The Stratham School District hosted an educational equity training during its meeting, led by Arlen Poleta, chief equity officer for SAU 16. Poleta and school staff used a classroom video, small-group exercises and student profiles to show how equity, the district's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can shape instruction.

"In SAU16, educational equity means assessing the unique and different needs of our learners and meeting those needs by fairly allocating resources, access, support, and opportunity so that all students can achieve optimal learning outcomes," Poleta said, reading the district's definition of equity during the presentation. The training included experiential exercises and a classroom video teachers used to highlight explicit lesson structure, gradual release, and guided practice.

Whitney (third-grade teacher, SMS) led a classroom activity illustrating the difference between equity and equality and helped facilitate a hands-on lesson analysis. Presenters asked board members and attendees to notice teacher moves, student responses, accessibility factors and how small changes can support many learners. Participants watched a filmed math lesson three times with different observation prompts and then discussed accommodations and universal strategies.

The training emphasized MTSS as a vehicle to personalize instruction across academic, behavioral and social-emotional domains. Presenters described MTSS as allowing the district to identify learners' needs from multiple data sources and provide tiered supports: tier 1 (universal), tier 2 (targeted), and tier 3 (intensive). "Because we can do that through our MTSS system, we are then able to provide what they need in a really personalized way, which really speaks to equity," a presenter said.

During small-group work, participants reviewed student profiles and recommended classroom adjustments: providing an early snack or predictable routine for students who arrive hungry, increasing font size and high contrast for students with visual challenges, offering written instructions and additional processing time for students who need it, and creating paired or smaller-group options for students who prefer one-on-one work. One observation from the video noted there were "30 students and there are 11 different languages written" in the filmed classroom, which presenters used to illustrate diversity of needs even in communities that may appear less varied.

Board members asked about budget and staffing implications for expanded MTSS and UDL supports. Several members stressed that resources matter for assistive devices (for example, audio towers) and that the board's role includes balancing advocacy for equity with not micromanaging classroom instruction. Presenters and teachers described grade-level collaboration: teachers share students across third-grade classrooms for targeted intervention and enrichment, track short formative assessments, and meet to adjust small-group instruction based on post-assessment data.

Presenters offered examples where services traditionally considered specialized (occupational therapy, speech/social skills work) are now delivered at a universal tier because research shows all students benefit. Board members discussed how the district communicates the meaning of equity to the public to reduce misunderstanding and to demonstrate how front-end design (UDL, MTSS tier 1) can reduce downstream needs.

The training was videotaped and will be published with the meeting record; presenters offered to provide slides and to host classroom visits for board members who want to observe instruction firsthand.

Closing
Board members thanked presenters and discussed next steps, including continued attention to resource allocation, public communication about equity work, and potential classroom visit opportunities to see MTSS and UDL strategies in action.