The Holliston School Committee met on Thursday, February 27, 2025, in the Holliston High School Library to discuss:
● District/School Improvement Plan Mid-Year Updates
● Student Services Updates
● High School Program of Study
● Vote on HHS Bell Schedule
● Continued discussion of changes to grade 8 math courses
The full meeting can be viewed here.
After an executive session, the meeting began with updates from the student representatives on the High School Open House, multiple athletic updates including the Girls Indoor Track winning the D4 State Championship, the upcoming DECA competition and theater preview. Tracy Floeckher (parent) shared public comments on changes to the high school schedule (see minute 13:17). Kathi Chartier (formerly Pennypacker – also Holliston resident, former School Committee member, certified math teacher and current tutor math/SAT/ACT for many local students) shared public comments on the proposed A/B schedule for the High School and the middle school math framework. (minute 17:59) Anne Connoni (HHS teacher) provided comments on the proposed changes to middle school math courses (minute 25:00).
Following public, student, and school committee comments, Superintendent Kustka and Principals from Placentino, Miller, Adams, and the High School presented their District/School Improvement Plan Mid-Year Updates. This presentation discussed efforts to address chronic absenteeism district-wide and demonstrated how the data dashboard tool helps to increase visibility and understanding of student progress and to inform decision making (minute 31:50).
Next, Director of Student Services, Jess Beattie, gave an update on Student Services (minute 1:53:13). This presentation discussed how the district is identifying students eligible for support earlier, how it is providing mental health supports, out of district placements, 504 regulations, and some of the ways that the district is broadening its approaches to support all learners.
Principal David List reviewed the HHS Program of Studies including new language to the Competency Determination for Graduation Requirements now that MCAS is no longer the determining factor (minute 2:11:58).
After updates from central office and subcommittees, the meeting returned to the topic of the HHS bell schedule (minute 2:26:52). The new schedule proposed by the Schedule Committee was not ratified by the Holliston Teachers Federation (HFT). In an effort to address some of the issues with the current schedule, the committee voted 6 in favor to 1 opposed to implementing an A/B version of the current schedule (minute 2:26:58). This schedule would mirror the current block HHS schedule, but allow for yearlong courses with an A/B day rotation.
The next agenda item was a continuation of the middle school math offering discussion (minute 3:15:05).
Since the meeting ran quite long, the discussion of the SY 2025-2026 calendar was postponed until the next meeting.
The HSC will meet next on March 13, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
A note to readers: This recap is by no means an exhaustive summarization of the School
Committee Meeting. Please always feel free to reach out to any member of the committee with
questions or concerns at any time
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