Superintendent reports on MCAS requirements, DESE observation, memorial dedication and operations
Summary
Superintendent King Street updated the committee on MCAS testing obligations and DESE observation, a memorial dedication for a late student, playground pest issues, summer staffing needs and teacher-appreciation acknowledgements.
Superintendent King Street told the School Committee that the district must continue to administer MCAS tests with fidelity even though a recent vote removed the exam from the high-school graduation requirement.
"There is no opt out of MCAS," King Street said, noting that while the vote affected graduation requirements, MCAS remains required for district accountability and students are required to participate. She also said DESE’s security department had been randomly selected to observe MCAS administration at one elementary school to check that testing protocols were being followed.
King Street provided several local operational updates: preschool and kindergarten teachers organized a memorial event and the district will dedicate an elevator at Northbridge Elementary School in memory of Matthew Thompson, a student who died earlier in the year; facilities staff are addressing tick and wasp problems on a preschool playground with pest control and targeted spraying; and the district is recruiting teachers and paraprofessionals for a summer academic-readiness academy and for extended school-year special-education coverage.
King Street thanked community members who supported the district’s additional appropriation at town meeting and acknowledged teacher- and nurse-appreciation activities organized by student groups. The superintendent said more details and nomination links for the district’s "Unsung Hero" awards are posted on the district website.
