HPS students and staff met with state and district leaders as they toured the school earlier this month to learn more about the positive initiatives, culture, climate, and achievements taking place within the Morgan School community.
The visit included Acting Education Commissioner Russell Johnston, his Chief of Staff Lauren Woo, Jennifer Wu from the Office of Strategic Transformation at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and Targeted Assistance Manager Breanna Higgins. Joining them from Holyoke Public Schools was Superintendent Anthony Soto, Assistant Superintendent Stephen Mahoney, and Executive Director of Academics Rebecca Thompson.
During the tour, they visited six Morgan classrooms, including one kindergarten, one first-grade, one fourth-grade, and three second-grade classrooms.
In the second-grade classrooms, visitors witnessed students rotating through reading lessons, with some groups reading independently and others working in small groups with teachers and paraprofessionals, with classical music playing quietly in the background. In the fourth-grade classroom, students participated in discussions about how to write an effective composition with a focus on organizing key elements of their work. Together, students worked on an example essay about why one should try eating catfish.
Tour participants also experienced effective classroom management in real time and had opportunities to speak with students about what they were learning. They also asked Morgan Principal Sacha Garcia-Mailloux and ELA Coach Julie Griffin-Pluta a variety of questions about the strategies and tactics classroom educators were using in the classroom.
“This visit is a testament to the dedication and hard work of each member of our staff,” Principal Garcia-Mailloux said in a message to her staff prior to Tuesday’s visit. “It is an opportunity for us to showcase the excellence that defines Morgan School.”