Quincy High School Improvement Plan 2025-2026
Quincy Public Schools
Quincy High School
School Improvement Plan
2025 - 2026
Keith Ford, Principal
Edward Smith, Assistant Principal
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Principal’s Path p. 3
A. Data Reflection
B. Goals Reflection
C. VOCAL Reflection
II. School Improvement Plan
A. Goal Statements and Action Steps p. 14
B. Professional Development Plan p. 38
C. Extended Day p. 40
D. Family Engagement and Communication p. 45
III. School Demographics p. 48
IV. Facilities p. 51
V. School Needs p. 53
VI. Budget p. 55
VII. Appendix p. 56
- Spring 2025 MCAS Data
- 2025 Accountability
- Spring 2025 VOCAL
- Completed Action Steps
- Staffing: Support Services
- School Council Members
- Principal’s Path
Dear Quincy School Committee, Students, Staff, Families, and Community Members,
It is with great pride we present this school improvement plan that reflects both the strides we have made as a school community and our collective, unwavering commitment to future growth.
In recent years, we have made immense progress in cultivating an environment that is truly safe, welcoming, and respectful for all students and staff at Quincy High School. These efforts are manifesting in positive outcomes across the board, most notably in our collective push to support every student’s daily engagement. We have seen much improvement in chronic absenteeism, a testament to the engaging environment and personalized care our staff provides.
Our dedication to high standards of quality was externally validated last year with the successful achievement of NEASC Accreditation, an accomplishment that reaffirms the quality of our institution and commitment to continuous improvement and accountability. Our efforts continue to be fully aligned with the QHS Vision of the Graduate: to help every student think for themselves, work together, share with the world, and be aware of self and others.
For our students, our support structures are stronger than ever. The Attendance Mentoring Team is again operational for the 2025-2026 school year, with already 30 students receiving personalized, one-on-one support - a number we expect to grow throughout the year. We have established the essential foundation for our Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and look forward to further developing its structure to offer a clear, tiered system of academic and social-emotional support for every student. We are also proud to offer a robust and diverse program of studies, complemented by an outstanding array of academic and athletic clubs and activities that ensure every student can find their place and pursue their interests.
To sustain a high standard for our educators and enhance the support for staff, we are investing deeply in our staff Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) which are again integrated into the daily school schedule. Our rebranded "Presidents Learning Community" has been exceptionally well received, with over 80 staff members participating in this voluntary, focused initiative. The QHS PLC’s provide dedicated time for staff to collaborate and refine instructional practices, share expertise, and better meet the diverse needs of all learners.
As we celebrate these foundational and community successes, we must also be transparent about where we need to focus our energy next. We acknowledge that our achievement data has recently declined, and we are ready to meet this challenge head-on. By leveraging the strong community we have built, the dedicated staff in place, and the targeted student systems being developed, we are confident we will see positive movement this year through instructional alignment, early identification, data driven refinement, and progress monitoring.
As we move forward, this vision for success is one that is shared by our entire community. Every staff member plays a vital role through instruction, mentorship, attendance outreach, or a daily word of encouragement. We invite our families and students to be active partners in this journey as every student, regardless of their starting point, deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
Thank you for your continued partnership and trust as we lead with clarity and purpose. Together, we will build on our momentum, support every student, and continue to create a climate and culture where all students can thrive and achieve.
______________________ ____________________
Edward Smith Marybeth Torpey
Acting Principal [1] Acting Assistant Principal
- Data Reflection
This section analyzes Quincy High School's performance on academic, growth and criterion referenced metrics, comparing data from the previous year (2024) to the current year (2025).
On the 2025 ACCESS test our cohort included 195 English Learners; 160 of which were eligible for the "Made Progress" metric. 35 students (22%) achieved their proficiency growth targets showing a decrease from the 27% progress rate recorded in 2024. Although below the previous year’s growth, there continues to be a positive long-term trend from the 12% rate in 2023.
In terms of Student Growth, in the all students category in ELA our students earned an SGP of 43.8 (typical growth low). In the all students category in Mathematics students earned an SGP 50.2 (typical growth high). A highlight in student growth was found in our Asian subgroup which earned a 54.2 SGP in ELA (typical growth high) and an SGP of 60.1 (exceeded typical growth). Areas that we will continue to focus on are Students with Disabilities (ELA 36.1, Math 40.9) and students within the Hispanic or Latino subgroup (ELA 36.7, Math 46.6)
On the 2025 Growth Indicator on the Accountability Report, QHS maintained the same level of growth, achieving 4 out of 8 points in ELA and sustained strong growth in Mathematics, earning 5 out of 8 of the total possible points. The overall student growth metric remains stable for both the “All Students” and “Lowest Performing Student” subgroups. This suggests that existing interventions for this group are maintaining performance but are not accelerating growth toward higher targets.
This performance comes in a year when statewide high school MCAS results also declined significantly, with the percentage of 10th-grade students meeting or exceeding expectations dropping by 6 percentage points in ELA (51%) (QHS 51% to 45%) and 3 percentage points in Math (45%) (QHS 43% to 33%), and 3 percentage points in Biology (46%) (QHS 43% to 37%) compared to the previous year.
Regardless of these state trends, our results indicate the need for a comprehensive analysis to ensure our instruction is rigorously aligned with state expectations and that every student is progressing toward competency. Our foundational work, specifically through curriculum guides and our Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), will assist in clarifying instructional priorities and providing equitable, differentiated, pathways for students to succeed.
The most significant positive trend in our data is the successful reduction of chronic absenteeism, which dropped from 30.9% to 24.8% for All Students, exceeding our targeted 5 percentage point reduction. Additionally, students within the English Learners and Former English Learners subgroup decreased 11.8%, dropping from 37.4% to 25.6% while Students with Disabilities and Hispanic or Latino students each dropped 9%, dropping from 46.7% to 37.7% and 41.2% to 32.2%, respectively.
- Goals Reflection
School-Wide and NEASC Goal Reflections
SMART Goal #1: NEASC Accreditation By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, all staff will work collaboratively to fully embed the school's Vision of a Graduate ("Think, Work, Share, Be Aware") into daily operations, continue the development and organization of curriculum guides in collaboration with the district, and effectively implement a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to support all students academically, behaviorally, and socially emotionally. This will be measured by the successful awarding of accreditation through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Reflection: Met. Through a high level of all-staff collaboration throughout the 2024-2025 school year. We effectively embedded our 'Think, Work, Share, Be Aware' values into daily operations while simultaneously implementing MTSS and organizing curriculum. The successful NEASC accreditation serves as the official validation of this deep, structural work and our shared commitment to every student's success.
SMART Goal # 2: Student Engagement/Chronic Absenteeism During the 2024-2025 school year, Quincy High School will reduce chronic absenteeism and strengthen the supportive and engaging learning environment for all students through the implementation of an early indicator system to proactively identify chronically absent students, development of a multi-tiered system of support with targeted interventions to engage students, and the recognition and celebration of
students who demonstrate consistent attendance and improvement. This will be measured by a reduction in the chronically absenteeism rate by 5% from a base of 30.9% to 25.9%.
Reflection: Met. QHS successfully met this goal by reducing our chronic absenteeism rate from 30.9% to 24.8%, achieving and exceeding the targeted 5% reduction. This success directly reflects the effective implementation of our strategy, which included establishing an early indicator system to proactively identify students and developing a comprehensive multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) with targeted interventions. A renewed focus on recognizing and celebrating consistent attendance and improvement reinforced a positive and engaging school culture, validating the effort of all staff to strengthen the supportive learning environment for every Quincy High School student.
SMART Goal #3: Improve Achievement for our Lowest Performing Students During the 2024-2025 school year, Quincy High School will significantly increase the academic achievement, growth, and attendance rate of our lowest-performing students (LPS), as identified in the state accountability report, by earning 12 or more points (out of 24) in the LPS category of the 2025 school accountability report (from a base of 8 out of 24 points in 2024).
Reflection: Did not meet. While we did not meet this specific quantitative goal, our commitment to this group of students remains a top priority. We recognize that this accountability metric is complex and that the deep, systemic changes required to support students with the most significant needs take sustained effort. This year, we laid the groundwork for new interventions and support systems. We will continue to implement and refine these strategies, using our data to make informed adjustments. Our focus on our Lowest Performing students will not waiver, and we are dedicated to continuing this critical work to close achievement gaps and ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.
Department Goals Reflections
Art Department Goal: During the 2024-2025 school year, the Visual Arts Department will provide opportunities for students to participate in collaborative learning opportunities in order to take responsibility for and deepen their learning. This goal will be evidenced by visual arts students participating in activities before or after a long-term assignment (project) twice a school year. These activities could include but are not limited to using academic language in a brainstorming session, peer critique, or group goal oriented task.
Reflection: Met. The Art Department has been able to design and administer lessons to students in all studio art classes to work on long term assignments at least twice during the school year. In these multi-step projects, students organized and developed ideas and artwork through planning, revising, self critiquing and/or group critiques, finally selecting and submitting finished work for final assessments.
CVTE Department Goal: During the 2024 - 2025 school year, in an effort to improve math fluency and support Standard 2 (Technical and Integrated Academic Standards) in the Massachusetts DESE CVTE Curriculum Frameworks, the CVTE department will design, develop, and implement three math lessons for each course in the domain of measurement and data. This goal will be evidenced by 80% of students obtaining a grade of 75% or higher on an end-of-lesson summative evaluation.
Reflection: Progress Made. The CVTE department made progress toward achieving this goal. The majority (but not all) of our 15 programs designed and implemented at least three math lessons for each course with more than 80% of students obtaining a grade of 75% or higher on an end-of-lesson summative evaluation. CVTE staff are continuing to utilize these lessons into the 2025-2026 school year.
Deans’ Team Goal: During the 2024 - 2025 school year, the Dean’s Team will significantly reduce both student tardiness and suspension rates by 2% each term (8% by year's end) through the implementation of proactive and restorative disciplinary practices. By implementing the following strategies, deans can create a more positive and supportive school environment, leading to a decrease in tardiness and suspension rates.
Reflection: Progress Made. The Dean’s team addressed student tardiness with the implementation of proactive and restorative practices such as in person meetings, phone calls home and incentive programs. While we did see a significant decrease in daily chronic absenteeism, unfortunately, we did have an increase in students tardy to school. The Dean’s team addressed student suspensions by implementing positive and supportive interventions such as restorative circles, phone calls home, family meetings and incentive programs and QHS saw a 9% decrease in the number of incidents resulting in suspension.
ELE Department Goal: During the 2024-2025 school year, the percentage of English Learners in grades 9-12 who make progress towards their proficiency targets will increase 7% from a base of 24% to 31% on the Access for ELLs English Language Proficiency Test (EL327).
Reflection: Not met. 22% of the English Learners made progress toward their proficiency targets, representing a 2% decrease from the baseline. The result was below the school goal (31%), state (44%), and district (51%). The data provides valuable insight into areas for targeted improvement. This outcome highlights opportunities to strengthen the consistency and impact of language development instruction along with ongoing progress monitoring to influence instruction and student outcomes.
English Department Goal: By the end of the 2024-25 school year, the first year in a proposed three year professional development plan, the English department will develop detailed curriculum guides for grades 9 and 10, differentiated by CCP, Honors, and Advanced levels. These maps will specifically lay out the texts we can use in each course, the specific framework standards we concentrate on in each text, and specific assessments teachers use to assess those standards.
Reflection: Met. The English department has completed the goal of creating these curriculum guides, although we have recognized that the final step, the specific assessments, will be constantly evolving and will require regular maintenance and updating.
Math Department Goal: Math Department Goal: During the 2024-2025 school year, the QHS Mathematics Department will implement “low floor, high ceiling” teaching strategies to increase student engagement and accelerate student learning and growth. These efforts will result in an increase in the percentage of students Meeting or Exceeding Expectations on the 2025 Mathematics MCAS by 3% from a base of 43% in 2024 (MCAS Report PE305)
Reflection: Not Met. The QHS Math Department implemented many “low floor, high ceiling” teaching strategies to accelerate student learning and growth and saw perceivable growth in student perseverance. Despite these efforts, we were unable to achieve our goal of improving last year’s MCAS Meeting or Exceeding Expectations percentage total.
Music Department Goal (2024-2025): Throughout the year we provide students with numerous opportunities to highlight their growth and accomplishment in music through concerts, recitals, and other performances. During the 2024-2025 school year, the high school music department will continue to focus on improving student proficiency in music literacy and fundamentals. Last school year we attained an overall improvement of 10% between the initial and post assessment results despite not being able to administer a mid-year assessment. This year, we intend to administer three assessments to measure student progress toward proficiency in music literacy: an initial, mid-year and final assessment. By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, we aim to achieve a 3% increase in average scores from the baseline of the initial assessment to the final assessment.
Reflection: Met. During the 2024–2025 school year, the music department deepened its focus on student music literacy, expanding from two to three assessments and achieving a 13.62% growth from fall to spring—surpassing our 3% goal. The additional mid-year assessment allowed us to refine instruction and identify targeted areas for improvement.
Science Department Goal: During the 2024-2025 school year, the Quincy High School science department will decrease the percentage of students not meeting expectations by 2% compared to the 2024 Biology MCAS results (base of 21%). Achievement of this goal will be attained by continuing to build curriculum maps that align methodologies across content areas to include shared practice MCAS questions (used on both formative and summative assessments), literary texts and sentence-frame worksheets to assist students with reading comprehension, as well as extensive practice and utilization of scientific vocabulary and procedures throughout the school year.
Reflection: Not Met. The QHS Science Department worked to incorporate various shared practice questions on formative and summative assignments increasing student exposure to what is expected on the science MCAS. Unfortunately, we were unable to achieve our goal of decreasing the percentage of students not meeting expectations.
Social Studies Department Goal 2024-2025: In each curriculum unit, students will improve their ability to Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of historical topics and texts using valid historical reasoning with relevant and sufficient evidence.* This will be evident through the students’ valid and accurate use of content specific evidence and increasing use of social studies content specific vocabulary to support their clearly stated claim on unit assessments. By June 2025, 100% of Quincy High School Social Studies courses will have a written curriculum in a consistent format that includes units of study with guiding/essential questions, concepts, content, and skills and integrates the school's vision of the graduate according to NEASC Principle 2.2, Foundational Element 2.2a.
Reflection: Progress Made. Students improved their ability to write arguments and use historical reasoning as evidenced by unit assessments administered by social studies teachers. All core courses have a complete, consistent written curriculum. Elective courses are in progress.
Special Education Department Goal: By the end of the 2024-25 school year, each liaison in the special education department will have converted the old form IEPs to the new, more student-driven one. They will have met with the respective student and developed a comprehensive Transition Planning Form (TPF) to present at the Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting, during which they will introduce the family to the form.
Reflection: Met. The special education department has achieved its goal of converting all, old form IEPs, to the new more student-driven one and developed a transitional planning google form that is used as a tool by liaisons to allow students to share their vision and goals they have for themselves.
Student Support Goal: By June 2025, school counselors and psychologists will collaborate with classroom teachers to implement trauma informed practices and a tiered system of support to all students grades 9-12. This will be achieved through a series of professional development sessions, joint planning meetings, and the creation of a comprehensive resource guide, ensuring that each classroom has access to trauma-sensitive strategies and interventions. The student support team (counselors, school psychologist, adjustment counselor, health interventionist, health teachers) will participate a series of Trauma Informed Practices Professional Development sessions and joint planning meetings to support the social-emotional wellness and mental health needs of students and will continue to support the implementation of SEL and restorative practices that address harm and conflict.
Reflection: Met. All members of the Student Support Team participated in professional development sessions and joint planning meetings to support the social-emotional wellness and mental health needs of our students. The newly created QHS Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) manual was finalized and distributed to the entire QHS staff in November 2024, ensuring that all teachers have access to the tiered system. While extensive progress was made through educating staff and an increased focus on building positive relationships; we now look forward to the implementation of strategies and interventions across every classroom.
QHS Wellness Goal: In the 2024-2025 School Year, the QHS Wellness Department will implement opportunities for students to increase their overall physical and social/emotional wellness through structured lessons in the health classroom as well as practicing those skills in a physical education setting. Our focus will be on transferable skills, knowledge, and understanding necessary for future success by educating students on the topics of stress management, decision making, relationship building/boundary setting and overall self care practices. All lessons will be aligned with the SHAPE America National Health and Physical Education standards as well as the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. This goal will be evidenced by 90% of students passing their health and physical education courses for the year.
Reflection: Met. The wellness team made progress towards their goal by achieving a 96% passing rate for health classes and an 88% passing rate for physical education. Our combined average was 92% for both physical education and health.
World Language Department Goal: The World Language Department aims to transition to a proficiency-based curriculum by June 2025, ensuring consistent student learning experiences focused on practical communication in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Teachers will adopt and use proficiency-based resources to foster communication skills over perfection, demonstrated through observations and student work across quarters. Completion of curriculum guides aligned with the new pedagogy may extend beyond a year for all courses.
Reflection: Not Met, Progress Made. Shared curriculum writing between NQHS and QHS continues (started in Summer 2025). Teachers in Spanish and French have been using proficiency-based resources as a supplement to their personal curriculum. Curriculum writing will continue as more authentic resources are added.
- VOCAL Reflection
The 2024-2025 Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) survey results provide valuable insight into our school community, and we are encouraged to see positive improvement in several key areas, contributing to a 1% increase in our overall school climate metric. This growth is a testament to our staff's and students' focused efforts to foster a more respectful and inclusive environment.
We saw a significant and heartening increase in the perception that "Adults working at this school treat all students respectfully," which rose from 88% to 91.5%.
We achieved an 8% jump in students feeling that "Students respect one another," increasing from 53% to 61%, indicating a tangible, positive shift in peer-to-peer culture.
This positive trend also extended to academics, as students' confidence in their post-secondary readiness grew, with "My teachers inspire confidence in my ability to be ready for college or career" rising from 77% to 80%.
While these gains are worth celebrating, the VOCAL survey also identified critical areas for sustained focus, particularly regarding student safety and emotional well-being. The survey provided evidence of growth in overall respect (81% to 83.5%), the reporting of students being teased or picked on—including those reporting it due to race or ethnicity, (22% to 17.9%) students witnessing groups picking on one student (40% to 33.5%), and students with learning or physical difficulties being targeted (33% to 28.4%). This signals that, while our work is not yet complete, our dedication to creating a safe and inclusive environment is on the right track.
- School Improvement Plan
- Goal Statements and Action Steps
School-Wide SMART Goal # 1: Academic Achievement During the 2025-2026 school year, Quincy High School will increase the academic achievement as identified in the state accountability report, by earning 12 or more points out of 24 on the 2026 school accountability report. (From a base of 0 out of 24)
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Identify specific grade 9 and 10 ELA, math, and science courses and ensure all teachers have access to up-to-date, aligned curriculum materials and technology (e.g., online platforms with adaptive practice tests or digital resources) that support differentiated instruction and test familiarity | September - November | Curriculum Maps and Course Syllabi | Teachers and Department Chairs | Continued | ||
2 | Support departments in creating high-quality, common formative assessments that mirror the cognitive complexity and format of the MCAS. These assessments will provide the necessary real-time, actionable data needed to adjust instruction before the end-of-year test. | Quarter 2 - 4, and on-going | Classroom assessments | All Teachers and Department Chairs | New | ||
3 | Identify the projected lowest performing grade 9 and 10 students using 8th grade MCAS data. Share with ELA, Math, and Science Department Heads | Quarter 1: ongoing updates | QHS LPS Sheet | MTSS | Revised | ||
4 | Investigate non-academic factors for projected Lowest Performing Students. Review attendance, behavior incidents, and historical data to identify potential factors like chronic absenteeism, organization, time management. | Quarter 2 | LPS List, MTSS meeting notes | MTSS Team, ELA, Math, Science Chairs | Revised | ||
5 | Identify students failing one or two courses, communicate through HSLT to teachers who will create individualized students success plans for students in their classes. Templates, strategies, and prompts will be provided by the MTSS team. | Quarterly November January April | Student lists, communication logs | MTSS team, Department Chairs, Student Support Team, Teachers | Revised | ||
6 | Utilize flexible small-group instruction (3-6 students) focused on one specific skill gap identified by data (e.g., inferencing, solving multi-step equations). | Quarter 2 - 4 | Lesson Plans | All Staff | New | ||
7 | Department chairs and teachers analyze student performance quarterly and update Success Plans. Teachers make instructional adjustments and provide targeted support based on results. | Ongoing with quarterly check points | Dept. Meetings updated Student Success Plans | All Staff | New | ||
8 | Identify students failing three or more courses and assign each students a Case Manager from Deans, Counselors, and HSLT team to develop academic success plans that provide progress monitoring and targeted interventions | Quarterly November January April | Report Card data via aspen Shared Google Sheets | HSLT MTSS | Revised | ||
9 | Case Manager will schedule a meeting with the student, their parents/guardians, to identify barriers in order to develop an individualized success plan | Quarter 2-4 | QHS Data Sheet, Aspen Journal | Admin Team, Deans, Student Support | New | ||
10 | Launch a school-wide campaign to reframe MCAS. Focus messaging on the test as an opportunity for: demonstrating mastery for graduation requirements, identifying skills needed for college/career success, and the school's pride and reputation. | Quarter 2: Planning Quarter ¾: Implementation | Announcements, bulletin, tv/film promotions | Admin Team HSLT All Staff | New | ||
11 | Dedicate specific, structured time slots (e.g., during an advisory or block period) in the 6-8 weeks leading up to the test for practice focusing on the most frequently missed standards and specific MCAS question types (e.g., constructed responses, technology-enhanced items). | Quarter 3 | Advisory Agendas, Lesson Plans, HSLT Notes | Admin Team, HSLT, Advisory Team | New | ||
14 | Start each test day with a brief, upbeat motivational message (delivered by the Principal or a student leader) and a reminder of the school's belief in the students' abilities. | During MCAS Testing | Morning Announcements | Admin Team | New | ||
12 | Train all 9th-grade teachers, department chairs, and relevant support staff on MAP testing logistics, administration best practices, and, most critically, how to interpret the RIT scores and diagnostic reports to inform instruction. | December 2025 | Training Docs | Admin Team HSLT Grade 9 Teachers | New | ||
13 | Conduct the first MAP testing window in a low-stakes environment. Communicate the purpose to students and parents: diagnostics, not grades. | December 2025 | MAP Data | Grade 9 Teachers | New | ||
14 | Teachers use MAP data to create flexible, skills-based small groups within the classroom to provide differentiated instruction and targeted review on specific learning objectives (e.g., "Main Idea Identification" or "Solving Multi-Step Equations"). | January 2025 | Lesson Plans, Classroom Observations | HSLT Grade 9 Teachers | New | ||
15 | Recognize students who demonstrate improvement through raffles, school store bucks, Recognition of Effort awards, and public acknowledgment. | Ongoing | ROE Recipients, weekly, quarterly, raffles | All Staff | Continued | ||
School-Wide and Deans Team SMART Goal # 2: Student Attendance & Chronic Absenteeism During the 2025–2026 school year, Quincy High School will implement targeted, data-driven strategies and interventions to reduce the percentage of students classified as chronically absent (defined as missing 10% or more of instructional days) by 5.8 percentage points from a baseline of 24.8% to 19%.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Implement Tier 1 school-wide engagement strategies — attendance messaging in morning announcements, visible data displays, and student-led “Win the Day” campaigns, and hold advisory periods focused on Attendance Matters campaign | Weekly | Announcement records; Visual displays Advisory Materials | HSLT STUCO; Deans CCC | New | ||
2 | Work with teachers, counselors, and all staff to make attendance a regular part of school conversations and celebrations. Encourage teachers to post class attendance goals, give shout-outs during homeroom or advisory period, and reinforce that showing up every day is part of school pride. | October 2025 and continue throughout the school year. | Fliers of school-wide initiatives, communications to staff | Deans Team | New | ||
3 | Continue monthly attendance incentive challenges between grade levels, including raffles, celebrations, and recognition. | Monthly | Raffle logs; Celebration records | MTSS Team; HSLT Deans; STUCO | Continued | ||
4 | Send positive attendance recognition letters to students demonstrating perfect or improved attendance. Publicly recognize students in newsletters and President’s Bulletin | Monthly/ Quarterly | Letter templates; Attendance lists; Communication logs | Admin Deans, Student Support | Continued | ||
5 | Generate weekly attendance reports to identify students who are approaching or already at chronic absenteeism status (10+% absences). | Weekly | Attendance data reports; Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) | Attendance Team; Data Team | Continued | ||
6 | Monitor progress quarterly and adjust strategies using attendance dashboards, student feedback, and intervention outcomes. | Quarterly | Attendance list | HSLT, Student Support, MTSS | Continued | ||
7 | Establish Chronically absent attendance roster after Q1 using Aspen attendance data to analyze current attendance records and assign each student to the appropriate attendance mentor | Nov 2025 | Database report showing chronic absenteeism rate, tiered student list | Student Support Deans Team | Continued | ||
8 | Inform and engage families and caregivers through outreach calls, letters, meetings, and translation support to address barriers to attendance. | Monthly | Communication logs; Meeting notes | Deans, Student Support, ELE, Family Liaisons | New | ||
9 | Implement ongoing student and family engagement strategies: attendance monitoring, check-ins, goal-setting, and positive outreach to address barriers. | Ongoing throughout the school year | Attendance records, family communication logs; student reflections | Student Support and Deans Team | Continued | ||
10 | Develop targeted Tier 2/3 intervention plans for chronically absent students, including attendance contracts, family meetings, and individualized supports. | Monthly | Intervention plan documentation; Meeting Notes | Attendance Team, Student Support, Deans | Continued | ||
11 | Partner with community organizations (e.g., Aspire Counseling, Walker Therapeutic, Big Brothers Big Sisters) to address external barriers to attendance (transportation, wellness, counseling). | Ongoing | Partnership agreements;Service logs | Student Support | Continued | ||
12 | Celebrate progress at the end of each month/quarter with attendance awards, certificates, recognition of effort award and “President’s Pride” recognition. | Monthly/ Quarterly | Admin | Certificates, | Continued | ||
13 | Student Voice suggestion form to allow students to offer suggestions and provide feedback on attendance and overall climate | Weekly | Google forms stationed in central locations around the building | STUCO, Admin Student Support | New | ||
Department Goals:
Art Department Goal: During the 2025-2026 school year, the Visual Arts Department will incorporate cooperative learning opportunities. This goal will be evidenced by visual arts students working in small groups at least twice a school year, with at least a 70% participation rate. The learning opportunities will support our multilingual learners and the diverse needs of all students. Activities could include, but are not limited to in-process peer review, using Visual Thinking Strategies, goal-oriented tasks, or formal group critiques.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Teachers will participate in city-wide PD | November 2025 | Attendance | QHS Art Department | continued | ||
2 | Teachers will complete a cooperative learning activity with students | December 2025 | Written observations, student evidence, and student work | QHS Art Department | new | ||
3 | Teachers will add to the collaborative document, brainstorming and revising ideas for cooperative learning activities | January 2026 | Google Document | QHS Art Department | new | ||
4 | Teachers will brainstorm opportunities to incentivize open studio time | TBD Based on PD Schedule | Google Document | QHS Art Department | new | ||
5 | Teachers will complete a collaborative learning activity with students | by April 2025 | Observations, student evidence, and student work | QHS Art Department | new | ||
6 | Teachers will reflect on the collaborative learning experiences throughout the school year and add thoughts to the original brainstorming document | by May 2025 | Google Document | QHS Art Department | new | ||
Culture & Climate Committee Goal: During the 2025-2026 school year, the Culture and Climate Committee will focus on improving the overall Culture and Climate of Quincy High School students and staff through monthly advisory meetings, collaboration among students, and opportunities for student voices to be heard. This will be measured by a 10% increase in student approval of the Advisory (from a base of 48.7%), as to be measured on an end of year Advisory Survey.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | The team will create grade-specific advisory lesson plans for October through May of the 2025-2026 school year. | June 2025 - May 2026 | Lesson Plans, Meeting Notes | C3 Members | New | ||
2 | Students in Advisory will engage in collaborative activities with peers, as administered by staff members. | September 2025 - May 2026 | Lesson Plans, Staff Feedback Forms | Students, Staff | New | ||
3 | Students in Advisory will have the opportunity to earn community service toward their community service goals. | September 2025 - May 2026 | Lesson Plans, Staff Feedback Forms | Students, Staff | New | ||
4 | Convene a preliminary working group (including representatives from administration, faculty, and key parent/student groups) to draft a conceptual outline for a potential all-school community event. | September 2025 - March 2026 | Lesson Plans, Meeting Notes | Students, Staff | New | ||
5 | The team will create and administer an end of year survey to students in order to gain valuable student feedback, reflect on this year and plan for 2026-2027. | May-June 2026 | Survey | C3 Members | New | ||
CVTE Department Goal: In an effort to support DESE’s MyCAP initiative, the CVTE department will create a new career-readiness continuum of learning. The continuum will feature grade-specific learning activities which focus on the obtainment of soft skills. Evidence of this goal will be measured by a score of at least 80% on lesson assessments by 80% of the 775 CVTE students in grades 10-12.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Survey teachers to identify the learning objectives for the continuum of learning | Term 1 | Survey Results | CVTE Teachers | New | ||
2 | Determine the grade level that is appropriate for each learning objective | Term 1 | Assigned learning objectives | Goal Development Team | New | ||
3 | Create lessons for each learning objective, complete with activities and assessments: Freshmen: Completing a job application, Professionalism and Workplace Behavior Sophomores: Communication and Teamwork; Time Management and Work Ethic; Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Juniors: Writing a resume; Writing a Cover Letter and Thank You Letter; Creating a work-based learning sample Seniors: Creation of a digital Senior Portfolio; Mock Interviews; Portfolio Presentations | Term 2 | Lessons | Goal Development Team | New | ||
4 | Determine deadlines for the completion of lessons | Term 2 | List of deadlines | Goal Development Team | New | ||
5 | Implement lessons | Terms 3 and 4 | Lesson artifacts | All CVTE Teachers | New | ||
6 | Administer assessments | Terms 3 and 4 | Lesson assessments | All CVTE Teachers | New | ||
7 | Obtain feedback from teachers regarding positive aspects of the lessons and areas for improvement, and plan changes for future years | Term 4 | Survey results | Goal Development Team | New | ||
ECHS Department Goal: By June 2026, the ECHS Department will increase the percentage of Grade 12 students who complete their FAFSA, postsecondary applications, or career plans from 70% to 85%. Progress will be measured quarterly through completion data, support block participation, and documented advising sessions
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Our strategy is to tailor support blocks to meet students where they are socially, academically, and emotionally. Each topic will fit the needs of students by grade level | Fall 2025-Spring 2026 | Gr 9: Support Plan Gr 10: Support Plan Gr 11: Support Plan Gr 12: Support Plan | Eli/Tim | Grade 9, 10, 12 (Revised) Grade 11 (Continued) | ||
2 | Ensure that grade 12 students complete all college applications and FAFSA prior to December in order to reduce stress, allowing students to stay focused on their academic work | Fall 2025 | Students have been completing college applications and FAFSA prior to November | Eli/Tim | Continued | ||
3 | Focus on leadership throughout the school year via the Appointed to Lead sessions and activities. This is catered specifically to the Grade 10 class | Fall 2025-Spring 2026 | The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership (24-25) | Eli/Tim | New | ||
ELE Department Goal: By June 2026, the English Learner Department will accelerate students’ language development by achieving at least a 5% increase in students who meet their proficiency goal compared to the 24-25 baseline of 22%. At least 80% of students will demonstrate language development by making progress in the Language Growth Measure (new common assessment).
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Incorporating student voice in setting and monitoring individual language development goals and student success plans throughout the year. | October and May | Student surveys and Example of Teacher presentations | Every teacher in the ELE department | Revised | ||
2 | Collaborating with content-area teachers to design and deliver lessons with intentional language and content scaffolds. Facilitating classroom observation among ESL and content teachers for expertise sharing and reflective practice. | October- June 2026 | ELE Support Hub, Peer Shadowing Notes, scaffolding and planning notes | ELE Department Head | New | ||
3 | Implementing high-quality assessments (benchmarks and unit assessments) each quarter to monitor progress, adjust supports, and inform instruction. | October and May | Data from the assessments in Formative. | Entire ELE Department | New | ||
4 | Boosting engagement by delivering high-expectation instruction grounded in the WIDA Can Do philosophy and the Teaching Learning Cycle. | Throughout 2025-2026 School Year | Classroom observations and walkthrough data | Every teacher in the bilingual department | New | ||
5 | Centering teacher voice in professional development by conducting needs-based teacher surveys and building PD sessions that are informed by teacher feedback. | Throughout 2025-2026 School Year | Surveys shared with the teachers and meeting agendas | ELE Department Head, all teachers | New | ||
6 | Elevating student voice by administering student surveys twice a year to assess sense of belonging, empowerment, and classroom support. | Beginning of year and end of year survey. | Student Survey Results | ELE Department Head and teachers | New | ||
7 | Sharing student performance data with both ESL and content teachers | Throughout the year. | Data Files | ELE Dept. | New | ||
8 | Launching a family engagement initiative and hold at least one meeting this year. | Parent Conference | Meeting prep materials, parent survey. | Dept., community facilitators. | Revised | ||
English Department Goal: The English department plans to focus on fostering literacy and promoting reading both inside and outside of the classroom. Through both curricular and extra-curricular means, we aspire to boost reading in general and reading skills specifically. It is our hope that these deliberate adjustments in focus will produce enhanced learning outcomes such that by the end of May 2026, 90% of our 9th and 10th graders will achieve a score on grade-level standardized rubrics assessing students’ use of textual evidence of “Meets the Standard” on the initial draft of an essay written as a summative assessment.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued |
1 | Comparative analysis of existing grade-level Evidence rubrics. | October PD meeting | Submitted rubrics | English department staff | New |
2 | Meet with Lauren Vogel to discuss ideas for increasing promotion of and student use of the library. | October PD Meeting | Meeting agenda | Lauren Vogel and English department staff | New |
3 | Agreement by grade-level on the particulars of the Evidence rubrics, with emphasis on the requirements for meeting the standard. | December PD meeting | Meeting agenda | English department staff | New |
4 | Create an English department staff bookworm to be displayed in D2 hallway space. | Ongoing | Public hallway display in D2 corridor. | Julia Stevens (creation); All QHS staff (content) | New |
5 | Utilization of the rubric to achieve a baseline score for 9th and 10th graders. | Prior to end of term 2 | Teacher grading records | 9th and 10th grade English teachers | New |
6 | Focused instruction on meeting the standard, with extra emphasis placed on the lowest performing students as defined by both our baseline assessment and by DESE. | Ongoing through May 2026 | Teacher lesson plans and records of assignments. | 9th and 10th grade English teachers | New |
7 | Administration of final writing assessment to collect end-of-year data. | June 2026 |
| 9th and 10th grade English teachers | New |
Math Department Goal: During the 2025-2026 school year, the QHS Mathematics Department will create formal systems for students to track their understanding and areas for growth, create and implement formal lessons that target effective preparation strategies for math exams, while piloting a math peer tutoring system. These efforts will improve student growth and result in an increase of 3 percentage points on departmental final exams (FY25 vs FY26) which will coincide with a 3 percentage point increase for 10th graders who are Meeting or Exceeding Expectations on the MCAS exam.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Accumulate and analyze data from the 2025 Final Exams. | October 2025 | Collected data around Final Exam averages and score distributions | Math Dept | New | ||
2 | Investigate and pilot a peer tutoring system during study halls. | 25-26 | System piloted | Math Dept | New | ||
3 | Identify study halls to pilot and prepare them | October 2025 | Studies Identified | Dept Chair and Admin | New | ||
4 | Identify, incentivize and train student tutors | October 2025 | Tutors identified and trained | Math Dept | New | ||
5 | Create a system where students/teachers can sign up for tutoring during specified time blocks | Spring 2025 | System created and operational | Math Dept and Admin | New | ||
6 | Create a formal lesson that models how to prepare for mathematics assessments. | Spring 2025 | Lesson created and shared | Math Dept | New | ||
7 | All teachers in all classes teach this lesson. | 25-26 | Lesson taught | Math Dept | New | ||
8 | Create/share explicit strategies to help students track areas for growth and address them before assessments. | Spring 2025 | Strategies agreed upon. | Math Dept | New | ||
9 | All teachers utilize these strategies in order to improve students performance on assessments | 25-26 | Strategies implemented | Math Dept | New | ||
10 | Investigate and implement strategies for improving student investment in positive outcomes on cumulative tests (midyears, finals and MCAS) | 25-26 | Strategies investigated and implemented | Math Dept QHS Admin | New | ||
Music Department Goal (2025-2026) Throughout the 2025–2026 school year, the high school music department will focus on improving student proficiency in music literacy and fundamental skills. Students will complete three common assessments (initial, mid-year, and final) to measure their growth. Based on the results of the initial and mid-year assessments, we will identify as a team the content areas that need further improvement and adjust our instructional practices accordingly. Building on last year’s success of exceeding our 3% growth target, our goal this year is to achieve a 5% average increase in scores from the initial to the final assessment.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Status New, Revised, or Continued |
1 | Review the results of last year’s Music Department Goal | September 2025 | Music Department Meeting 9.2.25 | Department | Continued |
2 | Draft Report of Results to be shared with the team | September 2025 | Review of Music Department Goal 2024-2025 | DeMarco | New |
3 | Update Digitization of Initial Assessment for use by the whole department | September 2025 | Completed Initial Music Literacy Assessment 2025-2026 | DeMarco | Revised |
4 | Administer Initial Assessment | By Oct 8, 2025 | Initial Assessment | Department | Continued |
5 | Discuss results from the Initial Assessment | October 8, 2025 | Spreadsheet of results from Initial Assessment | Department | Continued |
6 | Discuss Culture & Climate Questions | October 8, 2025 | Meeting Notes from 10.8.25 | Department | New |
7 | Select Winter Concert Repertoire to help students progress in music literacy | October 2025 | Winter Concert Programs for Band & Choir | Band Team & Choral Team | Continued |
8 | Implement Mid-year Assessment | By End of January 2026 | Mid-Year Assessment 2025-2026 | Department | New |
9 | Compare & Discuss results from initial & mid-year assessments | February 2026 | Department Meeting Notes from 2/11/26 Mid-Year Assessment Results | Department | Continued |
10 | Select Spring Concert Repertoire based on assessment results | February 2026 | Spring Concert Programs for Band & Choir | Band Team & Choral Team | Continued |
11 | Implement Final Year Assessment | By End of May 2026 | Final Assessment 2025-2026 | Department | Continued |
12 | Discuss Final Results and implications for future curriculum development | May 2026 | Department Meeting Notes from 5/20/26 Final Assessment Results | Department | Continued |
PLC Department Goal: By May 2026, QHS Presidents Learning Community will enhance classroom approaches and foster collegiality by investigating/studying educational craft, learning from colleagues, and exploring the work of other teachers. This will happen, specifically, through peer observations, the act of re-examining and reimaging lesson plans through interdisciplinary lenses, and the sharing of expertise in round table discussions. Accomplishment of this goal will be measured by 95% or more of staff agreeing or strongly agreeing that PLC enhanced classroom approaches and fostered collegiality on the end of year PLC survey.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | QHS PLC will use a “Surface Areas” activity from You Are An Artist to generate collegiality and to support new teachers | September 2025 - October 2025 | Meeting notes, exemplars, PLC member end-of-year survey | PLC Organizers and PLC Team Members | New | ||
2 | QHS PLC will use a round table discussion to discuss grading policies, use of technology, and encouraging student engagement. | November 2025 | Meeting notes, exemplars, PLC member end-of-year survey | PLC Organizers and PLC Team Members | New | ||
3 | QHS PLC organizers will help to facilitate and troubleshoot QHS Parent Conference Nights. | November 2025 | PTC Fast sheets, End-of-year PLC member survey | PLC Organizers and PLC Team Members | New | ||
4 | QHS PLC will share sample lesson plans that reflect the workshopping that occurred in the meetings / the interdisciplinary approach. | October 2025 - January 2026 | Meeting notes, Exemplar lessons, PLC member end-of-year survey | PLC Organizers and PLC Team Members | New | ||
5 | QHS PLC will share sample observation notes from peer observations – highlighting wins that can be takeaways for newer teachers and interested educators. | January 2026 - April 2026 | Meeting notes, Published notes, Member end-of-year survey | PLC Organizers and PLC Team Members | New | ||
6 | QHS PLC will create and administer and end of year staff survey to gain valuable teacher feedback, reflect on this year and plan for 26-27 | May - June 2026 | Survey | PLC Organizers | New | ||
Science Department Goal: During the 2025-2026 school year, the Quincy High School science department will increase student engagement and achievement through the systematic integration of the MA Science and Engineering Practice of Engaging in Argument using Evidence across all science courses. Teachers will monitor progress through the implementation of shared practices through both formative and summative assessments, engagement of students of all levels in inquiry-based learning and the incorporation of culturally responsive teaching across the various curricula. Achievement of this goal will be measured by a 1.5% increase in student term performance each quarter from a baseline of 84% in Quarter 1.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Align curriculum and identify common units of study, guiding/ essential questions, concepts, content and skills for courses. | During Dept PD | Curriculum pacing guides and shared drive | Science Team | Continued | ||
2 | Assign a real world, phenomena based question for students to analyze, integrate, evaluate and complete for each unit of study. | Once/unit | Completed problem | Science Team | Continued | ||
3 | Incorporate at least one AP Classroom generated open response question practice during the unit | Once/unit | Completed worksheet or assessment | AP teachers | Continued | ||
4 | Incorporate student-choice into at least one assignment in each unit of study. | Once/unit | Completed activity | Science Team | New | ||
5 | Incorporate questions and language into class assignments and daily activators that require evidence to support reasoning. | Ongoing | Assignments or daily activators; student work samples. | Science Team | New | ||
6 | Adopt and use a standardized rubric into the assessment process to consistently measure student use of evidence to support reasoning. | Once/unit | Assessment | Science Team | New | ||
7 | Have interdepartmental discussions with teachers about best practices to support EL students in science courses. | Ongoing | Emails, shared folder of scaffolded materials. | Science Team | New | ||
8 | Have ongoing discussions with SPED teachers/liaisons about best practices to support student success in science. | Ongoing | Emails, IEP Reports, scaffolded materials. | Science Team | New | ||
9 | Provide students and families with timely feedback on assignments that highlights both areas of strength and areas of improvement. | Ongoing | Gradebooks, assignment comments, student work, communications to families | Science Team | New | ||
10 | Provide opportunities for students to give feedback on instruction methods and make appropriate modifications. | Once per term | Student surveys, in-class discussions. | Science Team | New | ||
Social Studies Department Goal: By the end of the 2025-2026 school year, all social studies students will improve their ability to determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source and independently and proficiently read and comprehend history/social studies texts exhibiting complexity appropriate for the grade/course.* Success of this goal will be shown by a 15% growth on a collaboratively designed pre/post-test measuring student reading comprehension of social studies texts. *Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework, History and Social Science Reading Standards for Literacy in the Content Areas: [RCA-H] #2 & #10 pp.180
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Teachers form small curriculum teams based on common courses taught | 10/8/2025 | meeting agenda/minutes | Dept. Chair | New | ||
2 | Identify Core Skills & Standards: Teachers will meet to determine which reading comprehension skills (e.g., main idea, sourcing, contextualization, inference, point-of-view analysis) should be measured in the pre- and post-tests. | 10/8/2025 | meeting agenda/minutes | Social Studies Curriculum Teams | New | ||
3 | Explicitly teach students to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in historical texts. | Twice per Unit | Lesson Plans, Unit Plans, Curriculum Guides | Social Studies Teachers | Continued | ||
4 | Specifically design lessons that introduce and reinforce reading comprehension skills. (e.g., main idea, sourcing, contextualization, inference, point-of-view analysis) | Twice per Unit | Lesson Plans, Unit Plans, Observation, Curriculum Guides | Social Studies Teacher | Continued | ||
5 | Use differentiated assignments that are tailored to meet students' individual needs while maintaining the core learning objective, paying specific attention to the identified lowest performing students. | Twice per Unit | Lesson Plans, Unit Plans, Observation, Curriculum Guides | Social Studies Teachers | Revised | ||
6 | Provide scaffolds including graphic organizers, outlines, and sentence starters to help students structure their thoughts and responses, paying specific attention to the identified lowest performing students. | Twice per Unit | Lesson Plans, Unit Plans, Observation, Curriculum Guides | Social Studies Teachers | Revised | ||
7 | Develop Common Question Bank: Teachers' curriculum teams will collaboratively create a pool of multiple-choice questions aligned to the selected skills and unit content, ensuring each question is valid and clear. | 12/10/205 | Test bank questions located on shared Social Studies Google Drive Folder | Social Studies Curriculum Teams | New | ||
8 | Create Pre- and Post-Test Instruments and Student Growth Tracker: Using the question bank, teachers will design a pre-test (to establish baseline data) and a parallel post-test (to measure growth), each with 10 multiple-choice questions. | 2/11/2026 3/11/2026 | Completed tests | Social Studies Curriculum Teams | New | ||
9 | Pilot and Revise Assessments: Teachers will pilot the pre-test with at least one class, review item difficulty and student feedback, and revise questions for clarity and alignment. | After 3/11/2026 | completed tests | Social Studies Curriculum Teams | New | ||
10 | Administer & Collect Data: Teachers will administer the pre-test at the start of the unit and the post-test at the end, ensuring consistency across classes. | After 3/11/2026 | completed tests and student growth tracker | Social Studies Curriculum Teams | New | ||
11 | Teachers will analyze student growth by comparing pre- and post-test results, identify strengths and gaps, and share findings with the department to inform instructional adjustments. | 5/20/2026 | meeting agenda/minutes | Social Studies Curriculum Teams | New | ||
Special Education Department Goal: Over the course of the 2025-2026 School year, the Special Education Department will implement a comprehensive, data-driven system of progress monitoring and tiered academic interventions in order to increase the number of academic courses (English, Math, Science, Social Studies) passed by students supported with an IEP by 5%. This will be measured by students on IEP’s passing 91.7% of their academic courses (from a base of 86.7%) on the MA DESE EWIS (Early Warning Indicator System) report.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised, or Continued | ||
1 | Analyze EWIS Data | Sept. 2025 | EWIS | Department | New | ||
2 | Compare EWIS Data list to the Lowest Performing Student List | October 2025 | EWIS | Department Head | New | ||
3 | Review Students' grades at the end of each term, focusing on high-risk students from EWIS and the lowest-performing students | November, January, April, June | Transcripts | Department Head and Liaisons | New | ||
4 | Establish communication from home to school for liaisons and student families | Ongoing | Email, phone log, Journal | Liaisons | Continued | ||
5 | Common department planning time with dedicated time for shared student support conversations | Once/Month | Meeting Agenda | Department Head, Teachers | New | ||
6 | Use the SST student referral protocol for students who have failed 3+ academic classes | November, January, April, June | Transcripts, SST Referral form | Liaisons | New | ||
7 | Establish and continuously review IEP standards and protocols to streamline language, information, and accommodations within IEPs. | Throughout the school year | IEP Example templates | Department Head/ Department | New | ||
8 | For students in Strategies for Learning classes; implement weekly Aspen progress reports to support independent review of grades and/or progress. | Throughout the school year | Transcripts, SST Referral form; Strategies Progress Report | Liaisons, Teachers | Continued | ||
9 | For students not enrolled in strategies for learning; consider a Strategies for Learning support class as a Tier 2 support. | Throughout the school year | Transcripts, SST Referral form | Liaisons, Teachers | New | ||
Student Support Services Goal: By June 2026, the Student Support team will ensure that all students (100%) are provided with an opportunity to participate in lessons or assemblies promoting inclusivity, pro-social behavior, and emotional wellness through the NAN Project, Sandy Hook Promise programs and/or tier 1 activities. This will be measured through NAN Project attendance reports and exit tickets, Sandy Hook Promise attendance reports, the creation of student-led groups and attendance reports and evidence of student participation in tier 1 social-emotional awareness activities. The team will also complete at least three professional development sessions with community partners to strengthen trauma-informed practices and implement one new or enhanced initiative to support student well-being.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Participate in professional development with the NAN Project to promote mental health and wellness | November | PD Meeting Notes | Student Support Team | Continued | ||
2 | The NAN Project Peer Mentor Mental Health Awareness Presentations will be provided to all 10th grade students | December | Presentations and Exit Tickets | Student Support Team | Continued | ||
3 | Collaboration with administration, teachers, nurses and deans throughout the 2025-2026 school year to fully integrate the Multi-Tiered System of Support in classrooms and throughout the school to to support all students’ academic, social-emotional, and behavioral success. | Ongoing throughout the year | Meeting Notes, Google Forms, Student Support Services Team Tracking Data | Student Support Team | Continued | ||
4 | Our partnership with the Sandy Hook Promise will continue by engaging in the second phase of the program - Say Something - and the expansion of our Save Promise Club | Ongoing throughout the year | Presentations, Activities, Counseling Notes | Culture & Climate Committee and Student Support Team | Continued | ||
5 | Our staff will work collaboratively with our new grant funded School & Community Based Counselor to implement new initiatives to support our students and families who have been, or are at risk for being impacted by the opioid epidemic | Ongoing throughout the year | Meeting Notes, Google Forms, Student Support Services Team Tracking Data | Student Support Team | New | ||
6 | Our staff will participate in professional development with Bay State Community Services or another provider in the areas of Vaping and Nicotine Prevention trends, risks, how to prevent youth from starting, cessation resources, and treatment strategies | Ongoing throughout the year | PD Meeting Notes | Student Support Team | New | ||
7 | Build students’ social/emotional skills via psychoeducational groups and individual relationships | Ongoing throughout the year | Group work, individual notes | Student Support Team | Continued | ||
8 | Build on relationship with Walker Community Counseling in the facilitation of individual therapy for appropriate students | Ongoing throughout the year | Addition of 1 therapist and office hours for walk-ins | Student Support Team | Continued | ||
9 | Continued collaboration with outside agencies to provide social emotional support and mental health awareness for our students (QARI, MCAW, Walker) | Ongoing throughout the year | PD Team Meeting Notes | Student Support Team | Continued | ||
Wellness Department Goal: In the 2025-2026 School Year, the QHS Wellness Department will implement opportunities for students to increase their overall physical and social/emotional wellness through structured lessons in the health classroom as well as practicing those skills in a physical education setting. Our focus will be on transferable skills, knowledge, and understanding necessary for future success by educating students on the topics of stress management, decision making, relationship building/boundary setting and overall self care practices. All lessons will be aligned with the SHAPE America National Health and Physical Education standards. This goal will be evidenced by 90% of students passing their health and physical education courses for the year.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Revising current PE expectations - preparedness requirements are now just wearing activewear and sneakers, not forcing students to change/bring an extra change of clothes | 25-26 School Year | Course Syllabus/ Expectations | Wellness Team | NEW | ||
2 | Continue to revise health education curriculum with standards, objectives and lessons aligned to new state and national standards. | 25-26 School Year | QHS Health course outline. | Wellness Team | Continued | ||
3 | Build teamwork and social skills through the participation of team games and activities utilizing our new equipment. | Quarterly | Class Unit and Lesson Plans | Wellness Team | Continued | ||
4 | Develop individual SMART wellness goals | Quarterly | Class Lesson Plans and Student Work | Wellness Team and Student | Continue | ||
5 | Students will complete a daily journal in Health reflecting upon individual daily wellness and reflect on the process at the end of the quarter. | Quarterly | Class Lesson Plans and Student Work | Wellness Team and Student | Continue | ||
6 | Students in physical education will complete an end of quarter exit ticket giving feedback on units/activities they enjoyed/disliked so we can tailor our options around that data | Quarterly | Exit Ticket | Wellness Team and Student | Continue | ||
7 | Brainstorm elective wellness courses working with guidance on how to schedule these appropriately | 25-26 School Year | Student survey results, and a document with descriptions. | Wellness Team | New | ||
8 | Limiting choices for students on select days to encourage diversity in their participation in PE activities | 25-26 School Year | Class Lesson Plans | Wellness Team | Continue | ||
9 | Utilizing outdoor spaces for PE classes, tennis courts, Faxon Field, sidewalks for walks instead of the track | 25-26 School Year | Class Lesson Plans | Wellness Team | Continue | ||
World Language Department Goal: During the 2025-2026 school year, the World Language department at Quincy High School will increase the proficiency level of all students by one sublevel in the interpretive mode of communication (see ACTFL Proficiency Standards/ rubrics) through the development of lessons that implement the use of proficiency-based high-quality anchor texts and/or supplemental resources.
Action Steps/Monitoring Plan
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/ Person Responsible | Status New, Revised or Continued | ||
1 | Develop and implement a World Language Student Proficiency Success Plan that can be applied across all languages to monitor study proficiency. This would include eligibility and performance indicators and consequential targeted intervention strategies. | November 2025 | creation of shared document | Amanda Rosenhagen & Ligia Noriega- Murphy | Revised | ||
2 | Develop a shared template for parent/guardian communication to be sent prior to interim progress reports and quarter-end, facilitating proactive, two-way engagement. | November 2025, ongoing | creation of shared doc., two-way communication log | Amanda Rosenhagen | New | ||
3 | Compare three proficiency-based anchor texts in Spanish, facilitating the use of shared authentic materials (media and content intended for a Native Spanish speaking audience) in our world language classrooms. | November 2025 | shared document including teacher analysis | Spanish Teachers | New | ||
4 | Integrate authentic language and cultural resources into lesson plans with clear and attainable interpretive mode objectives. This would also include tasks that require students to interact in meaningful ways, such as summarizing, analyzing, or inferring meaning. | December to April (ongoing) | Evidence of planning | World Language Department | New | ||
5 | Student progress will be monitored by conducting regular formative assessments and using assessment data to adjust lessons and text difficulty to ensure all students are progressing to the next sublevel. | December to April (ongoing) | Sample proficiency- based formative assessment | World Language Department | New | ||
6 | To measure student progress toward our proficiency goal, teachers will first administer a baseline interpretive assessment utilizing the ACTFL proficiency-based rubric. A direct comparison of these initial scores with those from a subsequent post-assessment will serve as the primary evidence for evaluating goal attainment. | December 2025 / April 2026 | Student progress data chart, sample assessments | World Language Department teachers in Levels | New | ||
B. Professional Development Plan
Date | Time | Location | Participants (Team/ Grade Level) | Topic | Presenters | Goal # |
9/2/25 | 10:00- 10:40 10:40- 11:00 11:00- 12:00 Various Times AM or PM | Staff Room Auditorium Auditorium Various Locations | HSLT New Staff All Staff All Staff | HSLT Meeting New Educator Orientation Evaluation-Teach Point, Civil Rights Training “Win The Day” Departmental Meetings | K. Ford E. Smith MTSS Team K. Ford E. Smith Department Heads | Goal 1 &2 |
9/10/25 | 1:00 - 2:30 2:30 - 3:00 | Various Locations Auditorium | All Staff All Staff | Department Meetings All Staff Meeting | Department Heads K. Ford E. Smith | Goal 1&2 |
10/8/25 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM 2:30 - 4:30 PM | Auditorium Various Locations | All Staff All Staff | Assessment Day #1 Accountability Report 2025 MCAS Data, 504, IEP, EL Devise Departmental Goals, Reflection on 2025 Department Goals | E. Smith K. Ford Department Heads | Goal 1 &2 |
11/4/25 | 8:30-2:30 | QHS Various Locations | All District | District Wide Professional Development Various Workshops | 30+ Presenters | |
12/10/25 | 1:00- 2:30 2:30- 3:00 | Various Locations Auditorium | All Staff | Department Meetings All Staff Meeting | Department Chairs K. Ford E. Smith | |
1/14/26 | 2:30- 3:30 | Auditorium | All Staff | Staff Meeting | K. Ford E. Smith | |
2/11/26 | 1:00 - 1:45 1:45- 3:00 | Auditorium Various Locations | All Staff All Staff | Culture and Climate Department Meetings | Culture and Climate Committee Department Heads | Goal 2 |
3/11/26 | 1:00 - 1:30 1:30 - 3:00 | Auditorium Various Locations | All Staff | MCAS Training Department Meetings | Ed Smith Department Heads | Goal 1 |
4/29/26 | 2:30- 3:30 | Auditorium | All Staff | Staff Meeting | K. Ford Ed Smith | |
5/20/26 | 2:30 - 4:00 4:00- 4:30 | Various Locations Cafeteria | All Staff All Staff | Department Meetings 25-26 Reflection | Department Heads K. Ford Ed Smith |
C. Extended Day Offerings
Dates | Club or Activity | Target Audience | Location | Advisor(s) |
Every Thursday | A Cappella Choir | Sopranos and Altos that enjoy making music and being creative | C122 | Joanna Compitiello |
May TBA | Acoustic Cafe | Performing students | C122 | Erin Twomey |
Every Monday | Art Club | Art students who would like to work on their individual projects or collaborate with others as an open art studio | C125 | Sarah Reichel |
Every Monday | American Sign Language (ASL) | Students working to learn sign language together | D325 | Sara Levine |
Every other Tuesday | Asian Culture Club | Students who like to learn about Asian culture | A417 | P. Tongcha (Dr. T) |
Every Thursday | Athletes for Action | Student athletes who like to work together to better the community | D224 | Kristin Kopp |
Every Friday | Badminton Club | Students interested in learning and playing badminton | Cafeteria | Joshua Boisvert |
Every Tuesday and Thursday (SEPT - NOV) | Band & Color Guard | Band and color guard students | NQHS | DeMarco & Cavanaugh |
Every Tuesday (DEC - JUN) | Concert Band | Concert Band Students | QHS | DeMarco & Cavanaugh |
Every Thursday (NOV - MAY) | Jazz Band | Jazz Band Students | QHS | DeMarco & Cavanaugh |
Every Wednesday | Black Student Union | Students of color, celebrate, embrace and expand knowledge of African American history and culture | D223 | Mary McGrath |
Twice a month TBA on Google Classroom | Book Club | Students who would like to read a selected book and chat about it | Library & D325 | Sarah Levine & Daniel Simmons |
Every Thursday | Boy’s A Cappella Singing Club (QNQ) | Tenors and Basses that enjoy making music and being creative | NQHS | Tim Carew |
Every Wednesday | Cards & Boards Games | Students who would like to play cards and board games with others | A209 | Mary McMorrow & Nadia Hurtado |
First and third Wednesdays of the month | Care Crafts Projects | Students interested in donating crafts to nearby hospitals | A308 | Anna Petcosky |
Every Monday | Concert Choir & Select Choir | Students who are in concert choir during the school day, with rehearsals and concerts occurring afterschool | Concert Choir - C122 Select Choir - QHS (Fall), Select Choir - NQHS (Spring) | Tim Carew |
Every Monday | Cyber Security Club | Students who want to learn about cyber security | C204 | Ed Holmes |
TBA | Dance Team | Students who would like to coordinate and dance for pep rallies | A3 | Elva Hazelton |
Every Tuesday | Debate Team | Students who would like to debate given a chosen topic by the group | D213 | Brianna O’Keefe |
TBA | DECA | Students preparing for careers in marketing, finance, and management. | A322 | Kevin Hoyle |
TBA | Drama Club | Students who perform and/or work on stage design/sets as part of the drama club | C117 | Thomas Doucette |
Every Thursday | ESports Club | Students who want to play esports games on play station and other gaming consoles after school | D213 | Brianna O’Keefe |
Tuesdays and Thursdays | Fashion Club | For students in the fashion technology program to have a space to work on their projects after school | C234 | Ryan Pratt |
Bi-weekly Thursdays | Gaming Club | Students who want to collaborate and Create a community of gamers to come together to share a passion for digital gaming, play against peers across grades, and learn from each other | library | Terrell Johnson |
Every other Tuesday | Girl Rising | Students who want to spread awareness of Girl Rising’s global campaign for girls’ education, empowerment, & ways to contribute to their mission. We are also discussing and creating solutions to the issues facing female (and those identifying as female) students at QHS. | D122 | Mollie Good |
Most Tuesdays | Green Team | Students who want environmental challenges in Quincy to bring attention to. We do cleanups. We research environmentally friendly technologies. We learn how to plant and maintain gardens and raised beds. | A422 | Nina Meltzer & Michael Imhoff |
Every Monday | History Bowl | Students who like to participate in a competitive history trivia game. They work on practice rounds during meetings to prepare for periodic state, regional, and even national competitions. | D150 | James Ikeda |
6 field trips TBA | History Docents | Students who want to work with the city’s historian Bob Damon and various experts in the field, to research and rework an interpreters script for a local historical site. They then present to History students from both High Schools and the public. | D123 | Erin Twomey & Daniel Simmons |
Every week alternating on Mondays and Tuesdays | HOSA | Students who want to become leaders in the health community through education, collaboration, and experience. Students actively promote career opportunities in the health industry. | A414 | Pakamas Tongcharoensirikul |
Wednesdays (6-9) and Saturdays (1-5) | HYPER Robotics | Students who want to compete in two divisions of the FIRST Robotics Competition. Students help strategize, design, program and build these robots. They also help with marketing the team (graphic/web design, newsletters, etc.). | Long robotics center/ bethany church | Michael Gendron |
1st Friday of every month | Interact Club | Students who want to do community service together with the Rotary Club of Quincy. We take on local projects to help out the community. | Adams hall | Sheri Eldridge |
Every Thursday after school | International Travel Club | Students who would like to go on an adventure, curious about different cultures, and have a desire to explore the world beyond Quincy. Students travel to Europe every April | D219 | Meghan Matthews & Kimberly Pierce |
Every Thursday | K-Pop Dance Club | Students who are passionate about K-Pop, and would like to learn K-Pop dances to perform at the rallies | D207 | Carmen Xu |
Every other Wednesday. Some Mondays and Saturdays throughout year | Latino Culture Club | students can join to feel included and heard in the Quincy High community. Introduce latino students to volunteering opportunities. Students who want to share latino culture with the school | C315 | Mercedes Guerra |
Every Monday | Math Club | Math Club and Math Team welcomes all lovers of math. Whether students want to compete or just enjoy some interesting math questions and applications | A305 | Madison Davis |
Every Thursday | Mock Trial Club | Students who are interested in learning how trials go | C317 | Joshua Boisvert |
Every Monday | Mu Alpha Theta - Math Honor Society | Mu Alpha Theta is the National High School and Two-Year College Mathematics Honor Society who are recognized for their excellent achievement and participation in the QHS Math Club. Students are chosen based on their attendance and mastery of the multitude of topics covered during the year. | A307 | Madison Davis |
Bi-weekly on Wednesday mornings | National Honor Society | National Honor Society is an organization that recognizes students who have demonstrated qualities of the Four Pillars of NHS: leadership, service, character, and scholarship. NHS students work to give back to their community and promote standards of excellence at QHS. | Adams hall | Sara Levine |
Once a month on Wednesday morning | National Honor Society, Business | The object and purpose of the National Business Honor Society—Quincy High School Chapter is to promote and recognize academic achievement in business education at Quincy High School; foster and recognize leadership skills and character development; help members grow ethically and socially by promoting and encouraging an interest in business; and encourage member involvement in service learning initiatives. | A325 | Michael McNeice |
Wednesdays on early release | National Honor Society, Science | The Science National Honor Society is dedicated to the promotion of science and technology in the Quincy Public Schools community and the world. Activities include fundraising for science organizations, science fair, science festivals, and other service projects. | Adams hall | Jake Forrest & Shannon O’Reilly |
Thursdays | One in Five Club | Young women, raising awareness for breast cancer | A424 | Berkeley Lile |
Every Monday | Ping Pong Club | Students of all levels who would like to play ping pong with other students at QHS are welcome | Cafeteria | Michael Imhoff & Lauren Vogel |
Every Friday | Poetry Club | Students who would like to listen and share their poetry with a warm, supportive, and collaborative community of artists. Guided by their motto, “No Disclaimers,” students are encouraged to share their art without apology. | D150 | James Ikeda |
Every Tuesday morning | Pony Express - School Newspaper | Students who would like to publish the official student newspaper for Quincy High School. Students will deliver news articles, editorials, music, drama views, interviews, and poetry to the school. Every member has the opportunity to express their opinion freely | D212 | Christopher Natalizia |
Every Thursday | Pop Culture Club | students who want to connect with others through different discussions and activities that are based on current popular media including music, games, and more | A220 | Cristina Cahill |
Monthly on Tuesdays | QHS Feeds | Students who want to collect non-perishable food donations from students within our school that are eventually to be donated to local food banks and pantries that serve our community. | A220 | Cristina Cahill |
Every Wednesday | Skills USA | Students who want to go into the workforce. They work to empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members | Library | Ed Holmes & Corey Spellman |
Every other Thursday | STEM Sparks | Students who want to learn about STEM topics. Students are given opportunities to try hands-on activities through events | A417 | Dr. T. |
School-wide Events and on google classroom | Student Ambassador Program | Students who want to focus on welcoming new students into QHS. Students are asked to be a buddy guide and a friendly face during the school day. They may also give tours at evening events and in the summer for which they can earn community service hours | D213 | Brianna O’Keefe & Jennifer Roche |
Every Wednesday | Student Council | Students who are enthusiastic about celebrating Quincy High, enhancing school culture, helping plan school events, and building leadership skills. All students of all grades are welcome | Adams Hall | Christine Powers & Madison Davis |
Every Monday and Tuesday | Tabletop Club | Students who want to be dungeon masters and run games, along with students who want to be creative and play games with other students | Monday - Welding, Tuesday - Library | Christopher Comer |
D. Family Engagement and Communication
Date | Topic | Target Audience | Location |
August 2025 | Freshmen and New Student Tours - Small Groups | Incoming Grade 9 and New Students | K. Ford E. Smith Student Ambassadors |
August 2025 | Athletic Night | Student Athletes/ Parent Guardians | K. Mahoney Fall Coaches Athletic Trainer |
August 2025 | Parent Information Night | All Parents/Guardians | K. Ford E. Smith B. Reardon |
September 2025 - June 2026 | Translations of communications to the community. | School Community | H. Wojcik K. Ford E. Smith Family Liaison |
September 2025 - June 2026 | President’s Community Bulletin | Students/Parents/ Guardians | E. Smith |
September 2025 - June 2026 | Aspen emails utilized by teachers, support staff, and administration to communicate with students and families. | Students/Parents | All Staff |
September 2025 - June 2026 | School Messenger and SMORE newsletters are utilized as a communication tool to connect via phone, email, and texts with the community and staff. | Students/Parents/Guardians/Staff | K. Ford E. Smith Student Support Attendance Office |
September 2025 - June 2026 | Posting of events on QATV Channel 22. | School Community | HSTL Admin Student Support Culture and Climate PLC |
September 2025 - June 2026 | Twitter Connections: @quinzeehigh @qhsathletics @qhsprincipalford | School Community | E. Twomey K. Mahoney K. Ford |
September 2025- June 2026 | Facebook Connections: Quincy Public Schools Page Quincy High Page Quincy High Guidance Quincy High PAC Page | School Community | K. Delaney L. Owens E. Twomey B. Reardon |
September 9, 2026 | Back to School Night | Students/Parents/ Guardians | K. Ford E. Smith Department Heads Teachers |
September 19-20, 2025 | Roll Hats Weekend | School Community | K. Ford E. Smith M.Kim Athletics |
September 25, 2025 | College Information Night | Grade 12 Students and Families | B. Reardon Guidance Department |
October 2025 - May 2026 | Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Meetings | All Parents and Guardians | PAC Leadership K. Ford |
October 9, 2025 | College Fair | QHS Families and community members | S. Eldridge Guidance Department |
November 6, 2025 | Financial Aid Night | QHS Families and community members | B. Reardon Guidance Department |
November 13, 2025 | Parent-Teacher Conferences | All families and Guardians | K. Ford E. Smith PLC |
November 18, 2025 | Parent-Teacher Conferences | All families and Guardians | K. Ford E. Smith PLC |
TBD | Winter Sports Orientation | Winter Student/Athletes and Families | K. Mahoney Winter Coaches Athletic Trainer |
September 2025 - June 2026 | Live streaming of home athletic events held in the gymnasium. | QHS Community | K. Ford K. Mahoney M. Rodriguez |
February 2026 | STEM Fair | All science students/families | M. Murray Science Department |
March 10, 2026 | Course Selection Night | All students/families and Grade 8 students/families. | K. Ford E. Smith B Reardon |
March 5, 2026 | College Information Night, Juniors | Junior Students and Families | B. Reardon Guidance Staff |
April 2026 | Spring Sports Orientation | Spring Student/Athletes and Families | K. Mahoney M. Rodriguez Spring Coaches Athletic Trainer |
May 2026 | Senior Parent Information Night | Parents/Guardians of Gr. 12 students | K. Ford E.Smith M. Ramponi |
Spring 2026 | College Fair | Students/Parents/ Guardians | B. Reardon /V. Cushman QHS Guidance Department NQHS Guidance Department |
June 2026 | Grade 8 Fly-Up Day | Grade 8 Students | K. Ford E. Smith B. Reardon |
June 2026 | Fall Sports Orientation Night | Fall 2030 Student Athletes and Families | K. Mahoney M. Rodriguez Fall 2026 Coaches Athletic Trainer |
III. School Demographics as of 11/1/2025
Total Enrollment | Special Education | Low Income (Eligible for Free & Reduced Meals) | ELE (English Learners) | FEL (Former English Learners) |
1466 (-7 from previous year) | 288 (19.6%) | 896 (61.1%) | 187 (12.8%) | 106 (7.2%) |
Race | Subgroup Populations | Percentage of Enrollment |
Asian | 364 | 24.8% |
Black/African American | 238 | 16.2% |
Hispanic or Latino | 228 | 15.6% |
Multiracial, non-Hispanic | 76 | 5.2% |
Native American | 5 | 0.3% |
Pacific Island | 10 | 0.7% |
White | 545 | 37.2% |
Advanced Class Enrollment (Grades 9-12) | # of Students in Advanced out of # in Subgroup | % of Population |
All Students Enrolled | 502 of 1466 | 34.2% |
Low Income | 244 of 896 | 27.2% |
Asian | 216 of 364 | 59.3% |
Black/African American | 50 of 238 | 21.0% |
Hispanic/Latino | 48 of 228 | 21.1% |
Multiracial | 21 of 76 | 27.6% |
Native American | 1 of 5 | 20% |
Pacific Island | 2 of 10 | 20% |
White | 164 of 545 | 30.1% |
Core Academic Class Sizes (General Education) (As of 11/14/2025)
22 or fewer | 23-25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
Gr. 9-12 323 sections total | 202 (63.3%) | 86 (27.0%) | 18 (5.6%) | 7 (2.2%) | 5 (1.6%) | 4 (1.3%) | 1 (0.3%) |
- 90.3% of core academic class sections have 25 or fewer students, the same as in the 2024-25 school year.
- The 5 class sections with 29 or 30 students are:
- 1 ELA: AP English Language & Composition (Grade 11)
- 1 Mathematics: AP Statistics (Grade 12)
- 3 Social Studies: AP Government & Politics (Grade 12); AP African American Studies (Grade 12); Honors America in the Modern World (Grade 10)
- Quincy High School is also home to citywide Special Education programs:
- RISE: 5 students
- PACES: 19 students
2024-2025 SSDR Incident Data
Total Incidents | # of Incidents Resulting in Suspension | % of Incidents Resulting in Suspension |
159 | 123 | 77% |
IV. Facilities
2024-2025 Improvements
- Lighting and sound replacements in the auditorium have been repaired or upgraded. This project is on-going.
- Multiple interior doors (auditorium, stairwells) have been fixed or replaced.
- The Principals Secretary area and a Student Support office had the carpet removed and replaced with tile
- The QHS Keycard machine was replaced/upgraded for staff access to the front and rear of the building
- The D-Wing windows had interior and exterior cleaning in the fall
- A monthly maintenance plan has been scheduled for cleaning drains leading to much fewer work orders.
- A number of carpentry related items including cabinets, shelving, and lab benches have been repaired.
- Multiple locations with tile damage have been replaced.
- Multiple locations have had ceiling tiles cut and replaced. This is a continuous need and on-going.
- There is a continuous need to replace light bulbs and lighting ballasts through the building. Multiple repairs and replacements have been made and is an on-going project.
2024-2025 Facility Needs | 2025-2026 Facility Needs |
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|
V. School Needs (Materials, Supplies, Technology, Etc.)
2024-2025 School Needs | 2025-2026 School Needs |
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VI. Budget
Amount available in 2025-2026 | |
TEXT/LEARNING MATERIALS (textbooks and learning materials/supplies needed to support classroom instruction) | $ 30,000.00 |
SUPPLIES (pens, pencils, rulers, paper,glue, photocopy paper, etc.) | $ 53,249.00 |
ACTIVITY STIPEND ACCOUNT | $ 77,399.00 |
OTHER: (art supplies, science supplies, library, etc.) | |
Art Supplies | $ 6,750.00 |
Science Supplies | $ 6,000.00 |
PE Supply | $ 550.00 |
Library | $ 3,000.00 |
SPECIAL FUNDING (gifts, grants, partnerships, PTO, etc.) | |
P.T.O. (approximate) | $ 20,000.00 |
MA DESE Early College High School | $ 75,000.00 |
Perkins Grant | $110,000.00 |
TOTAL | $381,948.00 |
VII. Appendix
- Spring 2025 MCAS Data
(Spring 2025 MCAS Edwin PE303 Report)
English Language Arts (E/M %) | |||
Grade | School 2024 | School 2025 | State 2025 |
10 | 51% | 45% | 51% |
Mathematics (E/M %) | |||
Grade | School 2024 | School 2025 | State 2025 |
10 | 43% | 33% | 45% |
STE (E/M %) | |||
Grade | School 2024 | School 2025 | State 2025 |
10 | 42% | 37% | 46% |
B. Spring 2025 Accountability Data
C. Spring 2025 VOCAL Results (Grade 10)
Dimension | Description | Always/ Mostly True | Mostly Untrue/ Never True |
ENG | Adults working at this school treat all students respectfully, regardless of a student's race, culture, family income, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. | 91.5% | 8.5% |
ENG | Within school, I am encouraged to take upper level courses (honors, AP). | 81.4% | 18.6% |
ENG | Students from different backgrounds respect each other in our school, regardless of their race, culture, family income, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. | 83.5% | 16.5% |
ENG | Students are open to having friends who come from different backgrounds (for example, friends from different races, cultures, family incomes, or religions, or friends of a different sex, or sexual orientation). | 90.3% | 9.7% |
ENG | I feel welcome to participate in extra-curricular activities offered through our school, such as, school clubs or organizations, musical groups, sports teams, or student council. | 85.0% | 15.0% |
ENG | My teachers use my ideas to help my classmates learn. | 49.1% | 50.9% |
ENG | In at least two of my academic classes, I can work on assignments that interest me personally. | 74.4% | 25.6% |
ENG | If I finish my work early, I have a opportunity to do more challenging work. | 62.0% | 38.0% |
ENG | In at least two of my academic classes, students are asked to teach a lesson or part of a lesson. | 32.0% | 68.0% |
ENG | In my academic classes, students review each other's work and provided advice on how to improve it. | 54.7% | 45.3% |
ENG | In my academic classes, students wrestle with problems that don't have an obvious answer. | 64.9% | 35.1% |
ENG | In my academic classes, I am asked to apply what I know to new types of complex tasks or problems. | 71.6% | 28.4% |
ENG | In my academic classes, students work on long-term group projects (more than one month in length) that they independently carry out. | 53.4% | 46.6% |
ENG | Students respect one another. | 61.3% | 38.7% |
ENG | Teachers are available when I need to talk with them. | 85.5% | 14.5% |
ENG | Adults at our school are respectful of student ideas even if the ideas expressed are different from their own. | 84.2% | 15.8% |
ENG | My teachers promote respect among students. | 88.8% | 11.2% |
ENV | Students have a voice in deciding school rules. | 35.7% | 64.3% |
ENV | The consequences for the same inappropriate behavior (e.g., disrupting the class) are the same, no matter who the student is. | 70.6% | 29.4% |
ENV | Teachers give students a chance to explain their behavior when they do something wrong. | 61.1% | 38.9% |
ENV | My teachers will first try to help (guide) students who break class rules, instead of punishing them. | 62.1% | 37.9% |
ENV | Students help each other learn without having to be asked by the teacher. | 77.7% | 22.3% |
ENV | My teachers set high expectations for my work. | 82.8% | 17.2% |
ENV | My teachers support me even when my work is not my best. | 84.8% | 15.2% |
ENV | The things I am learning in school are relevant (important) to me. | 55.6% | 44.4% |
ENV | Teachers ask students for feedback on their classroom instruction. | 60.2% | 39.8% |
ENV | My teachers inspire confidence in my ability to be ready for college or career. | 80.4% | 19.6% |
ENV | In my school, teachers focus on my understanding of the material and not on my grades. | 62.6% | 37.4% |
ENV | In my academic classes, there is a good balance between students having to master subject content and being able to explore topics that interest them. | 63.7% | 36.3% |
ENV | In my classes, mistakes or even failure on an assignment are viewed as an important part of our learning. | 71.0% | 29.0% |
ENV | I have access to effective help at school if I am struggling emotionally or mentally. | 77.3% | 22.7% |
ENV | The level of pressure I feel at school to perform well is unhealthy. | 42.1% | 57.9% |
SAF | If I tell a teacher or other adult that someone is being bullied, the teacher/adult will do something to help. | 87.9% | 12.1% |
SAF | Teachers don't let students pick on other students in class or in the hallways. | 75.5% | 24.5% |
SAF | Students at school try to stop bullying when they see it happening. | 46.0% | 54.0% |
SAF | Teachers, students, and the principal work together to prevent (stop) bullying. | 77.8% | 22.2% |
SAF | I have been teased or picked on more than once because of my real or perceived (imagined) sexual orientation. | 13.8% | 86.2% |
SAF | I have been teased or picked on more than once because of my race or ethnicity. | 17.9% | 82.1% |
SAF | In my school, groups of students tease or pick on one student. | 33.5% | 66.5% |
SAF | Students with learning or physical difficulties are teased or picked on at my school. | 28.4% | 71.6% |
SAF | Teachers support (help) students who come to class upset. | 75.6% | 24.4% |
SAF | I feel comfortable reaching out to teachers/counselors for emotional support if I need it. | 61.4% | 38.6% |
SAF | I have a group of friends I can rely on to help me when I feel down (sad). | 84.4% | 15.6% |
SAF | I feel as though I belong in my school community. | 83.2% | 16.8% |
SAF | Students at school try to work out their problems with other students in a respectful way. | 52.5% | 47.5% |
SAF | Because I worry about my grades, it is hard for me to enjoy school. | 69.5% | 30.5% |
SAF | I have stayed at home (or avoided school) because I did not feel safe at my school. | 15.8% | 84.2% |
SAF | Students are sexually harassed at my school (for example, bothered by unwanted touching and/or indecent name-calling). | 19.4% | 80.6% |
D. Completed Action Steps from 2024-2025
** Indicates action steps embedded in typical day to day school operations. The following completed action steps are consistently implemented and have become a part of the school’s classroom expectations.
Step | Strategies/Activities | Timeline | Sources of Evidence | Team/Person Responsible | Goal # | ||
1 | Include the Vision of the Graduate in school-wide initiatives and communications (e.g., assemblies, newsletters). | Yearly | Surveys from staff and students on the application of the Vision | HSLT | 1 | ||
2 | Monitor classroom integration through regular observations | Monthly | Observation Data | HSLT | 1 | ||
3 | Collaborate with district leaders to finalize curriculum guides. | Yearly | Completed and reviewed curriculum guides | All Staff | 1 | ||
4 | Establish a monitoring system to track student progress through MTSS. | Quarterly | SSWD/ SST Monitoring System | SST | 1 | ||
5 | Conduct quarterly reviews to evaluate the system’s effectiveness. | Quarterly | Feedback from staff on MTSS functionality | HSLT | 1 | ||
6 | Generate weekly attendance reports to identify students at risk for chronic absenteeism | weekly | School Wide Student Support Meeting notes | Student Support Team | 1 | ||
7 | Implement attendance monitoring system and contact families to build positive relationships and address barriers | Ongoing throughout the school year | Attendance records, family communication logs | Student Support and Deans Team | 1 | ||
8 | Incorporate diverse texts in the curriculum (authors of color, LGBTQ+ authors, authors with disabilities) | Yearly | Curriculum updates, | English Department | Continued | ||
9 | Use real-world problem-solving scenarios in math classes | Ongoing | Lesson Plans, student work | Mathematics Department | Continued | ||
10 | Conduct hands-on laboratory experiments to enhance scientific understanding | Ongoing | Lab reports, teacher observations | Science Department | Science | ||
11 | Organize a school-wide art exhibition to showcase student artwork | Spring Semester | Event Programs, Student Artwork displays | Arts Department | Art | ||
12 | Integrate cultural experiences in world language classes (virtual field trips, guest speakers) | Throughout the year | Student Work | World Language Department | World Language | ||
13 | Creation and implementation of Special Education Support Meetings. Meetings will include New IEP and Strategies for Learning development. | One meeting per month, throughout school year | Meeting Agendas | Special Education Department | Special Education | ||
14 | Provide ELL students with bilingual resources to support language development | Ongoing | National Geographic | EL Department | EL | ||
15 | Teachers will identify appropriate areas in the curriculum that would benefit from group learning activities | October 2024 | Individual Notes | QHS Art Department | Art | ||
16 | Communicate with staff on restorative justice principles and practices. | September 1, 2024-June 30 | Meeting agendas | Deans | Deans | ||
17 | Facilitate restorative conferences for minor infractions. | Ongoing | Incident reports | Deans | Deans | ||
18 | Collaborate with Big Brothers Big Sisters to provide a mentorship program for at-risk students. | Ongoing | Mentor logs, student surveys | Deans/Student Support Services | Deans and Student Support | ||
19 | Collaborate with teachers to identify students at risk of academic failure or behavioral issues. | Ongoing | Student grades, disciplinary referrals | Deans/Student Support Services | Deans and Student Support | ||
20 | QHS special educators will meet with individual student families at their student’s IEP meeting to explain the new IEP form to ensure that all team members understand the new form and the IEP process | September -June 2025 | Team Meeting Notes | Department | Special Education | ||
E. Staffing: Support Services
2.0 | Nurses |
13.0 | Special Education Teachers (Resource Room/Inclusion) |
1.0 | Special Education Teacher (Substantially Separate RISE) |
10.0 | Guidance Counselors/Chairperson |
6.0 | ELL Teachers |
0.1 | Speech and Language Instructor |
1.0 | School Psychologist |
0.1 | Occupational Therapist |
1.0 | Librarian |
F. School Council Members
A school council is a representative, school building-based committee composed of the principal, parents, teachers, community members and, at the secondary level, students, required to be established by each school pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, Section 59C. https://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/advisory/schoolcouncils/
Chair/Acting
Principal: Edward Smith /s/ Edward Smith
Co-Chair/Acting Marybeth Torpey /s/ Marybeth Torpey
Assistant Principal
Staff: William Reardon /s/ William Reardon
Sara Levine /s/ Sara Levine
Christopher Natalizia /s/ Christopher Natalizia
Parent(s): Amy Alawad /s/ Amy Alawad
Joy Lewis /s/ Joy Lewis
Courtney Perdios /s/ Courtney Perdios
Heather McDuffus /s/ Heather McDuffus
Nadyne Damas /s/ Nadyne Damas
Amanda Alexis /s/ Amanda Alexis
Community
Representative: Meghan Giovannoni s/ Meghan Giovannoni
[1] School Improvement plan prepared by Acting Principal Edward Smith in collaboration with Principal Keith Ford.