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Worcester's North High School Builds on Partnership with EMC
North
High School, one of five in Worcester, is "a
family of learners committed to excellence". Each of
its 1,250 students belongs to one of three small
learning communities: Health Science Academy
(HSA); School of Social Systems and Justice (SSJ);
or School of Technology and Business (STB).
Assistant Principal Matt Morse, who is coordinating
the SSI program at North High School, recently
introduced the program to 9th graders and had 52
students commit to being State Scholars on the
spot, before even hearing the business presentation!
The school has also raised the bar by adding
requirements beyond the State Scholar Course of
Study. North expects its scholars to successfully
complete an extra year of math and social studies,
two pathways courses leading to an internship, and
to be in good standing with regard to attendance,
tardiness and discipline.
EMC
Corporation, one of North’s business partners,
has made a significant commitment to the State
Scholars Initiative (SSI) by not only providing
business volunteers but also a major incentive – 10
paid internships with transportation provided – for
successful SSI graduates! While it is specifically
partnered with the School of Technology and
Business (STB), EMC Corporation also serves the
needs of all North High students through programs
such as SSI. EMC has donated $25,000 to support
the school’s computer lab, sponsored North’s award-
winning robotics team, donated equipment and
provided transportation to the EMC campus for
students to participate in a 1.5 credit internship
course during their senior year. The
Massachusetts
State Scholars Initiative is grateful to EMC for
their
support, and invites other companies to join them!
More about EMC's Partnership with North High School
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Each of the pilot schools in the Massachusetts
State
Scholars Initiative (SSI) have been sharing
information with students, parents and faculty about
this new opportunity. We are excited by the interest
generated so far, and know that this will only grow
as business leaders visit the classrooms!
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| Report Finds Rigorous Courses Vital to College Success |
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Academic preparation is the most effective way to
ensure that high school graduates are prepared for
college and likely to receive a degree,
according to Reclaiming the American Dream,
a report issued by the Bridgespan Group.
Researchers found that students who have
met “even
a very lenient definition of academic preparedness”
have an 85% chance of going to college and a 50%
chance of earning a degree, which is a much higher
rate than for those who don't meet this standard.
Other factors include the expectation that a college
degree is necessary for their desired careers, and
being well informed about the course
requirements needed to enroll in college.
Having friends who expect to go to college is also
important—even more so than parental
encouragement. The report supports a challenging
high school
curriculum, which is what SSI is all about!
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Click Here for Full Report |
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| State Scholars Course of Study |
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In addition to recruiting business volunteers and
working with schools to implement SSI, the
Massachusetts state
partners - Massachusetts
Department of Education (DOE), Massachusetts
Secondary Schools Administrators Association
(MSSAA) and the
Massachusetts
Business Alliance for Education (MBAE) - have
been
working to make sure that SSI
complements other state high school reform efforts.
During this pilot year, students will
commit to meeting the standards set by the national
course of study, which are described at the link
below.
Beginning next year, students will meet even more
rigorous standards, consistent with those demanded
by many high schools already. The Massachusetts
state
partners have been gathering input and developing a
proposal for an SSI Course of Study
based on what pilot schools are recommending (and
some are using from the start). Recommendations
include requiring a 4th year of math, maintenance of
a 3.0 grade point average, and completion of a
service learning experience. Your comments and
suggestions are welcome
and can be sent to MBAE!
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State Scholars Course of Study |
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