Southbridge reviews turnaround-plan survey; staffing and family engagement flagged as priorities

At the June 16 meeting the district presented findings from a survey intended to inform a renewed turnaround plan, reporting 55 total responses and noting the majority came from staff with 14 family responses. Administrators said they want broader community input but must balance the time needed to draft and implement the new plan.

The receiver summarized combined priority-area ratings reported in the meeting: inclusive and supportive school community (combined average reported near 3.58), district professional culture 3.5, family engagement 3.2, evidence-informed decision-making 3.45, and resource-management sustainability 3.0. Respondents listed staff dedication, student well-being emphasis, PBIS and targeted reading programs, and the district’s dual-language work as contributing to gains including improved attendance and higher graduation rates for some groups.

District leaders emphasized continuing challenges in recruiting and retaining special-education and ESL teachers and several STEM positions, and noted staff requests for additional incentives and adequate educational-assistant staffing in substantially separate classrooms. The administration said it will pursue scheduling, staffing and partnership strategies over the summer and aims to have a new plan in place for the start of the 2026–27 school year.

Committee members asked whether the survey could be reopened for more input; staff said they closed it to tabulate results but would consult department colleagues about reopening. No formal vote occurred on the plan; the presentation was informational and meant to shape the next draft.