HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-01-22 School Committee PacketOpen Session 7:00 p.m.
Reading Memorial High School Library
Reading, MA
Reading Public Schools
School Committee Meeting Packet
January 22, 2026
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: 2026-01-22 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: School - Memorial High Location: School Library
Address: 62 Oakland Road Agenda:
Purpose: Open Session
Meeting Called By: Shawn Brandt, Chair
Notices and agendas are to be posted 48 hours in advance of the meetings excluding
Saturdays, Sundays and Legal Holidays. Please keep in mind the Town Clerk’s hours of
operation and make necessary arrangements to be sure your posting is made in an adequate
amount of time. A listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be 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. Public Hearing: FY27 Budget Hearing
7:00 p.m. B. Public Comment
Consent Agenda
1. Minutes (01-08-2026)
2. Acceptance of FY26 Special Education Van Earmark Award
3. Acceptance of FY26 METCO Boston Bridges Initiative Grant
Award
4. Parker Music Department Donation
5. Parents Supporting Student Theater Donation
Accounts Payable Warrant Reports
1. 01-08-2026
2. 01-21-2026
Reports
1. Liaison/Sub-Committee
7:10 p.m. E. New Business
1. Facility Naming Request on behalf of Robert and O. Elizabeth
Miksen
2. Facility Naming Request on behalf of Ted Bryson
3. Learning and Teaching Update
4. Approve the awarding of the following scholarships (A)
a. David B. Libby Scholarship
b. David Savio Law Enforcement Scholarship
c. Arthur L. Spencer Memorial Scholarship
8:10 p.m. D. Old Business
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
1. FY27 Budget Discussion
2. Discuss Superintendent Search Updates and Approve Revised
Timeline (A)
F. Information / Correspondence
1. “Re: Student Safety Concerns During Icy Conditions at Barrows
Elementary” – Romano, Alanna
8:45 p.m. Adjourn
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 856 7280 1063
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Consent Agenda
Reading Public Schools
School Committee Meeting Packet
January 22, 2026
Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
Page | 1
2016-09-22 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: School Library
Session: Open Session
School Committee
Date: 2026-01-08
Building: School - Memorial High
Address: 62 Oakland Road
Purpose: Open Session Version: Draft
Attendees: Members - Present:
Shawn Brandt, Carla Nazzaro, Erin Gaffen, Tom Wise, Lara Durgavich and
Sarah McLaughlin (remote)
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Superintendent Dr. Thomas Milaschewski and Director of Finance and
Operations Mr. Phil Littlehale
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Olivia Lejeune on behalf of the chairperson.
Topics of Discussion:
A.Call to Order – Mr. Brandt called the meeting to order at 7:00pm with roll call attendance.
Roll Call Attendance – Ms. McLaughlin – here, Mrs. Gaffen – here, Mr. Wise – here, Mrs.
Nazzaro – here, Mrs. Durgavich – here, Mr. Brandt – here
B.Public Comment – None
Focus on Excellence – None
Consent Agenda
1.Minutes (12-18-2025)
2.Parents Supporting Student Theater Donation
3.RMHS Track and Field Donation
4.RMHS Japan Field Trip Request
5.RMHS Ski Club Field Trip Request
6.RMHS DECA Field Trip Request
7.RMHS Habitat for Humanity Field Trip Request
8.SEEM Collaborative 2024-2025 Annual Report
Accounts Payable Warrant Reports
1. 12-18-2025
2. 12-24-2025
Page | 2
3. 12-31-2025
Mrs. Nazzaro motioned to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Mr. Wise.
Roll Call Vote – Ms. McLaughlin – yes, Mrs. Gaffen – yes, Mr. Wise – yes, Mrs. Nazzaro –
yes, Mrs. Durgavich – yes, Mr. Brandt – yes
The vote passed 6-0.
Reports
1. Student Representatives – Several upcoming events were shared. Junior Guidance
Parent Night will be held on January 13, followed by Future Freshman Night on
January 20. Midterm exams will take place from January 20 through January 23. The
PTO Board Meeting will be held on January 26. Career Day for Juniors and the 8th
Grade Arts Night are scheduled for January 29. Additional updates were provided
from recent events. Alumni Day was held on January 6, where 15 graduates returned
to share their college experiences with current students. Feedback from this event
indicated a need for more support with interview skills and resume preparation. As a
result, Career Day was expanded to include more than 40 professionals representing
a wide range of career fields.
2. Superintendent – Kindergarten registration is now open, and families of eligible
students are encouraged to complete the registration process as soon as possible.
Additional information and registration details are available on the district website.
Dr. Milaschewski also shared information about the annual community MLK event
held on January 19. This event continues to be a meaningful community gathering
and has grown stronger each year, with increasing participation and engagement.
3. Liaison/Sub-Committee
a. Ms. McLaughlin – No report
b. Mrs. Gaffen – No report
c. Mr. Wise – SEPAC held its budget meeting with Mr. Littlehale on Monday.
The books Mr. Wise donated and ordered have arrived and are now being
dropped off at their designated locations. The Select Board approved and
signed a three-year contract with RCTV.
d. Mrs. Nazzaro – The next Killam School Building Committee meeting is
scheduled for January 20.
e. Mrs. Durgavich – No report
f. Mr. Brandt – No report
g. Dr. Coram – As Finance Committee liaison, Dr. Coram shared an upcoming
Financial Policy Workshop available on January 29th during the day 9-1pm
at the Reading Public Library.
E. New Business
1. FY27 Budget FAQ Process
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Dr. Milaschewski reviewed the FY27 Budget FAQ process. Committee members are asked to
submit their questions by January 15 to allow the administration one week to prepare
responses. All other questions should be submitted to Olivia Lejeune
(Olivia.lejeune@reading.k12.ma.us) by January 22 at 11:59pm.
2. FY27 Budget Presentation & Discussion
Mr. Littlehale presented the FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget to the
Committee.
The overall budget increase is approximately 2 percent, including operating and
accommodated costs. No programs are being cut, and staffing adjustments result in a net
reduction of one full-time equivalent position. Special Education spending appears to
decrease by 3.3 percent in the general fund, but actual expenditures are projected to
increase by approximately 4 percent due to offsets and an increase in circuit breaker
reimbursement. Offsets increased from $2.2 million to $2.6 million and include School
Choice revenue, tuition revenue, and the full-day kindergarten balance. There are currently
79 School Choice students, with projections of approximately 100 students next year, and
this revenue is being used to balance the FY27 budget. The capital plan includes an increase
in the technology allocation from $150,000 to $250,000, and a new special education van
will be funded through a $75,000 state earmark.
Concern was expressed that reliance on two years of School Choice funds creates a
potential risk in the future. It was also noted that the food service offset was eliminated due
to insufficient revenue. It was clarified that while no additional supports are planned, food
service costs will continue to be paid from the operating budget.
Committee members observed that investments in in-district special education programs
have significantly reduced out-of-district placement costs. The committee was pleased that
universal full-day kindergarten remains intact.
D. Old Business
1. FY27 Fee Rates (A) – Transportation Fees Update, Review, & Approval
At the last meeting, the recommended increases in transportation fees were $500, $900,
and $1,200. The Committee requested a breakdown of each fee level showing the number
of riders with one, two, or three or more rides. This proposal still holds, and the breakdown
requested has been provided in the packet to help the Committee evaluate the impact of
each recommended fee.
Mrs. Nazzaro motioned to approve the transportation fee rates for FY27, seconded by
Mrs. Gaffen.
Roll Call Vote – Ms. McLaughlin – yes, Mrs. Gaffen – yes, Mr. Wise – yes, Mrs. Nazzaro –
yes, Mrs. Durgavich – yes, Mr. Brandt – yes
Page | 4
The vote passed 6-0.
2. Discussion and Vote on 2026-2027 SY Calendar (A)
Dr. Milaschewski reviewed the 2026-2027 school year calendar. Election Day was again
discussed with the Town Clerk who believes the schedule can be managed efficiently.
During the last meeting, the committee raised the possibility of starting school earlier in
August. Any earlier start can be no more than one week before Labor Day, in accordance
with the union contract.
Mrs. Nazzaro motioned to approve the 2026-2027 school year calendar, seconded by Mrs.
Gaffen.
Roll Call Vote – Ms. McLaughlin – yes, Mrs. Gaffen – yes, Mr. Wise – yes, Mrs. Nazzaro –
yes, Mrs. Durgavich – yes, Mr. Brandt – yes
The vote passed 6-0.
E. New Business
3. Review and Approve Superintendent Search Timeline and Process (A)
The committee reviewed the search timeline and process. The Committee agreed to an
aggressive timeline, aiming to complete the search before the April election. MASC will
provide technical assistance, including posting, orientation, and question development,
while the district will manage the process internally. The Committee also agreed to explore
outreach to a retired MASC consultant for additional support.
The focus groups will follow a condensed schedule. Student input will be gathered through
the Student Advisory Committee, a community forum will be coordinated, and an online
survey will be used to collect additional feedback.
The committee discussed the make-up of the screening committee and who it should be
comprised of.
Mr. Brandt motioned to approve the screening committee with the addition of another
building principal, as represented in the packet, so moved by Mrs. Nazzaro, seconded by
Mr. Wise.
After discussion, the Screening Committee was amended to the following: two School
Committee members; three central office or non-unit leaders, with at least two being direct
reports to the superintendent; five staff members, one representing each school level; five
parents, ensuring representation across school levels, SEPAC, and METCO; the Town
Manager or a designated representative; and the Police Chief or SRO, or their designated
representative.
Roll Call Vote – Ms. McLaughlin – yes, Mrs. Gaffen – yes, Mr. Wise – yes, Mrs. Nazzaro –
yes, Mrs. Durgavich – yes, Mr. Brandt – yes
Page | 5
The vote passed 6-0.
Mrs. Nazzaro motioned to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Wise.
Roll Call Vote – Ms. McLaughlin – yes, Mrs. Gaffen – yes, Mr. Wise – yes, Mrs. Nazzaro –
yes, Mrs. Durgavich – yes, Mr. Brandt – yes
The vote passed 6-0.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyJheWy-W80
Meeting Adjourned from regular session at approximately 8:49pm.
TO: Reading School Committee
CC: Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent of Schools
Philip Littlehale, Director of Finance and Operations
DATE: January 9, 2026
FR: Katelyn Finnegan, Assistant Business Manager
RE: Acceptance of FY26 Special Education Van Earmark Award
The Reading Public Schools is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a state earmark in the amount of
$75,000 to purchase a van to be used primarily with our LIFT Program, our substantially separate transitional
program, serving young adults between 18-22 years old. This funding will significantly enhance the program’s
ability to expand community integration and support employment opportunities. Access to a dedicated vehicle
will strengthen real-world learning experiences and further support students in developing independence and
meaningful connections within the community.
Thank you for your support with your vote to accept the FY26 Special Education Van Earmark 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
TO: Reading School Committee
CC: Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent of Schools
Philip Littlehale, Director of Finance and Operations
DATE: January 12, 2026
FR: Katelyn Finnegan, Assistant Business Manager
RE: Acceptance of FY26 METCO Boston Bridges Initiative Grant Award
The Boston Bridges Initiative has awarded the Reading Public Schools with a FY26 METCO Boston Bridges
Initiative Grant Award in the amount of $5,000.
The METCO Boston Bridges Initiative grant is awarded to support three community-building events. Funds will
cover one Spring 2026 event at Roller World in Saugus, a bowling event at Dorchester Bowl in Fall 2026, and a
Salsa Night event in Reading in Fall 2026. These activities align with the goals of the Boston Building Bridges
Initiative by fostering connection, inclusion, and positive engagement among community members through
accessible recreational and cultural experiences.
Thank you for your support with your vote to accept the FY26 METCO Boston Bridges Initiative 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
1
Walter S. Parker
Middle School
Memo
To: School Committee
From: Jill Story
Date: January 8, 2026
Re: Donation
The Parker Middle School Music Department has received a donation in the
amount of $25, from James & Eileen McGrath. This money is to be used for
purchasing instruments and will be deposited into the Instrument Fund.
Please accept this donation from:
James & Eileen McGrath
8 Edwin Street
Reading, MA 01867
TO: Reading School Committee
FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
DATE: January 20, 2026
RE: Vote to Accept Parents Support Student Theater Donation
Please vote to accept a donation valued at $279 from Parents Supporting Student Theater. This donation
will be used to replace a specific power tool that is in need of replacement.
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
New Business
Reading Public Schools
School Committee Meeting Packet
January 22, 2026
TO: Reading School Committee
FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
DATE: January 20, 2026
RE: Facility Naming Request on behalf of Robert and O. Elizabeth Miksen
On December 4, Reading community member and alumni, Ms. Claudia Miksen, submitted a proposal in
accordance with the School Committee's Naming of Facilities Policy. The proposal aims to name the
RMHS Fitness Center and Training Room.
During the January 22 School Committee Meeting, Ms. Miksen will present her proposal, providing an
opportunity for the committee to ask clarifying questions, not engage in discussion or make decisions.
During the January 29 meeting, the School Committee will discuss next steps regarding the proposal.
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: January 20, 2026
RE: Facility Naming Request on behalf of Ted Bryson
On December 20, Reading community member Mr. Pete Moscariello, a retired RMHS teacher and
former Head Baseball Coach, submitted a proposal in accordance with the School Committee’s Naming
of Facilities Policy. The proposal aims to name the press box at John Hollingsworth Field the Ted “Ace”
Bryson Press Box.
During the January 22 School Committee Meeting, Mr. Moscariello will present his proposal, providing
an opportunity for the committee to ask clarifying questions, not engage in discussion or make
decisions. During the January 29 meeting, the School Committee will discuss next steps regarding the
proposal.
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: January 20, 2026
Re: Learning and Teaching Update
During the January 22 School Committee meeting, we will provide a mid-year Learning and Teaching update.
A copy of 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
Midyear Learning & Teaching School Committee Update
Date: January 22, 2026
Presented by:
●Sarah Hardy, Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching
●Erin Burchill, K-8 Humanities Curriculum Coordinator
●Mary Anne Lynn, K-8 STEM Curriculum Coordinator
Midyear Learning & Teaching School Committee Update
Tonight’s presentation will provide an inside look at current curriculum review and implementation projects designed to improve
learning and teaching.
We will provide updates on the following projects:
•Elementary Literacy Labs
•Middle School Literacy Implementation
•Middle School Science Implementation
•Middle School Social Studies Curriculum Review
•RMHS Social Studies Curriculum Review
•Elementary Science Curriculum Review
•Grades 2-5 Common Math Assessment
•Grade 7 & 8 Math Curriculum Review
•ML Curriculum Implementation
Midyear Learning & Teaching School Committee Update
National literacy leaders Meredith and David
Liben visited Killam this fall. Walking through
classrooms alongside the ARC team, they
described Killam as “blissful”—a place where
“kids are focused, and the teaching is
excellent.” When debriefing the classroom
visits, David remarked, “Everyone here is
breathing life into ARC.”
State Ranking for Achievement Grades 3-8
Reading Public Schools continues to push towards the 90th
percentile in statewide achievement in Math and ELA.
Mid-Year iReady Reading Data for Grades 6-8
A few examples of
early indicators of
success..
School Committee
Trajectory-Changing Practices: Belonging. Consistency. Coherence.
Belonging, consistency and coherence are characteristics of schools that accelerate learning for ALL students (TNTP, 2024).
Belonging
Belonging is the experience
of being accepted and
respected. It creates an
emotional climate for
learning that helps
students engage and excel
and allows staff to learn
and grow with shared
purpose and support.
Consistency
Consistency means students
in every classroom reliably
experience strong teaching
and grade-level content. This
is supported by shared
materials/practices,
data-driven collaboration,
and reinforcement of what
“good instruction” looks like.
Coherence
Coherence is when a district’s
instructional program fits
together: curriculum,
materials, interventions, and
assessments are intentionally
linked, and priorities are clear
to teachers, students, and
caregivers.
TNTP. (2024, September 25). The Opportunity Makers: How a diverse group of public schools helps students catch up—and how far more can. TNTP.
Implement MA Curriculum Review and Implementation Cycle
Belonging
Consistency
Coherence
School Committee
Project snapshot: Elementary Lit Labs
Building Belonging and Coherence.
What we did (Aug–Dec)
•K–2: coaching support for new frameworks and
instructional shifts
•K–2 Lit Labs: layering learning from HILL for Literacy
course and calibrating routines
•K–2: analyze DIBELS data to strengthen Tier 1 for all
students
•3–5 Lit Labs: strengthen fluency/vocabulary with Hill
for Literacy Routines
•3–5: increase consistency of strategic instruction
(toolkits + power goals)
What we are learning so far
•Structure this year is more sustainable for sharing
learning and practice
•Teams value a shared space to practice and
problem-solve
•Data conversations are sharpening Tier 1 decisions
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
•Deepen instructional routines through additional
Lit Lab cycles
•Continue Tier 1 data analysis; monitor impact on
core instruction
•Support transfer from labs → classrooms via
coaching and team planning
•Document “what works” to scale across schools
and new staff
Purpose
Consistent Tier 1 instruction is the highest-leverage way
to raise literacy outcomes for all learners.
Joshua
Eaton
Birch
Meadow
Wood
End
Barrows
KillamKillam
School Committee
Project snapshot: Middle School ELA (Amplify ELA)
Building Consistency and Coherence.
What we did (Aug–Dec)
•Department Meetings
○Identify and build a common understanding
“look-fors” for strong student engagement
•MS Coherence Days
○Strengthen unit planning routines (e.g.,
internalization, shared assessments)
○Collaboratively build RPS scope and
sequence beyond the 100 Lesson Pathway
○Coordinate structures for teacher
collaboration
What we are learning so far
●Understanding the cognitive shifts in reading and writing
from grades 5-6, 6-7, and 7-8 helps in unit and lesson
planning
●Teachers are reflecting on units and lessons in Amplify ELA
100 Lesson Pathway and beginning to internalize routines
●Teachers are building coherence in the pathway and
non-pathway learning
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
●Continue to refine and build our scope and sequence
●Monitor student work and engagement for coherence
across grades
●Focus on cognitive reading and writing shifts in 6-7. 7-8.
and 8-9 to identify strong progression of skills
Purpose
Build common expectations, routines, and language so
literacy learning is consistent and coherent across
grades, teams, and courses.
School Committee
Project snapshot: MS Social Studies Curriculum Review
Building Belonging and Consistency.
What we did (Aug–Dec)
•Explored a department wide vision for engaging,
inquiry-based social studies
•Identified areas of curriculum requiring additional support
•Establish norms for collaboration and decision making
•Collaborated about engaging instructional practices
What we are learning so far
●Student experiences in social studies are not
aligned across grade levels or schools
●SS teachers are employing strong instructional
practices, but the department lacks a cohesive
plan for how practices build over units and years
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
●Use collaborative structures to examine and
document instructional practices
●Examine the current scope and sequence of
instruction
●Determine any needed implementation supports
Purpose
To establish a vision for high quality social studies
instruction at the middle school level and build a
collaborative social studies department across the two
middle schools.
School Committee
Project snapshot: RMHS Social Studies Curriculum Review
Building Belonging and Coherence.
What we did (Aug–Dec)
•Began development of a department-based website for
organizing lessons and materials to support historical
thinking routines
•Reviewed common assessment and baseline data for
historical thinking skills
•Created an agreed upon structure for unit development
across the department
•Created a process for exemplar lessons and materials to be
submitted for inclusion on department website
What we are learning so far
●A department-wide focus on historical thinking
skills is providing opportunities for collaboration
in planning and sharing of resources
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
•Identify and begin developing department-level
systems, practices and curriculum structures that
support new social studies teachers in staying,
growing and thriving within the department.
•Review Mid-Year Historical Thinking Skills
assessments
Purpose
To monitor our adopted curriculum resources, instructional
practices, and assessment routines to ensure all students
have access to high quality social studies instruction.
School Committee
Project snapshot: Elementary Science Curriculum Review
Build Belonging and Consistency.
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
●Analyze the HQIM market landscape
●Conduct site visits to observe materials in action
●Design implementation and teacher support plans.
●Finalize preparations for the upcoming school year
Purpose
To lead a research-based review of the district’s science
program, ensuring every student has access to a rigorous
and equitable science education.
Work to date (Aug–Dec)
•Established a Professional Learning Community (PLC).
•Explored research-based strategies for creating curious
classrooms
•Surveyed elementary teachers to gather data on
teacher and student experiences
•Refined the RPS vision for science education
•Evaluated current instructional materials
•Conducted preliminary investigations into High-Quality
Instructional Materials (HQIM)
What we are learning so far
●HQIMs require more time then is currently dedicated to
science instruction
●Teachers want to prioritize manageable materials,
accessible reading levels, and investigations that allow
for failure and iteration
●Strong desire for a curriculum that supports students in
“figuring out” phenomena rather than just “learning
about” science topics
School Committee
Project snapshot: Middle School Science
Building Belonging and Consistency.
What we did (Aug–Dec)
●Developed the RPS scope and sequence for grades
6–8.
●Designed coherent units that actively engage
students in science and engineering practices.
●Identified the essential components of high-quality
performance assessments.
●Explored diverse methods for assessing student
understanding and performance
What we are learning so far
•Recognized a critical need for increased opportunities for
student discourse.
•Focused on the pedagogical shifts required for
3-dimensional science instruction
•Collaborated on use of instructional routines that build
coherence
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
•Refine the scope and sequence, as needed.
•Develop additional instructional units
•Iterate on unit plans following classroom
implementation
•Finalize performance assessment tasks
Purpose
To collaboratively revise the district MS science
curriculum, ensuring rigorous, equitable, and
three-dimensional instruction for all students.
School Committee
Project snapshot: Common Math Assessments, Grade 2-5
Building Coherence.
Work to date (Aug–Dec)
Purpose
To provide actionable data aligned with Illustrative Math
(IM) that drives instructional planning, differentiation, and
targeted interventions or enrichment.
●Established a comprehensive assessment calendar and
communication plan.
●Created common assessments for the October and January
cycles.
●Created IM aligned resources for intervention and
enrichment
●Facilitated workshops to calibrate scoring rubrics for
constructed-response questions.
●Partnered with principals and teachers during Grade-Level
Data Team meetings
What we’re learning so far
●Teachers report that the CMA provides more robust data
for identifying student strengths and needs
●Common scoring rubrics and calibration PD has led to
more cohesive data analysis
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
●Create a common assessment for June
●Revise assessments based on teacher feedback, as
needed
●Continue to support grade-level data team meetings
focused on CMAs
School Committee
Project snapshot: Grade 7 and 8 Math Curriculum Review
Building Belong and Consistency.
Purpose
To select high-quality instructional materials reflective of the RPS
vision for math education
Work to date (Aug–Dec)
●Engaged in professional learning about high-quality
instruction in math
●Reviewed current grade 7&8 math curriculum against
evidence-based practices
●Reviewed program evaluation criteria of EdReports and
Curate
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
●Assess next steps for professional learning for
math teachers to continue and enhance
professional growth
●Create an agreed upon program evaluation
criteria for program evaluation
●Participate in program exploration activities
●Make a recommendation for a math curricular
resource
What we are learning so far
●MS math teachers are seeing the benefit in a
consistent mathematics curricular resource
●MS math teachers believe training and support
will be integral to a successful review and
adoption process
School Committee
Project snapshot: ESL Curriculum Implementation (National Geographic)
Building Belong and Consistency.
Purpose
Year 1 implementation of a new curriculum to teach reading,
writing, speaking and listening in English to multilingual
learner (ML) students.
Work to date (Aug–Dec)
●Teachers received professional development in using
National Geographic materials and aligning to WIDA
Standards
●All ESL teachers are implementing Nat Geo curriculum
and meeting regularly to share experiences and support
internalization of the program routines and expectations
Next steps (Jan–Jun)
●Develop and implement a scorecard to track
growth in speaking
●Map the ELD units for at least 2 text books per
level (elementary, middle, and high school) to
the WIDA standards
What we are learning so far
●Teachers are noticing the units are thematic and
well-structured with consistent components
promote student learning
●Students are engaged and learning is scaffolded
with visuals, songs, games, and language
practice
School Committee
Throughlines that connect every project
This is what makes the work bigger than individual initiatives.
Shared expectations and common language
•Clear definitions of high-quality instruction
•Coherent routines and planning tools
•Consistent student experience across classrooms
•Common unit/lesson planning routines (e.g.,
internalization, pacing, shared planning templates)
Job-embedded teacher learning
•Labs, councils, and collaborative planning cycles
•Outside consultants (ARC, Hill, etc)
•Teacher leadership that scales improvement
•Math instructional coaches
School Committee
Early indicators we are monitoring
Because strong systems show up first in implementation and student experience.
Implementation (adult actions)Student experience (what we see/hear)
•Participation in labs/councils/PL cycles
•Use of shared planning tools and routines
•Consistency of Tier 1 practices (look-fors)
•Timely use of evidence (screeners, tasks, student work)
•Support is targeted based on need
•Students do more thinking, talking, and writing
•Tasks reflect inquiry/sensemaking
•Students can explain learning targets and success criteria
•Student work shows growth over a unit
•Students experience predictable routines and support
Student outcomes (lagging indicators)
•District Common Assessment Data in ELA and Math
•ELA, Math and Science MCAS growth and achievement
Closing message
We are building a coherent instructional system so success is more
likely for every student.
Questions / discussion
To:
From:
Date:
Re:
Reading School Committee
Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent January
20, 2026
Approve the awarding of the David B. Libby Scholarship (A)
During the January 22 School Committee meeting, we will be seeking a vote from the committee to approve
the town to expend the funds ($40,000) from the David B. Libby scholarship. Funds will be provided to 22
seniors in alignment with the scholarship criteria. The David B. Libby Scholarship was established to be used
for qualifying students residing in Reading, MA and graduating from Reading Memorial High School.
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: January 20, 2026
Re: Approve the awarding of the David Savio Law Enforcement Scholarship (A)
During the January 22 School Committee meeting, we will be seeking a vote from the committee to approve
the town to expend the funds ($2,051) from the David Savio Law Enforcement Scholarship. Funds will be
provided to one senior in alignment with the scholarship criteria.
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: January 20, 2026
Re: Approve the awarding of the Arthur L. Spencer Memorial Scholarship (A)
During the January 22 School Committee meeting, we will be seeking a vote from the committee to approve
the town to expend the funds ($400) from the Arthur L. Spencer Scholarship. Funds will be provided to one
senior in alignment with the scholarship criteria.
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
Old Business
Reading Public Schools
School Committee Meeting Packet
January 22, 2026
Reading Public Schools
FY27 Budget
Steady As We Go
FY27 BUDGET
FY27 BUDGET
Level Service
•Non -Personnel: Level Funded*
–Adjust budget lines based on actuals
•Personnel: Level Service
* For the most part
FY27 Budget
Finance Committee’s Budget Guidelines
In October 2025, the Finance Committee voted for a FY27 School Department budget
guideline of 3.14%, over the FY26 Appropriated Budget. The increase amounted to
$1,635,896. Special Education Accommodated Costs were decreased by 7.33%, or
$462,888.The total School Department budget increased from $58,491,591 in FY26, to
$59,664,599 in FY27; an overall increase of 2.01%.
4
FY27 Budget
5
•Operating Funds ($53 ,815 ,771 ):
•An increase of $1 ,635 ,896 over FY26 has been allocated to meet the
increased costs of all contractual obligations,mandated services,and
investments aligned to the district’s strategic plan.
•The district is committed to meeting all contractual obligations outlined in
contracts with all 5 district bargaining units .All five bargaining units
(cafeteria staff,custodians,paraprofessionals,secretaries and teachers)
agreed to new contracts spanning three years,starting in FY25 .
•Special Education Accommodated Costs ($5 ,848 ,828 ):
•A decrease of $462 ,888 from FY26 is allocated to Accommodated Costs,
which includes out -of -district special education expenses.
FY27 Budget
6
FY27 Budget
Summary of FY27 Recommended Budget by
Cost Center Compared with Prior Fiscal Years
FY27 Budget
Proportion of Spending, FY27 Recommended Budget by Cost Center Compared with Prior
Fiscal Years
7
FY27 Budget
8
FTE changes from FY26 to FY27
FY27 Budget
9
Cost Center Percentage to Total Budgets and Expenditures:
Reading Public Schools
Other Funding Sources
10
FY27 Budget
11
Offset Summary
FY27 Budget
12
Offset Summary
FY27 Budget
13
Federal and State Grants
Reading Special Education
“The Rest Of the Story”
14
Special Education Direct Expenditure Trends
15
FY27 Budget
16
FY27 Budget
17
Reading Public Schools
Capital Plan
18
FY27 Budget
19
Contact Information
Copies of the budget document are available at the Office of the Superintendent and on the Reading Public School’s
website at www.reading.k12.ma.us. For additional information or clarification on the Superintendent's FY27
Recommended Budget, please feel free to contact the Central Office Administration for assistance at 781-944-5800.
Also, please reach out directly to the Superintendent or Director of Finance and Operations:
Thomas Milaschewski, Ed.D. Philip Littlehale, CPA
Superintendent of Schools Director of Finance and Operations
781-944-5800 781-670-2880
Thomas.Milaschewski@reading.k12.ma.us Philip.Littlehale@reading.k12.ma.us
School Committee Members
Shawn Brandt, Chairperson
Carla Nazzaro, Vice Chairperson
Thomas Wise, School Committee Member
Sarah McLaughlin, School Committee Member
Erin Gaffen, School Committee Member
Lara Durgavich, School Committee Member
Superintendent of Schools
Thomas Milaschewski, Ed.D.
Reading Public Schools
82 Oakland Road
Reading, Massachusetts
Website: http://reading.k12.ma.us
The Superintendent’s FY27 Recommended Budget 2
District Leadership Team
Central Office Administrators
Sarah Hardy, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent for Learning & Teaching
Philip Littlehale, CPA, Director of Finance and Operations
Michelle Roach, Human Resources Director
Jennifer Stys, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of Student Services
Other District Administrators
Erin Burchill, Humanities Curriculum Coordinator
Julian Carr, Network Manager
Catherine Franzetti, Director of School Nutrition
Kevin Gerstner, Facilities Manager
Mary Giuliana, Director of Health Services
Karen Hall, Multilingual Learner (ML) Department Coordinator
Joseph Huggins, Director of Facilities for Town and School Buildings
Mary Anne Lynn, STEM Curriculum Coordinator
Cindy Marte, METCO Co-Director
Jerika Santiago, METCO Co-Director
Christopher Nelson, Director of Extended Day, Drivers Education, and Adult and Community Education
Alanna Shone, RISE Preschool Director
Allison Wright, Special Education Director
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 3
School Administrators
Reading Memorial High School
Jessica Callanan, Principal
Kadi Buckley, Assistant Principal
James Flynn, Assistant Principal
Jessica Theriault, Assistant Principal
Thomas Zaya, Assistant Principal, Athletics & Extracurricular Activities
A.W. Coolidge Middle School
Sarah Marchant, Principal
Brienne Karow, Assistant Principal
W.S. Parker Middle School
Jill Story, Principal
Beth Simpson, Assistant Principal
Alice Barrows Elementary School
Alissa Gallegos, Principal
Annemarie Ring, Assistant Principal
Birch Meadow Elementary School
Stephen Burnham, Principal
Lisa Azzarito, Assistant Principal
Joshua Eaton Elementary School
Caitlin Shelburne, Principal
Jessica Swindell, Assistant Principal
J.W. Killam Elementary School
Lindsey Fulton, Principal
Talia Hallett, Assistant Principal
Wood End Elementary School
Nicole Schwartz, Principal
Jessica Hester, Assistant Principal
RISE Preschool
Alanna Shone, Director
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 4
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTORY SECTION 6
Superintendent's Message 7
Finance Committee’s Budget Guidelines 8
School Committee’s Budget Guidance & Investment Priorities 8
Mission, Vision, Statement of Equity, and Portrait of a Graduate 8
Budget Development Process and Timeline 9
FY27 Recommended Budget Investments 12
FINANCIAL SECTION 13
The Superintendent's FY27 Recommended Budget by Cost Center 14
Administration Cost Center Summary 18
Regular Day Cost Center Summary 20
Special Education Cost Center Summary 23
School Facilities Cost Center Summary 25
District Wide Programs Summaries (Athletics, Extracurricular, Health Services, Technology) 27
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES 36
Offset Summary 37
Special Revenue Funds 38
Federal and State Grants 40
Five-Year Capital Plan 43
APPENDICES 44
APPENDIX A: Student Enrollment 45
APPENDIX B: Acronyms 51
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 5
INTRODUCTORY SECTION
RMHS DECA students participating in the 2025 State Career Development Conference
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 6
Superintendent’s Message
Dear Reading Community,
As we share the recommended budget for FY27, I would like to begin by expressing our deep appreciation to every
member of our community for the continued support of our schools. Your financial investment, along with the time,
engagement, and advocacy you provide, remains essential to the success of our students. The collective
commitment to public education in Reading is a true strength of our community and I am grateful for the trust and
partnership you consistently demonstrate in support of our schools.
The FY27 budget reflects a level-service approach, with no recommended additions, as we focus on maintaining the
key programs, services, and personnel that support our students each day. We recognize that the overall financial
outlook for our town is tighter in the coming years and the schools will continue to do our part by serving as strong
financial stewards and strategically allocating resources to best support our students and schools. As financial
pressures increase, we remain committed to thinking creatively, as we have over the past several years, to reduce
costs and identify opportunities to increase revenue without negatively impacting services. Similar to last year,
these strategies will be discussed transparently at upcoming budget presentations at School Committee, the
Finance Committee, and Town Meeting.
We are especially proud of the impact the Town’s funding continues to have on our students, as evidenced by
ongoing gains in student achievement and the incredible academic, personal, extracurricular, and community
successes demonstrated by Reading Public Schools (RPS) students. As we look ahead to FY27, our focus remains on
sustaining and building upon the roles, programs, and initiatives implemented over the past several fiscal years to
support strong student outcomes. In the coming weeks, Reading community members will also receive the 2026
RPS Annual Community Report highlighting the impact of these investments.
As always, we remain committed to using resources responsibly and thoughtfully to best serve our students and
schools. With the continued support of the Reading community, we are confident that Reading Public Schools will
continue to provide an environment where students are challenged, supported, and able to thrive both
academically and personally.
In partnership for our students,
Dr. Thomas Milaschewski
Superintendent
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 7
Finance Committee’s Budget Guidelines
In October 2025, the Finance Committee voted for a FY27 School Department budget guideline of 3.14%, over the
FY26 Appropriated Budget. The increase amounted to $1,635,896. Special Education Accommodated Costs were
decreased by 7.33%, or $462,888. The total School Department budget increased from $58,491,591 in FY26, to
$59,664,599 in FY27; an overall increase of 2.01%.
School Committee’s Budget Guidance & Investment Priorities
While presenting a level-service budget, we also aim to provide guidance for future resource planning. Developing a
school district budget that aligns resources with the initiatives outlined in the district ’s strategic plan requires
collaborative discussions on fund allocation. The Reading School Committee provided the following guidance to
support the District’s Leadership Team in shaping the FY27 Recommended Budget and in considering potential
priorities for future planning:
● Preserving classroom resources
● Evaluating METCO funding and adjustment counselor roles
● Emphasizing efficiency and alignment
Mission, Vision, Statement of Equity, and Portrait of a
Graduate
Mission of the Reading Public Schools
Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow.
Vision of the Reading Public Schools
It is the vision of the Reading Public Schools to instill a joy of learning by inspiring, engaging and supporting our
youth to become the innovative leaders of tomorrow. We will accomplish our vision by focusing on a few key
strategic initiatives that lead to a meaningful and relevant curriculum, innovative instructional practices, strong
analysis and thoughtful dialogue about evidence, a collaborative and team approach to learning and teaching, and a
safe and nurturing learning environment. The overall physical and behavioral well-being of our children will be our
top priority, as students will not learn if they are not physically and psychologically safe. Education will truly be the
shared responsibility of both the schools and the community, with families playing active roles in the schools and
being full partners in ensuring the success of their children. In the interest of the entire Reading community, the
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 8
school district and town government shall work cooperatively and collaboratively. As educators and members of our
community, we believe that implementing this vision is our ethical responsibility to the children of the Town of
Reading.
Reading Public Schools’ Statement of Equity
The Reading School Committee, Central Office, Directors, Principals and Leadership of the Teachers’ Association
celebrate the diversity of the Reading Community and beyond by embracing differences to empower every student,
staff member and family of the RPS. We embrace all members of the community no matter where we live, what we
look like, what we believe, what language we speak, who we love, or how we learn, consistent with the human
dignity of all. When we are unwavering in our commitment to equity, we support every student and staff member in
maximizing individual potential. This requires us to identify, analyze, and confront gaps in opportunities and
outcomes for all students.
Reading Memorial High School Portrait of a Graduate
RPS Graduates are leaders of their own learning journey who demonstrate kindness and empathy towards others
and a commitment to wellness. They persevere through challenges, embrace multiple perspectives, and aspire to be
their best selves in the service of others to better our community and our world.
Learn - Grow - Teach - RPS Graduates are critical thinkers and creative problem solvers. They take ownership of their
learning journey and are open to struggle to foster personal growth. They are confident in their beliefs and consider
the thoughts and ideas of others. They embrace collaboration to help teach others and remain curious life-long
learners.
Empathize - Consider Perspectives - Practice Communal Care - RPS Graduates show kindness and empathy towards
others and a commitment to personal wellness and communal care. They are able to persevere through challenges
and demonstrate resilience. They authentically reflect through hearing and understanding the experiences,
perspectives, and needs of people around them. To navigate relationships with generosity and patience, they listen
actively and compassionately.
Engage - Serve - Thrive - RPS Graduates responsibly shape our world through collaboration with their community.
They engage with and communicate multiple perspectives, aspire to be their best selves in the service of others in
order to thrive, and bring their skills and knowledge to action for the benefit of each other and our world.
Budget Development Process
Within the context of the Budget Guidelines established by the Finance Committee and School Committee, the
District’s Mission, Vision, Statement of Equity, and, the Central Office Leadership Team committed to conduct a
productive and effective FY27 Budget Development Process. The approach taken by the district leaders was
foundational to a successful budget process, outlined below:
● Endeavored to create a fiscally responsible budget responsive to stakeholder needs.
● Sought to optimize funding and heighten efficiency with expense-related items.
● Engaged stakeholders, including: district and site leadership, School Committee and the town.
● Ensured that the budget development process was open, collaborative and transparent.
Baseline costs were calculated for personnel and non-personnel accounts to ensure compliance with contractual
and legal mandates. Projected enrollment, class sizes, student needs, and known/anticipated spending trends
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 9
guided the process. The process taken to build the baseline budget involved the following:
● Aligned budgets with employment contracts and negotiated bargaining agreements.
● Calculated costs based on historical spending trends, known service/material rate changes, and anticipated
requirements.
● Evaluated staffing schedules, student groupings, and caseloads based on student enrollment, class size and
student needs.
● Redeployed existing resources, Grants, and Revolving Accounts to support changes in baseline operating
expense and fund investment priorities.
Personnel and non-personnel resources were maximized to make progress toward addressing strategic objectives
include, but were not limited to the following:
Personnel Non-personnel
● Utilized METCO, Department of Public Health, Special
Education and other Grant funding.
● Accounted for savings generated between outgoing /budget
salaries and new incoming staff.
● Considered a multi-year review of past, present, pending,
and projected out of district tuition rates and changes in
placements.
● Reduced/reallocated existing budgets based on historical
spending patterns and anticipated future needs
● Applied School Choice funding.
In summary, the Leadership Team’s approach to the FY27 budget development process was designed to:
● Engage stakeholders in a collaborative process.
● Ensure all contractual and legal obligations will be met.
● Identify spending priorities to support teaching and learning.
● Maximize existing resources through redeployment of existing resources and leveraging all funds.
● Consider enrollment projections, class sizes and teacher to student ratios, and learners’ needs.
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 10
Budget Timeline
The budget cycle is formulated around key dates and touchpoints to have a fully approved budget in place by the
start of the fiscal year.
Date Task Date Task
July-
November
Early
December
● Craft enrollment projections
○ FY27 class sizes, groupings,
staffing ratios
● Work on financial forecasts
○ Examine FY25, FY26
expenditures
○ Anticipated FY27 needs,
investments, sustainability
of request
● Build budgets
○ Personnel & non personnel -
person by person, item by
item
● Collaborate on budget priorities
○ Meeting with all Budget
Managers
○ Meeting student anticipated
needs
○ Maximizing revenues across
program/level
● Evaluate budget requests
○ Solicit feedback on
necessary FY27 investments
○ Prioritize, align with district
strategic objectives,
determine cost and
rationale for request
● Examine budget data, site/district
○ Personnel: person, position,
step, degree, stipend,
retirement, vacancy
○ Scheduling:
teachers/paraprofessionals
evaluated on effectiveness,
student need
○ Non-personnel: data
examined by line item,
description, expenditure
trend, projected use
Late
December
January
February
April-May
● Finalize budget priorities and requests
● Finalize/publish Superintendent’s
Recommended FY27 Budget Book
● January 8, 2026
○ School Committee Budget Night
○ Q&A on Cost Center Presentations
● January 22, 2026
○ FY27 Public Hearing
● January 27, 2026
○ Questions and Responses published
● January 29, 2026
○ School Committee vote on the
Superintendent ’s Recommended FY27
Budget
● January 30, 2026
○ Publish School Committee’s
Recommended FY27 Budget Book
○ School Committee’s FY27 Budget
submitted to the Town Manager
● February 25, 2026
○ School Committee FY27 Budget
Presentation to Finance Committee
● Town Meeting Vote on FY27 Budget
○ April 27, April 30, May 4, & May 7
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 11
FY27 Recommended Budget Investments
At this time, the proposed budget maintains existing programs and services and does not include additional
initiatives or positions.
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 12
FINANCIAL SECTION
Barrows fourth grader Reagan Reardon’s traditional tale, Henrietta, published by American Reading Company (ARC)
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 13
FINANCIAL SECTION
In summary, the FY27 Budget is defined into the following sections:
● Operating Funds ($53,815,771):
○ An increase of $1,635,896 over FY26 has been allocated to meet the increased costs of all
contractual obligations, mandated services, and investments aligned to the district ’s strategic plan.
○ The district is committed to meeting all contractual obligations outlined in contracts with all 5
district bargaining units. All five bargaining units (cafeteria staff, custodians, paraprofessionals,
secretaries and teachers) agreed to new contracts spanning three years, starting in FY25.
● Special Education Accommodated Costs ($5,848,828):
○ A decrease of $462,888 from FY26 is allocated to Accommodated Costs, which includes
out-of-district special education expenses.
The leadership team used financial, staffing and student outcome data to identify trends, analyze resource
allocations, and make strategic decisions. In addition to contractual obligations and mandated services, spending
trends and projected student needs were factored into the allocation of funds when developing the FY27
Recommended Budget. In the section to follow, the district’s finances are summarized and detailed by the Cost
Center. The following information can be found within each subsection:
1. Summary of FY27 Recommended Budget by Cost Center Compared with Prior Fiscal Years
2. A chart summarizing the Cost Center expenses by category, expressed as a percentage
3. A table summarizing the Cost Center compared with prior fiscal years
4. Detailed information for the FY26 Appropriated and FY27 Recommended Budgets by org and object codes,
in comparison with actual expenditures for FY23, FY24 and FY25, for each Cost Center
The Superintendent's FY27 Recommended Budget by Cost Center
During the current fiscal year, the administration is authorized to transfer funds within any Cost Center. The transfer
of funds between Cost Centers occurs when a recommendation is made and substantiated by the District Finance
Director at the time of the quarterly financial report presentations. The School Committee must approve the
transfer through a majority vote.
The table below provides a comparison of the dollar amounts of the recommended budget as compared with prior
fiscal years. The actual expended amounts for FY23, FY24, FY25, the Appropriated FY26 Budget and the
Superintendent’s FY27 Recommended Budget are noted. The totals are separated by eight Cost Centers:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 14
Administration, Regular Day, Special Education, School Facilities, Athletics, Extracurricular, Health Services, and
Technology. The table below also provides the percentage change between the FY27 Recommended Budget and the
FY26 Appropriated Budget by Cost Center:
Summary of FY27 Recommended Budget by Cost Center Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
Proportion of Spending, FY27 Recommended Budget by Cost Center Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 15
The pie chart below provides a visual representation of expenditures attributed to each Cost Center in the
Superintendent’s FY27 Recommended Budget.
Cost Center Percentage to Total Budgets and Expenditures:
In the table below, personnel and non-personnel actual expenditures are reflected for FY23 through FY25, the FY26
Appropriated Budget and the FY27 Recommended Budget. Budgets have the following makeup:
● Personnel: professional salaries, clerical salaries, and other salaries (i.e. paraprofessionals and substitutes)
● Non-personnel: contracted services, supplies and materials and other expenses categories (i.e. dues,
memberships, professional development, technology and equipment)
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 16
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
FTE changes from FY26 to FY27:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 17
Administration Cost Center Summary
FY26 Appropriated Budget: $1,447,959
FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget: $1,503,723
% Change: 3.85%
Primary Function: The Administration Cost Center includes the salaries and expenses for Central Office and some
District-wide administration which includes the following primary functions: School Committee, Superintendent,
Assistant Superintendent, Business and Finance, Human Resources, and District-wide Data and Information
Management. The Administration Cost Center currently accounts for 2.52% of the total district budget. The FY27
Recommended Budget for the Administration Cost Center summary follows, with a comparison provided for
previous years. A 0% change indicates the budget for that line was “level funded” providing the same funding as in
the previous year.
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
The pie chart below shows the components of the Administration budget by percentage.
Cost Center (Administration) Percentage to Total Budgets and Expenditures:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 18
Budget Detail, Administration Cost Center:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 19
Regular Day Cost Center Summary
FY26 Appropriated Budget: $33,615,465
FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget: $34,987,057
% Change: 4.08%
Primary Function: The Regular Day Cost Center encompasses all personnel and non-personnel expenses related to
delivering core, general education instructional programs to our students. Personnel costs for school principals,
instructional and support staff, as well as non-personnel costs related to curriculum materials; professional
development; instructional materials, supplies, and equipment; instructional technology; library materials and
technology; and other instructional services are captured in this Cost Center budget. The Regular Day Cost Center
budget accounts for 58.64% of the total Superintendent's FY27 Recommended Budget. The FY27 Recommended
Budget for the Regular Day Cost Center summary is as follows, with a comparison provided for previous years.
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
Cost Center (Regular Day) Percentage to Total Budgets and Expenditures:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 20
Budget Detail, Regular Day Cost Center:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 21
Budget Detail, Regular Day Cost Center (continued):
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 22
Special Education Cost Center Summary
FY26 Appropriated Budget: $19,191,231
FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget: $18,552,731
% Change: -3.33%
Primary Function: The Special Education Cost Center encompasses all personnel and non-personnel expenses
necessary to deliver special education and related services to students in our school community. As mandated by
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we
strive to provide programs and services to allow our students with disabilities to be educated in the least restrictive
environment that enables them to make effective progress. The Special Education Cost Center makes up 31.10% of
the Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget.
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
Cost Center (Special Education) Percentage to Total Budget and Expenditures:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 23
Budget Detail, Special Education Cost Center:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 24
Budget Detail, Special Education Cost Center (continued):
School Facilities Cost Center Summary
FY26 Appropriated Budget: $1,585,460
FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget: $1,778,406
% Change: 12.17%
Primary Function: The Town of Reading’s Facilities Department supports the Reading Public Schools. The School
Building Facilities budget funds the salaries and expenses necessary to clean and maintain our eight school
buildings, preschool program, and central office spaces, which makes up 85% of the square feet of all municipal
buildings, or a total of 935,000 square feet. The Facilities Department also provides the necessary services to
facilitate building use for internal and external users. The School Building Facilities budget accounts for 2.98% of the
Superintendent’s FY27 Recommended Budget.
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 25
Cost Center (School Facilities) Percentage to Total Budget and Expenditures:
Budget Detail, School Facilities Cost Center:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 26
Athletics Cost Center Summary
FY26 Appropriated Budget: $811,079
FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget: $817,590
% Change: 0.80%
Primary Function: The Athletics program budget funds the salaries and expenses necessary to operate the High
School athletics program. The Athletics budget accounts for 1.37% of the Superintendent’s FY27
Recommended Budget.
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
Cost Center (Athletics) Percentage to Total Budget and Expenditures:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 27
Budget Detail, Athletics Cost Center:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 28
Student Participation in Athletics:
Note: “*” depicts sports that have not had their season yet.
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 29
Extracurricular Cost Center Summary
FY26 Appropriated Budget: $85,801
FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget: $92,503
% Change: 7.81%
Primary Function: The Extracurricular Activities Program budget funds the salaries, stipends, and a small portion of
the expenses necessary to offer extracurricular activities at the high school. The Extracurricular budget accounts for
0.16% of the Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget.
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
Cost Center (Extracurricular) Percentage to Total Budget and Expenditures:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 30
Budget Detail, Extracurricular Cost Center:
Student Participation in Extracurriculars:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 31
Health Services Cost Center Summary
FY26 Appropriated Budget: $1,042,252
FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget: $1,129,296
% Change: 8.35%
Primary Function: The Health Services budget pays for the salaries and expenses for servicing the daily medical
needs of the district’s student population. School nurses provide mandated health screenings, illness assessments,
first aid, daily medication and treatments, and support of students with chronic health issues including allergies,
asthma, diabetes, and gastrointestinal, autoimmune, and neurological disorders. We communicate with families
and providers to develop and maintain accommodation plans and individualized student health care plans to
support medical needs at school. The Health Services budget accounts for 1.89% of the Superintendent’s FY27
Recommended Budget.
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
Cost Center (Health Services) Percentage to Total Budget and Expenditures:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 32
Budget Detail, Health Services Cost Center:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 33
Technology Cost Center Summary
FY26 Appropriated Budget: $712,344
FY27 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget: $803,294
% Change: 12.77%
Primary Function: The Districtwide Networking and Technology Maintenance budget funds the salaries and
expenses required to operate and maintain our technology infrastructure including our wide area network, wireless
networks, servers, computer hardware and peripheral devices, clocks and bells systems and telecommunications
equipment. The Technology budget accounts for 1.35% of the Superintendent’s FY27 Recommended Budget.
FY27 Recommended Budget by Categories of Spending Compared with Prior Fiscal Years:
Cost Center (Technology) Percentage to Total Budget and Expenditures:
The Superintendent’s FY27 Recommended Budget 34
Budget Detail, Technology Cost Center:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 35
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
RMHS Football takes the field at Fenway Park for the 2024 Thanksgiving Day game
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 36
Offset Summary
Several fee-based Special Revenue Funds have been allocated to offset direct and indirect costs of the operating
budget. In the charts below, the reader will find a summary of current year and FY27 Recommended Budget Offsets
by Special Revenue Fund compared with FY26’s Appropriated Budget and the allocation of FY27 Recommended
Offsets by Cost Center:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 37
Special Revenue Funds
The district maintains thirty-four separate special revenue funds that were created and are required to be
maintained in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws and Department of Revenue Division of Local Service’s
guidance for Costing Municipal Services. Special Revenue Funds are established to dedicate a specific source of
revenue from fees or charges to pay expenses associated with providing the services for which the payment was
made. Special Revenue Funds also consist of donation accounts. The sources of revenue for these funds vary by the
nature of the fund and includes sales of meals, participation fees, user fees, ticket sales, donations, and tuition. The
type of expenditure for the funds also varies by the nature of the fund and include salaries, supplies and materials,
technology, contracted services, software licenses and other expenses. The FY25 and FY26 beginning year balances
are provided in the table below with the calculated FY25 Gain/Loss:
Special Revenue Funds
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 38
A description of each category of the district ’s special revenue funds is outlined below:
● Athletics: Fees are paid by families for students’ participation in athletics.
● Community Education, Drivers Education, Summer Programs: Fees are paid by families for students to
participate in drivers’ education and summer programs. Fees paid by individuals for participation in
Community Education events and courses.
● Drama and Band: Fees are paid by families for students’ participation in after school drama and bands
programs.
● Extended Day: Fees are paid by families for students to participate in extended day programs before and
after-school.
● Extracurricular Activities: Fees are paid by families for students to participate in afterschool band and fine
and performing arts activities.
● Full-Day Kindergarten: Fees are paid by families for enrollment in the Full-Day Kindergarten program.
● Guidance: Fees are paid by families for students to take PSAT, SAT and AP tests.
● RISE Preschool: Fees are paid by families for enrollment in the RISE preschool program.
● Special Education Tuition: Fees paid by another public school district for students to attend special
education programs in Reading.
● School Choice: Allows families to enroll their children in schools in communities other than the city or town
in which they reside. Tuition is paid by the sending district to the receiving district.
● School Lunch: Revenues are generated through state and federal reimbursements and lunch-time a la carte
sales.
● Transportation: Fees are paid by families for students to ride existing bus routes, based on seats available.
● Use of School Property: Some community organizations which use school facilities pay a fee for space
and/or custodial coverage.
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 39
● Lost Books/Tech: Fees are collected and used to replace lost or damaged books and technology devices.
● Gifts/Donations: Restricted donations for specific purposes and unrestricted donations for general use are
made to the School Committee for approval and acceptance in accordance with School Committee Policy
● Special Education Reserve Fund: Fund is used for unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of Special Education,
Recovery High School programs, Out-of-district tuition, and Out-of-district transportation
Federal and State Grants
In addition to the Operating and Special Revenue Funds, our district is supported in FY26 by state, federal, and
private grants. Grant expenditures are tracked monthly and reviewed periodically with grant coordinators. A list of
the grants, descriptions, and award amounts are provided below compared with prior year awards. Grants are
approved by the School Committee as funding is awarded. The FY26 Quarter 2 balances for each grant awarded
between FY25 and FY26 are provided in the table below:
Descriptions and acceptable uses of each State and Federal grant follows below:
State Grants:
● METCO: The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity is a state funded, voluntary educational
desegregation program designed to eliminate racial imbalance through the busing of children from Boston,
MA and Springfield, MA to suburban public schools in thirty-eight communities. These funds pay for
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 40
program coordination, transportation, instructional services, and community engagement related to Boston
resident students attending Reading Public Schools through participation in the METCO program.
● METCO BBI: The METCO Boston Bridges Initiative grant was awarded to support three Reading METCO
program activities. The grant specifically funded our Roller World event in March 2025, along with funding
our Boston Bowling event and Salsa night, both in October 2025.
● Department of Public Health: Provides for mandated screenings, professional development, and substitute
coverage for nurses.
● Financial Education Innovation Fund: Provides for supplies and materials for the Credit for Life Fair for all
RMHS grade 11 students.
● English Learner Education Support: Provides for new curriculum materials and professional development to
meet curricular objectives and ensure alignment with WIDA and content standards.
● Genocide Education: Provides for new curriculum materials and professional development to establish a
consistent, research-based approach to genocide education within the context of the social studies scope
and sequence, equip students with critical thinking skills to combat prejudice, and align with Chapter 98 of
the Acts of 2021 concerning genocide education.
● Innovation Career Pathways Support: Designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific
high-demand industry, such as information technology, engineering, healthcare, life sciences and advanced
manufacturing. Also, to create strong partnerships with employers in order to expose students to career
options and help them develop knowledge and skills related to their chosen field of study before they
graduate high school.
● Innovation Career Pathways Planning: Provides for additional staff work completed outside of their
traditional job responsibilities in the development and planning of the new pathway, as well as covering
costs for necessary professional development, material creation, and community engagement.
● MyCAP: Provide supplementary support to school districts currently engaged in or interested in beginning
implementation of My Career and Academic Plan. MyCAP is a student-driven process designed to ensure all
students graduate from high school college and career ready. The MyCAP process requires schools to create
a scope and sequence to implement MyCAP. And the grant provides planning team members the
supplementary support necessary to attend professional development and team meetings outside-of-
school hours.
● Fair Share Earmark- DW Technology Equipment: Provides for materials, equipment and capital
improvements for Public Schools in the town of Reading. The funds will be used to refresh our aging
devices (over five years old) with new, individualized computers for our students.
● Skills Capital Technology & Equipment: Provides for instructional materials to enhance hands-on learning
opportunities and upgrade equipment and technology, further developing the Clean Energy Innovation
Career Pathway program at RMHS.
● RMHS Equipment Earmark: Provides for instructional materials that provide direct support to the high
school arts and science departments, both of which are deeply engaged in the DESE Innovation Career
Pathways programs in the areas of Information – Digital Media, Advanced Manufacturing – Engineering,
Healthcare and Social Assistance – Public Health, and Clean Energy.
Federal Grants:
● Title I A&D: Assists schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to
help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. These funds are allocated to
paraprofessional and extended school year instructional services.
● Title II A: Provides supplemental resources to school districts to support systems of support for excellent
teaching and learning. The priorities of Title IIA are to: increase student achievement consistent with the
challenging State academic standards; improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 41
other school leaders; Increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are
effective in improving student academic achievement in schools; and provide low-income and minority
students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders. These funds are allocated
to provide professional development for teachers.
● Title III A: Provides supplemental resources to ensure that Multilingual learners (MLs) attain English
proficiency and meet state academic standards. Title III funds are allocated to support language instruction
programs that strengthen effective teaching and learning, professional development for educators to
enhance instruction for MLs, and family and community engagement initiatives that help parents and
guardians participate more fully in their children’s education.
● Title IV A: Ensures that all students have access to a high-quality educational experience. The priorities of
Title IV are to: support well-rounded educational opportunities; support safe and healthy students; and
support effective use of technology. These funds pay for technology integration activities and materials for
teachers and classrooms.
● IDEA 240: Provides appropriate special education services for eligible students and to maintain state/local
effort in special education. These funds pay for special education paras, BCBA, and professional
development.
● IDEA 262: Ensures that eligible 3, 4, and 5-year-old children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate
public education that includes special education and related services designed to meet their individual
needs in the least restrictive environment. These funds pay for early childhood instruction and professional
development.
● IDEA IEP (Part B): Support schools and districts to implement the IEP improvement project, with an
emphasis on transitioning to the utilization of the newly revised forms and process.
● Project Bread Summer Eats: Supported the expansion of our Summer Meal program to include two
additional meal sites this past summer, helping us reach more students in need. Funds were used to cover
the cost of additional staff and supplies (both food and paper goods) needed to operate these new sites and
ensure that more children have access to nutritious meals when school is out.
● Computer Science Professional Development: Support Massachusetts public school teachers in learning
Computer Science content. Funds were used to attend a summer Professional Learning workshop run by
DESE’s CS professional development provider CSforMA.
● Work-based Learning Implementation: Provides support to build capacity within our Guidance Department
to integrate and utilize the MEFA Pathway portal effectively, thereby supporting our robust internship
program and enhancing student reflection and career planning. Funds will support the creation of a
seamless, data-driven approach to career exploration and Work-Based Learning, significantly increasing the
depth and quality of experiences for our students.
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 42
Five-Year Capital Plan
A Capital Project is a project that helps maintain or improve a Town asset. It is a new construction, expansion,
renovation, or replacement project for an existing facility or facilities. Typically, the project will have a total cost of at
least $10,000 and a life span of five or more years. Provided below is a five-year capital project plan for the school
district:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 43
APPENDICES
RMHS Drama Club’s Winter 2025 presentation of An Unoriginal Original
The Superintendent’s FY27 Recommended Budget 44
APPENDIX A: Student Enrollment
Student Enrollment
On October 1 of each year, Reading Public Schools are required to record, verify, and report the total number of
students enrolled by grade to DESE. DESE and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts use October 1 enrollment to
calculate Foundation Enrollment and Chapter 70 Funding. October 1 enrollment is also used by the district ’s
administration to project class sizes and to identify trends in enrollment for subsequent years, which forms the
baseline upon which the district’s personnel and non-personnel operating budget is developed. The reported
October 1 enrollment can be found below:
October 1st enrollment represented a decrease of 60 students compared to projected enrollment. These figures are
being compared to FY25 numbers reported to the School Committee on November 7, 2024. Projections are made
by rolling each grade level up to the next school year. For example, actual fifth-grade enrollment of 345 students led
us to project 345 sixth-grade students at Coolidge and Parker.
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 45
Schools that saw an increase in enrollment over projections include Birch Meadow (+2%, 8 students), Joshua Eaton
(+2%, 8 students), Wood End (+3%, 6 students), Coolidge (+0%, 1 student), and Parker (+1%, 6 students). While
these schools experienced increases, overall projected enrollment is down by 2% (60 students). A few factors
contribute to this:
1. RISE Enrollment – Enrollment in the RISE Preschool program is difficult to project because a specific number
of seats are reserved for students receiving special education services, while the remaining seats are for
tuition-paying students. Currently, all tuition-based spots are filled, and we have seats available for students
enrolling for special education services, which we are required to maintain. We believe the slight drop in
overall enrollment is due to a large group of students who moved on to kindergarten for the 2025–2026
school year. We continue to project 120 students annually, which has remained consistent over the last
several enrollment cycles. We anticipate these numbers will increase as the year moves forward and
students become eligible.
2. Kindergarten Enrollment – The projection for FY26 kindergarten enrollment was higher than recent trends
have supported. Although projections were based on the town census and students who delayed
enrollment from the previous year, actual kindergarten enrollment came in 36 students below projection.
As discussed during the spring School Committee meetings, we prepared for the higher enrollment, but
anticipated it would come in lower than projections.
3. Overall Impact – The enrollment shortfall in RISE and kindergarten accounts for a decrease of
approximately 57 projected students. However, when comparing FY26 actuals to FY25 actuals, the district is
up 20 students overall.
Second and sixth grades continue to have larger cohorts, which we will monitor as student movement occurs
throughout the year.
The category with the largest increase was School Choice enrollment, which rose from 51 students last year to 77
this year (+26 students). We continue to see high interest in the program from staff and surrounding districts, with
15 families already inquiring about the lottery process for the 2026–2027 school year.
Boston resident enrollment decreased by two students, special education enrollment decreased by 106 students,
and Multi-Lingual Learner enrollment decreased by 17 students. The special education decrease is due to a data
cleanup that resolved an issue where systems were not accurately communicating, causing students who were no
longer eligible for services to be included. This cleanup does not impact student services; it simply corrected
previously inflated reporting numbers. The Multi-Lingual Learner decrease is mostly due to 16 students passing the
ACCESS testing meaning they are still enrolled with Reading Public Schools, but have exited the program.
The tables below note our official October 1st student enrollments by grade for Special Education, School Choice,
Multi-Lingual Learners and Boston Residents:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 46
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 47
Additional Student Enrollment Data:
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 48
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 49
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 50
APPENDIX B: Acronyms
This section contains some of the acronyms in the Budget Book
● Adj: Adjustment
● ATS: Add to staff
● BCBA: Board Certified Behavioral Analyst
● DESE: Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA)
● DPH: Department of Public Health
● DTS: Decrease to staff
● EMBARC: Education Meaningful Inclusion, Becoming Independent, Advocacy, Relaxation, and Leisure
Activities Community Integration
● ESL: English As a Second Language
● FDK: Full Day Kindergarten
● FTE: Full Time Equivalent
● IDEA: Individuals with DIsabilities Education Act
● IEP: Individualized Education Plan
● LEAD: Language, Executive Functioning, Academics, Determination
● LIFT: Living, Independence, Functional, Transition
● METCO: Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity
● ML: Multilingual Learners
● OOD: Out Of District - refers to students being placed outside of RPS
● REACH: Resiliency, Executive Functioning, Academics, Coping Strategies, Habits of Mind
● RISE: Reading, Integrated School Experience (Preschool Program)
● RPS: Reading Public Schools
● RMHS: Reading Memorial High School
● SAIL: Strategies to Support Academics, Independence, and Life Skills
● SEL: Social Emotional Learning
● SEPAC: Special Education Parent Advisory Council
● SOAR: Social Skills Organizational Skills Academics in Real World Situations
● WIDA: World-Class Instructional Design & Assessment for Multilingual Learner (ML)
The Superintendent ’s FY27 Recommended Budget 51
Administrative Offices
82 Oakland Road
Reading, MA 01867
781 944-5800
READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Shawn Brandt Chair
Carla Nazzaro Vice-Chair
Lara Durgavich
Erin Gaffen
Sarah McLaughlin
Thomas Wise
Thomas Milaschewski, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
TO: Reading School Committee
FROM: Shawn Brandt, Reading School Committee Chair
DATE: January 21, 2026
TOPIC: Discuss Superintendent Search Updates and Approve Revised Timeline (A)
At our January 22nd meeting, we will review and seek approval of the revised timeline for the superintendent search
and share an update on the search process.
READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Proposed Superintendent Search Timeline
(Subject to School Committee Approval)
January 22nd School Committee meeting to:
● Confirm timeline
● Review draft of role description, qualifications and selection criteria
January 29th School Committee meeting to:
● Review focus group and survey responses
● Approve role description, qualifications and selection criteria
● Approve screening committee membership
February 2nd – March 1st Opening is posted
Feb 24th 4-5 PM Orient Screening Committee (Zoom)
March 1st Application closes – applicant info distributed to Screening Committee
March 4th 7-9 PM Screening Committee meeting to choose semi-finalists and prepare for inter views
(Zoom)
March 7th Screening Committee deadline to submit proposed questions for interviews (via
email)
March 9th – 18th Screening Committee meets to interview semi-finalists, and deliberate.
March 19th Screening Committee presents a list of finalists to the School
Committee to approve. Screening Committee is discharged.
March 23rd – April 3rd School Committee visits to finalists’ districts
(target completion for March 30th if possible to enable April 2nd vote)
March 23rd – April 3rd Finalists visits to Reading and interviews
(target completion for March 30th if possible to enable April 2nd vote)
April 2nd or 6th School Committee votes to appoint Superintendent
July 1, 2026 Superintendent begins tenure
Correspondence
Reading Public Schools
School Committee Meeting Packet
January 22, 2026
Outlook
RE: Student Safety Concerns During Icy Conditions at Barrows Elementary
From Milaschewski, Thomas <Thomas.Milaschewski@reading.k12.ma.us>
Date Fri 1/9/2026 9:09 AM
To Alanna B <alanna.romano@gmail.com>
Cc DG School Committee <SchoolCommittee@reading.k12.ma.us>; Gallegos, Alissa <Alissa.Gallegos@reading.k12.ma.us>; Cole, Christopher <ccole@readingma.gov>; Kraunelis,
Matthew <mkraunelis@readingma.gov>
Hi Alanna,
Thanks so much for this follow up note. Please let me know if you’d like to discuss in more detail after you have the chance to connect with the Town and DPW. I
will also keep you informed if there are any changes in guidelines/protocols for the remainder of the winter.
I appreciate your engagement on this,
Tom
From: Alanna B <alanna.romano@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 8, 2026 7:35 AM
To: Milaschewski, Thomas <Thomas.Milaschewski@reading.k12.ma.us>
Cc: DG School Committee <SchoolCommittee@reading.k12.ma.us>; Gallegos, Alissa <Alissa.Gallegos@reading.k12.ma.us>; Cole, Christopher <ccole@readingma.gov>;
Kraunelis, Matthew <mkraunelis@readingma.gov>
Subject: Re: Student Safety Concerns During Icy Conditions at Barrows Elementary
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.
Hi Dr. Milaschewski,
Thank you for taking the time to respond so thoughtfully and for providing this additional context. I truly appreciate how seriously you and the team
have taken this concern and the effort being made to address it proactively.
I recognize that the DPW's policies are outside of the school district's control. I would like to better understand the role DPW plays in maintaining
sidewalks that serve as primary access points for students, and to better understand the policy around not laying down salt/sand on school access
sidewalks. I do intend to follow up with the contacts you provided - thank you for making that connection. I appreciate that the school team is making
every effort on their end to work within these policies to keep students safe, and appreciate the efforts to reconsider drop-off procedures and place
additional salt/sand barrels. That being said, I do have concerns about the extra burden this puts on our already hard-working school staff. There
also would need to be communication with and buy-in from families to ensure they are aware of this and can budget extra morning time to sand/salt
what I understand to be town property.
Thank you again for your responsiveness and for the continued focus on student and family safety.
Sincerely,
Alanna
On Thu, Jan 8, 2026 at 6:31 AM Milaschewski, Thomas <Thomas.Milaschewski@reading.k12.ma.us> wrote:
Hi Alanna,
Thanks for reaching out with your questions, feedback, and concerns. I am constantly in communication and collaboration with our Facilities, DPW, Town
Leaders, and school leaders to assess our winter weather protocols and to try to resolve issues as best as we can. I have shared your feedback with this
group as we debriefed yesterday and are preparing for upcoming winter weather. As we continue to prepare for what’s ahead, I wanted to share some
important context:
As you may know, per their guidelines, DPW does not treat sidewalks with sand or salt (see their guidelines here, specifically the “Sidewalk Plowing”
section). Therefore, this makes the sidewalk area you reference a bit tricky. I am CCing Reading’s DPW Director (Chris Cole) and Town Manager (Matt
Kraunelis) in case you have questions around these guidelines.
DPW has placed several blue barrels around each school campus filled with a salt/sand mixture. DPW will ensure that there are atleast 4 barrels
available to staff/families at Barrows starting this morning – one towards the bottom of Edgemont, one towards the middle of Edgemont, one near the
main school entrance, and one closer towards the back playground. The intent of these barrels is for families/community members to have access to
this mixture to spread in areas that may look concerning that DPW isn’t treating.
Given this DPW policy, delaying the start of school until all sidewalks utilized for student arrival are cleared would certainly lead to increased school
closures. While we are trying to do everything we can to get school areas as safe as possible, we are also mindful that we do not want our students
missing time on learning and recognize the burden that school closures/delays place on so many of our families.
Many of our schools have rolling drop-off opportunities and could also make additional adjustments in inclement weather. Each of our schools have
different procedures and structures so these are all school-based decisions (for example, what may work at Barrows may be different than what would be
possible/best at JE). Principal Gallegos had thoughts on this regarding Barrows, so I’d encourage you to check in with her to discuss in more detail.
As I shared, I will continue to work through all of this with the various town/school departments as we move forward in the winter season. We certainly want to
do everything we can to keep our students and families safe. Let me know if you have any questions on this or want to discuss in more detail.
As always, I really appreciate you reaching out with this feedback.
Best,
Tom
From: Alanna Romano <alanna.romano@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 11:28 AM
To: Milaschewski, Thomas <Thomas.Milaschewski@reading.k12.ma.us>; DG School Committee <SchoolCommittee@reading.k12.ma.us>
Cc: Gallegos, Alissa <Alissa.Gallegos@reading.k12.ma.us>
Subject: Student Safety Concerns During Icy Conditions at Barrows Elementary
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 Superintendent Milaschewski and Members of the School Committee,
I am writing to express my serious concern regarding student safety related to sidewalk conditions and drop-off procedures at Barrows
Elementary School this morning, January 7, 2026. While I am currently a parent at Barrows, I have also heard from families at other elementary
schools who share the concerns outlined below.
Attached are photos of the sidewalks surrounding Barrows Elementary, taken at approximately 9:45 a.m. While the sidewalks directly in front of
the school building were appropriately treated and cleared by that time, the side street sidewalks immediately surrounding the school remained
extremely hazardous. These icy conditions posed a significant risk to students and families arriving at school.
Unfortunately, these unsafe sidewalks could not be avoided due to the existing drop-off procedures at Barrows. Parents are required to park on
surrounding side streets and walk children to their classrooms if they are in kindergarten or first grade. As you can imagine, our youngest students
are especially vulnerable to falls on ice. Many families are also navigating these conditions with younger siblings and strollers, further increasing
the risk of injury.
The combination of hazardous sidewalk conditions and required drop-off procedures this morning put families at unnecessary risk and raises
serious concerns about how student safety is being managed during winter weather events.
I respectfully urge the district, town, and school leadership to review current procedures for ensuring safety during icy conditions and to consider
additional precautions, such as:
Delaying the start of school until all sidewalks utilized for student arrival, not only those directly in front of the building, can be safely cleared
Adjusting drop-off procedures during hazardous weather, for example implementing a rolling drop-off at the gym/cafeteria entrance for all
students at tiered times
Reallocating town resources, if needed, to ensure sufficient staffing and materials are available to safely clear sidewalks in a timely manner
I have the utmost confidence that the leadership team at Barrows is deeply committed to student safety. However, this situation appears to require
coordinated involvement from multiple departments and decision-makers within the district and town to ensure that safety concerns are
adequately addressed.
Student safety must remain the highest priority. I would appreciate learning what steps will be taken to review these concerns and prevent similar
risks in the future. Thank you for your time and attention, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Alanna Bunzel