Dr. Pecora bids farewell to SSHS

SEELEY LAKE – When Kathleen Pecora, PhD started as principal at Seeley-Swan High School in 2010 she believed in teaching a rigorous curriculum, demonstrating relevance to the students' lives and futures, and building the best possible relationships with the adults in their lives. Now, after nine years as principal, Pecora feels she has done that with the help of the staff, students and community and set SSHS on a path for continued success following her retirement.

Pecora has more than a decade of teaching-related education, including a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Masters in K-12 School Counseling and her PhD in Education Leadership. Pecora has been in teaching and administration for 41 years with 10 years as a classroom teacher, 10 years as a school counselor and she has been an administrator for the last 20 years.

Before coming to SSHS, Pecora worked in the central office of education in Michigan for four years.

"I hated it. I didn't know a single kid and I was miserable," said Pecora. "I kept thinking I thought this is what I wanted to do but I just felt so removed from real education that I just couldn't do it any more. It was not for me."

Pecora came to SSHS because she wanted to see if she could bring about positive change more readily than in a larger school. Since her leadership style is one of participation and teamwork, she knew she needed the staff, parents and students to be open to change.

"That is the big thing I have appreciated more than anything from everyone in this community is their willingness to look at something new and say, 'Yeah, that might work, let's try it,'" said Pecora.

When Pecora started at SSHS in the fall of 2010, she talked with students and parents. She felt there was a real need to encourage and promote academics within the school and the community.

"In my world, education is the way up and out," said Pecora. "That is the way you are successful is to get education or training or whatever it is. That is what is going to make a difference."

Under Pecora's leadership and with the teachers' support, more emphasis was placed on academics and students were expected to attend class and be on time. The problems with students skipping class and being tardy that were common when she arrived is currently a non-issue.

"I think we are all doing a better job, including the elementary, of getting them here and understanding that this is important and you have to do this to get where you want to go," said Pecora. "I think they are understanding a little bit better the importance of applying themselves and really learning what they need to learn."

Pecora said that through the past 10 years SSHS has pushed to be on the cutting edge and made use of the good things coming down in education.

One of these opportunities started in January 2012 with a dual credit English course that Pecora taught.

"For those kids that aren't going to major in English, they don't have to take Lit 101 when they get to college. It would be like me not having to take Stats," said Pecora and laughed.

SSHS students can now earn between 16-23 college credits by taking the dual credit courses offered in English, math and government through the Helena College, University of Montana. Their tuition is paid for by SSHS and the credits are accepted by every school in Montana and many other states as well. The 2019 graduating class estimated they saved more than $53,000 in tuition by taking the dual credits and were at least a semester ahead going into college.

Pecora said the dual credit courses pushes the students that need an extra challenge and helps those whose families never went to college and may be out of their comfort zone.

"By the time they graduate and make the move to a college campus, they have the confidence that they can do this," said Pecora. "I think it makes a huge difference."

Another major change was switching to a four-day school week with focused intervention on the fifth day. This was the brain child of the staff as a solution to the problem of half the student body being gone on Fridays during the winter for sporting events.

"It was a no win situation and there was no way around it, we didn't feel," said Pecora. "It was an attempt to rectify that problem."

Using the fifth day of the week for focused intervention is something Pecora is not aware any other schools are doing. She feels it has made a huge difference, especially for students in the middle of the class and those who struggle.

"They know they have that option," said Pecora. "I think the expectation that you are not going to fail, we are not going to give you a D, that doesn't mean you learned anything. You are going to learn something in this class, at least at a C level, or you are going to have to take it over again if it is required."

Pecora said ACT scores have been going up. This year four graduates scored higher than a 27 and a junior scored a 35, one point away from the highest score.

"When you have a kid that can score a 35 on the ACT you know your teachers are doing something right," said Pecora. "It is not an intelligence test, it tests your knowledge."

Based on academic performance, graduation rate and ACT scores, SSHS has been recognized as one of the best high schools in Montana and across the country every year since 2012.

Pecora said the other half to academics that SSHS has continually tried to improve is relationships. The staff started looking at behavior and the students' responses to the My Voice survey. Students were saying school was boring so teachers adapted their instructional strategies.

"Some still say school is boring, I don't know how you ever get past that, I guess school is school," said Pecora. "I think they are really engaged and I think that more so than they ever have been."

Pecora also said when she spoke with students one-on-one they had the attitude that no one cared.

"I don't think we knew how to express that with our students – to say yes we do care about you and we want you to be successful and you make a difference here," said Pecora.

Through various programs including the techniques they learned from the Stanford Challenge Success program and the Social Emotional Learning program implemented on Wednesdays this past school year, students are learning how to get along and form positive relationships with peers, teachers and adults in the community. SSHS recognizes students for kindness and going out of their way to do something for another student or teacher.

"I think we have done all those things over the years and eventually it has changed the culture here," said Pecora. "These kids really get it and they are good people. That is what we want coming out of here."

Pecora said next year's seniors did a "Senior Take-over" and handed out goodie bags filled with candy and snacks. Written on the bag was "Our vision for next year is...Work Together, Be Kind, Have fun. The Class of 2020."

"That's what I'm talking about, I'm not going to be a senior and bully you," said Pecora. "We want this to be a nice place."

Other extra curricular programs that Pecora feels have positively changed the atmosphere at SSHS and within the community is the reinvigoration of the student council and the Leos Club.

The high points for Pecora during her tenure at SSHS were watching the students be successful. She enjoyed when graduates would return and share where life had taken them. She added that the teachers go above and beyond the expectations for the students.

"They are just really a pretty great bunch of people altogether," said Pecora. "I think Seeley's lucky to have the teachers that they have here because they really do care about the kids."

Pecora said she will miss interacting with the students the most, joking that they kept her young even though she didn't always understand their vocabulary. She said she had a soft spot for students that struggled and tried really hard to make a difference in a positive way for them.

Pecora hadn't thought about retirement until her birthday last year when she turn 69. This year turning 70, she said it is time to shift her focus to her family. She is looking forward to moving back to Williamson, Mich. to spend more time with her 96-year-old mother, three daughters, six grandchildren and her husband. She may also continue teaching Writing 101 remotely for Helena College.

"Retiring is an ending of one part of my life but it is also a new beginning," said Pecora. "Being at Seeley-Swan High School has been a wonderful way to bring closure to my career."