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Methuen superintendent presents four draft goals; committee approves draft, will select DESE focus indicators later
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Kwong presented four draft goals for 2025–26 — student learning/literacy, professional practice (budget process), engagement, and a ninth‑grade outcome focus — and the committee voted to approve the draft goals and defer selecting DESE focus indicators to a later meeting.
Methuen — Superintendent Dr. Kwong presented four draft goals to the Methuen School Committee on Sept. 24 and the committee approved the draft as the working set of goals for 2025–26, with a separate process to select DESE focus indicators.
Dr. Kwong said she submitted student‑learning and literacy goals aligned with the district’s strategic plan and noted new curricular and assessment work (including Insight/Reading Plus and new digital screening tools) that will be used to measure progress. She said a new professional‑practice goal emphasizes an improved fiscal timetable and earlier collaboration with municipal leaders to avoid the late-season budget delays experienced previously: “Having something focused like this seems ... a true partnership in working towards the same goals with the city and the school committee,” Dr. Kwong said.
The draft goals include: 1) student learning (literacy emphasis and curriculum alignment), 2) professional practice (advance and restructure the budget process and cross‑government collaboration), 3) family and community engagement and a sense of belonging, and 4) a focused effort around ninth‑grade course passing and extracurricular connections to improve transition outcomes.
Committee members discussed measurement. Member Mary Beth Maxwell asked whether to include MCAS/ESA scores; the superintendent said MCAS results are not timely for the evaluation cycle because statewide MCAS reporting arrives after the evaluation period and therefore the committee normally selects other local, timely focus indicators. The committee agreed the group will return to select the DESE‑recommended focus indicators (DESE suggests choosing six to eight focus indicators) at a later meeting after the draft goals are finalized and members have time to review the audit and data.
The motion to approve the establishment of the draft goals was made by the vice chair and seconded by Member Shabilius; the committee voted to adopt the draft. Dr. Kwong and staff will follow up with recommended focus indicators for committee selection.
