Community Service Learning in Springfield, MA:
A Process for Youth Development,
Career Preparation and Community Building
An American Youth Policy Forum Field Trip — May 1-2, 1997
"Community service learning originated as a pedagogy in the schools and as a main vehicle for learning. Now, it has evolved into an integral part of school culture."
-- Dennis Brunton, CSL Coordinator for the Springfield Public Schools
Overview
The field trip to Springfield, Massachusetts focused on the role of community service learning (CSL) in the city's schools and communities. In Springfield, CSL is an integral part of community rejuvenation, district-wide education reform, career preparation and other important facets of youth development.
The field trip provided opportunities to discuss educational, social, cultural and student health issues with practitioners at the center of education reform who are findings ways to reach youth and support their development. It provided a critical view of how a school system is seeking to enliven education, enrich student learning, renew community and develop skills for careers and civic responsibility. It also provided a rare opportunity to see first hand how a school can simultaneously prepare youth for careers, postsecondary education and immediate employment by integrating the academic and occupational curriculums and employing CSL, work-based and project-based learning.
Field trip participants also attended the CSL Showcase Conference at Springfield College with practitioners from western Massachusetts. Springfield Superintendent Peter J. Negroni, students and featured speakers such as Congressman Richard E. Neal (D-2nd District) discussed the role of CSL in the community, and workshops were held on topics such as "Management and Assessment of CSL" and specific CSL projects.
Background on CSL in Springfield
Springfield was one of the first communities to develop a policy to integrate CSL into the K-12 program. In 1986, then-Mayor Richard E. Neal proposed the implementation of community service as a way for students to learn responsibility and obtain necessary basic skills. CSL was used as a process to integrate community service experiences into the curriculum to provide students with ways to apply skills, gain a sense of purpose and understand their relationship to the community. As education reform evolved in the school district, CSL has become a method of instruction and a catalyst for learning in many different ways. Most School Centered Decision Making Teams have made community service leaning objectives part of their individual school improvement packages.
The Springfield Public School System receives grants from the Massachusetts Department of Education through a federal Learn and Serve grant under the National Community Service Trust Act to further integrate CSL into its school program. In addition, the Springfield School Volunteers and the Community Service Learning Center provides resources and technical assistance to the schools. Springfield is also a Community Service Learning Demonstration Site recognized by the Massachusetts Community Service Commission and the Massachusetts Department of Education. Twenty-two Springfield schools currently receive demonstration site funds, have formed facilitation teams consisting of staff, students, parents and community/corporate partners and have designed CSL school implementation plans. Implementation sites receive $1.00 per pupil to use as seed money for workshops, professional development and other projects. Implementation schools must meet the "Standards for Quality School-Based Service-Learning" developed by the Alliance for Service Learning in Education Reform.
| Standards for quality school-based service-learning include: |
| (1) Effective service-learning efforts strengthen service and academic learning. (2) Model service-learning provides concrete opportunities for youth to learn new skills, think critically and test new roles in an environment which encourages risk-taking and rewards competence. (3) Preparation and reflection are essential elements in service-learning. (4) Students' efforts will be recognized by their peers and the community they serve. (5) Youth are involved in the planning. (6) The service students perform will make a meaningful contribution to the community. |
| --Alliance for Service Learning in Education Reform |
According to Superintendent Negroni, "CSL changes the relationship between young people and adults." He believes in the need for a critical transformation of schools, because what has been done so far in school reform has not touched enough students or teachers. His plan for the school system involves five transformations: (1) organizational; (2) pedagogical; (3) social/attitudinal; (4) political; and (5) personal. He sees CSL as critical to the latter--a way of looking at young people as gifts and resources and infusing a new dynamic in schools.
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The notion that learning only takes place in school is limiting to our way of accessing knowledge. You can't have a school that says ‘don't think, don't problem-solve, don't address community problems--just sit in your seat and learn. We must create the conditions under which people (students, teachers and community members) can have a dialogue about change and an opportunity for transformation.
That vehicle for transformation was abundantly clear through our visits to schools and discussions with school staff, students and community members involved in CSL.
Model CSL Efforts
The opening session of the field trip involved discussions with administrators, principals, teachers and students and focused on three successful CSL projects in the schools: the city-wide Campanile Rejuvenation Project; and the Putnam High School Health Center and Trolley Barn Projects. Each showed the blending of service activities that result in tangible benefits to the community; the development of student skills, confidence and capacity useful in a variety of settings; and the empowerment that results to students and the community. Following the overview, participants visited two schools--Putnam Vocational-Technical High School and Freedman Elementary--to examine CSL within the functioning school context.
The City-wide Campanile Rejuvenation Project:
Ninety years ago, Springfield's bell tower, the Campanile, was destroyed by fire. In 1906 the structure was rebuilt, using some of the original bells. At that time, the school system donated a bell to the tower. In recent years, an effort has been revived to renovate the town's landmark.
Students in an honors English class at the High School for Science and Technology have begun a student renovation fund-raising drive and gotten other high school councils involved in the effort. Students have been responsible for planning, organizing and implementing all related activities, such as marketing and public relations. Fund raising activities have included penny collections and a citywide talent show. To date, the students have raised $12,000 with the goal of raising a total of $72,000 for a new bell system.
Comprehensive Health Center Project:
The project grew out of the concern of the Putnam High School staff over the desperate need of students for medical attention. The VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) CSL leadership group, in collaboration with the Student Council at Putnam Voc-Tech High School, soon spearheaded the development of one of the largest and most comprehensive school-based health centers in the country.
The health center at Putnam was designed and constructed entirely by Putnam students (with the exception of the plumbing). The work is valued at $455,000 and was built for $70,000 (funds were spent on raw materials from a grant from the state to support health-care facilities). The Health Center steering committee, largely comprised of students, continues to meet weekly and oversees the project. Putnam students have full access to the clinic for their primary health care needs. This state-of-the-art health center is staffed by the Bay State Health Center and the University of Massachusetts School of Nursing, and was built and continues to be run at no cost to Springfield and the school.
The involvement of the University of Massachusetts School of Nursing with the health center grew out of interest in working with adolescents in a high school setting. With a grant from the state, the School of Nursing was able to bring in health care workers from other schools for staff development around adolescent health issues and provide community service experiences for Nursing School students in adolescent health care. Community-based health care is a new curricular focus for the nursing school and nursing students learn through service to the high school health center. Student nurses spend one semester working in the clinic providing health education and serving as mentors and role models to students.
The 1,500 students at Putnam High School have full access to the clinic (providing they have written parental permission). The goal is to get 90 percent of students enrolled in the health center. The school's nurse shares space at the clinic but, due to confidentiality restrictions, all information available to the school nurse is not available to clinic staff. (By law, all students must be served by the school nurse through the school system service.)
According to the Clinic's director, 60 percent of Putnam students are on Medicaid and many are uninsured. Through Massachusetts Medical Security, students can enroll in the state's health plan (families of four earning $31,200 or below pay no premium) and the clinic can be reimbursed for services to students. The clinic cannot prescribe birth control devices but conducts gynecological examinations. The clinic has recently received funds from a community agency to develop a teen pregnancy and parenting program.
Trolley Barn Project:
This effort began two years ago as a thematic unit at Putnam on the history of transportation. Putnam students are now involved in building a scale replica of a turn of the 19th century Springfield trolley and a replica of the city's historic Trolley Barn. This project, involving the Springfield Library, Museum and Peter Pan Bus Lines, allows students to apply skills learned in carpentry and mathematics while learning local history and giving the students a strong connection to their community. In addition to applying construction skills, students have undertaken the historical research, marketing, scale and modeling work for the project and have contributed information for the docent program on the exhibit created by the museum and the Putnam English Department.
Visit to Putnam Vocational Technical High School
Following an overview of the Health Center and Trolley Barn projects, participants visited Putnam Voc-Tech High School to observe these projects and classrooms, and to learn how project-based CSL and the integration of academic and occupational learning are implemented.
School Organization:
At Putnam Vocational Technical High School, all students take college prep courses and complete 36 credits for graduation. Strong links to postsecondary education are established and student continuation into postsecondary education and training is a major focus.
Unlike many vocational schools where students alternate between academics for one week (or in the morning hours) and occupational training for one week (or in the afternoon hours), through a consensus process the 170 staff at Putnam developed an alternating 10-week block of academic courses followed by a 10-week block in occupational labs. During the latter block, students spend the morning hours in their respective career workshops learning the theory associated with a career field and the afternoon is spent at the work site or in elective classes. (In some career areas, the first five weeks is devoted to in-school learning and the second five weeks is spent in a hands-on capacity at a work site.) At any time, half of the students are in the academic program and the other half are involved in occupational and work-based learning. The staff also discarded the 41 minute, eight-period day and has gone to 68 minute, five period days devoted to English, math, science, social studies and world languages.
Project-based learning, CSL and Curricular Frameworks:
According to Principal Ann Southworth, every grade has a common set of learner outcomes based on the core curriculum frameworks. Every CSL activity must show how it fits with these outcomes.
Teachers and administrators discussed the evolution of the integration of academic and occupational courses through a focus on projects such as those described above and attention to the state curricular frameworks. The key to successful integration is having planning time for teachers, students and community partners to develop and implement these activities. Academic teaches routinely co-teach with vocational teachers (e.g., the chemistry teacher works with the cosmetology students. Generally, the principle is taught first through hands-on application (e.g., how to set a roof or square a wall using trigonometry and geometric concepts) with the relevant terminology and rules following. According to one teacher, "Through projects and hands-on applications, integration takes place naturally." Additionally, we were told that the business community has been very generous in providing funding and support for school projects primarily because of the highly visible nature of these projects and the needs they address in the community.
CSL and School Transformation:
Principal Southworth described the evolution of Putnam High School and the role of CSL in these changes. When she was first assigned there, the school was experiencing a lot of gang activity. Of 600 ninth graders, only 28 were on grade level. Students were experiencing a great deal of violence in their lives. The challenge was to regain the school and make it a safe place.
As the school slowly changed through better management, professional development and improved expectations, and as gang activity subsided, the staff decided to move toward a process of true healing in the lives of the students and focus on preventing violence through service. Students developed a comprehensive plan, met among themselves (including gang members), talked with the mayor and other city leadership, and began to work with younger students and in the community (e.g., organizing voter registration drives, etc.)
Total Quality Management principles were instituted--first among teachers and then students. Projects were initiated with community institutions, such as the library and the museum. Students helped with the "Children of Sorrow" exhibit at the museum about murdered children throughout the U.S. and with the Timbuktu exhibit. As a result, students began to take ownership of these community institutions. Where before they had avoided these institutions, feeling they were not a part of their lives and they were not welcomed there, they now began to use and embrace them. The information in the Timbuktu exhibit about advanced and learned African societies fueled student expectations and brought about demands for more relevant information and stimulating projects from their own teachers and courses.
Visit to Freedman Elementary School
The visit to Freedman provided an opportunity to see CSL in the elementary grades. Freedman is a K-5th grade, majority-minority school of 320 students. Though the surrounding community is essentially middle class, many students are from low-income families and many are limited English proficient. Freedman is a well-maintained school with two to three computers per classroom and a music program.
The school staff has made CSL and project-based learning an essential part of the school experience. Students at every grade level participate in the design of their CSL projects. Students, in partnership with Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance, have designed a community service learning park on the land around the school. The Learning Park includes picnic, reading and relaxation areas and will serve the entire Springfield community. According to Principal Gloria Williams, "It's an outdoor classroom where the children get to use what they learn, and get involved with community service. Every project they do out there is a learning experience."
Students' hands-on experiences include designing nature trails and a miniature golf course, creating rock collections and growing vegetable gardens. The homeless community has been targeted as the recipient of the garden produce. When school is out, community neighbors tend the garden. "Children are energized and empowered through these activities. The school grounds are clean and attractive because the kids keep them that way, " commented one teacher of special education children.
Evening Session of Reflections on the Effects of Community Service Learning
Time was set aside at the end of the first day to talk with city leaders, educators, community partners and members of the Community Service Learning Center Board. Among the issues discussed were:
- The importance of "Anchor Agreements" in propelling the pace of curriculum reform and professional development efforts in support of District goals--improved student achievement and safe school environments. Through agreement, Anchors [includes the School Committee (School Board), Superintendent of Schools and the Springfield Education Association] agree to a collaborative process for dealing with issues that arise in promoting ongoing systemic change. Processes are established at the district level and within School Centered Decision Making Teams for (1) supporting new initiatives and relationships while respecting existing contractual agreements; (2) accessing other groups or agencies involved in the systemic change process; (3) assuring an open, visible process; and (4) creating an environment for individual and organizational learning through mutual feedback, guidance and support. The agreement has emerged from recent school reform research documenting that pilot programs and new initiatives addressing curriculum reform and classroom instructional techniques alone do not result in overall school district improvement without a parallel effort to change the fundamental relationships among teachers, administrators, school committees, teacher unions, parents and students.
- Planning time is critical to the success and pervasiveness of CLS in the schools and community. Because time for planning is explicitly carved out, CSL is not a "fuzzy" activity--not fully understood by staff, students, parents or community partners--but is grounded in teaching methodology, learning outcomes, the curriculum and the needs and resources of the community.
- CSL as a way of life. One teacher and proponent of CSL in her classroom indicated that because CSL has been going on in the schools for over 10 years, students have been brought up in it and have grown to expect it as part of the school experience. "CSL is a habit; it's a way of life."
- CSL at the postsecondary level. Representatives of Springfield College's Learn and Serve Program described how the program pairs 130 college students with 130 elementary students for 22 weeks a year for tutoring and mentoring. Service learning activities are both curricular and co-curricular--all run by students who work with faculty to integrate activities into classroom and community activities. The College has a grant from the Department of Education to work with the state education agency to develop a teacher certification program using CSL.
- CSL and systemic reform. Massachusetts has undertaken a number of statewide educational reforms, such as eliminating the general track in high schools, instituting foreign language instruction (beginning in kindergarten) with the goal of having every student bilingual, and implementing authentic assessments. Although service is not mandatory in Massachusetts schools, it is highly recommended that every student is exposed to a CSL experience. Several educators underscored the equity implications for CSL. According to one, "Marrying the academic standards and outcomes to active learning like CSL has opened up the curriculum to ensure success for all students. If we plan appropriately, we can do things with students and open up the curriculum in ways we never could do before we were willing to access the breadth of experiences and opportunities available through CSL."
Contact Information
Michael Albano
Mayor
City of Springfield
36 Court Street
Springfield, MA 01103
Phone: 413-787-6100
Fax: 413-787-6104
Dr. Randolph Bromery
President
Springfield College
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109-3797
Phone: 413-748-3000
Fax: 413-748-3746
Dennis Brunton
Community Service Learning Coordinator
Springfield Public Schools
195 State Street
Springfield, MA
Phone: 413-787-7196
Fax: 413-787-7754
Dr. Steven Greenfield
Principal
High School of Science and Technology
1250 State Street
Springfield, MA 01109
Phone: 413-750-2001
Fax: 413-750-2747
Bettie Hallen
Teacher
High School of Science and Technology
1250 State Street
Springfield, MA 01109
Phone: 413-750-2001
Fax: 413-750-2747
Dr. Peter Negroni
Superintendent
Springfield Public Schools
195 State Street
Springfield, MA 01103
Phone: 413-787-7088
Fax: 413-787-7171
Dr. Ann Southworth
Principal
Putnam High School
1300 State Street
Springfield, MA 01109
Phone: 413-787-7424
Fax: 413-787-7330
Gloria Williams
Principal
Freedman Elementary School
90 Cherokee Drive
Springfield, MA 01109
Phone: 413-787-7443