Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Instructional Models topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Webster Middle School to reconfigure 90‑minute blocks and add SEL screening under new improvement plan
Summary
The Webster School Committee approved Webster Middle School’s improvement plan June 22, which restructures the 90‑minute instructional block into a 60/30 model for tiered supports, expands professional development for co‑teaching and restorative practices, and will implement universal screeners for social‑emotional needs.
Webster Middle School’s student handbook updates and multi‑year improvement plan were approved by the Webster School Committee on June 22.
Presenter Miss Peterson described handbook edits (minor content realignment and a planned grading‑scale alignment with the high school) and then reviewed the improvement plan. The plan restructures the existing 90‑minute block into a 60/30 model — 60 minutes for tier‑one instruction and 30 minutes reserved for tier‑two and tier‑three interventions — to create predictable time for special‑education and English‑learner staff to work in classrooms and move toward co‑teaching models.
Dr. Mai and Miss Peterson told the committee this staged approach is intended to build instructional cohesion and allow co‑teaching to develop deliberately: “we’re creating…instructional cohesion that we’re making the instruction as cohesive as possible so that kids aren't getting five different experiences in one day,” the administration said. The plan calls for expanded professional development next year, monthly monitoring through learning walks and data meetings, and increased use of formative checks for understanding.
On school climate and SEL, the middle school will implement a universal social‑emotional screener to identify quieter students who might otherwise be missed and will institute weekly attendance review meetings and targeted restorative practices. Miss Peterson said the school will collect baseline climate and belonging data at the beginning of the next school year and then track change over time.
Committee members asked the staff to note measurement timing and baseline values; Miss Peterson said some historical data exist and she will administer a common baseline survey at the start of the year and return with percentage targets and an implementation timeline.
Vote: the committee approved the handbook and improvement plan by roll call. The school will report back with measurement baselines and the summer work plan for training and scheduling adjustments.
