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Oliver Ames presents 'Vision of the Graduate', curriculum review pilot and late‑start proposal for next year
Summary
Oliver Ames High School presented a draft "Vision of the Graduate," a plan to build student portfolios and pilot a curriculum review cycle, and recommended continuing monthly late‑start days (first Wednesday of each month) with a proposed 9 a.m. high‑school start on those days to support professional learning and student sleep.
Oliver Ames High School presented its school improvement work to the Easton School Committee on June 12, centering on a district‑aligned "Vision of the Graduate," a multi‑year curriculum review process and a recommendation to continue monthly late‑start days for staff professional learning and student benefit.
Principal Susan Gamel (presenter) described a draft vision of the graduate that identifies cross‑cutting skills—communication, resilience, critical thinking and community membership—and explained plans to have students build a portfolio tied to those competencies beginning with the class of 2029. Gamel said teachers will identify existing lessons that meet the vision and students will begin to assemble work and reflections in an electronic portfolio "that will go to colleges with them."
On curriculum, Oliver Ames will pilot a curriculum review cycle grounded in Understanding by Design (UBD) for four courses—one each in science, social studies, math and English—so staff can trial the review process, provide feedback and expand the practice to other courses over two years. Gamel said the goal is to embed the Vision of the Graduate standards into units and create more authentic, experiential learning aligned to the district strategic plan.
Gamel also presented a proposal to continue late‑start days for the high school: one Wednesday a month (with two in October and two in March), shifting start time to 9 a.m. on those days to give teachers an hour for professional learning communities (PLCs) and to provide students occasional later start times. She noted the plan responds to teacher requests for more than a 45‑minute window and to student sleep research; committee members supported the approach but no formal vote to change the base high‑school start time was taken at the meeting.
Committee members praised the focus on student voice and portfolios and approved Oliver Ames’s school improvement plan. The committee also approved the memorandum extending the H block at Oliver Ames for the 2025–26 school year.
Next steps Oliver Ames will finalize its draft Vision of the Graduate after staff, parent and student feedback; launch the portfolio system for incoming ninth graders (class of 2029); and pilot the curriculum review cycle over the summer and fall with teacher professional development. Late‑start scheduling decisions will be coordinated with transportation and district scheduling prior to implementation.
