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CRLS NEWS
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CRLS News CRLS: Thoughts and reflections of a guidance counselor in a diverse High School
Three decades of service at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) gives me an in depth understanding of the daily ins and outs of life at one of the most diverse school settings in greater Boston. The present CRLS student mosaic is composed of 39% African Americans, 36% Whites, 12.8% Latinos, 9.05% Asians and 3.15% of other groups. Dozens of world languages are spoken at CRLS in addition to English. In my view, this is an example of a secondary education school that has adjusted well to the educational needs of a diverse ethnic, multicultural and multilingual population in the city. CRLS is a school that favors an education centered on equity and quality. It is a school that strives to create academically competent, adaptable, flexible and caring individuals who are lifelong learners and who will be able to keep up with the quick speed of the fast pace changing world we live in. Furthermore, CRLS has aimed to carry on the vision of its founders, which reflects academic rigor, accountability, tolerance, and respect among students, community, educators and other school staff. I believe CRLS is a great school, with professional educators from diverse backgrounds that offer high quality education to their students. I have had the privilege to work with professionals who have a tremendous commitment to their students, and to the Cambridge Public Schools. Teachers teach and inspire, para-professionals provide valuable support in and outside of the classroom, psychologists and social workers help students handle their stress and overcome their fears. Guidance counselors on the other hand, guide and coordinate each student’s program of study, which includes a variety of teachers and a variety of academic areas. Guidance counselors consequently play a critical role in bringing together all the different facets of each young person’s life at the high school, with issues that range from cultural and linguistic differences to situations of conflict with others etc. Moreover a guidance counselor is the only one at the high school that has the knowledge about each student’s overall situation. My career as an educator at CRLS both as a teacher and as a counselor has focused always on my commitment to each student’s well being in his/her academic, social and cultural needs. As a guidance counselor I have come across so many students with a multitude of issues and I have done my very best to support them in the resolution of so many challenges. I can vividly recall a very capable ninth grader in trouble with school, who not only was late and skipping classes, but also unmotivated to learn. That came to my attention, when I reviewed his progress report and read all his teachers’ comments (which revealed a lack of progress in the classroom). I immediately called a meeting with the Learning Community team, which consisted of his teachers, his parents and deans to discuss his issues and ways to help him succeed. Collectively a plan of action was devised and each teacher went beyond the call of duty to help him before or after school. He also signed a contract with the dean of students regarding daily attendance and the consequences for not attending school on a regular bases. Follow-up meetings to review his progress periodically were scheduled every four weeks during the implementation of the action plan. I also met individually with the parents and recommended a referral to better understand if any learning disability was impeding his academics. His course schedule was readjusted and a lot of progress was made in helping him graduate. My coordination and leadership in supporting this particular case, among many others, is a common practice among all guidance counselors at CRLS. During my time at CRLS we have had at least three superintendents, six high school principals, several house- masters (deans) per learning community and four Rindge School of Technical Arts directors. Roughly every three to four years CRLS has seen a new principal. Principal after principal, developed new policies, made changes and as a result elevated anxiety and stress among the majority of the staff, which in part has contributed to discouraging new teachers from staying in Cambridge. Each school year CRLS loses excellent new teachers, due to the instability and uncertainty of their future. Changes without solid and concrete results are difficult for everyone. However, throughout the years, administrators have brought quality and excellence in education through various programs, disciplinary approaches and curriculum that followed the federal and state guidelines Over the years, I have realized that the short duration of an administrative contract has limited the opportunity for administrators to see the results of their efforts to enforce school change through curriculum, discipline and all other policies during their administration. I have learned, that like guidance counselors, administrators need time to understand the school system, initiate their vision (every new administrator brings a new vision to their new school) and then implement it. If their implementations could be assessed before they left office, perhaps their efforts would be better understood. I believe, that in order to carry out their vision, principals need autonomy from the central office, and the support of the school committee to develop disciplinary and curricular policies that are needed to minimize or eradicate problems that occur in their schools. Moreover, a school superintendent can’t be invisible to the student population, to the teachers or other staff. Their presence and direct participation in school life, reinforces the basic concept that schools are social institutions of mind development. Schools cannot be managed like production line industries or military academies. Survival politics do not teach or help students move forward in life. What helps, is competence, trust, respect and understanding for the needs of all students and the example needs to come from the top. Unlike what happened previously, the current CRLS principal Dr. Christopher Saheed was chosen from within the community instead of someone from the outside search. Consequently, he came to this position with the understanding of the specific needs of our diverse student population, as well as the school system, politics, curriculum, management, and the staff in each of the different programs, departments and learning communities that make up CRLS. Currently, Dr. Saheed has one of the youngest groups of teachers, counselors, and deans that I have ever seen at the high school during my tenure. Under his leadership, teachers can be supported and thus provide the best educational services to all the students under their care. I highly respect the new principal’s vision for the high school. He is putting forth much effort to a very important priority, the total alignment of the high school curriculum to the Massachusetts State Curriculum Frameworks. In my opinion, the State Curriculum Frameworks has an inclusion component that could be relevant for the student population attending the Cambridge Public Schools. In collaboration with deans of curriculum and subject area coordinators, Dr. Saheed is also working towards extending the alignment of the state curriculum frameworks into the elementary level in order to ensure student success in both environments, and facilitate the academic and social transitions to the High School. I can only presume that past administrator difficulties may be present in his mind, so the same mistakes are not repeated. Ironically, during times of change, the student’s needs in counseling do not stop. As a guidance counselor I need to be there regardless of who is the administrator in charge. Guidance counselors are usually the first to be called when a challenging situation occurs with a student. I have realized long ago that one of the most relevant aspects of this position is to listen, to dialogue, to inform and to understand each student and his/her parent concerns, in a culturally responsive manner, taking into account the multicultural or multilingual background of the students and their families. Bridging between students, families, teachers, and administrators is also a vital function of the role of a guidance counselor, and given the diversity of the student population, cultural and linguistic responsiveness has become an essential dimension of this work. Furthermore, keeping track of students’ academic and behavioral progress, researching special programs, summer school, preparing students for college planning and college admission, are just some of the many responsibilities that a guidance counselor must undertake. The guidance counselor has been, and will continue to be the central person for students within the high school structure. The guidance counselor’s understanding and knowledge of school roles, politics, school climate, administration, faculty, and student needs are essential in any high school setting. As I enter my retirement stage, I will leave Cambridge Rindge and Latin School with the same optimism that I started decades ago. CRLS is a place where professional members know and understand that teaching is both an art and a science that requires patience, competence, respect and hard work. As I leave my professional practice, I find solace in knowing that CRLS is a place where students develop their intellect as well as the social skills needed to lead a successful life in society. Finally, to all the guidance counselors: as you go through this journey, continue to be armed with enthusiasm and commitment to the well being of each youngster. As Jane Goodall said, “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. |
Dr. Serafim da Cunha