An Update About Winchester High School to Town Meeting from the EFPBC

WINCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL FEASIBILITY STUDY

With continued enrollment growth and a list of shortcomings identified by the 2007 WPS 10-year Facilities Master Plan, Town Meeting approved a $1.3M Feasibility Study in November 2010 to identify options for necessary improvements to the Winchester High School. The study’s scope is established by the Massachusetts School Building Authority [MSBA]—a partner in the project—and is limited to early or conceptual phase work including existing condition assessments, educational programming, building site analyses, and conceptual design options. The MSBA is reimbursing the town nearly 34% of the cost of this work.

After a rigorous interview process the MSBA and EFPBC selected this January the experienced design and management team of SMMA (architect) and Skanska (project manager). Following last month’s kick-off of the Feasibility Study, the team has begun a series of functional and space programming meetings with WHS teachers, staff, parents, and students to define the educational needs of the school. Simultaneously, an analysis of potential building sites including the existing WHS campus has begun and a project website is being developed.

Next Steps

Community engagement and input is vital to the outcome of the Feasibility Study and the implementation of a preferred program and design solution. Beginning with our first session on June 5, Community Meetings will be held regularly to provide updates to interested citizens as well as to drive feedback through a number of channels. The schedule for these meetings will be published via school newsletters, the Town Clerk’s office (postings), local media outlets, and a number of community outreach organizations.

The project team’s efforts this summer will be focused on data collection including assessments of the current educational program and operations, existing WHS site and physical plant conditions, as well as alternative site analyses. Once school is back in session this fall, Community Meetings will share the summer’s work and most importantly get feedback from you.

In late 2012 the EFPBC and School Committee will submit to the MSBA a preferred solution (renovate existing or new construction) for review and approval by the agency’s Executive Board. This early submittal establishes the framework for a 4-month schematic design phase and preliminary cost estimate scheduled for completion and MSBA submission in the summer of 2013 at which time the Feasibility Study phase will be considered complete.

With MSBA acceptance of schematic design and commitment to continued reimbursement for a percentage of project costs, Town Meeting will be asked in the fall of 2013 to determine its support for a debt exclusion override for the balance of the design phase and subsequent project construction.

WHS Feasibility Project Website

Community Meeting on Winchester High School Feasibility Study

First community meeting on High School building renovation/construction Feasibility Study set for June 5, at 7 pm at WHS Auditorium. Open to all Winchester residents -- students, business owners, parents, property owners -- and an excellent opportunity to learn about goals, process, and timetable for the project, as well as ask questions and provide your input. Sponsored by EFPBC, School Committee, and WPS administration.

Winchester High School Ranks 29th in State

Winchester Patch May 10, 2012

U.S. News released the fourth edition of to high schools in America.

• By Nate Homan
• Email the author
• 5:45 am

 Email

 Print

  Comment

    

 Upload Photos and Videos

US News released its fourth edition of top high schools in America, ranking Winchester High School at 538 among nearly 22,000 public schools. The publication lists Winchester as 29^thamong 351 Massachusetts high schools.

According to the report, schools were ranked by how well they prepare students for college success. “US News partnered with the Washington, DC-based American Institutes for Research, which implemented US News's rankings methodology,” read the report. “US News determines the degree to which schools prepare students for college-level work by analyzing student success in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs, both of which include college-level courses.”

Statistics listed include student-teacher ratios, a college readiness factor, and proficiency on state math and English assessments.

Topping the list of national high schools is the School for the Talented and Gifted in Texas. In Massachusetts, the Sturgis Charter Public School in Hyannis took top honors.

Closer to home, Arlington High School is ranked 26th, Lexington High School is ranked 14th, Stoneham High School is ranked 61st; and Winchester High School squeaked by Concord Carlisle, landing the #29 position.

Related Topics: High School Rankings and winchester high school

A team approach to building a new school - School Facilities

Before you take your first step toward significantly renovating an aging facility or building a new school to meet changing student populations, be prepared with plenty of thoughtful answers.

Taxpayers will demand to know about a building's intended use. As a district administrator, you need a solid answer to this question before you select an architect. You can avoid unnecessary delays, change orders and increased expenditures if you've assessed your building needs properly and fully. I liken the process to visiting the grocery store. Without a prepared list in hand, yu walk out wondering how you just spent a significant sum on items you didn't need or failed to purchase something that you had intended.

Several essentials must be factored into the building equation, including proper financial planning, educational curricular programming, actual building usage and anticipated growth needs. Planning for the present while envisioning the future can be challenging at best and troublesome at worst.

So how can you prepare for building renovation, new construction or site selection work? Our school district did it by creating a building leadership team.

A Deliberate Pace

We put together our team in 2000 to review the most recent building needs, growth trends and previous feasibility studies and, most importantly, our district's educational vision. We found significant needs for renovations and additions. The team set an aggressive construction program in four of our seven buildings to be completed between 2000 and 2003.

Patience by the building leadership team and the school board is needed to allow all personnel to provide input. When you wait, you are not wasting time but investing in it. Patience in developing a team should encompass the entire building program in a practical manner. The leadership team should deliberately plan the work and the district architect should work the team plan. In our district, the team consisted of three members of the school board, the superintendent, the appropriate building principals and the project architect.

At the outset, the leadership team should bring other stakeholders together to gain valuable human data relating to planned instructional and assessment practices, student growth plans, professional induction and education programs, organizational goals, student opportunities, and internal and external educational needs assessments. This human data should be given to the architect before design work begins.

Consider what D.J. DePree, owner of the Star Furniture Co. in Zeeland, Mich., answered when an architect asked him, "Do you think design is the most interesting thing about a house?"

DePree answered, "Yes I guess I do." "Then you're wrong," the designer responded. "The most interesting thing about a house is the people who live in it ...and I am designing for those people."

The message here is simple: Do not design a building based solely on the pieces of furniture, equipment, space and policies that affect the individuals who work there. In addressing the individual and institutional needs of the occupants, a building can create an inviting atmosphere that puts the workers in the proper mindset. Multiple rooflines, arched building fronts, circular stairs and grand entrances are often substituted for light and comfort in classrooms, leading to unhappiness, discontent and a lack of productivity among occupants.

A leadership team comprised of educators and building advisers should begin the building process through a series of questions asked of the people who will work in the building. You can center on maximizing the school's productivity through proper questioning of current personnel in the organization while addressing the school district's vision.

Our team repeatedly experienced challenges by those who wanted to protect the status quo. Change always threatens some people. In responding to each question, the building leadership team must meet each challenge with well thought-out and cogently articulated responses.

Genuine Data

The core values of the leadership team will be to place kids first. This is not a teachable trait but more of an educational attitude to embrace when designing a building. Second, the team should strive to work toward progressiveness, not perfection. Progression shows a desire to become better while perfection shows a lack of openness to new ideas.

Finally, the team should focus on this question: How does what we do affect children? The team always must consider the children involved in their undertaking by asking: How will our schedules and what we ask of the people involved affect the lives of the children? How can we be a positive influence on children?

The team should assess the extent of all resources available. The resource information should be gathered through questions, not based on guesswork. The data must come from the people who know. General Robert E. Lee asked on the day of his surrender: "What opportunities do we have before us?" He asked this to show others the bigger picture and to be careful not to miss strategic possibilities. The leadership team should do the same.

The key to completing a successful building program is understanding what you have to begin with and knowing what others desire to achieve.

Finally, the team must guard against the development of a building program that is not focused. If you don't know what you want, you will be sure to build it and it will cost the taxpayers greatly. And it may cost district leaders their jobs.http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0JSD/is_4_60/ai_99555577/

Winchester Schools Master Plan

For full report click:
Winchester Schools Master Plan (PDF)


Executive Summary

Introduction

Flansburgh Architects was hired in February of 2007 to prepare a Master Plan for the Winchester Public Schools. The purpose of the Master Plan was to explore space needs, options and costs, and to provide a capital improvement plan to meet the program needs for growing enrollments in Winchester. The Master Plan in this report is divided into a short-term plan that addresses the five-year enrollment projections and a long-term plan that solves the space needs for ten years and beyond.

Section 2 of this report contains existing conditions reports for the five Elementary schools, the Middle school, and the High school. This establishes a basis for the condition of each school which is used to recom- mend options and costs in later sections of this report.

Section 3 of this report contains ten-year historical enrollments and ten-year projections of enrollments in the Elementary, Middle, and High schools. This enrollment data is used to project classroom and other space needs in the schools.

Sections 4 and 5 contain the Five-Year and Ten-Year plans for space needs, options, floor plans, schedules, and costs for the entire Winchester school system.

The following is an Executive Summary of the report that highlights the key findings and recommendations of the Master Plan.

Five –Year Plan

A. Elementary Schools:

1. Options: After comparing 7 options to resolve the current and projected overcrowding at the elementary schools, a scheme using modular classrooms appears to be the best short-term solu- tion. This option involves adding 4 modular classrooms at the Ambrose school and 3 at Mu- raco. This option was selected because it is both the least expensive and most flexible given that the enrollment projections for the elementary schools are somewhat uncertain. This allows the number of modular classrooms to be adjusted to fit the need without redistricting in the short term. Although these modulars will handle most of the increased space needs, a few rooms will still need to be converted to classrooms for the short term until the next phase of the master plan is implemented.

2. Schedule: Current enrollment projections are somewhat unclear, but it appears that the 4 modu- lar classrooms at Ambrose and 3 at Muraco will be needed by September 2008. This will require that authorization to commence construction documents should occur no later than December 1, 2007. This will allow bidding in February 2008 and construction to be completed for a Sep- tember 2008 occupancy. Actual enrollments in October 2007 should be checked to determine whether 7 modular classrooms will still be needed. If the enrollment trend is closer to the NES- DEC projections, the number of modulars might be reduced.

3. Estimated Costs: The preliminary estimated total project costs for these 7 portable classrooms including furniture, equipment, technology, and soft costs is approximately $1,943,000 if bid in February 2008.

Winchester Public Schools Master Plan 3

B. Middle School:

1. Options: Short-term options were reviewed for converting existing rooms into classrooms and adding portable classrooms to resolve current and projected overcrowding at McCall Middle School. It was concluded that it makes better sense to build a permanent addition with a net gain of 9 new classrooms because the enrollment projections are clear and the need is based on students already in the system. Also, this option avoids spending money on a temporary solution that would be disruptive to the operation of the school.

2. Schedule: Enrollment projections show a need for 2 new classrooms starting in the Fall of 2007. This need will have to be temporarily resolved by converting 2 rooms into classrooms. After this, there will be a need for 6 new classrooms by the Fall of 2009. This need then increases to 9 new classrooms by 2012. In order to meet this need it is recommended that the permanent addition be ready for occupancy by the Fall of 2009. This will require that the authorization to commence Design Development and Construction Documents should be given by December 1, 2007. This will allow bidding by May 2008 and construction completion for occupancy by September 2009.

3. Estimated Costs: The preliminary estimated total project costs for this addition including furni- ture, equipment, technology, and soft costs is approximately $8,232,000.

C. High School

The High School size and program is adequate to handle the current and projected enrollments for the short term until approximately 2012 (5 years). At that time, enrollment is expected to signifi- cantly increase from approximately 1100 to 1250 students and then up to 1370 by the Fall of 2015. The long-term plan needs to address the High School, which will need additional classrooms and other spaces starting in 2012.

Winchester Educational Facilities Planning & Building Committee

Board Members Linda A. Rossetti Cynthia R. Bohne Donald E. Cecich Robert F. Deering Brendan Driscoll Christian D. Nixon Geethanjali P Mathiyalakan Gerald R. Nardone Roger Hain Charles Tseckares

2012 2011 2013 2014 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 2014

Contact Winchester Town Hall 71 Mt. Vernon Street Winchester, MA 01890 Hours Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Winchester Schools Master Plan (PDF)

Members: 11, including 1 registered architect, 1 registered engineer, and the Superintendent of the School

Appointed: The architect and engineer are appointed jointly by the Selectmen and School Committee, 1 appointed by each of the Selectmen and School Committee, 5 by the town Moderator, and 1 by the Finance Committee.

Length of Term: 3 Years

Ref: Town Meeting, April 24, 1995, Art. 10, and Dec. 9, 1996, Art. 14

The Future Philanthropist Program

The Future Philanthropist Program provides high school juniors and seniors with opportunities to participate in a uniquely-adapted philanthropic experience as community foundation grant makers.

The Future Philanthropist program is an excellent opportunity to develop and reinforce philanthropic behaviors, thereby supporting the success of young people.

Future Philanthropists Program has four goals:

1) To engage young people directly in the important role of philanthropy in the community. 

2) To involve young people as critical decision makers in the process of allocating financial support to nonprofit and public organizations serving youth. 

3) To provide opportunities for participants to research and evaluate the impact of their decision making on solving youth problems in the community.

4) To provide an active learning experience of doing for others that enhances young people’s perception of success.

Students make a 2-year commitment to the program (Junior and Senior years).

Individuals from the community serve as “philanthropy mentors”. These mentors represent different kinds of philanthropy, for example, a member of local family foundation, a business executive who has promoted philanthropy through his or her corporate giving or an individual who has established a donor advised fund at the Foundation.

Students learn the art and science of grant making and make decisions about the distribution of grant money to worthy organizations -- one more way that the Community Foundation works to strengthen our community through philanthropy.

Future Philanthropists advise the Community Foundation on grants to be made in support of youth. Grants are made from the Future Philanthropist Fund in support of this program.

Your gift to the Future Philanthropist Fund helps these young people participating in the program to develop an understanding of community needs and services, how local philanthropy works and how local giving impacts the community.

High School Student Mentoring Programs

The Principals' Partnership http://www.principalspartnership.com/ Sponsored by Union Pacific Foundation 

Research Brief

High School Student Mentoring Programs 

Question: Do high school mentoring programs make a difference in student success? What are the

components and characteristics of successful programs.

Summary of Findings: Perhaps no other intervention in the lives of young people makes as much intuitive sense as the concept of mentoring by caring and competent adults. Fortunately, in the case of high school mentoring, these intuitive good feelings are well supported by research. Students who take part in carefully planned, long-term mentoring programs have higher grade-point averages, are more likely to attend college or post-secondary training programs and report improved social and family relationships. Additionally, these students are less likely to drop out of school, carry weapons, use drugs or engage in other high-risk behaviors. However, good mentoring programs take effort, resources, commitment and a clear understanding of what research tells us about successful mentoring.

Major Findings and Conclusions: Models for mentoring students

Academic mentoring Academic mentoring programs pair students with trained mentors who engage in a supportive relationship based on academic tutoring or enrichment. Equally successful with underachieving students and those with a particular interest they want to explore in greater depth, academic mentors can be a real asset in “differentiating” the curriculum for students with different needs and interests. While the focus is primarily academic, mentors also work with students to develop better self-esteem and achievement motivation. Academic mentoring is very effective and is one of the easiest programs to establish.

School adjustment mentoring School adjustment mentoring programs help students develop the skills and attitudes that are essential to academic success. Mentors might focus on self-esteem, social and behavioral skills and achievement motivation. Mentors encourage good attendance and also serve as advocates when students have problems or concerns. School adjustment mentoring is more time intensive, and mentors need to be well trained and very committed.

Career mentoring Career mentoring involves involving students in experiential situations with practicing professionals and trades people. These experiences may be as simple as providing opportunities to shadow practitioners at their work place or as intensive as internship programs.

Project based and community mentoring Students involved with project based or community mentoring programs work with adults to complete projects or help others in their community. These service programs might include building playgrounds, painting houses, tutoring younger children or providing services for the elderly or disadvantaged in their communities.

Group specific mentoring Group specific mentoring programs are designed to partner young people and adults from specific demographic groups. One very successful program pairs young black males with older black professionals, while another involves female scientists mentoring young women. The goal is to provide role models in an effort to encourage under-represented groups to pursue college or specific disciplines.

Electronic mentoring The current popularity of technology and the Internet provide a convenient and cost-effective tool for keeping caring adults connected to young people. In an electronic mentoring program, students and mentors exchange e-mail on a regular basis. These exchanges can be academic in nature, deal with school adjustment issues or simply provide a chance to chat about things that are going on at school or at home. Ideally, electronic mentoring is part of a committed mentoring relationship that includes time spent in face-to-face contact.

Successful Mentoring Programs:

 ̧ Are well planned and structured to provide high levels of interaction between students and their mentors.

 ̧ Are driven by the needs and interest of students.  ̧ 

Are based on clear goals and objectives derived from careful assessment of needs and resources.

  ̧ Include structured activities as well as significant opportunity for informal interaction.

  ̧Provide support and training for mentors.

  ̧ Provide occasional opportunity for group activities involving students and their mentors. 

̧ Include an evaluation component designed to engage all involved in a process of continuous

improvement.

In the beginning:

Make a careful assessment of needs and resources. 

̧ Identify key personnel. The most successful programs have a paid coordinator, but many depend entirely on volunteers.

  ̧ Set clear and specific goals.

  ̧ Advertise and promote your program to potential volunteers or supporters using brochures and newsletters.

  ̧ Establish criteria for selecting students and mentors.

 ̧ Utilize existing groups such as local corporations, universities or military bases when looking for volunteers.

 ̧ Establish procedures for screening and training mentors.  ̧ Provide some sort of progress report to both volunteers and students.  ̧ Provide written rules and procedures in the form of a handbook.

  ̧ Be patient. The most effective programs facilitate long term relationships; success does not come

easily or overnight.

  ̧ Don’t reinvent the wheel unless your situation is truly unique. There are thousands of mentoring

programs operating successfully in our nation’s schools; most are very willing to share their planning documents, brochures, handbooks and other materials. Several websites designed to share information between programs are included in the resource list below.

Online Resources: The Connecticut Mentoring Partnership, Why Mentoring?

This site provides excellent material designed to help schools advocate for mentoring program resources. The article reports the results of a study of several long-term mentoring programs and provides a long list of positive outcomes for students and their communities. http://www.drugsdontwork.org/cmp_whyment.html

National Mentoring Partnership

This site provides information and ideas including a link called “Run a Program” that provides the opportunity to network with other providers who are operating mentoring programs similar to yours; find mentoring programs, products, experts, and research; determine best practices for building a sound mentoring program; and pinpoint problems within your mentoring program that may block your effectiveness. http://www.mentoring.org/

Michigan Reach Out! Program

This site lists and describes successful mentoring programs in Michigan schools. Contact information is also provided for exemplary programs that are willing to provide information and support. http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/reachout/elsewhere.html

Sigma XI, The Scientific Research Society

This site provides excellent training and advice for mentors. While some of the information is specific to mentoring in science, there is enough general information to make this site useful to anyone involved in a mentoring program. 

http://www.sigmaxi.org/programsi/education/men.high.train.shtml

International Mentoring Association

http://www.childtrends.org/Files/MentoringBrief2002.pdf

This site provides information and resources designed to help facilitate successful mentoring programs. While you will be asked to join the site, there is enough information available for nonmembers to make visit worth your while. 

http://www.mentoring-association.org

American Academy of Family Physicians, Sweet success: Students thrive in mentoring programs This article describes a program that matches physicians with able high school students to encourage them to become physicians. The program is established in communities that are facing shortages of physicians and other health care professionals. The goal is to provide “home grown” health care providers in these communities. Some of the ideas could be used for other types of career mentoring programs. 

http://www.aafp.org/fpr/20030400/3.html

Technology Lends Mentoring Programs a Hand

This article describes the Hewlett-Packard Online Mentoring Program that provides students with daily contact with mentors via e-mail. Contact information about the program is provided. http://www.centerdigitaled.com/converge/?pg=magstory&id=5672

This is provided as a service to educators by The Principals Partnership and Union Pacific Foundation, neither of which assumes any responsibility for the content of the brief or the positions taken by the authors or the Web sites or other authors whose works are included. This research brief reflects information currently available and is not the official position of The Principals Partnership or Union Pacific Foundation.

Disclaimer: All URLs listed in this site have been tested for accuracy, and contents of Web sites examined for quality, at the time of addition. Content accuracy and appropriateness, however, cannot be guaranteed over time as Web sites and their contents change constantly. The author takes no responsibility for difficulties which may result from the use of any Web site listed herein. Please notify the Webmaster if you find any dead links or inappropriate material.

Permission: You may use or download content for research or educational purposes, or for your personal, noncommercial purposes, provided you keep unchanged all copyright and other notices with them. No other use of any content is permitted. You agree that you will make only lawful use of this research brief, and will only use these briefs in compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations. You agree that you will make no use of the research that violates anyone else's rights, including copyright, trademark, trade secret, right of privacy, right of publicity or other rights.