Mayor Sarno stated, “I want to thank Board Chair Katherine Craven, Vice Chair James Morton, Commissioner Jeffrey Riley and the entire Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for inviting Superintendent Warwick and myself to share our perspective on how a successful partnership with multiple stakeholders can offer a unique option when it comes to enhancing our local public education model. Our Springfield Empowerment Zone has the synergy and collaborative partnerships that are needed between all stakeholders. By having everyone at the table, including myself as Mayor and Chair of the School Committee, our Superintendent Daniel Warwick, who has made tremendous strides and accomplishments since taking over – dramatically improving our graduation rates and lowering our dropout rates, to the members of the School Committee, private and public supporters, local and state advocates and just as important our unions, teachers, staff and our families. Working together, the proof is evident. Our Springfield Public Schools have seen success across the board. We have implemented numerous initiatives and programs in improve reading fluency, increase test scores, increase afterschool activities and programs, embrace our student athletes and extracurricular activities and much more – all this while dealing with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, where we have ‘taken the bull by the horn’ and kept our students online with virtual classes – including keeping a virtual school open as we reopened our in person classroom learning, and distributing much-needed school meals for our students. I am proud of all of our accomplishments and excited to continue to work with all of our partners and stakeholders as we continue to work together to move our Springfield Public Schools forward for the betterment of our students, staff and our families.”
Superintendent Daniel Warwick stated, “Formed in 2014, the Springfield Empowerment Zone partnership demonstrates a collaborative approach to turning around low-performing schools and making them sustainable and accountable. This model gives our schools the flexibility and the tools needed to have our students and staff succeed. Chris Gabrieli and his team have been great to work with. This approach has proven to be successful and sustainable. I want to thank Mayor Sarno for his continued unyielding support. We are looking forward with optimism as we continue to work together with all of our partners in moving our Springfield Public Schools forward.”
