SEPTEMBER 3, 2008 - AN EFFICIENT & EFFECTIVE FIRST DAY IN
BROCKTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The school year opened efficiently and effectively in the Brockton Public Schools, as 13,944 students in Grades 1-12 arrived for school ready to learn. Kindergarten and preschool begin on Thursday, September 11, 2008.

This year, Brockton introduced a new school day schedule and bus routes and administrators, who planned for every eventuality, were pleased by the smooth opening.

"The hard work of the Parent Registration Center to plot the address of every child in the city and determine bus routes was a major undertaking which proved very successful," said James Hayden, Executive Director of Operations. "There were some delays because it was the first day, but all of the children got home safely and everyone is working together to improve the system."

The day was not completely placid: Davis School Principal Darlene Campbell had "more Kleenex for the parents than for the children," and there were some traffic tie-ups at the temporary home for the new Mary E. Baker School, but things went remarkably well.

Brockton High School Principal Susan Szachowicz, who leads the largest high school in New England, said the first day was perfect at the 4,183-student school.

"It was awesome, not a single snag," she said. "Every student had a schedule, an ID, received all of their materials, and we have met all classes without any problems at all. Kids and teachers are happy. Everything ran smoothly. The first day at BHS was a great success!"

At South Middle School, Principal Kevin Karo happily greeted returning students and made introductions to incoming 6th graders and their parents, serving as a one-man welcoming committee. Karo said he was outside the school early to remind students and parents that all junior high and middle schools now begin their day at 8:05 a.m., a half-hour later than last year.

"The first day is always about minor adjustments, but we all work together and I have every confidence that everybody will be on the same page tomorrow," Karo said.

The Brockton Public Schools instituted a three-tiered schedule for the 2008-2009 school year, which allowed the district to save on transportation costs. The result was a change in school schedules by 10 to 30 minutes district-wide.

At the Huntington School, Associate Principal June Saba said the new school schedule will take some getting used to, but that the school staff was well prepared to help parents and children adjust to the new 8:50 a.m. start time. The lobby of the Huntington School was a triage area as Saba, Principal Kathleen Moran and Secretary Jeannie Teixeira helped parents and children determine which classrooms to report to and which buses to ride home.

"A new school year is always exciting and it's always a fresh start," Saba said.

Latasha Burt Saunders brought her twins, Destiny and Damien, to the Huntington School for their first day of 2nd grade. Burt Saunders said her children were so excited to get back to school that "they were up at 5 a.m.!"

"They're excited, I'm excited. The first day is always a great day," she said. "This is such a great school."

Destiny and Damien said they were looking forward to reading, writing and doing math, and to connecting with friends.

Lauren Barnes and her 2nd graders at the Kennedy School were ready to roll up their sleeves and get right to work. Barnes had the same students in her class last year as part of a looping program, and she was pleased to see 24 smiling faces on the first day of school.

"They are such a good group of students, they work well together, they are focused and excited to learn," she said. "It's going to be a great year."

Champion High School also got off to a great start this year as a full-fledged Brockton Public School. The school was initially founded as a Horace Mann Charter School supervised by a board of directors, but the alternative high school for at-risk 16- to 21-year-olds is now overseen by the Superintendent and School Committee.

Champion Principal Hernani Branco said the 100-student school will continue to serve as an alternative educational path for students who have not succeeded in traditional high school programs. The school provides youth an opportunity to earn a diploma in a smaller setting and in an alternative Diploma Plus curriculum.

"We're working very closely with Brockton High School to help students who have been unsuccessful complete their education and earn a high school diploma," said Branco, whose school is in such demand it now has a waiting list. "Champion is an alternative path for students, but it is a school first and foremost. We are focused on academics, and we do not allow disruptions. Our students came back today ready to learn, and we know this is going to be another great year."

At South Middle School, Principal Kevin Karo said all of his students arrived ready to learn and get back into the swing of things.

"This is the first class of 8th graders we will have had since 6th grade, so they arrive knowing the rules and expectations. We know these kids and their families, and we're comfortable working together. There is no gray area with our 8th graders."

South Middle School has served as a successful role model for the Middle School concept, and in the 2009-2010 school all junior high schools in the city will be reconfigured as middle schools.

"It's an excellent concept that has been well executed here at South Middle," Karo said. "I think a lot of parents, students and teachers are going to be very happy to have middle schools citywide next year."

The new Mary E. Baker School won't open its doors on Quincy Street until October, but the new Baker School community started the school year together at the Ashfield School on Coe Road with Principal Donna Haymes and Assistant Principal Charles Sullivan greeting hundreds of children and their parents. The Baker School is comprised of the former Ashfield and Franklin Elementary Schools.

"It is so exciting to all be together and to start working toward what I know will be a very successful year," Haymes said.

Davis K-8 School Principal Darlene Campbell echoed Haymes' optimism.

"The excitement is still there," she said. "You always have new and different challenges, but we are ready for another great year."