Page 150 - Microsoft Word - Annual Report 2016

Support Personnel; Paula Sordillo, Education Support Personnel; Ruth Amigo, Education Support
Personnel; and Rachel Eramo, Education Support Personnel.

In July 2016, the Central Office welcomed Steven Guditus as Director of Educational Technology. Mr.
Guditus previously served as Principal of Manchester-Essex Regional Middle School.

Achievements of Note in 2016

STEM/STEAM Initiative: STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math), was
successfully incorporated into the curriculum in 2014-2015, as a specialist program at both Cole (STEM)
and Spofford (STEAM). In its third year, the STEM/STEAM program aims to expose children to these
fields early in their education, in order to lay the groundwork for understanding and appreciation for the
scientific approach and to ensure that the next generation remain and produce leaders in these fields. The
program, which is largely project-based, teaches the Engineering Design iterative method for developing
and optimizing design and engineering solutions to real world problems. The STEM/STEAM program is
customized to specific grades, and offered to all Kindergarten through sixth graders. Dr. Rains’
STEM/STEAM Blog at Spofford Pond can be accessed at https://spoffordstem.wordpress.com/. Ms.
Wainwright’s Blog at the Harry Lee Cole School can be accessed at http://hlcole.blogspot.com/.

DESE Level 1 Status: For the fifth consecutive year based on The Partnership for Assessment of
Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) and MCAS testing results, the Boxford School District
achieved Level 1 status with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Level 1 status indicates that Boxford is a top-performing district, resulting in the lowest level of state
intervention with regard to operational oversight and planning. This classification will continue to provide
our teachers and leadership team with the opportunity to focus more on student achievement and less on
bureaucracy.

PARCC/Next-Generation MCAS: The PARCC exam (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for
College and Careers) was administered for the final time in the spring of 2016 as the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is in the process of upgrading their state assessment.
According to DESE, this decision was made “to better measure the critical thinking skills students need
for success in the 21st century.” Additional information about this assessment transition is reprinted
below from the MA DESE website. To learn more please visit:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/nextgen/timeline.html

● The new test, informally called "Next-Generation MCAS," will build upon the best aspects
of the MCAS assessments that have served the Commonwealth well for the past two decades.
● The test will include innovative items developed by PARCC, along with new items
specifically created to assess the Massachusetts learning standards.
● Next-Generation MCAS will be designed to be taken via computer. The plan is to phase in
computer-based testing so that computer-based tests are fully administered statewide in 2019, with
many students participating as well in 2017 and 2018.
● Massachusetts will have complete control of test administration, test content, testing
windows, and the reporting of results.

To learn more about how Boxford students are performing on their state assessments in 3rd-6th grade,
please visit: