Falmouth district details new curriculum, student supports, multilingual outreach and sustainability steps

Falmouth Public Schools administrators presented a year-end report to the School Committee outlining curriculum changes, expanded student supports, new communications tools for multilingual families, and several energy and sustainability initiatives.

The presentation, led by central office staff and building leaders, said the district selected an EL Education English language arts curriculum to replace older materials and will implement it across early grades after year-long review by teachers and specialists. The district also confirmed continued use of I-Ready for math interventions and said the new ELA materials include phonics instruction and built-in scaffolds for diverse learners.

The change matters because administrators said the new materials are intended to better reflect students’ cultures and provide differentiated supports for English learners and students with special needs. “When you’re choosing materials... you want to make sure those materials consider all the different learning styles that students have and that they also consider all the different cultures that our students have in Falmouth,” a staff presenter said during the presentation.

Superintendent Rory Dohka framed the initiatives as part of the district’s “Clipper experience” and equity commitments. Dohka reported district outcomes for the graduating class of 2025, saying 192 seniors finished on time and that scholarship awards totaled $716,243, details that were highlighted as community achievements.

Instructional supports and student behavior District leaders described more formalized multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) for academics and behavior. Administrators said the district is documenting tiered interventions more consistently so teachers and counselors do not have to recreate histories for students who need escalating supports. A presentation walk-through of a recent school response to a critical incident illustrated how tier 1 (classroom), tier 2 (targeted counseling/support), and tier 3 (individualized plans) were deployed in sequence.

PowerSchool and recordkeeping The district is consolidating special-education, behavior-management and IEP documentation into PowerSchool’s special programs module. Staff said a small interface change now gives teachers a single-click view of IEPs and related accommodations, which administrators described as reducing paperwork and improving continuity when students transition between grades or schools.

Multilingual outreach and two-way communication Administrators described expanded outreach for multilingual families, including use of Bay State Interpreters and the TalkingPoints app, a multilingual “welcome protocol” at school offices, and community sign-up sessions to complete forms at neighborhood events. Central office staff said QR-code surveys were used at school events and are being placed on printed programs to boost two-way feedback. Two-way tools and targeted text reminders are being piloted for IEP notifications and meeting reminders.

Environment, transportation and facilities initiatives The district reported several sustainability actions. Facilities staff said voters approved 30-year lease authority at town meeting for parking lots at North Falmouth Elementary and a faculty lot near Falmouth High School, enabling solar canopy proposals; the administration expects to sign a nonbinding letter of intent with a solar developer to design covered parking that could lower electricity costs.

Transportation leaders said the district signed a letter of intent with PowerOptions to study a long-range plan to electrify school bus and special‑needs vehicle fleets and analyze charging infrastructure and maintenance needs.

Energy savings and food service Administrators reported active monitoring of building heating and electricity, remote-control adjustments to HVAC start/stop times, and a district energy-management target. They said a district effort saved roughly $113,000 in utility costs through May and that further savings are targeted in the next fiscal year. In food service, the district cited stronger menus and higher participation; elementary schools are near a stated 60% participation target and the district reported roughly 40 tons of compost collected this school year.

What’s next District leaders said curriculum training for teachers is underway and that the EL Education rollout will continue with professional development through the summer and into the fall. They also said the multilingual engagement work and PowerSchool improvements will expand next school year and that the solar canopy and bus‑electrification studies are multi‑year efforts requiring vendor design work and route/charging analysis.

Ending note Administrators closed by highlighting student-driven projects — including Morris Pond School’s “No Place for Hate” work and a student green team — as examples of how curriculum, behavior supports and extracurricular initiatives are intended to reinforce the district’s equity and engagement goals.