Research Spofford Pond Public Schools in Methuen, Massachusetts

“I am currently in 10th grade at this town's regional high school [masconomet] and looking back at Spofford, there is a lot of things that I wish teachers did differently. In this towns middle school [masconomet ms] all of the teachers stay after school ends for 45 minutes to help anyone who needs extra practice on anything that they had been recently learning. I wish that Spofford had done something similar to this. As a former student, I remembered having a lot of questions that couldn't be answered in normal day class, and occasionally felt lost. The teachers are satisfactory, but could benefit from an attitude makeover.”

“We are having a terrific third grade experience. The new principal is very approachable. He is also wonderful with the children. There is a great anti-bullying campaign called 'Steps to Respect.'”

“This school has a great staff of teachers. They are dedicated, caring, and willing to give one-on-one attention to any child in need. There is a great concert band, jazz band, and chorus offered to any child in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade with top-notch band instructer Mrs.Monty and other lesson-teachers such as Mr.Fluelling and Mr.Walke. Not only are these three musisians terrific players, they also are kind and helpful. Mrs. Spinosa directs the juinor chorus (4th and 5th graders) as well as the senior chorus (6th graders). She also holds schoold-wide music classes. Mrs.Davis teaches the art classes and always has the students engaged in some interesting activity, like makng cave walls or painting. Mr. Sparkes is the wonderful gym teacher and Mrs. Patch the extremely talented librarian. This school is great!”

“They do not use multiple teaching strategies to reach students who come to school with varying skills and interests and at the same time the school has participated in multiple programs such as Trailblazers and Impact Math swithching from one year to the next. They do not give regular feedback to students and challenge them to achieve their personal best. At the same time, they have not particularly shown care for or support their students personally. Communication between teachers, especially those job-sharing and the parents is an ongoing problem. Their responsiveness is slow or there is no response. Discipline procedures are not carried out consistently. Bullying and oppressive behavior, are dealt with sometimes only after parents become involved and their is no followup from school personnel. While the playground equipment meets safety codes, the recesses are not well supervised. Often is falls on the shoulders of parent volunteers.”