Seneca may have just welcomed students back to school on the morning of Sept. 3, but preparations for the new year began months ago.
Like schools across the country, the administration and staff at Seneca have been preparing for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC. The test differs from the previous HSPA exam in that it is taken digitally.
“We have a great administration team who have done a great job of preparing for PARCC,” Principal Jeff Spector said. “We feel comfortable that we are prepared for the technological aspects of administering the test. The challenge is for our teachers is in managing and maintaining the instructional time devoted to PARCC and the normal curriculum. It will be an adjustment.”
Another potential adjustment for students is the institution of Project Lead the Way. Both Seneca and Lenape were pilot schools for the program a year ago.
PLTW, a nonprofit organization, is a provider of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, programs for elementary, middle and high schools in all 50 states. STEM education has become a focus for schools as the U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that jobs in science, technology, engineering and math will grow 17 percent by 2018, nearly double the growth for non-STEM fields.
“Project Lead the Way will provide great opportunities for our students not only here at Seneca but also in providing connections at the college level. It’s a partnership we are really excited about,” Spector said.
According to Spector, both the students and the staff share an excitement over the Lenape Regional High School District’s One Book, One School initiative.
This summer, all of the school’s students read “Boy 21” by Matthew Quick. The book is a story about two high school basketball players who live in a run-down town and overcome adversity in their own lives through a new friendship. LRHSD Director of Curriculum Heather Xenakis said the program has proven to be successful in promoting school spirit and unity. She said the students are much more eager to read the books than they would be with a grade level-specific book.
“In the past, each of the different levels read different books,” Xenakis said. “Now, the entire faculty and students are asked to read one book. It has been embraced by the school communities.”
Spector said Seneca has been creative in ways to incorporate the program into other events as well as fundraisers.
“In years past, we’ve held school-wide events related to One Book, One School. We’ve raised more than $26,000 for cancer research. We’ve held academic pep rallies, which are pretty unique. Most pep rallies are based around sports, so to have one for academics is really cool,” Spector said. “The students, the teachers, really the entire school have all embraced the program.”
