Principal Stephanie Harris, first row, fourth from left, participates in a group photo with staff at Agawam’s Sapelli School, recently recognized by the state for significant growth and academic achievement.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
AGAWAM — When Robinson Park Elementary School was renamed the William P. Sapelli Elementary School in September 2023, it was more than just putting a new name on the outside of the building. The change also included a refresh of the school’s eagle mascot to help students and staff build on the idea that no bird soars higher, as they moved forward under a new name.
A year later, students and staff at Sapelli School proved that as “eagles” they can soar high academically. The school is one of 57 schools in Massachusetts recognized in September by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as part of its annual accountability reporting process. The department identified the schools as a 2024 “School of Recognition” for significant growth and academic achievement.
“This prestigious designation celebrates the hard work and dedication of students, teachers, and staff,” said Stephanie Harris, principal at Sapelli since 2021. “Our school was among several recognized for progress towards annual accountability targets with a focus on the performance of all students and the school’s lowest performing students.”
The K-4 school, with nearly 300 students and 75 staff, made dramatic improvements, according to Harris. She said targets that were met included MCAS achievement in English-language arts and math as well as English language proficiency, student growth and attendance. ACCESS for ELLs — Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners — scores improved by 10% compared to 2023, when they were zero points.
“We hit 93% of our accountability targets, compared to 43% in 2023. We also improved our attendance by reducing chronic absenteeism by 5.8% for all students,” she said. Harris added that she’s “incredibly proud” of her staff for the remarkable work they’ve done to achieve such significant growth and academic success.
“Their dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence inspire me every day. Every teacher, educational service professional, and service provider played a vital role in this accomplishment. It has truly been a team effort. I feel honored to lead such a talented and hardworking group of educators who consistently raise the bar for our students’ success. Their achievements reflect our shared commitment to excellence and our belief in the potential of every child,” she said.
Harris said teachers at Sapelli School believe in their students, which drives high expectations, translating into actions and behaviors that lead to positive outcomes.
“Our staff is united by a clear, shared focus. They consistently reflect on their practices, lead with empathy and challenge the status quo. Together, we foster a collaborative and supportive school culture, where progress is always the goal, not perfection.”
Other strategies that Harris said helped the school hit its targets included:
- Implementing highly quality instructional materials.
- Aggressive response to interventions with tiered supports–all based on thorough analysis of data.
- Creative scheduling, changes to school model and a staff willing to try new things — a “whatever it takes” attitude.
- Intensive tutoring.
“Our school’s MCAS tutoring team rocked it this year — and the data proves this, as our lowest performing students made great gains,” she said.
Harris, who began her career in Agawam at the junior high school in 2009, said DESE used data from spring 2024 MCAS and state reporting.
“The timeline DESE looked at was from April to July. However, they use historical data to set accountability targets,” Harris said.
As principal, Harris said she felt an overwhelming sense of pride and satisfaction when the school was named a 2024 School of Recognition: “This honor is a testament to the hard work, resilience and dedication of our entire school community — teachers, staff, students and families.”
She added that the recognition reflects the progress the staff has made in creating an environment where every child feels valued and empowered to succeed.
“Being recognized reaffirms that the efforts we’ve put in are truly making a difference. I couldn’t be more proud to lead such a remarkable team on this journey,” she said.
To help celebrate this honor for the school, there was a special luncheon for teachers, with Superintendent Sheila Hoffman joining them to congratulate the staff. Harris said the school is still finalizing how to best celebrate these achievements with its students, including those who have graduated to Doering School.
“Our fourth graders, who showed remarkable progress, are now thriving at the middle school,” she said.
