Then an older student told me to join DECA. And my first thought was, "No. That doesn't sound like me. I didn't think I was the business type. I didn't know if I'd be good at it. And honestly, I didn't want to try something and fail and have it all be a waste of time. But for some reason, I said, "Yes." And that one decision changed everything. It gave me confidence I didn't have before. It gave me people I didn't know I needed. And it gave me direction when I had none. It led to opportunities I would have never imagined, like leadership roles, involvement in multiple organizations, and even two internships in the field that I now plan on pursuing in college. But the most important part isn't what I gained. It's what almost didn't happen. Because I almost said, "No." And I I think if we're being honest, we've all had moments like that.
There it is. >> Yes. Thank you. >> And then this is out of the 189. >> Thank you. you got. >> So the >> Yes, >> you have to run around with a second. >> Thank you. Um, and maybe I'm asking too soon, but do you do you find that it's a small number of students who are repeatedly being uh disciplined or needing to be disciplined or found responsible or is this really it's 66 different people? Um, so is the problem very large or really in some respects focusing? So there's a balance in this in school systems where you have repeat offenders and offenders is not the word I want to use but that's the word that you have students who have who who repeat the same behaviors or they show up differently. It's not the same behavior but they show up to repeated incidents.
Um taking data as this is what it is and this is how we're going to work and shifting it over to a new paradigm where there's a lot more coherence in how we think, how we operate. But it's more so about the understanding of the why. I'm not rooted in we're all going to do it the same way. We can't. You're going to see different presenters today and all of us are going to present differently. So no teacher teaches the same. Everyone doesn't do it the same. Every student doesn't learn the same. But there needs to be a symbol of coherence and it starts from our why. And so I know I had three pillars. I always talked about student safety. I talked about data and accountability. I talked about equity. And I'm kind of shifting my third pillar to system coherence, sustainability, practices that move.
Moments where we almost didn't try out, almost didn't talk to someone, or almost didn't take that chance. Why? Because it felt uncomfortable and because we didn't think it was us. But every time we said, "Yes." anyway, we took a step forward. And while not all of us joined DECA, we all did something. joined a club, a sport, a team, a community. Something that pushed us and shaped us into who we are today. And that's what I think defines the class of 2026. The fact that we showed up, we tried things, we stepped into opportunities even when we weren't sure how they would turn out. And over time, those small decisions we made throughout our four years added up. Now we're standing here about to take our next step, and we're all going in different directions. Some of us are going to college, some are entering the workforce, some are pursuing trades, some are joining the armed forces, and some are still figuring things out.
>> So you would have a name of an individual who shows up in repeated incidents. And so then we start to say, okay, if you were suspended for painting the wall black the first time, the second time you were suspended for kicking down a chair, the third time, now we're seeing that it's not a repeat in the behavior, but there is a pattern for you. Um, then we kind of have a different discussion. We start to see maybe you're not suspended. Maybe it's just a behavioral incident that was reported through eh or something around you. Then we start to look deeper and say h what time of day? Like a question that we I've been asked one time with a teacher. So what time of day does this student really act up? And you start to realize as a student as a teacher every time it's a math lesson you can expect her to act up.
And it's not about practices that stay rooted. That we do the same thing all at the same time. But it is that we actually start to build a practice around what are actually sustainable things that if we eb and flow, it's going to meet our goal. making sure we have an ecosystem for children where all learners can learn. So priority one, this is the most important part of this slide. Maslo before blooms education when you first started everybody talked about blue, what are they going to learn? What are they going to learn? What are they going to learn? We are actually in a system where we have to talk about what our children need, their safety and belonging. How do our environment structure is inclusive? Because if they are not well or they do not feel well, they do not feel safe, they are not going to learn anything.
But no matter where you go, those moments don't stop. Moments where you have to decide whether to step forward or stay where you are, and you have the same exact choice every time. Say no or say yes and see where it takes you. Now not every opportunity will work out. In fact, most won't. But one thing I've learned is this, is that the regret of not trying is almost always greater than the fear of failure. So, wherever you go next, don't be afraid to try and take that next step. Talk to people who have been there longer than you. Learn from those with more experience and don't sell yourself short when an opportunity comes your way. But because sometimes all it takes is one decision, one moment where you say yes, and it can change everything. Four years ago, I made a choice to try something that didn't even feel like me, and it led me here.
She's going to shout out. She's going to do something. So we we're trying to determine to what may be the prompt of the behavior. I hope that answers the question. So our our community is carrying significant stress. Um this is our Massachusetts statewide youth data. Our community and then there's gaps in the data. Um, one of the key things is that we wanted to to to not negate or stem away from the fact that what we may be seeing in terms of behavioral incidents is again not just a reflection of academic supports but also what is happening at home or in our community. There's a lack that's reflected in terms of what happens outside that comes into the school buildings in terms of understanding, beliefs, misunderstandings. Sometimes a student asks a question but because of what they ask it may be offensive to another and that shows up in a or that shows up in something.
So everything else needs to build upon it. And the key to the roof is equitable practice. Making sure that our students safety belonging is encompassed within those inclusive supports and environment. So we've been operating from a reactive lens though. A lot of what we've been doing is because there's an ember, there's a fire. We react, we change. But when we react and we put change forward, are we thinking about solving the problem now, which is what we need to do, but we need to talk about how we're going to sustain moving past that. And a lot of what we've been doing is this is the issue now. Solve it now. And then two three years later we are then seeing the issue of only thinking about the now but not planning that sustainable. So we have to kind of get ahead of certain things and I understand we react but we need to put those proactive supports in place when we solve a problem.
So, class of 2026, as you step into whatever comes next, when that moment comes again, say yes and see where it takes you. It's been my honor speaking to you all today. Thank you and congratulations. >> Thank you, Yash. On behalf of the student body, I would like to take a moment to honor staff members who are retiring this year. Please join me in congratulating the following retirees. Ms. Karen Brown, Ms. Ruth Dukala, Ms. Kim Orada, Ms. Tracy Neals, Ms. Barb Rustick, Ms. Mr. Ms. Ruth Schneider, Ms. Sharon Serafin, and Mr. Marty Bulger. The class of 2026 is grateful for the guidance and support all our faculty members have given us during the past 4 years. For their dedication to providing us with the best possible education and prepa- preparing us for the road ahead. I ask the faculty members who are here with us today to stand for recognition, including those who are seated with our graduates.
So there's a lot of times what we as a community are experiencing and think of it as adults. We've most of our lives carrying through living through these stresses stressors. These are children who are now exposed to stressors a lot earlier and there's access to everything in in in terms of what's happening in the community in their hands real time. They they I mean I'm still trying to catch up to some of the slangs that they have. I don't know. So, but the gap is that we don't currently have a district level way to track for example self harm concerns. Um, we do have ways that if they're they're using their devices, they might search something inappropriately, but then but there's things that they don't search. So, again, we talked about individuals who use our room reports, right? And they're reporting things. We've had where someone has used to report, I'm worried about my friend.
A lot of things are arrows versus this is just what we do. So data and accountability we want to get to get get from our students are struggling time passes failure reactive to what is our data signaling what is it telling us about how we operate again you're going to see trends today not just the now for the last two years you might even see a 9-year trend that says we are operating today the way we operate already 9 years ago that our students are not the same today as they were 9 years ago and immediate supports but always knowing that we may need to course correct. Course correction means that we've actually put in a measure we're going to stop analyze see how we're doing and shift and change. Course correction doesn't mean that we did something wrong in the beginning. Course correction means that whatever we're doing, it's not working the way we thought it was going to work.
Please join the students in giving our faculty members a round of applause. Thank you so much, Coco. While here at North, Coco was a student activities aid, the student council secretary, adaptive PE leader, cheerleader, National Honor Society member, and a Positively North leader. She plans to attend the University of Tennessee in the fall and major in biology. Thank you, Colette, for leading us today and for being such a positive role model over your 4 years. Before I share a few thoughts, yeah, thank you. Before I share a few thoughts with you, I want to first recognize and take a moment to hold space for those who aren't able to be with us today, but who are always in our hearts, particularly those we've lost this year who are close to us. I am honored to have the opportunity to speak to you, the class of 2026 today.
And so now it's not a bullying report, but now they found a way. So we need to create ways to kind of fill the gaps as a system and that is our central priority especially when it comes to data and reality. The Hampshire County Youth Survey showed that in many instances students don't believe that adult intervention works. And so we um last year last year ARPS did take part in the Hampshire County Youth Survey. Our high school numbers were low. Our participation level numbers at high school was low. That in itself signals a gap for us. But in terms of the overarching survey from Hampshire County where 2,33 students across 17 schools, you know, answered, this is how it's showing up, not just for us, but across the county. And so, you know, we're trying to address this and make sure that we are again holding space for the whole child.
What do we need to tweak? And pillar three for us is going to be system coherence or sustainability. I talked about being reactive. Now I talked about was the data signaling and course correction. Sustainability is very key because that's where it comes from. That's where it lends to. It was a data point that I wanted to point out and it says 40% of students entering a two-year institution. I didn't even go to four because community college here in Massachusetts is free, right? Individuals get but 40% of students nationally entering two-year institutions require remedial courses because their K12 experience was fragmented. I have some college folks shaking their head in here. So reactive systems are delayed in interventions and so we aren't catching systems for students because they've already fallen behind because we are behind our planning and then we're reacting to the now but we haven't put in the proactive supports of what if or what's presented.
I would first like to recognize our 2026 graduates who are entering the US US Armed Forces. Will the following students please stand to be recognized? Matthew Edelman, Marines. Alexander Andreen, National Guard. Terrence Burton, Air Force. Daniel Durkin, Army. Alexander Garcia Hernandez, National Guard. Caitlin Caporal, National Guard. Joseph Lasota, US Military Academy at West Point, Army. Ashley Mascote, Navy. Ivo Panevic, Air Force. Mark Spisak, Air Force. Kendall Stevenson, Army. And Miles Wiggins, Army. We are incredibly proud of you, and we thank you for your commitment to our country. You may be seated. Again, I am truly truly honored to be with all of you here today. It was a joy to be your principal because I have the privilege of seeing all of you grow into the wonderful individuals sitting in front of me today who are ready to take a huge next step into your life.
And you notice in terms of mental health and safety, most days students come to school anxious. Most days they are depressed or sad. Most days they feel alone or left out. So we are trying again um do they feel like our schools are prepared for a for self harm or do adults act quickly on bullying? They don't feel that way across Hampshire. So we actually have to start to build those systems in place and this goes back to being reactive without proactive support. So we found a gap. here is the plan. So again, Dr. Bvar and her department have actually said that, hey, we found information about bullying. We have all of these different things, behavior, we're updating our feed and you know, when a concern is reported, it's not always clear who is responsible for tracking, but we see that investigations are being done.
So the idea here is looking at it from a vertical alignment standpoint but beyond that trying to determine what the interventions are. Are there interventions in the system that we need to put in place? Is there access issues or how are we planning appropriate? And the goal is to take all three priorities and create a cohesive ecosystem for student. But this is not a Dr. Z or a Tanya or a Stephanie or just a school committee or just a PGO or just a community group. This is actually a collective like this for us to shift what's happening in these districts. It is actually a shared responsibility. So when someone asks about student experience, we should all be able to speak about student experience. Maybe not with the same depth and breath as a classroom teacher, but with some kind of understanding of what we are doing to create and shift that.
Graduation is a time of reflection. Whenever I sit down to write my speech every year, I think about the things I've said to you and what all of you have done over the four years you've spent here. I think about when I talked to you as ninth graders, telling you to get involved, and talking to you now on the verge of your next amazing adventure. Woo! And certainly, class of 2026, you have made your mark. You have collated a beautiful collection of metals, awards, scholarships, state trophies, accolades, and accomplishments that frankly are matched by no one. The reason why people know Downers Grove North High School is because of the incredible things that all of you have done. And every time I thought about the accomplishments you've made, which were so many, my brain kept going to a different direction. I kept thinking about who all of you are as people, as humans, and how you will choose to navigate the new world opening up to you.
So we're now putting in that system of accountability. We're developing or find or firming up our SEAL programming, but it varies by school, right? Again, it varies by school. And so, there's not a consistent progression from K12. Going back to that coherence and what are we building? We talked about our BPI, our district-wide initiative, and reviewing how we collect and connect information about student concerns. So we identify the patterns and put supports in earlier. And so there's a series of things that are going to come next. And my team told me to say this when I started and I forgot. We will give the slideshow. Um the slides will be available after for everyone to share. So her key takeaways and I'm very grateful that she had this. The data tells a story. behavioral incidents and suspensions are concentrated to to schools. It's also that, you know, it's farfetch it's not farfetched that high school and middle schoolers have a different level of energy.