...to educating every child who comes into our system; in
Haverhill we truly believe that no child should be left behind. The system
of public education should be a source of pride for the city; the schools
should be central to the life and activity of the community. Schools should
assure that every student meets the expectations for student achievement
set by the School Committee. Education is about quality instruction in
the classroom that makes our students competitive in state and national
standardized tests. The quality of a Haverhill education should motivate
students to make a choice to come to our system, and encourage Haverhill
students to remain in the city's schools. Within capabilities, the system
should provide alternative programs for our students with unique needs.
The core values for Haverhill Public Schools include:
- Retaining a force of committed, quality employees
- Education in and of itself has value
- Professional development for the staff to directly support quality
instruction in the classroom
- Class sizes that remain as close as possible to the standards of
the 2001 - 2002 school year (before class sizes started to increase)
- An aggressive assessment program linked to school improvement
- Appropriate texts, supplies and materials to support classroom instruction
- Remedial academic services that provide a solid start to schooling,
and includes help for middle and high school students
- A healthy and safe environment for learning to take place
- Constant improvement in math achievement for all students
- A building maintenance program that is efficient, preserves value
and addresses issues that impact the useful life and long-range maintenance
costs of the schools
- Programs that adhere to the letter and spirit of state and federal
mandates for education
- MCAS subgroups will be continually more successful passing the test
- Actions that recognize Haverhill High School as the flagship school
in the system, and address the accreditation issue through the renovation
project
- A solid organizational superstructure that will enable future restoration
of programs and positions as resources permit
- Priority to instruction in literacy and numeration
- The continuation of an inclusion model for certain special education
students
- Every realistic effort is made to service special education students
in Haverhill, rather than an outside placement
- Technology that keeps pace with advances in the business world
- Children belong in school; drop out prevention is a priority
- An emphasis on site-based management
- A key purpose of education is to prepare students for a career of
their choice
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