By Ljuba Marsh

Massachusetts Charter School Association
Exemplary Whole School Model Dissemination Grant

2002

Every educator dreams of transforming education: of creating a school where learning is so vivid, so relevant, so magnetic, that young people choose to be there, learning, doing, and wanting more. At the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter High School (PVPA), a regional college-preparatory school serving students throughout western Massachusetts, a wide range of committed educators have come together to create a school that manifests this dream.

PVPA offers an answer to the challenge of educational transformation: an extraordinary, integrated curriculum that challenges students to blend creative and critical thinking in academic and performing arts courses, and an empowering community that surrounds students with the support and encouragement of teachers, parents, and administrators.

Through diverse programs, attentive teaching, and innovative forms of assessment, PVPA provides an individual program for each student. The goal is for students to develop a sense of confidence, a direction for individual creativity, and the skills and abilities necessary to succeed in college and beyond.

Already, the school has gained a reputation within Massachusetts for dedicated faculty and administrators, academic and artistic excellence, and a motivated student body. Each academic and performing arts faculty member, whether full-time or adjunct, brings a strong background of expertise in one or more areas and impressive potential for successfully implementing the mission of the school. In keeping with PVPA's philosophy that creativity and critical thinking are intricately intertwined, many faculty are trained or talented in both an academic discipline and an art form; thus, the arts inform classroom teaching in many traditional academic classes throughout the school. This integration of the arts supports the pursuit of academic excellence, both by increasing student interest and enthusiasm and by providing novel entries into intellectual realms that usually remain unplumbed in most high schools.

Small class size is a priority at PVPA, and there are usually 16 or fewer students in each classroom. An intimate setting, in which full-time faculty members know every student by name, helps the school to create a personalized learning strategy for each individual student.

PVPA is committed to excellence in both its academic and its arts programs, and the school's graduation requirements exceed the Massachusetts state standards. PVPA students are required to take four years of language arts, four years of science, three years of math with a fourth year option, three years of history with a fourth year option, three years of one world language with a fourth year option, and a minimum of eight hours per semester of performing arts programs. The school provides over fifty choices in performing arts programs each semester, including multiple options within the disciplines of dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music, stage design and lighting, visual arts, and photography/film.

To accommodate PVPA’s tremendous range of offerings, the school day lasts from 8:30 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. This is quite a schedule for students whose days are made longer by their travel time, as they come to PVPA from over 50 cities and towns in western Massachusetts. Students also have rehearsal time for shows, which often last until 9 p.m. Our committed students, who voluntarily choose this demanding schedule over the shorter learning day of a traditional high school, are our best evidence that our educational dream is becoming reality. Our students truly want to be involved in school.

The Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter High School was founded in 1996 as part of the Massachusetts Educational Reform movement. As a charter school, we were mandated to identify and facilitate innovations in educational methods that could impact positively on student learning, and to disseminate these practices to other public schools in the Commonwealth and eventually the nation.

At the same time, with the implementation of Proposition 2 _ and its consequential budgetary restraints, performing arts offerings in the Commonwealth's public schools declined sharply. Of the 23 high schools in the Pioneer Valley, 22 reported a significant reduction in performing arts programs. Only 47% offered a music program other than band. Only 26% offered a drama program of any kind. No school offered a dance program. Nowhere was creativity supported as an equal and necessary partner to critical thinking.

In 1995 a group of artists and educators, united in their belief that the arts share equal importance with academics in the education of young people, formed the idea that led to the founding of PVPA. Their mission was to provide western Massachusetts with a school that offered students a challenging and innovative academic curriculum wedded to a performing arts program of unparalleled scope and depth. Now in its sixth year, the success of the high school has exceeded even our initial high expectations.

PVPA's vision is simple and dramatic. We seek to rediscover the synergies between creativity and critical thinking--between rhyme and reason, expression and inquiry, passion and knowledge--synergies that inspire our students to feel excitement, curiosity, engagement, self-confidence, and a true love of learning.

Rational thought and creative endeavor have been intimately related throughout the history of human thought and discovery. However, in traditional curricula they are often unnaturally segregated, to the detriment of students' and teachers' enthusiasm about learning. PVPA reunites these two forms of learning. Using multiple learning styles, integrated academic disciplines, an infusion of performing arts into the academic curriculum, and an empowering community that constantly helps develop educational resources, PVPA provides an environment from which students emerge with heightened self-esteem, a direction for individual creativity, and the ability to meet the challenges of life-long learning.

The goals and objectives of PVPA are formally outlined in the school’s mission statement, accountability plan, and charter. In this section, for the sake of clarity and readability, the language defining these specific goals and objectives is modified.

1. To provide excellence in education through innovative, engaging, and challenging coursework.

   PVPA's teachers constantly work to develop curricula that are tailored to challenge our students. Integrating the arts into academic courses is a way to bring immediacy and excitement into education. Students learning composition are taught both language arts and music composition in the same course: A 1920’s history course requires that students learn to dance the lindy hop. A physics course integrates photography and visual arts to build an understanding of light and color. In a tenth grade history class, in order for students to understand the relationship of historical figures during the Napoleonic Wars, "Napoleon" was put on trial for crimes against humanity. Students had to do intensive research and become the lawyers, witnesses, and historical figures in the re-enactment. The "case" was presented before a judge, who passed sentence at the end of the trial. Students who took part in this project will always remember the Napoleonic era because they were there. They had a look at history, first hand.

   As we integrate the arts into academic classes, we also integrate academics into performing arts programs. Students studying dance also study anatomy, learning to understand the functions of different body systems and their relationship to movement. Students in a visual arts class learn about the chemical compounds in painting supplies and ecological ways to dispose of used materials. Students who performed in the musical Cabaret also studied the holocaust and the events influencing the creation of the play. At PVPA, we use every opportunity to enliven education, making it personal, meaningful, and exciting.

2. To mandate demonstration of competency in all coursework prior to granting credit in a course.

   PVPA's system of Standards and Benchmarks is designed to require students to master a body of knowledge, as a whole, before earning credit in a course. Partial mastery, such as a "C" in a graded course in another high school, is unacceptable; students must rework and revisit assignments until teachers are satisfied that mastery is complete. This system ensures that all students are pressed to meet high standards.

   The first day of each semester, teachers distribute a list of specific Standards and Benchmarks, or goals and objectives, for each class. Students are required to complete every goal and objective at competency, or "B" level. If a student hands in a research paper that does not meet competency levels, the paper is returned with instructions for improvement. The student must then revise the paper. Often, first year students do many revisions until work reaches a level of competency. The same is true of tests. If a student does not reach at least 80% on a test, he or she needs to meet with the teacher, spend additional time studying, and retake a similar test until the competency level is attained. If a student does not complete all of his or her work at the competency level, the student either gets an incomplete, until that individual is able to meet the standards, or the student receives no credit. This method ensures that students are prepared to go to the next level of learning.

   Teachers develop Standards and Benchmarks for each course by using the Massachusetts Frameworks and McRELS (Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratories) Standards and Benchmarks as guidelines. The department director and the director of education review the Standards and Benchmarks before they are implemented. The Standards and Benchmarks give students an immediate understanding of what they need to accomplish over the course of a semester in order to receive credit. Specific rubrics are created for each project, allowing students to understand what "demonstrating competency" means for a specific assignment. PVPA teachers have defined over 50 activity-based methods for demonstrating competency in academic studies and are working collaboratively to create and publish a workbook for integrated learning. The rubrics include, but are not limited to: oral presentations, filmmaking, mock trial, songwriting, interpretive dance, poetry, and three-dimensional design.

3. To require and encourage students to take responsibility for their education.

   A system that demands mastery also demands engagement. At PVPA students are active participants in the process of educating themselves. The high level of responsibility begins with course selection. To register for each semester, students and their parents or guardians meet with a school advisor. In order to determine appropriate courses, the student considers personal needs, time considerations, and school requirements. During the first two weeks of a semester a student can add or drop a course. This gives students flexibility; it provides them with the opportunity to examine a class before making a final commitment. It also models the college registration process, allowing students to prepare for the independence they’ll experience at the next level of their education.

   Students are required to manage their schedules and negotiate for extensions when necessary. If a student is in rehearsal for a show, or has additional commitments that will delay the completion of coursework, it is the student’s responsibility to meet with teachers and agree on extension dates. The student is then responsible for completing work by the agreed upon dates.

Students are required to ask questions in class, request appointments with teachers, and initiate requests for extensions or retakes of tests. The teacher is responsible for providing students with support (when requested) and the tools for learning. The Standards and Benchmarks system fosters self-advocacy in students, and makes it clear that success hinges on communication between teachers and students. This system changes the adversarial relationship that often exists between teachers and students into one of mutual support and respect.

4. To encourage students to demonstrate at the highest level of achievement.

   Students may work at advanced or honors level in any course of study. Advanced credit means that a student is completing all Standards and Benchmarks at an "A" level. If a student requests to work at an honors level, the student completes all work at an advanced level, and also completes an increased body of work. In addition, the student meets with the teacher to discuss and get approval for an honors project.

   Honors classes are available for students if they have demonstrated advanced or honors work in a prior course. Many students enroll in honors classes, knowing that the only credit they can receive is honors credit. If they are not able to complete all the work at honors level, they receive no credit. Honors courses were initiated by the students, and are looked at as a privilege. Students who were unmotivated in other school environments often work intensively in order to enroll in an honors course.

5. To provide innovation in education by incorporating strategies that utilize and balance critical and creative thinking.

   To develop an understanding of the right and left hemispheres of the brain and the importance of exercising both, all entering students attend a creative/ critical thinking orientation workshop. They learn to plan and organize, and they learn to develop lateral and integrative thinking patterns. Rote learning may be used to practice material, but the completion of coursework requires invention, problem solving and imagination. At PVPA students often take the lead in teaching a class, initiating the use of new materials, or formulating a new method of completing an assignment.

   Courses are often developed that integrate a variety of approaches to thinking. Courses have included: Math and Literature--an understanding of mathematical theories through literary forms; AP Calculus and AP Biology--completing AP studies through examining the connections between science and math; and Physics and Photography--understanding the importance of perception and observation in both science and art. Our students are encouraged to think "outside the box," to establish an understanding of relationships and to see opportunities for integration.

6. To develop methods to identify, support, and broaden multiple learning styles.

   Students have different ways of experiencing, understanding, and retaining information. When a variety of learning styles (linguistic, order and logic, spatial, tonal, bodily kinesthetic, object kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal understandings) are utilized and supported, individuals are able to be effective learners. PVPA incorporates multiple learning styles into all classroom programs.

   During orientation, students, parents, and teachers take part in programs on multiple learning styles and identify their primary learning styles. They begin by understanding the concept of multiple learning styles, and they then relate that concept to individual needs. A dialogue among students, parents, and teachers takes place, and the process opens the way for all to accept the fact that individuals have preferences in learning. It also provides opportunities for individuals to utilize all learning styles. By integrating the arts and academics and by utilizing activity-based learning, a variety of learning styles are supported. Doing a mock trial, for example, involves all learners because it incorporates a variety of learning styles: spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, order and logic and kinesthetic.

   A ninth grade history class might be studying the Middle Ages, and arrive one morning to find their classroom transformed into a monastery. Period music is playing, and the room is divided into various sections that include sleeping quarters, a meditation area, a work detail section, and a transcribing corner. The students maintain a code of silence and follow written instructions to carry out a variety of activities that represent the daily life of monks. To demonstrate their understanding, students may select to write a report, compose a song, make a poster, or create a dramatic piece, providing an opportunity for incorporation of a variety of learning styles. Students have opportunities to work independently, in small teams, and in large groups.

   Many students who are unable to be successful in other school settings thrive in a multiple learning styles environment. This type of learning environment builds on a student’s strengths and encourages work on areas of need. Because everyone has primary learning styles and areas of need, no one is ostracized. Students can feel comfortable working in a variety of ways, and through their experiences come to understand that there are many approaches to learning, all equally valid.

7. To incorporate essential values into the framework of education.

   In order to provide opportunities to build, strengthen, and expand the school community, PVPA urges students to participate in every aspect of the school, including decision-making. Four student representatives, one for each grade, sit on the Board of Trustees, and the entire student body annually reviews and reaffirms the Code of Conduct. Students review courses and evaluate teachers. Student suggestions and petitions are incorporated into planning meetings, and students who make recommendations are often asked to chair a committee or work group, thereby helping to bring their plan to fruition.

   Parents are also involved at every level--from the Board to the classroom. Parents are lead members of an assessment committee that annually reviews all aspects of the school. Through interviews, observations, and interpretation of data, the Assessment Committee helps the school identify areas of success and areas of need. Annual Plans are formulated to improve our learning environment (see also "Assessment").

   Teachers participate in discussion and decision-making about numerous aspects of the school. Teacher representatives sit on the Board of Trustees and serve on many of the board’s standing committees, including personnel and assessment. Interdisciplinary teachers meetings and all staff meetings are held twice a month. Teachers are able to work as a team to review students, identify and work on concerns, and develop new ideas.

   Whether individuals are involved in fundraising, serve as guest speakers, provide assistance for productions, or simply coordinate volunteers, PVPA takes advantage of the strengths of its community members. Moreover, each new community member adds an important voice to the school. Interdisciplinary staff meetings, board and school committees, teacher mentors, peer interactions and reviews, and team teaching provide ways of hearing one another and working together, and they help develop interpersonal and group skills.

8. To appreciate and incorporate the cultural diversity of our community.

   PVPA offers students a range of programs that incorporate a variety of world traditions. These include such offerings as: Comparative Religions, African Dance, Balkan Singing, and The History of Japan. Master classes in the performing arts add to the exploration of cultural diversity: East Indian Dance, Japanese Flute, African Drumming, and Spanish Dance Traditions. Three years ago we began to correspond with a school in Greece. PVPA students became pen pals with Greek students, and twice we visited their school. We shared classes together and performed for each other. These experiences broaden our understanding of global issues.

   During orientation, all new staff and students take part in an exercise called " Journey to the Pioneer Valley." Participants trace their ancestral route to the Pioneer Valley, sharing anecdotes, artifacts, and map routes. Each member is able to bring their culture and heritage into our community.

PVPA's success is based on several integrally related factors. A strong and supportive community is one of our greatest strengths, and it underlies the three other factors that lead to our success: the varied and unique learning opportunities we offer; our active utilization of local resources; and the individual attention we provide our students.

PVPA is committed to ongoing community development at every level, from facilitating communication between board and teachers, to making sure parents are informed and involved in their children's education. Community development is an essential part of our educational program, beginning every year with unique orientation programs for teachers, students, and parents. Orientation consists of interactive exercises, workshops, and laboratories, as well as discussion and decision-making; through these our community members build an understanding of the school's values base, individual responsibilities and opportunities, and educational rationales and methodologies. The orientation program lasts for several days and is especially relevant for students, parents, and teachers who are entering the educational environment of PVPA for the first time. The activities help transition newcomers to the school community, and from the beginning intensively involve them in the school. As a result, they feel immediate ownership of and investment in the community.

Community building continues throughout the year with ongoing academic and performing arts programs that pull students together through common interests and projects. The performing arts add significantly to the development of a positive sense of community. Working in a choir, band, dance company, or play, creates a feeling of unity and togetherness. Every member is important to the end result; the person who runs the lights is just as important to the success of a play as the leading actor. The sense of accomplishment students feel at the opening of a show or concert creates a high level of group awareness, heightens creativity, and brings a sense of shared success. The teamwork and the feeling of togetherness carry over into the daily school environment. Personal differences and styles are readily accepted, as all students are members of a positive and productive community. In the six years that the school has been operating, there have been no fights. PVPA is a safe place, in the fullest sense of the word, for all students.

Special events that unite the school as a whole are also a key ingredient. Student advisory groups meet at least once each week and help plan activities for these events. Each group contributes ideas and produces an activity. This year, for example, the school took part in an Octoberfest celebration, an Earth-day event, and a Renaissance fair.

The school also has a three-week program that takes place during intersession, between the first and second semesters; it’s called Paideia, a Greek word meaning, "from all sources." Paideia is a unique, hands-on learning period planned and developed by teachers and students who select one activity from a broad spectrum of choices. There are travel options available, including trips to Costa Rica, Greece, and Ireland; community service programs through Habitat for Humanity, homeless shelters, elementary schools and pet shelters; intensive art experiences in dance, drama, and music; intensive academic programs in math, science, and world language. All members of our school community participate in this intersession program. Paideia re-energizes our community and provides another opportunity to bring together unique groupings of students and teachers.

The strength of our community is increased by our desire to serve each individual. Through close work between teachers and students, and discussions between teachers, counselors, parents and administrators, PVPA identifies individual needs and puts in place support systems tailored to meet those needs. Often, creative programs designed for one student open opportunities for the entire school community. For example, one student, a linguist, was interested in becoming fluent in Portuguese. After researching possible resources, we found no local opportunities for studying this subject. We began to examine other options and found an ideal program in Brazil. The student’s family contributed the resources for the student to spend a semester abroad, and we designed a curriculum specifically tailored to enhance her experience. By studying the literature, history, and language of Brazil, she met her language arts, social studies, and world language credits. This program was so successful that we developed a pilot project called The Odyssey Program. Students can design a unique semester program, which incorporates a wide range of resources. The Odyssey Program, now in its third year, allows up to 16 students a semester to be approved for independent, off-site study. An Odyssey coordinator provides support in planning, implementation, and completion of programs. Odysseys have been completed at a marine biology lab in Florida, the New York City Ballet Company in Manhattan, and Cirque du Soleil, in California. Each Odyssey provides an individual with an opportunity to venture beyond the confines of our immediate environment and reach for excellence in a chosen field of study.

Often we develop new courses in order to provide opportunities for students to achieve at their highest level of competency. Last year, for example, we had six students who completed their AP Calculus exam and were only sophomores and juniors. They were all interested in pursing higher levels of mathematical inquiry. Although prior to last year we never had the need for this level of study, we developed a class in AP-BC Calculus, and all six students completed the course. We plan courses and develop curricula in response to student needs.

Identifying problem areas and providing creative solutions often produces beneficial results. One ongoing issue we’ve faced is the question of how to integrate home-schooled students into our educational environment. Home-schooled students applying to PVPA have told us they’re impressed by the school’s focus on the arts and our individualized programs. The unique educational design of our school has encouraged them to return to a public school environment. But the drop out rate of previously home-schooled students--in our first five years as a school, over 70% in the first semester--has been a problem. Clearly, this was an area that needed to be addressed.

We started by identifying specific issues of the home-schooled population. Most home-schooled students needed social skill development and help with peer interactions. Although the students were often highly proficient in one subject, their basic skill development was uneven. Some students could read and understand college level philosophy, but could not write a simple sentence. Others could write beautifully, but had never been taught the basics of math and could not do simple computations. Most importantly, many of these students had never developed the ability to deal with tedious or arduous obstacles. We observed that when learning wasn’t immediate, these students did not have the stamina to continue. In order to address the issues faced by previously home-schooled students, the Plane Tree Program was developed. It provides group meetings to help develop social skills, an individualized curriculum to meet individual strengths and deficiencies, a support team to build confidence and continuance, and a flexible schedule allowing the student to gradually build up to a full school day. This year, the Plane Tree Program accepted 20 students. All 20 students were successful at completing their first full year.

PVPA strives at all times to stretch the boundaries of learning inside and outside the classroom. Learning may begin in the classroom at PVPA, but the classroom is hardly the limit. Students learn to be responsible members of the learning community. They are involved in the process of course selection and helpful in the development of new courses. When appropriate, students develop and teach classes.

This year we offered a new humanities class titled "Arts Integration." In it 11^th and 12^th grade students studied and discussed educational theories and observed a class on a weekly basis. Their final project was to teach a lesson integrating the arts, based on their work. The lesson they developed was used in an academic class at PVPA, and another lesson was also offered to elementary school children at Hilltown Cooperative Charter School. The course curriculum provided a starting point, and the academic teacher served as a model in the beginning of the year. The students not only gained valuable insights into educational theories; they also developed a new respect for the time and effort involved in creating integrated lesson plans.

Prior to graduation, all students are responsible for completing one school service project, one community service project, and two internships in the performing arts. The school service opportunities are: helping in the office, working on school admissions, running lights for a show, helping with school recycling, and a variety of other activities that support the workings of the school. School service provides an opportunity for students to make a positive contribution to the school community and understand firsthand the effort necessary to run a variety of school programs.

The community service project gets students out of the school and into the larger community, where they feel their power to have an impact in the rest of the world. This program allows PVPA to share its own excellent teenage resources with nearby towns, with very positive results. Students may choose to work directly with community service groups, such as soup kitchens and survival centers; they may take part in an election process by supporting a candidate; they may provide services for individuals in need; or, they may share their performing arts skills with public schools, senior centers, and other community organizations. Internships are completed during the summer and other vacations, on the weekend, or during a student’s free periods in the school day. Internships are in addition to, not in place of, course work.

An internship coordinator works with each student to determine appropriate programs, pairing students with professionals who can provide expertise, mentoring, and a view of reality in the particular field of study in which a student has an interest. Students have the opportunity to understand the inside workings of an arts career by interning with actors, dancers, musicians, artists, directors, producers, managers, fundraisers, or any professional working in the performing arts.

PVPA "stretches" in every direction to take advantage of local resources that may benefit our students or the rest of our school community. We are constantly exploring all possible resources, and such exploration is an explicitly stated part of the planning carried out by our teachers, administrators, and board members. As a result, we are able to give our students a variety of excellent academic programs, as well as over 50 performing arts classes, every semester.

We recognize that each teacher has many more experiences and gifts than just those in their field of certification, and we encourage our staff to bring their many personal gifts to the classroom. As a result, we have all the traditional academic courses plus a number of exciting selections unusual for a school of our size. This year, for example, we offered Astrobiology, the Holocaust, and Comparative Religions, because our staff includes a science teacher who worked for many years with NASA on a plant life on Mars project, a Holocaust historian, and a drama teacher who also has a Doctorate in Theology. Because nothing engages students more than a passionate teacher, we encourage teachers to provide programs that utilize their full expertise, and we are rewarded with wonderful learning opportunities.

The staff has developed a wide range of positive relationships within the Pioneer Valley and has worked cooperatively with many organizations. The following are examples of our shared projects: at Hampshire College, our students collected and analyzed data for a study of bird winter feeding behavior and were able to use lab space at the college for other science courses; at Amherst College, we created a drama program mentored by the college’s theater professors and performed in the Amherst College theatre; the Massachusetts Festival of the Arts provided master classes in dance and drama, led by visiting artists; and the Porter Phelps Huntington House Museum provided an opportunity for historical research and playwriting. We are currently working with Mt. Holyoke College on an interview, research, and performance program attended by students from both schools; with New World Theatre on the development of an original script based on a local controversy; with Hampshire Community Action Commission child care program on early childhood development; and with the Miniature Theatre of Chester on acting and directing programs.

The organizations, individuals, and sites in the Pioneer Valley are each identified as potential resources for our school. We have the use of five passenger vans (four 15-passenger and one 20-passenger), and spontaneous field trips occur regularly. Because our classes are small, an entire class can usually fit into a van. Double blocked classes get the most time to do field trips, but there are many local trips than can happen in one class period. Teachers can also take students for more than one class period, if arrangements are made ahead of time.

To insure students develop a sound knowledge base and produce quality work, PVPA utilizes a variety of assessment tools, primarily student portfolios and a system of standards and benchmarks. Teachers design PVPA Standards and Benchmarks incorporating the Massachusetts Frameworks, MCAS standards and sequence, and requirements for college placement. To provide students with an understanding of expectations and a specific evaluation tool to determine competency, teachers also incorporate activity-based rubrics. Teachers write end of semester narrative reports for each student, providing detailed insights into each student’s study and work habits.

To develop portfolios, students collect representative work from each course they take. Students write a narrative cover sheet for each portfolio piece, and teachers review and approve the final product. They allow students, parents, and teachers to see concrete examples of a student’s progress over time, and they provide a specific list of skills and knowledge areas in which students have demonstrated competence. Beginning with the graduating class of 2005, portfolios will be reviewed, prior to graduation, by a board committee and presented to the school community.

Students also take standardized MCAS, PSAT, SAT, and AP exams as part of our regular program. Results of the tests go to students, parents, teachers, and our assessment team. We believe, however, as is stated in our 2000-2001 Annual Report, that standardized tests do not exhibit our achievement as a school. PVPA seeks to educate students who, upon graduation, can be successful at real world tasks, the scope of which far outreaches measurement by any standardized test.

PVPA has two school directors, a director of administration and a director of education, who share the role of "principal." The school also has in place a number of department directors, who supervise staff and, with the school directors, serve on the Academic Affairs Committee. Department directors head Language Arts, History, Math, Science, Support (SPED), and Plane Tree. Teachers and staff are part of specific departments and are supervised by the department director.

To determine individual and department needs, directors meet with department teachers a minimum of twice a month. Directors visit classrooms during the fall semester and provide support in the areas of classroom management and the development and implementation of assessment tools and curriculum. During the spring semester, directors provide a formal review that incorporates observations; student, peer, and self-assessments; and review of individual goals and objectives. The teacher examines all forms of feedback, including any written review, and completes goals and objectives for the following year.

To assess the work of administrators, representatives (as a committee) from the Board of Trustees distribute surveys, hold interviews, examine data, and review findings. The entire school community is involved in this assessment, which happens every four years.

The Assessment Committee, a standing committee of PVPA’s Board of Trustees, is headed by a board member and composed of volunteer parents, teachers, and students who serve for at least one year. The committee members gather data by observing classrooms; examining student work in all stages of development; interviewing parents, teachers, students, and administrators; and surveying the school community. Throughout the year the committee reviews general and pre-selected programs and determines action plans for specific areas of need. The full review, including actions plans, goes to the Board of Trustees for approval. Once approval is attained, the action plan is implemented by the school administration.

This year, for example, the Assessment Committee determined that our Staff Handbook needed to be updated. The full report was presented during the June board meeting. A committee of four, including parent, teacher, and administrative representatives, is working this summer on the updated staff handbook and will present a final draft to the Board of Trustees at the October board meeting.

1. Advantages

   1. Creativity

      As a charter school, our intention is to provide a unique type of education. Everyone in our school community is aware of this distinction. Consequently, there is a high level of participation in creative planning and problem solving. Our school community, which includes 300 students, over 50 staff, and hundreds of parents, alumni, relatives, and community members, all feed the creative energy of our school. Interdisciplinary teachers groups, representative committees, designated work groups, student polls and petitions, all provide information for improving our school. With this level of enthusiasm and input, it is easy to find solutions to issues that face the school.

   2. Flexibility

      Our staff and students are encouraged look critically and creatively at educational and administrative systems, and they are encouraged to make necessary changes quickly and efficiently. Our school is not mired in bureaucracy, nor is it bogged down by "untouchable" historical formulas; we are capable of seeing a problem and making an immediate change. One year, for example, we incorporated a new interactive math program into our schedule of classes. Within the first three weeks, all community representatives were voicing concerns. The program was difficult for teachers to implement, and ultimately, it did not meet the needs of the students. By week five, the math program was transformed into one that did serve the community’s needs. Students were able to transition easily and make up any necessary work.

      Part of our flexibility is due to the fact that as a charter school we are able to use our resources differently than district schools. We do not have a lot of overhead expenses. We do not have an expensive administrative department. We do not have union contracts that mandate high wages for certain positions, such as janitorial. We are able to use our money to provide educational opportunities.

   3. Bringing Resources to Meet the Needs of the Community

      The founders of PVPA identified the fact that the community needed an excellent academic and performing arts program. Through the charter process, PVPA was able to provide the community with the resources it needed to bring about that program. As far as we know, there is no other public high school in Massachusetts that offers students this educational opportunity in the performing arts. With our focus, students with an interest in the arts have a vital resource for their growth and development.

   4. Educational Reform

      Our charter encourages us to develop new tools for education, and to share these ideas, formats, and systems with other schools. Through our teacher training programs, conferences, open meetings, tours, and school events, we are already helping bring about change in surrounding educational programs. Seven years ago, when we researched Pioneer Valley public high school programs, we found a lack of performing arts programs. There were no dance programs; only two schools offered drama courses, and there were a limited number of music programs. In six years, we’ve seen increases in the quality and quantity of arts programs. There are now three other high schools offering dance, and many area high school have incorporated drama classes into their curriculum. What’s more, area schools have asked us to provide information and expertise in the development of arts programs. Our students often visit local schools, providing information and inspiration as they share their interest in the performing arts. This year, our music, drama, dance, and visual arts departments all provided programs in local schools.

2. Disadvantages

   1. Facilities

      The most difficult issue our school has had to face is the issue of facilities. Our school directors have not only had to provide start-up curricula, supervisory and system designs; they’ve also had the responsibility of raising capital for a building fund. Finding twelve million dollars while building the internal components of a school can become counterproductive. It requires endless hours of work, which includes promoting an organization without a lengthy history and without support systems with which to adequately do fundraising.

      Without a town budget or state and federal support, our facilities are temporary and makeshift. We currently occupy eight assorted spaces in the center of the town of Hadley. We use an old eight room schoolhouse for classrooms, a dance studio, and office space; shared space in a senior center for six classrooms and an office; an old gym converted into theatre and music rehearsal space; an office building converted into ten classrooms, a dance studio, and multiple office spaces; three portables, and an additional community based dance studio. Students, under the supervision of a crossing guard, must cross a busy and dangerous intersection in order to get to classes. Teachers and students are often isolated in separate facilities. A new facility would bring our community together and provide adequate space for all our programs. We are currently working on building our own facility, and have raised enough revenue in the past six years to acquire 20 acres of land, hire architects to design all building plans, and work with a developer to prepare the land. We are continuing to raise funds in order to begin building.

   2. Transportation

      As a regional school, with students living in 58 different towns, providing transportation is also difficult. PVPA uses every possible creative solution to assure that students have the ability to get to school. We arrange for vans, carpooling, community support, and as a final option, housing. The State of Massachusetts offered funds to provide a transportation program, but with their delayed and unpredictable reimbursement system, our school’s board voted against utilizing their plan.

Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter High School is a continuing experiment in excellence in education. The original founders agreed that a creative educational environment is always in process, never complete or final. Each year we add new students, parents, community members, and staff. Each person brings a wealth of understanding and a unique perspective to our community. Each year we incorporate new ideas into our school planning and development; we are always willing to gain new insights. Excellence in education demands self-examination, creative thinking, planning and innovation, all of which are in evidence at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter High School.

About the Author

Ljuba Marsh is co-founder and Director of Education at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter High School, where she also teaches film. She has been involved with educational reform for the past 36 years, working with public and private schools in New York and Massachusetts. Ljuba has research, developed, and facilitated educational programs at pre-school, elementary, secondary, and adult levels. She is also author of Creative Vision, a workbook for nurturing creativity in elementary school children. She is currently working on the following publications: Rubrics for Integrating the Arts into Academic Courses; Science and Art Integration: Levels of Perception; and Imaginary Dwellings: An Interactive Approach to Creativity and Community.

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