[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6345886,"mediaKeyId","2248005-dc000f5de6a090dbdfc568291fa3d24c","parentId",2248005,"title","Duxbury Middle School teachers report higher engagement, more planning time needed after year-one switch to Illustrative Mathematics","audioSeconds",672,"startMs",2759840,"endMs",3432630,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248005-dc000f5de6a090dbdfc568291fa3d24c&start=2759&end=3432","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248005-dc000f5de6a090dbdfc568291fa3d24c/thumbnail_2759840.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6345886/Massachusetts/Duxbury-Middle-School-teachers-report-higher-engagement-more-planning-time-needed-after-year-one-switch-to-Illustrative-Mathematics","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345886-a0a607ba591c9d058a857de501b76761/orig.mp4?Expires=1775129787&Signature=bXXyUtT8cJ4HcJMPuOSsw4mUA1-QT-6~6ROchE1PyF7HZiLHU3rjVRsu4r5D0NtxTLu50UwYlfZhupA7-ZbRpy6FzccQv4nYs8M4MWWm8Ejf0N3HOeX-iwkm1RloZYmeb0c2tOS6Sq3T9F92q3nHJmqnSz7oxe9jzWBQQoQ9F~jONka8HbR5M8bSzkaVlMuv0GbAO2HTP~pz-rXym9HtmktMFWONaCmmpH~LOGCrGnqXwTzMpox8BTC7nyH0EvGm-2oQFO-MMLJekezo3EjouLZxrg8OvBfZ3gbuZWJRkvByH~tr2A0zEI5s~vRFn7jfzutILqAN1Mp2bf3yTO0Q9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Duxbury Public Schools, MA","date","2025-02-06T02:16:01Z","article","Duxbury Public Schools received a midyear update on the first year of implementing the Illustrative Mathematics (IM) curriculum at Duxbury Middle School, where teachers said the program has increased student talk and strategic thinking but requires more planning time and targeted supports for students with language and reading disabilities.

The presentation to the Duxbury Public Schools School Committee described IM as “a research‑backed, student‑centered curriculum” that emphasizes problem‑based learning, collaborative student discourse and conceptual understanding rather than teacher‑led procedures. Dan Whelan, a Duxbury Middle School teacher who helped lead the update, said the work requires teachers to “anticipat[e] what strategies students might use,” and described planning as “a little more like improv. But you do have to go in for sure with a plan.”

Teachers and special‑education staff told the committee that the curriculum has produced more student engagement and peer discussion. “Students that would probably try to, like, skate by through a math class without saying a word are now encouraged to talk,” a middle‑school teacher said during the presentation, adding that student‑led strategy sharing has become routine in many lessons.

At the same time, staff described operational and instructional challenges. A teacher who identified themself as a special‑education instructor said IM is “language heavy” and that the increased academic language has created additional barriers for students with reading or language disabilities. To respond, teachers reported embedding audio into assessments, adding sentence frames and taped model responses to student workbooks, and using manipulatives or graphic organizers. They also said some lessons provide only a small number of practice problems and that teachers are supplementing with digital practice tools such as DeltaMath and Desmos to provide the repetition some students need.

Teacher presenters described the deeper classroom routines IM requires: anticipating student strategies, selecting student work to highlight, facilitating synthesis discussions, and supporting productive struggle so students work through problems instead of being shown procedures. “He or she who talks the most learns the most,” one teacher said, summarizing the instructional aim of the program.

District leaders told the committee that professional development and coaching have been a priority and will continue. The committee heard that some grant funding supported initial implementation and that the district is exploring additional funding sources to sustain training and materials. Administrators also said they are piloting some IM practices at the high school and that a small number of high‑school teachers have begun using open IM resources; the district will evaluate whether a formal high‑school adoption is feasible in future years.

Committee members asked about family communication and homework. Teachers said unit‑level family letters and a family support hub exist and that teachers also send classroom‑level communications; presenters acknowledged that survey response rates from families were limited and said they will continue outreach.

The committee did not vote on curriculum changes at the meeting. District leaders said they will continue two‑year-plus supports for teachers, conduct walk‑throughs to strengthen grade‑level transitions (notably fifth to sixth grade), and monitor student data as implementation continues.

An extended teacher presentation and Q&A followed committee remarks; staff said they expect the instructional shifts to be iterative and to require sustained coaching over multiple years.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Duxbury Public Schools: School Committee Meeting - February 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Duxbury Public Schools received a midyear update on the first year of implementing the Illustrative Mathematics (IM) curriculum at Duxbury Middle School, where teachers said the program has increased student talk and strategic thinking but requires more planning time and targeted supports for students with language and reading disabilities.","taxTitle","Duxbury Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",71518,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345875,"School finance update: Duxbury reports Q2 budget on track and approves $250,000 transfer to special‑education reserve",870,5655460,6525750,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248005-dc000f5de6a090dbdfc568291fa3d24c&start=5655&end=6525","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248005-dc000f5de6a090dbdfc568291fa3d24c/thumbnail_5655460.jpg","/articles/6345875/Massachusetts/School-finance-update-Duxbury-reports-Q2-budget-on-track-and-approves-250000-transfer-to-specialeducation-reserve","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345875-69f984fcc00c832af90f14a4e662c21f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775129787&Signature=DOogQ9QrtiBe1qYCWAtwC0wfsUXDuh1Shx0NUHHoPf~E7XXtK7MS5rAm0eyD3ginPFP~bNbM2mkaxUpoX50dSk9oCUUODkqmLUCnIkwCjerqQWgFS9CwCexVpILGheCsJSBaHcVHZTFh9sbjr0zDWFHnVqgYJ8efNxJH~flMMpX6wqVziJ7cKXDYpPpgOA18yDQcJlDq130fcTqE4ME2SZxnXyItuLCzPV5WJXAcetkfm2s~gn0wEY4miHAWXlh4sXMxK91rESPbifkBLbyrDklnk03ISqE7FOuBoO2k0bG7gTeBwFImG5YIy0Ged3THu987EhlNioYQXrQF2uLJXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lisa, the district’s director of business finance, gave the committee a fiscal update through Dec. 31, 2024, saying the district’s FY25 operating budget approved at the March 2024 town meeting totals $43,250,000 and that the district had spent or encumbered roughly 38.4% of the total budget at the end of the second quarter.

Lisa said salaries are manually tracked and currently about 96.3% of the salary budget is committed through payroll projections and encumbrances. Goods and services spending and encumbrances were reported and the presentation noted close monitoring of special‑education tuition and transportation, where costs can be unpredictable.

She told the committee that state guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires districts to close open encumbrances by Dec. 31 and that the finance team is working through legacy and timing items to comply. The district also reported federal and state grant receipts and revolving‑fund revenues that offset operating costs.

During the financial update the committee considered a proposed accounting transfer to bring the district into compliance with the statutory cap on the special‑education reserve balance. The memo provided to the committee reported the reserve fund balance and the statutory maximum (2% of net school spending) and recommended moving $250,000 in special‑education transportation expenses from the operating budget into the special‑education reserve fund.

A committee member moved to approve the expense transfer and another member seconded. The committee voted in favor. The transfer will be processed as a journal entry that reduces the operating budget expense and records the cost against the reserve fund; the item will be transmitted to the select board as part of routine town financial oversight.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about the drivers of transportation costs, the status of open encumbrances and whether any major positions remained unfilled; finance officials said staffing is largely filled and that long‑term substitute positions are tracked separately.

Finance staff said they will report again at the May meeting with a full third‑quarter update and will continue to monitor special‑education expenditures, encumbrances, and capital requests tied to school projects.","Director of Business Finance reported FY25 spending and encumbrances; the committee approved a $250,000 transfer from the operating budget into the special‑education reserve fund to address special‑education transportation overruns and to comply with reserve caps.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345881,"Duxbury selects CKLA after K–5 literacy pilot; administrators seek capital funds for full rollout",808,4565345,5374095,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248005-dc000f5de6a090dbdfc568291fa3d24c&start=4565&end=5374","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248005-dc000f5de6a090dbdfc568291fa3d24c/thumbnail_4565345.jpg","/articles/6345881/Massachusetts/Duxbury-selects-CKLA-after-K5-literacy-pilot-administrators-seek-capital-funds-for-full-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345881-4460c6c21de4fad6f1e13319691495e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775129787&Signature=jUrr1oyYiN1PdoXSs295qbHWJIB6W~uhad0yPickRG9jIgsRMSuHFm8FnMNk7BDrLJBFsugsGiOi2WIcii0HbQJXbXRm5Gqao7IfCXjXaZf7MNZK6XK6zq-LEE4uUZ8ehWEqXG8IUGFr8~UQr6fg30CEP-GLo51LOzsS9GrZesD8AT3kIeA65AXQLZB5zpFUD7d9FaGgY8PfymsxWF7UFNFVUMfTgYvc3dB3SwLL2kx~xjMzID~Afq54U3pEHsbXByV7RBF7vOvXTzWIcm8DtifZ-oXi3WwKxi9w2te5wo8yzLEuV6ckcxl7JJITEhOJggP7t4XZRjQT9q3Lo4SwUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Duxbury Public Schools officials told the School Committee they will seek capital funding to adopt Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) for K–5 classrooms after a year‑long pilot that compared CKLA with IntoReading.

Elementary curriculum supervisors Mrs. Milner and Mrs. Benoit led the literacy update and said the pilot included teacher focus groups, student interviews, family surveys and benchmarking data. The district piloted two programs across K–5 with roughly two classrooms per grade participating; administrators estimated about 380 students took part across Chandler and Alden elementary schools.

Supervisors told the committee CKLA received the strongest feedback from teachers, families and student focus groups. “CKLA was the clear leader for our feedback from families,” one supervisor said, and student comments cited units such as poetry and Greek myths as memorable classroom experiences.

Administrators presented data showing that, across grades, winter benchmarking results were similar to or improved over the previous year; supervisors said those trends were “promising” given program transitions can cause temporary implementation dips. They noted the pilot used two programs in the same year, so any midyear purchases would require a plan for crosswalking curricula and addressing gaps.

Committee members asked about parent response rates and scale: supervisors said roughly 30 family survey responses were received and acknowledged that was a low return compared with the number of students in the pilot. Several committee members encouraged broader parent engagement for the full implementation.

The supervisors said an implementation plan, including professional development, resource inventory and community outreach, is underway but depends on securing capital funding: the district has placed a funding request on the town capital list and will continue discussions with town fiscal advisory and the select board. They cautioned that the version piloted this year differs from a new district‑wide version that may be adopted next year, so purchasing decisions will be informed by vendor conversations.

The committee did not take a formal vote on curricular adoption at the meeting; administrators said they will continue to work with vendors and district teams to prepare for a possible phased implementation if funds are approved.","After piloting IntoReading and CKLA this year, Duxbury Public Schools identified Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) as the preferred K–5 literacy program and will seek funding for materials and implementation planning; pilot covered roughly 380 students and family survey responses were limited.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Duxbury Middle School teachers report higher engagement, more planning time needed after year-one switch to Illustrative Mathematics

School finance update: Duxbury reports Q2 budget on track and approves $250,000 transfer to special‑education reserve

Duxbury selects CKLA after K–5 literacy pilot; administrators seek capital funds for full rollout