Standard 7 Community Resources

STANDARD ON COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR LEARNING

The community served by Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High school and the district’s governing body provide consistent and dependable funding for a wide range of school programs, personnel, services, sufficient professional and support staff, ongoing professional development, a range of technology support, curriculum revision,

sufficient equipment, and instructional materials. The community and district’s governing body does provide Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School with adequate and dependable funding. The annual budget is constructed by the superintendent in coordination with meetings of the Hopedale’s Finance Committee. The balance of providing a wide range of school programs, while maintaining fiscal requirements within the town’s overall budget, results in adequate funding for school programs and services.

Annual budget hearings are conducted as part of School Committee business in order to give the community an inside look at the process, restrictions and decisions made by the

School Committee Members regarding the annual budget request. These meetings are public and are broadcast live on Hopedale Cable Access. This collaborative approach to budget planning has resulted in the school district’s budget being approved by wide margins at town meetings. These approvals, however, are a result of compromises that are made prior to bringing the school budget to a vote of the townspeople. Hopedale uses an open town meeting format in which all registered voters may vote. In Fiscal Year

2010, the Town of Hopedale funded the school at $32,585 over the state benchmark.

Over the past several years, however, the town's funding of education has consistently increased. In FY '11, the town's funding was $443,129 over the amount required by the state. In FY'12, it was $723,807 over and in the 2012-2013 budget cycle, Hopedale funded the schools $1,235,503 more than the state requirement. The Endicott survey indicates that the majority of poll respondents that were either students or parents agree that the school has an adequate number of teachers and a wide range of programs and services that are funded adequately. The poll results of staff members that responded to the survey show that a majority of staff believe that funding for professional development, instructional materials, supplies, equipment, and for technology support is not adequate. Budget restrictions led to a decrease in professional development during the

2009-2010 school year. Expenditures during the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 years were static at approximately $6,000. Funding at the Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School for the 2012-

2013 year for ongoing professional development was increased by approximately $9,000 for a total of $15,439. Summer curriculum funding over the past three school years ranged from $3,135 in 2010-2011 to $7,764 in 2012-2013. Budget restrictions led to a decrease in summer curriculum funding in the 2011-2012 school year with $637 being allocated. Technology support funding has risen steadily from $118,330 in 2010-2011 to

$187,747 in 2012-2013. The Endicott survey finds that 61% of the staff polled disagree with the statement, “The community and the district’s governing board provide adequate funding for a wide range of technology support.”

The high school develops, plans, and adequately funds programs to ensure the maintenance and repair of the building and school plant, maintains, catalogues, and replaces equipment, and provides a daily level of building cleanliness and ensure the health and well-being of all building occupants. Maintenance and repair of the 73,131 square foot building is supervised by the district’s facilities manager. The facilities manager frequently communicates and collaborates with the building principal and superintendent, makes presentations at five school committee meetings throughout the year, and attends a local facilities management meeting every four months. The facilities manager writes and adheres to a five year plan. The current plan outlines expenditures for renovation of the building’s interior, including wall paneling and floor tiles, purchasing new equipment, and replacing the exterior doors and roof. Any sudden expenses not accounted for in the plans are brought before the principal and superintendent by the facilities manager. A recent approval to upgrade an outdated camera system was not granted, but most times, building administration agrees to the financial requests made by the facilities manager that are not initially planned for in the budget. The facilities manager currently oversees a level funded budget of $45,000.

Portions of this money are utilized to render the services of outside vendors for any repairs or replacements to the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, sprinkler, kitchen, or elevator systems. Documentation of these services is catalogued by the facilities manager and all equipment is inspected annually as required by local or state agencies. A nightly cleaning crew is compensated for four hours of work every weeknight. The local gym and athletic fields fall under the responsibility of the town of Hopedale and not the school

In addition to the facilities manager, the school employs a custodial staff of 1.5. The custodians and facilities manager are responsible for minor repairs. There is no formal system to request classroom repairs, but the custodial staff is easily accessible through email, telephone, or in person. Additionally there is no formal inventory for classroom supplies. Individual teachers and departments are tasked with cataloguing their own equipment, but any classroom or departmental concerns can be brought up to the facilities manager and are addressed in a timely fashion. The school suffers from a severe shortage of storage and excess desks, chairs, and tables must be stored in various areas throughout the building. The custodial staff is accountable for daily cleanliness both inside and outside of the school as well. According to the Endicott survey, 79.5% of students,

90.7% of staff, and 96.4% of parents believe that Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School is clean and well maintained. During the summer months, two to three students are employed

(one at risk student is usually chosen) at $8.50/hour to assist the custodial staff with more thorough cleaning of the building to prepare for the following academic year. Also during the summer, inmates from the Worcester House of Corrections provide cost free labor while gaining valuable skills for reentering the work force. In the winter months, students are employed as well to shovel the stairs and walkways leading into the school.

Despite having a small custodial staff and no formal method to request repairs, the facilities manager and his employees maintain a sanitary and safe school. They take on additional responsibilities such as monitoring the cafeteria during lunch and snack periods. By being constantly available, eager to help, and always approachable and friendly, the custodial staff is an effective team and ultimately improve the school climate.

The community funds and the school implements a long-range plan that addresses programs and services, enrollment changes and staffing needs, facility needs, technology, and capital improvements. The Superintendent annually presents a comprehensive strategic plan. The district strategic plan for the 2012-2013 school year lists key actions to be implemented in the current year and into the future. It also includes quantifiable benchmarks to measure attainment of those actions. The plan calls for a variety of efforts to improve curriculum and assessment, address management and operational needs, increase family and community engagement, and foster a culture of service, diversity, reflection, and a shared educational vision. Each year the district strategic plan is presented to the community through discussions at School Committee meetings and publication on the district website. At the end of each year, the goals are reviewed and revised as necessary to develop the plan for the following year.

Additionally, the Superintendent provides a detailed annual budget book which is discussed at School Committee meetings, published on the district website, made available in the Superintendent’s Office for all interested constituents, and distributed to

Town officials, school administrators, and media outlets. The budget book provides in depth information on the district’s funding from Chapter 70, totaling $5,887,320 for fiscal year 2014, and other financial statistics, e.g. Hopedale’s average required net school spending for fiscal years 2010-2013 is 4.78% compared to the state average of

15.18%. It also reports our per pupil expenditure, which for 2011-2012 is $10,448.49 and ranks us 318th among 326 communities. The Superintendent’s budget book also describes our school choice program which will enhance our budget by approximately

$650,000 for 2013-2014. The number of students who apply each year for the limited number of available school choice seats reflects the excellent reputation that the

Hopedale school district has among neighboring communities. These receipts help the district to fund items and programs that meet our long range goals without impacting our limited operational budget. In most recent budgets, funds have been used to supplement our athletic programs, professional development, and technology.

An analysis of the district’s enrollment and staffing is completed by the Superintendent each year and is also included in the budget book. The community is able to review current and historical enrollment data and staffing statistics and follow district trends beginning with the 2001-2002 school year. As noted in this year’s budget book, while enrollment has increased by 126 students at the Jr.-Sr. High School over the previous twelve-year period, professional staffing has only increased by 2.2 FTE’s. According to the Superintendent’s statement in the budget book, this has been accomplished through

“cost-effective measures that have been responsible to the taxpayers of Hopedale and at the same time have met the educational needs of our students.” The enrollment and staffing analysis is reviewed annually by the administrative team and directly impacts the hiring of staff and the programs and services offered to meet the diverse needs of our students. Other sections of the budget book include detailed state accountability data and assessment results, the most recent Jr.-Sr. High School guidance department report and school profile. Finally, the proposed budget for the upcoming year is included with account detail and an explanation of proposed increases and decreases. The public availability of the district’s strategic goals and the information included in the budget book allows the community to thoughtfully review the resources available for education, the services being offered currently and proposed for the future, and how the Town’s support of the school budget directly impacts our students. Despite our comparatively low per pupil expenditures, limited state funds, and decreasing local funds, the Hopedale

School Committee strives each year to use the funds efficiently to offer the most appropriate programs. The School Committee is committed to using available funding to implement new initiatives outlined in the district’s strategic plan and the Superintendent’s goals. One such initiative is restructuring the way curriculum is reviewed and implemented. Without funding for a Curriculum Director, the School Committee and Superintendent, with the approval of the teachers union, have delegated increased responsibilities to Jr.-Sr. High School department heads who will receive an increased annual stipend next year. In addition, increased funding is available in the 2013-2014 budget for staff professional development to align curriculum with the Common Core, map curriculum using Rubicon Atlas, and to assist professional staff in reaching their individual goals. An existing long range plan to restructure the technology department has been included in the 2013-2014 budget. Previously, the district employed a part-time network manager, a part-time technology consultant, a part-time technology leader, and a district-wide helpdesk person to provide all district technical support. The budgeted increase of $35,000 will support a full-time Chief Information and Technology Officer, a full-time Infrastructure Manager, a part-time technology leader, and one district-wide helpdesk person. As of October 2013 an additional staff member was added to the

Technology Department to serve as a Technical Operations Specialist.. Since the implementation of the new department structure in February 2013, the technology department has upgraded wiring, introduced virtualization, refreshed workstations and laptops, introduced Google email and Google applications, performed equipment repairs internally rather than using outside vendors (for an approximate savings of $10,000), and upgraded to fiber. Going forward, long range technology plans include implementing a

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, introducing Chrome Books for 1:1 use, piloting student email accounts, returning printer repairs in-house, and increasing technical support services. A capital goal to improve the district phone system has been approved by the Finance Committee for the amount of $160,000 and is currently in the process of being implemented. Recently approved projects, funded all or in part with Town capital funds, have included technology purchases, $500,000 over three years, a new elementary school parking lot, $135,000, and bus leases, $64,000 over two years.

Despite exploring regionalization with a neighboring school district during the 2009-2010 school year, staff, administration, local leaders, the School Committee, and the community are committed to developing long range goals and reaching budgetary decisions that maintain Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School as a locally supported and managed school that offers excellent programs and is responsive to the needs of students and teachers, reflective of current economic conditions, and transparent to public review.

(Supporting data: Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Book, 2012-2013 District Strategic Plan and its April 22, 2013 update, discussions with the Superintendent, Chief Information and

Technology Officer, and School Accountant.

Faculty and building administrators are actively involved in the development and implementation of the budget. Teachers create annual budget requests which are submitted to individual department heads for review before being submitted to the building principal. Approved requests are then submitted for approval to the District’s

Superintendent. Any additional budgetary changes are communicated to building administrators by the various department heads. The Infinite Visions Software Program is used for requisitions from various administrators and secretaries to generate purchase orders. The school accountant approves requisitions based on budget appropriations.

Purchase orders are created and signed by the superintendent and sent to the principal’s secretary for processing. Director of Pupil Personnel Services oversees the special education spending for K-12 system wide learning as well as students placed out of district. The Director’s requests are submitted to the superintendent for approval. The Food Service Director, Bussing Coordinator, and Athletic Director are provided the opportunity to give input and make budgetary requests. A proposed final budget is recommended to the School Committee by the Superintendent. This budget, when approved, is submitted to Town Meeting members for a vote. Although not every budget request can be approved, such as funds devoted to a foreign language lab, in depth interviewing of various faculty members revealed that everyone felt included and spoken for in the development and implementation of the budget.

The school site and plant support the delivery of high quality school programs and services. Based on the Endicott Survey, there is a general consensus among students, staff, and parents that the physical building is able to adequately support its programs and services. The school, which was most recently renovated and updated in

2001, currently accommodates 535 students and contains forty classrooms, a centralized media center, cafeteria, auditorium, multi-purpose room, and two computer labs.

Average class size is 24 students. All classrooms, computer labs, and each department’s portable laptop cart have Internet access. Despite 76.9% of students agreeing that the school adequately supports its programs and services, some suggestions for improvement were brought up through student interviews. Students would like to see microwaves returned to the cafeteria (they had been previously removed for being a safety hazard) and an increase to portion size of cafeteria lunches. Students have cited larger work spaces, desks and tables and a decrease to athletic fees also as changes that could enhance the learning environment and school climate.

The school nurse believes that the facility provides her the opportunity to perform her job to the best of her ability. Her office contains a private bathroom and two treatment rooms whose doors can be closed for privacy. The nurse has her own desk, computer, and cabinets for confidential student files. Although she wishes there were more privacy upon immediate entrance to her office, the school nurse is satisfied with her materials and workspace. The Guidance Department, which contains one secretary, one school psychologist/504 coordinator, and two guidance counselors, has a large office with two tables for students to wait or complete work. Within the Guidance Office, there are three smaller private offices for each counselor. An interview with a guidance counselor revealed the need for technology within the office for students to utilize and additional space for students to meet with outside counselors. There is a belief that the addition of a third guidance counselor to work specifically with 7th and 8th grade students and meet weekly with the middle school teaching teams would be in the best interest of the department and the school. The Science Wing of the school contains 5 classrooms.

Three of the five rooms are equipped with lab benches that have access to gas, sinks, and outlets while the other two rooms do not, making some lab experiments challenging for both teachers and students. The Family and Consumer Science classroom is in need of replacements and repairs. According to the instructor, much of the equipment is broken, including sewing machines and stoves, outdated, or barely functional and the level funded budget does not cover the costs of class materials. The wood shop is currently using aged and outdated tools in addition to broken shop benches and cabinets. The auditorium could use improvements to support the needs of the performing arts programs.

The auditorium stage is aging and water stained, the stage lighting is inadequate and several of the seats are broken or loose. The auditorium is not able to accommodate all of the grades simultaneously. Musical equipment needs upgrading and more storage space would be helpful. The cafeteria is sufficient in size when the student body is broken down into three different lunch groups. The Media Center has tables, chairs, and cubbies where individual computers are accessible. The art room has recently seen a decrease in technology and due to large class sizes it is difficult to secure enough laptops for digital art projects. Art software programs are outdated as well as the classroom’s kiln which is old and energy inefficient. Between the Media Center, two computer labs, and portable laptop carts, there are numerous ways in which students can access computers. However, there is a strong belief that technology within the school has to be updated. More than

60% of the staff feel that adequate funding for technology support is not provided. Issues with the server, the wireless Internet connection, and technology simply not functioning are common complaints among teachers. A Chief Technology and Information Officer was hired during the 2012-2013 academic year to help address these issues, but additional money and resources must be spent in order to acquire and provide fully functional and up to date technology for all students and staff. The exterior grounds are kept clean and maintained by the facilities manager, custodial staff, and student employees during the summer months. There are two parking lots for faculty with visibly marked handicap spaces and an additional lot for some of the student drivers. All athletic fields and facilities are not located on school grounds and are maintained by the town of Hopedale.

Availability of these fields is occasionally an issue as is the condition and upkeep. There is no access to an athletic trainer at the school or at any of the athletic venues.

The school maintains documentation that the physical plant and facilities meet all applicable federal and state laws and are in compliance with local fire, health, and safety regulations. The school district’s facilities manager is responsible for maintaining all documentation in addition to scheduling all mandated inspections from local, state, and federal agencies. The documents are kept in the facilities manager’s office and copies are provided to the superintendent’s office upon request. A portion of the facilities manager’s level funded budget is earmarked for maintenance and repairs.

Due to an ongoing commitment by the school district to remain in accordance with all local, state, and federal regulations, there have been a limited number of issues that prevent the physical plant from delivering high quality services.

All professional staff actively engage parents and families as partners in each student’s education and reach out specifically to those families who have been less connected with the school. According to the Endicott survey, nearly 70% of parents believe that the school engages them as partners in their child’s education. Teachers, administrators, and other staff members utilize a variety of techniques to reach out to parents of all students enrolled at Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School. The computer program

Power School is employed to monitor grades and discipline. Both parents and students can log in to the program to view these statistics. Additionally, there is an automated system for calling a guardian when a student is absent from school and a “power announcement” if school is delayed, canceled, or if there is an emergency situation.

Parents can also opt to still receive hard copies of report cards and progress reports. A sign in front of Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School always has the dates of important events in the near future for the entire community to see. Upcoming events, news, and information are posted and updated on the school’s website www.hopedale.k12.ma.us The site also contains links to every faculty member’s email address. All teachers have created their own websites that are accessible through the school’s home page. Many teachers frequently update their own sites with new material. Recently a Twitter account,

@hopedalejshs, has been created and can be followed by the public. Throughout the day, tweets about sporting events, school happenings, and community events are sent out.

Currently the account has 327 official followers and an additional account

@hopedalesports has 131 followers while @hhsguidancedept has 138 followers.. A number of teachers have created their own Twitter accounts to increase parent and student engagement as well. As of Fall 2013, some teachers are utilizing Reminder101, a confidential text messaging, service to remind students of upcoming assignments and events. Numerous councils and committees exist to enhance collaboration between school and homes. Meetings are held monthly by the Principal’s Advisory Committee, comprised of students only, the School Council consisting of students, faculty, and parents, the Boosters Club, and the Friends of Music, all of which frequently work on the goal of engaging more families. Parents, administration, and teachers make up the

Special Education Advisory Council (SPEAC) and meet quarterly while the Safety

Forum (administrators, parents, faculty, and law enforcement) meet annually. The school’s Guidance Department organizes and hosts a variety of informational activities for parents and students starting each summer with the 7th Grade Orientation Day.

Continuing through the school year is a Back to School Night, Breakfast with the

Principal and Counselors, Program of Studies Night for the high school and junior high,

Financial Aid Night, and College Admission Night. Twice a year the principal hosts a

Principal’s Breakfast. All of these are open to parents, and everyone is encouraged to attend. The Guidance Department assists all students in setting up a Naviance account for themselves and their families that is beneficial in the college application and scholarship process. The school reaches out to parents of student athletes by conducting

Sports Registration Nights and a Sports Awards night for each athletic season. Athletes hoping to participate in athletics at the college level are encouraged to attend the Student

Parent Athlete College Planning Night with a parent or guardian. Sporting events, concerts, dramatic performances, and other extracurricular activities are all advertised on the variety of mediums in use by the school. Through various means and a concerted effort, the Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School and its staff make every attempt to include all families in the education and growth of its student population.

The school develops productive parent, community, business, and higher education partnerships that support student learning. Through various groups, events, and initiatives, Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School maintains and constantly works to improve its relationships with businesses and the outside community to enhance student learning. Many community outreach activities stem from the Guidance Department.

Communication to parents occurs constantly through the Parent Portal, phone calls, teacher websites, the school Twitter feed, individual teacher Twitter feeds, the call back system, the Naviance program, and through direct mail. Moreover, events such as Coffee with Administrators, College Night, Financial Aid Night, and Program of Studies Night are sponsored for parents and the community. An annual mini college fair is set up by the Guidance Dept. for students in grades 10-12. All members of the Junior class are encouraged to attend a field trip to a national college fair. Furthermore, seniors learn about college experiences and have questions answered at the annual Alumni Day. In addition to exposing students to higher education opportunities, there is an emphasis on preparation for future and possible careers. A Career Panel is organized for students to ask questions of community members working in a variety of different occupations.

Hopedale Junior Senior High School has worked with the Blackstone Valley Educational

Foundation to increase professional development, as well as create STEM career grants, and provide the opportunity for students to attend the Annual STEM Kids Conference at

Tufts Veterinary School in Grafton, Massachusetts. Many of the clubs and organizations have congenial affiliations with local businesses. The Yearbook Committee relies on the support of the parent and community advertisements to account for at least 40% of the cost of producing the annual yearbook. In the past ten years, advertisements from businesses in Hopedale and the surrounding towns have nearly doubled, and there are many repeat and new donors each year. The school’s DECA team recently partnered with a nearby hair salon and created a marketing plan that could be used to increase their actual sales. The salon provided their current marketing plan, their financials, and their customer profile. As a conclusion, the DECA team created their own plan and presented their findings and ideas to the business. Several of the school’s organizations and classes hold fundraising activities at or in partnership with local restaurants such as Dairy Queen,

Papa Gino’s, and Pizzeria Uno’s. The band and chorus play an active role in many community events. The A Cappella Ensemble performs annually at Hopedale’s Holiday

Tree Lighting, the Senior Citizen’s Breakfast, the Martin Luther King Jr. Ceremony, and the Flag Day Ceremony. The Tri-M Music Honor Society frequently promotes music within the community. The school also supports community based learning through internships offered to qualifying seniors. During the 2012-2013 academic school year, 32 seniors participated in the program, which equals roughly 37% of the senior class. In previous years, anywhere from 30-50% of seniors would spend time during the school day at a local business, school, police or fire department, hospital and several other venues and receive credits for their work. In addition to their field work, students must log their hours and activities, complete write ups and reflections, and culminate their internships with a final presentation before graduation. Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High

School is emphasizing the importance of community service too. Each athletic team is asked to organize a community service event. Examples include the Volleyball team’s annual “Dig Pink” game for breast cancer awareness, the Cross Country team’s effort to donate used books to schools in need, and the Baseball team’s recent fundraising for victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Other school groups such as Student Council and National Honor Society regularly participate in community service. One of the most successful endeavors is the Student Council’s annual “Stuff a Bus” event in which they try to fill a bus with donated canned goods to deliver to the local food pantry. National

Honor Society members donate time at the Community House Blood Drive, help shovel out the elderly during snowstorms, and volunteer as coaches, tutors, and CCD teachers.

Moreover, starting with the Class of 2016, all students will have to complete a community service requirement in order to graduate. The PTO meets monthly and anyone is welcome to attend. An average of 6-10 parents are present at meetings. This organization helps fund class activities, offers scholarships, organizes teacher appreciation events, and raises money for the After Prom Party. Occasionally, the PTO will bring in guest speakers for its members and the community. The Boosters Club meets the first Tuesday of every month in the school’s faculty lounge. The primary objective of the 24 active members is to stimulate and support athletic activities as well as to enrich the school’s environment for all students. The Boosters recently sponsored a Pep Rally for all students on the Community House lawn. Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School has established and continues to add to and improve upon a number of effective partnerships with local businesses, the community, and other organizations to enhance the opportunity for student learning.

Executive Summary

During the past three years, the town of Hopedale has increased their net school spending to over $1 million dollars above the mandated state requirement. Additionally more funds have been allotted for teachers to participate in professional development opportunities. Despite these improvements, the majority of the staff feel there are not sufficient funds for professional development, instructional materials, supplies, equipment, and technology. Outdated and malfunctioning technology, and the loss of positions and programs are commonly stated areas of concern.

Even without a formal repair and inventory system, the school is well cleaned and maintained. The custodial staff goes above and beyond their daily obligations and have become an integral part of the school culture. The facilities manager has worked to the best of his ability to properly update, replace, and repair equipment and the physical plant with his level funded budget.

There is an existing long range plan developed by the Superintendent. The plan is presented to the School Committee and made available to the public. The district’s strategic goals are outlined and updated. Recent initiatives include the hiring of a Chief

Information and Technology Officer and professional development for Common Core and Rubicon Atlas. A current initiative is the implementation of a district wide phone system.

Although not every budget request is approved, members of the faculty are included in the creation of the budget.. Everyone is provided the opportunity to give input at some stage of the budgetary process. A final budget is recommended for the

School Committee’s approval followed by a vote of the town meeting members. The majority of the students, parents, and staff are in agreement that the school site and plant supports the delivery of high quality programs and services. The physical site is definitely lacking in some areas such as an attached gymnasium, athletic fields, storage space, conference rooms, and offices. Even with the hiring of additional technology positions, 60% of the staff feels there needs to be more money and resources spent on technology. The facilities manager keeps all documentation related to federal, state, and local regulations to ensure the building is being properly maintained.

The school has and continues to pride itself on effectively engaging all parents and families in their students’ educational experiences. Hopedale Jr-Sr High School attempts to stay current or ahead of all modes and methods of communication.

PowerSchool, PowerAnnouncement, Twitter, webpages, and other various forms of communication are employed daily to reach out to parents. Numerous councils and committees enhance collaboration between the school and the homes. Events occur frequently to invite parents into the school to inform, celebrate, and discuss current happenings at the school and with its programs. Every effort is made to include families who have been less connected with the school while continuing to engage the more involved parents. Through various means and methods, the school has developed and fosters productive and meaningful relationships with communities, businesses, and other

educational institutions. Students have many opportunities outside the walls of the

school to increase their learning experiences. Internships and service requirements

encourage all students to be actively engaged in the community.

Based on the Rating Guide the Community Resources for Learning Committee judges its

adherence to the Standard as Acceptable.

Strengths

● An increasing professional development budget

● An engaged custodial staff

● Up to date documentation of physical plant and facilities

● Community Engagement and Outreach

● Functional and close-knit relationships with local businesses

● Senior internship program

● Ongoing community service activities

● Online communication with students and parents

● Updated and increased technology and support

● Additional space for storage, conferences, meetings, counseling

● A formal request system for maintenance, repairs, inventory.

● Improvements and updates to science labs

● Updated equipment and improvement in facility for Family and Consumer Science, Engineering/Wood Shop, Health and Wellness, Art, and Music

● Updates and maintenance to the auditorium and its equipment

● Improved athletic facilities and support personnel

● A long range plan to communicate how the town’s money is being allocated within the

school system that is effectively presented to the faculty

● DESE still considers Hopedale an underperforming district based on funds provided for

operation

● Address heating and cooling issues in the building