2008 Annual Report

learning

achievement

innovation

vision

hampshire educational collaborative

Empowering Educators, Inspiring Learners

ANNUAL REPORT

2008

HEC directs major initiatives in:

• Early Childhood

• Special Education

• After School Programs

• Professional Development

• Educator Licensure

• Adult Education

• Education of At-Risk Youth

ocated in Western Massachusetts,

the Hampshire Educational Collaborative is

a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering

educational excellence, opportunity, and growth for all

learners. For more than thirty years, HEC has provided

access to quality educational programs for our most

vulnerable, at-risk children and youth, and trained

teachers and administrators to provide programs of

excellence. Through collaboration and leadership, HEC

enhances learning and supports member districts and

others by providing exemplary programs, effective

practices, and identifying and developing resources.

Hampshire Educational Collaborative . 2008 Annual Report ©2008 HEC . www.collaborative.org

Learning and Achievement; Innovation and Vision: These are the themes that exemplify the work of the Hampshire Educational Collaborative

during the 2007-2008 school year.

Throughout the summer of 2007, the Early Childhood Department planned for the first Collaborative Conversation on early childhood mental health issues. The vision for this conference was to offer avenues for meaningful conversation about creative partnerships, shared resources, and collaborative solutions to issues facing very young learners statewide. It was also seen as an opportunity to showcase the innovative work HEC does to address these issues. Thinking Big About Little Learners brought together stakeholders from the broader community to work toward a statewide initiative to support the healthy social and emotional development of young children.

In envisioning CELE (The Center for English Language Education), we imagined a resource to provide professional development, licensure in ESL, information, consultation, and coaching for administrators and teachers of English Language Learners. Though initially focused on serving educators in Western Massachusetts, the responsiveness to teachers’ needs was so immediate that demands for services quickly grew statewide. HEC has been providing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for several years in many subjects. The PLC for ESL and ELL teachers was among the first to utilize a dedicated website (cele.collaborative.org) to enable scores of educators to extend learning and access to up-to-date resources.

HEC continues to work with our most vulnerable children and youth, for whom academic achievement is often difficult. Whether it is in our special education programs or the teaching we do with youth under the jurisdiction of the Department of Youth Services (DYS), we continue to hold onto the firm belief that all students can learn. It is our mission to bring our resources, talents and dedication to those students who do not learn easily so that they, too, can achieve.

Just as it began, FY2008 ended on a very high note. With the completion of the first five-year contract with DYS in June, 2008 we were pleased when the contract was renewed for another five years. Simultaneously, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded HEC a contract to provide special education services across the state to children and youth living in institutional settings.

We look forward to this exciting partnership and are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the HEC staff who made FY2008 such a successful year.

Sincerely,

Joan E. Schuman, Ed.D Executive Director

Speaking on behalf of the Board of Governors, it has been satisfying and rewarding to see the Hampshire

Educational Collaborative expand its services and resources for those students most at risk of failing or dropping out of school. During FY2008, HEC, in partnership with the Commonwealth Corporation, was awarded renewal of its contract to provide statewide educational services to students and teachers in the Department of Youth Services. This allows us to continue the work we began five years ago of building an excellent educational system within DYS. In 2008 we were also chosen by the state to provide all regular and special educational services to young people who are in state-run institutional settings. With this second contract, HEC is squarely positioned to deliver high quality services to the most vulnerable students and their teachers statewide.

As I look back over my sixteen year tenure on the Board of Governors, I am proud of the agency’s unwavering adherence to its most basic mission. And, over the past year, when schools were extremely challenged to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind, HEC became even more engaged in helping schools build their capacity to help students succeed. The Collaborative continues to offer professional development and licensure programs for teachers, alternative and supplemental services, special education programs, after school and early childhood programs, and many other services designed to help students and their districts achieve academic success.

The Annual Report for 2008 tells the story of the partnership between the Hampshire Educational Collaborative, its member districts and the many others who are dedicated to helping all students meet their potential. I hope that you will find this publication informative, and that your interest in and support for HEC will continue as we meet the educational challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Sincerely,

Lisa L. Minnick Chair, Board of Governors

2008

Page 1Hampshire Educational Collaborative . 2008 Annual Report

Belchertown

Richard Pazasis, Superintendent www.belchertownps.org

Easthampton

Deborah Carter, Superintendent www.easthampton.k12.ma.us

Frontier Regional

Regina Nash, Superintendent www.frsd.deerfield.ma.us

Hadley

Nicholas Young, Superintendent www.hadleyschools.org

Hampshire Regional

Barbara Ripa, Superintendent www.hr-k12.org

Hatfield

Pat Dardenne, Superintendent www.hatfieldpublicschools.net

Northampton

Isabelina Rodriguez-Babcock, Superintendent www.nps.northampton.ma.us

South Hadley

Gus Sayer, Superintendent www.shschools.com

Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School

Frank Llamas, Superintendent smith.tec.ma.us

Ware

Mary-Elizabeth Beach, Superintendent www.warepublicschools.com

Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst-Pelham Regional (on leave) www.arps.org

Working in partnership with the member districts that form the Collaborative, HEC provides essential resources to enable schools and educators to build successful learning environments.

HEC is governed by a Board of Governors from eighteen member school districts that include: Amherst, Amherst-Pelham Regional, Belchertown, Chesterfield-Goshen, Conway, Easthampton, Frontier Regional, Hadley, Hampshire Regional, Hatfield, Northampton, Pelham, Smith Vocational High School, South Hadley, Southampton, Sunderland, Ware, and Williamsburg.

The HEC Steering Committee is composed of member district superintendents, while School Committee members from each district make up the HEC Board of Governors.

David Bourbeau Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School

Brad Brousseau Hampshire Regional

Elaine Campbell Conway

Cathy Englehardt Hatfield

David Giles Southampton

Lori Ingraham Easthampton

Cathy Karowski Chesterfield-Goshen

Julia Miller South Hadley

Lisa Minnick (Chairperson) Northampton

Charlene Nardi Williamsburg

Stephen Nathan Ware

Beverly S. Phaneuf Belchertown

Brian Pinette Frontier Regional

Aimee Smith-Zeoli Sunderland

Nick Young Hadley

Board of Governors Steering Committee

Member D is t r i c ts

FY 2008

Page 2 Hampshire Educational Collaborative . 2008 Annual Report

Hampshire Educational Collaborative . 2008 Annual Report

“Options,” said Frank Llamas, “are a part of life.” In his seven years as

superintendent of Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton, Frank has made it his business to deliver plenty of options for the school’s 450-plus students so they will have the skills they need for tomorrow’s job market.

To meet emerging needs, new pre-engineering, sustainable-renewable energy, and biomedical programs have been added to the curriculum. Over the past five years, some $1 million has been invested in the school’s infrastructure, resulting in six state-of-the-art computer labs and wireless communications in every building. Annual funding provided by the city of Northampton assists in supporting the regional school’s sizeable budget for technology upgrades, helping to ensure that students are trained on current, industry-standard software.

“The differences among people and their life circumstances require that publicly supported programs provide options—we insist on it as adults,” said Frank, who believes that options to allow all learners to make adequate progress are necessary, “if we are to be effective as educators.”

Frank, whose long career includes a stint at Bethelem Steel and classroom experience as a special education teacher, points to the Collaborative’s demonstrated success in building and overseeing a statewide educational structure to support youth while they are away from their communities. Through the Department of Youth Services (DYS) program administered by the Collaborative, “HEC serves kids from our communities when circumstances don’t permit us to fulfill our responsibility to provide educational services within the context of local options.”

“They are all our kids,” noted Frank. “In a very real sense, the kids in the care of state agencies are collectively the responsibility of all of us! If not us, who? We cannot just throw kids away when they cannot participate in our regular scheduled day schools—we must build alternative programs and bridges between programs with flexible exit and entry points.”

Throughout its hundred-year history, Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School has set many precedents for vocational education. The project-based learning concepts that originated at Smith School were adopted as the federal norm in 1917. Since opening its doors in October, 1908, the school has become an invaluable regional resource. During the two world wars, parts were produced for the Navy in the school’s machine shops and food was grown for the military. Today’s Smith students build a house every year, maintain the Northampton Police Department’s fleet of vehicles, and train as phlebotomists in partnership with the Red Cross. Each shop has an advisory committee of business partners, who offer expertise in the field’s standards and jobs for graduates, who must pass all MCAS tests and gain certificates of occupational proficiency in their trades.

With the announcement of his retirement at the end of 2008, Frank Llamas brings to a close a vibrant chapter in Smith School history, noting with pride that, “Our school is now in many ways state of the art; many schools are bigger, but we hold our own.” Oliver Smith of Hatfield, whose 1844 bequest of $250,000 to be invested so that a school might be opened in the future, would no doubt be very pleased.

Building Bridges

from the Past to

the Future

Frank LlamasSUPERINTENDENT Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School

“We who govern and guide HEC must embrace the

idea that we need to support a vehicle that assists us

in addressing our mission to educate ‘all’ students.”

“The camp is fantastic,” enthused Vicki Snowden-Toney. “They still do

academics, but intertwined with outdoor activities and the arts.”

Her daughter, Corrine, has attended the Collaborative’s summer educational and recreational program at Camp Hodgkins for the past eleven years. Set among the trees in Hampshire Park in Leeds, Camp Hodgkins offers typical outdoor summer camp fun for children with developmental disabilities along with an extended year educational program designed to help students maintain skills acquired during the school year. In addition to students from HEC member districts, school districts from across the region also utilize the program.

Corrine began attending HEC special education programs in fifth grade. The move from her home city school was initiated to better meet her communication needs. Working with HEC assistive technology specialist Diane Gumaer, Corrine has been introduced to tools such as a Dynavox device and Intellitalk, a word processor that combines graphics, text, and speech to enhance writing and communication skills.

Though her daughter is not always comfortable sharing skills until they are perfected, her mom has seen a “big burst” of change in Corrine in recent months, both verbally and in her use of the computer. “We wanted to encourage her to talk more,” said Vicki, “and that’s happened in the past two years. They’re amazed at how witty she can be!” Vicki credits middle school program teacher Kevin Mulvaney, who has been a special educator with HEC for over thirty years, with helping to spark her daughter’s willingness to take more risks.

Corrine now attends the HEC Community-Based Work Experience (CBWE) Program. In addition to instruction in academics, communications, socialization, and life skills, CBWE students also participate in job training at sites such as the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Dakin Animal Shelter, the Amherst Senior Center, and Michael’s arts and craft stores. These activities are combined with academic learning, as students are taught to organize and count items, write about their activities, and responsibly follow instructions.

“For a period of months, it was difficult to take her into a store, because she’d stop to straighten things out!” said Vicki.

“We’ve seen such growth. Through the years, with repetition and consistency, she has ‘come out.’ All of the staff have worked to help her to become a productive citizen. They truly love the children.”

When the Devine family of Hadley looked for an “educational family,” they wanted people experienced with children with all kinds of disabilities so

that teachers and staff would have the specific skills their son, Patrick, needed. In the years since their son was born with “fragile X” syndrome, Denise and Gerry Devine have educated themselves about the genetic disorder and in the process the couple have become a resource for others, always generously ready to reach out and share information. Denise now teaches a workshop on fragile X.

An Educational Family

for All Learners

“Every system should have this.

Though they have programs elsewhere,

HEC has more continuity.”

CorrineSTUDENT HEC Special Education Program



“We want him to do as much as he

can. When he excels at something,

the teachers jump ahead.”

PatrickSTUDENT HEC Special Education Program

Patrick started school in Hadley, “a wonderful school system filled with caring teachers,” said Denise, describing a teacher who took time to attend a special program with Patrick in order to learn more about his disorder.

In second grade Patrick moved to a HEC Special Education Program, where the Devines found the expert staff they sought and the resources Patrick needed to help him learn to communicate. Though Patrick may never talk, he does now communicate by signing. “Patrick uses a hybrid of universal signs and his own,” said Gerry. “Our daughter, Kelley, has been the best for him. She understands his communication.”

The family has found great comfort in working with veteran teacher Kevin Mulvaney, who calls if Patrick does not seem himself to ask if anything has happened that is out of the ordinary. “How’s that for feedback?” asked Gerry.

“You can call someone in the HEC program at any time and ask for a consultation with any problem,” added Denise. “We can get physical therapy and speech resources specifically related to fragile X. HEC also accepts expert advice from others. We gathered resource information on fragile X and HEC staff accepted and used it, and they were happy to have it.”

To help Patrick deal with change and transitions, school staff members create story books for home and school to help him prepare for differences in his life, making novelties such as a visit from relatives less difficult for him. Gerry noted that, “He’s not a huge fan of change, but he’s had consistency.”

The Camp Hodgkins program, which Patrick has attended each summer since fifth grade, helps to provide some of that consistency. While boosting retention, the camp experience has also allowed Patrick to explore new activities, such as planting flowers or creating a camp store.

“When Patrick gets up in the morning, he hurries to get dressed and get on the bus. He is happy to go to school—which makes us happy, too.”

During the 2007-2008 school year,

HEC Special Education Programs

served 108 students ages 5-21

and graduated 13, all of whom attained the

10th grade MCAS competency requirements

for both English Language Arts and Math.

Graduates included a Commonwealth Scholar

with plans to attend college in the fall.

Middle school students experimented with

digital imaging and navigated architectural

software. Some students in HEC’s Alternative

Learning Programs also continued to develop

job skills at a number of local partner sites,

including Smith College and McDonalds.

Community Service Learning projects

enriched the learning experience for many

HEC Special Education students. The

projects, which combine instruction with

meaningful community service and lessons

about civic responsibility, included Pioneer

Valley Trail Maps; Seeds to Shelter; Peace

Jam; and a community garden.

The Collaborative provides a variety of special education

programs to serve students with diverse learning needs.

Students are enrolled at the request of their local district.


Louise LawDIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION Frontier Regional and Union 38 School Districts

Celebrating

the Richness

of Languages

and Cultures

“We approach having a

child of another culture

in the classroom as an

opportunity for a mutual

learning experience.”

Written on the blackboard, not far from a proudly displayed, red-haired portrait

created by a group of Kindergarten students, is a quote by Samuel Beckett: Words are all we have.

“Words are our tools,” said Louise Law. “Educators don’t use hammers. We need to use language and use it well to help our students learn.”

Louise is Director of Elementary Education for the Frontier Regional and Union 38 School Districts. The former elementary school teacher, who has been an administrator with the district for eighteen years, also supervises the district’s K-12 English Language Learning (ELL) teachers.

As a rural district with a small percentage of English Language Learners (ELLs), opportunities to connect with colleagues are invaluable. Through participation in the Collaborative’s Professional Learning Community (PLC) in ELL, her teachers are able to network with peers and keep abreast of state requirements, issues, and resources to support English Language Learning. The group is facilitated by Debbie Zacarian, Director of the HEC Center for English Language Education (CELE).

HEC offers a variety of PLC groups for teachers and administrators, providing forums to engage in topical discussions of common interests and concerns. Participation is free of charge and educators may earn points toward recertification.

Louise, who also attends a PLC for Curriculum Coordinators, notes, “Often, it’s hard to leave the district unless something is really valuable, and we’re seeing that it’s worthwhile to participate in this group.”

Changes in laws relating to English Language Learners prompted the district to bring in Debbie Zacarian to assist with English language education policies and

procedures and to expand understanding of language acquisition. CELE is designed to be a one-stop resource to meet the specialized needs of those working with English Language Learners (ELLs) and World Language Learners. “I can’t say enough about how much help Debbie has provided,” said Louise, adding that Debbie’s “umpteen years of experience gives credibility to the process.”

The training sessions were “real and rich, challenging but not intimidating,” she continued. “Teachers walked away with clear expectations of what to do.”

Louise found particular value in how Debbie “helped shift the thinking of teachers in terms of how much language is embedded in content areas. Just because children can manage in English on the playground, doesn’t mean they understand metaphors or have deeper understanding of the language.” She believes that whenever teachers become more sensitive to the needs of ELLs, their sensitivity to all learners is heightened, which benefits every student.

With a philosophy that understanding cultural and linguistic differences helps students better understand themselves, the district is in the process of implementing a second language learning program in Spanish in all of its schools, including elementary grades. Superintendent Regina Nash, said Louise,

“is very supportive of international learning.” Louise would know: She will be living in India with her family in Fall 2008, continuing to work one day a week with the district through online cultural exchanges.


Chuck EdgerlyTEACHER

Deerfield Elementary School

“The main question we ask ourselves is,

‘How is this helping the student learn?’”

During the 2007-2008 school

year, the HEC Center for English

Language Learning worked

with over 30 different school districts across

the Commonwealth on English Language

Education programming and policies. CELE

provided a variety of consulting services,

as well as training for content teachers,

administrators, specialists, and English as

a Second Language (ESL) teachers. HEC

also introduced an ESL educator preparation

program (www.teachinmass.org). Approved

by the Massachusetts Department of

Elementary and Secondary Education, the

program offers a new statewide option to

prepare for Initial ESL licensure.

CELE is part of the HEC Professional

Development Department, which provides

services to individual educators, schools, and

districts across the state.

Like many of his Frontier Regional and Union 38 counterparts, ELL teacher Chuck Edgerly has traveled abroad. After immersing himself in

the language and culture of Mexico, the former house painter found his calling in teaching, and spent seven years in the Holyoke schools, where Spanish was the first language of many students.

When he saw an opportunity to teach in Deerfield, Chuck was attracted by the potential to work with a smaller (low incidence) population of ELLs and serve as a liaison between families, the school system and the resources they need. That has sometimes meant finding interpreters for classroom work or meetings with parents. “In the district, we’ve had students from Vietnam, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Korea, India, Poland, and Mexico.” One day, while walking on the Hampshire College campus, he saw a sign advertising a Danish interpreter. “Exactly what we needed! Sometimes you get lucky.”

While students sometimes work one-on-one with Chuck, for most of the day the children remain in the regular classroom, where an interpreter may be placed with the teacher. Chuck believes the CELE training sessions with Debbie Zacarian have helped to raise awareness on the part of classroom teachers, who “have changed methods to accommodate ELLs.” “Sometimes,” he said, “I help them with accommodations.

“Debbie also helped us to make explicit our objectives with students. This is an incremental process,” Chuck acknowledged. “All teachers are learning to differentiate their instruction. This involves more preparation, more work.” But, he noted, “We’re seeing results.”

Chuck and other ELL teachers also teach Spanish as part of the district-wide foreign language initiative, which has roots in Spanish classes he started with a colleague, Matt Howell. The knowledge gained by teaching ELLs, Chuck believes, is very helpful in teaching Spanish to native English speakers.

Several years ago ELL teachers started an after school International Club to embrace and celebrate other cultures. A second group has now been formed to accommodate all the children who want to participate. Activities such as a Latin America Fiesta have been a big success, with that event drawing some 200 people to enjoy cross-cultural food, family fun, and social networking.


Babies are born learning—about themselves, their surroundings, and human relationships.

The quality of their early experiences (birth to five) shapes the way they learn and think throughout their lives. At these very young ages, issues leading to challenging behaviors and lack of school readiness are more easily identified, intervention is less expensive, and the likelihood for successful outcomes is greatest.

More and more states are pro-actively investing in the wellbeing of their youngest citizens—a smart investment with a high-yield return. In the fall of 2007, some 130 people from across the Commonwealth gathered to envision a Massachusetts model for supporting early childhood emotional health at a conference organized through HEC’s Collaborative Conversations initiative. Massachusetts First Lady Diane Patrick served as honorary chair.

Morning keynote speaker Dr. Mimi Graham of Florida State University’s Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy played dramatic video clips demonstrating the critical role of consistent, loving care from adults in the healthy social and emotional development of children. A panel convened by the HEC Early Childhood Department underscored the effectiveness of mental health consultation as a strategy to understand and address the environmental, sensory, and emotional factors that may produce challenging behaviors.

Additional speakers included Ann Reale, who was then Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care; John Ebbets, CEO of the United Way of Hampshire County; and author Kathy Harrison, foster mother to more than 150 children.

“....as a community, we need to come together and have meaningful conversation on the issues facing our youngest learners. Every child deserves the chance to flourish.”

—DianePatrick,Esq.,FirstLadyofMassachusetts

Our Vision!Kids 0-5

Private & Public

Partnership

All Children Ready for School

Thinking Big About

Little Learners

Presenters from California, Illinois, and Vermont described their model early childhood initiatives and offered sage advice on the lessons they had learned. Then, in a dynamic World Café brainstorming session, the audience considered how the “roadmap” for a Massachusetts model might look.

In her afternoon keynote address, Dr. Valora Washington, Director of the CAYL Schott Fellowship Program in Early Care and Education and President of the CAYL Institute challenged the audience to act, citing incontrovertible scientific evidence that early experience matters and effective interventions can positively change the course of development.

Since the conference, HEC Early Childhood staff members have worked with area collaborators to bring together a regional network of professionals. The group hosted a leadership institute in May, 2008, facilitated by Dr. Washington. Participants identified seven action issues and took steps to form a new organization. The resulting Western Massachusetts Leadership Network in Action (WLNA) has the support of numerous agencies and organizations representing key early care and education stakeholders in the region. The group set a mission “to improve early care and education, and school age care, in western Massachusetts by empowering and inspiring people to take action.” A second leadership institute in fall 2008 will be followed by regular meetings of area stakeholders.

These regional efforts have caught the attention of the Schott Foundation. Focus groups have been conducted and plans are moving forward to fund a multi-year leadership-building initiative under the direction of the HEC Early Childhood Department in collaboration with Wheelock College and the CAYL Institute. With this news, western Massachusetts is now firmly planted on the early childhood “roadmap” with a model collaboration!

ROADMAP

FY08 BY THE NUMBERS:

1000 play and learn groups

(+/-) were offered through

the Hampshire County Family Network’s

eight family centers. The centers provide

opportunities for parents and caregivers to join

with their infants, toddlers and preschoolers

to play, learn, socialize, and find relief from the

stress and isolation that can result from caring

for very young children. Similar services are

offered by the Palmer/Monson Family Network.

8 seniors at Mount Tom Academy were

graduated from their respective local

high schools. The program, which is located

at Holyoke Community College, is designed

for students who have been unsuccessful in a

traditional high school setting. Every student in

the Mount Tom graduating class successfully

passed the MCAS tests and received a diploma.

596 students were served by

HEC 21st Century After School

Programs. A project to track student outcomes

showed:

• Relationships with adults improved by 26%

• Relationships with peers improved by 32%

• Verbal communication improved by 15%

• Written communication improved by 19%

42 Department of Youth Services

Educational programs across

the Commonwealth were provided with

educational services during year five of a five-

year contract. The program has established

high standards for all teachers; consolidated

and organized a curriculum meeting

Massachusetts Framework standards;

provided professional development; and

established communications networking.

Supplemental Services

As an approved Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provider of Supplemental Services, HEC began offering tutoring services to districts to support students who either failed or did not make significant progress as measured by state MCAS tests. Services were utilized by HEC member districts Belchertown, South Hadley and Northampton, along with Palmer.

Using Data to Enhance Instruction

Data and instruction specialist Damon Douglas, who joined the HEC Professional Development team in 2008, began a training program to assist district teams to better interpret data on student progress in specific content areas. In using data from MCAS and other sources to target their teaching methods, teachers are able to match instructional strategies to data-identified student needs and track how instructional changes impact student performance.

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

HEC job-alike groups brought together educators at all levels for topical discussions of common interests and concerns. The highly interactive, collegial discussion groups meet at HEC throughout the school year. As forums for sharing curricular and instructional strategies, the PLCs have grown in number and popularity each year to include groups for Mathematics, English Language Arts, Principals, Associate Superintendents and Curriculum Directors, History, Art Teachers and English Language Learning. There is no charge for participation, and educators may receive Professional Development Points.

Youth 4 REAL

An AmeriCorps project in Ware grew out of an after school program serving older students still in school as well youth who had dropped out. Under the direction of HEC, twenty-one Youth 4 REAL project participants focused on workplace readiness skills, along with community organizing and service skill development to prepare for further education and career paths. Professional portfolios created as part of the project included resumes, recommendation letters, career goals, and college application materials. AmeriCorps stipends and educational awards could be earned by each youth.

Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

The Collaborative worked with member districts Northampton, Ware, and Amherst to implement district wide training for teachers and mental health staff on the impact of trauma on development and behavior and to assist staff in responding with appropriate techniques in classrooms and in schools in general.

Strategic Planning Initiative for Families & Youth (SPIFFY)

SPIFFY completed year one of a five year community project focused on Amherst, Northampton, and Easthampton targeting the prevention of underage drinking and drug use.

FY08 SNAPSHOTS:

Serving Communities,

Districts, Educators, Families,

Schools, and Students

Page 9Hampshire Educational Collaborative . 2008 Annual Report

The Collaborative’s wide variety of innovative enhanced services are directed toward solving the complex problems involved in educating every learner effectively, from birth to adulthood. Working with educators, institutions, and the community, HEC utilizes its collective knowledge to address the problems of students and those who educate them. Products and programs are designed to meet emerging needs while building on resources that are already in place.

Center for English Language Education (CELE)

Center for Literacy Learning

Collaborative Conversations

Community Partnerships for Children: Eastern Communities, Hatfield, Quaboag, and South Hadley

Community Service Learning

Cooperative Purchasing

Early Childhood Program Enhancement & Accreditation

Early Childhood Support Team

Easthampton Community Partnership for Children

Emerging America: Teaching American History

HEC Knowledge Bank

Licensure @ HEC Educator Preparation Program (TeachInMass.org)

Massachusetts Distance Learning Network

The Math Path

New Beginnings Center for New Teachers

ParentCoach

Play and Re-Play

Professional Learning Communities

Reading Recovery

Safe & Supportive Learning Initiative

Transportation Routing

Strategic Planning Initiative for Families & Youth (SPIFFY)

Unlocking the Light: Integrating the Arts in Juvenile Justice Education

The Hampshire Educational Collaborative works closely with schools, school districts, and communities to identify existing and emerging needs, enhance educational opportunities and share critical resources. Closely attuned and responsive to the ever-changing educational needs of these core constituencies, HEC moves quickly to address gaps with high-quality, cost-effective solutions based on sound research and distinctive insights gained through long experience.

All of us at HEC are proud to support school districts, educators, and the community through the many high-quality programs and services the Collaborative provides, both regionally and statewide.

Programs

and Services

Enhanced Services


Central Office (L to R):

Woody Clift DYS Education Programs

Pat Salisbury, Mary Ingram, and Barbara Siegel

Business Office

Marie McCourt After School Programs

Barbara Bridger, Jotham Stavely, and Sue Bishop

DYS Education Programs


Acceleration & Remediation

After School Programs

Collaborative Center for Assistive Technology & Training (CCATT)

Department of Youth Services (DYS) Education Programs

Early Childhood Support Program

Easthampton Adult Career Development

Easthampton Success by Six

Easthampton Parent Education and Support Program

Easthampton Reunion Center

Hampshire County Family Network

HEC Academy Alternative High School

Mount Tom Academy

Occupational Therapy Center (OTC)

Palmer/Monson Family Network

School-to-Career

Secondary Career Education

South Hadley Parent-Child Home Program

Special Education Programs & Services

Specialized Services

Occupational Therapy

Physical Therapy

Speech-Language Pathology

Vision/Mobility

Psychological Service

Supplemental Educational Services

Ware Parent-Child Home Program

Ware Youth 4 REAL

Workforce Investment Act Program

We believe that every student

can learn and can succeed. We take pride in positive

relationships forged through common

efforts to support educators, promote

lifelong learning, and ensure that

learning is accessible and

engaging for all students.

Massachusetts DYS Education Programs:

Shirley Gilfether, Director of DYS Professional Development and members of the statewide DYS program staff

Direct Services

HEC direct services capitalize on the agency’s strength in crafting holistic services for students with differing educational needs and in the development of programming to complement existing services.

Districts

Educators

Communities

Families

Schools

Students


Finance

Community volunteers serve on this committee that meets regularly to aid the Collaborative in linking with local resources and partners, and to provide a community perspective for programs and initiatives.

Kathy Beresky Teacher/Reading Recovery

Ruth Bowman Early Childhood Education Consultant

Putnam Goodwin Boyd Teacher/Writer

Keri Heitner Researcher

John Hoops Workforce Development

Jim Levey Businessman/Community Leader

Tom Lippe Businessman/Consultant

Caroline Mack Parent

Lisa Minnick Business Owner Chair, HEC Board of Governors

Donna Wiley Banker

The effectiveness of our work depends on the expertise, responsiveness and capabilities of the staff who provide and support our services. The Hampshire Educational Collaborative has an extraordinarily talented, dedicated, and creative staff and we are proud to recognize some of their accomplishments.

FY2008 Financial Results

Total Assets: $5,573,284

Total Revenues: $22,334,485

Total Expenditures: $22,505,376*

*includes depreciation

Cecelia Buckley, Director of Professional Development Elected to the board of the Reading Recovery Council of Massachusetts

Laurel Dickey, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Elected to the Board of the Reading Recovery Council of Massachusetts

Kay Lisseck, Early Childhood Specialist Awarded a 2008 CAYL Schott Fellowship in Early Care and Education

Sara Lowe-Bouchard and Erin McEachin-Travis, Special Education Staff Presenters at the national Technology, Reading and Learning Diversity Conference

Dale Gardner-Fox and Patty Walsh-Cassidy, Assistive Technology Specialists Presenters at the national Closing the Gap Conference and delivered a presentation for the Virginia Department of Education

Honors

Futures Advisory Committee

(4) Federal $1,398,737 .09% (43) State $14,042,355 .88% (13) Other $548,638 .03%

(60) TOTAL $15,989,730

FY08 Grants and Contracts:

Special Education

Grants & Contracts

8%4%

16%

72%

FY2008 Income

Professional Development

Administration


Empowering Educators, Inspiring Learners Since 1974

Hampshire Educational Collaborative 97 Hawley Street

Northampton, MA 01060 413.586.4900 800.278.4244

413.586.0180 Fax [email protected]

Hampshire Educational Collaborative

www.collaborative.org

Center for English Language Education

cele.collaborative.org

Teaching American History

tah.collaborative.org

Unlocking the Light: Integrating the Arts in Juvenile Justice Education

www.unlockingthelight.org

Licensure @ HEC Educator Preparation Programs

www.teachinmass.org

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PAID Northampton, MA

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Empowering Educators, Inspiring Learners

2008©

2008

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2008 Annual Report

Documents

Transcript of 2008 Annual Report