On Wednesday, December 10, a team of ten educators from the Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment (MCIEA) visited MHS to learn about and observe Senior Project, our Capstone Program. MCIEA is a group of school districts exploring alternatives to standardized testing as a way to measure student learning and growth. Representatives from Revere, Newburyport, and Attleboro—each interested in developing their own Capstone Programs—joined us for the day. Nikki Holland, MCIEA Director of Performance Assessment, coordinated the visit with Senior Project Coordinator Jean LaBelle.

Members of the Senior Project Steering Committee, led by Mary Brannelly, provided the group with the historical context of the 15-year journey that has shaped this innovative course. Principal Liz York also shared insights and answered operational questions. The team expressed particular interest in how Senior Project supports learners with disabilities and students who are new to English.

The visiting educators observed Jean and her seniors for two class blocks, experiencing firsthand the depth, structure, and creativity that define the program. They then spent additional time with Jean, asking thoughtful questions, digging deeper into the design of the course, and exploring what makes Senior Project so successful.

The group left inspired—impressed by Jean’s classes, by the quality of the performance assessments embedded throughout the program, and by the confidence and clarity with which Maynard students talk about their strengths, goals, and passions. They noted that our graduates leave MHS with a level of self-understanding no multiple-choice test could ever provide.

Senior Project continues to lead the way in shaping the future of education in Massachusetts, and we are proud to share this work with others.

Moments like this underscore the exceptional work happening every day at MHS — work that is drawing attention across the state. For readers interested in the larger conversation unfolding in Massachusetts, the Boston Globe offers a timely article that we are delighted to share with our readers here.