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Beverly principals outline gains in writing, discourse and student belonging as district shifts to refinement phase
Summary
Principals at the district’s SISLE meeting described progress on a multi‑year improvement plan — citing a TNTP partnership, new vertical alignment in writing and expanded student‑belonging programs — and identified MTSS scaling, capital planning and sustained communication as next priorities.
At a June 10 subcommittee meeting, Beverly Public Schools principals presented end‑of‑year school improvement updates that the district said signal a move from curriculum adoption to curriculum refinement.
Assistant Superintendent Aaron Brown opened the presentations by reiterating the district’s three strategic goals—equity and belonging, educator empowerment, and innovative practice—and said leaders are building on materials and practices adopted in prior years. “We’re moving from adoption to refinement,” he said.
Lisa Oliver, principal of Beverly Middle School, highlighted partnerships and classroom data gleaned from a year of focused instructional work with TNTP. “Ninety‑two percent of our eighth‑ and ninth‑grade teachers are using the Reveal lesson plans,” Oliver said, adding that internal measures show 89% of classrooms using grade‑appropriate engaging tasks, 85% of students regularly explaining their thinking and 81% demonstrating growth in academic language over the year. Oliver described a district effort to strengthen verbal and written discourse across grade bands and to foster student belonging through clubs, a Best Buddies program and arts and music experiences.
At Beverly High School, principal Thomas reported a rise in accountability metrics and reduced chronic absenteeism, and described plans to scale discourse strategies and launch an early‑college pathway in the fall. He also previewed a semester course, “Preserving Democracy,” that will be a graduation requirement for the current juniors.
Elementary principals from Heirs, North Beverly, Centerville, Hannah and Cove described vertical team structures, relationship mapping, playful learning and targeted MTSS work. North Beverly principal Amy Blanchard cited strong end‑of‑year DIBBLES and MCAS‑related outcomes for early grades and described a program of home‑welcome gestures and communication boards to improve family engagement.
Across presentations, principals flagged next steps: continue MTSS alignment districtwide, refine a consistent K–8 writing curriculum, invest in instructional coaching and supports, and clarify long‑range capital and programmatic priorities so the district can sustain progress amid budget pressures.
The district will publish a fuller school‑by‑school packet and the superintendent signaled a forthcoming entry‑findings report that will include data appendices and recommended priorities for a multi‑year strategic plan. The committee asked for copies of presentation slides and for the district to share the evidence used to generate the teacher and student metrics.
The committee recessed for brief intervals during the evening and then continued with the full School Committee agenda, which included recognitions and public comment.
