Sentinel & Enterprise 300 students to enroll in small schools By Lisa Guerriero Saturday, July 3, 2004 - LEOMINSTER - Administrators of the new "small schools" program at Leominster High School identified 300 students who will participate this fall, the headmaster said. Headmaster Pauline Baker said the students were selected to be part of the program, which teams about 20 staff members with the students to ensure a more personal learning environment. The students stay in the team during core classes and mingle with the rest of the school for electives and lunch periods. "We're going full steam ahead with the pilot school, the small school," Baker said. Parents were invited to an ice cream social Thursday evening at Leominster High School. The group was expected to discuss learning styles, students' interests and other factors contributing to effective learning. "It's in keeping with our goals of establishing a strong connection between school and family," Baker said. The open house is designed to be "parent-centered," the way small school classes will be "student-centered," Baker said. The small school's staff will host a barbecue with parents in August. Baker said she expects to have more students in the small school as children enroll over the summer. Only a few students were turned away, she said. Some of the students were from LHS's trade school, the Center for Technical Education, or had intensive Special Education needs. The pilot school is not ready to meet the needs of those student populations, she said. Two guidance counselors, a dean of students and 16 teachers attended a "summer academy" this week to work on curriculum, instruction strategies and "designing new ways of teaching," Baker said.

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