Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Concord Education Fund, in conjunction with CCHS Challenge Success, the Committee Center for Parents and Teachers, Concord-Carlisle Youth Services, and the CCHS Parent Association, CCHS is proud to offer a community event featuring Stanford's Denise Pope.
Below you will find detailed information about the event along with information on our Challenge Success initiative that was featured in my October 21st blog post.
Dr. Denise Pope Presents: Nurturing the Well-balanced Student & Debunking the College Myth
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| Dr. Denise Pope |
Join us as Dr. Denise Pope, of Stanford University, examines the tension that students, teachers, and families often experience surrounding the culture of competition and offers research-based tools for creating a healthier community of learners. We all want our kids to do well in school and to master specific skills and concepts, but our largely singular focus on academic achievement has resulted in a lack of attention to other components of a successful life—the ability to be independent, adaptable, ethical, and engaged critical thinkers.
Who: Parents/guardians of students in grades 8-12, and for interested community members
When: Monday, January 23, 7:00-8:30 pm at the CCHS Auditorium
Register for this free event: https://cchschallengesuccessdp.eventbrite.com
Did you know?
- 62% of CCHS students report having experienced somewhat high or very high levels of stress (YRBS 2016)
- 48% of CCHS students reported that a stress-related health or emotional problem caused them to miss more than one days of school in the past month (Stanford Survey 2016)
- 67% of CCHS students reported that school work often or always kept them from getting enough sleep (Stanford Survey 2016)
Sponsor:
Concord Ed Fund
In collaboration with:
CCHS Challenge Success Committee
CCHS Challenge Success Committee
Center for Parents and Teachers
Concord-Carlisle Youth Services
CCHS Parent Association
Challenge Success
As a school, we are steadfast in our quest for continuous improvement. Accompanying that strong desire is a vigorous pursuit of school goals. Our School Improvement Plan highlights four very specific goals: Mastering course standards, utilizing student work to drive targeted innovations, developing a culture of sustainability, and continuing to foster an inclusive, mindful, positive, and compassionate school culture that promotes growth and well-being for all.
The last goal succinctly articulates the impetus for partnering with the Challenge Success program. Through the gracious generosity of the Concord Education Fund, the partnership with Challenge Success and Stanford University was forged last year. This partnership and the resulting noble work will continue for the remainder of this year and beyond.
I have included the vision statement developed by the CCHS Challenge Success Committee, and a letter from Assistant Principal and committee chair, Colleen Meaney, on behalf of the committee. The letter provides a comprehensive picture of where we are and where we are heading.
CCHS Challenge Success Vision Statement
Concord Carlisle High School is a community united in support of students’ engagement and well-being.
We consciously commit
- To spark curiosity and excitement for the journey of the high school experience
- To encourage balance, personal growth, and academic excellence
- To value student voice as a respectful and compassionate community
- To foster a community that actively challenges and redefines success to support students’ individual well-being
Dear Concord-Carlisle High School Community,
Lessening student stress and deepening students’ engagement are at the heart of our work with Challenge Success of Stanford University. Challenge Success, “provide[s] schools and families with the information and strategies they need to create a more balanced and academically fulfilling life for their kids. ...Effective change happens when all stakeholders— administrators, faculty, parents, counselors, and students—come together to identify problems and work on solutions.”
Our new partnership with Challenge Success comes from three places:
(1) a recommendation from last year’s Homework Committee whose work resulted in a number of essential practices for teachers, as well as whole-school recommendations going forward,
(2) the very positive response to our speaker, Julie Lythcott-Haims, who surfaced a number of areas of students’ stress and who talked with parents about How to Raise a Successful Adult. Ted talk link here
(3) feedback from the Parent Survey highlighting student stress, the impacts of homework, extracurriculars, and more.
Last spring, CCHS surveyed students to determine where we might best anchor our partnership with Challenge Success. Based on students’ reporting of high-level stress/difficulties, three focal areas sprung to the top: extra-curriculars, homework, and student engagement.
Our Challenge Success Steering Group developed action items in each of these areas that strike at root causes of stress and serve to make a positive difference for students. For example:
- coaches will begin practices at 2:45 whenever possible to allow students to address academic needs immediately after school (winter athletics will be our trickiest time)
- teachers will provide access to a Google calendar for students in every course; Thanksgiving, December, February, and April vacations are homework free—with no assessments scheduled until Thursday of the week following; no assessment days and coordinated assessment days at the end of quarters
- training/time is being provided to teachers for more interdisciplinary and project-based approaches to learning.
What Challenge Success provides us is a detailed analysis of our survey data, including qualitative feedback on open-ended responses, a robust catalog of actions that other schools across the United States (including Dover-Sherborn and Acton-Boxborough) have taken in similar areas of focus, and coaching on implementation, follow-through, and further evaluation over time. Data from Challenge Success’s work with other high schools over the last ten years shows that academic achievement remains high while they partner with schools to strengthen students’ “ability to be independent, adaptable, ethical, and engaged critical thinkers,” and “foster learners who are healthy, motivated, and prepared for the wide variety of tasks they will face as adults.” Click here for a presentation given to the School Committee with more information.
We are grateful to the Concord Education Fund for supporting this partnership with Challenge Success. Email cmeaney@concordcarlisle.org with any questions. We are excited to be doing this important work on behalf of students. Stay tuned for more.
Sincerely,
Colleen L. Meaney, Assistant Principal
Committee Chair
Committee Members:
Michael Mastrullo
Brian Miller
Hanna Bruno
Amy Byron
Jennifer Clarke
Jennifer Clarke
Katie Goldrick
Michael Goodwin
Barry Haley
Sarah Hart
Kristen Herbert
Aaron Joncas
Lisa Koski
Ann Little
Polly Meyer
Madeleine Pooler
Mike Robichaud
Jeannette Sheahan
Patricia Worth
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