[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6332292,"mediaKeyId","2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19","parentId",2307934,"title","School committee approves Peru field trip and accepts $1,000 nursing scholarship donation","audioSeconds",211,"startMs",249000,"endMs",460000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19&start=249&end=460","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19/thumbnail_249000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6332292/Massachusetts/School-committee-approves-Peru-field-trip-and-accepts-1000-nursing-scholarship-donation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6332292-666f54b144a511f3758bdcf87341d6cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199993&Signature=FNc2EJR39QBT9STx5TnQSbVNC37v4MG-dk4vZIZlrWFRX3JbP4sE-zzyrO-dssIHsA7rAWH8iFmRhNJNjyJagyVxaTcGKcQQZGiSOcoIXXvms~7AnCtq7B7l3CMWbXwQf5Lm3XuIZzDNYrIjwHvBg7yNIffPqy878zNciRDfKGtETpFNe6oFUnVR1GP1998Lcz3C20UqpXrhUwq4Qrgt7cTCBTIhilym07IijufHiznSrQGk2UxLp~8My8TkxPq7nBjyaRY~umVfDsK1NmS~Rtgmr6C9iRvMBE-v55YvrpwBcBQk6hNgB8nxawcB6iCVlTRE8lAK29wcl3an6svpYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Norwood Public Schools, MA","date","2025-02-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Norwood School Committee approved a proposal by district staff to sponsor an April 2026 field trip to Peru and accepted a $1,000 scholarship donation established by the family of Jill Driscoll.

Field trip to Peru: Teachers Mulaney and McLaurin described a proposed April 2026 trip combining visits to Peruvian heritage sites, community service in the education sector and a pottery‑studio visit where students could make work to bring home. Administrators said the trip would be offered to grades 9–12 and limited to 15 students; each student would receive an EFT fundraising page to help offset costs and the program would pursue additional fundraising. The committee approved the field trip in a roll‑call vote (4–0).

Scholarship acceptance: Administration presented a late agenda item from the family of Jill Driscoll proposing a $1,000 scholarship for college‑bound seniors who intend to study nursing, to be effective in February 2025. The committee moved to accept the gift; the motion passed 4–0. Superintendent Luff thanked the friends and family of the donor during the meeting.

Votes at a glance: The field trip motion and scholarship acceptance each passed unanimously in recorded roll calls reported at the meeting.

Ending: The administration said it will confirm final trip logistics, student selection criteria and fundraising details before the travel date and will publish scholarship application details when funds are received.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Norwood School Committee 2.12.25","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved a proposed April 2026 field trip to Peru for up to 15 high‑school students and accepted a $1,000 scholarship established by the family of Jill Driscoll for college‑bound nursing students.","taxTitle","Norwood Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",56698,"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},6332296,"School committee adopts revised IKF graduation criteria, delays new Title IX procedures pending further guidance",154,5266000,5420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19&start=5266&end=5420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19/thumbnail_5266000.jpg","/articles/6332296/Massachusetts/School-committee-adopts-revised-IKF-graduation-criteria-delays-new-Title-IX-procedures-pending-further-guidance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6332296-d0569771f1ff99e7adcdca8a8836b91b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199993&Signature=WOoxRkdaSaieY97xv4ScYX-octAoopJ--KEpHSGIf6bWXnqb6aLw-jSxR88B0iwvpK4OpOhHn57x9ELtaIjTuuUVTYa244yT5NF-3hMDxWsAh-B8hguFebWHzttIcjG1siR3YW98M2rN~jlvtEwc73Vw5wsOFYs~hNnAhWtoipw8yxFFZys~rtMYe8ZfhLYZvCim4tTOEP31c1Qj3ab1CFAZgJ5~U9PvfhyHfGl0jOOX-3E1DZ0TX1Lg03TlC3vEknnmQT1iV24o52ryruhZ7smfSITBYLesQL4RlpTaKeUJGrvmJb7viqdPmLXil2sLAuJUIT57AFUaslsdOus3GA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Norwood School Committee voted Wednesday to update its graduation‑requirements policy (IKF) and separately agreed to delay adopting recently proposed Title IX procedural changes until further guidance from state and federal authorities.

Graduation policy: The committee approved adjustments to policy IKF to clarify local competency determination criteria for students in the graduating classes of 2026 and beyond. The revised language lists course equivalencies that the high school will use to certify competency: grade‑level English coursework (grades 9 and 10 or equivalent), Algebra I and Geometry (or equivalent) and a lab science such as biology, chemistry or physics (or equivalent). The policy also allows for a transcript review option where a course of study outside the standard course labels may be judged equivalent.

Dr. Galligan told the committee the policy updates are intended to allow the district to certify students based on coursework equivalence where state testing (MCAS competency determinations) no longer governs graduation standards. The committee approved the IKF update in a recorded vote that passed 3–1.

Title IX procedures: Separately, the committee considered administrative recommendations related to recently published federal Title IX regulations (issued in 2024 and later vacated by a federal district court). Given the legal uncertainty and the existence of Massachusetts nondiscrimination protections, the committee voted to \"place these policies in abeyance until further guidance\" and directed the administration to continue following the prior procedures in place while awaiting updated guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Why it matters: The IKF vote provides a district‑level path to certify graduation readiness based on local transcript review and course completion, which the administration said preserves flexibility for transfer students and non‑traditional program placements. The Title IX decision reflects legal uncertainty after recent federal rulemaking and court action, while Massachusetts law and forthcoming commissioner guidance remain in force and will continue to shape local practice.

Ending: Administration said it will incorporate the IKF language into the student handbook and will bring further Title IX procedural guidance to the committee once DESE and legal counsel provide clarified direction.","The committee approved language to allow transcript‑based equivalencies for a local competency determination in lieu of MCAS graduation requirements and voted to hold off adopting newly proposed Title IX procedures until state and federal guidance stabilizes.",{"_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},6332301,"Coakley middle school plan: fifth grade platooning, trimester schedule and staffing needs outlined",161,2749000,2910000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19&start=2749&end=2910","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19/thumbnail_2749000.jpg","/articles/6332301/Massachusetts/Coakley-middle-school-plan-fifth-grade-platooning-trimester-schedule-and-staffing-needs-outlined","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6332301-e7921086750852d8c27bd8281e5da9dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199993&Signature=L5DSYfxQXNvBGlg10Kmc9vz44md4zTKQeejW47SvRL6FSGaaPZ5s9qkwCTz6ckSeBkf88nJj3-jDyIgY6-ijdhUgdDhBhimb2VM-JwwxmA5Y135YUd4sBR-EQ~VQjloM7m5WhXfD14khsQhJWnecpvWpHy7Q3fiHgc6onRgsyDGMQ5WC0iyMqxKcPssaULnQBIaavfbhcIYm75eTu6gWIRjHeSlqw5xKcPfK19bl~3rXCeBPxr5KOBbbpzGeOfuuy0K9UOfNeUMt9uZ-El-i79cuJnzL-sfDrozo5-aLhMdJgDozN8EAlPZo9CKAoxQT6tbTGcdOoKQZbT7a5nycLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District administrators presented enrollment analyses and a proposed schedule for the new Coakley Middle School and its incoming fifth graders, describing how staffing requests in the FY26 preliminary budget enable the planned program.

Doctor Pratjek (presenting the middle‑school analysis) said fifth‑grade classes will \"travel together as a little pack\" (a platoon model) with cohorts keeping the same homeroom and special classes together; she said the design envisions five‑grade class sizes of about 24 and common planning time for teachers. The administration recommended a trimester calendar to allow students to experience specials (art, music, library) and to permit longer assessment windows than semester or quarter models.

Principal/High School administrator Dr. Galligan reviewed high school master‑schedule constraints and class‑size averages. He said most core high‑school courses average between 17 and 23 students and noted that small electives with one to three sections can show large year‑to‑year swings. He cautioned that \"simply modifying 1 section doesn't establish any significant savings and actually results in a domino effect on all the other offerings that we have.\" (Dr. Galligan)

Why it matters: The district is opening Coakley in August 2025 and shifting fifth graders into the building as part of a 5–8 model. Administration told the committee that the proposed staffing additions in the FY26 budget—an extra world language teacher, additional music and art capacity and wellness staffing—are integral to delivering the plan; without those hires, the program would require pulling staff from elementary schools or increasing class sizes.

Administrators also said classroom capacities in the new building are designed around 24 seats per classroom, which informed both the staffing and the choice to platoon in fifth grade. For grades 6–8 the schedule change is mainly the shift to trimesters and a rebalancing of STEM and computers into half‑trimester modules to reduce overfull labs.

Ending: Committee members asked administration to continue refining the master schedule and to track the budget decisions that could affect planned hires. Administrators said they will return with final staffing lists and class‑section allocations as enrollments firm up in late spring.","Administration outlined enrollment projections and a revised middle‑school schedule for the new Coakley 5–8 school, including platooned fifth‑grade teams, trimesters, and added world language and STEM seats tied to requested FY26 staff.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6332306,"Norwood superintendent presents entry findings; flags curriculum alignment, special education supports and budget strain",1167,433000,1600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19&start=433&end=1600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2307934-ea75c4466d4266a0916bb0d86d321d19/thumbnail_433000.jpg","/articles/6332306/Massachusetts/Norwood-superintendent-presents-entry-findings-flags-curriculum-alignment-special-education-supports-and-budget-strain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6332306-97293fac816243cffbba461c09d80428/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199993&Signature=BvKr98w7xIfoAqgikxC4qE-ujT~nFhhPI3agw-yT227QM-tBE5xw9ybcNocOD6JdY01d~Q7N2QBSNQrEWExSJHRNVh0NLgUbJHc-2d9m6t5KNBmRAYQyGSkyXa8fgSdybHbaLx6-oanYNbjZKaoifUzrW7-dTKFQqU3NKF-wRMbdgR11TPT8zBFCHV1rqwCM8lAKqpqY~FIAgHiQ2gOJTxYf0ItSNbZGz3s9ZRwir1ELicdF2SkDYik-YtWUGQKQbDVprs4hc7iS55-nNh~Ml~BNUjRUFTO7~YNoaoMvhP38D5jGdwW883K61TWzKi-XAQ3wQomIbTXNL8UP~EQKyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Luff presented a multi‑page entry report and a set of recommendations to the Norwood School Committee Wednesday, summarizing months of interviews, school visits and a community thought exchange that drew roughly 475 respondents and more than 7,000 ratings on ideas.

The report, which Luff described as an \"entry findings\" document, flagged district strengths—including a \"dedicated and passionate staff\" and robust community engagement—and several areas of need: inconsistent horizontal and vertical curriculum alignment; uneven academic results for students who are high‑need, English learners or eligible for special education; behavioral and safety concerns; and facility maintenance needs at the elementary level.

The findings also pointed to a demographic shift: roughly 58.3% of the district population was identified as high‑need, 16.6% English language learners, nearly 25% students with disabilities and 40.4% low‑income—figures Luff said should shape staffing and program priorities. Luff said the entry work included more than 50 individual interviews and school visits and that some recommendations had already moved into early implementation.

Why it matters: Luff linked many operational recommendations to the FY26 budget, which the administration presented to the committee as a preliminary 8.1% increase tied to enrollment changes and the opening of the new Coakley Middle School. Luff said the district and town budget offices now face a structural gap, with one‑time stabilization funds that supported FY25 no longer available and a projected use of roughly $7 million of free cash for FY26 under current assumptions.

Committee members and staff focused much of the discussion on the budget tradeoffs that would be required if state aid proposals proposed by the governor are not finalized, and if health insurance and transportation costs rise as the town has reported. Finance staff and committee members said a 2% reduction scenario proposed by the town’s Budget Balancing Commission (BBC) would amount to about $1.2 million; School Committee members pressed for options and tiered scenarios that would limit impact to core programs and student services.

Luff described a set of proposed investments tied to the entry findings: a new Director of Safety, Compliance and Communication; additional behavioral specialists; PLC leadership funds and curriculum coordination to strengthen vertical alignment; and funding toward multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS) and student services. He said a new Director of Student Services is scheduled to start July 1 and that a separate student services audit is under way.

On facilities and long‑term finance, Luff reminded the committee that the district’s operating budget has grown from about $50 million in FY22 to about $61 million in the current year and that the district has used one‑time reserves and stabilization funds to smooth recent budgets. He said town free cash this year stands at $20,652,677 and that the committee and town leaders are discussing whether to preserve some of that balance for multi‑year stabilization or to apply portions to FY26 needs.

Quotes from the meeting include Luff’s summary of the process: \"I have met with more than 50 people individually\" and the entry work included \"more than 475 members of the school community responding, and more than 7,000 ratings on ideas.\" Finance discussion included a BBC staff summary that \"they asked us to consider contractual obligations, transportation increases, and the addition of what they said, around 5 staff ... as a way to kind of do the baseline for what our request should be,\" according to finance staff reporting to the committee.

The committee scheduled additional subcommittee work: a budget subcommittee meeting the following day and a joint return to the BBC on Feb. 26. Luff asked the committee to be prepared for a follow‑up meeting before Feb. 26 so the school committee could review proposed reductions and revenue options before the BBC hearing.

Ending: The entry findings were framed as a foundation for a one‑year “bridge” plan to be followed by a full five‑year strategic plan. The committee instructed administration to refine budget scenarios and present tiered reduction options, while continuing planned hires tied to student support and the opening of Coakley Middle School.","Superintendent Luff presented a multi‑page entry report citing curriculum alignment gaps, disproportionate discipline outcomes and rising structural budget pressures tied to enrollment and stabilization fund depletion. The committee discussed FY26 budget scenarios and potential cuts or use of free cash.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

School committee approves Peru field trip and accepts $1,000 nursing scholarship donation

School committee adopts revised IKF graduation criteria, delays new Title IX procedures pending further guidance

Coakley middle school plan: fifth grade platooning, trimester schedule and staffing needs outlined

Norwood superintendent presents entry findings; flags curriculum alignment, special education supports and budget strain