Board of Education members who attended an Arthur S. May School visit last week described engaged classrooms and integrated literacy across special-area instruction during the district's Oct. 14 meeting.

Principal Sherry Todd opened the board presentation and outlined schoolwide efforts to center the year on Arlington's core value that "a community thrives when all members embrace their interdependence with compassion and empathy." She said Arthur S. May is using the Responsive Classroom approach, morning meetings, schoolwide expectations, logical consequences and structured opportunities for reflection and reparations. Todd also described family engagement events planned for Nov. 6 (literacy and math sessions by grade band, escape-room–style activities for grades 3–5, yard games and food trucks), and said interpretation support via language line will be available.

Several board members described highlights from classroom visits. Members said they observed an inquiry-based lesson on gravity, phonics instruction in kindergarten EI time, and an art lesson in which students practiced texture and applied vocabulary such as the word "heavy" to deepen literacy. Board members said they saw students take pride in teaching phonics and in explaining classwork to visitors.

Students and staff activities noted by the board and school leaders: a large pep rally (superintendent noted about 2,700 students attended), a marching band invitational, a homecoming dance and fundraiser run by student government (student representative Mia described the dance setup, ticket sales and the student food drive), and an October Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony. Todd said 50 families had registered for the Nov. 6 family engagement night with two weeks left to register.

Why it matters: Trustees said the walkthroughs help them connect district governance with classroom practice and feel renewed by seeing lessons in person. Board members asked staff and principals to keep opening classrooms for future visits.

What the transcript shows: Principal Todd and multiple board members described specific lessons and engagement; teachers named in the walkthrough included Miss Rush, Miss Eckhart, Miss Shook and Mr. Kolecek. The board thanked staff for hosting and encouraged continued school visits.