Celli: Swampscott schools must improve

SWAMPSCOTT – Superintendent Lynne Celli acknowledged that the district must improve its academic standards after a report that the number of eighth-graders choosing private schools over Swampscott High School more than tripled this year.”We have to own this,” Celli told the school committee at their Wednesday night meeting. “We have work to do to raise the rigor overall in this system.”Eleven eighth-graders in 2009-2010 chose to attend a private high school, compared to 35 this year, according to a presentation by middle school Principal Ralph Watson.The report cited several reasons that parents gave for why their children didn’t go to Swampscott High School.They included the “culture of the high school,” the instability of the administration, teacher apathy and a need for tougher academic standards.”The instability of the administration, the permissiveness of the teachers for kids’ behavior in class (cell phones, falling asleep, doing hair, etc. ? the stories are frightening),” listed one parent in a response included in Watson’s presentation.School Committee member Laurier Beaupre said she was surprised at the emphasis on the “environment” of the high school.”The (lack of) teacher engagement and rigor I expected to see,” she said, noting that those issues have been frequently discussed by the committee. “I’m surprised to see how many responses talk to the environment. It’s the largest single category.”The top reasons parents gave is the perception of “increased drug and alcohol abuse at the high school that is being brought to the surface and addressed with the new Drug and Alcohol Policy,” and a “lack of good (public relations) and information about the high school.”Parents said high school officials needed to do a better job “selling themselves” before private school applications are due.Other “environmental” complaints included teacher apathy and “no confidence in the law and order in the high school.”Celli asserted that the data only tells part of the story.She presented figures demonstrating that the total number of students who enroll in Swampscott schools for eighth and ninth grade has changed relatively little over the past five years.”Although the data looks ominous, we gain children back (at the high school) who have chosen private or Catholic school for elementary school,” she said.Nevertheless, she acknowledged “we have work to do” to make sure that Swampscott High School can compete with private schools as a viable option for students.”Process and procedures are being talked about,” she noted.Some of these, she said, include steps to improve teacher engagement or enable teachers who are not engaged to be more easily dismissed and also making it easier to place students in advanced or honors classes.She also agreed with Watson’s recommendation that the high school should begin discussing its extracurricular and class offerings with eighth-graders earlier in the year.Several school committee members said that the schools were taking the right steps.”I think we are building the foundation to address problems,” said School Committee member Richard Kraft. “I think the last few years were dark times for Swampscott Public Schools.”