On Monday November 25, the School Committee and Newton Public Schools (NPS) administration, including Superintendent Anna Nolin, attended a nearly three-hour “Special Work Session” at the Education Center. Although this was a public meeting posted by the City Clerk and listed in Fig City News Local Government Announcements, the only attendees besides the School Committee members and NPS central office were the two presently declared candidates for the next School Committee elections: Alicia Piedalue (Ward 7) and Jason Bhardwaj (Ward 3). The Ward 7 seat is currently vacant due to the prior member Amy Davenport no longer residing in Newton, and the Ward 3 seat will be open following Anping Shen reaching the end his 4-term (8-year) limit at the end of 2025.
The meeting topics included many issues that have been discussed at regular School Committee meetings, including:
- The rollout of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and a new English Language (EL) curriculum in NPS elementary schools,
- Professional development such as instructional leadership,
- The Teaching and Learning Entry Plan discussed at the November 18 regular School Committee meeting including the current math curriculum audit, and
- The timeline and goals for the new Strategic Planning Group of NPS staff and community members to inform the district’s long-term planning.
Mr. Bhardwaj conveyed to Fig City News that significant time was spent discussing the optimal composition of the Strategic Planning Group, with emphasis on diverse representation including traditionally “hard to reach” groups like English language learners. He stated that the working session was “a great way to have a more informal brainstorming session, it was very consistent with the messages and themes in the [regular] meetings.” Mr. Bhardwaj further expressed support for the district’s push for more uniform student assessments, saying “setting standards can help everyone right now.”
Both School Committee candidates shared their enthusiasm for the eduCLIMBER assessment and MTSS software tool that was demonstrated during the working session. Ms. Piedalue stated, “It’s still a work in progress but felt like a great step forward in the ability of the district to use and share data. I’m personally excited for the potential of the tool.”
The special working session did not offer virtual attendance, and there is no NewTV replay available.
