District Administration - April 2008 - (Page 22)

DistrictProﬁle A GLANCE AT THE CAMPUS AND classrooms of one of the seven Rhode Island-based Met Schools immediately conveys a sense that this district is unique. Instead of the rows of desks and standard-size rooms, in these high schools are large open spaces and huge windows, and students gather at conference tables or in comfy chairs. The nod toward a collegiate environment is just one of the ways that the district sets its students, who are mostly considered at-risk, on the track toward higher learning. With 64 percent of its students on the free and reduced lunch program, the district serves students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Although this is an at-risk group, the numbers coming out of the district’s schools, six in Providence and one in Newport, are stunning: almost 95 percent graduate, one of the highest rates in the state. By comparison, the average for Providence major high schools is 54 percent. Strong Start Founded by The Big Picture Company 12 years ago and with ﬁnancial support from the Gates Foundation, The Met Center represents an innovative approach to education and is the brainchild of Dennis Littky and colleague Elliot Washor, who have near rock-star status among progressive school reformers. Although it adheres to state and federal requirements for testing and achievement—The Met actually exceeded state No Child Left Behind goals set in 2007—the district has revamped the traditional approach to high school learning by putting the students in charge of their education. The Met accepts students through a random lottery system after they’ve submitted an application. It is mandated to accept 75 percent of its students from the 22 April 2008 THE METROPOLITAN REGIONAL CAREER AND TECHNICAL CENTER (R.I.) The Met Center: One Student at a Time By Elizabeth Millard JORDAN SILVERMAN Students (left) work on their senior thesis projects designing clothes, and (above)an advisory group spends their spring vacation designing and building a ﬁshpond outside the Met’s health center. city of Providence and the remaining 25 percent from the rest of Rhode Island. Once accepted, a student must create a lesson plan with the help of an advisor, who shepherds a group of 15 students through all four years of high school. The advisory approach helps to create a deeper bond among students and with advisors, but The Metropoltan Regional Career and Technical Center (R.I.) Co-Directors: Dennis Littky and Nancy Diaz Enrollment: 747 Students per teacher: 11 to 1 Per-pupil expenditure: Approximately $12,000 Students qualifying for free or reduced lunch: 64% Total number of schools: 7 high schools School population: Entire state of R.I. Web site: www.metcenter.org it also proves useful in sparking parental involvement, says Becca Siddons, who has been a Met advisor for seven years. “The four-year cycle makes lesson planning more challenging, because you can’t just reuse what you did last year, but it’s also awesome because you get to see a kid grow from ninth grade to graduation,” she says. “It’s great to have that four years to ﬁgure out how to support them, and the parents really trust you because you’re all working together for so long. It’s very powerful.” Real-Life Experience Another major component of the curriculum is internships. Students spend two days a week with mentors who teach them according to their interests. There are over 700 job sites that have worked with The Met, including law oﬃces, veterinarians, high-end restaurants, and a number of other career sources. Curriculum designed by a student is integrated with the internships for a more comprehensive learning plan. For example, 11th-grader Hope Laﬁtte has worked at the New England Aquarium District Administration http://www.metcenter.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - April 2008

District Administration - April 2008
Contents
Editor’s Letter
Letters
News Update
Technology
Facilities & Construction
Curriculum
Inside the Law
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Profit and Loss in School-Business Partnerships
The Broad Way
Big Macs for Big Grades
Hometown Success
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
Speaking Out
Crisis Response
New Products
Problem/Solution
Computer Literature
Research Center
Calendar of Events
Products Showcase
Understanding the Times

District Administration - April 2008