Superintendent reports staffing hires, licensure audit and expanded background checks
Summary
The superintendent and HR director reported new MTSS interventionists, eight STEAM teachers, expanded team chair roles, a district licensure audit plan and phased DCF background checks; committee asked for class-size and staffing reports in October.
Wachusett Regional School District leaders told the committee the new school year opened smoothly and outlined personnel actions intended to support instruction and compliance.
Bill, the district27s HR lead, said the district filled FY26 positions by hiring seven MTSS interventionists for grades 1272 and eight STEAM teachers for K275, noting that most MTSS hires were internal employees. "We hired 7, for the start of this school year," Bill said, describing the MTSS roles as partners working in mainstream classrooms to support reading and math.
Bill also described expanding "team chair" positions to provide more building-level special-education leadership for IEP meetings and staff support; he said some coverage is temporary as the district finishes hiring. To address certification gaps, the district will run a three-phase licensure audit this fall, follow up in winter and then consider annual or biennial audits to keep certification current. Bill said waivers are being used where necessary for hires who are not yet certified.
Regarding background checks, Bill said the school committee passed a policy last spring requiring DCF checks for newly hired staff and that the district will roll DCF checks out on a three-year cadence to all employees as their existing checks expire, in addition to CORI checks.
Committee members asked how the new hires affected previously forecast personnel reductions and class-size adjustments. Dr. Riley said the district made reductions where enrollment data supported them and pledged to present a detailed class-size report and adjustments to the committee in October. Members also pressed for clarity on teacher caseloads, middle-school staffing and equity of course offerings across towns.
What happens next The superintendent said the district will present class-size and staffing adjustments in an October meeting and continue work on leadership pathways and supports (mentors, coursework) for teachers hired under waivers. The committee will monitor implementation of the licensure audit and the phased background check rollout.
Context The staffing updates align with FY26 budget priorities (MTSS, STEAM, team chairs) and reflect broader district priorities on instructional support, special-education leadership and safety/compliance.
