Mission Statement McCarthy-Towne is a community of learners in which children, teachers, and families work cooperatively to encourage individual growth and success in a changing world.
The teachers at McCarthy-Towne School use activities and lessons that encourage independence and nurture enthusiasm for learning.
In particular, the McCarthy-Towne faculty strives to:
1. Enable students to be successful.
2. Recognize students' different strengths, needs and styles.
3. Challenge students' different types of intelligence and expand students' joy of learning.
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McCarthy-Towne is a community of learners in which children, teachers and families work cooperatively to encourage individual growth and success in a changing world. Children are given the responsibility for learning independently, solving problems and making decisions. They are encouraged to take risks and are acknowledged for their unique talents, skills and ideas. Teachers and parents are expected to be part of the decision making process for running the school and exploring new possibilities. They readily try new things and risk failure in order to achieve improvements. They want the school's environment to be welcoming, friendly, and safe in a structure that is informal, yet orderly and clear. The environment is designed to value risk taking, collaboration, persistence, flexibility and trust. Everyone at MCT is considered both a student and a teacher. Integrated curricula and thematic approaches stress cooperation, active participation, and experimentation. Asking questions is considered as important as giving answers; there may be many correct answers. Students' individual needs, personal strengths and learning styles are always supported. Students and parents may share instructional roles with the teacher and all are learning from what occurs. |
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The following descriptions illustrate some of these significant practices.
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Goal # 1: Focus on advancing
the literacy of all students at MCT. Faculty will
continue work begun during the 05-06 school year on 6 + 1
Traits of writing by: Goal # 2: Maintain and expand focus on
the arts. Support the: Goal # 3: Explore ways to support ELL students and their families to improve their comfort and success in the McCarthy-Towne community. |
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Art/Humanities Children learn to express themselves freely and confidently with art materials at McT because they are given the time to work through the process until satisfied. Rather than scheduled as a separate subject once or twice a week, art both as process and product can be seen in what goes on every day. In art, cognitive and expressive skills work hand in hand as part of the educational philosophy we are committed to. |
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Computer
Use Students use computers in their classrooms and in the computer lab. |
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Library/Instructional
Materials Center |
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Sloyd |
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Music |
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Physical
Education |
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Some of the ways that McCarthy-Towne parents are involved are: School Volunteers: Classroom Volunteers: Parent Teacher Student
Organization (P.T.S.O) : |
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ESL (English as a Second Language) |
Special
Education
The
special education programs at McCarthy-Towne are committed
to supporting students' educational goals in the least
restrictive environment. Special Educators work with
students who, for a variety of reasons, require support
services to progress in school.
Special Educators work in partnership with teachers, assistants and other specialists to address the needs of students struggling significantly in the regular education program. Activities such as consultation, student observations, curriculum and/or behavioral modifications, access to regular education support programs, and screening may be recommended.
As appropriate, a student may be referred for an evaluation to identify learning style and educational needs. When indicated, the student's parents, classroom teacher, and specialists are involved in the development of an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) to meet student needs.
Students
receive support in a variety of areas, including:
• instruction in academic areas
• perceptual-motor skill
development
• concept development and
reinforcement
• compensatory strategies
• skill remediation
• study skills /organizational
skills
• social/ emotional development
• behavioral management
programs
Services are outlined in the IEP and may occur within regular education programs and/or in a special education setting, such as he learning center or a resource room. Services are provided in individual, small groups or full class groups according to individual needs and can vary from consultations with teachers to daily support.
Special Educators promote self-awareness and pride in one's own abilities and accomplishments to help foster continued growth and success in educational programs.
Counseling
The goal
of the Counseling program at McCarthy-Towne is to ensure a
successful school experience for students, one in which they
develop a positive self-image, the skills to interact
productively, and the maturity to make wise decisions. In
order to reach that goal, McCarthy-Towne's counselor
provides individual and group counseling; consultation to
teachers, parents, administrators and students; an evening
parenting course; classroom workshops on specific issues as
they arise; and developmentally appropriate units to foster
self-esteem, problem solving, building friendships, and the
like.
Specific
whole-class programs include the following:
• Fifteen weekly meetings focus on
Conflict Resolution in all the second grades;
• A few follow-up sessions are given
in the fall of third grade to re-enforce the Conflict
Resolution program;
• A six-session puppet program called
B.A.B.E.S. (Beginning Alcohol and Addiction Basic Education
Studies) is offered toward the end of third grade to build
self-esteem and substance abuse prevention/decision-making
skills;
• The Friends Forever curriculum is
provided in fourth grade to build social and problem-solving
skills, and to address the issue of hurtful teasing;
• Additional teasing prevention
lessons are provided in grades 5 and 6;
• A program unique to McCarthy-Towne
is the 6th grade volunteer program called TCM (Together CASE
with McT) in which 6th graders volunteer to work with
students in the CASE classrooms, which are housed at
McCarthy-Towne. With supervision, the students learn an
appreciation for people who are different from them and also
have an opportunity to give back to their community.
The Counseling program at McCarthy-Towne is ever-changing to
meet the needs of the students, staff, parents and the
community as a whole. It has evolved into a mixture of
in-class programs plus traditional consultation and direct
service to students in small counseling groups. It also
provides a place for students to talk if specific issues
arise which prevent them from participating fully in the
classroom.Each approach is important and serves the
McCarthy-Towne community in a different way.
Reading
Program
The primary goal of the
Reading Program is to provide supplemental reading
instruction to those students who have not been identified
with any specific learning disability but are experiencing
trouble with their literacy learning.
Reading instruction in the program focuses on the reading of real texts that use natural language. The goal is for children to spend the majority of time reading. Students are given books on their instructional level so that they are sufficiently challenged but not overwhelmed. Writing is part of the program in that children are encouraged to respond to what they have read through writing, thus providing insight into their level of comprehension.
The first grade program is set up as an early intervention program, being proactive rather than reactive. Children are identified as being at-risk for reading difficulties as they develop their literacy and pre-reading skills. The goal is to assure their success through a small-group setting.
In the upper grades, when decoding is not typically the area of concern, comprehension strategies become the major focus. Classroom reading material may be used as a reading source. Lessons are created to help students find ways to remember and organize what they have read. Depending on needs, lessons may also focus on vocabulary expansion, reading fluency, and study skill development.
Speech
and Language
The speech
language program at the McCarthy-Towne School serves
students from kindergarten through grade 6 who have a
disability in the area of communication skills which is
interfering with their ability to progress in the classroom.
These disabilities may include auditory processing/language
comprehension, expressive language, or
articulation/phonology. The speech/language specialist
provides consultation to staff and parents, as well as
diagnostic, educational and direct therapeutic services.
After an evaluation of communication skills has determined
that the student is demonstrating a disability which is
interfering with classroom progress, and an Individual
Educational Plan has been developed and accepted, the
speech/language specialist and/or speech/language assistant
works with the students either in a small group in the
speech/language room, or within the classroom. Some students
may participate in groups that are co-taught by the special
education teacher or school counselor. Amount of support
time, methods and materials will vary according to the age,
interests and special needs of students. Comprehensive
services to the community include communication with parents
and other professionals, such as pediatricians,
otolaryngologists and other Speech, Hearing and Language
Clinics. Speech/language evaluations and services are also
available through the Special Education Department to
children as they turn three years of age.
C.A.S.E.
McCarthy-Towne houses two
substantially separate classes that are administered by the
Concord Area Special Education collaborative. The students
in these classes have special needs in a variety of areas,
including cognition, language, motor and activities of daily
living. Children in the K/1/2 class range in age from 5 - 8
years old while those in the grade 3/4/5 class are 9 - 12
years of age. These students are integrated into the regular
education classrooms when possible.
In addition to small group and individualized instruction, C.A.S.E. students receive occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and sometimes physical therapy. Most of the students join their regular education peers for a variety of activities including lunch, recess, specials and, in some cases, class time. They receive support from C.A.S.E. staff in all areas of their education at all times.
The students in the C.A.S.E. classes at McCarthy-Towne all have Individualized Educational Plans (I.E.P.). Instruction is done in an integrative approach where therapy services are carried over to the classroom settings.
Students receive instruction in reading, math, fine motor, social and self-help skills; they meet with staff individually or in small groups with 2:1 staff to student ratios. Instruction is being provided using thematic monthly units that run in three-year cycles. Behavioral interventions, visual supports and high levels of reinforcement are common services and strategies that support the learning experience.
For many years TCM - Together CASE & McCarthy-Towne, a sixth grade volunteer program - has provided an opportunity for McCarthy-Towne students to work with children in the C.A.S.E. classes. C.A.S.E. staff provides training and supportive consultation for the sixth graders who participate in this program. Students in these classrooms also participate in the school's Reading Buddy program with a 5th grade class.
English
as a Second Language
The E.S.L. program at
McCarthy-Towne supports international students from
kindergarten through sixth grade who are learning English.
The program is tailored to meet the needs of each student,
depending on grade level, proficiency in the English
language and academic need. The focus for newly arrived
students is on "survival English," acculturation, and
socialization within our school and our community. More
proficient students are given academic suppport to help them
succeed in the regular classroom. Instruction parallels and
supports the classroom curriculum as much as possible. Small
group instruction facilitates oral language building and
comprehension, and reading and writing are incorporated into
every lesson. Cultural sharing is always encouraged to
celebrate the diversity of the McCarthy-Towne student
body.
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The PTSO - the Parent Teacher Student Organization - is involved in a variety of tasks at McCarthy-Towne. The PTSO meets monthly. All members of the McT community are members of the PTSO, and are encouraged to participate. The PTSO focuses on four main areas: Communication, Social Activities, Committee Involvement, and Finance. Communication: The McCarthy-Towne Bulletin is sent home monthly. Usual articles include a message from the principal, another from the PTSO co-chairs, a calendar of upcoming events, reports on school or classroom happenings, and information from the staff and parents. The PTSO also sponsors an e-mail newsgroup and publishes a School Directory. The Safe Arrival Hotline, which is staffed and funded by the PTSO, reconciles the daily attendance with parents' phone messages notifying the school of absences. Social: The PTSO sponsors events throughout the year that help families get to know each other. Included may be such special events as a fall Social and Book Fair, a spring Ice Cream Social and the annual auction. Committees: Parents are involved in many PTSO committees, among them: the Hospitality Committee, which provides refreshments for school events; the Social Committee; various Fundraising committees; International Liaison; and Parent Education. The Cultural and Performing Arts Committee (C/PAC) arranges school-wide and grade level performances and presentations. Parents also observe at School Committee Meetings, share at Inter-School Council meetings and Inter-PTO Chair meetings, and serve on the Parker Damon Building Steering Committee. Financially: The PTSO is involved in extensive fundraising to help the school acquire services, materials and equipment beyond what is provided by the school district's appropriated budget. Recently, the PTSO has funded educational and cultural presentations for school assemblies and in-school field trips; scholarships for field trips; classroom assistants, reading assistants and other personnel; and equipment that falls outside the school district's budget. Among the many fundraising activities are a gift wrap sale, SCRIP sales, book fair, school and family photographs, and an annual auction. The PTSO and staff work together to provide a school experience that will be satisfying and enriching for each member of the school community: student, faculty, and parent. |
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The Massachusetts Board of Education has mandated that every school in Massachusetts have a School Council. The Council consists of the school principal, representative parents, faculty members and community members. Each year, the School Council develops and monitors an annual School Improvement Plan. The School Council at MCT serves as a focal point for community conversations about the long-term goals of the school and progress toward these goals. The School Council helps increase communication within the school community. The School Council can also provide a forum for faculty, parent and community representatives to address issues not yet before other school venues. These discussions can occur away from the pressures that may exist in other forums. The job of the School Council is to decide how these concerns might be handled and to make recommendations for doing so to the appropriate group (such as MCT's faculty, the PTSO Steering Committee or Student Council) or individual. |
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Frequently Asked Questions (and answers...) 1. Is there a certain type
of student that is best suited for McCarthy-Towne? 2. How does McCarthy-Towne
provide structure in the classroom? 3. How do students and
parents know how the student is progressing? Are report
cards used? 4. Are textbooks and
particular instructional methods used? 5. Why is there an emphasis
on personal goal setting and cooperation with others? 6. Do students work in
groups? 7. How do McCarthy-Towne students compare to students from other Acton schools on test scores? Each year students in third through sixth grade take the MCAS. Acton students score very well on these tests, and students at McCarthy-Towne compare favorably with students at other Acton schools. 8. When the McCarthy-Towne
students get to the Junior High, how do they compare to
other students? 9. How are the arts
integrated into the curriculum? 10. What if my child is not
artistic? 11. How does McCarthy-Towne
accommodate students with different capabilities? 12. Why are the faculty and
staff often called by their first names? 13. In what ways are
parents involved? |
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Contacts Astrid Trostorff, Parent Involvement/Community Outreach Coordinator > atrostorff@mail.ab.mec.edu or 978 264-4700 x3703 Julie Greenspan, PTSO
co-chair> pgreenspan@comcast.net or 978-263-7705 Janet Chinitz, School
Council> janet@chinitzfamily.com or 978-635-9646 Information is also available on the Internet: McCarthy-Towne School Web Site: mct.ab.mec.edu |
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by Astrid Trostorff, Parent Involvement/Community Outreach Coordinator These are my anecdotal
observations of changing demographics at McCarthy-Towne. The demographics of McCarthy-Towne students and families have changed as Acton &endash; and America - has changed. My eldest child went through seven years of elementary school in which every child at his grade level was Caucasian, everyone seemed to speak English as their first language and come from a Judeo-Christian background, most families looked like traditional two-parent mother and father families, and many (though not all) mothers were home during the day. Today, more families have both or the only parent working outside the home. This can make it more difficult for those parents to volunteer, especially during the school day. But those parents DO continue to volunteer. They volunteer in the evenings and on weekends, and often rearrange their work schedules to help in the classroom and go on field trips. More families look different from the traditional mother and father model. There are more single parent families, more families with both parents of the same gender, more families with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins as part of the household, more blended families with step-parents and step-siblings. These families are also involved in volunteering at McCarthy-Towne. Economically, the extremes in families' incomes seems to be larger. Activity and supply costs can be more of a struggle for some of our families. Our school and PTSO try to remain sensitive to this, and to make all parts of the school experience equally accessible to all our families. Also, more frequently, some families do not have a car available to a parent who would like to volunteer, or to transport a child to or from an activity outside of school hours. I have tried to connect families who can help each other with transportation to allow these activities. McCarthy-Towne has also changed as Acton has changed culturally. More families are recent immigrants to America. Parents, and sometimes the students, come here from Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and Europe. They come with their cultures, and enrich the school community by sharing them. In addition, some parents, and also some students, have not mastered English. But we are fortunate to have members of our community &endash; staff, parents and students &endash; who have volunteered to help us communicate with families and students in Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Hindi and Tamil. The one thing that has not changed over the years is the most important demographic: the emphasis on the importance of education to our families. Students are at McCarthy-Towne (and all the other Acton schools) because they chose to live in Acton &endash; sometimes at great sacrifice &endash; because they want the best possible education for their children. And because they value education and support the work of our school in many different ways, our community is filled with successful learners. |
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McCARTHY-TOWNE SCHOOL BEHAVIOR CONTRACT STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY CODE OF BEHAVIOR
EXPECTATIONS THEREFORE: CONSEQUENCES FOR
INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR PARENTS OF ALL CHILDREN
INVOLVED WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN: |
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End
of Year Assessments:
Grades 2 - 6
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