Mission Statement

To provide opportunities and pathways in a safe, supportive and technology-rich environment that engage, challenge and inspire students to achieve college and career readiness and to contribute to our 21st century community.
 

Vision Statement

Public education in Swansea is a collaborative effort among staff, faculty, students, parents and the community; we seek to challenge, inspire and bring the joy of learning to all students.  Guided by our Core Values, we will provide all students opportunities to become lifelong learners who excel academically, socially and personally.  Our goal is to empower students to contribute actively to the civic, moral and economic spirit of our diverse democratic community and society.
 

Core Values

Sharing communication among all stakeholders

Working collaboratively with the community
Authentic learning opportunities
Nurturing, safe educational environments
Strengthening higher order thinking skills
Engaging students as active learners
Accountability in academic excellence and integrity

Swansea Public Schools are guided by the following NEASC Educational Guiding Principle Curriculum

The written and taught curriculum is designed to result in all students achieving the school’s 21st century expectations for student learning. The written curriculum is the framework within which a school aligns and personalizes the school’s 21 century learning expectations. The curriculum includes a purposefully designed set of course offerings, co-curricular programs, and other learning opportunities. The curriculum reflects the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. The curriculum is collaboratively developed, implemented, reviewed, and revised based on analysis of student performance and current research.

The curriculum is purposefully designed to ensure that all students practice and achieve each of the schools 21st century learning expectations.

The district provides the school’s professional staff with sufficient personnel, time, and financial resources for ongoing and collaborative development, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum using assessment results and current research. 

 Instruction 

The quality of instruction is the single most important factor in students’ achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations. Instruction is responsive to student needs, deliberate in its design and delivery, and grounded in the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. Instruction is supported by research in best practices. Teachers are reflective and collaborative about their instructional strategies and collaborative with their colleagues to improve student learning.

Teachers’ instructional practices are continuously examined to ensure consistency with the school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations.

Teachers’ instructional practices support the achievement of the schools 21st century learning expectations by: 

• personalizing instruction

• engaging students in cross-disciplinary learning

• engaging students as active and self-directed learners

• emphasizing inquiry, problem-solving, and higher order thinking

• applying knowledge and skills to authentic tasks

• engaging students in self-assessment and reflection

• integrating technology

 Assessment Of and For Student Learning

      Assessment informs students and stakeholders of progress and growth toward meeting the school’s 21st century learning expectations. Assessment results are shared and discussed on a regular basis to improve student learning. Assessment results inform teachers about student achievement in order to adjust curriculum and instruction

The professional staff continuously employs a formal process, based on school-wide rubrics, to asses whole-school and individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

Teachers and administrators, individually and collaboratively, examine a range of evidence of student learning for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instructional practice, including all of the following. 

• student work

• common course and common grade-level assessments

• individual and school-wide progress in achieving the schools 21st

• century learning expectations

• standardized assessments

• data from sending schools, receiving schools, and post-secondary institutions

• survey data from current students and alumni

 School Culture and Leadership 

The school culture is equitable and inclusive, and it embodies the school’s foundational core values and beliefs about student learning. It is characterized by reflective, collaborative, and constructive dialogue about research-based practices that support high expectations for the learning of all students. The leadership of the school fosters a safe, positive culture by promoting learning, cultivating shared leadership, and engaging all members of the school community in efforts to improve teaching and learning.

The school community consciously and continuously builds a

safe, positive, respectful, and supportive culture that fosters

student responsibility for learning and results in shared

ownership, pride, and high expectations for all.

In order to improve student learning through professional development, the principal and professional staff:

• Engage in professional discourse for reflection, inquiry, and analysis of teaching and learning

• Use resources outside of the school to maintain currency with best practices

• Dedicate formal time to implement professional development

• Apply the skills, practices, and ideas gained in order to improve

• curriculum, instruction, and assessment

School Culture and Leadership

Student learning and well-being are dependent upon adequate and appropriate support. The school is responsible for providing an effective range of coordinated programs and services. These resources enhance and improve student learning and well-being and support the school’s core values and beliefs. Student support services enable each student to achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. 

Support Standard
Community Resources for Learning

The achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations required active community, governing board, and parent advocacy. Through dependable and adequate funding, the community provides the personnel, resources, and facilities to support the delivery of curriculum, instruction, programs, and services.

The town of Swansea was established in 1667 and incorporated as a town in 1785. This suburban community, with a total area of 22.12 square mile, has a population of 15,825 as of April 14, 2021.  Swansea residents value their town for its rural character, and take pride in knowing that many see the town as an excellent community in which to raise families.  Swansea retains sixteen original intact colonial houses, including a living museum and a picturesque Main Street.

According to the 2020 Massachusetts Department of Secondary and Elementary Education data, Swansea’s ethnic, racial and cultural composition has remained relatively consistent with 93.6 percent Caucasian, 0.9 percent African American, 2.5 percent Hispanic, and 1.2 percent Asian residents.  There are a large number of first and second-generation immigrants, predominantly of Portuguese heritage.  Swansea residents primarily speak English, but some families communicate in Portuguese and Spanish at home.

Swansea Public Schools serve the town with four elementary schools, one junior high school and one senior high school.  Gardner School and Mark G. Hoyle School service students in pre-K through the 2nd grade.  The Elizabeth S. Brown School and Joseph G. Luther schools educate students in grades 3-5.  Joseph Case Junior High School provides for students in grades 6-8, with Joseph Case Senior High School educating students in grades 9-12.  Seven independent schools also operate in Swansea, offering a wide range of specialized educational services.

Total enrollment in the Swansea Public Schools is 2,016.  Joseph Case High School has a current enrollment of 527 students divided fairly equitably between males and females.  Throughout the district, 24.13 percent of students meet federal eligibility requirements for free and reduced meals.

The town of Swansea allocated 45.0 percent of local resources in FY 20 to the school district for a total of $21,901,856.00.  In FY 18, Swansea Public Schools expended $13,666.00 per pupil, compared to the state average expenditure of $16,506.00 per pupil, a slight increase in comparison to the 2017 expenditure per pupil of $13,368.00 in relation to the $15,918.00 state average.   Swansea’s dropout rate in 2019 was    0.4 percent compared to the state average of 4.8 percent, while its graduation rate was 97.8 percent, compared to the state average of 87.9 percent.