HOLYOKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 57 Suffolk Street - Holyoke, 01040 Tel. (413) 534-2005  Fax. (413) 534-3730

Dr. Stephen Zrike, Jr., Receiver Judy Taylor, Web and Print Communications Director

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 5, 2015

Holyoke Public Schools Secondary Education Redesign Working Group

The Holyoke Public Schools is pleased to announce that its Secondary Education Redesign Working Group has been commissioned by Receiver Dr. Stephen Zrike, Jr. to ensure that the middle and high school educational experience in Holyoke is of the highest quality, deeply engages students, and enables them to fully prepare for success after high school. A critical focus is to create and offer multiple academic and technical pathways for all secondary students in Holyoke. The first phase of the Secondary Education Redesign Working Group begins today, October 5th, and extends through the end of December. During this phase, the group will develop a comprehensive set of recommendations for secondary education redesign after reviewing secondary data and programming, visiting schools, and listening to presentations and experts in the field. During the second phase, from January through June, the working group will support implementation work relating to any recommendations adopted by the Receiver. The Secondary Education Redesign Working Group is comprised of the following members designed to contribute expertise and perspective from a wide array of successful secondary and community experience.  Dr. Maureen Murray Adamson, Ed.D., Recently retired Superintendent of Schools in Braintree, MA., will serve as facilitator of the group  Dana F. Brown, Principal at .  Stefan Czaporowski, Principal of Westfield Technical Academy.  David Cruise, President and CEO of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, Inc.  Jeffrey Hayden, Vice President of Business and Community Services at Holyoke Community College  Angela Sweeney, English Teacher  Bruce Frey, Dean Technical High School Programming and Web Design Teacher  Gladys Lebron‐Martinez, Holyoke City Councilor and Youth Center Director at Career Point  Gina Roy, Holyoke Public Schools Director of Student Services  Shailah Stewart, Connecting Activities, MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education If you have any questions or are interested in visiting the Holyoke Public Schools, please contact Judy Taylor, Web and Print Communications Director at (413) 493‐1605 [email protected].

“A community working together to prepare our students for their future” # # #

“A community working together to prepare our students for their future”