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Winchester presents early gains from 'Judges 9' ninth-grade program; attendance and on-track rates rise
Summary
District staff reported measurable improvements in on-time progress, chronic absence reduction and belonging among ninth graders after the first year of the Judges 9 program; staff outlined adjustments for year two including dismantling house teams, mentoring and service-learning requirements.
Winchester Public Schools staff told the school board June 23 that the inaugural year of the Judges 9 ninth-grade program produced measurable improvements in students’ progress toward graduation, discipline referrals and chronic absence, and outlined changes for the coming year.
Program leaders presented cohort comparisons showing a notable increase in students classified as "on track" from the 2027 cohort to the 2028 cohort after Judges 9 implementation. "You can see a 14.8 percentage point difference from cohort 2027 to 2028," said Ms. Brathwaite, who opened the presentation and described the program’s timeline and goals. Ms. Spitzer, the ninth-grade dean and program coordinator, detailed belonging metrics and explained that students who finished the year on track reported a 74 percent sense of belonging versus 68 percent for off-track students.
Staff outlined several program features they say contributed to the gains: monthly OnTrack check-ins that reminded students about verified credits needed for graduation; targeted after-school remediation; redesigned common work spaces and lunchtime activities intended to increase social integration; and regular one-on-one meetings with administrators and counselors. Discipline referrals and chronic absence rates declined in the first year, with staff citing reductions in chronic absenteeism from 71% to 57% in key measures discussed during the presentation.
The presenters also described feedback and planned changes for year two. Students and families asked for more interaction with upperclassmen and more use of outdoor spaces. In response, staff plan to dismantle the house-team structure in favor of student-centric success teams, train about 35 rising tenth-grade mentors to work with freshmen beginning with orientation on July 29, and add a service-learning requirement to ninth grade so graduation requirements are addressed earlier. The team said the elimination of house teams came after staff review and scheduling concerns; the new approach will create focused meetings about individual students rather than whole-group house meetings.
Board members asked about staff workload and whether teachers had supported the change; Brathwaite and Spitzer said teachers contributed to planning and supported the move because it allows for more targeted meetings when students need support. The presenters said they will continue tracking the Judges 9 cohort through upper grades to assess long-term effects and will adjust subgroup interventions based on the year-one data.
The board did not take action on Judges 9 at the June 23 meeting; presenters thanked trustees for funding the pilot and for travel to visit other schools during program planning.
