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At the October 17 School Committee meeting, there was a discussion of the 2023 MCAS results, the Needham Education Foundation Collaborative Initiative Award, the Needham High School Student Advisory to the School Committee Report, the FY 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan, and the Superintendent’s 2023-2024 Goals. download packet > watch meeting > School Committee Chair Comments School Committee Chair, Andrea Longo Carter, opened with a statement on tensions in the Middle East. She spoke against terrorism, acknowledged a commitment to supporting affected students and a duty to ensure a safe, respectful and welcoming environment for all students. Unit E Memorandum of Agreement Alex Montes McNeil, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at Needham Public Schools, spoke about the Unit E Memorandum of Agreement. Needham Education Association Unit E members earlier ratified the Unit E Memorandum of Agreement for Nutrition Service Workers. The Memorandum of Agreement includes a referral bonus, cost of living adjustment, compensation scale adjustment, increase in manager hours, a new assistant manager position, new evaluation structure, summer employment and a referral bonus. The School Committee unanimously approved the Unit E Memorandum of Agreement. Public Comments Representatives of the Needham Friends of Music gave thanks to the School Committee for their support of music and requested a favorable vote for upgrades in lighting and sound from the FY 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan. See FY2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan discussion below. School Committee Subcommittee Updates Committee members Michael O’Brien and Connie Barr reported that they represented the School Committee at a recent REAL Coalition Meeting. They reported a productive meeting and noted the breadth of participation from students and the community. They relayed that it was powerful to hear student experiences and stories, and that the next two Coalition meetings will be largely based in the student voice. Needham High School Student Advisory to the School Committee Report The Student Advisory Committee to the School Committee gave the following report: 9th grade: Recently participated in student council elections. Question from the School Committee asked for clarity on the freshman experience and the student highlighted the availability of resources for students. 10th grade: Recently launched a merchandise sale which raised class and school spirit. 11th grade: Highlighted new opportunities, such as finalizing details for the Harbor Cruise, new items on MySchoolBucks to raise school spirit, and the annual fall festival. Questions from the School Committee highlighted how students are managing strenuous course work and using strategies to manage stress, such as learning and practicing time management skills and receiving more guidance and outreach from teachers. 12th grade: Reported a strong start. Recently hosted a Senior Breakfast and T-Shirt Day to raise school spirit, and participated in Field Day in September. The Senior class is looking forward to fundraising and planning Senior events (such as a pep rally and prom) amidst college planning. At Large: Students noted stability at school, and a smooth beginning in a post-COVID era. Students spoke about new study spaces around school, particularly outside outside of the cafeteria. Additional study spaces have been well-received by students. All students receive free breakfast and lunch. Students acknowledged a new nutrition director and the School’s commitment to healthier food. Students are excited about a snack table for athletes. The student council has been “reformatted.” Participation has changed from class meetings to cabinet meetings. Change was intended to generate more time to create thorough memos with updates on school-wide initiatives. Students noted that the wellness schedule and lunch schedule were swapped by semester. Students noted pros/cons to the switch. Students noted a scheduling change for “no-movement advisory” (where students stay in their homeroom) to Wednesday. Students spoke about mixed reactions and are sending out a survey for feedback. High School Pep Rally is upcoming on October 27th and will represent the first rally in the past 4 years. The Pep Rally has been restructured for inclusivity with less emphasis on sports and more emphasis on celebrating numerous groups and clubs. Upcoming Events: Homecoming November 3rd - “Masquerade Ball” Annual bonfire to celebrate fall sports is November 21st Question from Committee prompted discussion of positive takeaways from COVID. Students noted continued communication with teachers, oversight from guidance and “mask” breaks. Needham Education Foundation Collaborative Initiative Award School Committee unanimously accepted a Needham Education Foundation (NEF) award in the amount of $156,580 to fund Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Collaborative Initiative. The award will support: 1) Leadership Academy for Educational Equity, Understanding and Organizational Transformation sponsored by William James College 2) Teacher-focused professional development with author/educator Cornelius Minor 3) Consultation, training and support for implementing restorative practices in schools. 2023 MCAS Results Dr. Carmen Williams, Asst. Superintendent of Instruction and Innovation, provided a report on the district’s performance on the 2023 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests which are administered to all students in grades 3-8, and 10. Detailed slides containing performance data are available in the packet. Dr. Williams emphasized that MCAS report is a snapshot and that students are “more than scores.” MCAS scores represent a “data point that helps us locate ourselves within a larger teaching and learning context.” Report consisted of: Student Enrollment Data (Slide 2). Chronic Absenteeism (Slide 3). State-wide concern about chronic absenteeism. While report has improved, rates are not yet back to pre-pandemic levels. 2023 Accountability Report (Slides 4,5). It is the first year since COVID that the DESE has reinstated this system, which reviews multiple years of data related to achievement, growth, English language learner progress, advanced coursework, high school completion and chronic absenteeism. Needham Score - 79% (meeting or exceeding targets). But, Needham is considered on a “recovery path” because in 2019, Needham was at 86%. Dr. Williams spoke about the importance of considering summary data in the context of income and need-based subgroups (Slide 6). Achievement and growth results for the 10th grade (Slides 7,8). Achievement and growth results for the 3rd through 8th grades (Slides 9,10). Dr. Williams spoke to the comparison of current and pre-pandemic achievement by grade level in areas such as ELA, Math, Science. (Slides 11 - 27) Results revealed negative “double digits” change (i.e., more than -10%) from pre-pandemic scores for 10th grade science (-15%), 8th grade ELA (-17%), 7th grade math (-12%) Cohort trends at grade level are positive and fairly consistent with pre-pandemic levels. FY2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan (Packet starting at p. 65) Anne Gulati, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, discussed two clarifications from the Plan as previously discussed: Preschool playground update: Estimate now reflects a cost reduction. Current request is $54,000 due to reduction in scale/scope of project due to size constraints. Ms. Gulati noted that the theater and lighting study capital improvement request had been reconsidered since last discussion. Request is the same, but the Plan now proposes acceleration and phasing, sequencing Newman, Pollard and then the High School. Plan originally proposed a 9-year process, but the revised accelerated phased schedule would have all work complete by FY 2029 (i.e., a 5 year period). School Committee approved FY 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan (vote of 6-1-0) after robust discussion including (among other things) prioritization of expenditures. Discussion continues with Town Manager next month. 2023-2024 Superintendent’s Goals School Committee unanimously approved 2023-2025 Superintendent’s Goals, as reflected in the packet. School Committee Comments Upcoming town events: 10/28/2023 9a-3p Craft Fair by PTC 10/30/2023 Special Town Meeting 11/5/2023 1p-5p Annual Needham Diversity Summit The next School Committee Meeting will be November 7, 2023.

At the October 3 School Committee meeting, there was a discussion of the 2023 Family Survey Results, the FY2025-2029 Draft Capital Improvement Plan Requests, and the Superintendent's 2023-2024 Goals. download packet > watch meeting > Superintendent’s Comments NHS National Merit Commended Students were named and recognized. 2023 Family Survey Results Diane Simmons, Director of Strategic Planning and Community Engagement spoke about the 2023 Family Survey Results. Full details of the results can be found in the Packet Data has been collected biennially starting in 2001 and annually since the pandemic, to recognize the importance of feedback from families to both celebrate strengths in the district and respond to areas that need attention. There was a 24.5% response rate for families, with representation from all schools and grades. Demographics of those who responded closely resembled the demographics of the student population based on race, those who receive special education services, and English language learners. Overall results showed the lowest percentage of favorable results in regards to Academic Standards and the highest percentage of favorable results related to School Climate. 2023 Survey results aligned with 2022 results Favorable responses on Academic Standards are considerably higher at the secondary level. Many responses were favorable with regard to aligning with the competencies of The Portrait of a Needham Graduate Cultural Awareness: differences in favorable responses were seen based on race and location of where family lives (61% favorable among Needham families, 33% among Boston families) Infrastructure: areas for improvement included Extra-curricular programs and Nutrition Services This survey allowed the district to assess where we are in terms of the strategic plan so it can build on targeted action plans. They will plan to continue to measure progress again in the spring of 2024 with input from families, students, and staff. There was a robust discussion and many questions asked by the School Committee following the presentation. FY2025-2029 Draft Capital Improvement Plan Requests Presented by Dan Gutekanst, Superintendent and Anne Gulati, Asst. Superintendent for Finance & Operations As part of the budget development process, the school administration has discussed and identified capital items for submission. The capital list has been developed in collaboration with school and town staff members. The School Committee will be asked to vote on the Capital Improvement Plan requests at a subsequent meeting. Four facilities projects were presented: Theatrical Lighting and Sound upgrades for Newman, Pollard, and NHS auditoriums, which are new projects based on the Feasibility Design Study. A project to complete updates to the Newman preschool playground which is a re-visioned project to install a shade shelter, update climbing equipment, and replace the poured-in-place surface. The estimated cost of the new design requires additional funding from Town Meeting. Two alternative placeholder requests for Pollard and High Rock renovation projects under the C1a (MSBA partners with town to help offset the cost of Pollard and Mitchell renovations) and D1a (MSBA provides funding for MItchell only, Pollard renovation would be done with local funds only) Master Plan program options Equipment requests for copiers, Technology equipment, vehicles, NHS Fitness Center Equipment replacement (new request), and furniture. Some of the costs initially presented are expected to be lower in actuality. Several School Committee members asked for an expedited timeline to implement some of the upgrades to the Theatrical Lighting and Sound for Newman and NHS. School Committee will vote on Capital Improvement Plan at the next meeting, and if approved it will then be presented to the town very soon thereafter. Superintendent’s 2023-2024 Goals Dr. Gutekanst presented his goals for the academic year: Professional Practice Goals Provide training and leadership growth, support community understanding and engagement, and coordinate and facilitate the use of data to inform instruction, policy development, and plans for student, staff, and school needs Highlight the implementation of the Portrait of a Needham Graduate strategic priorities and action steps Student Learning Ensuring Principals demonstrate progress toward achieving their School Improvement Plans and address disproportionate academic and discipline outcomes among all students, especially students most impacted by historical learning gaps Discipline: assessing the percentage of students who were disciplined (which only refers to being suspended) based on race and special education status Academic standards: over time more students are enrolling in advanced courses and those students are taking more advanced classes per year District Improvement Promote active communication and engagement with family and community groups to ensure equitable, safe, healthy, and academically rigorous school and learning environments Facilitate and coordinate successful planning for the District’s Facilities Master Plan and School Administration building and renovation projects and guide the development of a re-envisioned and restructured School/Town IT program Support the successful implementation of the Social & Emotional/Mental Health Framework, and ensure efforts to increase the diversity of the staff are successful Action Item : Approve Disposal of Equipment Upon recommendation of the Superintendent, the Needham School Committee approved the disposal of equipment via auction on October 24, 2023 as submitted. School Committee Comments Michael Greis spoke about the recent Great Hall Performance Foundation concert and the success some of the former members have had. Michael O’Brien thanked families and community members who came out to Harvest Fair last weekend. Elizabeth Lee reiterated that the School Committee wants to hear from members of the community, and they can reach out via the School Committee’s email or during the Public Comment portion of the School Committee meetings. The next School Committee Meeting will be October 17 at 6:30pm.

At the September 19 School Committee meeting, there was a Transportation Update, a Preschool Registration discussion, and a Fall Human Resources Update. download packet > watch meeting > Superintendent’s Comments Dr. Gutekanst introduced Chrissy McCourt as the new School Committee notetaker. He also mentioned Or So They Thought!, a recently published book by Needham resident and Pollard student, Marina Ganetsky, who was interviewed by Channel 4 News this week. Transportation Update Shane Marchand, Director of Transportation, presented an update about school transportation. They are transporting a slightly higher number of students this year compared to last year – up to 2,074 from 2,000, with the buses and vans largely back to full capacity. They are running the Middle School Late Bus starting Sept 29, on Tues/Wed/Thurs for High Rock/Pollard. They are mostly fully staffed, although there is still one vacant van driver position. Currently there is no waitlist for any bus route, but students are still signing up and some routes are full. Primarily using MySchoolBucks for registrations, but can still register with paper forms. The Multi-Function School Activity Bus (MFSAB) continues to be used frequently by the athletics department and for field trips. It has been a huge success, estimated to have saved the district almost $7,000 last year. There have been a few problem areas as school has started with buses 11 and 17 getting from their Sunita Williams routes to the high school late, and buses 5 and 7 getting from Broadmeadow routes to Newman late. They are working on solutions to this with the possibility of adding two more buses at some point. Summer transportation was a success, including a Needham bus for the first time ever with roughly 20-25 students riding it each day to get to their summer programs in Needham. Preschool Registration Daniel Cohen, Director of the Preschool Program, described a proposed revision to the Preschool enrollment process. The proposal suggests moving from a first-come, first-served model of registration, during which slots are usually filled within 3 minutes, to a random selection process in which families apply during a 3 week window then are randomly chosen. While the Preschool has recently opened a new classroom, there has usually been a 40 family wait list after the registration window closes and this will hopefully make registration more equitable for these families. Additional details can be found in the packet. The hope is to use this new process for the 2024-25 school year, opening up registration in October 2023. Human Resources Update Dr. Alexandra Montes McNeil, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, presented an update on Human Resources and staffing within the district. The district is specifically trying to recruit and retain a diverse workforce. The district has 437 Total Teacher FTEs, there is an 87.5% Teacher retention rate, 21 teachers attained Professional Teacher status this year, and 3 administrators completed 3 years of service. BIPOC staff has increased in the district; in 2019, 61.3 of the district wide FTEs were filled by people of color, in 2023 that number has increased to 90.8 FTEs. The district employs multiple strategies to recruit a diverse staff. There are currently only 7 Instructional Assistant vacancies compared to 30 of them last year at this time. 120 positions have already been filled for the year. Retention rates fell again this year, following a recent trend. The rate is still higher, at 88%, than the state’s rate of 84.6%. More info was requested about the NPS retention rate compared to similar districts in the area. There was concern expressed about the teacher pipeline with fewer people choosing teaching as a career and with more people leaving the profession. A successful orientation was provided to all new teachers this year. The district is working in several areas to promote staff retention and employee satisfaction. Through participation in a teacher diversification pilot program offered by the state, NPS was able to identify 3 teachers of color and provide them with over $13,000 of tuition reimbursement. School Committee Comments Andrea Longo Carter, School Committee Chair, reminded everyone that while the School Committee cannot respond to public comments at the start of meetings, they are very interested in hearing from the public. She invited people to email them at schoolcommittee@needham.k12.ma.us or reach out via their Facebook page to engage in a discussion about issues of concern. The next School Committee Meeting will be Tuesday, Oct 3 at 6:30pm.

At the September 5 School Committee meeting the School Master Plan Update and an Opening of School Update were discussed. School Committee also voted to approve the Unit D Contract and FY25 Budget Guidelines. download packet > watch meeting > NHS Chorus students sang the National Anthem to open the meeting. Announcements Needham community members are welcome to make a public comment at the start of each meeting at 6:30pm either in person or on Zoom. SC would like to acknowledge the hard work and heroic efforts of the custodial and maintenance staff who got all the school buildings clean and ready for school opening. Introduced Lea Gruen, this year’s student member of the School Committee. The student member participates in all discussions but is a non-voting member of the School Committee. SC and Dr. Gutekanst recognized Cheryl Gosmon, who was the Recording Secretary of the School Committee for over 20 years, and acknowledged the great value that detailed meeting minutes provide to the SC and the community. Ms. Gosmon shared stories of some of the most memorable moments of her tenure as Recording Secretary. Ms. Gosmon is now the Executive Director of the Needham Housing Authority. Action Item: Vote the Unit D Contract Unit D represents the Clerical and Technical Support Staff, please see packet for the Memorandum of Agreement. Highlights of the new contract: COLA increases of 2% in the current fiscal year, 2% next year, and 2.5% in the 3rd year of the contract. Equalized pay annually throughout the year for 10/11-month employees. New evaluation tool will be set up. Juneteenth will be a recognized holiday for these staff Differentiated compensation for some of the different skill levels and responsibilities of technicians Referral bonus; allow for remote work during summer or holiday breaks in accordance with the NPS remote work policy Dr. Gutekanst recommended that the School Committee vote to approve this contract. SC Vote approved the Unit D contract unanimously. School Master Plan Update Statement of Interest (SOI) was submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) last spring to apply for funds for the renovation of the Pollard and Mitchell Schools. The MSBA will conduct a “Senior Study” of Pollard in October and will visit the school and speak with school & town staff prior to deciding whether to accept the Pollard renovation as an MSBA project. Donald Walter and Michelle Rogers from Dore & Whittier and Hank Haff, Needham’s Director of Building Design and Construction presented an update on the School Master Plan. They reminded the community that this is a very fluid process and these are broad numbers, however estimated costs have increased significantly since the last time this information was presented due to market changes post-COVID. Some potential scenarios go out 30 years which makes it difficult to estimate costs. If the town is accepted into the MSBA process, there will then be a full study to iron out all the details and specific costs. After years of extensive study and discussion of the School Master Plan, these are the potential options still being considered, with the "Pollard first" options allowing significantly faster completion for less cost. Costs will vary based on whether Pollard, Mitchell, or both are completed through the MSBA process. The MSBA process would provide some funding for the project, but it also increases the time required to complete the build and therefore increases costs related to timeline extension (interim building maintenance, increasing supply costs, etc). In the C options, Pollard is considered as an MSBA project, in the D options, Pollard is not an MSBA project. The E option would renovate Mitchell first, maintains the school grade distributions as they are currently, requires construction of temporary facilities and renovations to four schools, costs the most, and would take significantly longer to complete. For more details of each option, please see the packet. It is still unknown if these projects will be accepted by the MSBA and what the reimbursement rate would be if accepted, so potential MSBA reimbursements are not reflected in the current estimated cost projections. Recent projects in surrounding communities have received reimbursement of about 20% of total project costs. After a decision by the MSBA, the next step will likely be to request Feasibility Study funding from Town Meeting in May 2024 so the town can move forward with the Pollard project. School Committee is aware that these are very expensive, long term projects but feel they are critically important to meet Needham's programmatic and enrollment needs and also allow flexibility for future school needs. Opening of School Update Dr Gutekanst gave an update on the opening of school. Highlights: Enrollment: Preliminary enrollment is 5596 students (last year was 5533). Kindergarten enrollment is lower than expected but Gr 6-8 is higher. In October 2019 enrollment was 5706, so while enrollment is increasing, we are still about 100 students lower than pre-pandemic levels. Final enrollment numbers will be submitted to the state in October. Staffing: HR filled 115 positions, 75 were professional/certified staff. There are currently 13 Instructional Assistant (TA) vacancies; last year at this time there were 30 vacancies. There are always open positions at the start of the year, but this year they are starting in a much better position. Transportation: 1976 students registered for the bus, 22 buses, 17 routes that are at or near capacity. Of note, this year there is no waitlist for the bus and all driving positions are currently filled. Nutrition Services: NPS will provide free breakfast and lunch to all students through funding provided by the state. Anything that is a la carte, or extra, such as second entrees, snacks, will still be charged a fee. No applications are required for free lunch, however families that have qualified for free meals in the past are encouraged to fill out the application for the purpose of receiving scholarships, fee waivers, or fee reductions for student programs, extracurricular activities, field trips, etc. Childcare: NEDP has a waitlist at Broadmeadow, Sunita Williams, and Mitchell. They are working on resolving these waitlists if possible. The district does offer early childcare for staff members, and there are currently 50 children age 0-3y enrolled. Action Item: Approve FY25 Budget Guidelines FY25 Budget Guidelines were discussed at the August School Committee Meeting. SC voted to approve the FY 25 Budget Guidelines unanimously. School Committee & Superintendent Updates Michael Greis visited Emery Grover for an update on the renovation. Project is moving along nicely; while there are always unexpected findings in every renovation that may eat into the project contingency fund, the project remains on schedule. They anticipate installing the windows before the weather gets cold so the interior work can proceed during the winter. Official SC school liaison assignments for the 2023-2024 school year can be found in the packet. The next School Committee meeting will be Sept 19 at 6:30pm.

At the June 20 School Committee Meeting there was discussion of the Portrait of a Needham Graduate Strategic Plan Update and the Superintendent's Evaluation. download packet > watch meeting > Action Item Dr Gutekanst recommends that that the School Committee adopt the Unit C Contract as detailed in the packet. This new contract is the result of negotiations between the School Committee and the NEA on pay-scale restructuring for teaching assistants, who will now be referred to as "instructional assistants." They feel this new agreement benefits staff, administration, families and students and will also help with hiring and retention. Unit C contract was approved unanimously. School Committee & Superintendent Updates School Committee recognizes the contributions of recent NHS graduate Dilin Meloni, who has been the student representative on the SC for the last two years. SC recognizes the June 19th celebration of Juneteenth. Liz Lee thanked the participants of last week's community meeting at Broadmeadow for their open and honest conversations about race in Needham. Dr. Gutekanst noted that we have successfully completed the school year in Needham. The NHS Boys Volleyball team are MA State Champions for the 3rd year in a row, defeating Newton North. Dr Gutekanst introduced Lea Gruen, a rising senior at NHS, who will be the new student representative on the SC. Portrait of a Needham Graduate Strategic Plan Update Dr Gutekanst presented an update on the Portrait of a Needham Graduate Strategic Plan and thanked the many administrators and staff members who have worked on developing and implementing this plan. Detailed slides can be found in the packet. This year the focus has been trying to scale & optimize many of the actions Next year's focus will be on coherence and alignment throughout the district FY 23 Progress Priority 1: Students are Drivers of their Own Learning Applying principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to ensure that classroom spaces are accessible to all kinds of learners Providing broad opportunities for student voice & choice New 5th grade Social Studies curriculum (Investigating History) New elementary Math program Priority 2: Students Experience Interdisciplinary Learning Focus on interdisciplinary learning throughout the district Launched the 10-IP program at NHS this past year Pollard team is developing programs to integrate ELA and Social Studies Developing a Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SELMH) Framework Kickoff of the Mental Health Task Force Implementing Restorative Practices to think differently about how to get along, solve problems, and build community Adopting an Early Literacy Screener for all kindergarten students Priority 3: Students Learn within Adaptable Environments Collaborative learning experiences with Olin College Mentors Looking to expand these collaborative projects with Babson College as well in the future Looking at schedules at preschool and NHS to better serve students & staff Thinking about how to partner more with the community (Students presenting Civics Learning to League of Women Voters, Students Take Action Day, Belonging Day) Commitment to getting feedback from the community through surveys. Priority 4: Infrastructure Supports Needs of All Students FY 24 Budget approved in support of equity and the Portrait plan Statement of Interest submitted to the MSBA for funding to renovate Pollard & Mitchell Schools Emery Grover School Administration and Operations Building renovation is in progress Working hard to recruit & support a qualified and diverse staff. Hiring in education has been a challenge in all districts. Needham is targeting many different pipelines and thinking outside the box to recruit talented staff. Professional learning opportunity with Cornelius Minor to help improve the conditions for learning in the classrooms for all students FY 24 Actions Dr Gutekanst proposed some draft action steps for School Committee to review and vote on in a future meeting. Some highlights: Continue to expand Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in every classroom Continue rollout of Investigating History curriculum in 5th grade Increase the number of NHS students completing advanced coursework Prepare for implementation of the district's SELMH Framework Develop a framework for a Portrait of a Needham Graduate Portfolio in grades 3-12 that will become a graduation requirement and empower each student to document progress toward Portrait competencies. Initially will focus on the secondary level. Establish a plan to address growing enrollment and programmatic needs of the Preschool Partner with Babson College's Blank School graduate students on assessments of how the district communicates and engages with families to improve effectiveness Implement the recommendations of the School Facilities Master Plan Town-School IT Services Assessment of how the district is supporting staff through the Supervision/Evaluation Model Superintendent's Evaluation One of the School Committee's key responsibilities is to evaluate the Superintendent each year according to specific SC policies. This process is overseen by the immediate past chair of the SC; this year that is Matt Spengler. Matt Spengler notes that the SC recognizes the quality and excellence of the entire administrative team. Two components of the formal evaluation: 1) Statewide Evaluation instrument created by DESE with 5 standards of practice for Superintendents. Each SC member assigns a rating of 1-4 in 29 subcategories of the 5 standards of practice (1-unsatisfactory, 2-needs improvement, 3-proficient, 4-exemplary, serves as a model of practice regionally or statewide) as well as providing written comments. Dr Gutekanst received an overwhelmingly positive rating, with ratings of 3 or higher from every SC member in ALL of the 29 subcategories (lowest average rating was 3.7, highest was 4.0). "In sum, the School Committee recognizes the depth, commitment, and complexity of Dr Gutekanst's work and the lasting impact he is making on students, parents, staff and our community." Matt Spengler reviewed all categories and read some sample comments. Details can be found in the packet. 2) Individual Goals Provided by the Superintendent, encompassing Development and Use of Data, Portrait of A Needham Graduate, Communication and Engagement with Families and the Community, Facilities Master Plan, Successful Collective Bargaining and Negotiation Overall rating on Goals (3.6/4) "It is difficult to understand how Dan improves on his already superb performance year after year. After the oft acknowledged bumpy ride of Covid, hiring excellent senior leaders, leading the charge on students' recoveries from learning and SEL losses of Covid, keeping drama and fanfare to a minimum while never ignoring needs, concerns and conflict, using humor often, improving the diversity of our leaders and staff, modeling the acknowledgement of imperfection while continuing to strive, maintaining excellent and effective communication with Town official and the community, all while placing equitable student and staff welfare and learning as well as equity, inclusion and diversity, as the highest priorities." Dr Gutekanst thanked the SC members and said he was humbled by their evaluation and comments. He also thanked the many members of his administrative team and all the district staff. The SC wishes the Needham community a joyous and relaxing summer. The first meeting of the 23-24 school year will be July 14 at 11am at 28 Glen Gary Rd.

At the June 6 School Committee meeting there was discussion of the Sunita Williams School Improvement Plan and a Race, Equity, Access, Leadership (REAL) Update. download packet > watch meeting > School Committee Chair and Subcommittee Updates Congratulations to Needham’s graduating seniors! Recognition of Needham staff who received SEPAC (Special Education Partner Advisory Council) awards this year: Emily Delaney-Disasto (Newman), Emily Dudek (Pollard), Beth Garceau (Mitchell), Heather Harris (High School), Grace Healy (Mitchell), Megan Hennessey Schofield (High School), Jessica Horgan (Sunita Williams), Michele Negoshian (Sunita Williams), Stuart Slawsby (High School) Superintendent Updates Members of Needham’s Unified Track and Field team were recognized for their outstanding achievements. Victor Cavalcanti is finishing his first year at Needham High School and won a gold medal in the 100m dash and a bronze medal in the javelin at the State meet. Thomas Drosos is a junior at Needham High School and won a gold medal in the 100M dash. Samantha Murray is a junior at Needham High School and is a leader in the unified sports teams. She placed 5th in the 100m dash in Division 1 and exemplifies the spirit of unified sports. Gianna Moreschi is a sophomore at Needham High School and is on the varsity soccer team. She is deeply involved in Top Soccer (a training program for athletes with emotional, physical or intellectual disabilities) and has been a key part in building a positive environment in the unified sports program and ensuring everyone is having fun. Sunita Williams Elementary School Improvement Plan Kiana Brunson - SWES principal, along with Patrick Marra - Assistant Principal, April Crawford - parent and school employee, and Allison Shenker - Literacy Coach presented the Sunita Williams school improvement plan. SWES has 533 Students, 118 Faculty, 26 home rooms, 5 educational & specialty programs (General Ed, Moderate Special Ed, Intensive Learning Center (ILC), English Language Learners and METCO) and 3 ILC substantially separate classrooms. Population -70% white, 12% Asian, 4% Black, 6% Hispanic, 7.5% multiracial, 0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 14% ESL learners, 15% Special Ed, 28% High Needs Objectives: (i) Evaluate, and if needed, revise support given to teaching staff to maximize academic instructions and increase student achievement and (ii) increase cultural proficiency of staff and students through professional development opportunities and school-wide and grade level projects that effectively address matters of equity, diversity and inclusion in the context of pluralistic communities in which we live. What this Means in Practice: Review programming, professional development programs, resources and supports in place for SEL learning, instructional interventions, and maximizing professional development opportunities around DEI specifically to support inclusive environment for all of the school’s learners and community members. Math: Implemented Illustrative Math to shift math learning to a process-oriented approach focused on using math as a conceptual tool. Also implemented and maximizing value of ST Math. Feedback from kids has been positive. As a school, students solved over 1.3 million puzzles and completed over 8,000 objectives in ST Math, all of which supported the math skills they were learning. SWES student population surpassed the school goal of 80% completion. Successes were celebrated – trophies and awards; classroom parties; Rita’s Italian Ice came to school and the entire community celebrated with a frozen treat. Literacy: Increased instructional supports to strengthen reading and writing skills. Implemented additional early screenings for dyslexia in compliance with new State law. Implemented curricular strategies and resources to increase foundational literacy, including increasing phonetic and phonemic awareness in grades K-5. Reintroduced Fundations in grade 3, and in grades 4 and 5 introduced new initiative for phonics and spelling. Teacher/Student Support Team: The team reviewed the current model for the teacher support team (TST) and revamped processes for greater alignment with MTSS framework in ensuring referrals to the support team are data driven and are made once other interventions have been utilized. SWES is taking a more data drive approach overall to better inform interventions and how best to support students and teachers. Instead of simply saying ‘this isn’t working’, the team is asking ‘why isn’t this working’ and using data to explore trends and other important metrics in determining next steps. Faculty members and administrators collaborated to create tiered structure of support and intervention for students, and created actions plans for students they were supporting and monitored student progress on a 6-8 weekly basis to determine where has the student had growth, where is it necessary to course correct, and what are the next steps. 26 students have come through TST. SEL: Continuing to implement PBIS (positive behavior intervention support) framework, which has been a 2-year process. Tiered approach similar to MTSS approach for academics, but from a social emotional and behavior standpoint. Started last year by implementing school-wide expectations and educating staff on what those expectations were and what acceptable behavior should look like. Solicited buy-in from both teachers and students in developing these behavior expectations. This allowed students to have a clear understanding of the expectations for their actions. Expectations were always in line with SWES’s 3 foundational principles -- working hard, being kind, and being safe. This year SWES implemented an awards program (Paw Award) to support students acting in alignment with these expectations, which has had a positive impact on the school community. DEI: SWES has a school-wide equity team, which meets monthly. The team reviews and discusses research-based articles, culturally relevant texts for students, and social concerns pertaining to diversity, equity and inclusion, which impact both the school and the broader community. The team homed in on a few specific initiatives this past year including creating a family survey in the Fall to understand the culture of each student’s family to better support families and understand students as a whole person, and adding more culturally inclusive literature. Celebrating Successes for this School Year: Increased effectiveness and fidelity of CPT Piloted instructional walkthroughs for K-5. Birdseye view of what’s happening in the classroom. These can be done by anyone, and the observations are used solely to gather data and to learn what is happening in other classrooms. Provides greater alignment across grade levels in the classroom and enhances learning for students. Increased safety measures and routines. Ensuring the proper protocols and staff are in place to support students. Implemented greater structure and strategies around dismissal and being accountable for where kids are going at dismissal each and every day. Increased the number of armed intruder drills to 2 annually for greater safety and protection of students. SWES currently has the largest population ever in the school’s history. Added an additional cohort to accommodate students, and working in collaboration with the Newman School to maintain the ILC classrooms at a manageable size and to ensure students’ needs are being met. Hopes for Next Year: Create instructional foci which supports student and community needs in alignment with Portrait of a Needham graduate. Increase targeted and intentional teacher and faculty collaboration. Specifically, between general ed and special ed practitioners. Continue to strengthen and increase the work of SWES equity team. Continue and strengthen practice with instructional walkthroughs. Create more opportunities for student and community celebrations. REAL Coalition (Race, Equity, Access and Leadership Coalition) Update The REAL Coalition is comprised of students, parents, community members and Needham Public School educators. The REAL Coalition meets regularly. It provides leadership and guidance on eliminating barriers to racial equity and supporting advancement of all learners in NPS, and its members act as ambassadors, committed to engaging staff, students, families and community members in conversations and actions that promote equitable practices for all in our community. Needham schools view this work as a shared responsibility of all, and not of any one person alone, which was the impetus behind forming the Coalition and working collaboratively with the constituents represented in the Coalition. Going forward, the Coalition is focused on making student voices a greater part of this work to ensure their voices are heard. The Coalition wants to ensure that students see the impact of this work and their voice reflected in that and students help socialize the work being done and its impact. 6 Goal Areas in support of equity (Detailed slides can be found in the packet.) 1. Policies and Practices Revised memorandum with the police that specifically addresses increased antibias training for police force. The School Committee recently adopted a library media learning resources policy that helps us explain why we selected materials and, if challenged, how NPS will respond. Implemented the policy passed last year by the School Committee around student fees, fines and charges that allows NPS to be more equitable in providing scholarships for students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to participate in co-curricular programs and in devising penalty systems that are more equitable and practical. 2. Curriculum and Instruction Ms. Williams shared her experience of chaperoning a middle school field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in support of the students’ social studies curriculum. During that visit, the MFA docent leading their tour, while explaining some of the artifacts to the students, shared that the museum has changed its practices around collecting and showing some of their pieces because they want to be more culturally responsive. The MFA wants to honor the culture and history of the art and artists. Ms. Williams witnessed the students naturally understanding and agreeing with this concept, and their awareness of the need to honor and respect others, which is a testament to the work being done in Needham’s curriculum. There are plans for broader roll out of the new social studies curriculum (Investigating History) and the new Illustrative Math curriculum includes intentional pieces to be culturally responsive. The program encourages students to build a community of learners and there are strategies teachers use to build community in Math. Implementing a K-12 racial literacy program – asks ‘what does it mean to be racially literate at all levels?’ i.e., if we are preparing students to be socially and culturally responsive, what does racial literacy truly mean? A group of 10 teachers will work on this over the summer. Another group of K-12 teachers will look at what it means to build a school and culture that honors the identity of LGBTQIA+ students. (content, culture, safety conditions, etc.) 3. Professional Learning Continuing to provide district and school level programs. The focus this year has been on creating conditions for learning for all students in every single classroom. Every person in the district received a copy of We’ve Got This by Cornelius Minor, and Mr. Minor worked directly with faculty and staff in group and small group settings. Mr. Minor partnered with Dr. Williams in applying a data lens to the work that is being done in this arena in Needham schools to analyze the success of initiatives and efforts. Continuing to provide many robust training program across the district, and partner with IDEAS for many of these trainings. IDEAS is connected to the Mass Association of School Superintendents, which is an initiative for developing equity and achievement for students. Trainings are particularly focused on anti-racist practice, implicit and explicit bias, and having difficult conversations. There is also anti-racist training for every hiring committee involved in hiring processes. Using Data Wise framework to do simulations for this work and to orient to some of these practices – taking the space to ask ‘why’, which has been a powerful tool/process. Curated list of professional development opportunities that are equitable for adults, in the same way they want to provide equitable opportunities for kids/students. 4. Hiring/Employment Practices Proactively working to have more diverse candidate pools. Needham has practices in place to expand and engage with prospective candidates of color, including for example, anti-bias hiring and training; job fairs for diversifying candidate pools; and focusing on diverse pipeline through, for example, tuition assistance, post-grad program support, students seeing themselves as teachers. 19% increase in the number of full-time employees of color between 2022-2023. On track for 11% of staff to identify as BIPOC. Needham received 2 grants through the Dept of Elementary and Secondary Ed (DESE) for broadening and diversifying teaching staff and providing opportunities for new entrants into the profession, including tuition assistance, which Needham has been providing for 2 years, and signing bonuses for staff. What’s Next? The district will be working on the evaluation processes to better support equity in our district and professional learning. 5. Culture and Climate Continue to look at what our students, staff and families are saying in regard to school climate. Student voices are an integral part in measuring success. (Metro West Adolescent Health survey (grades 6-12) and Panorama survey (elementary and secondary level)). The Coalition recognizes the need for better measurement of the impact of programming. Focusing on positive school climate that is supportive of social emotional and mental health of all students and staff. Providing examples of best practices across the district, and school-based equity teams with varying goals. Goal to ensure every student feels safe and secure in the school environment. Focus on restorative practices as a way of helping to build community and create a sense of belonging for students. Restorative practices can be used to help repair or address prior harm, but the primary focus of Needham is also using these practices to help build-up an inclusive and positive school environment right from the start. Predominantly used at the high school level and Pollard through a pilot program this year. Looking to expand to other schools going forward. Creating Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health (SELMH) Framework. Needham’s version of a multi-tiered system of support and SEL and mental health practices. What’s Next? (i) Prepare for implementation of SELMH framework as a district blueprint; (ii) explore NEF funding to support structure for equity teams at each school; and (iii) measure student and staff sense of safety and belonging. 6. Communication & Community Engagement The goal is a clear communication of the vision and the goals outlined above. The members of the REAL Coalition, acting as ambassadors, share this information within their circles of influence. Multiple vehicles for communication, including: Portrait of a Needham Graduate Updates annually (now in year 4) Performance report sent to all Needham households District survey for families (1,352 respondents – approx. 25% response rate) ELPAC (English Language Parent Advisory Council) launched, parent meetings at Cook’s bridge REAL Coalition as ambassadors for equity work Let’s Get REAL annual publication on progress What’s Next? (i) Equity website update and (ii) REAL Coalition and staff accountability and fluency with concrete examples and metrics for equity work. The next School Committee meeting will be Tuesday, June 20 at 6:30pm

The May 2023 Annual Town Meeting concluded on Monday, May 8. Among the over 40 articles voted on by Town Meeting Members were several that impact Needham Schools. Other articles concerned recreation options in Needham which may be of particular interest to children & families. A full list of warrant articles can be found on the Needham town website. ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ARTICLES: Article 12: Appropriate the FY2024 Operating Budget (Approved) The school operating budget (primarily salaries and expenses) of $92,155,973 was approved within the town's operating budget. This represents a 5.6% increase over the previous year's budget, and includes an increase of 14.33 Full Time Equivalents (FTE). This budget request will provide the resources to fund existing contractual obligations, provide funds to meet increasing special education needs and enrollment growth, and implement the District’s Portrait of a Needham Graduate Five-Year Strategic Plan. The detailed budget report is available on the NPS website. Article 24: Appropriate for DeFazio Playground Design (Approved) Of note to families of young children, Town Meeting voted to appropriate $35,000 to support the design of a new “tot lot” at DeFazio Field. Design considerations will include location, playground equipment, playground age groups, fencing, pathways and amenities. Article 25: Appropriate for General Fund Cash Capital (Approved) This article, which appropriates funds for one-time smaller capital improvements, included several school-related projects. School Copier Replacement ($69,739) School Furniture ($25,000) School Technology Replacement ($460,750) This article also included $35,000 for an Action Sports Park Feasibility Study to study potential options for a skate park and pickleball courts in Needham. Article 27: Appropriate for Rooftop Unit Replacement (Approved) These funds will allow for the replacement of HVAC rooftop units at Broadmeadow and Eliot Schools. The current units are now past the end of their useful life and have become increasingly inefficient and costly to maintain. Town Meeting Warrant > Watch 2023 Town Meeting: Night 1 > Night 2 > Night 3 >

At the May 16 School Committee Meeting there was a Portrait of a Needham Graduate Presentation from the Fine & Performing Arts Department, a NHS Student Advisory to the School Committee Update, and the NEF Spring 2023 Grant Award Presentation. download packet > watch meeting > Public Comment A group of Needham High School seniors spoke about improving the Performing Arts resources here in Needham. Some of them have spent the spring semester doing a community action project for the interdisciplinary senior course- The Greater Boston Project. They have identified that resources for performing arts here in Needham are an urgent need. They have created a report based on research in surrounding towns of their theater programs and auditorium spaces. This paired with the recent Needham theater sound and lighting study demonstrates that there is a strong need for updating our equipment and spaces. School Committee & Superintendent Comments All schools or groups here in town are encouraged to make a float to participate in the Needham Exchange Club’s 4th of July parade. Dr. Gutekanst urged all families of incoming kindergarten students to please register your k students soon. Bus registration closes on May 19th. Parents and families please complete the Needham Family Survey. Currently only have a response rate of about 20%. (UPDATE: Please note this survey is now closed) Portrait of a Needham Graduate Presentation: Fine and Performing Arts Department The Fine and Performing Arts department highlighted several examples of student work and projects that reflect aspects of the Portrait of Needham Graduate vision. Art 3: Creative Thinkers and Problem Solvers: Inquiry Based Process This challenges students to design a year long inquiry based on an essential question rooted in personal interest. Visual Art is used as a vehicle to investigate those ideas. The resulting portfolio of 15 works, and written reflections, are less about finalized products, but rather about the process of students continually asking questions, exploring, and revising. Art 4: Communicators and Collaborators: Collaborative Mural Project Our senior students are creating an immersive art installation. Questions that were posed to students: How can artists create work that impacts or benefits the community? How does collaboration with other artists expand the creative process? What effect can/do immersive art installations have on their viewers? Students then made a proposal which included a design, color scheme, class roles for all involved students, a budget for the project, then the execution and construction of the mural. 5th Grade Arts and Installation at Broadmeadow Elementary School Science, Art and Social Interaction by Karen DiCenzo and Stephanie Hamel. Question posed to students: How can Scientists and Artists work together to be Socially and Culturally Responsive contributors? Students looked at examples of Activists and Activism: Greta Thunberg- Environmental Activist Malala Yousafzai- Female Education Activist Students then looked at examples of Artists and ARTIVISM: Shephard Fairey; street artist and activist Asher Jay: Photographer and conservationist The 5th grade students then read the book We are Water Protectors by Michaela Goade. Students were then asked “What are you the protector of?” and why? 5th grade students from Broadmeadow then presented their artwork “I am the Protector of_____.” They also discussed how they chose their object. 6th Grade: Empowered Learners: Collaborative Composition Project- Music, Composition and Technology Alison Flores presented High Rock’s “Percussion Play Along: Music through the Lens of Technology”. Students were tasked with: MUSIC- Background music (Purple Planet or compose in Garageband) IMAGES- Draw or find (Sketches, Notability, Image Quest, creative commons) FILM VIDEOS- Conducting and drumming (Camera app) LAYER VIDEOS- Conducting and drumming in one! (Green Screen app) POINTER AND RHYTHM- Follow the bouncing ball (Explain EDU) PUT IT TOGETHER- Put all rhythms together, title, key, and credits (iMovie) Students reflected on this project and found that they enjoyed collaborating with other students, gained knowledge in technology and ultimately they took pride in their projects. Senior Directed Show: Little Women NHS Seniors presented about the Senior Directed Show. Students plan, direct, and cast all areas of the production. Students involved gained confidence in the following areas: Time management Planning and prioritizing Note taking Collaboration, compromise and teamwork Communication skills Navigating conflicts or differences Problem solving Leadership skills "Come see Little Women June 9th and 10th at the NHS auditorium!” Many more slides showcasing student art and experiences can be found in the packet. NHS Student Advisory to the School Committee Updates Members of the NHS Student Advisory to the School Committee presented an update about recent events and issues at NHS. Freshman Class: Designed and sold their own merchandise to raise funds and school spirit. Sophomore Class: Elected a new class of officers. Planning to hold a community event in partnership with the Robotics Club. Junior Class: At the beginning of May many students took their AP tests. Juniors are excited about upcoming events including the Spirit of Boston Junior Harbor Cruise. On June 10th the Student Council will be hosting a car wash at the Webster Street entrance of the high school. Senior Class: Senioritis is creeping in as the seniors continue to push through the last few weeks of their high school careers. Many fun events are also taking place including Senior Assassins and the upcoming Senior picnic, Prom, and Graduation. Student Council: Held a very successful and fun underclassman semi-formal dance at the high school with professional decorating, food trucks, DJ’s, lighting and spray tattoos. One thing missing is a NHS Pep Rally. There hasn’t been one since May 2019. Students would really like to bring this back but logistics are difficult as there isn’t a space large enough to fit the entire student body altogether. To remedy this in the past, the Freshman class watched in the cafeteria. They feel that this approach lends to a feeling of hazing for the younger class students. Currently the best option is the football field, but that too has many issues to consider. The Student Council would like to find a way to bring back this traditional event for next year and future years. Student Life at NHS: Student mental health appears to be improving as we enter the spring months. Even with the stress of starting final exams, students are feeling excited by Spring extracurricular activities in sports, performing arts and other engagements. The Student Council has been working in collaboration with Principal Sicotte. They do spirit days/weeks throughout the year that have a special theme. They often offer fan buses to championship games that have great student attendance. Hoping to increase the participation of these spirit days and increase school spirit in the next school year. There will be much reflection in the coming months that lead into our next school year as new leadership comes in. Continued focus on topics of mental health and student well-being, as well as new ideas. The Student Council looks forward to a continued partnership with the Needham School Committee and Superintendent Gutekanst. Needham Education Foundation (NEF) Spring Grant Cycle: 5 Grants have been recommended for approval by the NEF for the Spring 2023 Grant Cycle totalling $34,177. Interdisciplinary Learning for Social Studies and Visual Arts for 7th Grade: $13,567 The Waypoint Adventure for the High School ILC (Independent Learning Center) and Post Grad programs: $4,900 Lego Tables and Legos for Newman Kindergarten Classrooms: $4,045 Bill Harley; Author, Musician and Storyteller for Sunita Williams Elementary: $1,500 The 2023 School Librarian Conference and Professional Development for all school librarians: $10,165 NEF reported that during the pandemic they saw a dip in grant requests but now it is increasing again. The NEF trivia bee was a great fundraiser for them and may look to add a second fundraiser during the year. They also want to get the word out that anyone can submit a grant for funding, including teachers, staff, parents, students or any collaboration of those groups. For more information on these grants, please visit Needham Education Foundation. School Committee unanimously approved acceptance of the NEF Spring 2023 Grant recommendations. Reminder that NHS graduation is June 4th. The next School Committee meeting will be Tuesday, June 6 at 6:30pm.

At the May 9 School Committee meeting, there was discussion of the Broadmeadow School Improvement Plan, a SEPAC update, and discussion of the Superintendent Evaluation Process. download packet > watch meeting > The Meeting opened with an opportunity for public hearing on School Choice, as required by MA State Law. There were no public comments on this topic. Dr. Gutekanst recommended that Needham not participate in the School Choice Program due to programmatic and space limitations in our schools. School committee voted unanimously that Needham will not participate in the School Choice Program for the 2023-2024 Academic Year. Public Comment A Needham family with two children with invisible disabilities, commented that we should be teaching kids about invisible disabilities (ADHD, Autism, Mood Disorders, OCD, etc). She mentioned that community members including parents are not always supportive of children with invisible disabilities participating in sporting events and other community events. Requests that the schools work on better supporting these students and also teaching neurotypical students how to change this culture. Some schools have sibling support groups and they request that these types of services are available district wide. They also discussed that students who go to Special Education IEP support often cannot participate in Band, which deprives them of an opportunity they would really like to engage in with their friends. They recommended two books for students on these topics: Rules and Fish in a Tree. School Committee Chair and Subcommittee Updates School Committee acknowledges Teacher Appreciation Week. They showed a Kudoboard for thank you and appreciation. Thank you to ALL staff who work for our schools: teachers, staff, bus drivers, custodians, nutrition services, counselors, nurses, administration, and more! Broadmeadow Improvement Plan Principal Andy Garlick and Broadmeadow teachers, parents, and students presented about their School Improvement Plan. Principal Garlick commented that the job of teaching has never been harder or more important. Highlights of the Broadmeadow presentation: 508 Students, 25 classrooms, 87 Faculty Site of the district's Connections Programs for students with social & emotional learning needs Focus on Community Building with structured time in the schedule for all-school meetings Dyslexia screening in kindergarten and 1st grade; Using "Words their Way" Program in 4th grade. Illustrative Math program now district wide; piloting a new Social Studies curriculum "Investigating History" Students presented on the school's year-long Community Art Project with the Theme "You Belong". The school collaborated with local artist Tova Speter on several art projects. Students first created paper chains that linked together to show community and later collaborated on a large honeycomb now displayed in the school. Detailed slides available in the packet. Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) update Pam Greenfield, Co-Chair of SEPAC, Jennifer Adreani, and Lindsay Bigda presented on their experiences with Special Education in Needham, highlights of SEPAC's work this year, and gave suggestions for areas of improvement. Highlights of the SEPAC presentation: Collaboration between SPAN and SEPAC. Discussed how they might change the school culture to be more accepting of Special Education students in the way that the culture has changed to be more welcoming of other affinity groups. Discussions with Parks & Rec on how to make programming more accepting of students with Special needs; adaptive baseball program Parent support groups In the future they would like to host a different ability celebration carnival for next year and increase their parent support groups. They recommend a formal district wide special education curriculum rather than what seems to be a "hodgepodge of good efforts" and a "reactive game of whack-a-mole" with proactive education for all students about neurodiversity that makes all students feel like valuable parts of the community. Students need the appropriate tools and language to start to shift the culture. Parents of Needham High School students with invisible disabilities feel that students face discrimination and need updated curriculum - the tiered system is not geared to support neurodivergent students who are capable of learning accelerated material but may need more time with processing or organizational skills. NHS Fine & Performing Arts curriculum is not available to students on IEPs as they lose this block to go to education support. Jazz Ensemble is the only ensemble available to IEP students since it meets after school, but this is audition based, only takes limited instrumentation, and conflicts with other after-school commitments. Culture has been improved for DEI with literature and discussion, stickers of support for race, gender identity, LGBTQ, but no celebration or support for neurodiverse students National Honor Society Application - no space for an explanation of impact of disability on leadership/service End-of-year activities - not enough options for those uncomfortable in a loud unstructured environment (no alternative to junior harbor cruise, etc) Neurodivergent students often feel like they have to "mask" themselves all day long, forced to act a certain way to fit in. This is exhausting and they never feel at ease. This stress is all on the neurodivergent students instead of a give-and-take share of the load with the community/students. Recommend district wide messaging about neurodiversity with literature, mentors, regular focused conversation. Acknowledge that "accelerated" learning doesn't mean smarter. Update curriculum to allow the same access to Fine & Performing Arts Opportunities. Discussion of Needham Integrated Preschool: Staff are true partners with families as they deal with new diagnoses and begin the process of IEPs. Importance of maintaining regular staff as staff turnover is upsetting for students. Seems to be a shortage of TAs, request more funding for this staff to help with hiring. School committee members thanked the presenters for their courage to share such personal experiences in their presentation. SEPAC's state mandated role is to advise the School Committee on matters that pertain to the education and safety of students with disabilities. It's a good reminder that there is still work to do to ensure equity of access and opportunity. Shifting the culture is important and needs to be intentional. Dr Gutekanst feels it's important to state that Needham Public Schools does not discriminate against students on IEPs. Educators are held accountable for following the IEP plan even though sometimes this is imprecise and imperfect. The administration, SC and SEPAC will continue to work together on these issues. Superintendent Evaluation Process Matt Spengler will be preparing the superintendent evaluation. One of the roles of the School Committee is to evalute the superintendent annually. SC will answer questions and provide written feedback- completed in June. There is a statewide rubric for the evaluation. Dr Gutekanst sent out a survey to staff about his roles and responsibilities - 46% of staff have responded; he will complete a written assessment of his work on the goal areas within 10 days. School Committee Comments Town Meeting approved School Committee budget and capital funding - School Committee is very grateful for the support of the community. This is a time for thoughtful conversation to fit the School Master Plan into the town's budget for the future. The next School Committee meeting will be Tuesday, May 16 at 6:30pm.

At the April 25 School Committee Meeting, the Eliot School Improvement Plan and proposed changes to the school handbooks for the 2023-24 school year were presented and preparation for the upcoming Town Meeting was discussed. download packet > watch meeting > School Committee Chair and Subcommittee Updates Andrea Longo Carter, the new School Committee chair, thanked Matt Spengler for his service this past year as the chair of the committee. Liz Lee mentioned the new Substance Prevention Alliance of Needham (SPAN) newsletter regarding student mental health. Interested parties can subscribe on the SPAN website at https://www.spanneedham.org/. Superintendent Comments Dr. Gutekanst thanked Matt Spengler for his service at School Committee chair this past year. He also highlighted a number of Needham High School students who qualified for and will be participating in the national National History Day program. Eliot School Improvement Plan Principal Karen Bourn, two students, and various members of the Eliot school council presented the school improvement plan. During the presentation, Ms. Bourn and her colleagues discussed the Eliot school goals and how the school is using those goals to improve. Create confident mathematicians Implement Illustrative Math Hold a yearly math night for families Develop lifelong readers and writers Use of structured literacy Frequent data meetings across the staff to look at assessments as a tool to drive instruction. Develop Eliot students to be responsible community members to empower them to make positive change. Lessons are used to strength the school values of: Be Kind Be Safe Be Curious Be Responsible Embrace the culturally diverse Eliot community Staff engage in extensive professional development. Create partnerships with families Hold summer incoming kindergarten meet and greet sessions Welcome new grades 1-5 families with tours, phone calls, Eliot t-shirts Create and implement structures to support Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention in literacy and math Implementing a pilot program called Eagle Block for 2nd and 4th grade students to provide small group supports for these students Ms. Bourn mentioned that the biggest challenge at the school is figuring out how to teach in a way that is successful for everyone. The district has provided resources to give staff the opportunity to do quite a bit of professional development around this topic and she thanked them and asked that this continue. Proposed 2023-2024 Elementary, Middle, and High School Handbooks Mary Lammi, Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services, presented the minimal changes to the school handbooks for the next academic year. These changes will be voted on by School Committee at a future meeting. Town Meeting Preparation At Town Meeting on Monday, May 1, 2023, the schools and School Committee are involved in two main articles, one containing the school budget and one regarding the boiler replacement at Eliot and Broadmeadow schools. Andrea Carter will present a brief slideshow prior to the vote on the budget. Next School Committee meeting will be Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30pm.

At the April 4 School Committee meeting there was a discussion of the High Rock School Improvement Plan, a Portrait of a Needham Graduate Presentation highlighting the K-12 World Language Program, and a Theatrical Lighting and Sound Update. download packet > watch meeting > Public Comments Several High School students involved in the Performing Arts made statements about the conditions of the Needham Schools' auditoriums, theaters and lighting structures. The theaters noted are the High School, Newman Elementary School and Pollard Middle School theaters. The students feel these areas lack updated technology, the current equipment is unsafe, and in some cases the physical space is in disrepair. They feel there is a lack of support for our performing arts students and spaces versus Needham athletics. They also stated that Needham’s efforts in supporting the performing arts spaces is inferior to our surrounding towns. School Committee Comments/Updates Michael O’Brien as liaison to the Minuteman school was able to meet with their new Superintendent. They discussed projects, Needham recruitment, and how to join the Minuteman School Community. Superintendent Comments Dr Gutekanst wished a Happy Passover and Easter to those who are celebrating. High Rock School Improvement Plan High Rock Principal Jessica Downey, High Rock Students and Staff members presented about the benefits of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in advisory. There are 4 frames of SEL at High Rock: The High Rock student representatives highlighted the benefits of SEL woven into the advisory period. It is a time where they can learn about things that are not a part of the current curriculum (such as March Madness, the Olympics, Community Outreach, Veteran’s Day, etc). During this time the students are also building on their adult connections and small group connections. They also discussed the daily Structured Learning Support (SLS) Block at High Rock. This is a time when students are given the time and space to focus on their learning needs in a structured way. The SLS block may include independent reading time, technology lessons, IXL- Math, cluster programming, and/or time working with teachers and guidance counselors. SC Committee members asked questions and noted that "Having this SLS block will prepare you for the X block in High School as this teaches students time management and self advocacy.” Portrait of a Needham Graduate: Spotlight on Needham World Languages The Needham World Language Department cultivates the competencies of the Needham Portrait of a Needham Graduate in our K-12 world language program. A video was shared of the experiences of the NPS language program from across our district ranging from 1st grade thru NHS alumni. The continuous themes of the Needham World Language Department are: Being communicators and collaborators Being empowered learners Develop empathy and perspective of local and global issues as they become socially and culturally responsible contributors Responsible and resilient individuals A new grading system was introduced in the Needham Language Department. The old (Traditional Grading) system was based on accuracy on homework, tests, quizzes, classwork and participation. The new grading system known as the Proficiency Based Grading better reflects improvement and actual language knowledge. The Proficiency Grading System values proficiency and mastery of each skill. At the start of each unit a student is provided with formative tasks, and receives feedback from teachers based on proficiency based rubrics where they can set goals and action plans prior to their assessments. Needham Theater Sound and Lighting Study Needham High School, Pollard Middle School and Newman Elementary School are the only three Needham Schools that have auditoriums and theatrical stages. Currently all need attention. The three areas of interest in this study included: Safety and Compliance Theatrical System Upgrade Architectural Lighting In summary, there are 5 projects that need to be completed to reach benchmark standards in the 3 areas of interest above. Plus there are options for 2 upgrades. With all the projected costs for all items the total comes to $4.8 million. A detailed series of slides which reflect all projected costs and projects can be found in the SC packet starting on page 44. School Committee noted that the Needham community is very proud of our performing arts programs and these improvements are a real need. Immediate next steps in terms of completion of the first phase of this project (focusing on Safety & Compliance needs): SAC1 repairs at Pollard starting in April 2023 continuing through Summer 2023 Create SAC1 Bid documents for Newman Elementary and the High School SAC1 Repairs at Newman Elementary and High School Summer 2023 School Committee Comments Tuesday, April 11, 2023 is voting day so please get out and vote! The next School Committee meeting will be April 25 at 6:30pm.

At the March 21 School Committee Meeting there was a Portrait of a Needham Graduate Student Presentation, the NHS Student Advisory to the School Committee Report, and a discussion of the Mitchell School Improvement Plan. download packet > watch meeting > Public Comments High School students shared their ideas for an amendment to the math pathway currently offered to Middle and High School students. Multiple educators and parents shared their concern for Needham’s current ability to provide adequate facilities for performing arts. A recent light and sound study was cited and will be published soon. Portrait of a Needham Graduate Student Presentation Jean Tower, K-12 Director of Media & Digital Learning, shared slides highlighting the digital areas of competencies within the Portrait of a Needham Graduate that make up the framework of and skills in those competencies all the way from Kindergarten to the High School, and how they applied during lessons along each grade. Detailed slides can be found in the SC packet. Paige Rowse (NHS Library Teacher), Joshua Yankell (NHS Technology Specialist) and Sam Bookston (NHS Technology Specialist) continued the presentation with information on the following: AP Capstone – a two year program covering AP seminar, a foundational course, and AP research where students can work towards writing a dissertation on a topic of their choice Electives including the TV communications classes which allow students to develop communication skills while exploring different topics Internships with the Tech Help Desk that encourages independent and student directed learning Social Media for Social Change where students partner with local organizations to help further their social media goals and increase awareness and promote positive social media usage Digital Game history and design where students work on creating coding based and a physical card or board game. Groundwork begins at the 6th grade level with Google Slides and is furthered in Pollard. Integration into other courses and content includes projects where teachers talk about their research, goals, ideas and discuss scope and viability. When students move into production phase, students learn appropriate technology tools. One specific example was shared, Corny Acres, the ninth grade interdisciplinary program farming project where small groups selected 3-4 different crops to grow on a sustainable farm at Needham High School. The goal was to provide food for NPS so ecological, nutritional, and historical knowledge of the crops was needed to inform decisions. Four steps during the process incorporated the Portrait of a Needham Graduate program: Collaborating with teachers to design the project Find and evaluate resources Critical reading and problem solving Sites planning & misinformation Needham High School Student Advisory to the School Committee Report Students have been having more discussions around policy and aspects of school life, specifically the importance of mental health days. Current policy allows for five mental health days but they feel it isn’t being clearly communicated to students, as students feel they cannot miss a day of school because they would miss a substantial amount of work. Students suggested teachers sharing more work on google classroom, or lesson plans in a weekly format. Students identified a concern of ninth grade students. When teachers are not present, ninth graders were expected to work in the cafeteria, which can often be loud. The Council spoke to administration and ninth graders are now permitted to continue their work in the library. An abridged version was presented during the meeting. Further information and details can be found in the student council memo in the SC Packet. Mitchell School Improvement Plan In the past school year Mitchell has: Implemented IM Math curriculum Introduced a dyslexia screener at K & 1st grade Introduced data informed intervention blocks at 2nd (literacy) & 3rd grade (math) Piloted a wellness program at 4th and 5th grade in partnership with 10th & 11th grade wellness classes Rotated installations of cultural artifacts to represent the schools diversity Focused areas for growth in the 2023-2024 school year include: To be completely staffed in September 2023 Growth of tiered interventions to support students Additions to special education staff Implement additional strategies to promote SEL Expand opportunities for parental engagement Action Items Resolution for the urgent need for increased special education funding was voted for and unanimously passed. School Committee voted to submit two statements of interest for Mitchell and Pollard to the Massachusetts School Building Authority by April 14. Vote was passed unanimously.