Email: meg@mybps.us 

Twitter: Follow @meg_bps 

 

As we close the 2018-2019 school year, I want to share new developments at Barnstable High School for next school year. This past school year we have spent time studying how to best support educators and students at the high school. While we continue to plan and implement innovative programs and approaches to teaching and learning, we also wanted to study whether the leadership structure makes the best use of resources to support our students and educators.

Currently, Barnstable High School (BHS) is organized into five “houses” led by a “housemaster.” Students are assigned to a particular house when they begin grade 8. BHS students stay with their house through the five years of high school. Each house also provides relationships with school counselors and other support services. Our study group spent time during the 2018-2019 school year to determine if this organizational structure needed to be modified in order to more fully support teachers and students. We surveyed BHS faculty and staff, visited other high schools, and reviewed the literature to learn about other models.

Our study group also identified the various roles and responsibilities that are necessary within high school leadership. We referenced the staff survey responses, particularly the need to have consistent responses to student conduct, as well as clarification on roles and responsibilities among administrators.  This led us to identifying three major categories: (1) curriculum, instruction, and assessment, (2) student support, and (3) operations and management.

As a result of our discussions, a leadership structure was identified that reallocated the six positions of one assistant principal and five housemasters. Additionally, one of our parameters was to make recommendation as budget neutral as possible. Therefore, the model reallocates the six positions in the following manner:

 

 

The three positions of assistant and associate principals will work side by side to fully integrate each of their three areas. The three positions of Dean of Students will work with the Associate Principal of Student Support. The design of the Dean of Students positions with an Associate Principal of Student Support is intended to support all students in meeting academic, social, emotional and behavioral expectations.

Parents and students should expect to hear from Principal Clark in coming weeks as he shares details about how students will be supported and assigned under the new model. We are excited that we have a new and innovative structure to support teaching and learning at Barnstable High School.

Meg