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A.W. Coolidge Middle School
A.W. Coolidge Middle School in Reading, Massachusetts is proud to be a “Spotlight School” for the New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) and a national “Lighthouse School” for the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence. The mission of Coolidge Middle School is to create a challenging and respectful environment for all students and to provide the varied experiences necessary for becoming confident, independent learners. We also believe that the middle school years are crucial years in a child’s education, and we recognize that early adolescence is a unique stage of human development. Our middle school philosophy accommodates this unique period in a student’s life and provides a better means of ensuring success for all students by specially tailoring our program to young adolescents. Coolidge currently has an enrollment of approximately 480 students in grades 6-7-8, and teamwork is the integral component of our structure. Our staff and students are arranged into interdisciplinary teams, and each of our teams is named after an astronomical constellation or a concept in space exploration (Gemini, Pegasus, Polaris, Voyager, Explorer, etc.). The goal of our teams is to provide for students a smaller community within the larger school and to draw upon collective strengths to help everyone continually reach new heights. Our school symbol (the comet) and our school motto (“Soaring to Succeed”) also represent our school’s goal to continually move forward.
Birch Meadow Elementary School
Birch Meadow Elementary School is a school with more than 400 students and over 60 full and part time staff members. The school motto, “Learn, Achieve, Believe TOGETHER” voted on by students, staff, and parents has set the stage for a great learning environment. Birch Meadow features SMARTboards in every classroom, computers on wheels, staff wikis and blogs, digital photo story displays, a computer lab with SMARTboard, use of SMART technology in art and music, a parent resource center, flip video images of events, student and professional art work displays, wireless access points, assistive technology, language based classrooms, and hands on learning opportunities. In addition, a character education program which requires all students to participate in character building assemblies with follow up of positive reinforcement of our monthly themes. The school utilizes data-based decision making to create a focused direction for improvement each year. Birch Meadow is proud to have improved test scores based on the state of Massachusetts Growth Model. During the year, students have the opportunity to participate in LEGO robotics, MCAS after school workshops, student council, after school arts programs, chorus, and tutoring. The daily instructional program at Birch Meadow includes a Tiered Instructional Model for our 1st and 2nd grade students, guided reading instruction in grades K – 5, 21st century learning experiences, Fundations reading, Everyday Mathematics, and block scheduling. Parents participate in our school through a School Council program supporting charity organizations, supporting PTO enrichment programs, being members of a wellness and allergy committee, dedicating time as library volunteers, and supporting lunch time as cafeteria volunteers. New and veteran teachers are proud of the educational opportunities we provide for students every day at Birch Meadow!
J.W. Killam Elementary School
If you would like to see a "bucket-filling" school and meet lots of T.R.R.F.C.C. students and staff members, then J.W. Killam Elementary is the place for you! Our 60 member faculty and staff make our "home away from home" feeling school is a place where learning is fun for all of our 450 students each and every day.
Our mission is to support and motivate our students to achieve their personal best in challenging, relevant, and supportive learning environments that prepare them for future academic and social success. Upon entering our school, members of our student service squad will greet and lead you to our dining hall for a quick viewing of our daily news show Killam News Live! (a student centered web cam broadcast) After a brief welcome and introduction from some staff members and parent organization chairs, you will tour our school to see teaching, learning, and 21st Century technology at their best! We are fortunate to have exceptional grade-level teams of highly qualified educators who use research-based educational practices to support our students as they learn to demonstrate their knowledge in alignment with their learning style and preferred multiple intelligences. If you’re lucky, you may even see a group of students doing a variety of brain-based exercises to help stimulate their learning! Current curriculum and instructional practices such as, Everyday Mathematics, Fundations phonics, the Daily Five/CAFÉ model, Tiered Instruction Model (TIM), guided reading, Multiple Intelligence Theory and Open Circle are integrated as a key components of our curriculum.
our students will model their bucket-filling behaviors such as trustworthiness, respectfulness, responsibility, fairness and caring citizens (T.R.R.F.C.C.) during your visit as these behaviors are an essential part of our school bucket-filling philosophy, which is based on the books How Full is Your Bucket? and Have You Filled a Bucket Today?
We are especially proud of our Curriculum and Instruction and Weekly Grade Level Data Meetings. Although our Differentiated Learning Team will be in the classrooms teaching during your visit, you will have a chance to meet with principal Cathy Giles to hear about these incredible professional learning communities and how our staff collects, analyzes, and uses student data to drive all of their future instruction. We are very proud of our Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School and we welcome you to visit. Cameras and Questions are welcome, of course!
Reading Memorial High School
After the successful completion of a three-year building project in 2007, Reading Memorial High School (RMHS) is enjoying the benefits of that reconstruction. Located 15 miles north of Boston, with an enrollment of 1,250 students from grades 9-12 and a faculty of over 100 professionals, the school community has made a strong commitment to engaging in curriculum, instruction, and assessment strategies that are enhanced by state of the art facilities and technological resources. Faculty have devoted numerous professional hours to integrate class lessons with SMARTBoard expertise as well as an ever growing array of technological tools as a way to help students develop critical thinking skills and abilities to meet the demands of the 21st century. Learning within and outside of the classroom continues to flourish with the expanded use of online resources, presentation tools, databases, and collaborative work spaces. RMHS students also take advantage of online learning opportunities through our association with Virtual High School.
Over the last decade RMHS has developed a reputation for balancing an array of challenging academics with an award winning music program, a prolific drama organization, a strong athletic program and a broad range of other co-curricular clubs and organizations. This reputation is a focal point upon which students are challenged to become active participants in all facets of this vibrant school community. RMHS students certainly meet this challenge.
The process of school improvement is on-going at RMHS. The following goals have been identified as areas of focus in the RMHS School Improvement Plan:
· Provide all students with the skills needed for success in post-secondary education and in finding meaningful career options in the 21st century.
· Ensure a rigorous curriculum for all students and increase the personalization for all students.
· Create a school environment in which students and faculty have the power to make permanent, positive, cultural change at RMHS defined by schoolwide initiatives such as Project Challenge and numerous community service and service learning opportunities.
RMHS recently initiated a restructured use of professional development time during regular delayed openings of school designed to facilitate sustained collaboration both within and across disciplines. As a result, an exciting interdisciplinary academic opportunity was launched this year with a co-taught History of Epidemic Disease course connecting social studies and scientific curricula, and new science offerings in Conceptual Physics and Honors Engineering have responded to student needs and interest. A pilot Advisory Program and an Upper Connections (peer mentoring) Program for freshmen have enhanced the transition of our newest students to the high school. Project-based assessment strategies are employed across the curriculum with corresponding school wide standards based assessment rubrics, and a new class schedule has been designed to enhance student learning. In its 2nd year of operation, the Reading Cooperative Bank RMHS branch provides our students with an authentic learning opportunity that connects academic study with real world experiences. Partnerships with local cable station RCTV and RISE Preschool are planned to enhance internship opportunities for curricular connections. Senior Projects will be implemented in the near future.
The new RMHS has provided the opportunity to showcase both time-honored traditions and new events, including Future Freshman Nights, a Spring Awards Breakfast, annual Arts Festival, and Night in New Orleans. The Performing Arts Center is the perfect venue for five major productions by the Drama Club each year including musicals and theater of social change as well as an improvisation troupe and student written plays. RMHS proudly hosts concerts and music festivals, such as this year’s NESBA state level jazz band competition. The RMHS community also takes pride in hosting both league and state academic and athletic events. Once again, we are pleased and honored to host the Blue Ribbon Schools of National Institute for Educational Excellence conference and hope you will join us for this exciting collaboration.
Wood End Elementary School
Wood End is the newest K-5 elementary school in Reading, officially opening in September 2005. Its unique rich post and beam design, integrated skylights, floor to ceiling windows, and vaulted two story open foyer all come together to provide an exceptional student centered setting for learning as well as a beautiful 360 degree four season view of our spacious outdoor surroundings.
While we are very proud to be designated a 2009 Blue Ribbon Light House School, we are even more proud of our over 350 caring hard working students, outstanding team oriented faculty members, and our wonderfully involved parents and community members. At Wood End, teachers understand the importance of teaching and working with their students to develop 21st century skills. They’re committed to the integration of technology into their daily teaching practices, utilizing SMARTBoards, the internet, and library media services to enrich and broaden student learning experiences in all content areas. Teachers not only understand the importance of their own use of technology to enhance instruction, but even more importantly, they know the importance of empowering students with the use of technology in their daily work. As a result, students are much involved in completing research projects, developing podcasts, screen-casts, learning keyboarding skills, writing blogs, wiki’s, video streaming and using classroom based ipods that connect them with other students literally around the world. To hear our most recent student podcasts go to itunes and search Wood End Radio.
We are also proud of our high standards, academic rigor, and the high level of social responsibility we expect from ourselves and our students. Emphasis on meeting the needs of all students can be seen in the differentiated math and reading programs. We have incorporated the RTI model (Response to Intervention) and flexible reading model at our kindergarten and grade one level. We also utilize the specialty teaching model in our fifth grades. In terms of special education, as a district and as a school, we believe that inclusion of all students in the regular education classroom is essential to learning.
At Wood End we have three distinct special education programs for students whose learning needs range from mild to severe. Through training and support, we are very proud of the success these students have had in the regular classroom setting. We are also very proud that all of our teachers, thanks to our PTO, have been trained and implement the nationally recognized Open Circle Social Skills Curriculum program at all grade levels. Through regular classroom meetings, the program provides students a forum to discuss social, school, and classroom concerns. Social responsibility and character development is further emphasized through our All School Meetings that are planned by students and staff and are held every Friday afternoon.
We also recognize the importance of the arts and physical education in our students’ lives. We have a tradition of celebrating the arts as a district and as a school, and provide a physical education program that promotes all aspects of health and wellness.
We are proud of our partnership with our parents and their involvement in just about all aspects of our school. Our PTO organizes and funds all of our enrichment programs and field trips. In addition, parents regularly volunteer in our classrooms or in our beautiful library media center. Since we opened in 2005, parents have been an enormous help in raising funds to support our technology initiative. Also, in the spring of 2006 our parents raised funds and helped plan and build our fully handicapped accessible state-of-the-art playground with a rubberized walkway encompassing the play structures. It is one of only five across the state.
We hope you can tell from the above, how proud and excited we are to be a part of the Wood End School community and very much look forward to sharing this positive energy and excitement with you when you visit in April. If you would like to find out more about us before your visit, you may visit us by going to our website at www.edline.net/pages/Wood_End_School.
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