Springfield school committee approves innovation plans for eight schools, citing strong teacher support

The Springfield Public School Committee on May 11 approved innovation plans that will establish innovation status for eight schools within Springfield Public Schools, returning those schools from the Springfield Empowerment Zone to district oversight while preserving school-level autonomy, the committee said.

The plans — covering the High School of Commerce and its internal programs (Aspire Academy, Discovery Polytechnic, Springfield Honors Academy, Rise Prep), plus Chestnut Accelerated Middle School (TAG), John J. Duggan Academy and Van Sickle Academy — were presented by Michael Calvinis, who described them as “research-based and … innovative” and framed the move as the final step under Mass. General Law Chapter 71, Section 92 to formalize innovation status within the district.

Why it matters: Presenter Michael Calvinis told the committee the innovation pathway allows schools to maintain autonomy over curriculum, staffing and budgeting while aligning to district priorities. He said teacher ballots were run by secret and absentee ballot and reported high participation: “we had 90% participate of our educators. And of that 90%, 90% of the educators approved it,” he said, noting the state threshold for changes to educator terms is two-thirds.

Committee members pressed for clarity about non-teaching staff. Vice Chair Nolan asked how paraprofessionals and deans were consulted and whether their pay or hours would change; presenters and principals responded that calendars and hours are being adjusted as needed and that the district used office hours, webinars and bulletins to include non-teaching staff in the transition. The presenter said paraprofessionals should not lose pay as a result of the change and that principals would align calendars to maintain the required 1,475 hours for educators.

Public input was brief and supportive. Andrew Musante, a Duggan Academy math teacher, said the change is “an unbelievable opportunity” that preserves teacher autonomy and allows “data-driven instruction … in real time.” Francine Martin Mighty, a sixth-grade math teacher at Duggan Academy, urged the committee to sustain innovations that support student-centered learning, citing Nelson Mandela’s line that “education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world.”

Votes: The committee conducted individual roll-call votes on each plan as required. Each motion was moved (typically by the vice chair) and seconded; the roll-call approvals passed for all eight plans with Ms. Hurst recorded as absent during the votes. Committee members exchanged congratulations for principals and district staff after the final approval.

Next steps: With school committee approval, the eight schools’ innovation status is established under the statutory process outlined by presenters; the prospectuses and individual school plans will be in the public record as the district implements the agreed changes.