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A record of accomplishments
Experience and community accomplishments:
Background and commitment to community |
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#1 |
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A Focus and Progress on Achievement |
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For 14 years, Joe has worked to make the Cambridge School System successful for all our students. A number of reforms have been implemented and achievement levels have seen steady improvement over the past several years.
· CRLS Class of 2007 has a 97% graduation rate, compared to 80% graduation rate in 2004. · 85% of this year’s 10th graders met the state requirement for graduation compared to 65% in 2004. · African American, Hispanic and low income students outperformed their counterparts throughout the state on math and English/Language Arts in 2007. · More African American and Hispanic students enrolled in AP courses than in previous years. · Academic achievement in grades K-8 has steadily improved during the past two years. · CPS saw increases in student proficient/advanced levels since 2003. In 2006, increases seen in 11 of 16 test areas. · CPS improvements have outpaced the State in curriculum areas of reading, math and English/Language Arts.
· Advocated for budget resources to support and maintain K-12 classes in music, art and foreign language. · Served as a member of the Achievement Gap Sub-Committee that sponsored several community forums on the issue. · Called for the alignment of curriculum with the state frameworks to ensure consistency with implementation of the Literacy Collaborative and TERC math curriculum. · Fought to create interventions to help support students including the High School Extension Program, CRLS Harvard Summer Academy and the CRLS MCAS support center. · Challenged and changed the educationally unsound practice of multiple elementary report cards, progress reports and advocated for unified reporting schedule throughout CPS. |
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Sound Fiscal Management |
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Joe has made the reallocation of funds within the School Department budget a priority. This has allowed the School Department to fund additional programs to assist with academic achievement and help retain small student-teacher ratios as well as small schools.
· Supported the review of budgets eliminating 83 administrative positions and cut more than $2 million from administration. · Created debt stabilization fund totaling more than $11 million for CPS to lessen impact of future deficits and capital projects. · Made the budget process more transparent and advocated for an analysis of spending differences between Cambridge school budget and surrounding communities. · Supported efforts over the past decade to evaluate and discontinue programs not meeting the needs of students. · Increased the amount of funding spent directly in schools by directing funds to school improvement funds. · Consistently aligned the budget with academic goals.
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Addressing the concerns of parents |
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Addressing the concerns of parents is critical to continued improvement and inspiring confidence in our schools.
· Led the effort to develop a school climate survey as well as monthly incident reports to monitor safety issues. · Led the charge for a security/safety analysis by a consultant resulting in a comprehensive review of the CPS. He will monitor to ensure that the recommendations are implemented. · Advocated for reforms in the teacher contract to improve the evaluation of personnel. · Advocated for the implementation of Ed-Line, a web-based communication tool connecting schools, teachers and parents. · Proposed the development of curriculum guides to inform parents about what is being taught in the classroom.
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Proven leadership |
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Joe has been a proven leader on the School Committee. Leadership is not always about making popular decisions, but Joe has made it a priority to make the right decisions for our children. Joe has provided the necessary leadership on the School Committee to keeping colleagues and the agenda focused on achievement and to avoid the politicizing of our school system.
· Chaired the sub-committee that developed the goals of the School Committee.
· Co-authored the first-ever schedule of School Committee to focus the work of the Committee and school system. The schedule aligns the meeting agenda with goals and priorities and gives the public advance notice of hearings.
· Inserted language in the Superintendent’s contract stipulating that no contact extension can take place prior to an evaluation. This provision has provided the framework for contract discussions to take place after a professional evaluation process that is in the context of the achievement of goals.
· Co-Chair, 2007-2008 Budget, Chair of Policy Sub-Committee.
· Member of Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee, working with the City Council and advocating for CRLS renovations.
· Co-chair, Blue Ribbon Commission on Middle Schools. Joe has been focused on the issue and is committed to developing recommendations to improve the current model. The first phase of the work will include roundtable meetings with educators to develop a background of data on the middle schools. There will be several opportunities for input from parents and the community. The group will review the stregnths and weaknesses of the current model and research best practices from several surrounding communities. The Commisson will develop several concepts for middle schools and include them in a final report to the School Committee in March of 2007. The scope of the second phase will be decided by the School Committee. It is anticipated that this work will include several specific recommendations. |
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Committee to Re-Elect Joe Grassi 393 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02141 Tel: 617-491-5240 Email: joegrassi1@msn.com
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“No one has done more to focus the schools on student achievement.”
Gary & Cathy Davis, CRLS Parents |
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Re-Elect JOE GRASSI Cambridge School Committee
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