Superintendent proposes beta test of classroom climate survey; board hears student achievements and upcoming events

Superintendent Peter Galasso asked the board to approve a mini pilot program tied to building safety and climate teams: a beta implementation of a classroom 'climate' platform that records teachers’ answers to three simple, recurring questions intended to identify students who might need additional support.

Galasso said the approach is based on a teacher-created set of three questions used after a past school shooting to spot students who showed changes in peer interactions. The superintendent described the platform as a tool to digitize and disaggregate those answers so staff can spot trends without relying on paper forms. He said the district would be a beta tester, provide feedback to the vendor (identified in the meeting as Mr. Watson), and the platform would be provided to the district at no cost during the pilot period.

During the superintendent’s report the board also recognized student accomplishments: several students won Scholastic Art & Writing regional awards (Jamie Lyback, Anel Chavez and Karen McClaskey were named), with winners advancing to national competition; the Empty Bowls fundraiser was scheduled for March 14 (proceeds to the Church of Ascension food pantry); and athletics updates included girls’ and boys’ basketball, a swim team state qualification and a bowling tournament win by sophomore Layla Brunn.

Galasso invited families to schedule eighth-grade shadow visits to the high school’s programs and highlighted several upcoming events and closures, including a half day on Feb. 14, Presidents’ Day closure on Feb. 17 and the Ed Foundation gala on March 27.

Board members asked no substantive follow-up questions about the pilot during the meeting; the item was added to the agenda for consideration.