In the course of twenty-three years as principal of Rockport Elementary School in Rockport, Marvin Higgins has done more than witness the many changes his school has undergone. He has generated them. "Emphasis on skill," he says, has given way to "emphasis on process;" basic reading programs have been replaced by literature-based, holistic approaches; and where there was once a homogeneous culture, there is now heterogeneity and multi-culturalism. Mr. Higgins has helped initiate much of this change including the establishment of multi-aged, developmental classrooms and the move from a vertical decision-making structure to one in which these responsibilities are shared. A frequent participant in educational associations, Mr. Higgins has contributed to the development of state-wide reading and writing assessment tests. He is currently working with a group of educators to establish a "three-country consortium for shared efforts in teacher and program development."
