According to the Springfield Public Schools Web site, "The Renaissance School is the product of a partnership forged between Springfield Public Schools and Expeditionary Learning Schools (“ELS”) to launch one of the first of the small ELS secondary schools to emerge from a national initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. At the heart of ELS’s approach is a set of “Core Practice Benchmarks” that include:
• Learning Expeditions
• Active Pedagogy
• Culture and Character
• Leadership and School Improvement
• School Structures
Expeditionary Learning: EL is a model for comprehensive school reform that emphasizes high achievement through active learning, character growth and teamwork. Students spend much of their time working on learning expeditions, which are “big idea,” broad topics or themes, such as bridges, water quality, the Civil Rights Movement, or the Industrial Revolution. Teachers collaborate to design these expeditions to align with district initiatives and Massachusetts State Frameworks, and to assess and improve their own work and, as a result, their students’ work.
School Structures Support Learning: Structures like “Crew” advisory teams allow teachers and students to develop relationships that go beyond classroom learning. "Crews” of one teacher and 12 students gather each day to discuss issues ranging from academic to global to social issues of interest. Other structures such as block scheduling and common planning time make it possible for teachers to collaborate, and for students to do field work outside school."
The girl I mentee attends the Renaissance School. I get the feeling she's not impressed by the crew model, but I know it works for some kids.
Right next to the school (and directly across the street from my future in-laws' home) is the Raymond J. Sullivan Public Safety Complex. This is one of the fire houses of the Springfield Fire Department.
At the corner of Carew and St. James is a small shopping plaza, which starts on one end with a Bank of America branch and Dave's Soda and Pet Food City. We buy all of the little boy's food at Dave's. Across from Dave's is a TD Banknorth branch.
Across from them on the island where Carew splits are Quick Pic Convenience and Main Kitchen Chinese Restaurant.
We've ordered food a few times from Main Kitchen. It's nothing special, but they do deliver, which is awesome.
The next two shops in the main plaza are a Benjamin Moore paint store and Kool Smiles.
A reviewer on YellowPages.com gave Kool Smiles five stars, saying it was "great fast and easy." I guess those are things you'd look for in a children's dentist.
Also in the plaza is a Family Dollar and a Big Y Supermarket.
Paul and Gerry D'Amour began their legacy on December 12, 1936 at the Y Cash Market in the Willimansett section of Chicopee at the intersection where two roads converge to form a Y. Hence the name of the store. They have locations throughout Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut.
Next to the plaza is one of the busiest liquor stores I've ever seen, the Spirit Shoppe.
The small dog and I checked out Felicia Street and then Montclair Street. At the corner of Montclair and St. James is Annetta's Day Care.
Next, we checked out the Courtside Subdivision, starting with Naismith Street, which is a private way. Naismith Court, on the other hand...
...is only a privat way.
Construction is ongoing in the subdivision, as you can see. We checked out Hickox Place, Wells Place, Wells Street, Silvia Street and Hickox Street and Williams Drive, which are basically 100 foot paved driveways at this point. Also, I was wicked excited to see an osprey in the subdivision!
We passed by the entrance of the Springfield Plaza to check out the the last streets beyond it that we needed to see, which included Kirby, Edmund and Wolfe. At the corner of St. James and Edmund is the Laser Auto Wash.
When we finished those two streets, we turned around and started to head back to the plaza. We said hello to Chicopee and the edge of Liberty Heights.
At the St. James entrance of the plaza is a Wendy's. Why is this important? Because the owner of 13 Western Massachusetts Wendy's defaulted on his loans about two years ago and they were all closed for like a year. That made me very sad. I like getting a Frosty every once in a while. Most of the Wendy's have reopened.
Inside the plaza is another Bank of America branch and Entertainment Cinemas, which I love because they offer Dippin' Dots as movie snacks.
After that, we got into the plaza proper:
Stores include Rocky's Ace Hardware, Airway Lanes, A.J. Wright, 99 Restaurant, Dollar Tree, RadioShack, Rent A Center, Hip Hop World, Rainbow, Kmart, Expressions, Payless Shoesource, Madrag, Ocean State Job Lot, Mannuelle Jewelry, Sally Beauty Supply, H&R Block, Tung Hai Restaurant (with reviews), Joey'z Shopping Spree, Source of New York, Koffee Kup Bake Shop (with reviews), Laundromax, Mykonos European Foods, Savers, Aaron's, Plaza Package Store, Stop & Shop, Hollywood Video, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Liberty Pizza, Princess Nails and Atlantic Night Club.
I've been to the bowling alley, the 99, RadioShack, Kmart, Ocean State Job Lot, the liquor store, KFC and Burger King. I do most of my grocery shopping at the Stop & Shop and Liberty Pizza is definitely my favorite pizza place in the area.
Once we'd circled Springfield Plaza, we headed home.
149 down, 74 to go
