Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-02-09 School Committee PacketOpen Session 7:00 p.m. RMHS Schettini Library Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet February 9, 2023 Town of Reading Meeting Posting with Agenda This Agenda has been prepared in advance and represents a listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed at the meeting. However the agenda does not necessarily include all matters which may be taken up at this meeting. Page | 1 2018-07-16 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council: School Committee Date: 2023-02-09 Time: 7:00 PM Building: School - Memorial High Location: School Library Address: 62 Oakland Road Agenda: Purpose: Open Session Meeting Called By: Shawn Brandt, Chair Notices and agendas are to be posted 48 hours in advance of the meetings excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Legal Holidays. Please keep in mind the Town Clerk’s hours of operation and make necessary arrangements to be sure your posting is made in an adequate amount of time. A listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be dis cussed at the meeting must be on the agenda. All Meeting Postings must be submitted in typed format; handwritten notices will not be accepted. Topics of Discussion: 7:00 p.m. A. Call to Order 7:05 p.m. B. Public Comment Consent Agenda 1. Minutes (01-26-2023) 2. Science Olympiad Tournament Field Trip 3. Robotics Competition Field Trip 4. PSST Improv Advisor Donation 5. PSST Playwriting Advisor Donation 6. Proficiency-Based Outcomes in Languages Other than English Grant Reports 1. Student 2. Assistant Superintendent of Student Services 3. Assistant Superintendent of Learning & Teaching 4. Director of Finance and Operations 5. Superintendent 6. Liaison/Sub-Committee 7:30 p.m. E. New Business 1. K-8 Literacy Update 2. RMHS Guidance Department Update 3. Introduction to Multi-year District Strategic Plan 4. Discuss and vote to request Town Meeting warrant article to create Special Education OOD Stabilization Fund (A) 5. Review and approve Superintendent Formative Assessment (A) 6. Discuss and vote on recommending bylaw change regarding employee physicals to Select Board and Town Meeting (A) 10:30 p.m. Adjourn **Times are approximate Join Zoom Meeting https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/83657021146 Meeting ID: 836 5702 1146 One tap mobile +16469313860,,83657021146# US +13017158592,,83657021146# US (Washington DC) Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet February 9, 2023 Con sent Agenda Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Members Present: - Shawn Brandt, Carla Nazzaro, Sarah McLaughlin, Charles Robinson, Tom Wise Others Present: Superintendent Dr. Tom Milaschewski, Director of Finance and Operations, Susan Bottan. Minutes Respectfully submitted by: Denise P. Santoro on behalf of the chairperson. A. Call to Order - Mr. Brandt called meeting to order at 7pm, and reviewed the agenda for the evening. B. Public Comment – No public comment. C. Consent Agenda – Ms. Nazzaro motioned to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Mr. Robinson, roll call vote, passed 5-0. 1. Response: Mr. Brandt added comments regarding book drive. 2. Mr. Robinson moved to approved, vote passed 5-0. D. Reports – 1. Update from Susan Bottan regarding new health software from Mary Giuliana, District Nursing Director and use of new process using the Blackboard Connect application to notify families of student absences. 2. Dr. Milaschewski thanked all of our educators and especially K-5 educators working with our new curriculum. He was excited to see leaders, teachers, and students in action with this new curriculum. Update from RMHS regarding collaboration with Mass Hire Metro North Workforce Board. Susan Bottan was named at the Vice President of the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials (MASBO), effective July 1, 2023. She will remain full time at RPS. This is a testament to her leadership and skill. E. Liaison Reports/Sub Committees 1. Mr. Robinson- reports that the coalition meeting was cancelled. 2. Ms. Sarah McLaughlin- No report 3. Mr. Wise-No report 4. Ms. Nazzaro- Reported on Barrows visit with Ms. Gaffen. Reported on Birch Meadow visit with Mr. Robinson. 5. Mr. Brandt – Finance Committee review of the budget will be on March 1st; School Committee meeting will be on March 2nd. Board – Committee – Commission – Council: School Committee Date: 2023-01-26 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Memorial High School Location: Library Address: 62 Oakland Road, Reading, MA F. New Business – 1. Ms. Franzetti- Presentation of Food Services Program. Mr. Robinson- commented on “Black Earth” a composting company. RPS is presently using them. Committee members shared excitement over the quality of the program and asked questions. Dr. Milaschewski- shared appreciation for whole of the food services team and the highlighted the connection of health and academic achievement to nutritious food. G. Public Comments: 1. Karen Herrick- Dividence Rd- Speaking with Reading residents regarding the composting. She wanted to express her thanks to RPS for using the composting and wanted to share that they have started a community garden and bee hives. 2. Geoffrey Coram- Ridge Rd.- Questioned the amount of artificial sugar, amounts of food for all three lunches, and the amount time and number of students served. H. Old Business: 1. Dr. Milaschewski: Updated committee on progress regarding District Goals 1-4. 2. Mr. Brandt: Coaching support for new Assistant Principals questions 3. Mr. Wise, Ms. Nazzaro & Ms. McLaughlin: Middle School Math Tracks, Curriculum, and scheduling discussion a. Mr. Wise requested that we place a higher priority on Middle School Math tracks as it has been a long standing issue and could support students interests in the Engineering & Computer Programming Innovation Pathways and impacts Scheduling as well 4. Mr. Brandt- Reviewed Formative evaluation procedures, regarding Dr. Milaschewski’s review for school committee members. I. Budget Discussion 1. Mr. Wise: Provided update on full day kindergarten model. 2. Discussion revolved around stabilization fund and special education with members and Ms. Bottan. 3. Geoffrey Coram, Reading resident- Question regarding the budget. 4. Ms. Bottan- Developing a plan to spend down funds in a way to support our students for accounts that have rolling balances. Ms. Nazzaro moved to approve the Superintendent’s recommended budget for FY24. Mr. Robinson seconded, passed 5-0. Ms. Nazzaro moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:37 pm, Mr. Robinson seconded, passed 5-0. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSHKBvF_Tzc TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Sarah Hardy, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning DATE: February 8, 2023 RE: Proficiency-Based Outcomes in Languages Other than English Grant Reading Public Schools has been awarded the Proficiency-based Outcomes in Languages Other than English Grant in the amount of $13,000. This DESE grant supports World Language, Heritage Language, and English Language Learner programs and districts that wish to support or improve such programs in pre-K, elementary, and/or secondary schools. The grant funds are intended to improve the collection and analysis of data pertaining to proficiency in Languages other than English to improve instruction and outcomes for students. In RPS, the funds will be used to support the Seal of Biliteracy program, including testing and assessment fees for students in grades 8 and 11 and to provide a stipend for the Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet February 9, 2023 New Business TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Erin Burchill, K-8 Humanities Coordinator DATE: February 9, 2023 RE: K-8 Literacy Update In the fall of 2022, grades 3-5 began implementing a new comprehensive literacy framework, American Reading Company (ARC) Core. To date, year one of implementation has brought new materials, new assessment, a multitude of professional development with ARC (on-site coaching, virtual and in-person training, and leadership learning) and learning for both teachers and leaders. Implementation will commence this spring with our K-2 teachers, including an introduction to ARC Core and the IRLA framework. Along with the new core curriculum, ARC also brings a formative assessment and data collection system, SchoolPace, to Reading. Teachers input student data from assessments, conferences, and small group work in reading and writing into SchoolPace, progress monitoring students in real time. This has been a huge lift for teachers and leaders, learning a new curriculum while in year 2 of implementing a new math curriculum and also learning a new system of data collection and note taking, but our teachers have embarked on this new learning with grace and integrity for our students. As implementation is a years-long process, an ARC Implementation Team has been organized with teacher representation from all elementary schools, grades 3-5, and also includes reading specialists. This implementation team is focused on long-term strategic planning and visioning work along with identifying and developing short-term support for teachers in year one of implementation. At the 6-8 level, the district’s Middle School Literacy Leadership Team is focused on strengthening and improving student achievement in ELA and ensuring all Reading students receive high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction in the middle grades. The team consists of 17 members including teachers across all three grade levels, different content areas (ELA, history), special educators, reading specialists, building principals, the K-8 Humanities Coordinator, and the Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching. While growing and learning as a team of teacher leaders, the MS LLT is in the process of inventorying curriculum (materials, resources, pacing, methodologies, etc) in ELA. This team has created and conducted curriculum interviews with teachers and is currently analyzing the results of these surveys to inform next steps. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 Literacy Curriculum: The Implementation Process Reading Public Schools 2022-2023 Erin Burchill, Humanities Curriculum CoordinatorFebruary 9, 2023 What is Curriculum?Tools & Resources Standards -Based PacingAssessment Instructional Methodology Curriculum Dynamic & Responsive Reading Public Schools Literacy Curriculum Landscape 6-8 Middle School Literacy Leadership Team K-2 Implementation begins 2023-2024 3-5 Implementation Year 1 2022-2023 4 The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recommends a four phase process to select, launch, and implement new curricular materials. Each phase is made up of key tasks and action steps. The four phases are shown in sequence below, but throughout the process it is necessary to look ahead and include opportunities to reflect on the steps taken so far. MA DESE High Quality Curriculum Evaluation and Selection Process IMplement MA Process Curriculum Implementation The goal of Implement & Monitor phase is two-fold: 1.Engage teachers, support staff, and administration in targeted training on implementation of the new materials 2.Continually monitor the work in action to gather data and adjust the plan as needed Implement & Monitor does not end after the first year -this is an ongoing journey of improvement that can last between 1 and 4 years. IMplement MA Process ARC Core Units throughout the year IRLA: Independent Reading Level Assessment Framework Developmental scope and sequence for reading acquisition that: ●Identifies baseline reading levels ●Matches readers with texts for deliberate practice ●Identifies which standards/skills and what order are most crucial for each reader to learn next to accelerate growth ●Designs individual, small-group, whole group instruction targeted to specific skill development ●Monitors progress through standards (Foundational Skills, Phonics Developmental Sequence, Vocabulary and Text Structure Sequence) District Data Snapshot -Overall Growth District Data Snapshot Targets Shift on February 1 Grade 3 Wood End Grade 4 Wood End Grade 4 Killam Grade 5 Birch Meadow Professional Learning Supporting Implementation Research indicates that high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) improve outcomes for students in substantial, cost-effective, and scalable ways. However, implementing HQIM effectively requires a shift in how teachers teach. Therefore, teachers and leaders need high- quality professional learning that demonstrates how to use HQIM to meet the learning needs of every student. On-Site School Based Coaching ARC Executive Coaches visit schools 8 times per year with established and consistent foci across all schools. Job-embedded PD structures utilized: 1.Small group trainings/workshops 2.Collaborative Planning 3.Grade level meetings 4.Fishbowl demonstration lessons 5.Lesson Debriefing 6.Observation/Feedback 7.1-1 Sessions Virtual District Collaboration ARC Executive Coaches lead collaborative training and planning for teachers grades 3-5 virtually during professional learning time on Fridays throughout the year. Leadership Learning Series Matt Reher, ARC Vice President of Teaching and Learning leads our Leadership Learning Series for principals and district leaders. Structured as full-day, in-person group sessions or 1 hour 1-1 sessions with Matt. Leadership Networks & Learning Spaces ●ARC Leadership Learning Series ●RPS District Teams learning about rigorous instruction ●ARC network with regional districts (Saratoga Springs,NY & Burlington, VT) ●Consultation with district and school leaders from Bourne PS ●Heather Leonard, STEM Coordinator ARC Core Implementation Team Jan Rhein, Literacy Specialist, Birch Meadow Erin Gibson, Literacy Specialist, Barrows Jessica Hester, G3, Wood End Keri DiNapoli, G4, Wood End Tonia McGuire, G4, Killam Mary Johnston, G5, Joshua Eaton Erin Burchill, K-8 Humanities Coordinator *Team includes representation from each school and implementing grade level to be expanded in 23-24 with K-2 staff* Middle School Literacy Leadership Team Andrew Spinali, ELA, Parker Julianne Mitriano, ELA, Parker Amy Bettencourt, Special Education, Parker Laura Warren, Reading Specialist, Coolidge Mike Madday, Social Studies, Coolidge Donna Martinson, ELA, Parker Tammy Jones, Reading Specialist, Parker Pauline Tsoutsis, ELA, Coolidge Jessica Lozzi, Special Education, Coolidge Tara Herlihy, Special Education, Coolidge Jane Costa, Social Studies, Parker Paul Simpson, ELA, Coolidge Suzanne Carroll, ELA, Coolidge Sarah Marchant, Principal, Coolidge Rochelle Rubino, Principal, Parker Erin Burchill, K-8 Humanities Coordinator Sarah Hardy, Asst. Superintendent of Learning and Teaching *Team includes representation from both middle schools, ELA, HSS, special education and reading specialists along with school and district leaders* Middle School Literacy Leadership Team TEAM GOALS: ●Strengthen and improve student achievement and growth in the English Language Arts. ●Ensure all middle school students receive high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction ●Build an effective team that supports adult learning for both the team and the larger middle school adult community ●Grow the team’s ability as teacher leaders Middle School Literacy Leadership Team ●Building the capacity of the team to work together and to develop leadership skills ●Learning together about best practices in middle school literacy instruction, including refining our understanding of the big shifts in the common core standards, and understanding the impact of the most current research on literacy instruction ●Conducting a review of the current literacy practices in place in middle school classrooms ●Created a literacy interview, which has been administered to all ELA teachers at the middle school level, as well as special education teachers and content teachers ●LLT is in the process of analyzing and reviewing this data in order to better understand the strengths and needs of the department -will support decisions about next steps for the LLT Coming Soon & Future Work District Curriculum Documents:Revision & updates to curriculum documents including curriculum guides, pacing guides, etc. Assessments:Integration of IRLA assessments and data analysis to monitor and adjust curriculum implementation Professional Learning: Building our professional learning networks & planning for ongoing professional learning Questions? TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Lynna Williams, RMHS School Counseling Director DATE: February 9, 2023 RE: RMHS Guidance Department Update During the February 9th School Committee Meeting, Lynna Williams, RMHS School Counseling Director, will provide the school committee with an overview of the role of the school counseling department at the high school level. The presentation will include an overview of the services provided through individual counseling and flex block seminars, comprehensive college and career support, and the new Project Wayfinder curriculum. In addition, data will be shared on student post-secondary plans, including our college admissions applications and acceptances, SAT, and AP scores. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 1 Director with 80 student caseload 6 School Counselors with +/- 180 student caseload 1 School Adjustment Counselor 1 Stepping Stone Teacher 1 Stepping Stone School Adjustment Counselor RMHS School Counseling Department CREDITS 1 OUR VALUES Comprehensive college admissions planning Postsecondary exploration Explore career options, that match strengths, aptitudes and interests Collaborate with teachers, parents, and admin Short term counseling Case management Outside referrals Collaborate outside therapist Hospital re-entry Social Emotional Counseling 2 College and Career Planning IEp and 504 meetings Student Support Team Daily collaboration with teachers and parents Monitor performance and grad requirements Course selection Navigate academic challenges Academic Advising OUR MISSION AND VISION Future Freshmen Night 1 & 2 Visit Middle Schools for Q & A for students Transition Meetings with 8th grade Collaborate with 8th grade admin and counselors Parent/ Caregiver Nights College and Career Fair College Representative Meetings College Admissions Panel Alumni Panel for Seniors 1 on 1 course selection meetings 3 WHAT SETS US APART Project Wayfinder Sense of Belonging Interests/Strengths Getting Involved Trying New Things Transcript/GPA/Credits How Current Performance Prepares for Future Course Selection Individual Meetings Credit Evaluation Project Wayfinder Finding your purpose YouScience Career Aptitude Assessment Career Exploration Course Selection Individual Meetings Credit Evaluation Freshmen Post High School Planning Understanding Application Process Interview Skills Resume Writing Alternative Options Individual Meetings to Create Set Plan for each students assist with applications process transcripts credit evaluation 4 9th 10th 11th10th11th 12th Post High School Planning Explore Options SCOIR Resume Writing Recommendations Individual Meetings to Create Plans for each Student Recommendations Essay, Standardized Tests Credit Evaluation Course Selection Where our Students Go ◂23 Different States and 2 Countries Outside of US ◂50% attend Private Colleges/Universities ◂64% Stayed in New England ◂11% Went to New York ◂36% Stayed in Massachusetts (64% attend MA public colleges and universities) ◂ RESOURCES 5 STATISTICS 6 Class 2019 % Class 2020 % Class 2021 % Class 2022 % 4 year college 87.2 80 80 83 2 year college 7.5 5 5.8 4 Prep/Technical .9 3 2.7 1 Employed/Other 4.4 12 11.5 12 Where our Students go……. STATISTICS 7 # of Students Evidence Based Reading Writing Math 2019 286 596 604 2020 260 595 600 2021 231 595 598 2022 252 585 595 Average SAT Scores By Year of Graduation STATISTICS 8 STUDENT PROGRESS 1st TERM 3rd TERM 99 Advanced Placement Recognition 2019 2020 2021 2022 Scholars scored 3+ on 3 or more exams 31 29 20 39 Scholars with Honors - scored 3.25 on all exams and scored 3+ on 4 or more exams 14 15 18 12 Scholars with Distinction - scored 3.5 on all exams and scored 3+ on 5 or more exams 22 26 12 25 STUDENT PROGRESS 1st TERM 3rd TERM 1010 Looking Ahead…… 1.Looking closely at our data from PSAT, SAT, and AP exams a.Which students are taking the exams and higher level classes b.Are the students representative of our student body c.What are the strength and areas we need to grow in our curriculum d.Exploring school day testing for PSAT’s 2.Innovation Pathways - providing more opportunities for students 3.Dual Enrollment courses opening up opportunities for more students to get college credit 4.Internship Program - 4th quarter senior year THANKS THANK You 11 Does Anyone Have Questions? TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent of Schools DATE: February 9, 2023 RE: Introduction to Multi-year District Strategic Plan During the February 9th School Committee meeting we will present a draft outline of the 2023- 2025 District Strategic Plan. The February 9th School Committee packet includes the draft outline of the plan. This memo provides a high-level overview of our progress towards developing a District Strategic Plan as well as a preview of the work ahead this spring. Progress Update Over the past several months, leaders across our district worked to identify the 4 strategic objectives within the strategic plan. These strategic objectives are meant to serve as the large buckets of work: 1.Safe and Supportive Learning Environments 2.Coherent Instructional Systems 3.School Operations 4.Family and Community Engagement As a team, district leaders (central office, principals, directors, etc.) started to map out the strategic initiatives within each of these larger strategic objectives. These are meant to define the specific initiatives that will take place within each of the larger four buckets. For example, under 4. Family Community Engagement, the current strategic initiatives include: 4a. Strengthen Family/School Partnerships; 4b. Strengthen Supports and Connections for Multilingual Learners; 4c. Create a Children’s Cabinet to Bring Together Key Leaders That Serve Children and Youth; and 4d. Expand Vehicles for Community Outreach We have identified “leads” within each of the 4 strategic objectives to provide oversight of the respective strategic initiatives listed in the plan. While this group of leads will expand, these leads currently include: 1.Safe and Supportive Learning Environment: Jen Stys, Sarah Marchant, Allison Wright, Emma Costigan, Lynna Williams, Mary Giuliana, Ally Sarno, Ann Ozanian 2.Coherent Instructional Systems: Sarah Hardy, Caitlin Shelburne, Heather Leonard, Erin Burchill, Jess Callanan, Liam Loscalzo 3.School Operations: Susan Bottan, Kevin Tracey 4.Family and Community Engagement: Theresa Wiggins, Barbara Best, Alissa Gallegos What’s Ahead •We will incorporate any School Committee or community feedback from the February 9th School Committee meeting to create an updated draft outline of the District Strategic Plan. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 • The leads of each strategic objective will move to the phase of planning the “how” within each strategic initiative. We will determine a common practice for clearly documenting the “how” of each strategic initiative, including specific action steps, timelines, and the stakeholders involved. • We will share the updated 2023-2025 Strategic Plan draft (including the “how” and specific action plans for each strategic initiative) with the larger RPS community for feedback. Opportunities for feedback on this draft will be provided through a variety of different venues, including a School Committee meeting in the spring, virtual Zoom meetings, and coffee hours. • We will incorporate community feedback and present a final version of the 2023-2025 District Strategic Plan for School Committee approval prior to June 30th, 2023. READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS - DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN 2022-2023 Mission of the Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow Vision of the Reading Public Schools It is the vision of the Reading Public Schools to instill a joy of learning by inspiring, engaging and supporting our youth to become the innovative leaders of tomorrow. We will accomplish our vision by focusing on a few key strategic initiatives that lead to a meaningful and relevant curriculum, innovative instructional practices, strong analysis and thoughtful dialogue about evidence, a collaborative and team approach to learning and teaching, and a safe and nurturing learning environment. The overall physical and behavioral well-being of our children will be our top priority as students will not learn if they are not physically and psychologically safe. Education will truly be the shared responsibility of both the schools and the community, with families playing active roles in the schools and being full partners in ensuring the success of their children. In the interest of the entire Reading community, the school district and town government shall work cooperatively and collaboratively. As educators and members of our community, we believe that implementing this vision is our ethical responsibility to the children of the Town of Reading. Reading Public Schools’ Statement of Equity The Reading School Committee, Central Office, Directors, Principals and Leadership of the Teacher ’s Association celebrate the diversity of the Reading Community and beyond by embracing differences to empower every student, staff member and family of the Reading Public Schools. We embrace all members of the community no matter where we live, what we look like, what we believe, what language we speak, who we love, or how we learn, consistent with the human dignity of all. When we are unwavering in our commitment to equity, we support every student and staff member in maximizing individual potential. This requires us to identify, analyze, and confront gaps in opportunities and outcomes for all students. Reading Memorial High School Portrait of a Graduate RPS Graduates are leaders of their own learning journey who demonstrate kindness and empathy towards others and a commitment to wellness. They persevere through challenges, embrace multiple perspectives, and aspire to be their best selves in the service of others to better our community and our world. Learn -Grow -Teach -RPS Graduates are critical thinkers and creative problem solvers.They take ownership of their learning journey and are open to struggle to foster personal growth.They are confident in their beliefs and consider the thoughts and ideas of others.They embrace collaboration to help teach others and remain curious life-long learners. Empathize -Consider Perspectives -Practice Communal Care -RPS Graduates show kindness and empathy towards others and a commitment to personal wellness and communal care.They are able to persevere through challenges and demonstrate resilience.They authentically reflect through hearing and understanding the experiences,perspectives,and needs of people around them.To navigate relationships with generosity and patience, they listen actively and compassionately. Engage -Serve -Thrive -RPS Graduates responsibly shape our world through collaboration with their community.They engage with and communicate multiple perspectives,aspire to be their best selves in the service of others in order to thrive,and bring their skills and knowledge to action for the benefit of each other and our world. Reading Public Schools 2022-2023 Strategic Objectives Strategic Objective 1:Supportive, Equitable, and Safe Learning Environment (Leads: Jen Stys, Sarah Marchant, Allison Wright, Emma Costigan, Lynna Williams, Mary Giuliana, Ally Sarno, Ann Ozanian) Strategic Objective 2:Coherent Instructional Systems (Leads: Sarah Hardy, Caitlin Shelburne, Heather Leonard, Erin Burchill, Jess Callanan, Liam Loscalzo) Strategic Objective 3:School Operations (Leads: Susan Bottan, Kevin Tracey) Strategic Objective 4: Family and Community Engagement (Leads: Alissa Gallegos, Theresa Wiggins, Barbara Best) Strategic Initiatives Supportive, Equitable and Safe Learning Environments Coherent Instructional Systems School Operations Family and Community Engagement 1.1. Build a shared understanding about sense of belonging and identify common indicators to measure progress 2.1. Enact Special Education Multi-Year Improvement Plan 3.1. Evaluate and improve identified school and district level operations and systems 4.1. Strengthen family/school partnerships 1.2 Build valid data collection systems and analysis procedures 2.2. Ensure high quality curriculum (standards-aligned, pacing, instructional methodology; materials and resources; assessment; rigorous instructional practices) 3.2. Leverage and optimize all resources including staffing roles and schedules, and funding 4.2. Strengthen supports and connections for multilingual learners 1.3. Review and implement practices, systems, and staffing 2.3. Ensure variety of college and career 3.3. Refine human resources systems of recruitment, retention, 4.3. Create a Children’s Cabinet to bring together key leaders models that foster inclusive environments pathways for secondary students and attendance that serve children and youth 1.4. Create, refine and align safety centered process and protocols 2.4. Utilize and refine a comprehensive assessment framework district-wide that defines the goals and objectives of assessments; the intended use; analysis protocols; and communication with families 3.4. Collaborate with MSBA and the Reading community to enable the build of new Killam Elementary School building 4.4. Expand vehicle for community outreach (Annual Community Report, Budget/FAQ with Town Meeting members) 1.5 Build coherence within METCO Program 2.5 Design a high-quality system of professional learning for RPS 1.6 Build coherence in MLL Programming 2.6 Define a vision for district’s educational/ administrative technology and opportunities to braid current district resources (Tech Plan) To: Reading School Committee CC: Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent of Schools From: Susan Bottan, Director of Finance and Operations Date: February 9, 2023 RE: Special Education Reserve Fund For discussion at the School Committee’s public meeting on Thursday, February 9, 2023, please find below an overview of a Special Education Reserve Fund, including its purpose, how it is established and how monies are appropriate to and spent out of the fund followed by a draft warrant article prepared by Ivria Glass Fried, the Town of Reading’s Legal Counsel: Overview of a Special Education Reserve Fund What is a Special Education Reserve Fund? Massachusetts General Law, Part 1, Title VII, Chapter 40, Section 13E provides for the establishment of a Special Education Reserve Fund. The law enables a school district to establish a reserve fund that can be used in future years for unanticipated special education out of district tuition and transportation costs. The purpose of the fund is to provide the school district with a safety net to respond to unforeseen special education out of district tuition and transportation service needs in any given year without adversely impacting the delivery of instruction to students in other programmatic areas, thereby ensuring adequate resources are available for all students. By establishing the fund, the district will no longer be required to maintain a contingency of unassigned tuition fees within its operating budget, which often remains unallocated each year. By establishing a reserve fund, unexpected special education costs will be addressed while allowing operating funds to be invested effectively to yield the greatest outcome for all students. How is the Special Education Reserve Fund established? To establish the fund, M.G.L. requires a majority vote by both the School Committee and local legislative body. Districts may choose to consider the following when establishing the fund: ● Maximum balance in the fund. ● A limit on the amount that can be expended in a fiscal year. The fund balance can carry into future fiscal years and remain in the fund until disbursed. The fund balance cannot exceed two percent of the annual net school spending of the school district, or approximately $940,000. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 How are monies appropriated to the fund? Once the fund is established, the school committee may include a separate line item in their annual budget request to appropriate monies and/or allocate end of year savings into the stabilization fund. Interest earned shall be credited to and become part of the fund. How are monies disbursed from the fund? Funds in the reserve fund can only be expended or transferred out after a majority vote of both the School Committee and Select Board. With majority votes, funds can be disbursed anytime during the fiscal year. Funds shall be used to pay for unbudgeted and unexpected special education out of district tuition and transportation services. Draft Warrant Article: The Bylaw Committee will need to provide a recommendation on this article as it involves the acceptance of a local option statute: To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Chapter 40, Section 13E of the Massachusetts General Laws to establish a Special Education Reserve Fund to be utilized in the upcoming fiscal years, for the general purposes of funding, without further appropriation, unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of special education and recovery high school programs, out-of-district tuition or transportation, all as provided for by law; such funds to be distributed after a majority vote of the School Committee and a majority vote of the Select Board only; provided that the balance in such reserve fund shall not exceed the lesser of 2 per cent of the annual net school spending amount established for the school district; or take any other action with respect thereto. Administrative Offices 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 781 944-5800 READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE Shawn Brandt Chair Carla Nazzaro Vice-Chair Erin Gaffen Sarah McLaughlin Charles Robinson Thomas Wise Thomas Milaschewski, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Shawn Brandt, Reading School Committee Chair DATE: February 9, 2023 TOPIC: Consensus Formative Review – Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, SY22-23 In general, all committee members shared positive sentiments about Dr. Milaschewski’s continued performance and leadership in the district. Members reflected favorably on the district’s culture, as well as Dr. Milaschewski and team’s practices that are allowing them to constantly identify and address new opportunities to enhance district performance across a number of dimensions. Collaboration, listening skills, building a strong culture and empowering others are all themes that emerged throughout the committee’s individual reviews. Goal 1: District Strategic Plan As the benchmarks for this goal are scheduled for this month and through the end of the year, most reviewers noted that they are looking forward to seeing the output of this workstream. Several committee members did highlight examples of other efforts they had seen which either indicated an ability to lead this kind of strategic work successfully, or would directly inform the development of the strategic plan. Such examples included Dr. Milaschewski spending full days at each school to meet with all interested staff members 1:1, and his collaborative approach to working through the Special Education program reviews in order to drive change through the budget process. Members observed Dr. Milaschewski’s strong collaboration and communication skills as key to successfully delivering on the District Strategic Plan in February and through the rest of the year. Goal 2: Innovations Members uniformly praised the work and the pace happening in the RMHS Innovation Pathways effort, recognizing the critical leadership of Jessica Callanan, but also acknowledging Dr. Milaschewski’s creativity in creating a role that would allow her to have such a significant impact. Multiple members highlighted that his leadership style has allowed people like her to flourish, to own significant bodies of work, and to move the ball forward rapidly and with great results. Members are excited about the opportunities this program will create for future graduating classes. Several members expressed more cautious notes about the progress on scheduling, acknowledging that while it is absolutely something that should be prioritized as a critical blocker for things like math pathways (and successful implementation of the Innovation Pathways), we haven’t seen as much evidence of progress before the School Committee, and some expressed concerns that it didn’t seem likely there would be many significant opportunities for progress to be reflected in the next school year’s schedules. Members were pleased that the prioritization of these two efforts was not crowding out parallel work on a host of other strategic initiatives, and many recognized the interdependencies between other initiatives and the scheduling effort, in particular. Goal 3: Coaching, Developing and Supporting Principals Most members observed that this goal was the most visibly progressed and successful to date, recognizing that it had been an area of strategic and planning focus last year and had hit its stride from an execution standpoint in SY22-23. Members viewed the results of the principal coaching to date very positively, with several remarking on the strong ratings principals had provided for the impact of that coaching. There was consistent positive feedback about the enhanced systems and processes in place (including ILTs, other forums for district-wide collaboration, Dr. Milaschewski’s 1:1 sessions, etc.) and enthusiasm about the prospect of these systems helping drive consistent application of and aspiration towards our shared goals for the district. Several members also cited the inclusion of Assistant Principals in the recommended budget as either an indication of continued support for the efficacy of Principals or as an opportunity to extend the great structures extended to principals this year, or both. Goal 4: NSIP Members had little to say about Dr. Milaschewski’s participation in the New Superintendent Induction Program other than to express confidence that he was engaging in that opportunity as deeply as he engages in everything else. Several noted the very visible presence of Chris McGrath in the district, and expressed both thanks to her as well as acknowledgement of Dr. Milaschewski’s humility in leaning on his coach to maximize his own potential as Superintendent. Finally, there was one piece of constructive feedback that was shared which wasn’t embedded directly in any of the goals, which was to ensure a commitment to operational excellence across the district in order to ensure that the policies and strategies and investments in place are all executed faithfully and consistently as a key to the success of all of our students. Formative Review of Dr. Thomas Milaschewski for SY22-23 Prepared by Shawn Brandt, SC Member Dr. Milaschewski has had a strong start to his second year, continuing much of the momentum created during the last school year. There is less “low hanging fruit” in year 2, and yet Dr. Milaschewski and the team have kept a steady drumbeat of enhancing the experience Reading Public Schools provide for students and staff alike. Goal 1: District Strategic Plan This goal is a work in progress, but as Chair I’ve been privy to the fact that Dr. Milaschewski and team are ahead of the pace and will be presenting the first benchmark several weeks early. I also think we saw evidence of the multiyear thinking of the team not only in the Innovations goal, but also as part of the refresh of this year’s District Improvement Plan. The admin team has formed teams and started work on a variety of medium-term initiatives, evidence of the ability to not only execute on the low- hanging fruit but to organize and build traction for more difficult initiatives. Goal 2: Innovations I have been excited by the progress in this area, not only against the prioritized themes but in other areas as well. The RMHS Pathways work is such an important initiative that will hit on many of our goals for the district – driving rigor, engaging students, creating career opportunities, etc. It’s extremely well aligned with our Portrait of a Graduate, and Ms. Callanan’s efforts are both very much needed, and well- received by the community thus far. The scheduling work is also a critical theme that I was pleased to see prioritized. Many of our other near and medium-term initiatives are dependent on addressing scheduling challenges, so this is an appropriate priority as an enabler, as well as on the merits. Beyond the priorities above, the ability to make progress, in parallel, on many of the other themes (including Full Day K and community partnerships) has been a great testament to Dr. Milaschewski’s ability to lead the organization to work toward common goals. While he isn’t doing most of the lifting on many, if any, of these initiatives, his leadership has galvanized those that are and helped contextualize the work and the impact it will have on our district. Goal 3: Coaching, Developing and Supporting Principals The execution of the Salem State partnership has gone well so far, and been generally well-received by the Principals. I am eager to see how this continues to progress as the relationships deepen and the pairs become even more familiar with one another. The establishment of ILTs is a critical pillar for us as we move the district forward and work to address any soft spots in teaching and learning. One of the unifying traits of our Principals is a desire to be strong instructional leaders, and I’m glad we are creating the structures and supports to allow them to shift some of their attention to this critical area. In the same vein, the budget prioritization of Assistant Principals, after many years of discussion, reflects Dr. Milaschewski’s strong understanding of the need and the promise of unlocking our Principals to do their best work. Goal 4: NSIP Not much to say here. Dr. Milaschewski has completed all of the appropriate NSIP sessions and assignments. We have been lucky that his coach, Chris McGrath, is as involved and visible and present as she is. Formative Review of Dr. Thomas Milaschewski for SY22-23 Prepared by Erin Gaffen, SC Member Goal 1: Design and publish multi-year district strategic plan by June 30, 2023 This goal seems very much on track and on time. I appreciate the collaborative and inclusive approach to the process that will include stakeholders at all levels, and I am especially impressed that the Superintendent will be spending full days at each school to meet 1:1 or in small groups with as many staff as possible. To allow teaching staff that level of access, and a chance to voice their concerns and questions directly, is a testament to the type of collaborative leader Dr. Milaschewsi is. I am eager for the presentation on February 9. Goal 2: Innovations: Prioritize, address, and/or create path forward to address structural and systematic issues/themes/dilemmas outlined in Superintendent’s Report of Entry Findings, including elementary half-days, secondary math pathways, school schedules, RMHS innovation pathways, middle school literacy curriculum, elementary musical programming, full-day Kindergarten, and community partnerships. There is an impressive amount of work happening across the district in order to move these innovations forward. Again, it is collaborative, and it is inclusive work, and I appreciate that the committee has been receiving regular updates on the progress. Further, it is exciting to see that the energy and enthusiasm from Dr. Milaschewski for new and creative ideas that will improve the academic experience and outcomes of RPS students is shared by district leadership. This may be one of his goals, but it is clearly the work of many. I am happy about the opportunities the Innovation Pathways will offer for our high school students. I am confident that this new program is being approached with careful attention to details in order to ensure it runs smoothly because it will present some degree of challenge for students given the current graduation requirements and scheduling difficulties at RMHS . For example, I question how a student can take AP classes and participate in an internship senior year. Overall, this is a win for the school and the students. The scheduling work at the middle and high schools is a necessary step forward, and I am glad to see this prioritized as it could have a major impact on student experience and academic outcomes. Though, in reading through the updates from the principals, it does not sound as though there are major changes to be implemented next year. There is no mention from the middle school principals regarding expanding math time on learning, for example. And while creating more flexibility around the PE and health requirements at RMHS will help a bit, it is not the level of schedule adjustments I was also hoping to see, and that I believe will be necessary to truly allow more students access to more classes that interest and challenge them. I would like a better grasp of what the RMHS scheduling team is working towards. I am glad to see the other priorities will continue to be explored, even if to a lesser extent this year, and will be outlined in the District Strategic Plan. I am especially eager to see RPS tackle grades 7-12 math pathways and literacy at the middle school level, as well as implementing universal free full-day kindergarten as soon as it is financially feasible. Goal 3: Coaching, Developing, and Supporting Principals. Implement a district strategy for coaching, supporting, and developing principal talent It is encouraging to see how much progress has been made on this goal given not as much of the work was able to happen last year. The coaching being provided to RPS principals is invaluable and has the potential to make a huge impact on their work, their job satisfaction, principal retention, and as a result, student outcomes. The work of the ILTs is important and helpful to see. It strikes me that there are more systems and routines in place that bring district leaders together, that empower district leaders, and that empower educational leaders. The sense of team is pervasive, and the degree of collaboration is extremely high. Hopefully, the RPS principals feel that this is a district that believes in encouraging them to be the very best versions of themselves, and that sentiment comes from the very top. Goal 4: New Superintendent Induction Program. Develop skills in strategy development, data analysis, equity and instructional leadership by actively engaging in the second year of the New Superintendent Induction Program. While we do not hear about this one as often, I am highly confident that Dr. Milaschewski is participating to his fullest potential and is likely a role model to others in the program. Formative Review of Dr. Thomas Milaschewski for SY22-23 Prepared by Sarah McLaughlin, SC Member Goal 1: (District Improvement Goal): District Strategic Plan: Design and publish multi-year district strategic plan by June 30, 2023. Key Actions: Organize key themes; collaborate with district leadership; gather feedback; publish plan on district website; Benchmarks: Present outline to SC by 2/28/23; present first draft to SC by 5/15/23; gather community feedback by 6/1/2023; present plan to SC for approval by 6/30/2023; Evidence of progress toward goal: ●Dr. Milaschewski has provided the school committee with regular updates on key action items and progress toward developing the District Strategic Plan. ●The District Strategic Plan will be presented to the School Committee on 2/9/23 ahead of the target benchmark date. Goal 2: (District Improvement Goal): Innovations: Prioritize, address, and/or create path forward to address structural and systematic issues/themes/dilemmas outlined in Superintendent’s Report of Entry Findings, including elementary half-days, secondary math pathways, school schedules, RMHS innovation pathways, middle school literacy curriculum, elementary musical programming, full-day Kindergarten, and community partnerships. Key Actions: Identify 2-3 themes to prioritize in 2022-2023 SY; create collaborative teams for each priority area; define problem statements, ideal outcomes, and action steps; engage community; include themes not address as priority themes in the District Strategic Plan; Benchmarks: Provide progress update; between Formative and Summative Evaluations provide update presentations to SC; provide update on all themes at Summative Evaluation; by 6/30/2023 highlight themes addressed and integration of all themes into District Strategic Plan; Evidence of progress toward goal: ●Dr. Milaschewski and his team have completed work on the first benchmark of identifying 2-3 priority themes to prioritize in the 2022-2023 SY. The prioritized themes align with areas of significant need in the district to bolster academic rigor and expand opportunity, particularly at the secondary level. Priority themes include: ●RMHS Innovation Pathways: utilizing district leadership strengths and the grant funding will allow us to establish additional academic pathways at the high school level. This not only creates partnerships with employers to expose students to potential career options of interest, but it also helps them develop knowledge and skills prior to graduation. The strategic priority area of “Community Partnerships” could also be taken into consideration as part of the RMHS Innovation Pathways, leveraging some key community leaders and partners as part of fostering growth and learning opportunities for students. ● School Schedules at the middle school and high school - focusing on this work will allow the district to address expansion of academic pathways, improve academic rigor and outcomes across departments, particularly in Math and ELA. I would encourage Dr. Milaschewski and team to think about the scheduling in a strategic, holistic way, taking into consideration additional key prioritization areas that impact scheduling, particularly - secondary math pathways, middle school literacy, special education program reviews, and full-day Kindergarten. Goal 3 (Student Learning Goal): Coaching, Developing, and Supporting Principals. Implement a district strategy for coaching, supporting, and developing principal talent Key Actions: Implement structures that reflect best practices; onboard school leaders with goals, rationale, and structures; build partnerships; select focus areas for principals; consistently monitor progress; Benchmarks: Analysis of agendas, protocols, & resources; formative feedback; interviews with principals; analysis of statewide student growth metrics; Evidence of progress toward goal: ● The foundational work laid last year has been built upon to establish a clear framework and metrics to monitor progress. ○ Each principal has been paired with a job-embedded, 1:1 coach to help them build and grow their practice in order to enhance teaching and learning in each of their school buildings.Formative check-ins to gain a baseline understanding of the effectiveness of the individual coaching relationships identified areas of benefit and growth along with clear action items to ensure optimal utilization of the coaching opportunity. ○ The clear commitment to developing principal leaders is evident through several work streams, including: ■ Development of Instructional Leadership Teams at each school building focused on improvement of teaching and learning. ■ Regular meetings of the District Leadership Team to collaborate on key initiatives identified in the District Strategic Plan. ■ Bi-weekly Level Specific Learning and Teaching Meetings focused on instructional improvement and professional development across all building levels. ○ Each building principal meets with Dr. Milaschewski 1:1 every week as an opportunity for support, to discuss progress or areas of need, and hear progress on school improvement goals. Goal 4: (Professional Practice Goal): New Superintendent Induction Program. Develop skills in strategy development, data analysis, equity and instructional leadership by actively engaging in the second year of the New Superintendent Induction Program. Key Actions: Attend six day-long sessions; complete all NSIP assignments; meet with assigned coach at least monthly; Benchmarks: Calendar documents attendance and contact with coach; verification from NSIP that actively engaged; Evidence of progress toward goal: ● Dr. Milaschewski actively engages in all NSIP commitments ● Dr. Milaschewski’s coach is a visible, welcome, and positive presence within Central Office and more broadly within RPS. Dr. M frequently reflects her positive impact on his practice and how he welcomes her feedback and guidance. Formative Review of Dr. Thomas Milaschewski for SY22-23 Prepared by Carla Nazzaro, SC Member Goal 1 (District Improvement Goal): District Strategic Plan: Looking forward to the draft of the District Strategic Plan on Feb 9th. Goal 2 (District Improvement Goal): Innovations: There are many identified priorities under the title District Improvement Goals. Though there are many priorities, Dr. Milaschewski has identified 2 areas of main focus for the 2022-2023 school year. Those 2 focus areas are school schedules and RMHS innovation pathways. School Schedule – The District Management Group has been brought on board to guide the district through a process of identifying needs, schedule options, and efficiencies in our high school and middle school schedules. Out of this process more immediate changes have been identified. One is by modifying how health/wellness classes are offered which will create an opportunity for students to take an additional yearly course. They will also help to focus on time on learning requirements, with a specific focus on math, at our middle schools. Innovation Pathways – This is one of the areas that will propel our high school towards excellence. Providing opportunities for students to participate in a Computer Science or Engineering pathway will open doors to career options. I love how the administration is applying for and securing grants to make these programs happen with minimized impact on our operating costs. There are 2 grants in particular – Innovation Pathways grants and Capital Skills Grants. Some of the other goals are middle school literacy curriculum, elementary musical programming, tuition free full-day Kindergarten and community partnerships. Some progress has been made in these areas and I understand that all of these items can’t be tackled immediately, but I would like the administration to look into Math Pathways. I feel like this goes hand-in-hand with the School Schedule and Innovation Pathways priorities. Many in our district, including many school committee members, have been advocating for change in this area for years. I’m glad it is on the radar and hopeful that it will be addressed sooner. Goal 3 (Student Learning Goal): Coaching, Supporting, and Developing School Leaders: I believe this goal will have one of the most significant impacts on student learning in our district at all levels. This is a multi-year goal which focuses on Principals being instructional leaders which will have a direct impact on student learning. Coaching – the 1-to1 coaching provided by Salem State to our principals appears to be helpful to them (per their feedback). Support from non-evaluators seems like it can be more productive for principals and encourage collaboration when problem solving and working on vulnerabilities. Supporting – The Superintendent has weekly check ins with individual principals weekly. These meetings seem to range from 15 to 60 minutes. It allows Tom to have an understanding of each individual school’s needs. Developing – Investment in assistant principal positions along with a focus on Instructional Leadership Teams (ILT) is a huge investment in our district. Tom referred to ILTs as the heart that pumps blood throughout the rest of the building. It seems like a fitting analogy. The focus has to be on learning and good instruction. Salem state is also providing this support. The inclusion of k-8 math coaches as well as the imbedded coaching in our ARC Core curriculum is critical to the success and effectiveness of our teachers. Our teachers need to feel and be supported with rolling out new curriculum. Our elementary school teachers have been doing an incredible job digesting this new curriculum this year. There will definitely be work ahead to identify roles and responsibilities of the AP positions. I eagerly look forward to seeing how that rolls out. APs should be instructional leaders in addition to being operational leaders. Goal 4 (Professional Practice Goal): New Superintendent Induction Program: There is not a lot to report on this goal. Chris McGrath, Dr. Milaschewski ’s coach is very visible in the district and seems to provide helpful feedback. Dr. Milaschewski has mentioned that it is helpful to hear from other second year superintendents in this program and to learn from their collective experiences. Formative Review of Dr. Thomas Milaschewski for SY22-23 Prepared by Chuck Robinson, SC Member The 2022-23 school year has been a very positive year for Dr. Milaschewski with encouraging results on ongoing and new initiatives. Goal 1: District Strategic Plan Dr. Milaschewski’ s has an excellent two-way communication style that has served him well in preparing the District Strategic Plan. He listens, he evaluates feedback, and he is timely and succinct in written and verbal reports to all stakeholders. I refer to the Special Education program reviews as an excellent example of collaboration with the District Leadership Team, School Based Staff, and Stakeholder Groups to review, evaluate and act on the recommendations. Through this process he was able confidently and thoughtfully address some of the critical recommendations in the FY’24 Budget. I expect to see similar positive results through other reviews which will ultimately lead to a District Strategic Plan that puts Reading Public Schools on a path toward excellence. Goal 2: District Improvement Goal: Innovations Dr. Milaschewski and the District Leadership Team as well as others have put an enormous amount of positive energy around this goal. It is very exciting for me when see what has been done and what is being done with many initiatives that fall under this goal. Dr. Milaschewski’ s decision to hire Ms. Callanan (FY’23) showed great leadership in that she is a key player in a lot of the initiatives included in this goal. In my opinion, her work in preparing Innovation Pathways could not have been completed by anyone else in the same time frame. I also expect her to provide a positive contribution to the ongoing Scheduling project. Dr. Milaschewski’ s ongoing work with his teams on literacy and math continue to show positive results and feedback. School visits with Erin Burchill (literacy) and Heather Leonard (Math) were proof to me that we had the rights “boots on the ground” doing the work and the leadership providing the resources and support. On a side note, I applaud Dr. Milaschewski’ s leadership in asking for Math Coaches in the FY’24 Budget. Based on what a saw and heard on my visit this could not be timelier. The continued commitment to the School Committee’s goal of free Full Day K is another example of Dr. Milaschewski’ s leadership as he understands that it is a significant financial commitment but has not let it get in the way of other initiatives designed to move the district forward. He has empowered and encouraged Susan Bottan to use her exemplary analytical skills to come up with a solution and supports her recommendation. Goal 3: Coaching, Developing and Supporting Principals Dr. Milaschewski is not a lone ranger, and he fully understands that beyond his Central Office Leadership Team his principals are critical to his and the districts success. In my mind the individual coaches provided to each principal will prove to be a game changer. Having an independent voice providing coaching and feedback is valuable on so many levels but two things that come to mind is that it frees the superintendent to do other important work and it allows an employee to lean on someone that is not their evaluator. An area of discussion which is expected to come to fruition in the FY’24 Budget is Elementary Assistant Principals. I believe this will have a significant positive impact on Learning and Teaching at the Elementary level as it will transition the building principal to a more visionary role by sharing the operational duties with another person. I compare these positions to when we brought Jess Callanan into the High School Fall ‘22. It split up the deliverables we were leaning on Kevin Tracey for. Same scenario occurs when we add the Assistant Principals at the Elementary level – divide and conquer. This shows great leadership and support for the principals at all levels. Dr. Milaschewski is very visible at the buildings supporting and encouraging principals, staff, students. He is a hands-on leader. Goal 4 (Professional Practice): New Superintendent Induction Program Dr Milaschewski has enthusiastically embraced and participated in the Superintendent Induction Program. In his reports he regularly reports how he used his mentor for feedback or advice. He also reports how she is a regular attendee at district meetings. I am proud that Dr. Milaschewski sees the value of the program and takes full advantage of what it has to offer. Overall, I am very pleased with where Dr. Milaschewski is relative to his goals and I look forward to continued progress throughout the remainder of this year. Page 1 of 2 Formative Review of Dr. Thomas Milaschewski for SY22-23 Prepared by Thomas Wise, SC Member Overall, Dr. Milaschewski is having another strong year. He continues to build a collaborative culture across the District – in the Central Office, with the Principals and Assistant Principals, with the Reading Teachers Association, and with the Town. This is evidenced in many ways as will be outlined in the feedback aligned to each goal. Goal 1 (District Improvement Goal): District Strategic Plan: Design and publish a multi-year district strategic plan by June 30, 2023. Much work has occurred to lay the foundation for the work that is to come for this goal. Goal 2 and Goal 3 are both supportive of this greater Strategic Plan and we have been fortunate enough to have multiple mini-Strategy sessions throughout the year. This item is understood to be incomplete, but on track, and the majority of the communication around the Strategic Plan, including Community Buy-In/Support, will occur during the second half of the academic year. Goal 2 (District Improvement Goal): Innovations: Prioritize, address, and/or create the path forward to address structural and systematic issues/themes/dilemmas outlined in the Superintendent’s Report of Entry Findings, including elementary half-days, secondary math pathways, school schedules, RMHS innovation pathways, middle school literacy curriculum, elementary musical programming, full - day Kindergarten, and community partnerships. This year, we have seen significant progress in this area with the movement for the RMHS Innovation Pathways. The program design and track choice in alignment with the Department Heads and the Director of Academic Achievement illustrate the alignment necessary to bring positive change at the High School through new opportunities for 2026, 2027, and beyond classes. What we continue to see from Dr. Milaschewski is his ability to put people in places to succeed, support them in the process and let them own the result. He demonstrates that he doesn’t have to be the smartest person in the room and in doing so, continues to engender a great deal of confidence in his leadership in those that work for him. While the administration chose school schedules as the second innovation to focus on, we have seen less evidence of this to date. We have heard about small tweaks at RMHS concerning Gym and Health class semester alignment to open up space for further electives but haven’t heard or seen much more at High School or Middle School level. We understand work is happening and we know the administration has met with consultants to help them work through the necessary changes. However, we have yet to see the parent involvement that will be necessary for larger structural changes at the High School in particular. While the small changes won’t need this involvement, I continue to urge that we engage with the parent community on the larger changes sooner than later. Additionally, as discussed at our last meeting, I would urge Dr. Milaschewski and his staff to focus more urgently on the secondary math pathways. While I understand they are and continue to be a challenge, I also know it has been a 10-year problem which will only be exacerbated by the fact that we are creating Innovation Pathways (Engineering and Computer Science) that would benefit from having more students take and succeed in more challenging math in Middle School. For these reasons, I urge a greater focus on this area as we move into the second half of the academic year. Page 2 of 2 Goal 3 (Student Learning Goal): Coaching, Developing, and Supporting Principals. Implement a district strategy for coaching, supporting, and developing principal talent. We have seen tremendous progress in this goal throughout the year which is expected as it was the most set up to succeed coming into the year due to the partnership with Salem State and the ARC Training. It is encouraging that seven of the eight principals noted that their coaching was supporting them at a level of 4 or 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 as that indicates they are realizing the benefits of the coaching. Additionally, we continue to see the Central Office and Principals work collaboratively to build understanding and support structures as evidenced by the discussions and norming on the definition of rigor as aligned to the District Improvement Plan. Finally, I am thankful to see that Dr. Milaschewski can make sure he sets aside time to catch up and support the principals individually as well this year. That one-on-one support structure will continue to further engender the relationship between Dr. Milaschewski and each principal and will also allow him to more clearly understand individual needs and areas for and of growth. As we go through the second half of the FY23 academic year, now that the budget has passed the School Committee and as we prepare for it to (hopefully) pass the Finance Committee and Town Meeting, it is imperative that Dr. Milaschewski and team determine how to expand this Coaching, Developing, and Supporting model to the new Assistant Principals that will be hired for the FY24 school year and those that are already in place at Parker, Coolidge, and Reading Memorial High School. This plan will be critical in the process of growing the leadership capacity of the District and building a pipeline of talent to fill our more senior positions over time. Goal 4 (Professional Practice Goal): New Superintendent Induction Program. Develop skills in strategy development, data analysis, equity, and instructional leadership by actively engaging in the second year of the New Superintendent Induction Program. There is not much to say about this mandatory goal. He is attending his meetings, gathering insights from other new Superintendents, and in his own words, “Rocking it.” I would expect nothing less. Summary and Areas for Future Growth We continue to see great progress in turning the District around and setting the foundation for excellence in execution and achievement. Dr. Milaschewski and his staff have a perpetual habit of observing issues or challenges and then collaboratively finding solutions. Dr. Milaschewski has also demonstrated a keen ability to empower his staff to drive improvement, find ways to achieve success, and then he lifts them up and provides the ability for them to own that success. One area for future growth that I have discussed with Dr. Milaschewski a few times throughout the year is the idea that excellence can only truly be achieved once we can quickly and easily achieve the small things. There are many small things we are doing well as a District but there are also many small things we can and should improve in. We must make sure that Policies and Procedures are in place, understood, and followed across each and every one of our schools. That is but one example and we have discussed many others. Operational excellence, embraced by all throughout the district, will be a huge key to academic excellence and success for all of our students. Dr. Milaschewski continues to be open to all feedback and continues to act on that feedback. He does not shy away from difficult feedback, listens intently to understand, then moves forward to improve. This demonstration of a continuous improvement mentality is seen by his team and mirrored by them in their roles as well. I so appreciate his willingness to lead in this way and encourage him to continue to do so. DRAFT ARTICLE FOR TOWN MEETING To see if the Town will amend the General Bylaws, Article 4, Personnel, by striking Section 4.2.2 in its entirety and replacing the section with the following language: 4.2.2 Requirement of Medical Examination The requirement for a medical examination prior to an employee’s entrance on duty shall be governed by the applicable personnel policy, employment contract, or state or federal law. Or take any other action relative thereto. Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet February 9, 2023 Calendar Reading School Committee – Remaining SY22-23 Meetings Note: All Regular SC Meetings will be held at the RMHS Library at 7 PM unless otherwise noted February February 9th – Regular SC Meeting March March 1st – Posted for Finance Committee review of School Committee’s Recommended Budget March 2nd – Regular SC Meeting March 16th – Regular SC Meeting March 30th – Regular SC Meeting April April 6th – Regular SC Meeting April 24th – Town Meeting Night 1 April 27th – Town Meeting Night 2 May May 1st – Town Meeting Night 3 May 4th – Town Meeting Night 4 May 8th – Regular SC Meeting (Monday night) May 25th – Regular SC Meeting June June 2nd – RMHS Graduation June 8th – Regular SC Meeting June 22nd – Regular SC Meeting