Winchester Public Schools reports smooth start; WISH grant set to expire in December

Miss Buckley and other division leaders told the board that the 2025–26 school year opened smoothly and highlighted staffing, curriculum work, student supports and community partnerships — while flagging the pending end of a major grant. Nut graf: Buckley said the WISH grant has paid for counseling and social-work interns, ramp coaches and professional development but will expire in December; the district reported higher teacher retention, expanded early-childhood seats, operational successes in transportation and a large summer workload in curriculum, finance and technology. Miss Buckley, presenting the back-to-school report, said the curriculum and instruction department onboarded 52 teachers over two days and that nearly 90% of new hires reported that orientation was relevant and useful. She said the division responded to new state standards with increased teacher…