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4Cs program
helps with MCAS
challenges
By Kathleen Szmit Manwaring
kmanwaring@barnstablepatnot.com
In high schools across
the country, an alarming
trend is growing: according
to researchers quoted in a
recent Time magazine ar-
ticle, one out of three public
high school students will
not graduate. A major issue
facing many Massachusetts
students has to do with their
MCAS scores.
Created as a means of
testing student achievement
levels against established
curriculum frameworks , the
Massachusetts Comprehen-
sive Assessment System
(MCAS) tests are taken at
various times throughout a
child'seducation. At no time
do the scores of those tests
matter more than in tenth
grade, when a passing score
means graduating with a
diploma versus a certificate
of attainment.
Unfortunately , approxi-
mately 2,000 students across
the state, including about
80 in Barnstable , have not
passed the MCAS and are
facing a drastically different
future than they may have
envisioned.
To tackle this issue, Cape
Cod Community College es-
tablished a program aimed
at helping students pass the
test and earn their complete
diploma.
The MCAS Academy was
created in 2003 when it was
learned that, in the wake of
the Education Reform Act,
students were struggling
with the very tests meant to
measure their understanding
of the new curriculum.
"MCAS is the Massachu-
setts remedy of No Child Left
Behind ," said the program's
coordinator, Margaret Per-
kins. "We want all eligible
individuals to get their com-
petency."
Through a fund provided
by the Massachusetts De-
partment ofEducation, Cape
Cod Community College ,
in partnership with Career
Opportunities - One Stop
Career Center, The Cape &
Islands Workforce Invest-
ment Board, the Adult Col-
laborative of Cape Cod and
Bridges Associates , Inc.,
offers services to students
who have failed the MCAS
tests and want a retest.
With the assistance of
qualified teachers, students
from the classes of 2003
through 2007 can enroll in
the Academy, where they
willlearn the skillsnecessary
for a passing score as well as
other alternatives that may
be available.
"It's not just about pass-
ing," said Perkins. "We want
to let them know what the
options are."
While it is estimated that
more than 125 students in
the Cape schools serviced by
the funds that are entitled to
the services provided by the
Academy,circulatinginforma-
tion ischallenging.The actual
number of students enrolled
has hovered around 60. "Our
job isto get to those individu-
als,enrollthem anddeliverthe
services," said Perkins. "One
of the purposes of the funding
was to get the word out."
Perkins would like to take
her message not only to the
five Cape high schools ser-
viced by the program,includ-
ing Barnstable , but also to
local radio, businesses, and
community and faith-based
organizations. Although an
outreach plan isin the works,
the program's summer ses-
sion begins soon.
This is the first year that
the program has received
all the money it requested, a
total of $65,000.As aresult of
the increased funds, the col-
lege has added an incentive
to the Academy curriculum.
"Students enrolled in the
program thisyear are eligible
to take one course free at the
college," said Perkins. "That
may add some pluses."
In the years since the
program's inception , suc-
cess has been gradual but
apparent. "Last year, we
served 40 students ," said
Perkins. "I would say it was
an 80 percent success rate
[on restests]. It was good.
It wasn't excellent."
It is a joy for all involved
when a student passes. "We
had a student from Upper
Cape Tech,"recalled Perkins.
"The general attitude was
that he would have a very
difficult time with the test,"
That student passed. Noted
Perkins, "That was abig suc-
cess story."
Recently the program net-
ted another success when a
21-year-old woman who had
repeatedlystruggledwiththe
exam passed her retest with
a score of 230.
"This was someone who
could have gone out into the
woodwork and no one would
have noticed," said Perkins.
"Now she passed and will be
going onto schoolhere [Cape
Cod Community College]."
Perkins looks forward to
ongoing funding for the pro-
gramsothat students inneed
can continue receiving help.
"Ithink [the future] ispretty
scary if you're at the risk of
not passing," she said.
"It's not just about passing. We want to let
them know what the options are."
Margaret Perkins,CCCC MCAS perp coordinator
Passing the test
EDWARD F MARONEY PHOTO
THEY SPEAK THE LANGUAGE - Barnstable High School students who won honors onthe National Latin and
National Greek exams line up at last week's school committee meeting to display their awards.
Jazzy nights at Knight Hall - and more
Barnstable High School will swing to the sounds of a full jazz band tonight and tomorrow
at 9 p.m. as the music department presents a full jazz band backing the schools' show choir,
vocal jazz ensemble, lab band, and more. Admission is $10 at the door ($5 for students and
seniors).
If you go, you'll see some of what had the judges raving at the Fiesta-ValMusicale in Wil-
liamsburg. Va., at the end of April. The BHS VocalJazz Ensemble and the Winter Guard both
won first place with a superior rating, while the string orchestra, marching band, and winter
percussion ensembles earned firsts with an excellent rating.
The Jazz Lab Band finished second with a superior rating, and the concert band, women's
ensemble, and chamber chorus came in second with ratings of excellent.
Outstanding jazz soloist awards went to Siobhan Magnus and Catherine McDonough. Matt
Joseph won outstanding flugelhorn/trumpet soloist, Dan Neal outstanding concert band so-
loist, Leigh Ann Handel outstanding orchestra soloist, and Bryan Kanzer outstanding piano
accompanist.
Four bests were awarded: best rhythm section jazz and vocal jazz , best percussion section-
marching band, best color guard marching band, and best drum major-marching band.
Barnstable's Spring Concert on May 25 will feature a stageful of student musicians in the
1812 Overture and the "Stars and Stripes Forever." Admission will be $3 at the door, $2 for
seniors and students.
Falmouth Academy opens its doors
An open house for 5th graders and their parents and guardians will be held at Falmouth
Academy May 13from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Call 508-457-9696 or go to www.falmouthacademy.org
for more information.
Sheriff gives students an inside look
Cape high school students,including 15Barnstablejuniors and seniors,are graduates of the
first Barnstable County Sheriff's Office Criminal Justice Academy. Participants were exposed
to everything from finger printing techniques to tours of facilities to a talk by an undercover
agent with the Cape and Islands Drug Task Force.
Among the graduates were Peter Loumiotis of Barnstable; AlexandraBlair,Nicholas Bridges,
Robert McGaughey, Michael Lewis, and Daniel Welch of Centerville; RakhaMahabir of Cotuit;
Marshall Berry and Corey Fleming of Hyannis; Bonnie O'Neill of Hyannisport; Jason Norell
of Osterville; and Benjamin Crevier, Greg Hobill, Bruce Marney and Rick Tompkins of West
Barnstable.
Open house at Cape Cod Academy
Seethe new Science Center and more at Cape Cod Academy'sspringAdmission Open House
May 20 from 1to 3 p.m. The school is in Osterville. Call 508-428-5400 for more information.
A symposiumon safety
Andrea Duesser is organizing a Cape Cod Symposium on Solutions (Cape Cod SOS) for
Safe High Schools, to be held May 18 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Coonamessett Inn in
Falmouth. The purpose , according to a flyer, is to "create a resource network among... peers
for proactive programs."
Attendees are expected to include school superintendent s, high school principals, and local
police chiefs. For more information, contact Deusser at 508-736-9563 or deussera@att.net
Scholarships available
C a p e Cod H o s p i t a l i t y M a r k e t i n g A s s o c i a t i o n
Annual Hospitality Excellence Scholarships: three scholarships for college students or col-
lege-bound seniors with declared hospitality industry-affiliated major. Send an e-mail to
elliemackenzie(ttseacrest-resort.com . The deadline for submitting applications is June 1.
• Geraldine M. Lavin Memorial Scholarship Fund: a $1,000 scholarship for students whose
lives have been impacted by breast cancer. Go to www.geraldinelavinscholarship.org or call
508-375-4056. The deadline is June 1, but there is some flexibility.
Barnstable High School Honor Roll on Page C:9
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I!>* TOWN OF BARNSTABLE #JI
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J Ves! I will be a Stars and Stripes Sponsor for $1,000.00 '_V_
m m Yes! 1 will be a Five Star Sponsor for $500.00 % B
M Jf Yes ' I will be a Red. White and Blue Sponsor tor $250 IK)
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mj< ^7 _Yes! I will be an Independence Day Sponsor for $100.00 TV _»
m' L£T - Yes! I'll be a Citizen 's Booster and donate S toward the parade 1
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YES!
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_ _ For the 8th year a parade will march down Main Street on Tuesday Jul y 4th. Please f it M
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<\7 consider in< hiding the parade in your community support budget A good parade needs V> ¦
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4% lots of music and bands. This year we need to raise $19,000.00 for the bands. Help make _! S
mC%T^ this the be .1
parade ever by making your check payable to the Town ol Barnstable Parade j4_P*_F
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Committee rh< committee is working hard to provide a spirited parade and we need ¦
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J^y m M your support to make it successful loin us on Independence Day and celebrate America ¦
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K M All entrants are asked to check in at 3:00 p.m at Old Colony Ave in Hyannis.
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lty~7/ Judging will take place and ribbons awarded on the Village Green after the Parade for
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m\r\ Most Patriotic, Most Historical, Most Nautical, Most Humorous, Best Theme, Best Cultural. >"sfm
m m Entertainment is on the Village Green after the parade % ¦
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JB The parade route will start at Ocean Street and Main Street to Sea Street _ _ _
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V Line up will be on Old Colony Ave and Ocean Street _ ^_Vw
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\ Please return this form by May 15, 2006 in order to book the bands Send to ft
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AWAW
Apne '•'Vaithfir HaV,;S at CC5 171 Falmouth Road Hyannis. Ma 02601 Vim
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__- 508-775-4400 Fax 508-778-2667 _ _ _ _ _
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Fri. & Sat. • May 12th & 13th • 11 a.m. - 2 jiTm
.
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jfejffl^JpHp* Cooking Demonstrations ^*****^
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¦ j l- Going On AH Day! IIIPllPP *
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At
HALL OIL
c°- i
1 * 508-539-1674 • 866-398-3831
435 Rte 134, S. Dennis (next to Mid Cape Home Center)
Rte 28, Mashpee (next to Boston Interiors)
_W NORWEGIAN SPIRIT
^ 11 DAY CARIBBEAN
ESCORTED FROM CAPE COD
Departs NYC Oct 29 - Nov 9
2006 Cruise to St. Thomas, Anti-
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From $499.99 per person
fm PRIDE OF HAWAII
m
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Cruising from Honolulu to Hilo Maui.
Kona and Kauai INCLUDES 2
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PLUS AIRFARE FROM BOSTON
From $1469 per person
Golfing in Hawaii
Packages Also Available
LAST MINUTE DISCOUNTED CRUISES
FALMOUTH
TRAVEL WORLD
Bnokina; Restrictions A pply
ai pricesstow are per pence ftwbte occupancy does noi .re •&_
205 Worcester Ct. • 1-800-943-0636
ivww.falmouthtravel.com
i Letters to
the editor
The Barnstable Patriot
welcomes letters to the
editor. Please keep them
brief and either type or
print them neatly.Include
name, address and tele-
phone number. Anony-
mous letters will not be
published , but names will
be withheld upon request.
We reserve the right to edit
all submissions.
THE BARNSTABLE PATRIOT
P.O. BOX 1208
HYANNIS. MA 02601
OR E-MAIL TO
lett6n@barnstablepatriot.com
Falmouth Academy
A deliberatel y small, academicall y rigorous, college-prep
day school for students in grades 7-12.
_T ^^T ifflllrTr^S ar ai
^ T
Open House
Saturday, May 13th, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Small classes • Core curriculum focusing on reading,
writing,and speaking skills • Challenging academics
ma supportive community • Exceptional teachers •
Flourishing programs in art, music, drama,and athletics
• Transportation and financial aid available
7 Highfield Dr., Falmouth 02540
508-457-96% www.falmouthacademy.org