Dennis Yarmouth Regional School District

Office of the Superintendent

296 Station Avenue, South Yarmouth, Massachusetts 02664

Phone: (508) 398-7600        Fax: (508) 398-7622

Superintendent’s Entry Plan ~ Report of Entry Findings

Marc J. Smith, Ed. D.

Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District

Dear Dolphin Community,

On the following pages is presented my Report of Entry Findings. The report serves as a summary of what I have learned thus far during my time here in the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District as a new superintendent. As I mentioned when beginning this Entry Plan, its purpose was to help me develop a deep understanding of the district, its strengths, its people, its systems, its structures, and its areas for growth. Through a comprehensive entry planning process, I have been able to learn about the strong existing traditions of D-Y while also beginning to develop a clear vision for the district heading into the future. This approach has allowed me to seek input from a wide range of stakeholders in the district as well as begin to establish relationships that will be critical to my success as a superintendent.

It is important to point out that while this report marks a moment in time, one that presents what I have learned as I head into the final turn of my first year here in D-Y, it does not signal an end to learning. It also does not signal an end to my want and desire to continue to engage with stakeholders moving forward. While there are many stakeholder groups that I have had the opportunity to engage with, there are others that I have yet to reach. It is central to my Core Values that I continue to develop relationships within our learning community and that I continue to grow in this practice as long as I am here as the lead-learner for our district.

The following pages reflect what I have learned as well some initial thoughts on how what I have learned may inform strategy in the coming years. As previously mentioned, this report is not meant to serve as an end, but rather as a beginning… or maybe an end of a beginning.

Sincerely,

Marc J. Smith, Ed. D.

Introduction

My entry plan was supported by my Core Values (Relationships, Teaching & Learning, Growth, & Equity) as a leader which are further defined below. Using a thorough entry plan helped me to understand the existing cultural norms within D-Y as well as the district’s Core Values that have historically driven decision-making. Collecting varied data from multiple perspectives allowed me to look for patterns and created opportunities to determine if any stakeholders within the organization had historically felt underrepresented, underserved, or marginalized by the district.

My leadership Core Values that drove this entry work and that center my work each day are:

1. Relationships - At the heart of what we do in education lies relationships. Relationships are essential in the classroom between students and teachers/staff for academic success, and they are equally critical in order for leaders to be effective. Finally, schools and school systems must work purposefully to build meaningful relationships with families and the school community to support student success.
2. Teaching and Learning - This is the heart and soul of what we do as an organization. Everything else that we do in schools is in support of teaching and learning and it is my job as school superintendent to ensure that we remain focused on ensuring that all students are learning at the highest levels and that our educators are supported to deliver high-quality instruction every day.
3. Growth - Learning is a never-ending process. Our work with students is always about taking students from where they are and moving them along to where they need to be. In order to do this effectively, every member of our school staff needs to be a continual learner, ready to grow in order to support ongoing systemic improvement.
4. Equity - Demographic characteristics should not be a predictor of school success, yet in public schools, they still remain a reliable predictor of who succeeds and who does not. We have work to do to ensure that ALL students have an equal opportunity to succeed in our school systems where gender, race, first-language status, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity, socio-economic standing, etc. no longer can be used to predict who is more likely to be successful.

In examining the school district’s Core Values, there are values published on the website along with the district’s vision, mission, and theory of action. While the mission, vision, and theory of action are each clearly articulated statements, the core values are presented as a list of 9-10 words that are not further defined or explained. However, when surveyed, staff from across the district overwhelmingly believe that they have a clear understanding of the core values that are driving the school district's work and strategy. Figure 1 shows the results of a staff survey from all 6 schools indicating that there is strong agreement among staff regarding their understanding of the district’s core values. In a planned follow-up survey, I will look to examine what collective understandings exist surrounding the district’s core values.

                 Strongly Disagree                                                                                       Strongly Agree

Summary of Process

The main purpose of the entry process was learning. It was necessary for me to develop a deep understanding of the organization at all levels in the most efficient means possible. To do this, I utilized a multi-modal, multi-perspective analysis of the organization in order to identify patterns, trends, and “themes” that can be utilized to develop a clear strategy for the future. This was done through individual interviews, focus groups, survey instruments, document review, regular visitation of classrooms with principals, structured district-wide content-focused learning walks, attending school functions/events, analyzing a wide variety of data including, but not limited to achievement, growth, financial, enrollment, staffing, and policy and procedural data. Data were disaggregated wherever possible to identify patterns affecting any populations as well as analyzed over multiple years to identify multi-year trends. Additionally, qualitative data were analyzed for themes and all data were triangulated to support reliability and validity across findings.

In order to ensure that I developed a fully comprehensive understanding of the district, it was imperative that I listened to a wide variety of voices within the school community. An effective school system is supported by many individuals, organizations, and intersecting relationships. During these first 7-8 months, I have worked diligently to meet with as many of these varied voices as possible. I have set up meetings with families, teachers, student groups, school and district leaders and staff, union leaders, town officials, public safety leaders, community leaders, state representatives, and the school committee. I have used surveys to collect data from families who have chosen to school choice their children in another district. The one group that I need to set more organized group meetings with remains to be our students; however, I have analyzed student survey data collected as part of the DYHS NEASC process, visited classrooms all across the district engaging in individual conversations with students, and am planning additional focus groups with DYHS students for later this spring. Finally, in any large organization, there are often those who feel like their voices have been excluded from the decision-making process, who feel as though the organization is not designed to serve them, or who are unable to access the organization due to structural barriers. Part of my work through this process has been and will continue to be, to uncover those instances and learn from them and make improvements in our systems to address the barriers.

District Profile

The first phase of my learning process was centered around getting to know the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District (DYRSD) as an organization. I was curious to know about its structure, its people, its governance, its facilities, and its finances. This began with an examination of students, specifically student enrollment data. In examining district enrollment going back 10 years, there has been a steady decline in enrollment up through the 2020-2021 school year; however, this trend has reversed in the last three school years. The trend has reversed in a rather significant way to the point where DYRSD today has the highest student enrollment that we have had in the last decade. Additionally, over the same period of time the proportion of students that make up the foundation enrollments from the two towns has shifted from approximately a 35/65 percentage split between Dennis and Yarmouth respectively to a 30/70 split. In short, this means that we have an increased number of students coming to DYRSD over the last three years and most of those students are residing in the Town of Yarmouth.

Figure 2:

When we examine our student population in further detail, we can see that over the same 10-year period, some aspects of the identities of our students have shifted as well. The percentage of students living in a home that is economically disadvantaged has risen from 42% to 55% in that time period. The percentage of students for whom English is not their first language has risen from 12% to 26% and students requiring English as a second language instruction has increased from 8% to 18%. Most interestingly, we have seen a 5% increase in students requiring English as second language instruction from last year to this year.

The next examination was of staff. I was curious to learn about how the district and schools were organized, about staffing levels and practices, and in what ways leadership was distributed across the district. One of the first things that I learned was that it was very difficult to determine the exact number of positions within the district from year to year as we do not currently operationalize a process called “positional control”. However, utilizing our payroll system we were able to capture “moment in time” data that allowed us to establish staffing baselines for each year going back to the 2015-2016 school year. During this time period, we have employed between 600 and 630 employees, with a slight increase in employees over the last three years. To be discussed in more detail in the themes that emerged later in this report, my entry also found that many staff within DYRSD either are former graduates of the district and/or have children who have been through or are currently in the district as students.

When using the state’s District Analysis and  Review Tool (DART) to compare DYRSD to the state as well as like school districts, I was able to determine that our staffing ratios, based upon a per pupil figure, are better than the state, similar wealth districts, and similar demographic districts in all categories except for district leadership and non-classroom support professionals. Additionally, in examining our staffing practices internally, I found inconsistencies in the way staffing levels resulted in varying class sizes from school to school as well as how caseloads were distributed for general education interventionists, special education teachers, and related service providers.

Leadership is distributed through the district structurally in multiple ways. There is an organizational structure at Central Office that includes two Assistant Superintendents with departmentalized roles, a Director of Technology, and a HR Director. Additionally, there are two Assistant Directors for Special Education who report to one of the Assistant Superintendents as well as two K-12 Curriculum Directors who reported directly to the superintendent upon my arrival. Each school building is supported by a building principal and at least one assistant principal. Teachers have a variety of leadership opportunities including, but not limited to, instructional coaching positions, curriculum leadership council, department heads, and school-based & district-wide decision-making teams/committees.  

Finally, in my work to get to know the School Committee, as well as the local boards, I was interested to learn more about the governance structure here in DYRSD. Through interviews with the School Committee members, as well as early operation with the Committee as a whole, it is clear that the Committee has firmly established an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Committee and those of the superintendent. Additionally, it is clear that they have a strong internal working relationship that allows for a healthy form of governance free from distraction, derision, and political grandstanding. During initial work with the Committee, we uncovered some governance practices that have fallen from regular habit. For example, the superintendent evaluation had not been completed for a few years prior to my arrival; however, the Committee has already taken on this work in the current school year. Additionally, while established, some subcommittees that oversee the School Committee’s major governance responsibilities (i.e. policy, finance) have yet to reestablish a regular meeting schedule and purpose. Finally, as this entry report leads to strategic planning for the district and future goals for the superintendent, it will be helpful for the Committee to consider establishing their own goals that support the district’s work in moving the strategic plan forward.

The district’s students attend 6 schools within 5 buildings. Additionally, the district maintains staff in a seventh building housing most of the central office staff. The district also operates a sewage treatment plant, a maintenance warehouse, a maintenance building, an observatory, and several small buildings used for concessions or storage. The new D-Y Intermediate Middle School is a wonderful learning complex that provides a state-of-the-art learning experience for our students. Our facilities team continues to learn the building and work with our project manager to close out the building project with the contractor and Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). In examining the needs of these buildings going forward, the most significant need resides at Marguerite E. Small Elementary School. After multiple years of submitting a Statement of Interest to MSBA, our application was again denied by the MSBA this year. We will revise our application this year and again resubmit as at this point we see the need for a complete rebuild of that building as our only real option. Additionally, we have overcrowding at Station Avenue Elementary. In this year’s application for MES, we will include this information and our desire to explore “redistricting” within Yarmouth should we be awarded a new building. Finally, our high school facility is beginning to show its age and will need capital projects in the near future. Some items that we will need to address include HVAC work, building envelope work, as well as the football field and track.

In examining the district’s finances, it is clear that the district has been making investments in the school program. Figure 3 shows per pupil expenditures from 2018- 2022 (most recent data) from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for DYRSD compared to the state average. As can be seen in the graphical representation, DYRSD was below the state average in per pupil expenditure in 2018; however, due to investments in the school program over the past several years, it has been able to separate itself from the state average in a positive way. Additionally, the school district maintains approximately $2.5 million in a capital stabilization fund and currently holds approximately $1.8 million in its Excess and Deficiency Fund. These ensure that the district is protected from an unanticipated catastrophic expense that would lead to a need to significantly alter school programming for students.

Figure 3:

The construction of the FY 25 budget has presented challenges for the school district. A combination of high inflation, lower than anticipated Chapter 70 revenue, the ending of ESSER funds, and the full implementation of the extended school day for grades K-7 created a “perfect storm” of fiscal challenges. These challenges presented an initial level service budget increase of 9.35%. The School Committee has adopted a budget that has reduced slightly over $2 million from that initial level service budget for FY 25.

Emerging Themes ~ Strengths

Dolphins Swim Like This

There is a lot of pride within the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District. People believe strongly in being a Dolphin, their history, and their lived experiences here. The pride is arrived at from multiple avenues, all of which I have done my best to capture. One way is that there are multiple ways for a child within the D-Y system to demonstrate their excellence and to be celebrated for it. Whether it be academic, musical, athletic, artistic, theatrical, through community service, or by demonstrating leadership, there are many ways for a D-Y student to demonstrate their excellence. Additionally, students are Dolphins from the moment they enter the system. This is not the case in all school districts, yet here in D-Y students are coached in the “Dolphin Way” starting in kindergarten. The Dolphin Way was noted over 15 times across multiple focus groups as a defining strength within the district, and while it takes on different forms in different schools, the idea that there is a positive way to represent yourself as a Dolphin is both consistent and held in regard across many stakeholders.

A strong factor that drives Dolphin pride is the people who work within the district. Many staff in the district have graduated from the district and returned to the district to give back to the community that raised them, while many others are raising their own children within the D-Y school district. In examining the staffing contracts, one can see that (until the recently settled teacher’s contract) D-Y staff often were not receiving salaries competitive with neighboring school districts further signaling a loyalty to the school district that extends beyond personal financial gain.

When talking with the school leaders very early on in my entry, each team talked about how proud they were of their respective staff groups. Each noted the hard work and dedication that their school-based teams bring to their work each day along with their care for students and families within the schools regardless of their difference. Similarly, focus groups with families identified teachers within the district as one of its greatest strengths; specifically one parent noted the “content certified teachers” as a particular area of strength, while another parent noted the “great teachers and their great communication” as one of the district’s strengths. A parent, whose child entered school not speaking English, shared that she was extremely thankful for the teachers who have helped her now bilingual child learn English so well that her child is now teaching her English.

This is Our Pod

Another strength of the district that arose across multiple data-gathering sources was the district’s commitment to school-based traditions that build community, identity, and belonging. Focus groups with staff and families, as well as individual conversations with students, identified a long list of these types of events. Some of these events included: Dolphin Dash, senior last assembly, gingerbread house construction, Athletic Hall of Fame, family dinner, grade 3 news show, holiday concerts, turkey trots, staff vs. student basketball game, Memorial Day Observance, Chowder Bowl, grade 3 step up, all school meetings, Winter Wonderland, morning show, and field days. All groups see these as an integral part of the fabric of the community and as a way to both bring the community together as well as a way for each school to create its own unique identity.

During my time so far here in DYRSD, I have been fortunate enough to attend many events across the district. Attendance at these events has served to both allow me to take in the experience for its unique intended purpose as well as to collect important data for this entry report. Attendance at a wide range of events, at all levels within the system, for a plethora of purposes has shown me that our families are committed to supporting their students and the schools. Additionally, it has signaled to me that the schools have worked diligently to create welcoming environments that indicate to all members of the school community that they belong within DYRSD.

In addition to school-based events, the staff focus groups noted some activities that unite the district Pk-12 that they felt were a particular strength. These activities build upon the Dolphin Pride and strengthen the identity of a unified school district. Some examples of these types of activities that were noted by the staff included: graduates coming back to walk the halls of their previous schools, high school athletes and musicians visiting the lower schools, work-based internships for high school students within the district, and teachers walking as a part of the high school graduation.

Each Dolphin Their Own Path

As noted above, there are many ways in which students can pursue their passions within DYRSD. When meeting with parents and staff, they were quick to identify the music and band programs as a significant area of strength within the district. Further research allowed me to find that not only are the programs well attended by students, but are designed in a way to open opportunity and access at all levels for all students while simultaneously maintaining a high level of excellence that has resulted in a state championship marching band. Additionally, both groups identified the athletics program as an area of strength for the district, offering a wide variety of sports for the students to participate in as well as competitive teams within our division and conference.

In meeting with the high school staff in particular, they noted the diverse range of club offerings for students that allow students of all interests to find a passion and pursue it. Families and staff noted the theater program as an asset to the district with one parent noting, “My daughter is at the high school in the theater program; it’s a wonderful program… all the after-school activities are so positive.” The middle school staff also noted that a wide range of after-school activities and clubs were offered to allow students to pursue their interests.

Within the school day, there are also many opportunities to develop a well-rounded student. Each school offers a comprehensive instructional program that includes the arts, music, wellness, digital literacy and/or computer science, and library media. Additionally, there are opportunities for students to engage in world language as part of their core program within the district. Many focus groups identified each of these areas as significant assets within their schools, and classroom walkthroughs with building principals confirm these findings.  Additionally, the core program provides students with experiences that extend their learning beyond the classroom. There are many instances of students engaging in community service learning activities, extending their learning through field trips, or participating in community-based internships. Each of these experiences helps develop a well-rounded learner and allows the individual student to explore a variety of interests honing in on their own unique pathway by the time they graduate. The small number of student groups that I have been able to meet with thus far has highlighted this particular area as a significant strength of the district.

Summary of Strengths

The Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District exhibits a strong sense of pride and community, with a variety of avenues for students to excel and be celebrated, including academic, artistic, athletic, and leadership achievements. The "Dolphin Way" instilled from kindergarten emphasizes positive representation and is highly regarded across stakeholders. Many staff members, including alumni, demonstrate loyalty to the district, despite potentially lower salaries compared to neighboring districts. School-based traditions foster community and identity, while events and activities unite the district PK-12, such as alumni returning and high school students engaging with lower grades. Strong music, band, and athletic programs offer inclusive opportunities for students, with notable achievements like a state championship marching band. Diverse club offerings at all levels cater to various interests, while comprehensive instructional programs encompass arts, wellness, and digital literacy. Community service, field trips, and internships provide hands-on learning experiences, contributing to well-rounded student development. Overall, the district's strengths lie in its cohesive community, diverse opportunities, and commitment to holistic student growth.

Emerging Themes ~ Areas for Growth

In his book, The Happiness Advantage, author Shawn Achor (2010) notes how our relationship with positive and negative is largely our perception of the world. His research shows that most of the perception is due to the way that our human brain has been conditioned to see the world and what input our brain filters “in” and what it filters “out” influencing our overall perception of everything from an individual interaction to relationships to our work to the world in general. Achor notes that many aspects of daily life predispose Americans to be conditioned toward noticing more negative items than positive items in their environment. Therefore, when asking focus groups to identify areas of strength in the district as well as areas for improvement, I was not surprised that there was more conversation surrounding the areas for improvement. In reviewing the data, along with quantitative (numbers) data existing within the district, some themes emerged.

Not Swimming the Same Direction

A theme surrounding consistency arose when looking at the data from multiple vantage points. One arena in which this idea of consistency surfaced was surrounding how student behavior is managed within the district. During focus groups with teachers and staff, two different tracks of concern were raised. The first was surrounding a need for more “accountability” (a term used multiple times) by the administrators in buildings when dealing with students who misbehave. Several staff also feel that this is the reason that more families chose to school choice out of the district rather than choice in. As one response noted, “Administrators are not and have not held misbehaved students accountable.” This requires further exploration as few suggestions nor specifics have been offered regarding what a higher level of accountability looks like. The second track of concern that staff raised regarding student behavior surrounded inconsistent expectations from class to class and school to school. This same sentiment was echoed by the family focus groups and observed during walkthroughs. In moving from classroom to classroom within the same school and in classrooms across the district, there were varied levels of effectiveness with regard to classroom management and enforcement of school-based expectations (i.e., cell phone policy at the high school). Lastly, in looking at student data, they suggest that students whose learning needs are supported by an IEP are disproportionately disciplined within the district. For example, this population of students has been externally suspended at a rate of 2 to 3 times that of all students and so far this year makes up nearly 50% of the suspensions at DYHS. This data may be a byproduct of these inconsistent practices.

In meetings with families, staff, and leaders as well as examining curriculum documents and participating in learning walks across the district, a pattern arose regarding the curricular and instructional alignment within the district.  Focus groups with staff and families identified a lack of curricular alignment both vertically and horizontally within the district. These inconsistencies existed within the core curriculum (ELA, math, science, social studies) as well as in the program offerings. One parent and a group of staff noted the inconsistency in world language offering within the district where one K-3 school offers Spanish, there is no instruction in 4-5, some students can access in 6-7 and then it is offered to all students again in grade 8. Additionally, during one of the parent focus groups it was stated that student programming for advanced learners is lacking until students get to high school, stating that the conventional wisdom in D-Y is to “just hold on until high school” and then your need to be challenged as an advanced learner will be met. In examining the curriculum, as well as program offerings, there are few opportunities for students to pursue core academic enrichments prior to grade 9.

Riding the Wave, but not Making the Mark

A multi-year analysis of student achievement data within the district indicates that students have been underperforming the state average as well as failing to make progress toward meeting expectations both prior to, during, and following the COVID-19 pandemic. As seen in Figures 4 and 5, D-Y has trailed the state average since 2018 with regard to the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations, and in the most recent year, the gap between the district and state has grown wider. During the 2023 administration of the MCAS test, only 35% of students met or exceeded the state’s expectations in relation to the standards in ELA. For mathematics, the percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards was 31%. An examination of other achievement markers shows that since 2018 the grade 9 course pass rate for all courses is 70% on average with a range of 66% as a low in 2021 to  73% as high in 2020 and 2018. The four-year graduation rate shows that since 2018, the four-year graduation rate has averaged 86.76% with a low of 81.7% in 2018 and a high of 92.5% in 2020.  

Figure 4:

Figure 5:

Further analysis of data shows that while achievement is depressed for all students in the District, it is further restricted for students from historically underserved populations. For example, when examining the 4-year graduation rate, students whose learning is supported by an IEP graduated at a rate of 63.46% between 2018 and 2023. This number is bolstered by an outlier data point in 2020 where this population had a graduation rate of 83.3%, when this outlier data point is removed the average 4-year graduation rate for this subpopulation is 59.5%.  In examining MCAS data across the district, achievement gaps are found for nearly all populations. Figure 6 shows the gap in 2023 between students identified as English Language Learners and those not, as well as showing the trend of overall achievement for this population of students from 2018 to 2023. As can be seen in the graph, the percentage of ELL students Meeting Expectations on state standards has continued to decline since 2018. Figure 7  shows a persistent district achievement gap in mathematics between Black and White students that slightly widened in 2023. While neither group has a high likelihood of demonstrating proficiency on state standards, Black students are almost 3 times less likely to achieve proficiency on state standards in mathematics in Dennis-Yarmouth than their White peers.

 Figure 6:

Figure 7:

The above examples of student achievement data serve as examples of an overall finding. This finding is that the academic program in Dennis-Yarmouth is not preparing all students to meet state standards and is further disadvantageous to students from historically marginalized groups. As noted previously, focus groups with parents and faculty cited inconsistency in curriculum implementation as a key factor that may be contributing to this finding. Similarly, focus groups with instructional leaders, combined with learning walks unveiled inconsistent instructional patterns across the district that may additionally contribute to this finding. Finally, data analysis revealed a possible mismatch between adult perception and student perception regarding academic rigor and expectations for student learning. In analyzing a recent NEASC survey conducted with parents at DYHS, 77% of parents answered “Totally True” or “Mostly True” to the statement The classes my child takes are challenging and similarly 70% responded the same way to the statement This school sets high standards for my child’s academic performance. When students were asked to respond to This class is challenging for me, only 39.3%  answered “Totally True” or “Mostly True”. To the statement This school sets high standards for academic performance, 58% of students responded with either of these two responses. Further, on a separate survey tool conducted by Equal Opportunity Schools (Figure 8), each student ethnic group reported that staff hold high or very high expectations of their academic achievement at rates below the data pool that they collected from over 200,000 students in 260 schools. This disconnect between adult and student perceptions requires further exploration as it could signal a possible contribution to the finding of low achievement.

Figure 8:

Finally, it should be noted that while student achievement is and has been a persistent issue in the district, the topic was rarely raised during my focus groups. During each of the focus group meetings and individual interviews, each participant was asked in which ways the district could best improve. Interestingly, student achievement was rarely noted as an item to be addressed in those sessions; often an entire session would start and end without a single person mentioning student achievement as something that the school district should be working to improve. This signals that perhaps achievement and other outcome-based measures have not previously been an area of focus or used for internal accountability.  

Swimming in Another Ocean

Figure 9 displays School Choice data for the years from 2013 to 2022. School choice data are data of students choosing other public schools other than those in the towns in which they reside. It does not include charter schools, vocational schools, or families opting for homeschooling. As one can easily see from the graphical representation, families choose school choice out of Dennis-Yarmouth at a rate far greater than they do into D-Y and have historically for many years. Historically the rate of school choice out to in has been approximately 3.5/4 to 1. In further investigating this data, one notices that Dennis families make up over 40% of the school choice out population even though Dennis students make up roughly 30% of the foundation enrollment, signaling that families from this particular township are disproportionately sending students to other public schools to educate their children.  The leading district to which families choose to school choice from DYRSD is Monomoy, followed by Nauset.

Figure 9:

During focus group meetings, the data surrounding school choice out vs. in was explored. Many of the topics addressed above were raised in these conversations including inconsistent expectations and follow through on student behavior, some of the public-facing student achievement data, and the district yet having developed a K-12 system that meets the needs of all students (including learning differences and accelerated learners). An additional sub-theme emerged during this discussion. This sub-theme has been identified as the Dolphin Social Story. In reading through survey data and analyzing focus group data, the community believes that negative beliefs exist and are perpetuated about the D-Y student body. Multiple participants noted that both negative press in the traditional media and negative talk on social media fuel these perceptions about D-Y as a school district as well as the students who attend the district, noting that there is not enough positive communication to balance the barrage of negative messaging. The comments can be best summarized as a situation where the story of the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District is being told by others (local newspaper, D-Y Parent’s page, etc.) and not controlled by the school district itself; that the district is not proactive in communicating all the great things happening within its walls leaving others to judge it based only on the negative attention. Some specific items named were negative beliefs about student behavior, negative beliefs about poverty, negative beliefs about families whose first language is not English, and negative beliefs about offerings provided within the school district to students.

Having lived all of my life on the Cape, I am familiar with these negative perceptions that are perpetuated through social circles regarding Dennis-Yarmouth, and having spent the last 8 months immersing myself in the Dolphin Community, I have seen how incorrect these perceptions are. The family engagement in D-Y is the highest that I have seen in any district where I have previously worked. There is nothing out of the ordinary regarding our student behavior. We offer a diverse array of course offerings and provide students with the opportunity to pursue excellence within many arenas. Our non-native English-speaking families offer a rich cultural global perspective to our school community and will help to ensure that D-Y students are prepared to engage in a job market that demands people from diverse backgrounds are able to work together towards a common goal. However, the district does not offer a clear, coordinated approach to communication that celebrates our students, promotes our values, and controls the dolphin story.

Summary of Areas for Growth

The entry process identified multiple areas for growth within the district. Concerns about consistency emerged, particularly in managing student behavior, with staff noting a lack of accountability by administrators and inconsistent expectations across classrooms and schools. Analysis of student data revealed disproportionate discipline for students with learning needs supported by an IEP and underperformance compared to state averages, with persistent achievement gaps for historically underserved populations. Curriculum and instructional alignment were cited as lacking both vertically and horizontally, with inconsistencies noted in core subjects and program offerings. Additionally, a disparity between adult and student perceptions of academic rigor and expectations raised questions about internal accountability. Moreover, school choice data highlighted a significant rate of families choosing to send students out of the district, potentially fueled by negative perceptions perpetuated in media and social circles. These findings emphasized the need for improved communication strategies to counteract these misconceptions and highlight the district's strengths, including strong family engagement, diverse course offerings, and cultural enrichment from non-native English-speaking families.

Implications for Strategy

One of the underlying purposes of an Entry Plan is to help the superintendent gather information from a broad range of stakeholders and get a deep understanding of the district from multiple perspectives. In taking the time to learn extensively about the district’s assets and growth opportunities, I am better prepared to lead strategy development for future growth for the school district. That strategy can then play a key role in developing the district’s strategic plan as well as ensuring equitable outcomes for all students. While the purpose of the report of entry findings is not to provide the district and School Committee with a strategic plan, there are lessons that were learned during this process that will inform strategy development moving forward. Those lessons are summarized below:

1. There are many strengths upon which to build - As noted in multiple sections above, there are many aspects of Dennis-Yarmouth that are fantastic and provide a strong foundation for future development. One of those key areas is the joint commitment within this district to D-Y. Dolphin pride is a real thing and needs to be leveraged as part of a plan for the future. The district must do a better job of celebrating itself, telling its own story, communicating its values, and ensuring that those outside our community fully understand how amazing we really are.
2. We need to prioritize student achievement - Our primary function as a school district is the instructional core. Everything else we do as a school district is to support the relationship between teacher, student, and content. In order to ensure we make an impact on student achievement, it will require a system-wide focus and long-term strategy.
3. Consistency is a key to Equity - Across each of the themes, there is a larger pattern that emerges, and that is one of consistency. There are several references to concerns regarding consistency in practice. Inconsistencies in practices (instructional, curricular, behavioral, programmatic, financial, and personnel) result in inequities for those connected to the system. When the system is inconsistent, then those with “connections” or who are advantaged by knowing “how to work the system” fare better in the system than those who do not. As a public school district, our job is to serve the needs of all students. As such we need to have consistent systems and structures that do just that.

Conclusion and Next Steps

In conclusion, the journey into the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District has illuminated areas ripe for growth and transformation. While recognizing the district's inherent strengths, including robust community involvement and diverse academic offerings, it's vital to address the highlighted concerns. Consistency in behavior management, curriculum coherence, and student achievement deserve careful attention to ensure fairness and support for all learners. Furthermore, proactive communication efforts are crucial in dispelling misconceptions and portraying an accurate narrative of the district's strengths and values. Through fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District can navigate towards further growth and inclusivity, guided by a shared commitment to excellence.

Next Steps:

1. Continue information gathering, specifically with student groups.
2. Utilize information and data gathered during Entry to establish Strategic Priorities.
3. Lead the development of Strategic Objectives and a 5 Year DYRSD Strategic Plan that builds upon the strengths of the district and looks to address key areas for improvement that will have the greatest impact on students.