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Superintendent outlines year-two progress on strategic plan, emphasizes EL, UDL and family engagement
Summary
Superintendent Amy reported progress on year two of the district's three-year strategic plan, highlighting universal design for learning, high-quality instructional materials, WIDA training for EL support, and a family resource guide expected by summer.
Superintendent Amy presented an update on year two of Northbridge Public Schools' three-year strategic plan, reporting work underway across intentional leadership, voice and choice, and belonging and connections.
Amy described professional development focused on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), leadership learning walks to identify classroom trends, and targeted training on the WIDA English language development framework to better serve English learners. She said building principals, department chairs and team leaders attended summer training and ongoing sessions to support classroom implementation.
The district is also developing a family resource guide to consolidate procedures and transition materials; the superintendent estimated completion in summer to support next school year. Amy noted targeted family-engagement efforts including multilingual translation tools (LexiKey), multicultural heritage events, a planned celebration of learning on April 15, and student video projects to highlight district programs.
Why it matters: The initiatives are intended to address persistent equity and engagement issues, particularly for EL and special education students, and to strengthen family partnerships that support student success. The superintendent acknowledged budget constraints that limit what the district can deliver and described the strategic plan work as ‘slow and steady’ progress.
Details: Amy reported curriculum reviews to diversify instructional materials (examples: investigative history, Illustrative Mathematics, DKP for social studies), advisory-council activity to align CTE and career pathways beginning in sixth grade, and a $3,300 competitive grant to run a 'credit for life' fair. The superintendent also noted the district's participation in the DESE 'better together' modules for family engagement and ongoing preparations for MCAS testing in March.
Next steps: Continue professional development and learning walks, finish the family resource guide for summer distribution, and report back to the committee with survey results and student advisory council findings after February break.
