Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alternative Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Davisville Academy principal says clinical program is shifting from behavior first to academics as students stabilize
Summary
Davisville Academy principal Joe Renzi told the committee the district’s in‑district clinical program is emphasizing social‑emotional stabilization first, then academic credit recovery and transitions back to regular schools; enrollment is increasing.
Joe Renzi, principal of Davisville Academy, told the School Committee on June 17 that the district’s clinical day program has focused this year on individualizing supports, stabilizing students’ social‑emotional needs, and preparing many students to return to least‑restrictive settings.
Renzi said DA’s mission is “to create this safe space for students as well as their families” and described a shift that places social‑emotional and behavioural stabilization before intensive academic work so students can re‑engage. He noted DA uses daily point sheets, fine‑grained weekly data and incentives — including a school store and community donations — to reward attendance and positive behavior.
Renzi said staff are safety‑care trained and that the program has begun to focus more on academics now that classroom behaviors have stabilized. He reported seniors have earned diplomas this year and several students have transitioned successfully back to district schools, calling those returns “wins.” He also described production of a small community garden and recent field trips and performing arts visits as part of student enrichment.
On capacity, Renzi said Davisville projects about 13 high‑school and seven middle‑school placements for next year, with the possibility that additional IEP team decisions over the summer could increase enrollment. He said the building is being readied to host a preschool program in one wing while keeping DA academic programming in the other.
Committee members praised the program, its staffing and its integration with district supports. Renzi said the program emphasizes individualized plans and step‑down transitions — often a half‑day return to the sending school followed by close monitoring — to reduce regression after return to mainstream settings.
The update gave the committee a status report on enrollment, staffing, recent activities and the DA approach to balancing social‑emotional work with credit recovery and academic goals.
