Superintendent Gatto emphasizes attendance, literacy and community partnerships as schools reopen

Dr. Gatto, superintendent of Westminster Public Schools, told the Board of Education on Aug. 12 that daily attendance and early literacy are the district’s top priorities as the 2025–26 school year begins. "One of the most important things parents can do to further their child's education is to make sure that school is the first priority," Dr. Gatto said, urging families to have students attend school every day unless they are sick. He introduced the district's attendance awareness campaign, whose theme he summarized as "here today and ready for tomorrow." Gatto also highlighted new initiatives to improve early‑childhood literacy, saying research shows students who fall behind in reading early face greater difficulty catching up and increased risk of not completing high school. He said the district will share details of literacy efforts in the coming weeks and months. The superintendent noted staff and community events that supported families over the summer. He credited A Precious Child and the Westminster Public Schools Foundation for a weekend backpack giveaway during which the district distributed about 2,000 backpacks, and he thanked volunteers for that event. Gatto said the district welcomed approximately 100 new teachers and that those new hires completed a week of orientation plus additional preparation before classes start. Rebecca Piefrum, a new primary teacher, told the meeting that she had not worked in a competency‑based system before but said, "I'm really excited about it." Why it matters: Board members and administrators framed attendance and early reading as foundational for student success, and the district is positioning outreach and teacher support at the start of the year to address both. The board did not take formal action on these priorities during the meeting; Gatto presented them as part of his superintendent’s report.