News Article - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

For Immediate Release
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Contact:	Jacqueline Reis 781-338-3115

Dissemination Fair about Best Practices Drew Educators from Across the State

Traditional Districts, Charter Schools, Innovation Schools and Expanded Learning Time Schools Shared Ideas

MALDEN - More than 200 educators from across the state attended the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (ESE) first Dissemination Fair at the Devens Conference Center on November 18, 2016. The event, created by ESE with help from nearly 50 schools and districts, was designed to help educators working in areas of school redesign share promising practices with their peers at other schools. Forty-six panelists from Massachusetts charter schools, expanded learning time schools and innovation schools addressed topics such as problem-based learning, recruiting and retaining teachers, evaluating curriculum, reducing chronic absenteeism, designing teacher and student schedules, fostering social and emotional learning in elementary schools, serving English language learners, and serving students with disabilities. "Massachusetts is a national leader in education and has a uniquely rich and diverse set of high-performing schools," said Education Secretary James Peyser. "I am grateful to everyone who participated in the Dissemination Fair and am encouraged that all the participants will be able to explore implementing best practices in their schools and districts." "Massachusetts educators, legislators and communities have worked hard to create a wide variety of successful schools, and I am happy that representatives from so many took time to explore new and different methods that have worked well for their colleagues," said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester. "I hope that all of us can continue to learn from each other for the benefit of students." The fair was an outgrowth of dissemination efforts that were previously more focused on specific sectors. Charter schools, for instance, are required by state law to share best practices with other schools, and ESE is responsible for disseminating strong ideas from innovation schools. The Dissemination Fair saw charter school leaders sit alongside peers from traditional public schools and speak together about areas of common concern. A panel on chronic absenteeism, for instance, included representatives from Bridge Boston Charter, Salemwood School in Malden and Letourneau Elementary in Fall River discussing how they found new ways to motivate students and engage parents around the importance of consistent attendance. Many Dissemination Fair participants completed a survey after the event, and the overwhelming majority of those said that they had learned something that they could implement at their school. Panelists at the event were from the following schools:

School or District	City or Town
Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School	Adams
Boston Public Schools	Boston
Bridge Boston Charter School	Boston
Eliot K-8 Innovation School	Boston
Dr. William W. Henderson Inclusion School	Boston
Match Charter Public School	Boston
Young Achievers Science & Math Pilot School	Boston
City on a Hill Charter Public Schools	Boston & New Bedford
Huntington Elementary School	Brockton
Community Charter School of Cambridge	Cambridge
Phoenix Charter Academy	Chelsea
Ezra H. Baker Innovation School	Dennis
Carlton M. Viveiros Elementary School	Fall River
Frank M. Silvia Elementary School	Fall River
Alfred S. Letourneau Elementary School	Fall River
James Madison Morton Middle School	Fall River
Arthur M. Longsjo Jr. Middle School	Fitchburg
McKay Arts Academy	Fitchburg
Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School	Harwich
Holyoke Community Charter School	Holyoke
Sturgis Charter Public School	Hyannis
Guilmette Middle School	Lawrence
Lawrence Family Development Charter School	Lawrence
Leominster Center for Excellence	Leominster
KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate	Lynn
Ferryway School	Malden
Linden STEAM Academy	Malden
Salemwood School	Malden
Marblehead Community Charter Public School	Marblehead
Alma del Mar Charter School	New Bedford
Global Learning Charter Public School	New Bedford
River Valley Charter School	Newburyport
Staff Sgt. James J. Hill Elementary School	Revere
Collins Middle School	Salem
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School	South Hadley
Baystate Academy Charter Public School	Springfield
Veritas Prep Charter School	Springfield
Wareham Public Schools	Wareham
City View Discovery School	Worcester
Seven Hills Charter Public School	Worcester

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Last Updated: December 1, 2016