Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Extended Learning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chelsea School Committee hears plan for REACH, Level Up and Twilight programs to help CHS students
Summary
District officials presented three extended‑learning programs to support freshmen through seniors at Chelsea High School — REACH, a revamped after‑school program; Level Up Academy, a four‑day vacation school tied to DESE attendance recovery; and a Twilight after‑school option for juniors and seniors — and answered committee questions about selection, staffing and community support.
Malik Hauschen, the district’s high‑school redesign lead, told the Chelsea School Committee that three new extended‑learning programs aim to reduce failures, lift attendance and improve graduation rates at Chelsea High School.
"These programs are strategically designed to do that," Hauschen said, describing a reinvigorated REACH program focused on freshmen and sophomores, a four‑day Level Up Academy for targeted academic support and a Twilight School to serve juniors and seniors.
The REACH re‑design will run Monday through Thursday after school and place an emphasis on freshmen and sophomores, pairing underclassmen with upperclassmen mentors and assigning CHS staff as supervisors. Hauschen said the revision will include SEL‑focused enrichment and give students opportunities to earn credits toward graduation.
Level Up Academy is, in Hauschen’s words, "a 4 day vacation school programming designed to provide targeted academic support, credit recovery opportunities, and improve student outcomes." The February session will target ninth‑ and tenth‑grade students; an April session will focus on juniors and seniors. Teachers who already work in the school will staff the sessions so instruction aligns with recent coursework, and students who attend more than four hours a day can have unexcused absences marked as present under DESE attendance rules, a step the presenter said can restore days lost to truancy.
The Twilight School is an after‑school program running about 3:00–6:00 p.m. Monday–Thursday to provide core instruction and "Ingenuity" computer‑based credit work with teacher support. Hauschen said the Twilight model is designed to support up to 45 students, allowing some students to work hours outside school while still making progress toward graduation.
Committee members pressed Hauschen on how students will be identified for each program. He said assistant principals, counselors and supervisors will handle recruitment and that more than two dozen staff applied for supervision roles, signaling local interest. Hauschen also urged community involvement — alumni, local business owners and caring adults — to provide mentorship and real‑world perspectives for students.
The presentation was followed by questions and expressions of support from committee members and parents. Hauschen said hiring for supervisor roles is underway and that the district will phase the programs in as semester scheduling permits.
