Superintendent details Innovation Lab, Pre-K funding incentives and Pearson roof testing at Winchester School District meeting

Superintendent Julie Luby reported to the Winchester School District Board of Education on Aug. 12 that the district is launching an Innovation Lab intended to increase student choice, engagement and attendance and that the district will deepen its work in literacy through the Literacy Improvement Network.

"The district is placing a strong emphasis on positive behavior support to help create a welcoming and productive learning environment," Superintendent Julie Luby said, describing new classroom strategies such as morning meetings and a retooled walkthrough process the district now calls "instructional rounds." She said professional learning under the SPLASH program this summer drew roughly 25 teachers per week and informed the instructional plans for the coming year.

Luby outlined substantial state incentives for expanding preschool. She said the district currently receives a 70% reimbursement rate for eligible Pre-K expenses; if the district formally expresses interest in expanding Pre-K, the reimbursement rate would increase to 85%. She described the state Early Start Funding program, which the minutes record as offering $100,000 per new Pre-K classroom for construction and set-up and $90,000 annually per teacher assigned to those classrooms.

Given that scale of potential funding, Luby urged the board to begin long-range discussions about Pre-K and special education programming to align planning with available state support.

On facilities, Luby briefed the board on the Pearson roof project. She said the prior roof was installed in 1999 but was not officially closed out until 2009; under state rules cited by staff, reimbursement eligibility generally expires 20 years after project closeout unless an active warranty exists. After contact with vendors, staff produced two warranties and determined the project remains within the acceptable reimbursement window. An engineering evaluation found the roof is a single system, making a "go-over" option possible rather than a full tear-off. Luby said the district plans a $5,000 moisture test to check for wet insulation and noted the Town has set aside $50,000 for the research phase. She cautioned that if the district completes a pre-bid moisture test, a vendor selected through procurement could require its own test, potentially duplicating costs.

Luby also said the district is moving toward financial independence from the Town: obtaining its own EIN, opening separate bank accounts and establishing independent financial portals. If implemented, the district would begin processing its own bills and financial operations separately from the Town.

Convocation for staff will be held Aug. 25 at 8:15 a.m.; Luby invited the board to participate. The Pearson roof item is listed for the board’s next agenda for further action and scheduling.