Good News: Sage Park's Key to Academic Success Revealed

It's been said before: Sage Park is an example of academic success in Windsor.

That statement proved to understate the work done at Windsor's middle school, as the Connecticut Association of Schools recently named Sage Park the middle school of the year.

So what's the secret to success? 

"Our schools knows every one of our students inside and out," said Cavaliere.

What makes this possible? The schools teachers and vice principals, according to Cavaliere.

Unlike many schools, which place the best teachers in classrooms with the highest-achieving students, Sage Park places many of its best teachers in classrooms with students who have yet to achieve at their highest level — students who are often the hardest to teach.

In addition, Cavaliere said, each of his vice principals is a principal in their own right, each working with a specific group of teachers.

"They follow those kids for three years... So you've got that bond with the kids and the parents," said Cavaliere.

Such close relationships with its students also allows the schools intervention and support programs to flourish, helping struggling students improve.

"Like at any school, not every child comes in at every grade level with the right skills... We identify those kids before they come in and then the first day they're in school they're in the program they're supposed to be in.

"It used to be common where schools across the country would teach students who all have the same schedule. Well... every child cannot have the same program anymore, because they have different needs."

It's this work which has helped Sage Park students improve Connecticut Mastery Test scores at every grade level, in every subject and in every sub group for multiple years.

Board of education President Doreen Richardson said Thursday that Sage Park's success is an example of academic success when decisions are made for the benefit of Windsor's students.

Such work, she said, is being carried out throughout the district, but Sage Park's success has taken shape due to the fact that Cavaliere and his vice principals have been at the school for a longer period of time.

Such consistency has not been present at other district schools, Richardson said, providing the example of Windsor High School, where Principal Russell Sills is in his fourth year.

Prior to Sills, she said, the high school and other district schools experienced considerable administration turnover.

A formal celebration will be held in the fall, according to the district.