Interview with Dr. Michael Ananis, Executive Director, Rindge School Technical Arts

By Josie Patterson

Principal Profile

Dr. Michael Ananis is the new executive director of the Rindge School of Technical Arts. A native of Cambridge and a Harvard alum, Ananis was most recently the superintendent of a consolidated school district in New Hampshire.

Now that you have been at RSTA for a few months, what is most striking to you about the program? The eager students, the caring and hard-working faculty, and the tremendous support for the program from the high school and the community.

Over the years there has been some controversy about having a comprehensive high school that includes college prep and vocational education. What are some of the advantages and challenges? We are part of the CRLS mission to help prepare our students for success after high school.  We celebrate our diversity by offering educational opportunities for the academically advanced student as well as the technical career oriented.  Among the advantages of having RSTA within CRLS are: students at RSTA benefit from attending school in the city in which they live; they can participate in athletic, performing and fine arts programs and other co-curricular activities with their neighbors and friends; and they can enroll in courses that are available to other CRLS students. These factors all contribute to strengthening their sense of belonging within the community.  Challenges include: making sufficient time available within the framework of the traditional high school experience to fully prepare students in their technical field; keeping current our offerings so that they reflect and anticipate changes in technology and employment fields in the area.

RSTA recently received a substantial equipment donation to the biotechnology class. How will the new equipment affect student's experience in biotechnology? Upper class students (RSTA Level 2 & 3) will be able to perform protein purification and cell cultures.  Without the new equipment, we would not be able to have our students learn these skills.

How will the new block schedule that will be implemented next fall affect RSTA students? The block schedule will allow RSTA students to nearly double their learning opportunities in their field over the course of a 4-year sequence in order to meet Mass. Dept. of Ed. guidelines.  On a daily basis, longer periods within the block schedule will promote more depth of learning, fewer interruptions to project and lab work, and for the inclusion of more complex learning experiences.

.What is RSTA specifically doing to attract girls to the fields of carpentry, automotive and engineering? Teachers in every RSTA program are asking students and potential students to consider fields of study that have historically been underrepresented by girls (automotive, carpentry, engineering) as well as those which have been undersubscribed by boys (health careers). Also, we have an afterschool organization that was created for the purpose of supporting girls’ successful experiences in non-traditional occupations.  Last summer we hosted a very successful program funded by the Mayor's office for girls in automotive and carpentry.  This year we have also hired a woman carpenter as a substitute when needed in that two-person shop.

What are your goals for the coming years? My goals for this year are to finalize Mass. Dept. of Ed. approval for all our programs, and to prepare for expanded learning through the implementation of the block scheduling in September 2005. For the future, I want to increase the number of our program graduates with high level skills and knowledge; maintain the high quality of equipment, facilities, and support for the program; and to become the best Career and Technical Education program in Massachusetts.