Grafton High principal outlines curriculum work, student advisory group and handbook revisions

Grafton — Tracy Kalo, principal of Bradenton High School, updated the school committee on curriculum alignment, schoolwide professional development and revisions to the student handbook.

Kalo told the committee that departments have been aligning curriculum to the district’s vision of graduate skills and that next year the school will focus on building those competencies into assessments and common rubrics. She said English reviewed a grammar and conventions scope and sequence, math worked on vertical alignment, and science is moving toward phenomenon‑based, inquiry‑driven labs in line with state guidance.

Kalo described a newly formed principal’s advisory group of students (initial members listed in the presentation included Delaney Bouvier, Sean Griffin, Yuki Wong, Emily Nijen, Sanvi and Corey). She said the students had set core values — empathy, hard work and integrity — and had already led a teacher appreciation effort. Kalo said she plans monthly meetings with lunch, a shared agenda and staff input, and that the group will help the administration surface student voice while reporting back to their classmates.

On the student handbook, Kalo said she convened a committee of students and teachers to review the handbook, removed overlapping district policies, and prepared a synopsis of major revisions for the committee. She said items that implicate district policy — including the proposed language on cheating and plagiarism and a suggested competency determination for graduation now that MCAS is no longer the sole standard — will move through the policy subcommittee before coming to the full committee.

Committee members asked several clarifying questions. One member asked what the committee must approve about a “certificate of achievement”; Kalo said she and Jay will discuss competency determination and bring a recommended approach to the policy subcommittee and then to the full committee. Another member asked whether parking permits had gone on sale; Kalo said bus passes were on sale and she believed parking sales had not yet begun and that the committee could review parking and transportation fees on June 10.

Kalo also described plans to develop a guide for student use of artificial intelligence and said staff will support professional development for phenomenon‑based science instruction.

Committee members praised the handbook draft and asked staff to route policy items to the policy subcommittee for detailed review.