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Home My WebLink About2024-06-20 School Committee PacketOpen Session 7:00p.m. Reading Memorial High School Library Reading, MA Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet June 20, 2024 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: 2024-06-20 Building: School - Memorial High Address: 62 Oakland Road Time: 7:00 PM Location: School Library Agenda: Revised Purpose: Open Session Meeting Called By: Thomas Wise, 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 discussed 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 7:00 p.m. B. Public Comment Consent Agenda 1.Minutes (06-06-2024) 2.Parker School Instrument Fund Donation 3.Parker Science Olympiad Club Donation 4.Wood End Drum Set Donation 5.Request to Surplus Property – RMHS and Barrows 6.Acceptance of FY24 Skills Capital Technology and Equipment Grant Award Accounts Payable Warrant Reports 1.06-06-2024 2.06-13-2024 Payroll Warrant Reports 1. 05-24-2024 2.06-07-2024 Reports 1.Student 2.Director of Finance & Operations 3.Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning 4.Superintendent 5.Liaison/Sub-Committee 7:15 p.m. E. New Business 1.Parker School Improvement Plan Update 2.Pre Q4 Financial Update w/ Budget Transfer Vote(s), if necessary 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 | 2 3. Special Education Reserve Fund Report w/ Vote on Reserve Fund Allocation 4. K-8 Literacy Update a. Middle School ELA Curriculum b. ARC Implementation Update (Data & Lessons Learned) 8:15 p.m. D. Old Business 1. Mid-Cycle Formative Review of Superintendent and Vote to Accept 8:30 p.m. E. New Business 5. Post Formative Review Discussions & Votes a. Review and Approve Amendment to Superintendent Contract b. Discuss and Vote on Superintendent SY24-25 Salary Increase 6. School Choice Update and Next Steps 7. Annual Reorganization of School Committee F. Information / Correspondence 1. Re: “Gifted and talented education in Reading” – Rebecca Liberman 9:45 p.m. Adjourn Join Zoom Meeting https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/82951339314 Meeting ID: 829 5133 9314 Find your local number: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/u/kevtzj5din Consent Agenda Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet June 20, 2024 Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Page | 1 2016-09-22 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council: School Committee Date: 2024-06-06 Time: 7:00 PM Building: School - Memorial High Location: School Library Address: 62 Oakland Road Session: Open Session Purpose: Open Session Version: Draft Attendees: Members - Present: Tom Wise, Erin Gaffen, Charles Robinson, Shawn Brandt, Sarah McLaughlin and Carla Nazzaro Members - Not Present: Others Present: HR Director Ms. Michelle Roach, Superintendent Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Dr. Jennifer Stys and Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Dr. Sarah Hardy Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Olivia Lejeune on behalf of the chairperson. Topics of Discussion: A. Call to Order – Mr. Wise called the meeting to order at 7:18 p.m. to review the agenda. B. Public Comment – None Public Comment – None Focus on Excellence 1. Shark Tank Dr. Milaschewski introduced Coolidge students and Coolidge Teacher, Mr. Matt Darling, who attended to present their Shark Tank ideas and pitch them to the committee. Consent Agenda 1. Minutes (05-23-2024) 2. RMHS Band Parents Organization Donation 3. RMHS Volleyball Donation 4. Friends of Reading Wrestling Donation 5. RMHS Track Meet Field Trip Request 6. Acceptance of FY24 METCO Boston Bridges Initiative Grant Award 7. Coolidge School Science Olympiad Donation Accounts Payable Warrant Reports 1. 05-23-2024 Page | 2 2. 05-30-2024 Mrs. Gaffen motioned to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Mr. Brandt. The vote passed 6-0. Reports 1. Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning – Dr. Hardy informed the committee that the middle school literacy leadership team has recommended a plan for middle school literacy next year, which will be presented at the June 20th School Committee meeting. 2. Assistant Superintendent for Student Services – On May 29th, Dr. Stys noted that the district hosted a rebranded Unified Sports Day, with 98 student athletes participating. We extend our thanks to Tara Herlihy and Fran Greene for their efforts in organizing this event. 3. Superintendent – Dr. Milaschewski expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of graduation, especially highlighting Ms. Kathy Kinney for ensuring a smooth evening. Additionally, Dr. Milaschewski thanked Ms. Michelle Roach, Andrew Goetschius, and Krystn Cohen for organizing a wonderful staff celebration earlier tonight. Congratulations to all recipients. 4. Liaison/Sub-Committee a. Ms. McLaughlin – No report b. Mrs. Gaffen – No report c. Mr. Wise – Mr. Wise noted last week's financial forum went well, with discussions on various projects. Yesterday, Mr. Brandt and Mr. Wise participated in the RMLD audit, which returned clear results and was approved. At last night's Children’s Cabinet meeting, we extend thanks to Barbara Best and Theresa Wiggins for their year-long coordination efforts. d. Mr. Brandt – No report e. Mrs. Nazzaro – Mrs. Nazzaro shared that the Permanent Building Committee met on Monday focusing on the Senior/Community Center. The KSBC meeting on the 17th will discuss 9 different options, aiming to narrow them down to one by August. f. Mr. Robinson – No report E. New Business Mr. Wise motioned to take item E2 out of order, seconded by Mr. Brandt. The vote passed 6-0. 2. SEPAC FY24 End-of-Year Update SEPAC board members, Dilly Wilson, Eunice Kenyon, and Jaclyn Lee presented a SEPAC End- of-Year Update. A full copy of the presentation can be found here. The presentation included a review of the SEPAC mission, year in review, promotion of mission statement areas and plans for the new school year. The presentation ended with an opportunity for a Q&A. 1. Athletics Facility Naming Advisory Committee Formation Page | 3 Mr. Wise pointed out a typo in the memo changing the date of the length of service from October 2022 to October 2024. There are currently two requests for the committee. Mr. Wise recommended creating one committee if both naming requests are approved. Mr. Wise motioned to accept the nomination of naming any portion of the Athletics facility after Phil Vaccaro, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. The vote passed 6-0. Mr. Wise motioned to accept the nomination of naming Turf 2 after Charlie Hardy, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. The vote passed 6-0. Mr. Wise discussed the makeup of the advisory committee. The committee discussed adding additional representation to the committee. There was discussion about having alternates as committee members in which it was pointed out there could be associate members to fill in for someone unable to attend a meeting. It was recommended adding a second student and an additional community member vs business leader. The committee also discussed November being more realistic for the Advisory Committee to provide a recommendation to the School Committee. Mr. Wise will make the necessary updates to the Advisory Committee charge. Mr. Wise motioned to approve the creation and charge of the Athletic Facility Advisory Committee as amended, seconded by Mrs. Gaffen. The vote passed 6-0. Mr. Wise assigned Mr. Robinson to the Athletic Facility Advisory Committee as a School Committee representative. 3. Parker Principal Search Process Discussion Dr. Milaschewski shared Principal Rubino will be transitioning from her role as Parker Principal at the end of the school year. Dr. Milaschewski walked through the timeline. There is more information in the packet and a draft outline of the search process. A full-time position and interim position have been posted since it is so late in the search process so we can pivot to an interim if the pool is not strong. Mr. Wise assigned Mr. Brandt as the School Committee representative on the Parker Principal Search Committee. 4. FY24 End-of-Year Personnel Update HR Director, Ms. Michelle Roach, provided an FY24 End-of-Year Personnel update. The update was centered around Strategic Goal 3.1 and the FY24 outcomes as a result of the Human Resource workflow. A full copy of the presentation can be found in the packet. 5. Math Pathways Final FY24 Update Dr. Hardy provided a Math Pathways End-of-Year Update. The presentation included an overview of Math Pathways, an update on the projects this year and initial impact. Dr. Hardy noted this will be continuous work. A full copy of the presentation can be found here. Page | 4 6. Student Services End-of-Year Update including quick Program Review Status Update Dr. Stys and Director of Special Education, Ms. Allison Wright, provided a high-level overview of the student services year-end update. Dr. Stys and Ms. Wright shared a document in the packet providing an extensive overview of the program reviews conducted to date and an update on the recommendations made and progress being made. A full copy of the document can be found in the packet. 7. Benchmark Update vs. District Strategic Plan Evidence Presentation & Discussion: Pillars I & IV During the last meeting, Dr. Milaschewski provided an update on the district strategic plan first orienting the committee to the document provided in the packet. The left column of the document provides the activities the district set out to do and tying to short- and long- term outcomes. The third column is new providing a progress update. At this meeting, updates were provided on pillars two and three. Tonight, Dr. Stys provided updates on pillar one and four sharing a few highlights. D. Old Business 1. School Committee Vote for SY24-25 Calendar Update (A) Dr. Milaschewski noted on the calendar we realized we inadvertently left off the December professional development day for middle school and high school. Traditionally, these schools have seven professional development days, and including this date ensures the correct allocation of professional development time. We recommend that the School Committee votes to approve the updated SY2024-2025 Calendar. Mrs. Gaffen motioned to approve the updated 2024-2025 school year calendar, seconded by Mr. Robinson. The vote passed 6-0. Mrs. Gaffen motioned to adjourn to executive session and not to return to conduct strategy in preparations negotiations with nonunion personnel (Central Office & Principals) as the chair declares an open meeting will have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the Reading School Committee, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. Roll Call Vote –Ms. McLaguhlin – yes, Mrs. Gaffen – yes, Mr. Wise – yes, Mr. Brandt – yes, Mrs. Nazzaro – yes, Mr. Robinson – yes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG43juC1a34 Meeting Adjourned from regular session at approximately 10:12pm. TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: June 18, 2024 RE: Vote to Accept Parker School Instrument Fund Donation Please vote to accept a donation of $50 for the Parker School Instrument Fund from Joseph Pennington. The purpose of this donation is to benefit Parker students. Thank you. 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 TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: June 18, 2024 RE: Vote to Accept Parker Olympiad Club Donation Please vote to accept a donation from the Young Women’s League of Reading in the amount of $250. The purpose of this donation is to help support the development of the Parker Science Olympiad Club in the upcoming school year. Thank you. 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 TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: June 18, 2024 RE: Vote to Accept Wood End Drum Set Donation Please vote to accept a drum set donation on behalf of the Cella Family to be allocated to Wood End Elementary School. Thank you. 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 From:Schwartz, Nicole To:Lejeune, Olivia; Milaschewski, Thomas Subject:Re: Drum Set- Donation Approval Date:Wednesday, June 5, 2024 1:13:18 PM I think they would be fine being acknowledged. It's the Cella family. I will connect with them to confirm and follow up. Nicole From: Lejeune, Olivia <Olivia.Lejeune@reading.k12.ma.us> Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 1:06 PM To: Schwartz, Nicole <Nicole.Schwartz@reading.k12.ma.us>; Milaschewski, Thomas <Thomas.Milaschewski@reading.k12.ma.us> Subject: RE: Drum Set- Donation Approval Hi Nicole, Do you mind sharing the name of the family? Would they be okay being acknowledged in the memo? Thanks! Olivia From: Schwartz, Nicole <Nicole.Schwartz@reading.k12.ma.us> Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 12:53 PM To: Milaschewski, Thomas <Thomas.Milaschewski@reading.k12.ma.us> Cc: Lejeune, Olivia <Olivia.Lejeune@reading.k12.ma.us> Subject: Drum Set- Donation Approval Hi Tom, A Wood End family would like to donate a small drum set to add to the music room in the building. The drum set will be in addition to our bucket drumming supplies and will be another musical instrument for students to explore. It will allow modeling and demonstration of percussion instruments and will be a great addition to our music room. Please let me know if this donation is approved. Best, Nicole TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Derek Pinto, Director of Finance and Operations DATE: June 6, 2024 RE: Request to Surplus Property In compliance with the surplus disposition requirements of Massachusetts procurement law MGL Chapter 30B, I ask that the School Committee declare the items outlined below as surplus property: AM Barrows Elementary School Item Number Age Reason Balance Beam 2 20+ years Not using in PE and no one else around the district wants them. Once declared, the school department will take the required steps to offer these items to Town departments , or resold, or disposed of in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts . Please feel free to contact me with questions about this request. Thank you. 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 TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Reading Memorial High School Derek Pinto, Director of Finance and Operations DATE: June 17, 2024 RE: Request to Surplus Property In compliance with the surplus disposition requirements of Massachusetts procurement law MGL Chapter 30B, I ask that the School Committee declare the items outlined below as surplus property: Reading Memorial High School Item Number Age Reason Stand-Up Food Warmers 3 Unknown Unable to work after Service Technician determined to be Once declared, the school department will take the required steps to offer these items to Town departments, or resold, or disposed of in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Please feel free to contact me with questions about this request. Thank you. 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 TO: Reading School Committee CC: Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Derek Pinto, Director of Finance and Operations DATE: June 18, 2024 FR: Katelyn Finnegan, Finance and Business Analyst RE: Acceptance of FY24 Skills Capital Technology and Equipment Grant Award The Massachusetts Executive Office of Education has awarded Reading Public Schools with a FY24 Skills Capital Technology and Equipment Grant in the amount of $75,000. The Skills Capital Technology and Equipment Grant will be used to support Innovation Career Pathways in Advanced Manufacturing and Information (Computer Science and Digital Media). Skills Capital funding is for equipment to build out and bolster programming. The funding will be available to use during FY25. Thank you for your support and your vote to accept the FY24 Skills Capital Technology and Equipment Grant Award. 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 New Business Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet June 20, 2024 To: Reading School Committee From: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Date: June 18, 2024 Re: Parker School Improvement Plan Update During the 6/20 SC meeting, Ms. Rubino and Dr. Story will present an end-of-year update on the Parker School Improvement Plan. The presentation can be found in the packet. 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 Parker Middle School School Improvement Plan Update Principal Rochelle Rubino, M. Ed., CAGS Assistant Principal Jill Story, Ed.D Parker Middle School SIP Goals 2023/2024 Shared Curriculum Work (2.2) ●Math Pathways Committee (District); Science Curriculum Review (grades 6-12); Middle School Literacy Leadership Team (grades 6-8); World Language Curriculum Review (grades 7-12) Increase our Targeted Support (and therefore achievement) for Students (2.2) ●Identify students using grades, the iReady benchmark, MCAS, and attendance data ●New: Purposeful use of Team Time as an intervention & enrichment block Coordinate Professional Development; differentiate to meet the unique needs of each school (2.5) ●Early release choice PD (aligned) ●Meeting the needs of our marginalized students (aligned) ●Use of an anchor text (aligned concept/ differentiated content) Purposeful SEL activities to increase Sense of Belonging & Connection (1.1) ●Advisory ●Challenge Day PD focus on culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning (1.1)(2.5)(2.2) ●Text-based PD using “Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning: Classroom Practices for Student success” by Sharroky Hollie ●Teacher-led professional learning communities that allow for teacher leadership, shared ownership, and sharing best practices focused on the following areas: learning accelerations vs. remediation; calibrating on student work using looking at student work protocols, collaborative problem solving, language based learning disabilities, advisory Focus on improving structures for general education intervention and supports to ensure all students have access to targeted instruction through the following initiatives: (2.2) ●Consistent Team Time practices focusing on intervention and enrichment/extension ●Strategically schedule reading and math interventionists to provide push-in support ●Provide an extra math intervention period for grade 8 students Leverage coaching, collaboration, and partnership (1.1)(1.2)(1.3)(2.2) ●Participate in DESE SEB Academy to conduct a needs assessment of our social, emotional, and behavioral supports ●Partner with Lynch Leadership Academy to provide a PD series and follow up coaching for the Parker Middle School leadership team focusing on the following topics: system for instructional improvement; teacher coaching, system for data-driven instruction & decision-making, and leading effective teams for instructional improvement ●Leverage math coaches to provide job embedded instructional support for math teaching staff. Parker Middle School SIP GOALS 2023/2024 i-Ready Math Data from Parker Middle School Math Overall Placement from 2023-24 (Spring data is for grades 6 and 7 only. MidYear data is for grades 6-8) Math Overall Placement from 2022-23 (All data is grades 6-8) iReady End of Year Math Results by Domain -Spring 2024 (mid year for comparison) (Spring data is for grades 6 and 7 only. MidYear data is for grades 6-8) i-Ready Reading Data from Parker Middle School Reading Overall Placement from 2023-24 (Spring data is for grades 6 and 7 only. MidYear data is for grades 6-8) Reading Overall Placement from 2022-23 (All data is grades 6-8) iReady End of Year Reading Results by Domain (mid year for comparison) (Spring data is for grades 6 and 7 only. MidYear data is for grades 6-8) Increase our Targeted Support (and therefore achievement) for Students (2.2) Updates ●Identified students for intervention using grades, the iReady benchmark, MCAS, and attendance data. ●Targeted intervention support during the Team Time block using math teachers and the math interventionist based upon iReady data. ●Title I Math interventionist provided additional small group instruction for students. ●Added an extra math intervention course for grade 8 students, which added an additional math class every other day for our most at-risk students. ●Partnered with DESE’s high dosage math tutoring program for in-school high dosage math tutoring for 24 grade 8 students; partnered with Mathnasium of Reading for additional tutoring. Focus on improving structures for general education intervention and supports to ensure all students have access to targeted instruction through the following initiatives: (2.2) Updates ●Created consistent Team Time practices focusing on intervention and enrichment/extension ●Strategically scheduled reading and math interventionists to provide push-in support ●Provided an extra math intervention period for grade 8 students ●MTSS building based team met on a regular basis to develop strategies of tiered supports of students. ●Math Coaches taught math teachers strategies for conferencing with students using i-Ready results Coordinate Professional Development; differentiate to meet the unique needs of each school (2.5) Updates ●Engaged all staff in reading of “Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning” by Sharroky Hollie, a text-based professional development series, which focused on culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning. ●Piloted Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) that allowed for teacher leadership, shared ownership, and sharing best practices. Options included: ○PLCs on language based instruction ○Collaborative problem solving ○Learning acceleration vs. remediation ○Advisory Planning ○Using protocols to assess student learning. ●Offered Middle School Choice PD on the early release PD days, with topics including: Trauma- sensitive instruction, Tech-infused Universal Design for Learning, Social Justice Standards, Equity and Belonging in STEM and “The Hill for Literacy PD” Curriculum Work (2.2) Updates ●Revised bell schedule to increase instructional time ○50 min. classes with 2 min. of passing time = 4 additional min./class per day; 20 additional min./class per week ●Began calibration and alignment of math scope and sequence with seventh and eighth grade math teachers in collaboration with math coaches and STEM director. ●Continued implementation and fidelity of Illustrative Math curriculum with grade 6 teachers. ●Piloted a middle school literacy curriculum in the spring with a planned adoption for the 24/25 school year. ●When reviewing grade 6 student data in spring 2024, Parker leadership identified students eligible for grade 7 acceleration. In addition to students who scored at or above the required score, families of students approaching that score were contacted and given the option of grade 7 acceleration (15 students in spring 2024). In conversations with families, math teachers explained the acceleration options, talked about the student’s disposition to math and interest. ●A middle school summer math enrichment has been created for all rising 7th and 8th graders Purposeful SEL activities to increase Sense of Belonging & Connection (1.1) Updates: ●Participated in Challenge Day ●Partnered with families to bring first multicultural night to Parker Middle School. ●Collaborated with PTO to bring all school enrichment programming such as Len Cabral, storyteller, and Hagermania Extreme Science. ●Fostered student council activities to build student leadership, engagement, and sense of belonging. Activities included leadership field trips, school dances, grade 5 to 6 transition activities, and community building activities such as Parker Beautification. ●Created a parent/guardian book club with Parker families. ●Collaborated with ILT to launch middle school conferences for 2024/2025 school year. Leverage coaching, collaboration, and partnership (1.1)(1.2)(1.3)(2.2) Updates: ●Participated in DESE SEB Academy to conduct a needs assessment of our social, emotional, and behavioral supports ●The Parker MTSS team participated in year 1 of DESE’s social, emotional, behavior academy. ●Completed a needs assessment to set a goal for the year. ●Partnered with Lynch Leadership Academy to provide a PD series and follow up coaching for the Parker Middle School leadership team focusing on the following topics: system for instructional improvement; teacher coaching, system for data-driven instruction & decision-making, and leading effective teams for instructional improvement●Math teachers completed coaching cycles with math consultant Ramsey Merritt & our new in-district math coaches.●In the spring, math teachers began peer observations (a practice that will continue in 2024-2025)●MyCAP -Reimagined elective classes to align with RMHS Innovation Pathways and created opportunities for WL exploratory in grade 6. ●The elective courses now offer alignment with STEM standards, increasing overall minutes of math instruction.○Project-based courses include a civic action class, a clean energy class, an engineering class, and a public health class○Students will also rotate through computer science and intro to coding (depending upon grade level) ○Aligns with high school pathways: Advanced Manufacturing/Engineering, Digital Media, Computer Science, Healthcare and Social Assistance (Public Health) and Clean Energy 1 | Page Reading, MA 01867 Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 To: Reading School Committee From: Derek Pinto, Director of Finance & Operations Date: June 15, 2024 Re: FY24 Fourth Quarter Financial Report Update (FY24U, UQ4) In the spring of 2023, the Reading Public Schools was appropriated $54,006,623 by Annual Town Meeting for the Fiscal Year 2024. The School Department expects to meet all financial obligations within the total amount appropriated. On the following pages, a financial overview of the School Department’s FY24 Fourth Quarter Financial Report Update (FY24U Q4, or UQ4) will be presented, spanning the period from April 1, 2024, to June 14, 2024. The UQ4 Report will be presented to the School Committee on June 20, 2024. Subsequent quarterly reports are scheduled for completion as follows: • Quarter 4: financial status through June 30, 2024, present in September 2024 This UQ4 Financial Report is organized into three sections: 1. Financial Summary of the Operating Fund by Cost Center through June 14, 2024. 2. Description of the Cost Centers and Drivers 3. Recommendation for UQ4 Budget Transfers between Cost Centers Please contact me if you have any questions or would like more information related to the UQ4 Report. 2 | Page UQ4 FINANCIAL REPORT 1. Financial Summary of the Operating Fund by Cost Center with Projected End Year Balances Reading Public Schools FY24 UQ4 Financial Report As of mid-June, 86.15% ($46.53M) of the appropriated funds had been expended. A balance of $297,838 is projected for the year-end. This balance will fluctuate during the remainder of the fiscal year due to the factors that influence and drive expenditures. During the final quarter, factors that will affect the projected balance include new curriculum purchases, changes in student services, substitute coverage, custodial overtime, the need for a technology refresh, supplies, materials, and equipment. Please note that in the table above, the UQ4 balances for Regular Day reflect the expenses for a technology refresh. In Q3, the projected expenses for technology were presented in the District Wide technology line. The Special Education balance is negative as this reflects an increased prepayment towards FY25 out-of-district tuition. Subsequent updates and a final quarterly report will reflect updated data and project an end-of-year status based on information available. The format of this financial overview begins with defining the accounts that comprise each cost center followed by the UQ4 financial status by cost center, summarizing the drivers that have resulted in the balances as of June 14, 2024. 2. Description of the Cost Centers and Drivers Impacting Projected Fund Balances The Reading Public Schools’ general fund consists of five cost centers, which are approved by the Reading School Committee annually through the budget development process. The type of expense accounts associated with each cost center are named below. Funds can be transferred between cost center with the consent and approval of the School Committee. The pie chart below depicts the percentage allocation per cost center, and the narrative that follows provides the dollar amounts and further detail. 3 | Page Administration Cost Center: 2.43% of total appropriation Administration – represents 2.43% ($1.31M) of the appropriated budget and is comprised of central office administrators and assistants, legal and audits, accounts payable, payroll, human resources, data information management, telecommunication services, professional development. In UQ4, 98.29% ($1.29M) of the appropriated Administration Cost Center budget had been expended and encumbered. A positive balance of $1,591 is projected at year end. Regular Day Cost Center: 59.17% of total appropriation Regular Day represents 59.17% ($31.95M) of the appropriate budget and is comprised of school principals and secretaries, Regular Day teachers, tutors, paraprofessionals, guidance counselors, English Language and instructional specialists, leadership and mentor stipends, substitutes, transportation, professional development, instruction and curriculum materials, instructional technology, library materials, assessment software. In UQ4, 84.27% ($26.86M) of the appropriated Regular Day Cost Center budget had been expended and encumbered. A positive balance of $293,325 is projected at year-end. The driver for the balance is attributable to salary savings for Regular Education teachers – vacancies and replacement teachers that cost less than the outgoing staff. This anticipated total also reflects the renewal of technology devices to maintain a five-year life cycle. Special Education Cost Center: 30.95% of total appropriation Special Education represents 30.95% ($16.72M) of the budget and is comprised of special education administration and secretaries, special education teachers and paraprofessionals, therapeutic specialists (occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech/language pathologists), extended school year staff and expenses, special education legal services, home and hospital tutoring, consultation and evaluation services, adaptive equipment and technology, testing and assessment services and materials, special education instruction materials, special education transportation, out of district tuition. In UQ4, 85.06% ($14.22M) of the appropriated Special Education Cost Center budget had been expended and encumbered. A negative balance of $110,957 is projected at year-end, driven by an increased prepayment of FY25 out-of-district tuition costs. A prepayment of out-of-district tuition totaling $1.12M for FY25 is factored into the projected year-end balance. Massachusetts General Laws allow out of district pre-payments of up to three months of any approved private Administration, 2.43 Regular Day, 59.17 Special Education, 30.95 District Wide, 4.41 Facilities, 3.05 FY24 Budget By Cost Center (percentage) Administration General Education Special Education District Wide Facilities 4 | Page placements, and up to 100% of collaborative placements in which students are attending. This prepayment of special education private day and collaborative out of district placements is a past practice for Reading Public Schools and will be repeated in FY24 to defray FY25 expenses. District Wide Cost Center: 4.41% of total appropriation District Wide services represents 4.41% ($2.38M) of the appropriated budget and is comprised of the following categories: • Health Services: makes up 38% ($913K) of the District Wide Cost Center and is comprised of a director of nursing, nurses, nurse substitutes, school physician consultant services, medical supplies, testing equipment. • Extracurricular: makes up 3% ($78K) of the District Wide Cost Center and is comprised of a Student Activities Coordinator, advisor stipends, transportation, membership, supplies, equipment. • Athletics: makes up 30% ($721K) of the District Wide Cost Center and is comprised of an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director, secretary, coaches, officials, transportation, venue rental membership, supplies, equipment, uniforms. • Technology: makes up 28% ($668K) of the District Wide Cost Center and is comprised of a network administrator, computer technicians, Internet services, software and licensing, clocks, bells and telephones, network infrastructure repair, maintenance, supplies, equipment. In UQ4, 105.8% ($2.60M) of the appropriated District Wide Cost Center budget had been expended and encumbered. Positive balances of $26,733 in Health Services – driven by nursing vacancies, along with savings in budgeted nurse substitutes, covered by the DPH Grant. $1,681 In Extra-Curricular, $5,544 in Athletics and $18,790 in Technology are anticipated. School Facilities Cost Center School Facilities represents 3.05% (1.64M) of the total appropriated budget and is comprised of a custodial manager, custodians, courier, contracted cleaning services (RMHS, Coolidge,) radios, equipment, supplies, uniforms. In UQ4 94.58% ($1.56M) of the appropriated budget had been expended and encumbered. A positive balance of $61,131 is projected at year-end, which is driven by projected salary savings, with 20% of an employee salary being charged to the revolving account (Use of School Property). Other savings include those created by custodial vacancies. This projected balance will likely be reduced by various unplanned but necessary facilities maintenance and repairs. 3. Recommendations for UQ4 Budget Transfers between Cost Centers Please find below a summary of the recommended budget transfer that will allocate available funds in the Regular Day Cost Center into the Special Education Cost Center in which we expect to incur the expenses. Recommendation for Budget Transfer: Transfer from: $111,000 from Regular Day Cost Center Transfer to: $111,000 to Special Education to cover increased prepay for FY25 out-of-district tuition. Reading, MA 01867 Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 TO: Reading School Committee CC: Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent of Schools DATE: June 20, 2024 FROM: Derek Pinto, Director of Finance and Operations RE: Special Education Reserve Fund Options/Report A positive ending balance is forecasted for FY24, and options need to be considered on how to best allocate these dollars. Of high concern is the high cost of Special Education services. The district has worked to mitigate potential expenses through a strategy of prepaying out-of-district placements for students who need more than what the district can provide. A further strategy/support was the establishment of a Special Education Reserve Fund (SERF) in which dollars are held and used in the event of unanticipated or unbudgeted costs. A final consideration in the allocation of the FY24 end-of-year balance is the final dollar amount to be returned to the town and free cash. What follows are three proposed options for the end-of-year balance, a summary of the School Committee policy regarding the SERF, and a section on SERF and Net School Spending for Reading Public Schools. The dollar amounts are anticipated and may be subject to change as final purchases are made, outstanding purchase orders closed out and invoices paid in closing out FY24 over the summer. Options for FY24 Year-end Balance Option A: Allocate to SERF • Allocate $175,000 to SERF • SPED FY25 OOD Tuition Pre-pay $1.120M • $134,000 return to town (approximate) Option B: Allocate to SERF and SPED OOD, Reduce Return to Town • Allocate $175,000 to SERF • SPED FY25 OOD Tuition Pre-pay $1.179M • $75,000 return to town (approximate) Option C: Allocate increased amount to SERF, and SPED OOD, Further Reduce Amount to Town • Allocate $200,000 to SERF • SPED FY25 OOD Tuition Pre-pay $1.199M • $30,000 return to town (approximate) Summary of the SERF Policy The requirement of School Committee policy DBDA (Special Education Reserve Fund), is to be used in alignment with M.G.L. 40:13E, and meant to provide for unanticipated/unbudgeted costs in the following areas: 1. Special Education 2. Recovery High School Programs 3. Out-of-District Tuition 4. Out-of-District Transportation The Special Education Reserve Fund (SERF) can accrue up to 2% of Net School Spending (as reported to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) and will only be used for the above noted reasons. According to policy DBDA, the School Committee endeavors to follow the following funding guidelines: 1. After the Fund’s second year in existence, the Committee will endeavor to maintain a minimum of 0.5 percent of the annual net school spending of the District within the fund. 2. The Committee will seek to add money to the fund at year-end sufficient to maintain a balance of approximately 1 percent of the annual net school spending. 3. Should the fund’s balance exceed 1.5 percent of the annual net school spending during a fiscal, the Committee will budget to spend down the fund enough to return the fund below 1.5 percent but above 1 percent. SERF and Net School Spending Net school spending is a term used to ensure that each school district is spending the required minimum on education. It equals Chapter 70 aid plus required Local Contribution. The table below indicates the balance of the fund, the total of Net School Spending (NSS) for Reading Public Schools, and the percentage of NSS that the SERF represents. To: Reading School Committee From: Dr. Sarah Hardy, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning Date: June 18, 2024 Re: Middle School ELA Curriculum During the June 20, 2024 School Committee Meeting, Dr. Sarah Hardy, Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching and Erin Burchill, K-8 Humanities Coordinator will present information to the school committee about a recommendation for the adoption of Amplify ELA as a middle school literacy curricular resource. The presentation will detail the steps of the two year curriculum review leading to this recommendation. The presentation is included in this packet. The presentation will also contain the details of the cost associated with adoption of the program. The total cost for materials is $142,764.47. The funds are coming from two locations. The FY24 High-Quality Instructional Materials Purchase Grant will be used to fund $71,381, and the FY24 Operating Budget will be used to fund the remaining $71,383.47. As you may remember, the committee voted to accept the FY24 High-Quality Instructional Materials Purchase Grant from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in the amount of up to $100,000. The grant has the following restrictions: • The materials purchased must be considered "High-Quality Instructional Materials" - based on EdReports and Curate. (Rated "Partially Meets Expectations" or "Meets Expectations" on CURATE, or Rated "Green" on EdReports' Gateways 1 and 2). • The materials need to be an initial purchase and must be the same materials in all classrooms in the gradespan. • The district must match at least 50% of the cost of a high-quality curriculum and must be spent by June 30, 2024. • Grant funds may be used for the purchase of materials and subscriptions (up to 5 years). However, grant funds cannot be used for professional development costs. We submitted this grant application to DESE in September 2023, and when we did so, requested $100,000. At the time, we were just beginning the program exploration portion of our curriculum review and believed $100,000 would be enough (with the district matching) to allow the purchase of any of the high-quality instructional materials the review team might recommend. As such, our final quote with Amplify ELA only requires us to spend $71,381 of the $100,000. Due to the restrictive nature of the grant, there are no other avenues to spend the existing amount. We request the school committee to vote in support of the recommendation to adopt Amplify ELA as a middle school curricular resource. 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 Middle School Literacy Curriculum Recommendation June 20, 2024 Instructional Vision for Literacy in RPS -Working Draft In Reading Public Schools, all our classrooms are literacy classrooms, where students see themselves a readers and writers across genres and content areas. In our classrooms, educators deliver effective, evidence-based literacy instruction that is accessible and equitable for all students. Educators develop students’ word recognition and language comprehension to foster skilled readers and critical thinkers who: ●communicate ideas and theories about text through reading, writing, speaking, and listening, ●build knowledge to extend understanding and perspective related to themselves, others, and the world around them, ●utilize their literacy skills to be high level thinkers, debaters, and analyzers, and ●engage in authentic tasks and dialogue that demonstrate the ability to analyze and reason, defend a thesis, and expand on others’ ideas in connection with real world problems and situations. MS LLT Recommendation to Central Office Creation of a common and aligned RPS Middle School Scope and Sequence, pairing Amplify ELA’s 100 lesson pathway with district -developed units and lessons to ensure access to high -quality instructional materials and equitable ELA learning experiences for all students. From Ed Reports From CURATE Reports Curriculum Review Process Middle School Assessment Data in Reading/ELA 2021 2022 2023 62%64%62% i-Ready Reading Data for 2022-23 and 2023-24 % Proficient -ELA MCAS by Year As shown below, on common and standardized assessments in reading/ELA, approx. 30%-40% of grades 6-8 students are not meeting grade level benchmarks. A curriculum review was initiated in fall 2022 to evaluate the need for a high-quality curricular resource, evidence-based instructional practices and strong assessment routines. Tier 1:On or above grade level; Tier 2:One grade level below; Tier 3:Two or more grade levels below Curriculum Review Process MS Literacy 2022-23 2023-24 Fall 2024 2024 and beyond Middle School Literacy Leadership Team was Formed in Fall 2022 Goals of the LLT ●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 Members of the Middle School Literacy Leadership Team Amy Bettencourt Andrew Spinali Carolyn Caffrey Donna Martinson Erin Burchill Jessica Lozzi Julianne Mitrano Michael Maday Molly Steevens Suzanne Carroll Tammy Jones Paul Simpson Pauline Tsoutsis Rochelle Rubino Year 1 (2022-2023) Learn and Prepare ●In year 1, the LLT reviewed and analyzed the current status of MS literacy instruction in the following areas: literacy materials; instructional practices; assessment practices; and alignment of standards both vertically and horizontally. ●Additionally, the LLT reviewed and analyzed the criteria for high -quality (HQ), evidence -based curriculum. Year 1 (2022-2023) -Learn and Prepare To guide selection, the LLT used the RPS identified needs and the characteristics of HQ instruction to establish the following needs or “must -haves” for literacy curriculum: ●A scope and sequence that is horizontally and vertically aligned that contains clear outcomes reflective of the full rigor of grade-level standards ●Unit and lesson plans that leverage high quality texts paired with high quality tasks and reflect current research on strong literacy instruction ●Texts/materials/resources that build knowledge and vocabulary across topics and content areas for students ●Common assessments that allow for monitoring student learning and support teacher collaboration ●Common instructional practices and routines for how we support all learners Year 2 (2023-2024) Investigate and Select In Year 2, the LLT used a backwards planning model to investigate and select literacy curriculum. Goal for June 2024: Decide on the right path to improve cohesion for middle school literacy and improve outcomes for students in ELA. This could be: 1.Adoption of a comprehensive literacy curriculum 2.Team created scope and sequence with aligned materials 3.Combination of the two Investigating a Team created scope and sequence with aligned materials This school year, one task of the LLT was to investigate a team created scope and sequence with aligned materials. To better understand and document the required elements of a middle school literacy scope and sequence the entire LLT participated in 25 hours of professional learning in adolescent literacy via The Hill for Literacy: Adolescent Professional Learning Series. Additionally, the LLT utilized the “must haves” to think about the how and when of creating a district scope and sequence. Investigating the Adoption of a Comprehensive Literacy Curriculum T he LLT also investigated the option of the adoption of a comprehensive literacy curriculum at the middle school level. ●An initial group of programs were identified for exploration based on EdReports and CURATE Ratings ○Amplify ○ARC Core ○EL Education ○Fishtank ●For this initial review, the LLT met with publishers and reviewed print and/or digital materials. After each program exploration activity, members of the LLT rated the program in the following areas: ○Text Quality ○Tasks and Questions (including alignment with standards) ○Assessment/Classroom Instruction (including knowledge-building; writing instruction; language development) ○Support for all Learners ○Accessibility/Useability for Teachers Summary Data from LLT Initial Review Investigating the Adoption of a Comprehensive Literacy Curriculum Based on LLT feedback and ratings, only one program was selected for the pilot stage of program exploration -Amplify ELA. The pilot of Amplify ELA began in April 2024. All middle school ELA teachers were given the opportunity to pilot. Teachers from both Coolidge and Parker piloted (total of 12 teachers). The pilot included: ●A two -hour initial training with Amplify ELA and two one-hour optional check ins ●Access to all teacher materials digitally ●Print and digital student access to all materials ●Teachers selected one unit (of their choosing) to pilot; a few piloted two units ●Data was collected via the Program Exploration Tool and teacher and student surveys Student Response to Pilot ●Students reported enjoying the vocabulary app that is part of the daily lesson. ●Classrooms that used both the digital and print materials received more positive responses than full digital pilots. ●Shifting to a new instructional platform and format presented challenges. However, these challenges will help inform our fall implementation. ●Teachers reported student engagement in topics was high. Student Response to Pilot LLT’s Recommendation to Central Office ●100 Lesson Pathway from Amplify ELA -5 Units ●District -developed units and lessons -Interspersed over school year Example of Potential Scope and Sequence Amplify ELA Research-Based Pillars 1. A focus on middle grade engagement 2. Text at the center 3. High expectations and strong supports 4. Active, multimodal, and collaborative learning 5. Timely feedback and ongoing assessment *from Amplify ELA: The research behind the program* Why Amplify ELA? RPS Must Have Amplify ELA Research -Based Pillars A scope and sequence that is horizontally and vertically aligned that contains clear outcomes reflective of the full rigor of grade- level standards High expectations and strong supports Pilot and Program Review Feedback from MS Teachers “The tasks are embedded with differentiation, and the differentiation can occur for both advanced & lower students. Sentence starters are available for those who need it and the tasks are adjusted, but the key content & expectations are consistent.” “I liked how the scope and sequence was mapped out but also allows for flexibility.” Why Amplify ELA? RPS Must Have Amplify ELA Research -Based Pillars Unit and lesson plans that leverage high quality texts paired with high quality tasks and reflect current research on strong literacy instruction ●Text at the center ●Active, multimodal, and collaborative learning Pilot and Program Review Feedback from MS Teachers “The current unit includes a variety of text types: articles, excerpts, letters, images (studying art) which align to the standards.” “At first glance the topics per grade seemed dull but the more she discussed diving into multiple sections of units or entire units of study, it seemed far more interesting and engaging.” Why Amplify ELA? RPS Must Have Amplify ELA Research -Based Pillars Texts/materials/resources that build knowledge and vocabulary across topics and content areas for students ●A focus on middle grade engagement ●Text at the center Pilot and Program Review Feedback from MS Teachers “I loved the balance of short stories, informational text, graphic novel, novel, and multimedia presentations of material. Ther e were multiple cultures represented, and I loved the range in genres.” “I have enjoyed the texts that we have worked with and have found the supplemental discussion videos helpful for the kids.” “The Frida and Diego Collection has primary sources (artwork, excerpts from Rivera's autobiography, letters written by Kahlo) and secondary sources (news articles, accounts from friends).” Why Amplify ELA? RPS Must Have Amplify ELA Research -Based Pillars Common assessments that allow for monitoring student learning and support teacher collaboration ●Timely feedback and ongoing assessment ●High expectations and strong supports Pilot and Program Review Feedback from MS Teachers “There seems to be support for teachers to use the program. The teachers can have immediate information. There is a variety of presentation information available from scripted for beginning teachers to flexibility for teachers that are veterans.” “I love how it offers immediate feedback for students. I also like how it automatically collects data and provides opportunit ies for students and teachers to see their progress.” Why Amplify ELA? RPS Must Have Amplify ELA Research -Based Pillars Common instructional practices and routines for how we support all learners ●Active, multimodal, and collaborative learning ●A focus on middle grade engagement Pilot and Program Review Feedback from MS Teachers “Loved the game component to the vocabulary and the fact that it was contextually based.” “I love that all of the texts and assessments have audio components to accompany them and the subject matter is varied and diverse.” “All of the scaffolding, multiple levels for assignments with many different supports. Including lower level, challenge level, a nd MLL.” Areas of Amplify ELA for Further Review or Monitoring During Launch and Implementation ●Digital vs. Print Text -Monitoring for screen time ●Lesson Pacing with our MS ELA blocks ●Establishing practice around Amplify ELA assessments District-Developed Units ●District -developed units allow us to leverage existing instruction that has proven successful for students and to allow for teacher expertise to inform the scope and sequence ●In year 1, teachers will work with their grade level teams to select and adjust existing units for the district -developed units ●In year 2, the ELA department will review and create common district -developed units which will be interspersed with the Amplify ELA Units Example of Potential Scope and Sequence Costs for Amplify ELA $142,764.47 for materials including: ●5 years of digital access to students and staff ●5 years of consumable materials for students ●Print version of teacher guides for all general education and special education teachers The funds are coming from two places: ●FY24 High -quality Instructional Materials Purchase Grant (FC 165) -$71,381 ●FY24 Operating Budget -$71,383.47 Recommended Adoption Creation of a common and aligned RPS Middle School Scope and Sequence, pairing Amplify ELA’s 100 lesson pathway with district -developed units and lessons to ensure access to high -quality instructional materials and equitable ELA learning experiences for all students. TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: June 18, 2024 RE: ARC Core Implementation Plan Update During the 6/20 School Committee meeting, we will provide an update on the ARC Core Implementation Update on Phase 3. Please find a copy of the presentation in the packet. 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 ARC Core -Phase 3 June 20, 2024 Presentation Topics ●End of year elementary literacy data update ●Overview of uses of elementary literacy assessment data ●Summary of elementary teacher feedback about literacy materials, instruction and assessment ●Curricular supports and updates for 2024-25 for K-5 ●Promising practices to take into 2024-25 for K-5 Thank you to our ARC Core Implementation Team! Led by Erin Burchill, K-8 Humanities Coordinator Katherine Breen, Birch Meadow Bethany Nazzaro, Joshua Eaton Kelley McQuillin, Joshua Eaton Jessica Cornetta, Joshua Eaton Elena Raffa, Wood End Jessica Hester, Wood End Lisa Azzarito, Birch Meadow Erin Gibson, Barrows Tonia McGuire, Killam Keri DiNapoli, Wood End Mary Johnston, Joshua Eaton Colleen DeRosa, Joshua Eaton Emily Smith (Hirtle), Barrows Danielle Piazza, Birch Meadow End of Year Elementary Literacy Data Defining our Literacy Assessments The DIBELS provides information about early literacy skills intended to help educators match student needs with the best intervention approaches and amount of intervention. The Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA)gives teachers detailed information on individual students. Information is related to the skills necessary for navigating text at grade level. The IRLA helps teachers identify the skills students need to work on during strategic instruction. Overall IRLA Data -End of Year 2024 Spring 2024 -Grades Kindergarten to 5 Overall IRLA Data -End of Year 2023 Spring 2024 -Grades 3 to 5 IRLA Data by Race -End of Year 2024 Emergency At-Risk Proficient or Above # of students Asian 4%9%87%101 Black/African American 15%18%67%67 Other Races and Multi-Race 8%11%81%63 White 7%9%84%1,532 Grand Total 7%9%84%1,763 Spring 2024 -Grades Kindergarten to 5 IRLA Data by MLL Status -End of Year 2024 Spring 2024 -Grades Kindergarten to 5 *MLL students with a WIDA Level below 2 are excluded from this table. Emergency At-Risk Proficient or Above # of Students MLL 24%24%52%33 Not MLL 6%12%82%1,715 Grand Total 7%9%84%1,748 IRLA Data by Income & Disability Status -End of Year 2024 Spring 2024 -Grades Kindergarten to 5 Emergency At-Risk Proficient or Above # of students Students with Disabilities 26%20%54%321 Students without Disabilities 3%7%90%1,442 Grand Total 7%9%84%1,763 Emergency At-Risk Proficient or Above # of students Low Income 19%14%66%188 Not Low Income 6%9%86%1,575 Grand Total 7%9%84%1,763 Review of End of Year IRLA Data 2024 83% of kindergarten to grade 5 students fell in the proficient or above category at the end of the school year Kindergarten and Grade 1 had the highest percentage of students in the proficient or above category and Grades 2 and 4 had the lowest Certain groups had higher percentages of students below grade level expectations: ●Black/African American students ●MLL students ●Students with disabilities ●Low Income students Overall DIBELS Data -End of Year 2024 DIBELS Data by Race -End of Year 2024 Well Below Benchmark Below Benchmark At Benchmark Above Benchmark # of students Asian 2%8%26%65%66 Black/African American 9%23%34%34%35 Other Races and Multi-Race 7%7%24%62%45 White 7%10%33%50%968 Grand Total 6%10%33%51%1,114 DIBELS Data by Income & Disability Status -End of Year 2024 Well Below Benchmark Below Benchmark At Benchmark Above Benchmark # of students Low Income 18%13%31%38%194 Not Low Income 5%10%33%52%920 Grand Total 6%10%33%51%1,114 Spring 2024 -Grades Kindergarten to 5 Well Below Benchmark Below Benchmark At Benchmark Above Benchmark # of students Students with Disabilities 25%20%26%30%177 Students without Disabilities 5%10%33%52%937 Grand Total 6%10%33%51%1,114 DIBELS Data by MLL Status -End of Year 2024 Spring 2024 -Grades Kindergarten to 5 *MLL students with a WIDA Level below 2 are excluded from this table. Well Below Benchmark Below Benchmark At Benchmark Above Benchmark # of students MLL 5%14%57%24%21 Not MLL 6%10%32%51%1090 Grand Total 6%10%33%51%1,111 DIBELS Data -EOY Reading Services GRADE SCORED WELL-BELOW RECEIVING TIER 2 PULL-OUT SUPPORT SCORED BELOW RECEIVING TIER 2 IN-CLASS SUPPORT K 10 7 30 30 1 12 5 24 16 2 30 7 26 19 3 19 3 34 28 TOTAL 71 22 114 93 Review of End of Year DIBELS Data 2024 ●From beginning-of-year to end-of-year, grades 1-3 reduced the number of students in the below and well below categories. ●Kindergarten shows a slight increase from beginning-of-year to end-of-year below/well-below, which may be related to the timing of the assessment. We are adjusting the timeline for next school year. ●Only small differences were noted between the scores of demographic groups we examined. End of Year Cross Reference of IRLA and DIBELS Data (Grades K-3) IRLA Data from January Proficient or Above At-Risk Emergency Total Above Benchmark 559 4 1 564 At Benchmark 325 37 3 365 Below Benchmark 52 45 19 116 Well Below Benchmark 4 18 48 70 Total 940 104 71 1115DIBELS Data Mid Year Overview of Uses of Elementary Literacy Assessment Data Purpose and Use of Literacy Assessments IRLA DIBELS Purpose FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT ●Unpacks for teachers and students the skills/knowledge that are newly required by text at each level BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT ●Provide indicators of critical early literacy and reading skills for all students in grades K-3 How assessed?Individualized for each student; given by classroom teacher 1-1; updated regularly based on teacher observations of student work Short measures given 3x per year as benchmark screeners by literacy specialists in 1-1 setting What it assesses?●Baseline reading proficiency ●What skills are most crucial for each reader to learn next to accelerate growth ●Get a IRLA level on each student ●Measures processing speed, phonological awareness, and alphabetic principle ●Reported in composite and subtest scores What it gives us?●A plan for strategic instruction in small and whole class lessons ●Ongoing assessments throughout the year based on individual student growth ●Used for tiered instruction purposes, progress monitoring, and benchmarking on grade level Summary of Elementary Teacher Feedback about Literacy Materials, Instruction and Assessment Gathering Teacher Feedback Curriculum Chats:In May, Sarah Hardy and Erin Burchill, K-8 Humanities Coordinators met with each grade 3, 4 and 5 team of teachers at each of the 5 elementary schools. Survey:Classroom Teachers of kindergarten to grade 5 had the opportunity to provide feedback via a survey. Feedback from both feedback methods will be used to support professional development decisions and programmatic supports and changes in 2024-25. Key Takeaways from Teacher Feedback Engagement and Progress: K-2 teachers reported that students were highly engaged in the curriculum and made significant progress. They observed growth in reading levels, sight word recognition, and writing skills. The thematic teaching approach, projects, and use of power words were particularly effective in engaging students throughout the year. Handwriting Instruction: Many kindergarten teachers requested more materials for handwriting practice and letter formation and more time for handwriting instruction. Fortunately, ARC Core has developed a Letter Formation Notebook for students that follows their scope and sequence for introducing letters in K. After feedback from K teachers and OTs, building leaders have also been asked to ensure that a specific block of time is set aside in K’s schedule for letter formation/handwriting practice. Provisioning Additional Toolkit Texts: Several grade levels mentioned that in year 2 of implementation, they have some students who are seeing toolkit lessons for the second time, meaning students have already read the text accompanying a series of lessons. This will continue to happen each year for students who move slowly through the toolkit lessons. For this summer a group of teachers are working to gather additional texts to use with ARC Tool Kits. Key Takeaways from Teacher Feedback Gathering Exemplars and Finished Examples: The ARC Core program does not include exemplars of writing responses and projects. RPS teachers frequently use exemplars to model instruction and to set expectations, so this summer we will work with a group of teachers to systematically gather exemplars. Solidifying Writing Instruction: Writing in the ARC Core Framework is a shift from the style and purpose of writing from our previous program. ARC Core lessons focus more on generating writing about topics using evidence and less on craft lessons. Additionally, teachers are interested in lesson focused on the mechanics of writing. PD will be provided in the upcoming school year to support writing instruction. Curricular Supports and Updates for 2024-25 K-5 Next Steps for 2024-25 ●Explicit PD for K-2 teachers in strengthening knowledge base of foundational skills instruction, including research-based routines and practices ●Continued partnership with The Hill for Literacy to build consistency in foundational skills instruction ●Continue to monitor implementation and identify areas we want to adjust programming to better meet the needs of RPS students. Below are some of the ways we are customizing ARC Core: ○Adding in additional instructional routines (vocabulary, blending) ○Ongoing: Gathering exemplars in a systematic way to support staff Next Steps for 2024-25 Professional Development Provided by ARC will fall into two categories. School-based Coaching:Facilitated pre unit planning sessions where teachers use IRLA data to plan Core and Strategic Group Instruction for the upcoming unit. Learning Labs:A “train the trainer” model, where teacher leaders from each school receive training in strong instructional practices to bring back to their teams and schools. Next Steps for 2024-25 ●Review systems and structures that support collaboration between general education and special education teachers with the goal of improving collaboration regarding the routines and practices that best support literacy instruction in the general education classroom for students with disabilities. ●Ensure access to literacy data for METCO Coordinators/Adjustment Counselors and provide training in how to provide families with information and ideas for supporting student learning ●Provide regular collaborative meetings for literacy specialists and ESL teachers to review literacy supports for MLL students Promising practices to take into 2024-25 K-5 Promising Practices to take into 2024-25 ●Forming groups for strategic skills instruction across classrooms ●Instruction through co-creation of writing exemplars -both the teacher and the students write ●Creating experiences for students that extends knowledge and promotes real world contexts i.e. Wood End-Meteorologist visit; Joshua Eaton -Terminix visit ●Teachers are starting to figure what works for them with data collection. A few ideas will be shared out with everyone for streamlining/managing data input. Old Business Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet June 20, 2024 Dr. Milaschewski Formative Review Combined Version 2023-2024 School Year Page 1 of 2 At a High Level, the Committee believes Dr. Milaschewski had another strong year and continues to demonstrate collaborative leadership which enables the leadership team to grow and focus on collective improvement. Goal 1 (Student Learning): Improve evidence of student learning, engagement and achievement The Committee noted that most of the benchmarks in this goal are not yet achieved but only due to timing as the measurement periods will occur during the 2024-2025 school year. A few members highlighted progress not directly related to the benchmarks that may be early indicators of progress on the MCAS measurements – specifically in the IRLA and iReady data. Almost all members noted the growth in the Innovation Pathway enrollment going into the 2024- 2025 school year with a few stressing the importance of retention in the program over time as well. Overall, the Committee expressed optimism but generally assessed the goal as Incomplete due to timing, not effort. Goal 2 (District Improvement Goal): Secondary Math Pathways The Committee expressed universally aligned appreciation for the progress with the Math Pathways that was made during the 2023-2024 school year. Notable, the focus on providing more opportunities for advancement (additional students offered 7/8 math and summer geometry) and additional support (summer learning, Math Lab, METCO grant, etc.) were key points of focus for the Committee. A couple of Committee members noted an additional area for improvement, specifically broadening levels of Calculus offerings at the High School and improving access to the Math Lab at the High School. Finally, there were a couple of notes about continuing to improve access for our sub -groups and providing further in-school support for the Middle Schools. Overall, the Superintendent and his team Met and Exceeded the Benchmark established with this goal. Goal 3 (District Improvement Goal): Data The Committee universally noted how important this goal is while also disagreeing on the next steps of implementation. They did agree that progress has been made and noted District Leadership Team (DLT) agenda items focused on data reviews and collection of key data items across the district – such as IRLA, iReady, and DIBELS – while also noting the review of key external data during those DLT meetings. The key point of disagreement comes from the next steps. Does the Committee simplify the goal going into Year 2 of the review cycle or strive to support the implementation of a larger data platform? Either way, the Committee agrees about the importance of data collection and data analysis in striving to support all our students. Overall, due to the broad Benchmarks for this goal with specificity around the data collection and documentation of best practices, the Committee agreed this goal is Incomplete, but is looking forward to the next steps in the implementation. Dr. Milaschewski Formative Review Combined Version 2023-2024 School Year Page 2 of 2 Goal 4 (District Improvement Goal): Coaching, Developing, and Supporting Principals The Committee was in universal agreement concerning the support the Superintendent has provided for the Principals and Assistant Principals and many of them noted the safe and supportive environment for growth that has been fostered by Dr. Milaschewski and the rest of the Central Office team. A few members noted how the feedback did provide areas for growth which demonstrates the collaborative nature of the overall DLT while also allowing for continuous improvement going into the 2024-2025 school year. Two particular areas of focus noted by one member are: increasing the frequency of school walkthroughs and integrating the MLL staff more fully into the district leadership. Overall, this goal would be considered Met while leaning toward Exceeded due to the open and collaborative nature of the development and support. Goal 5 (Professional Practice Goal): New Superintendent Induction Program All Committee members noted this goal was completed this year. It has been a required goal for all new Superintendents and has concluded with this academic year. One member noted how the program may have contributed to the collaborative work Dr. Milaschewski has been able to demonstrate across districts and with our Special Education collaboratives. Overall , this would be categorized as Met or Exceeded. Summary In summary, Dr. Milaschewski Met or Exceeded each of his goals that could realistically be achieved during this school year with a high point of the Math Pathways. Those goals that have longer measurement periods are showing strong progress which engenders optimism in the Committee for the future. To that end, with the focus on aligning to his contract language, this year was at a minimum Proficient and leaning towards Exemplary. Dr. Milaschewski Formative Review Thomas Wise 2023-2024 School Year Page 1 of 4 District-wide, we have been aggressively pursuing large goals of continuous improvement and excellence. Dr. Milaschewski continues to embrace those ideals and fosters an environment of collaboration and inclusion across the greater organization. Some key observations in alignment with his goals for this review cycle follow. Goal 1 (Student Learning): Improve evidence of student learning, engagement and achievement We haven’t hit the timelines within the goal for its measurement yet, but we have already seen positive progress in many of the measurement categories. For example, while it has yet to be studied vs. the MCAS from a correlation perspective, we have seen improvement in our 4th and 5th- grade students from when they were in 3rd and 4th grade. The evidence can be seen in the below screenshot from our May 23rd meeting. Further, in the case of the Innovation Pathways, we have already exceeded the registration goal and added two more Innovation Pathways for the 2024-2025 school year. Specifically, we have blown past the registration goal of 150 students as we have 193 registered in the Innovation Pathways for the 2024-2025 school year. We are not yet at a point where we can measure the latter part of that goal concerning retention in the pathways which would allow us to assess the retained interest of the students in the Pathways they selected. Both points of data are positive indicators of improvement across the district at different student levels. As we go throughout the 2024-2025 school year, I am looking forward to seeing more concrete measurable progress of all the hard work Dr. Milaschewski and team have led over the last three years. Goal 2 (District Improvement Goal): Secondary Math Pathways During our meeting in late November, we heard the feedback of the Community Math Pathway Committee and saw an action plan to address that feedback from the Administration. Dr. Milaschewski Formative Review Thomas Wise 2023-2024 School Year Page 2 of 4 At our last meeting on June 6th, we were able to see how much work has already been done to address that action plan which supports students in their growth and goals in mathematics and opens up more pathways for students to be able to reach Calculus (and beyond) by (or before) their senior year of high school. As I mentioned during that meeting, it is not lost on me that we are pushing forward with providing MORE access while many other notable districts around Boston and the state are falling backward. The push forward can be directly attributed to Dr. Milaschewski and Dr. Hardy, and their willingness to take the Committee’s feedback and action that feedback expeditiously. Due to the work done here, we will have 11 students take Geometry over the summer, including two incoming freshmen, taught by a Reading teacher in Reading. That hasn’t happened in at least six years and maybe longer. Additionally, the plan to close the gap includes a partnership with METCO and grant funding to provide summer instruction and support for some of our Boston- based students. Further, the administration approached 22 students on the cusp of Grade 7/8 Math to talk them through the acceleration option and so far 18 of those 22 have opted in to the option. While the team has not yet completed the work, the amount of progress made over this past school year is extremely encouraging. With that said, there are still a few areas of improvement and growth with this goal, for example: 1. Honors Calculus: There is a gap in opportunities at the High School between CP Calculus and AP Calculus AB/BC. Many students would benefit from an intermediate track of Honors Calculus for one reason (late acceleration, intermediate path step back, too many APs their senior year, etc.). Thus, I would like to see an Honors Calculus option in the 2025-2026 Program of Studies. 2. Middle School Math Support: We have encouraged many students to accelerate and provided summer options for retention and growth. We are also piloting the extension of time on learning for Math at Parker, have provided some Math support for struggling students at Coolidge, and have tried a partnership with Mathnasium (to mixed results). These are all good options, but we have yet to build processes and support for students on the accelerated tracks to help keep those students on those tracks. I would like to see strategies for improvement and growth in this area in the coming year and beyond. With all that said, Dr. Milaschewski and the overall administrative team have met and exceeded this goal this year. The above feedback can be used to drive continuous improvement as we go forward. Goal 3 (District Improvement Goal): Data This goal includes a variety of Key Actions and Benchmarks, almost as a catch-all goal. We have seen the necessary progress and evidence on the Early Literacy screening process and we have seen evidence that demonstrates a regular cadence of meetings with the District Leadership Team focusing on key data across the spectrum of student success (MCAS, Special Education, Absenteeism, Views Of Climate And Learning, Student Support Team, and MLL). It was interesting to observe there wasn’t a listed focus on mClass, IRLA, or iReady data in the District Leadership Team setting. I would like to see more of a focus on Teacher survey data, of which there was some, but I believe we need to improve the process of gathering that feedback, especially as we roll out new curriculum materials and the corresponding training that goes with it. We have seen some evidence of this sort of survey data during Teaching and Learning updates throughout the year, both Dr. Milaschewski Formative Review Thomas Wise 2023-2024 School Year Page 3 of 4 formally and informally, but I would like to see a more regular cadence as we look to continuously improve. Unfortunately, a few of the key areas of this goal appear to have made little progress. Those two areas, in my mind, will be key drivers of continuous improvement in the future. They should also help scale up successes to a broader base of students and streamline the data analysis processes that have already been put in place. To that end, we need to see a much greater focus on the data storage/warehousing action and the best practice documentation action going into the second year of this review cycle. So, while there has been good progress on five of the seven key actions for this Goal, the two biggest ones have seen little to no progress. Therefore, I have to rate this as incomplete. Goal 4 (District Improvement Goal): Coaching, Developing, and Supporting Principals The work on this goal is a continuation of work that has been in progress for the prior two years. It is great to see the evolution of the process and the feedback that came from the participants. Some key observations include: • “I feel very supported by central office.” • “I have always felt a strong sense of support from the central office, through drop ins, consults, and weekly meetings.” • “There is a positive environment in the office that comes from the open, welcoming was of the leadership team.” • “I enjoy the weekly 1:1 meeting with Tom as a way for him to stay connect to what’s pressing and top of mind in the building.” • “I will say that I have not had such a supportive work environment in many years.” This feedback has been engendered through mentor coaching, one-on-one meetings with Dr. Milaschewski, and effective and efficient District Leadership Meetings. There were a few areas for improvement that were highlighted that I would like to see greater focus on next year. In particular, while this goal is currently scoped to Principals, much of the work has been executed across the District Leadership Team. To that end, I would like to see MLL staff more fully integrated into the improvement processes and mentorship structure. I would also like to highly encourage that building walkthroughs to continue and grow as they were noted as a focus some members would like to see more. Further, those walkthroughs can continue to cultivate the understanding of strong instructional practices and processes among the leadership which will help them manage and grow their staff members. Overall, with the strong feedback on the structures in place, this is tracking towards a “Met” status, but could go into the “Exceeded” status with the increased integration and greater amount of walkthroughs focused on strong instructional practices and building school culture. Goal 5 (Professional Practice Goal): New Superintendent Induction Program By the end of this year, Dr. Milaschewski will have concluded his New Superintendent Induction Program. Everything we have heard from his mentor over the last three years has been positive. We have seen the fruit of his work with this program and his past training. This year, it demonstrated Dr. Milaschewski Formative Review Thomas Wise 2023-2024 School Year Page 4 of 4 itself through Dr. Milaschewski's work with the Northeast Education Consortium’s leadership and board concerning the facilities issue and budget shortfall. Dr. Milaschewski navigated a challenging, multi-district financial issue and led the way by engendering support for the middle- ground solution with our School Committee, which helped set the path to the resolution of the problem. Another example was announced over the last few weeks when the announcement was made that Reading will host the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Program from the SEEM Collaborative next year. This sort of cross-district leadership demonstrates the kind of collaborative, creative leader that Dr. Milaschewski is and we are thankful to have him leading Reading Public Schools. Conclusion Overall, Dr. Milaschewski has had yet another strong year. While we aren’t doing a full summative this year due to the two-year cycle, if we were, his review would be quite strong again. I do want to stress that we need to see growth in the two major data categories as those are the categories that will help ensure long-term success for the district. Having consistent instructional practices grounded in the science of learning coupled with a strong data storage and analysis platform will streamline the district’s ability to deliver strong results for every child while growing the practice of each teacher and administrator across the district. I look forward to seeing the growth of that data and documentation platform in the next year. 1 2023-2024 Superintendent Formative Review Reviewer: Sarah McLaughlin Review date: June 2024 Goal 1: (District Improvement Goal): (Student Learning Goal): Improve evidence of student learning, engagement, and achievement by: meeting 80% of DESE-determined MCAS targets; increasing the planned participation rate in advanced coursework; and increasing the enrollment in Innovation Pathways. Benchmarks: Analysis of progress toward MCAS (2023-2024) and advanced coursework (2024-2025) targets. Evidence of progress toward goal: There has been significant directional progress toward meeting Goal 1. ● There are 193 students registered for Innovation Pathways for 2024-2025 school year, an increase of 113 students/41%. It is really exciting to see the significant increase in enrollment for SY 24/25 - it is direct evidence that students and families see the value the Innovation Pathways bring to enriching the RPS program of studies. ○ Moving forward into subsequent school years I would like the RMHS and DLT to identify additional ways in which we can grow participation by some of the under-represented DESE-identified subgroups, particularly females, Hispanic and Latino, and students with disabilities. The participation of all three of these sub-groups are still below the general % population representation within RPS (Females -54%; Hispanic/Latino -26%; students with disabilities -22%). In addition, it would be helpful to understand how we are supporting these subgroups to ensure success (for example, in-class room supports, additional executive functioning coaching, etc). ● Consistent increases in IRLA and iReady data are promising (and exciting!) indicators of closing some of the significant achievement gaps. ○ It would be helpful to learn more about how the district is supporting students in the “Emergency” and “At-Risk” levels and what we are doing to ensure continuous growth, including data on referrals to Tier 2 instruction, as well as referrals for special education evaluation by grade level. Goal 2: (District Improvement Goal): Secondary Math Pathways: Design and publish new secondary math pathways by January 1, 2024. Benchmarks: Present Math Pathways Committee recommendations and district pathways implementation plan to the School Committee during the November 30, 2023 meeting; Publish formal pathways updates to the district website, RPS budget book (pg 21), RMHS Program of Studies, and all secondary handbooks by January 15, 2024. Evidence of progress toward goal: Benchmarks for Goal 2 are complete, marking necessary first steps of revamping secondary math pathways in RPS. Multiple RPS students will benefit from access to advanced math pathways during the 2 summer via access to a summer geometry course, tutoring for Boston resident students to accelerate learning, and asynchronous summer enrichment. I am looking forward to continued forward momentum and actions during SY 2024/2025 and beyond, including exploring dual enrollment opportunities for students who need more challenge and establishing additional supports, and thus participation, for DESE-identified subgroups. Goal 3: (District Improvement Goal): Develop data systems and practices to assess progress towards targets in the district strategic plan and drive district/school interventions and supports. Benchmarks: Presentation of Early Literacy process; development of first iteration of central location for storing key student-level data; analysis of agendas, protocols, and resources; analysis of statewide student growth measures; development of a first iteration of a system to capture research and best practices. Evidence of progress toward goal: Data collection, analysis, and then embedding data-driven decision making across verticals within RPS is probably the most significant challenge and greatest need within RPS. Dr. M has made this one of his top priorities since entering the district in his role as Superintendent. In the 2023/2024 school year he has: ● Grounded the district leadership team meeting agenda topics with supporting data, discussion, and actions based on data. Dr. M reflected the need to identify a more quantifiable way to measure success and has proposed creation of a “district scorecard”. I am excited to see the DLT utilize a scorecard approach on a frequent and ongoing basis to measure progress toward district goals. I would encourage consideration of two things: 1) more frequent reviews of progress (3x year meetings with principals proposed initially), such as initial review at the beginning of the school year to align on goals for the year followed by quarterly check-ins; 2) consideration of a school-level scorecard with additional building-level goals outlined; ● Key data are being stored across various platforms throughout RPS and the district is in process of developing a platform that could unify scorecard related data on one platform. I would caution the district to ensure we are developing a platform that is easily maintained, speaks to other platforms housing data; and that personnel beyond the district data analyst are able to understand key aspects of how the platform functions. Goal 4: (District Improvement Goal): Coaching, Developing, and Supporting Principals: Continue implementation of a district strategy for coaching, supporting, and developing principal talent, including a clear focus on data-drive improvement. Benchmarks: Analysis of agendas; feedback through principal surveys; interviews with principals; analysis of statewide student growth measures; Evidence of progress toward goal: Dr. M has established a team environment with clear lines of communication and frequent touchpoints for all district leadership, including: 3 ● Consistent touch points with district leaders including District Leadership Team meetings, weekly 1:1 meetings, and Learning & Teaching meetings. ● Access to career coaching through Salem State Transparent, open communication paired with a clear district vision and goals has been incredibly well received by building leaders and staff. This is reflected in the formative feedback gathered from Principals. They feel supported and connected and that they can always reach out for advice and feedback. More importantly, they feel like they are a critical part of the growth of RPS and that they are in a safe and supportive environment where they can call out areas of growth and it will be met with a listening ear and willingness to embrace change. Goal 5: (Professional Practice): New Superintendent Induction: Develop skills in strategy development, data analysis, equity, and instructional leadership by actively engaging in the third year of the New Superintendent Induction Program. Benchmarks: Calendar documents attendance and contact with coach; verification from NSIP of active engagement in third year of the program. Evidence of progress toward goal: Dr. M has continued to actively engage in the New Superintendent Induction Program and recognizes its importance in personal and career growth. He attended monthly NSIP meetings throughout the school year and his coach verified his engagement in the program. Shawn Brandt – formative review for Dr. Milaschewski – June 2024 Dr. Milaschewski has had another strong year of performance and continues to be precisely the leader Reading needs to take our district forward. He leads collaboratively, openly, and with high expectations for all stakeholders. He is committed to using data to evaluate, intervene and improve across all dimensions of the district, and we are seeing continued progress in many aspects. Goal 1 – Student Learning Goal: Student Learning There is strong evidence of progress towards the metrics captured by this goal already. The Innovation Pathways program has received far more interest than anticipated, and this will likely only grow as we expand the number of pathways. It will be critical as we approach the summative evaluation to review how many students are remaining engaged in their pathways. While we are awaiting the MCAS and AP-related evidence during the 24-25 school year, there are encouraging signs given strong SGPs in the most recent MCAS results that we can expect positive outcomes there. Similarly, the assessments we are using that allow us to measure progress within the year are showing favorable results as well. Goal 2 – District Improvement Goal: Math Pathways This goal is perhaps the most exciting progress during this school year. While it seemed we may be moving too slowly early in the year, the degree of progress as we reached the end of the year is simply outstanding. More students accessing accelerated math in 7th grade, more opportunities for students to accelerate in the ensuing year, targeted support for Boston resident students to address some of our inequities, etc. I’m thrilled about the progress here but even more excited that the team has identified lots of additional opportunities to improve our math offerings for students across all skill levels. Goal 3 – District Improvement Goal: Data I agree with Dr. Milaschewski’s observations on this goal. We’ve made some great strides, and culturally there’s a broad embrace of data and our increased focus on its application to our practices, but we’re still a work in progress in terms of a district-wide, systematized approach to how data is captured, assessed, and shared publicly. I have confidence that we’ll get there, but it’s likely a multi-year effort to figure out how that will go, and look forward to the progress in coming years. Goal 4 – District Improvement Goal: Coaching, Developing and Supporting Principals The feedback from Principals speaks volumes about the support they are receiving from the Central Office. I particularly appreciate that principals see value in direct connections with a variety of administrators, and that their relationships extend well beyond their direct reporting relationship with the superintendent. The areas of growth identified by Dr. Milaschewski are reflective of a team that is coming together well and having open and honest conversations about what they need as a team to grow as individual leaders and as a team. Goal 5 – Professional Practice Goal: NSIP Congratulations to Dr. Milaschewski for completing the New Superintendent Induction Program. We are lucky that he had such a willing and supportive mentor in Chris McGrath who made herself so visible within the district, particularly during Dr. Milaschewski’s early years. Formative Summary – Chuck Robinson – 6/12/2024 Goal 1 – Student Learning – Improve evidence of student learning, engagement achievement. The three goals are difficult to measure at this time as MCAS will not be available until fall 2024. Innovation Pathways as reported is positive and going well but will be better evaluated when 2025- 2026 registration is reviewed and evaluated. The third goal benchmark is in the future. Based on what I am hearing I am optimistic about MCAS and Innovation Pathways, Goal 2 – District Improvement Goal – Secondary Math Pathways There is a lot of positive buzz on an issue that has lingered for many years. I am proud of and encouraged by the excellent work of the committee and the regular updates on the progress we are receiving. The committee’s work on the middle school path has been excellent as it sets the baseline for the student’s future. I am encouraged by the Math Lab returning and the agreement on a dedicated space as opposed to the library. The summer opportunities are excellent, and I am especially happy with the METCO Summer Bridge Program which I view as groundbreaking. Goal 3 – District Improvement Goal – Data As they say, “the numbers or data doesn’t lie.” The work by the district data team has been invaluable in giving the district the ability to monitor, identify and act on areas for improvement. I am also pleased with ARC Core continual gathering of IRLA data for all students and the on time constant feedback. There is more to do, and I look forward to future updates. Goal 4 – District Improvement Goal – Coaching, Developing and Supporting Principals As a multi-year goal that focuses on Principals and Assistant Principals being instructional leaders has had a significant impact on student learning and achievement. I was a longtime advocate of having assistant principals and the impact is starting show. Additionally, including the APs on the instructional leadership team has been invaluable. Dr. Milachewski’s attention to and relationship with Principal’s is extremely valuable and effective as it allows him to put them in the best position to be successful and eliminates any surprises. The addition of K-8 math coaches and the coaching within ARC Core has been critical to the success of teachers. I love Dr. Milachewski’s view that our instructional leaders are our most important assets in making our teachers and students successful. Goal 5 – Professional Practice Goal – New Superintendent Induction Program I knew and was confident that this would take Dr. Milachewski where he needed to be and his diligence in completing the work should be commended. Not only does take full advantage of his coach but he has taken the step in developing relationships with more experienced and successful peers in other communities. I am pleased with the results and Dr. Milachewski’s growth and success. Formative Summary – June 10, 2024 Carla Nazzaro Goal 1 (Student Learning): Improve evidence of student learning, engagement and achievement There are 3 goals/benchmarks listed under Goal 1. The first goal/benchmark regarding MCAS can’t be addressed because the comparison data won’t be available until the fall of 2024. The second goal/benchmark is a goal in the future and the third addresses Innovation Pathways which can’t be truly measured until we receive registration data from the 2025-2026 school year. The Innovation Pathways enrollment numbers have greatly increased recently. ● Goal 2 (District Improvement Goal): Secondary Math Pathways Issues with math pathways have been talked about for years (for at least 12 years that my children have been involved with). There have been a variety of what I would call band-aid fixes to address different facets to this issue. I am very happy with the outcome of the committee’s results thus far. Particularly, I am glad that the committee examined how middle school course placement impacted future advanced math course opportunities. I also am happy with increased acceleration pathways for students at different grade levels. Over the years, the Math Lab has been in and out of existence. There should always be a Math Lab for students to access on the fly, without an appointment. It should be conveniently located, and students should feel comfortable to walk in when needed. I am happy with the different acceleration points for students, starting with summer opportunities in 7th and 8th grades (it would be nice if the 7th graders could also take an optional assessment at the end of the summer to accelerate their 8th grade class). I also love that the summer geometry class can be utilized by rising freshman in addition to sophomores. I commend the district for creating and launching the METCO Summer Bridge Program and using the METCO grant. ● Goal 3 (District Improvement Goal): Data Storing, accessing and analyzing data is so important for our district. District wide assessments and data sets give the district the ability to monitor student achievement and identify educational gaps that may exist. It also gives us the ability to identify groupings of students who may be struggling. This will be valuable in looking at building-based teams to ensure that there are similar experiences for students across school and grades. The district data team has identified an inventory of district wide systems which will help with curriculum review and various central office planning processes (budget development, professional development planning and other allocation of resources). One of the aspects of ARC Core that I am most pleased with is the constant gathering and review of IRLA data for all students (K-5). I love how students receive timely feedback on areas to work on to help them get to the next level. Another quantitative measure that is effectively used is the DIBELS (early literacy screening for grades K-3) assessments. I am looking forward to seeing the expanded version of the data collection system by June 1, 2025. ● Goal 4 (District Improvement Goal): Coaching, Developing, and Supporting Principals In conjunction with great curriculum, I believe this goal has one of the most significant impacts on student learning in any district, in any grade level. This multi-year goal focuses on Principals (and Assistant Principals) being instructional leaders which has a direct impact on student learning and achievement. I believe the regular check-ins that Dr. Milaschewski has with each Principal are important for so many reasons. It is important for Dr. Milaschewski to understand each individual school’s needs and it allows him to gauge and guide principals in areas of struggle. Growing our instructional leadership team (ILT) to include Assistant Principals has been a game changer in our district. The focus must remain on student learning, good instruction and data driven results. 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 when rolling out new curriculum. Our elementary school teachers have been doing a great job tackling this! I know that each school has uniquely adapted the Assistant Principal role to fit their individual needs. Each AP position may differ from school to school. We are hopefully getting both the Principal and AP to be both operational as well as instructional leaders. Dr. Milaschewski has referred the ILT as the heart that pumps blood throughout the building…it’s a fitting analogy. ● Goal 5 (Professional Practice Goal): New Superintendent Induction Program Dr. Milaschewski is completing his third and final year in the New Superintendent Induction Program. He has attended all required sessions and completed all assignments. I feel that Dr. Milaschewski takes advantage of the relationship and knowledge of his coach, Chris McGrath, which has helped him to identify and learn best practices which are brought back to the district and implemented. Superintendent Formative Review 2023-24 Goal 1 (Student Learning Goal): Improve evidence of student learning, engagement, and achievement: Over the next two years, improve evidence of student learning, engagement, and achievement as follows: • By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, with data provided to the district in September of 2024, meet 80% of DESE-determined MCAS achievement and growth targets at school and district levels. • By the end of 2024-2025, using registration data for 2025-2026, increase the planned participation rate in advanced coursework (AP and Dual-Enrollment) at RMHS by 10% for all students and 15% for each DESE-identified subgroup. • By the end of 2024-2025, using registration data for 2025-2026, increase enrollment in Innovation Pathways to 150 students with 80% continued engagement from students initially enrolled. It is difficult to assess progress toward this goal at this time because the district will not receive the Spring 2024 MCAS scores until late summer or early fall, and then the administration will need time to take a deeper dive. 80% is an ambitious goal for achievement and growth targets, so I am eager to see these particular MCAS results, particularly in regard to certain subgroups and Parker Middle School. I also cannot yet comment on AP and dual-enrollment participation as that piece of the goal is meant to be assessed a year from now. However, we do know that registration for Innovation Pathways for fall 2024 is already at 193 students, which is extremely impressive and exciting for those students. Presumably, this number will increase for the fall of 2025, especially as RMHS continues to add new pathways. The fact that this goal exists, and that the Superintendent has made student learning, engagement, and achievement outcomes a high priority for RPS is what is important at this time. Goal 2 (District Improvement Goal): Secondary Math Pathways: Design and publish new secondary math pathways by January 1, 2024. It is markedly impressive how enthusiastically and completely Dr. Milaschewski and his team embraced this challenge and met this goal this year. They heard loudly and clearly that this was an urgent priority for the School Committee and for RPS families, and that a closer examination of and changes to our math pathways were long overdue. Too many students were getting stuck, were not being challenged, and/or were not being supported as best they could be in order to succeed in math. During just this school year, they formed the Math Pathways Committee with staff and community members. Subsequently, they implemented changes that will: - allow more students to access advanced math classes in 7th grade, 8th grade, and in high school, including an in-district summer geometry course - offer more access points to advanced math classes, instead of just at 7th grade - provide more structured and uniform support for students who took grade 7 math but want to try to test into algebra I in 8th grade - support some of our Boston residents over the summer months - rework some of the RMHS courses so that the class titles better reflect the material covered These changes will have a meaningful impact for many students. Of course, there is still more work to be done and the Superintendent knows this. For example, with some students taking algebra II even earlier, RMHS can consider what advanced-level math might be offered to those students as seniors. There remains a lack of honors-level courses once AP courses are introduced to juniors and seniors, and this is a significant gap that I have pointed out multiple times. And, it is hoped that the number of students taking algebra I in middle school continues to grow as is appropriate, perhaps even to include 7th graders. Further, I believe Dr. Milaschewski and his team will work toward having more of our subgroup students enrolled in and succeeding in advanced courses, including math. Overall, I am pleased with the attention to this goal and with the substantial progress made this year, and I look forward to seeing continued work on the RPS math pathways and student achievement in math. Goal 3 (District Improvement Goal): Data: Develop data systems and practices to assess progress towards targets in the district strategic plan and drive district/school interventions and supports. This goal seems to be in the earlier stages of being addressed. It was an ambitious goal from the outset, and Dr. Milaschewski likely knew that. It is also an important goal for the district. RPS does not presently have a central location for data storage, nor a clear way to use data to measure progress as a district. However, I agree with the Superintendent’s reflection that this goal as written is too broad. I look forward to hearing how he intends to better refine it in a way that will still help the district move toward central data storage, more consistent attention to and usage of data to define best practices, and a process for monitoring data cycles in a way that is focused and measurable over the next year. Goal 4 (District Improvement Goal): Coaching, Developing, and Supporting Principals: Continue implementation of a district strategy for coaching, supporting, and developing principal talent, including a clear focus on data-driven improvement. Dr. Milaschewski’s prioritization of supporting our building leaders has been integral to moving RPS forward and the overall growth and success we’ve seen these past few years. It is evident from their feedback that the principals feel that the Central Office team members are accessible, helpful, and attentive to their professional growth. Now that structures are in place that reflect best practices for coaching, supporting and developing principals, and they are being used consistently, it will be important to maintain the momentum. I am also eager to hear more reflection on the impact that assistance principals have had on our elementary schools. The Superintendent continues to send the message that strong leaders matter for our schools, that strong leaders lead to better student outcomes, and that investing in our leaders is best practice for our district. I am thankful for the quality of our District Leadership Team and that they are such a cohesive and collaborative group. Under the guidance of Dr. Milaschewski, this is a team that will continue to seek opportunities to work together to improve teaching and learning within RPS. Goal 5 (Professional Practice): New Superintendent Induction: Develop skills in strategy development, data analysis, equity, and instructional leadership by actively engaging in the third year of the New Superintendent Induction Program. This is another goal that was met within one year. Dr. Milaschewski diligently participated in the 3-year new superintendent induction program and successfully completed it this Spring. New Business Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet June 20, 2024 Page 1 of 2 MEMORANDUM of AGREEMENT This MEMORANDUM of AGREEMENT is made by and between the Town of Reading, Massachusetts, a municipal corporation in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, acting by and through its School Committee, hereinafter referred to as the "Committee" and Thomas Milaschewski, hereinafter referred to as the "Superintendent." In consideration of the promises herein contained, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows: The Agreement in effect between the Committee and the Superintendent dated July 1, 2023- June 30, 2029 is hereby amended as follows: Paragraph 3 A (2) – 3 A (4) Compensation Salary Considerations 3(A)(2) Each subsequent year of the contract, the Committee agrees to an annual increase of 2.5% subject to the Superintendent receiving proficient or exemplary rating on his annual evaluation (formative or summative). Nothing in this paragraph precludes the Committee from providing more than 2.5% in any given year subject to performance, market conditions, and other economic factors. 3(A)(3) Longevity. Starting in Fiscal Year 2024 and concluding with Fiscal Year 2028, the Superintendent shall receive a lump sum payment of $2000 payable in June of the contract year subject to the Superintendent receiving proficient or exemplary rating on his annual evaluation (formative or summative). 3(A)(4) If the Superintendent does not end the contract early (prior to June 30, 2029) in accordance with Paragraph 17 of this Agreement or if the School Committee does not terminate this Contract prior to end date in accordance with Paragraph 5 of this Agreement; the Superintendent shall receive a lump sum payment of $15,000 in June 2029. This payment shall be subject to the Superintendent receiving proficient or exemplary rating on this annual evaluation (formative or summative) in a minimum of five of the six contract years of this agreement. IN WITNESS THEREOF, the parties having accepted these amendments they or their authorized representatives affix their hands and seals to three copies of this Memorandum of Agreement, each to be considered as an original. Page 2 of 2 For the Town of Reading; By Its School Committee Thomas Wise, Chairperson Date By the Superintendent: __________________________________ ____________________ Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent Date Administrative Offices 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 781 944-5800 READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE Thomas Wise Chair Erin Gaffen Vice-Chair Shawn Brandt Sarah McLaughlin Carla Nazzaro Charles Robinson Thomas Milaschewski, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Thomas Wise, Reading School Committee Chair DATE: June 17, 2024 TOPIC: Amendment to Dr. Milaschewski’s Contract and Year-End Raise Discussion Following the discussion and vote on Dr. Milaschewski’s Year-End Formative Review, we will review and vote on a procedural amendment to Dr. Milaschewski’s contract. In Sections 3(A)(2)-(4) of his contract, there are currently references to language that says, “on his annual summative evaluation.” He will not have a Summative evaluation this year due to the two-year review cycle. As such, this amendment is meant to allow Dr. Milaschewski to have access to an annual raise, annual retention, and eventually his end-of-contract retention. Thus, the amendment will simply change the language to say, “on his annual evaluation (formative or summative).” Additionally, we will engage in a conversation centered on Section 3(A)(2) of his contract, which would state the following: Each subsequent year of the contract, the Committee agrees to an annual increase of 2.5% subject to the Superintendent receiving proficient or exemplary rating on his annual evaluation (formative or summative). Nothing in this paragraph precludes the Committee from providing more than 2.5% in any given year subject to performance, market conditions, and other economic factors. The following table may help in assessing options in alignment with his Formative Review results: 2023-2024 Salary % Increase Absolute Increase 2024-2025 Salary $214,000 2.00% $4,280 $218,280 $214,000 2.25% $4,815 $218,815 $214,000 2.50% $5,350 $219,350 $214,000 2.75% $5,885 $219,885 $214,000 2.80%^ $6,000 $220,000 $214,000 3.00% $6,420 $220,420 ^ The full decimal amount is 2.80374% Thank you. To: Reading School Committee From: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Date: June 18, 2024 Re: School Choice Update and Next Steps On May 10, the district opened applications for the 2024-2025 School Choice Program with a deadline to apply by May 31. The district received 35 applications, in which 31 students accepted. Three students declined and unfortunately, we were unable to accept one student as we filled the number of spots available for grade 6. As a reminder, School Choice is a state-wide program designed to fill available seats in school districts and allow caregivers’ choice and access to desirable school districts. School Choice also supports the recruitment and retention of a high performing instructional staff by enabling children of staff members to apply for a seat in the lottery. With each School Choice student who enrolls in kindergarten to grade 12, the district receives $5,000. The district will also receive funds for special education increments from the sending district of a School Choice student. School Choice funds are deposited into a revolving fund under the School Committee’s purview, which requires no further appropriation for use. School Choice funds can be allocated to address a wide range of district needs. Through the first lottery process, the District Leadership Team identified 65 seats across all grades limiting the number of open seats available for access through School Choice to no more than 5 students per grade. Annually before November, as mandated by the state, we reopen the lottery for available seats. With 31 seats already filled and an increase in enrollment due to new registrations for the 2024-2025 school year, please find a grade-specific summary of available seats for the second lottery below. The applications will open on June 21 with a deadline of July 5 and the lottery process will take place on July 8. We will review which school students are assigned to based on current enrollment. 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 Information/Correspondence Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet June 20, 2024 From:Lejeune, Olivia To:Rebecca Liberman Cc:DG School Committee; Milaschewski, Thomas Subject:RE: Gifted and talented education in Reading Date:Tuesday, June 18, 2024 8:32:08 AM Dear Rebecca, Thank you for reaching out. Our team has been looking at this and will provide a detailed response as soon as possible regarding the district's current actions. Best, Olivia -----Original Message----- From: Rebecca Liberman <rfliberman@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2024 6:46 PM To: Milaschewski, Thomas <Thomas.Milaschewski@reading.k12.ma.us> Cc: DG School Committee <SchoolCommittee@reading.k12.ma.us> Subject: Gifted and talented education in Reading CAUTION: This email originated from outside of Reading Public Schools. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender email address and know the content is safe. Dear Supt. Milaschewski and School Committee Members, In light of the recent Globe article on how few programs there are in this state for gifted and talented students, I'd like to know what Reading is doing to make sure that our district's gifted and talented students are being adequately challenged, especially given the collapse of tracks to only two levels for many classes. As a short-term fix, could we make sure to test students and provide appropriately challenging material? One of my children's 6th grade teachers requested testing for a group of students who were getting 100% on every English test and were getting bored. After some pushback, these students were tested, and she gave them Wordly Wise books at the 7th, 8th and even 9th grade level so that they were seeing new words and being adequately challenged. Why can't we do more of this type of thing as well as to restore options for accessing algebra earlier, ensuring an honors option for all classes, restoring access to virtual high school courses, and providing other options for accessing more challenging courses to our students who need them? If we don't challenge our most talented students, then those who can afford it will go to private schools or enrichment programs, and those who can't will remain bored, contributing to inequities in access. We must aim to have all students be adequately challenged. Please let me know what Reading is doing to ensure that our most talented students don't need to leave the district to receive an appropriately challenging and engaging education. Thank you. Rebecca Liberman 50 Pratt St. Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet June 20, 2024 Appendix Administrative Offices 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 781 944-5800 READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE Thomas Wise Chair Erin Gaffen Vice-Chair Shawn Brandt Sarah McLaughlin Carla Nazzaro Charles Robinson Thomas Milaschewski, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Thomas Wise, Reading School Committee Chair DATE: June 17, 2024 TOPIC: Draft School Committee Meeting Calendar – 2024-2025 The following is a rough draft of the School Committee meeting calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. This was built based on past practice and key dates on the overall school calendar: July 11th August 8th and 22nd September 9th or 12th and 23rd October 10th and 24th November 7th December 5th and 19th January 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th February 13th, 26th, and 27th – 26th with the Finance Committee for Budget Approval. March 13th and 27th April 10th May 12th and 29th June 12th In September, we have Middle School Back to School night on the 19th which would prevent our normal Thursday night meeting. Thus, we can choose to convert both meetings in September to Mondays or only one. The likely late start to April Town meeting next year (April 28th) will push the May meetings out further which will impact the number of June meetings we can have prior to the last week of June. So, if we need more meetings, we may need to consider a Monday – Thursday approach, but we will need to avoid Thursday, June 19th to observe Juneteenth. Finally, if we can organize this Summer with the new Student Advisory Committee, I would suggest the first meetings in September, October, February, and April for the joint meetings with them.