Preparing diverse cross-sections of Worcester children for success as students, workers and citizens
Krista Piazza is the superintendent of Seven Hills Charter Public School and executive director of the Learning First Foundation. After completing degrees at Syracuse University and Harvard University, she taught general and special education in Massachusetts and abroad before becoming a district principal. She made the move to the charter world in 2002, which energized her commitment to improving the urban-education experience for all children and families.
(She's shown in the photo, by Worcester Rotarian Rich Prager, presenting a Seven Hills Charter shirt to Worcester Rotary President Dave Frazier on October 2, 2014, during a Worcester Rotary luncheon meeting.)
As the Telegram & Gazette reported on October 5, in an article titled Seven Hills Charter school gets top-level ranking for second time, “A little bit of pride dripped off of each purple and white ‘Level #1 Teacher’ button Krista Piazza distributed Tuesday at Seven Hills Charter Public School. ‘Congratulations!’ she beamed as she handed one to each educator she passed in the hallway.
“Ms. Piazza, superintendent of the K-8 school on the city's east side, was eager to share her joy over Seven Hills recently being named a Level 1 school for the second year in a row. This, after the threat of having its charter revoked three years ago.
“Seven Hills, which in 1996 was the first charter school to open in Worcester, serves about 670 mostly minority and low-income students in K-8.
“In 2011, when the school was due for its five-year charter renewal, the state expressed concern that scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test had been flat for some time. In 2010, a majority of students at Seven Hills failed to reach proficiency in English or math.
“The school was given until the end of 2012 to meet state-set English and math targets, and to make adequate yearly progress (federal and state improvement benchmarks) and meet goals outlined in the school's accountability plan.
“In addition to stagnant test scores, the state cited "administrative weaknesses" in its decision to put the school on probation. Eight teachers — including all fourth- and fifth-grade teachers — were fired or quit at the end of the 2009-10 school year, and the school's board of trustees, which is supposed to have 25 members, was grossly under-represented.
“ ... Thanks to several targeted changes Seven Hills enacted soon after the state's warning, that threat didn't come to fruition, and the school was taken off probation in January 2013 with the condition that it show sustained progress through December of this year. “
Our October 30 Luncheon Meeting will be held at a one-time new location: Seven Hills Charter Public School, at 51 Gage St. in Worcester. The school lot and play area will be reserved for free parking for us, including handicapped-accessible spots. A shuttle van will be available for those of us needing assistance.
Please bring a book to donate to Seven Hills’ classroom libraries or the school’s Read It Forward program.
For this meeting only, the luncheon fee is $10 per person for members and non-members. Raffle tickets are, as usual, $2 for one and $7 for four. Free parking and wheelchair-accessible.
For more information, contact David Frazier, Worcester Rotary’s 2014-’15 president, at DFrazier@WorcesterAdvisors.com.