FENWAY HIGH SCHOOL work hard. be yourself. do the right thing. Annual Report 2012-2013 Academic Year FENWAY HIGH SCHOOL work hard. be yourself. do the right thing. A note from Head of School and Board of Trusteesyboy The picture on the facing page says so much about Fenway! For the second year in a row, the Fenway girls’ basketball team won the state championship at TD Bank Boston Garden. This, in spite of the fact that Fenway does not have a gym. The spirit of the girls’ basketball team is emblematic of the Fenway charac- ter -- the desire to work hard, to be an active and commi!ed member of a team, a desire to achieve and seek joy in the pursuit. Fenway’s mo!o: Work Hard. Be Yourself. Do the Right Thing. guided the faculty’s professional development work over the course of the year. Faculty grappled with the difficult questions of how to teach persistence, develop resilience, and instill “moxie” in students. These characteristics along with academic preparation are what our students need to overcome challenging college and work environ- ments to create their own futures. In the pages that follow you will find excerpts from Fenway’s Strategic Plan developed over the course of the 2012-2013 academic year by Fenway’s many stakeholders to create a vision to strengthen and guide Fenway for the future. As the Strategic Plan makes clear, Fenway’s commitments to its students do not end at graduation, but continue as alums sca!er to new environments, challeng- es and opportunities. When we looked at how our college bound students fare in higher education environments, we learned that less than 40% graduate in six years or less. In the broad national context this figure is close to the norm for all first time, full-time undergraduates and exceeds the norm for students of color and low income. But, when more than half of our college-going students undergo the challenges to get into college and assume the debt to gain a college educa- tion and do not graduate – that is not acceptable. We are commi!ed to improve this number through deliberate engagement with students a#er they graduate and prepare them during their high school years instilling the skills and charac- teristics they will need to earn the college degree they work so hard to achieve. We know that our work could not be done without your support, encourage- ment and commitment. With appreciation and gratitude, Peggy Kemp Robert Ross Do!ie Engler !"#!$%ANNUAL%REPORT%%%%%%%%%%%%3 FENWAY%HIGH%SCHOOL For thirty years, Fenway High School has a proven track record of inno- vation and collaboration formulated to bolster its students’ academic achievements. As we prepare for the important and exciting trans- formations in our evolution, our vision for our students has expanded beyond secondary school achievement to include post-secondary edu- cation. Fenway High School will endeavor to provide the preparation and support for our students to grow into their full potential as active participants in their communities’ civic and economic lives. Relocating Fenway High School to a new building in a new neighbor- hood will highlight the school’s unique identity and give our students and staff a sense of ownership. The new location opens opportunities to build new partnerships and relationships in a wider community. The increased student population will broaden Fenway High School’s reach across the Boston public school community and include new cross-cul- tural connections as the diversity of the school’s population grows. Our past success will ground our ambitious agenda contained in the five strategic goals that follow. !"#!$%ANNUAL%REPORT%%%%%%%%%%%%4 FENWAY%HIGH%SCHOOL Goal: Advancing Educational Excellence and Academic Achievement Fenway remains deeply commi!ed to seeking innovative and collaborative approaches to education that will benefit the students of today and tomorrow. From the beginning, Fenway has sought to deliver the right mix of information, ways of thinking and pedagogy to create classrooms where learning is dynamic and engaging. Fenway’s pilot school autonomies are key to this strategic goal and underlie the development and implementation of educational programming that promotes excellence and academic achievement. Local control of curricu- lum and assessment is fundamental. Students at Fenway use the Habits of Mind to hone their thinking skills. They are asked to look at information with a critical eye and relate it other things in their studies or lives. Teachers at Fenway use the Common Principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools to create rich dialogue and deep thinking and mastery of subject ma!er through authentic assessment and focused study. The goal of advancing educational excellence and academic achievement has been developed to extend past techniques and approaches to meet the de- mands and the standards of 21st century learning and skills. English Language Learners and Special Education students -- In 2015 when Fenway moves to its new location on Mission Hill, it will add, over a four-year period, 80 ELL students and 20 Special Education students. Fenway will de- velop programming for both of these populations that are best suited to meet their unique needs and prepare them for regular education classrooms as they progress through the upper grades. Extended learning opportunities. We will seek opportunities for learning beyond the school walls and school days to build an expansive view of extended learning to incorporate Dual enrollment opportunities such as those currently available at Emmanuel, Wentworth Institute of Technology and Fisher College; 5ȌYfgW\cc`hihcf]b[/ G5HdfYdUfUh]cbW`UggYg/ 5WUXYa]WW`iVggiW\Ugh\Y8YVUhYW`iV <]gdUb]WGcW]YhmcZ9b[]! bYYfg UbXGW]YbWYUbX5fhdfc[fUag" !"#!$%ANNUAL%REPORT%%%%%%%%%%%%5 FENWAY%HIGH%SCHOOL Enhance Fenway’s curriculum so that it is aligned with higher education expectations in all content areas. 5`][bAUh\UbXGW]YbWYhcWfYUhYUfcVighGH9AWiff]Wi`ia/ 9ldUbXUfhgc Yf]b[gUhh\YgW\cc`/ 9ldUbXGdUb]g\`Ub[iU[Yc Yf]b[g/ 8YYdYbUbXYb\UbWYh\YgcW]U`!Yach]cbU`\YU`h\Wiff]Wi`iaUbX services through advisory, student support, the Office of Behavioral <YU`h\GYfj]WYgUbXWcaaib]hmdUfhbYfg/ 9b\UbWYghiXYbhYldcgifYhcUk]XYfUb[YcZWUfYYfgUbX professionals; FY]bZcfWYh\Y]XYbh]ÑWUh]cbcZaYhUWc[b]h]jY`YUfb]b[g_]``gUWfcggh\Y Wiff]Wi`iaUbXU``[fUXYg" !"#!$%ANNUAL%REPORT%%%%%%%%%%%%6 FENWAY%HIGH%SCHOOL Goal: Improve post-graduate success in higher education Although FHS graduation rates (over 90%) are the envy of any urban high school, FHS research documented that its graduates who matriculate to two- and four-year higher education programs face daunting circumstances. The data shows that just over one-third of FHS graduates complete their post-secondary school programs. While these rates are well above the average rates of urban high school graduates, Fenway aspires to achieve higher success rates. The fol- lowing multi-pronged objectives were developed to tackle the goal of improving post-graduate success rates. Enhance the college counseling program; =adfcjYG5HhYghdfYdUfUh]cbWcifgYg aU_]b[h\YaUjU]`! able at various times to enable all students to participate; Giddcfh[fUXiUhYg]bh\Y]f\][\YfYXiWUh]cbdfc[fUagVmh\Y XYjY`cdaYbhcZUgmghYaYghUV`]g\YXZcfWcaaib]WUh]b[k]h\Wc`! lege administration offices and alumni; GhfYUa`]bYfY`Uh]cbg\]dgk]h\Wcaaib]hm!VUgYXcf[Ub]nUh]cbg h\UhZcWigcbWc``Y[YfYhYbh]cb" !"#!$%ANNUAL%REPORT%%%%%%%%%%%%7 FENWAY%HIGH%SCHOOL Goal: Ensure a smooth transition to Mission Hill and beyond The planned 2015 relocation of Fenway High School to its new facility in Mis- sion Hill provides the school with new opportunities and challenges. This goal reflects the necessary a!ention to facilities and program needs for the smooth- est transition possible while remaining cognizant of the need to adapt Fenway’s mission and core values to its new environment. GighU]bUbXYb\UbWYh\YWi`hifYcZ:YbkUmVYZcfY Xif]b[UbXUȌYf h\YacjYhcA]gg]cb<]``/ AU]bhU]bWiffYbhdUfhbYfg\]dgUgkY``UgXYjY`cdbYkcbYgdfYgYbhYX Vmh\YacjYhcA]gg]cb<]``UbXU`][bYXk]h\Wiff]Wi`UfbYYXg/ 9ghUV`]g\fY[i`UfWcaaib]WUh]cbgUacb[h\YgW\cc`ÈgghU_Y\c`XYfg fY[UfX]b[h\YbYkZUW]`]hmUbXhfUbg]h]cb" !"#!$%ANNUAL%REPORT%%%%%%%%%%%%8 FENWAY%HIGH%SCHOOL Goal: Increase awareness of Fenway and expand fundraising capabilities and financial stability Throughout Fenway’s history, financial grants and gi#s from individuals, corpora- tions and foundations have enhanced the school’s ability to strengthen programs and supports for students. These programs and supports have distinguished Fenway High School and contributed to its strong record of success. As Fenway moves forward into a new facility with an expanded student population, the De- velopment Office, the Development Commi!ee and the Board as a whole will be challenged to both maintain current initiatives and expand programming to meet the following new, prioritized objectives. =bWfYUgYcjYfU``YlhYfbU`giddcfh/ 8YjY`cdUaUf_Yh]b[dfc[fUa/ GhfYb[h\YbU`iab]dUfh]W]dUh]cb]bgW\cc`YjYbhgUbXZibXfU]g]b[/ 8YjY`cdUbXaU]bhU]bbYkdUfhbYfg\]dg" Goal: Review and plan governance and succession planning The anticipated changes in the operation of Fenway over the next few years are going to be significant. Aligning the Board’s organizational structure, bylaws and procedures to keep pace with these changes is essential. Many governance strategies and goals that have been initiated will be implemented during the next three to five years to enhance and support these new operational changes. The existing structure and membership of the board and its six standing commi!ees (Education,