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Cumberland High shifts schedule, pursues internships and earns strong NEASC review
Summary
Cumberland High School reported progress on an eight-block master schedule and growing internship partnerships; a recent NEASC decennial visit commended school culture and CTE expansion while recommending work on a common curriculum template and grading practices.
Cumberland High School leaders told the School Committee on May 14 that a new eight-block master schedule is enabling students to both reduce course loads for internships or employment and add an extra block to pursue competitive-college preparation or additional coursework.
Mr. Costa (identified in the transcript as both “Costa” and once as “Acosta”) said 65 students requested an additional class to strengthen college applications and 180 seniors requested modified schedules for internships, part-time work or college pursuits. The district has been developing internal and external internship options and a work-based learning (WBL) website with QR-coded outreach for industry partners. Brian Keller (mentioned by administration) will serve as internship supervisor and will work to vet partners and structure crediting (the state permits up to two credits for certain WBL experiences).
Also at the meeting, Costa summarized the results of a decennial NEASC accreditation visit: the visiting team rated the school as meeting seven of eight foundational elements (up from five at an earlier collaboration visit), and commended school culture, staff commitment and the expansion of career and technical education. NEASC recommendations included adopting a common curriculum template across courses and revisiting grading practices tied to the district’s '12 rubric' to ensure it measures college- and career-readiness and motivates students throughout the year.
Administration said the district will update its school improvement plan to reflect NEASC recommendations and submit a two-year progress report to the NEASC commission; the commission may request additional reports if progress is insufficient.
Why it matters: The schedule change and internship work aim to expand student pathways while NEASC feedback sets expectations for curriculum alignment and grading policy adjustments.
