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Nantucket Public Schools
File:Nantucket public schools logo.png
Location
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket Region
United States
District information
TypePublic
GradesPK-12[1]
SuperintendentW. Michael Cozor[1]
Schools4 (2011)[1]
Students and staff
Students1,289 (2011)[2]
Teachers117.5 (2011)[2]
Student–teacher ratio11.0 to 1 (2011)[2]
Other information
WebsiteNantucket Public Schools

Nantucket Public Schools (NPS) is a school district comprised of schools on the island Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States.[1]

Fundamentals

The Nantucket Public Schools district was founded to educate and serve the small island, and four public schools are currently a part of it, including the Nantucket Elementary School, Cyrus Peirce Middle School, Nantucket High School, and Nantucket Community School. The Nantucket Public Schools is a department of the town operated under laws pertaining to education and under regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Education. The area served by the Nantucket Public Schools is coterminous with the Town of Nantucket. The school district consists of many departments, including but not limited to, a Facilities Department, Department of Special Services, Athletics Department, and Technology Department.

The school district has allowed the community to elect members for their committee[3]. Their responsibilities include: Establishing the educational philosophy of Nantucket Public Schools; Making the educational policy; Adopting curriculum; Evaluating the educational program; Establishing the regulations for governing and operation of the district; Hiring, evaluating, and (if necessary) dismissing the superintendent. Meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00pm in the Nantucket High School Cafeteria, and members encourage the public to join them for their meetings. All meetings are taped and view-able on a local TV station.

In school policy ADA[4], the district's mission statement is "to engage students in a process of learning and discovery that cultivates their unique strengths and talents, meets their diverse educational needs, and promotes social responsibility." and their vision code is "We inspire the pursuit of personal and academic excellence in a dynamic learning environment that brings out the best in each of us." As such, the school district also has a values policy, which states "We believe that we work better together when we care about and support each other. To create a caring and supportive environment we expect all members of our school community to: behave ethically and with dignity; respect ones self and others; accept responsibility for ones behaviors and actions; value differences; work together to resolve conflicts and make positive change; communicate openly and honestly; become independent thinkers and self-directed learners; and strive to reach their personal best."


Goals

The NPS has set clear goals for their department and educational program in order to succeed in the coming years.[5]

  • Goal One: The District will focus its efforts on increasing and enhancing student performance and engagement. In addition to ensuring that the curriculum is aligned with state and national standards, instructional practices shall be research-based and reflective of best practices internationally.
  • Goal Two: The District will provide a safe, nurturing environment for the enrolled children.
  • Goal Three: The District will ensure a transparent and fluid budget process in which all stakeholders have the opportunity to provide input and share their perspectives.
  • Goal Four: The District will complete and distribute the 2011-2016 Strategic Plan, monitoring progress on the plan and adherence to its mission, values and actions.
  • Goal Five: The Superintendent shall develop a strong, cohesive administrative team.


Views on Education

The NPS believes the primary function of a school program being the instruction of students.[6] All staff activities and efforts are directed toward providing a high quality, effective, and ever-improving instructional program.

There are primarily three functions involved in carrying out the instructional program at the schools in this district: Operating Function; Coordinating and Developing Function; Evaluating and Assessment Function. The operating function involves classroom instruction and building program management. The coordinating and developing function includes monitoring activities (curriculum development), inservice education, and special services. The evaluation and assessment function involves data collection and synthesis and establishing future direction.

Finally, the district insists that the staff present evidence of achievement, or lack of achievement, of the enrolled students in the light of the schools' goals. It is clear that factual evidence of the productivity of the district's schools is the School Committee's best device for evaluating the educational system, for guiding improvement efforts, and for fostering public support of the schools.


Other Policies

Anti-Bullying Plan:[7] The Nantucket Public Schools is committed to providing a safe, positive and productive educational environment where students can achieve the highest academic standards. No student shall be subjected to harassment, intimidation, bullying, or cyber-bullying. The district takes accusations of bullying seriously, and if a student falsely reports bullying, the district takes action against said student.

Employee Dress Code:[8] The dress and grooming of employees have an effect on the educational process of students. Creating an exemplary model for students is expected. Every employee of the Nantucket Public Schools shall maintain a level of personal hygiene necessary to ensure an appropriate educational environment and dress in a professional manner which serves as an example for students. Employees shall dress and groom in a manner that will not cause a health or safety hazard.

Drug-Free Workplace:[9] The School District will provide a drug-free workplace and certifies that it will notify all employees in writing that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance, is prohibited in the District's workplace, and specify the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such prohibitions. The district will develop a drug-free awareness program to inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace.


Superintendent

W. Michael Cozort was born in Heidelberg, Germany[10], has been married to his wife, Martha, for thirty-seven years, and has two children, Abigail and Elizabeth, who are working and living in the Boston area. He has traveled all around the globe, taking the chance to study educational structures in countries like China and Japan.

Prior to accepting the position as Superintendent of Schools for the Nantucket Public Schools, Cozort was the Superintendent for the Shaker Regional School District in New Hampshire. In that capacity, he led the district to a standard of excellence in which three of the four schools were named New Hampshire School of the Year, two of its teachers were named NH Teacher of the Year, and the School Board was recognized as NH School Board of the Year. Cozort was recognized as the NH Superintendent of the Year in 2005. Cozort had previously served as the Assistant Superintendent and the Elementary Principal in that same district. His previous experience was as a Principal, Assistant Principal and teacher in the White Mountain Regional School District in Lancaster, NH. Cozort began his career in education as a teacher of history at an inner city high school in Jacksonville, Florida.[10]

In addition to his duties as a superintendent, Cozort was a Governing Board Member for the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) from 2005-2010, and he served on the Executive Board of the NH School Administrators Association from 1999-2009 and as its president in 2006-2007.[10] Cozort was active in school athletics, serving as a coach of varsity men’s soccer and women’s basketball and proudly served as an Executive Council Member for the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association from 1999-2010. He continues to be an avid sports fan and active participant in men’s soccer, a sport that he once was invited to participate in the US Olympic Soccer Trials.


See also


References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Nantucket Public Schools District Website". Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "2011 NCLB Report Card - Nantucket". No Child Left Behind Reports. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
  3. ^ "School Committee". Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Section A Foundations and Basic Commitments". NPS Policy Manual. Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  5. ^ "District Goals 2012". Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  6. ^ "IA Instructional Goals". NPS Policy Manual Section I Instruction. Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  7. ^ "Bullying Prevention". Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Employee Dress Code". Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  9. ^ "Drug-Free Workplace Policy". Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  10. ^ a b c "About the Superintendent". Superintendent's Corner. Nantucket Public Schools. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
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