A Message from the superintendent

Our educational vision for a new Waltham High School focuses on the need to better prepare ALL students for the demands of college, career and community.  We know that universities and employers want candidates who think and engage in an interdisciplinary fashion, focus and complete high-quality projects and who demonstrate 21st century skills including complex communication, empathy, problem-solving, creative and innovate thinking, and collaboration and teamwork. 
 
The ChangeMakers Academy is designed to deliver to our students a set of knowledge, skills, and competencies that will best prepare them for the demands of college, career, employment and community.  I am so excited about the pilot of our ChangeMakers Academy because I believe it is going to ensure that our graduates are even more competitive for college and career.
 
I am so impressed by the work Allyson McHugh is leading to ensure ChangeMakers Academy is a success and that it scales up in the future to ensure ALL students have access to a program that we believe is good for ALL students.  Equally impressive are the high-quality teachers Ms. McHugh has selected for the program.  In their collaborative work together, they consistently demonstrate the 21st century skills we look to build into our students and the lucky students in the Academy will benefit from their work. 
 
I hope that all of you can join the Design Swarm scheduled for Monday, May 14th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. in the Waltham High School Library.  I’m acutely aware that this is a busy time for all, but I think you will get a sense of the academic program from this experience and I encourage you to prioritize and participate.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Allyson McHugh or me.
 
Best,
Drew Echelson
Superintendent of Schools

---