SALEM — The state education commissioner spent his morning in Salem on Friday and seemed pleased with the district's progress since the November designation of Bentley Elementary as a Level 4 "underperforming" school.
Mitchell Chester, commissioner of elementary and secondary education, met with Mayor Kim Driscoll and schools Superintendent Stephen Russell for roughly 45 minutes at City Hall. Afterward, Chester and several of his staffers toured Bentley and Carlton Elementary schools.
JC Considine, spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, said Chester was "pleased" with the visit and felt Salem is on the right track in their turnaround efforts.
"(The commissioner) was very happy. It was a very good visit," Considine said. "He had been anxious to get up to the district. ... He's very pleased to see Mayor Driscoll's commitment to the schools, commitment to ensuring all kids in Salem have a high-quality education."
Driscoll and Russell had invited Chester to come to Salem and check in on the work they've been doing on an improvement plan for Bentley and the entire district.
"We wanted to make sure he was well aware of our approach," Driscoll said. "We reviewed some of the work (we've done), to date, and talked about some of the next steps."
Bentley's Level 4 "underperforming" status was issued due to lack of improvement on the MCAS over several years. In November, state authorities also said four other Salem schools are on the brink of Level 4 status.
"I found it very helpful to be able to show him (Chester), firsthand, some of the documents we have developed, for him to be able to meet directly with principals and see kids," said Russell, who took over the district this summer. "It's one thing to read about it, but it's another thing to come and join in. ... My guess is that this has created some bridges between the department and the schools that will be of benefit to everybody."
At Carlton and Bentley, the commissioner made time to stop and talk with staff and students.
"He blended right in, just like any member of the staff would," Russell said.
During his visit, Chester talked of numerous ways the DESE can help the district in the coming months, Russell and Driscoll said.
"I think he understood that we've done a lot of work in a short period of time, and there's a lot more to go," Driscoll said. "He understands that we're taking a comprehensive approach, that it's not just a Bentley issue. ... It was great to have him in the district. I think he's as excited as we are to make some meaningful changes."
Russell said he has several follow-up meetings planned with the commissioner at the DESE offices in Malden.
At Bentley, Considine said the commissioner "was very pleased to feel the sense of urgency that the school has had about the Level 4 designation and about the turnaround work that needs to happen."
As a Level 4 school, Bentley has three years to demonstrate significant improvement or face possible state takeover.
Staff writer Bethany Bray can be reached at bbray@salemnews.com and on Twitter @SalemNewsBB.
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