Connecting curriculum, student support and school safety across the Tri-Town schools is the focus of work underway or planned for the fourth year of Vision 2028, the five-year strategic plan reviewed at the October 1 joint school committee meeting.
Superintendent Mike Nelson explained how the plan guides the four school districts while allowing individual schools to address their own needs. Principals will present two-year school improvement plans at upcoming committee meetings, translating the broader objectives into work within each building.
“You have an overarching strategic plan guiding your school system as a whole,” Nelson said.
Speaking after the meeting, Frances-Feliz Kearns, Mattapoisett’s representative to the Old Rochester Regional School Committee, said the shared framework brings work across schools and districts into one overview, making progress easier to follow.
The Old Rochester Regional District School Committee and School Superintendency Union #55 heard administrators describe this year’s priorities, including common assessments, writing instruction and earlier identification of students needing assistance.
One focus is helping teachers understand what students have learned before reaching their classrooms and what they will need for the next grade. Elementary schools are seeking curriculum leaders to support that work, including the rollout of Writing Revolution teaching strategies and updates to Atlas, the system used to organize curriculum.
Schools are also piloting IXL benchmark assessments in English language arts and mathematics, with three assessment periods planned during the school year. Administrators said the results will help educators identify students’ strengths and areas needing support.
Over the summer, administrators aligned the schools’ curriculum accommodation plans, which describe instructional practices and supports available within general education. Staff training and implementation will continue this year, along with work on a common referral form for student support teams.
Administrators also described plans to bring attendance and behavior information together through a data system, helping staff review student needs and determine appropriate support. Elementary literacy work will continue to connect classroom instruction with targeted assistance for students who need it.
Safety priorities include cybersecurity awareness, staff training and expanded work on intruder-response protocols at the elementary schools.
Facilities Director Eugene Jones described inventories and replacement planning for furniture, technology and grounds equipment, some of which is approaching 25 years old. Building needs will inform phased replacements and capital requests.
In other business, both committees adopted Policy ACL, addressing interactions with officers engaged in civil law enforcement, and waived a second reading.
Nelson said principals serve as the designated administrators within school buildings, with the superintendent responsible at the central-office level. Existing procedures, developed with legal assistance, have been combined with state model procedures, he said.
No members of the public offered comments. The next joint meeting is scheduled for January 28, 2027.
ORR Joint School Committee
By Jeanne Hopkins