[{"_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",5978011,"mediaKeyId","5788431-6d6c04c9f19a6f13712b05891206ea10","parentId",5788431,"title","Brookline begins full K–5 rollout of Fish Tank ELA; 6–8 implementation partial with monitoring planned","audioSeconds",1092,"startMs",7753000,"endMs",8845000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5788431-6d6c04c9f19a6f13712b05891206ea10&start=7753&end=8845","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5788431-6d6c04c9f19a6f13712b05891206ea10/thumbnail_7753000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5978011/Massachusetts/Brookline-begins-full-K5-rollout-of-Fish-Tank-ELA-68-implementation-partial-with-monitoring-planned","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978011-fedf6146e4401765c5fc58298de5e499/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516651&Signature=D8QBA6eqOoABmY1CZqgRq33DAQjyvfHA6TnLdLre6W5YosmPW6dQ4byRr-lPOgVonzlYJ0vXYSi43S9eeuGFJDjrAKGfLY65SkkvZQbQHpwBhDvPG0ksoTHJ2-CrMKdPANZcubGpb8D3s4tYNcUFvR4dbFMSv0piBd53MvJbwuDirmJTmV7WlkphSxX5fYLDwpPqs14LEaaWMhbdbUArDEIrQte0P-4vC4pydjqmA1eu13ebsmE4XyBWiq~o1OAmLNig8xSkomgwahrsjcG5x~CZm7iP7CmJZtghrqe0f3tTVujwH7PPKANYDo8f3j99fo~LeQhlCz0OVvGfwo4PEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Brookline Interactive Group","date","2025-09-19T13:56:34Z","article","Brookline — The School Committee received an update Sept. 18 on the district’s new English language arts curriculum and the plan to monitor its first-year implementation. District leaders said K–5 classrooms are using Fish Tank units as the core curriculum this school year, while grades 6–8 have a partial rollout with the goal of full implementation next year. \"All students, regardless of their background or circumstance, need access to complex text,\" Kristen Gray, the district’s K–8 ELA coordinator, told the committee.

Why it matters: The curriculum change is the district’s largest coordinated adoption for K–8 literacy in several years and ties directly to the district strategic priority on teaching and learning. Staff said the shift affects classroom instruction, professional development needs, instructional materials purchasing, and the district’s near-term data collection and evaluation work.

What the district said: Curriculum staff described a multi‑year process that began with review work in 2022 and narrowed candidates in 2024. The district used third‑party reviews and local teacher review before selecting Fish Tank. Gray told the committee that teachers received materials and professional development ahead of this school year: K–5 teachers had Fish Tank texts and a Fish Tank ELA Plus subscription by February and that all K–5 trade books were purchased last spring; 6–8 subscriptions arrived in July and trade books in August. The Prism 3 grant funded about half of the purchase price for subscriptions and trade books for the two cohorts, staff said.

Training and supports: Staff described ongoing professional learning focused on “intellectual prep” — the teacher work of unpacking complex texts and planning instruction — and said that cross‑school collaboration and learning walks will be used to observe implementation, identify supports, and design follow‑up training. District leaders said learning walks are intended as informational and supportive, not evaluative, and will involve building administrators, district staff and teachers.

Data and evaluation: The district plans to use multiple sources to understand implementation: benchmark literacy data (MCAS for K–3; STAR reading for grades 4–8, with STAR newly added this year in grades 7–8), teacher and student surveys during the year, and regular classroom observations calibrated to a common “look‑fors” rubric.

Questions and concerns from committee members: Several committee members praised the planning and teacher training, while others raised questions about classroom-level choices and content. Committee member Carolyn raised the sequence and themes in some middle‑school units — citing unit titles such as “Facing Prejudice” and “Encountering Evil” — and asked how those themes are presented to early adolescents. Kristen Gray and Joelle Peterson, interim senior director of teaching and learning, said Fish Tank includes core texts aligned to each unit and that teachers retain classroom libraries and choice reading alongside the core units. Peterson said the district will collect qualitative feedback from teachers and students and can bring suggested changes to the vendor over time.

Budget and timing: Staff and committee members said some implementation costs were offset by grant funding this year (Prism 3) but that additional needs could arise during monitoring. Committee members and staff discussed how implementation costs and potential additional professional development or materials needs should be considered in next year’s budget planning.

What happens next: District leaders said they will return to the committee in the spring with findings from benchmarks, surveys and observations and with recommendations for adjustments or next steps, including the timeline for a full 6–8 rollout.

Ending note: Committee members asked staff to continue sharing implementation evidence and to highlight any budget implications early in the FY‑27 budget process so the committee and community can evaluate tradeoffs and potential funding options.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Brookline School Committee Meeting - September 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Brookline — The School Committee received an update Sept. 18 on the district’s new English language arts curriculum and the plan to monitor its first‑year implementation.","taxTitle","Town of Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",79239,"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},5978000,"School Committee approves FY‑27 CIP request; committee continues work on FY‑27 budget guidelines and override planning",607,10126000,10733000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5788431-6d6c04c9f19a6f13712b05891206ea10&start=10126&end=10733","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5788431-6d6c04c9f19a6f13712b05891206ea10/thumbnail_10126000.jpg","/articles/5978000/Massachusetts/School-Committee-approves-FY27-CIP-request-committee-continues-work-on-FY27-budget-guidelines-and-override-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978000-228cfe10095f0978710ced35407a2ca6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516651&Signature=B~FdnlAbbMRfX9mEWyWKsVLSKmgcg9GlJX799mXQw1LBaFi~G0Ovbpde0HIoZGZGwkMUnhskP3JMCZjjWa8HI2h4JbRO~XD9xTTBeWdeGH8kIFA1e6j1ht0q7Z4I022WuDr1qtHNwgzHfom91Zdj2U4xZE0tBSDvXYoYE-XyGzcRFSrjDIwpSxofK41hHHpy8PZWwLpwTU9qLjYCSj9ZeV1HU2rain~0C7W046mpM-wghpx-ONqqt-cj1xExq-gw-x6QALvzXDnKC8ZIkBOADjnkNxUxEca98L3Elg2Wg3I31FYAHihaqqhZlYEDJu13jOdO2g6yhQLDqktHloMlwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brookline — The School Committee voted Sept. 18 to forward the FY‑27 through FY‑31 capital improvements program (CIP) request to the town, and members spent the remainder of the meeting discussing FY‑27 budget guidelines and planning assumptions, including scenarios for a possible override.

CIP vote and priorities: The committee voted to accept the district’s multiyear CIP submission after a finance subcommittee review. The CIP submission includes deferred maintenance for school buildings, feasibility work on the Lawrence cafeteria, accessibility and gender‑inclusive bathroom projects, and a multi‑year program to add or upgrade climate control systems (air conditioning) across buildings. Committee members asked for clarification on urgency ratings and the process used to develop priorities; staff said priorities and urgency ratings were developed in conversations between principals and operations staff and that some projects are front‑loaded for earlier years.

Budget guideline discussion: Committee members then focused on the FY‑27 operating budget guidance. The committee discussed framing the guidelines to align with the district strategic plan and the superintendent’s priorities presented that evening, with several members recommending a concise set of top priorities that the district should fund in FY‑27 while preserving flexibility for administration to develop details.

Override planning and timeline: Committee members discussed the need to prepare multiple budget scenarios (level service/level service plus, restoration, new investments, and a no‑override outcome). Staff and the committee noted the practical calendar constraints: the town and district need forecasts and firm budgets in late fall/early winter to meet the town’s override timetable if a ballot question will be required in spring. Committee members also discussed the role of expenditure and revenue review subcommittees and asked for coordination to ensure the committee’s expectations are reflected in the materials sent to advisory groups.

Questions raised: Members asked about specific items in the CIP (e.g., capacity and cafeteria space at Lawrence; BEP lease renewals; whether climate control requests are additive to ongoing HVAC CIP lines). Staff agreed to clarify which items are already funded, which are new requests and how the CIP interacts with town capital lines.

What happens next: The committee approved the CIP request as presented and directed staff to continue work on the FY‑27 budget guidelines; members asked for a revised draft that aligns the guidelines with the strategic plan priorities and that explicitly describes expected outcomes under an override and under a no‑override scenario.

Ending: The committee set a near‑term timeline for finishing the guideline language so administration can use it to prepare budget forecasts and community outreach materials.","Committee voted to forward the FY‑27–31 capital improvements program request, including deferred maintenance priorities and climate control projects. Members then discussed FY‑27 budget guideline framing, override planning and timeline for forecasts and decisions.",{"_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},5978006,"Interim leadership lists priorities: literacy implementation, supervision training, data systems and governance review",1372,5804000,7176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5788431-6d6c04c9f19a6f13712b05891206ea10&start=5804&end=7176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5788431-6d6c04c9f19a6f13712b05891206ea10/thumbnail_5804000.jpg","/articles/5978006/Massachusetts/Interim-leadership-lists-priorities-literacy-implementation-supervision-training-data-systems-and-governance-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978006-5d00c32a18aa367c2fca1906c4e2aa53/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516651&Signature=GODATwwh3s~w9nZBnGz3zhsAFUbLCd62NRM-BXucz2aI3xWyA4sFcWmhZ2sMfFu07e6NTSE00mxUBX2o9uzouQ5NLC8EAI0DinG8XpQaGPjw-kof1ak~e7b0uxG~BR3sMX6PJCfOyEVl2MFi7rJoL58q6vbIwdaN6RYRvV7q4L2plgYWPuGk9pxQDVyMMDslBYaQ5iuUs6-ykmMrf8u40LylKe-xcby0oS-DcBopqBsRliyqN6T6UAbW7XtMqOTsVWApkYj4AkzlLdj-DHz8tm-rdcwMukISaDwOAXaReUz0L9VbtGUFUDjBBzZbtPF5KdmmqFFfdYeB8C2l761UsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brookline — Interim senior leadership outlined priorities for the coming year at the Sept. 18 School Committee meeting, emphasizing implementation of the district strategic plan, coordination across departments, and steps to shore up administrative capacity. Superintendent Bella Wong said the district’s strategic plan provides the reference framework for the year’s priorities and that the senior leadership team focused on items they could advance in a single year while laying groundwork for multi‑year work.

Why it matters: The district’s listed priorities frame spending and staffing decisions for the FY‑27 budget cycle and shape what the committee and community will expect the administration to deliver over the next 12–18 months.

Key priorities described: Wong said the administration is prioritizing literacy implementation (K–8), multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS) professional development, consistent scope and sequence and common assessments in core subjects, and completion of a K–12 vision for the BHS graduate. She said the district will support supervision and evaluation for 100% of educators and highlighted a scheduled set of shared training sessions on supervision and evaluation, led by Rebus Associates with Carol Gregory as instructor.

Governance, staffing and data systems: Wong told the committee that turnover and reductions at the senior leadership team level have left gaps the administration must assess and address before building the FY‑27 budget. She said the district lost a key data position and that data‑access and integration across functions (operations, teaching and learning, finance) needs repair and prioritized work to make those systems more fluid and accessible. \"We need to affirm system protocols and expectations across all functions,\" she said.

Training and coordination: The district plans a 6‑hour supervision and evaluation training across 64 leaders in double sessions, with an earlier shared session having taken place Aug. 25. Wong and presenters emphasized shared professional learning and cross‑school collaboration as a way to sustain instructional changes.

Community communications and capacity: Wong said the district lacks a communications director and is temporarily relying on principals, other staff and volunteers to maintain newsletters and website updates. She told the committee the district will “cobble” communications this year while identifying whether and how to restore or reshape roles that were reduced in prior budgets.

Next steps: The administration will continue work on the FY‑27 budget and said it will return to the committee with more specific implementation plans and resource requests, including any recommended restorations of functions or positions.

Ending: Committee members thanked leadership for the clear framing and asked for follow‑up detail on any budget implications and on timelines for system repairs and hires.","Interim leadership presented a prioritized set of objectives tied to the district strategic plan, flagged gaps in senior leadership and data capacity, and previewed supervision and evaluation training for school leaders.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Brookline begins full K–5 rollout of Fish Tank ELA; 6–8 implementation partial with monitoring planned

School Committee approves FY‑27 CIP request; committee continues work on FY‑27 budget guidelines and override planning

Interim leadership lists priorities: literacy implementation, supervision training, data systems and governance review