Canton High principal raises bar with technology, curriculum advancements

An enthusiastic CHS Principal Derek Folan has a message for all returning students and staff members: Be excited and get ready to be challenged.

Encouraged by a positive accreditation report from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Folan is eager to start a new school year and has set the bar extremely high, with the goal of taking CHS to the level of the best high schools in the state.

CHS Principal Derek Folan stands by the school’s core values and beliefs.

To accomplish this, Folan said he is looking for continuous improvement in student MCAS scores; further gains in Advanced Placement (AP) enrollment and testing; increased use of technology in the classroom; expanded offerings in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) and world languages; and increased participation in sports and activities.

Entering his third year as CHS principal, Folan said he is armed with a faculty and staff that is “second to none,” along with great support from the School Committee, Superintendent Jeff Granatino and his team of administrators, and the greater Canton community.

Folan is deeply committed to the school’s core values, which are posted throughout the building and attached to the bottom of every email he sends. They include academic excellence and rigor; inclusive community; respectful and responsible relationships; and continuous improvement.

Folan said there have already been some outstanding achievements at CHS in the past few years, especially with graduation rates and AP participation. But he won’t rest on those achievements. His ultimate goal is for every student to attain his or her academic potential and be afforded every opportunity to do so. Folan said he has a responsibility to move all students forward and address all individual needs. “Everyone is important,” he said.

Folan highlighted the following statistics as indicators that CHS is on the right track for advancement:

* In the last school year, 100 percent of the senior class earned a diploma.

* Of the graduates in the class of 2014, 91 percent will pursue some form of higher education, either at a four-year or two-year college. Nine percent will enter the military, prep school, or employment.

* Participation in the senior externship program has nearly tripled since it was launched five years ago. Last year, a total of 64 students — roughly one-third of the graduating class — completed an externship with a local business or organization.

* From 2013 to 2014, the number of AP courses offered at CHS increased from 11 to 17.

* Since 2012, total AP enrollment has risen from 271 to 436 — an increase of more than 60 percent — with the highest enrollments in psychology, biology, and calculus AB.

* The number of students taking an AP exam has more than doubled in the past five years, with 172 students participating in 2014 compared to 70 students in 2010.

* The percentage of students scoring 3 or higher (out of 5) on the AP tests rose from 73 in 2010 to 76 percent in 2014 after a couple of years in which the percentages dipped to 66 and 65 percent.

* Out-of-school suspensions dropped by 39 percent from 2013 to 2014.

* Two years ago, 40 Galvin Middle School eighth graders opted to attend either Blue Hills Regional Technical School or one of several area private schools. As of August 13, that number had been reduced to 26, with 14 students opting for Blue Hills and 12 students choosing to attend a private school.

What do these statistics tell Folan?

“It tells us we are challenging a higher number of students, our achievement level is rising, and our teachers are doing a phenomenal job,” he said.

Looking ahead to the new school year, Folan said there are several noteworthy changes, including a new requirement that all AP students must take the AP exam. Folan said the goal is to see increased participation in AP courses while bringing the percentage of students scoring three or higher to over 80 percent.

New STEAM offerings for this year include classes in engineering, construction and design, 3D design, and robotics. The World Languages Department has also added a Mandarin II course after introducing Mandarin in 2013.

Folan said there will also be new skills classes for English and math, and the school will continue to offer extended library hours after school with two staff members available to provide academic support.

Folan is particularly excited about the technology advances that are coming to CHS this year. The entire building will be wireless, and by the start of the third quarter, all students will be allowed to bring in their own devices — whether it be a laptop, tablet or smart phone — for use in the classroom. Those who cannot afford one will be able to use a device provided by the school.

“Technology will enhance learning in our classrooms,” said Folan, who enthusiastically supports the K-8 technology plan recently proposed by technology integration administrator April Goran. “Today, it is a technology-driven world, and all of our students should understand and benefit from it.”

Folan also hopes to build stronger partnerships with the local business community in an effort to expand student internship and externship opportunities.

“My belief is that all students, by the time they graduate, they should fulfill the opportunities they desire,” he said. “Everyone should have an authentic experience, whether it is an internship, externship, or a real-life situation in a classroom. Knowledge should not just be a multiple-choice test.”

Folan said Canton High will also host another showcase this year for middle school students and their parents, with representatives from every sports team and activity on hand to highlight all that the school has to offer.

“At CHS, it’s about student achievement as well as student experiences. They are equally important,” he said.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Aug 22 2014. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.