Scituate School Committee Celebrates Student Achievement Amidst MCAS Challenges
District outlines plans to address areas of concern, including chronic absenteeism and supporting students with disabilities
SCITUATE, MA - October 7 - The Scituate School Committee recognized high-achieving students while discussing mixed MCAS results across the district at its Oct. 7 meeting. Administrators outlined plans to address areas of concern, including chronic absenteeism and supporting students with disabilities.
Superintendent Bill Burkhead presented two students with National School Development Council awards for consistently pursuing high academic effort and serving as positive role models. Caitlin Quinlan and Nikolai Valkovich were honored for their accomplishments in academics, leadership and community service.
"If you look in the dictionary under 'Scituate student role model,' you'd see these two individuals' pictures in there," Burkhead said.
The bulk of the meeting focused on reviewing MCAS results and accountability data for the district. Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch presented an overview of the complex accountability system, which includes both normative ratings comparing schools to similar ones statewide and criterion-referenced percentages measuring performance against district-specific targets.
Results were mixed across grade levels and subjects. While some schools showed growth and met targets in certain areas, administrators acknowledged room for improvement, particularly in supporting students partially meeting expectations.
Chronic absenteeism emerged as a key concern impacting student performance. Several principals reported dedicating significant time to addressing attendance issues through family outreach and support.
Administrators outlined various strategies to improve student outcomes, including:
- Refining the WIN (What I Need) intervention model to better support all learners
- Implementing a new math curriculum for grades 6-12
- Expanding departmentalization at the elementary level
- Enhancing collaboration among teachers and specialists
- Utilizing data more effectively to identify and address student needs quickly
Director of Special Education Michele Boebert reported that students with disabilities performed better than state averages in all grade levels and content areas. However, she noted there is still room for growth in supporting this population.
"We're doing a deeper data dive to really look at the students and the root cause analyses of why our scores are where they're at," Boebert said.
School committee members pressed administrators on specific areas of concern, such as lower-than-expected performance in certain grades and subjects. They also requested more information on classroom pedagogy and how teachers are supported in implementing new strategies.
Administrators acknowledged the complexity of factors impacting student achievement and emphasized their commitment to continuous improvement. They highlighted ongoing efforts to analyze data, refine instructional practices, and provide targeted support to students and teachers.
"We care about student achievement, student growth," Lynch said. "Our department chairs, principals and curriculum coordinators, just like our principals talked about, they're sharing this with teachers. Teachers are also, they care tremendously about how they perform and their students perform."
The committee concluded by approving updated Title IX policies and discussing future agenda items. Members expressed appreciation for the comprehensive presentation and the district's commitment to addressing areas of concern while celebrating student successes.