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Lynn Public Schools to expand preschool seats, launch PRISM literacy grant and pilot Storyboard technology
Summary
District leaders outlined plans to expand integrated and full‑day preschool seats for 2025–26, pursue a competitive Commonwealth Preschool Partnership grant, accept a PRISM I planning award and pilot Storyboard That in preschool and kindergarten classrooms.
Lynn Public Schools early childhood leaders on Wednesday presented detailed plans for preschool expansion, professional development and two new initiatives: a state PRISM I literacy grant and a classroom storytelling technology pilot.
Director of Early Learning Jacqueline (Jackie) Gallo and interim assistant director Kelsey Bartlett told the school committee the district expects 642 preschool seats for fiscal year 2025–26. Gallo described that total as including 318 special‑education seats for 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds and 324 seats for typically developing children filled by lottery. "We are expecting to have 642 preschool seats in Lynn Public Schools," Gallo said.
Bartlett described structural changes to increase inclusion and full‑day options: by next year several small‑group special‑education classrooms will convert to integrated full‑day classrooms, and Bennett Street will become the central Early Childhood Center with additional classrooms and family‑engagement space. The presenters described an "intensive integrated" model and said an integrated classroom commonly includes seven students on individualized education plans (IEPs) and eight typically developing students.
Gallo and Bartlett reviewed professional development offerings and family engagement events, and summarized a planned competitive application for the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI). They reported current CPPI operations serving 223 students in 13 classrooms across local partners (Greg House, YMCA, LEO Head Start) and said consultants from SchoolWorks will support a needs assessment and strategic plan needed for the next CPPI application.
The district also announced it received a planning award under PRISM I, a state literacy initiative. The initial PRISM I award cited in the presentation was $30,000 to support a learn‑and‑prepare year, with the possibility of multi‑year continuation and technical support from partners including TNTP. Presenters said PRISM I aims to improve early literacy outcomes and set a goal that roughly 80 percent of students in the PRISM cohort meet early reading benchmarks by the end of each grade, subject to future funding and implementation.
Gallo described a classroom pilot of Storyboard That, a digital storyboard tool introduced to preschool and kindergarten classrooms in December with professional development in November and follow‑up in January. Bartlett showed a kindergarten example in which a student used the app to produce a short sequential narrative to meet a grade‑level writing standard.
Why it matters: the presentation lays out enrollment, classroom‑model and funding changes that will alter access to full‑day preschool and special‑education inclusion placements for Lynn families. Committee members praised the expansion and asked for continued updates on grant outcomes and implementation costs.
Ending: presenters said an Early Childhood Summer Summit for teachers is planned in August and invited families to a district Early Childhood Literacy Night in mid‑May; they said the PRISM work will unfold over a multi‑year timeline if follow‑on awards are made.
