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School committee approves elementary handbooks and school‑improvement plans; district sets digital‑wellness work plan
Summary
The School Committee approved elementary handbooks and school improvement plans for 2627, endorsed continued use of the Wayfinder SEL platform and a phased digital‑wellness plan that will collect baseline data on device use and pilot the book 'Amazing Generation' in grade five.
The Westford School Committee voted to approve the elementary school handbooks and school improvement plans for school year 2627 after administrators said the handbook changes were primarily technical and that there were no substantive content changes this year.
Committee members and elementary principals presented progress on three SIP goals. Goal one emphasized strengthening equitable instructional practices through MTSS and implementing a new ELA curriculum; administrators said they used recommendations from an equity audit to standardize data collection and progress monitoring. "We made a lot of progress in terms of strengthening our equitable instructional practices through our multi‑tiered systems of support," the presenter said.
District staff reviewed Wayfinder social‑emotional learning data districtwide: 379 active users, roughly 7,092 lesson views and 7,764 activity views, with empathy named as a top skill and adaptability as the primary area for growth. The committee heard that some report‑card language and the 'habits of mind' section are being aligned to reduce redundancy.
On digital wellness, the district outlined a multi‑year initiative to define high‑quality technology use versus passive consumption, collect baseline engagement data (across Chromebooks and iPads and by app where available), and develop guidance on frequency and duration of screen use in elementary grades. The committee also heard about a small classroom pilot of the book Amazing Generation for grade five and possible family outreach materials tied to that work.
Members emphasized clear communication with families (suggesting a short explanation in principal newsletters about collaborative data meeting half‑days) and urged staff to ground technology policy decisions in evidence and research. The committee motion to approve the handbooks and SIPs was seconded and passed by voice vote; administrators said they would prepare a memo documenting that there were no content changes to the handbooks for the public record.
Next steps include further development of digital‑wellness definitions, additional Wayfinder analysis after end‑of‑year checkpoints, rollout of collaborative data meeting time for staff, and continued community engagement on the feasibility study related to redistricting. The committee did not take separate votes on the digital‑wellness plan; members requested that administrators return with more detailed recommendations and data.
