School chief Monárrez reflects on first year at helm
As I reflect upon my first year as superintendent of the Worcester Public Schools, I continue to be inspired by the beauty, brilliance and possibilities I observe every day. The educators, staff, families and scholars make WPS a phenomenal place to learn, work and lead.
I’m proud that, as a district, we have been willing to lean in, act courageously, ignore the noise and stay committed to our purpose: educating the future leaders of Worcester.
Worcester Public Schools is filled with more than 24,000 brilliant and beautiful children. While visiting all of the district’s school buildings this year, I was welcomed by joyous children who were engaged in learning and are deeply committed to making our city, state, nation and world a more just place for all. They are the beauty, brilliance and possibilities of WPS.
It has been a momentous school year on many fronts. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many people, including the Worcester School Committee and the Educational Association of Worcester, we ratified contracts for educators that reflect the important work they do.
We also shifted all of our school bus transportation in-house, resulting in greater satisfaction among students, parents and staff alike. And we completed a safety and security audit from Guidepost Solutions on every single building in WPS to enhance our safety planning and practices. We will prioritize recommendations and begin implementation for the upcoming school year.
I continue to be reminded of the importance of elevating the voices of all people who are part of the Worcester Public Schools – especially when we make decisions that impact them. This year, we revived the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee, started a Teacher Advisory Committee and launched the Family and Community Engagement Roundtable to hear from students, caregivers and community members to help guide district planning.
Working directly with students continues to be one of my greatest joys as superintendent. It was an honor for me to serve as a commencement speaker for all nine of the district’s Class of 2023 graduation ceremonies. The graduates reached this milestone – through a pandemic – with the support of educators, staff, families and our collective community.
This year's valedictorians – while representing a very small fraction of our students’ overall brilliance – showcase the array of possibilities within WPS. This diverse group will attend prestigious institutions, including Columbia University, Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the University of Massachusetts. Many of our graduates are working in trades or will bravely serve our country in the military.
In addition, 121 graduates earned the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy for demonstrating fluency and literacy in a language other than English. Multilingualism is a beautiful asset our youth possess.
Additionally, we collaboratively developed A Vision of a Learner, which outlines the key characteristics and dispositions that all students should master upon graduation.
None of these accomplishments would be possible without talented and dedicated educators and staff, including the 60 employees who were honored at the annual Evening of Celebration ceremony.
As we look toward next school year, we will continue to operationalize equity and belonging into everything we do as a district. Along with my leadership team, I will also continue to advocate for modernized school facilities, working closely with local and state officials.
And, after taking my first year as superintendent to authentically engage and listen to the community, we will launch the district’s revised strategic plan next school year.
We are excited to begin the SPARK initiative, in which teachers volunteer to receive additional training to bolster our students’ digital literacy amid rapid advances in technology. The SPARK initiative is how we will bring the Vision of a Learner to flourishing.
Lastly, when we return to school in late August, our district-level support staff will be reorganized and assigned into geographic quadrants teams. These teams will share the responsibility and accountability for supporting their schools to provide exceptional learning experiences and outcomes for all children.
We have so much exciting work that will take shape in the fall. But until then, it is time to rejuvenate, replenish and connect with family and friends while appreciating the beauty, brilliance and possibilities that are all around us in Worcester.
The successes of this year could not have been done alone. That’s why we say in the Worcester Public Schools: "From here, anywhere … together!"
Rachel H. Monárrez is superintendent of the Worcester Public Schools.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Schools Superintendent Rachel Monárrez on first year at helm
