• Category 3

    Selected in 2021

  • Grades: 9 - 12
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 0
    Student Enrollment: 1
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 1.8%
    White/Caucasian: 78.5%
    Hispanic: 13.8%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.1%
    Asian: 1.8%
    Native American: 0.1%
    Other: 3.9%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:11.9
    % Reduced Lunch: 24.3%
    % ELL Learners: 0.4%
    Founded: 2014
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Shannon Donnelly
  • CONTACT:
    565 Maple Street
    Hathorne, MA 01937
    978-304-4700
    sdonnelly@essextech.net
Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Hathorne, MA
The key cultural shift that led to our school’s success originated in a growth mindset among teachers that our students could achieve at high levels in both academic and career technical and agricultural education."
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School’s success is grounded in our mission to create a culture of technical and academic excellence committed to workforce preparation. We are in our eighth year as a state-of-the-art agricultural and technical school. We are committed to creating a transformative learning experience for our students through career pathways and an integrated learning model.
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
The greatest contributing factor was to incorporate a true inclusionary model schoolwide where special education teachers who were content specialists replaced paraprofessionals and were paired with their content counterparts in a grade-level academy model. Coupled with a multi-tiered approach to teaching and learning, teachers were able to develop new approaches and research-based best practices, including a commitment to an improved co-teaching model, engaging our students through innovation and integrated learning. Utilizing a student reading and writing strategy known as Writing With Colors has helped students grasp the understructure of good writing. Moreover, this method of reading and writing reaches across all disciplines. Furthermore, as a vocational high school, our students are able to see how math, English, and science skills integrate into authentic real-world experiences.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
ESEA funding has supported our school’s success through the implementation of Title I services, focused on offering reading, writing, and mathematics support for students in grades 9 and 10. This increased focus on applied critical thinking and problem solving for those students identified as needing additional support increases their confidence and self-efficacy. We believe that when students acquire the skills through practice they will become more successful and this has proven to be true for us.
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School teachers spent a great deal of professional development time working on our co-teaching model. Over time, staff explored the six types of co-teaching to identify and implement the strategies that would work best in the classroom. The school modified its schedule to provide common planning time during the school day and offered professional learning opportunities every Wednesday morning through a delayed opening for students. This investment in focused collaboration offers students an authentic, supportive learning experience where all are able to show growth. Our commitment to professional learning related to differentiated instruction, collaborative teaching, and data-informed practice is evident in our student growth patterns. We continue to monitor and address gaps in learning with a growth mindset.
5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
The key cultural shift that led to our school’s success originated in a growth mindset among teachers that our students could achieve at high levels in both academic and career technical and agricultural education. Over the years, best practices were shared in collaborative meetings and were quickly transferred to the student instructional level to leverage learning strategies that showed promise. This shift was affirmed by various benchmark measures of student achievement and growth and resulted in teachers working to develop additional approaches that would benefit all students.
6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
Our students come to Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School from over 55 different communities and across three counties. We have a dedicated Program Advisory Board that ensures each career technical area is current to industry standards. Through cooperative education placements beyond the school building, our students are able to spend time working in their respective fields. These employers allow our classrooms to reach far beyond our campus buildings and provide an invaluable real-world learning experience for our students. Most importantly, these community partners ensure that our students are workforce-ready and serve as a bridge for our students upon graduation.
Stats
  • Category 3

    Selected in 2021

  • Grades: 9 - 12
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 0
    Student Enrollment: 1
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 1.8%
    White/Caucasian: 78.5%
    Hispanic: 13.8%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.1%
    Asian: 1.8%
    Native American: 0.1%
    Other: 3.9%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:11.9
    % Reduced Lunch: 24.3%
    % ELL Learners: 0.4%
    Founded: 2014
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Shannon Donnelly
  • CONTACT:
    565 Maple Street
    Hathorne, MA 01937
    978-304-4700
    sdonnelly@essextech.net