Westwood outlines summer curriculum work and shifts K-5 literacy screener to mClass (DIBELS)

Caitlin, the district's curriculum and professional learning lead, summarized summer curriculum projects and professional development offerings and described changes to the district's universal screening tools. She said 32 funded summer curriculum projects involved more than 100 educators and spanned all grade levels and subject areas. New-teacher orientation lasted three days and included equity and METCO introductions, technology setup and building-level onboarding. The district will continue educator-led after-school courses, early-release PD afternoons and a full-day December 1 professional learning day with a keynote and teacher-led sessions. Caitlin announced that the district will pilot a new K'5 universal literacy screener, mClass (DIBELS), this year to meet Massachusetts K'3 approved-screener guidance and to provide more specific foundational-reading diagnostics than STAR. The district will continue STAR for grades 6'8 for now. Teachers will receive training and fall benchmark results will be available for review; universal screeners are administered three times per year, and the district plans to send home K'5 reports in fall and spring. Committee members raised parent communication concerns: they asked that the district provide clear explanatory materials and videos to help families interpret reports, including differences between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced components on prior STAR reports. Caitlin said a sample home letter and FAQ will be shared and that families will be contacted within 30 days if a student is well below benchmark per state rules for early literacy screening. No formal policy votes were held during the update; staff said training and rollout plans will continue and that they will present superintendent annual goals and possible dashboard options in upcoming meetings.