

engage citizens and impact city schools. Just last month, we launched our new springfield chapter to expand our

work to yet another area in dire need of more effective schools.

as I approach my one-year anniversary here at stand for children, I find myself continually bolstered by the

range of support and steadfast commitment our community members consistently demonstrate across the

commonwealth. thank you for the great work you do to generate brighter futures for our students. together, we

can continue to positively impact our state’s classrooms.

standing proudly with you for children,

Jason williams

Executive DirectorStand for Children

2011 Fall Newsletter | 1

New Educator Evaluations Approved!after months of targeted advocacy work, the Board of

elementary and secondary education voted in support

of new educator evaluation regulations. these guidelines

will be integral to providing teachers with the professional

support and feedback they need to hone their craft for

the nearly one million students in Massachusetts’ schools.

stand was the only community-based organization bringing

parents, teachers and concerned citizens together

to advocate for this important change and these new

regulations will certainly help to identify great teachers

and replicate their effective practices in classrooms all

across the commonwealth.

“Throughout our efforts to revamp the requirements for teacher and administrator evaluation, I witnessed firsthand the important work that Stand for Children undertakes on behalf of Massachusetts’ students. I appreciate the strong and meaningful opportunity that Stand provides to parents, teachers, students, and concerned citizens. Stand unites a diverse population across the Commonwealth for the shared goal of a great education for our children.”-Mitchell D. Chester, EdD, Commissioner of

Elementary and Secondary Education

Health Benefit Reformwith the arduous budget process concluded for the year,

we’re pleased to report that Governor Patrick’s finalized

FY 2012 budget includes a meaningful provision for health

benefit reform. with input from labor, municipalities,

and advocacy groups such as stand for children, the

provisions will allow communities across the state to

save millions of dollars while still providing municipal

employees with great health coverage. these savings

represent real dollars that will be available to save

teachers’ jobs, upgrade classroom technology, and build

better schools for our children.

“Stand for Children é uma organização que tem prestado uma oportunidade única para melhorar as salas de aula de nossa cidade aos pais e professores. Stand tem ajudado a organizar nossa comunidade estrategicamente e levantar nossas vozes para melhores resultados de estudantes. “(“Stand for Children is an organization that has provided parents and teachers with a unique opportunity to improve our town’s classrooms. Stand has helped our community to organize strategically and raise our voices for better student outcomes.” )

-Arlete Falkowski, Framingham

STATEWIDE SUCCESSES2010-2011

www.stand.org/ma

2 | 2011 Fall Newsletter

Boston: In January, we kicked off our Boston chapter.

since then, we’ve been laying a strong foundation across

the city, forging long-term and meaningful relationships

with parents, teachers, principals, and numerous community

organizations. with the passage of the new statewide

educator evaluation rubric, our work to positively influence

the Boston teachers’ contract is moving forward with

the help of the Boston united for students coalition and

our District–wide teacher team. this fall, we are hosting

numerous back to school events throughout the city and

working to expand our reach across the community to more

effectively impact students in the city.

Worcester: stand for children was influential in

facilitating parental engagement with administrators and

the district at regular listening sessions at two area schools.

In addition, stand hosted an Innovation Inauguration event

at woodland academy which drew more than 120 parents,

dozens of children, and a speech from state senator Michael

Moore. In the coming months, we will be hosting back-to-

school events at multiple area schools and holding valuable

workshops focused on Innovation schools, neighborhood

safety, and how to effectively advocate for our children.

“Stand for Children is an organization that is making a genuine difference in the town of Framingham. This spring, our impactful partnership not only helped to elect dozens of education champions to Town Meeting, but also aided in passing level-service funding for Framingham’s schools for the first time in years.” – Herb Chasan, Save our Schools Framingham

Framingham: stand for children members worked

closely with save our schools to help 65 education-

minded residents get elected to town Meeting and their

commitment to Framingham’s students is already making a

genuine difference. In May, town Meeting members voted

overwhelmingly in support of level-funding Framingham’s

schools for the first time in years, delivering the resources

teachers need to generate better outcomes for students

in town. congratulations!

Springfield: we are excited to announce the launch

of our new springfield chapter! Our work will begin at four

area turnaround schools and will expand from there to

support students all across the city! stay tuned!

“Stand for Children nos ha dado el apoyo en Woodland Academy y Worcester para ayudar a nuestros niños lograr éxito. Tienen la sabiduría política que ayuda a padres tener una voz que hace un cambio para todos los niños alumnos en Massachusetts. Yo tengo la oportunidad de ser un líder que no solamente toma acción pero junta a otros padres de familia para ayudar hacer cambios. Cuando todos dan un poco, logramos gran resultados.” (“Stand for Children has given us the support we in Woodland Academy and Worcester need to help our children succeed. They have the political knowledge to help parents have a voice that makes a difference for all students in Massachusetts. I get to be a leader that not only takes action but brings in other parents to help make change. When everyone gives a little, we get big results.”) - Diana Renteria, Team Coordinator, Worcester

Community Highlights

2011 Fall Newsletter | 3

Why did you join Stand? JeNNIFer: after finding stand’s Facebook page, I went to

their website and contacted them via email. I was feeling

alone after having just gone through a terrible fight for my

daughter. at the end of her first-grade school year, I was

notified that her reading comprehension was zero, so I

took matters into my own hands. I worked one-on-one with

her and also got her placed in a more effective classroom.

today, she is above-proficient in reading comprehension

and thriving! stand has helped me to advocate for my

child and spread my success story to inspire other parents

like me to take action for their children.

What actions have you taken with Stand to improve schools?JENNIFER: I feel like I’m a face for stand, representing

women from my community – I am a black woman and

a self-sufficient mother determined to help my child

succeed on every level in life. I have spoken on an

education panel at harvard and told my story in video to

the board of education and other interested parties. I am

a regular woman who fought for better placement for my

child and stand is helping me to spread the word and give

other parents that same power.

Who is your favorite teacher and why?JeNNIFer: Ms. sparrow at the winship school in

Brighton! she recognized that my child was not slow, but

ravenous and eager to learn – sometimes too eager. Ms.

sparrow effectively channeled that energy. she gives

every child a chance to learn as an individual and at their

own pace. she changed my attitude as a parent – now I

know I have a brilliant child and that I must step up my

game as a mother to feed my child’s constant desire to

learn.

Why do you believe Stand for Children is effective in Massachusetts? JeNNIFer: stand does not give me lip service or empty

promises; they give me hard work, real results, and a

chance to make my voice heard. I have so much faith

in stand and feel like the cavalry is here. I am proud to

advocate through stand for children.

What advice do you have for people just beginning to get involved in education reform?JeNNIFer: You must listen to all sides. It’s easy to

point fingers and place blame, but then people become

defensive and we all get stuck. stand for children taught

me to listen to all points of view and that alienating anyone

involved in the process would be counterproductive.

Now, I am working to make sure that every son and every

daughter in Massachusetts has the same access to a great

teacher that my daughter had.

Meet Our Members

Jennifer RushBOstON, MassachusettsMy name is Jennifer rush and I’m a member of stand for

children in Boston. I have an 8 year-old daughter and an 11

year-old son in Boston Public schools.

4 | 2011 Fall Newsletter

What excites you about Stand for Children’s expansion into Springfield in the coming school year?Dr. INGraM: I think that stand for children represents

a wonderful opportunity to engage parents and the

community in the education process in a new way that is

meaningful and that puts kids first.

What is your favorite success story as an educator? Dr. INGraM: I see them around me all the time. My

favorite stories are those that defy the soft bigotry of low

expectations for our students. I know that students will

rise to the level of expectation that is set for them and I

love to see teachers who push their students to perform

at their highest level of ability.

What advice would you give to parents who want to get involved in their local schools? Dr. INGraM: On the most basic level, I would say get to

know your child’s teachers and principals by attending

Parent’s Night, Open house and the many other special

programs. Once the line of communication is open,

parents and teachers can talk openly and honestly about

the needs of their school and how parents and other

adults can work to help the school achieve its goals.

Who was one of your favorite teachers as a child and why?

Dr. INGraM: My favorite teacher was Mr. Blount, my

seventh and eighth grade english teacher. Mr. Blount

pushed me hard! Because of that, I didn’t like him at the

time but today I am grateful that he set the bar high

for me and refused to accept anything less than

my personal best.

What else would you like to share with Stand for Children members?Dr. INGraM: we are trying very hard to create a culture

of academic excellence for every student who attends

springfield Public schools and I believe that every child

is capable of reaching new heights. I am encouraged by

gains we have made in student achievement, but there

remains room for much more growth. Most importantly, I

want everyone to know that I fully believe that if we work

together as a community and put children first, we will

absolutely soar as a school district. But it will take all of us

working together. I thank stand for children in advance

for all the work you will do to help us reach that goal.

Meet an Education Champion

Dr. Alan Ingram sPrINGFIelD suPerINteNDeNt

2011 Fall Newsletter | 5

learn More about Great Teachers Great Schools!In June, the Massachusetts board of education approved state-wide regulations regarding teacher evaluations

that rightly make multiple measures of student learning a significant factor in every educator’s evaluation, utilizing

different types of assessments to gauge student learning. the results of these evaluations, however, appeared to have

limited influence over staffing decisions that determine who ultimately remains in the classroom.

here in Massachusetts, stand for children addressed this concern by filing a bold ballot question with the attorney

General’s office in early august. the proposed law, “an act Promoting excellence in Public schools,” will allow

school districts and administrators to ground decisions on hiring, transfers, layoffs and dismissal in the teacher’s

demonstrated ability in the classroom and positive impact on students rather than length of time spent in a particular

district. this will end the currently legislated “last In, First Out” layoff policy that forces school districts to lose

talented, committed educators simply because they lack adequate seniority. Provisions in our ballot measure will

also ensure that mutual consent staffing takes place in every district, which will require both teachers and principals

to agree to a teacher’s assignment at any given school building. this provision will allow principals to make the best

staffing decisions for their building while also ensuring that teachers are not forcibly placed in any classroom.

Many stand for children members chose to formally

endorse this legislative effort by acting as official

sponsors, or signatories, of the ballot question.

these members included parents, teachers and

former teachers from across the commonwealth.

we are excited for you to join our Great Teachers

Great Schools campaign this fall!

An In-depth Look at Policies that Shape our Schools

www.greatteachersgreatschoolsma.org

Our mission is to use the power of grassroots

action to help all children get the excellent public

education and strong support they need to thrive.

77 RUMFORD AvENUE, SUIT 2WALTHAM, MA 02453

“stand for children’s Great Teachers Great Schools campaign makes clear what we already know about education – we need to do more than just review the best practices of our most skilled and experienced teachers in Massachusetts. I support this initiative because it will help ensure that evaluation plans across all school districts are held to a high standard while also providing teachers and administrators with the opportunity to work together to determine what makes a great teacher.” -Chris Conroy, Former Special Education Teacher, Boston MAwww.stand.org/ma