Michael Hynes, the superintendent of the Patchogue-Medford School District on Long Island is a visionary educator. He is truly child-centered. When he thinks about the purpose of education, he doesn’t think about test scores. He thinks about the development of healthy, confident, secure children, who are prepared by their schools to live good lives.
In our test-centric world, this district boldly swims against the tide.
The district recently issued a report about its goals. You might enjoy reading it. Ask yourself: is this what I want for my child?
See the report here.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
What a wonderful vision!
It saddens me to think of how much our district, with its focus on “cradles to careers,” is stunting out students’ potential. Our emphasis on All Data, All the Time, and student uniforms, doesn’t help much either.
Thank you for sharing this , Diane. It should be required viewing for every school superintendent and school board, as well as our craven elected officials.
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Wow. This school district looks REAL -as in they actually are putting kids first.
Seems to me this guy Michael Hynes deserves one of those so-called genius grants.
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P.S. Although some of the ideas are just plain good teaching and common sense, how do you lead people to buck the “go with the flow” mentality that seems to infect so many schools -even when we KNOW the “flow” has been so detrimental to children….
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What a refreshing approach! Kudos to Michael Hynes and the Pat-Med school district. I am sharing this with citizens from our school division here in Northern Va where the emphasis sadly remains on test scores.
Does anyone happen to know how Pat-Med Deana with the NY std testing requirements?
Also it appears they are dealing with too large class sizes (as we are, too). Does anyone know what the average class sizes are at Pat-Med?
Thank you.
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Does anyone happen to know how Pat-Med Deana with the NY std testing requirements?
My question also, as well as the levels of education and income among parents who appear to be enthusiastic about the range of activities offered and the values being forwarded as worthy of attention in education. Yoga? Mindfulness? Play? middle school bands?
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We had a 77% opt out rate.
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We are a middle class blue and white collar community with a robust ENL community
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Varies from building to building. Average 25
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Michael Hynes:What I’m seeing in your district is SO inspiring. Thank you for caring about what is important!! I know that your teachers feel the touch that you hold dear. I’ve always felt that the superintendent holds the key to what is inside each school.
It looks so wonderful that I’d love to go back to school in your district. Problem: I live in Indiana and I am a retired music teacher.
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*WOW! I LOVE THIS! Thanks for sharing it. *Thank you, Kas Winters
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Bravo Superintendent Michael Hynes! Your vision supports the whole child is an inspiration to us all. Unfortunately my district has an almost opposite approach. Testing is a priority here. I am sick of hearing about data data data.
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Ralph, apply to teach in Pathchogue-Medford
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Diane, I would love to, but I’ll be staying where I am fighting the good fight. At least until I retire next year.
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Ralph,
That sounds right. Long Island is way ahead of the rest of the state. All Superintendents should be like Hynes in Patchogue-Medford and Gamberg in Southold-Greenport, who fight for holistic education.
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We have openings!!!
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The opt-out movement is strong on long island. It’s easy to present a sunshine, lollipops, and rainbow vision for kids.
But it is refreshing to see an open discussion about the purpose of schools and what makes a strong education.
If the school is focused on PBL, then they are doing the standards — so that’s great.
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Great Plato quote from the fantastic presentation “The object of education is to teach us what is beautiful.”
How does this school get away from not doing test prep? Doesn’t NY mandate standardized tests for all public schools?
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I mean, funding is usually determined on test scores and test participation.
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Because Long Island has a huge opt-out movement. The community is strongly behind him.
It’s funny that even though we have opposing views on education, I too was struck by that quote most of all.
But I wasn’t THAT impressed by the presentation. It might be the most amazing school district in the country, but it was all bells and whistles. Many different ideas, but unclear how it’s all brought together.
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Excellent presentation overall, Michael. No doubt you all are doing what needs to be done. The picture of the elementary students with their “huts” reminded me of the excellent elementary education my children got in the Kirkwood School District in the suburbs of St. Louis. You did an excellent job of capturing the whole district and what goes on in the schools on a daily basis.
Some food for thought on the next update:
Perhaps “community service” (or something to that effect) could take the place of the “military” on your tripartite “Whole Child Approach” page along with “work force” and “college”. About 13% of adults are veterans so, so while that is a sizeable portion, to make it part of that tripartite seems a stretch to me. But hey, it’s my personal bias coming through against the most destructive death machine in the history of the world, that’s all.
While Maslow’s hierarchy of needs seems on solid onto-epistemological footing, Bloom’s taxonomy (and it really should be Bloom, et al,. . . ) is very much in contention. Bloom himself has challenged the very usage that you have used. For a quick overview of some of the challenges to that taxonomy see: http://www.learningspy.co.uk/myths/challenging-blooms-taxonomy
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Thank you Duane much appreciated.
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And thank you for the great visuals and narratives and follow ups on this blog. I am reminded of some olden days when principals and teachers had freedom of action as long as they also had good judgment and support from colleagues and the community.
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