Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elementary Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bridgewater highlights strong attendance, math gains; board approves special-education paraprofessional
Summary
Bridgewater Elementary reported improved third- and fourth-grade math proficiency and a drop in chronic absenteeism to 7.3% for 2024–25; the school board approved one 6.75-hour-per-day special-education paraprofessional for Bridgewater to respond to students with complex medical and safety needs.
Bridgewater Elementary showcased academic and attendance gains for 2024–25 at the Oct. 14 Northfield Public School District school board meeting, and the board voted to add a special-education paraprofessional at the school to address emergent student needs.
Interim principal Hope Langston told the board Bridgewater’s average daily attendance for 2024–25 was 95% and chronic absenteeism fell from 12% in 2023–24 to 7.3% last year. She said third- and fourth-grade math proficiency stood out among the building’s results and that Bridgewater’s third-grade FRP (free-and reduced-price) proficiency ranked above roughly 75% of comparable schools in state data. “We had an average consistent attendance rate for the 24–25 school year of 95%,” Langston said.
Langston credited the school’s MTSS team, family engagement work led by Carrie Dubuff, and building-level data practices for the attendance improvement. She also described the building’s goal for the coming year: “80% of our students will meet grade level benchmarks in each subject area,” a stretch target tied to continued use of PLCs, MTSS processes and the district’s EduCLIMBER data system.
After the presentation, Special Services Director Sarah Pratt asked the board to approve an additional nonlicensed special-education paraprofessional (6.75 hours per day) at Bridgewater. Pratt said the request followed a district review of student needs and recent enrollment of several students with "significant complex medical self care and safety needs." She described the request as an emergent staffing need.
Pratt provided cost details: total salary and benefits were estimated at $52,005.29, with an estimated district cost of about $23,656 after state special-education reimbursement. The board moved the item into action and approved the hire. The motion passed after an oral vote; the minutes record an affirmative vote and “motion passes,” but individual board member votes were not listed in the transcript.
The board and school staff also discussed parent and employee survey participation and the school’s use of EduCLIMBER to flag interventions and compile individual student profiles to support PLC and MTSS decision-making.
Implementation details: the district will proceed with hiring the paraprofessional and apply the state special-education reimbursement as described. The board added the request to the action agenda the same evening and approved it during the meeting.
Ending: Board members praised Bridgewater staff for the attendance and proficiency gains and thanked staff for the rapid response that led to the staffing request being elevated to an immediate action item.
