A troubled school lobbies for charter

Silver Hill Elementary may not be making the grade under the 2002 federal No Child Left Behind Act, but principal Themia Gilman believes the Haverhill school can turn things around if it adopts a novel approach.

Her radical idea for improving student achievement: Transform Silver Hill into a Horace Mann charter school.

If the plan wins state approval -- a prospectus detailing the proposal is being reviewed by officials at the state Department of Education -- students from across the city would have the opportunity to apply for admission to the new charter school next year, Gilman said.

She would like the school to open its doors in September 2008 to as many as 580 students in kindergarten through Grade 5. Currently, the school serves a diverse population of 566 elementary students. State records show that more than half live in poverty, 15 percent have special educational needs, and 6 percent speak limited English. The district's traditional teaching methods have not met the students' needs, according to its principal.

"We're failing," said Gilman, noting that Silver Hill was deemed in need of "corrective action" a year ago for failing to meet federal No Child Left Behind standards for at least two consecutive years. "We needed to examine what we were doing and come up with a better way to deliver services to our students."

The alternative is grim: If the school's annual MCAS standardized test scores do not improve, the state could force a number of changes, including requiring Silver Hill to lengthen its school day or replace staff members.

Gilman said she believes Silver Hill can turn things around. She has been studying the Horace Mann model since June 2006, with the support of Superintendent Raleigh C. Buchanan. During the past several months, she worked closely with the school's 35 teachers to draft a plan for shifting to the Horace Mann system, which would keep Silver Hill as a public school operating under a charter approved by the School Committee and the local teachers union. The metamorphosis would transfer management of the school from the district's central office to the educators at Silver Hill and provide the cash-strapped school with additional funding.

In the past, educators said student achievement at Silver Hill has been hampered by leadership instability, inconsistent local mandates, and strained budgets.

"All these variables deter the building of a foundation to promote sustainable programs for kids that help them learn, create enthusiasm, and promote teacher development," Gilman said.

As a charter school, Silver Hill would no longer have to follow the district's curriculum guidelines, and teachers would have the flexibility to work late and perform duties prohibited by their union contract. As a result, students could receive more one-on-one tutoring, participate in special English and math classes, and have access to enrichment programs when the traditional school day ends, Gilman said.

"Teachers could work as late as they want," said Gilman, who has proposed that the charter school adopt a teaching program developed at the University of Connecticut under its Accelerated Schools Project. The program strives to identify each child's strengths and build on those strengths to ensure student success. "We believe this approach will meet the needs of our diverse population and make Silver Hill an attractive choice for the city's elementary students."

Under the district's school-choice program, students from across the city may ask to enroll in a school outside their neighborhood. Acceptances are based on the number of open seats at the child's school of preference.

Both the Haverhill School Committee and the union have signed off on the proposed conversion of Silver Hill. The prospectus detailing the school's plans was submitted July 30 to the Department of Education. Gilman is hoping to get the green light to submit a final application for the charter in the coming weeks. The deadline to apply for a charter is Nov. 13.

If the charter application wins preliminary state approval, public hearings would be held in January and the application would be forwarded to the state education commissioner for final approval in February.

There are eight Horace Mann charter schools operating in Massachusetts, including the Academy of Strategic Learning in Amesbury, which serves students in grades 7 to 12 who struggle with social or academic challenges. The Marstons Mills East charter school on Cape Cod is the only Horace Mann facility in the state to serve elementary students. Educators there have been working closely with Silver Hill as the Haverhill school moves through the complex application process.

"I strongly support this charter concept because I believe it would allow us the opportunity to try out new teaching methods," Buchanan said, noting that increasing fiscal constraints have made it difficult for Silver Hill, and the district as a whole, to make progress.

As a Horace Mann school, Silver Hill would receive between $400,000 and $700,000 from state coffers over the first three years of its five-year charter, money that would supplement the city-funded portion of the school's budget. Much of the state funding would be used for professional development, and if Silver Hill's teaching program proves successful, educators at the school could train teachers throughout the district, Buchanan said.

In addition to the cash from the state, the school could also apply for federal money and private grants to supplement the school's budget. Some of those outside funds could be used to pay teachers for their extra duties, Gilman said. However, the School Committee would continue to exert control over the city-funded portion of the school's budget, and Silver Hill's teachers would remain employees of the school district, according to School Committee member Joseph Bevilacqua.

"Unlike a regular charter school, a Horace Mann charter is a public school, so we would still have input," he said. "The critical component is to make sure the school shows measurable improvement each year."

Brenda J. Buote may be reached at bbuote@comcast.net