As we wrote earlier, Empower worked with the Mayor and School Committee to chart a new path for the Bentley Elementary in Salem.
For the past four years, the Bentley has been a Level 4 school, meaning it is among the lowest-performing schools in the state. The Level 4 designation requires that schools create a turnaround plan, to drive real changes that can spur improvement. The Bentley School began a turnaround effort in 2012, but even with transformation strategies in place, Bentley’s achievement did not improve.
This school year, the Salem School Committee formed a partnership with Blueprint Schools and hired new leadership for grades 3-5 at the Bentley. While we still have a long way to go, we are encouraged by the strong start and excited that the School Committee has decided to explore other ways to provide students across the district with the resources and support they need to reach their goals.