The $400,000 grant from the Bar Foundation was a focal point of the superintendent’s report. The funding will support the “Meeting the Moment” initiative, which assistant principal Carolyn Blenau will spearhead. The initiative seeks to enhance instructional practices, foster community, and review disciplinary practices to ensure equity and incorporate restorative practices. The superintendent praised the administrative retreat, noting it as the best in his seven-year tenure. The retreat focused on team building and leadership, introducing the new educator evaluation rubric from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

In the realm of social emotional learning and mental health, Dr. Linda Watt, the director of school counseling and therapeutic supports, provided a detailed presentation. Dr. Watt distinguished between SEL skills and mental health, emphasizing the need for tiered supports to enhance student engagement, emotional management, attendance, and conflict reduction. Universal screenings assessing SEL skills and behavior have been completed, and reset rooms have been established in every building to aid students needing additional support. The district’s mental health team is involved, meeting monthly to develop protocols and assess needs.

The administration of the CELUS assessment, which evaluates social-emotional skills, revealed that over 50% of students scored between 500 and 600. The district is implementing the MindUp curriculum across all grades, with continuous professional development to ensure its proper execution. Three schools participated in a restorative practices training program through Suffolk University, focusing on community building within classrooms.

The SABERS assessment classified students into risk categories, prompting a focus on tier two and tier three interventions for high-risk students. School-based mental health teams play a role in identifying students needing additional support. The reset room initiative, designed for students requiring additional support, showed positive outcomes but highlighted the need for standardized practices across the district.

The Bri program, supporting students transitioning from hospitalization or significant mental health challenges, was reviewed. This tier three intervention, operating with 11 students last year, will continue, supported by grant funding. Training for staff in dialectical behavior therapy and restorative practices has been ongoing, addressing SEL needs within the district. The district received a competitive mental health grant, funding evidence-based group curriculums, supplies for reset rooms, and clinical supervision for counseling staff.

In fiscal matters, the finance and law subcommittee reported on bills payable for FY 25, amounting to $484,350. Committee members discussed an annual subscription to a foreign language site and a significant charge from a large online vendor, emphasizing the preference for local vendors. Concerns about reimbursements for employee travel led to exploring centralized payment systems like “Uber for Business.”

The committee also reviewed a special meeting regarding a request for proposals for legal services, recommending the award to Americ and O’Connell. The subcommittee discussed early college programs at Bristol Community College, questioning why high school students do not have access to similar free education opportunities.

The facility on Hamilton Street was another topic of discussion. A memo from the superintendent of buildings summarized ongoing work, and a motion to invite relevant parties for further updates was unanimously supported. Concerns regarding the culinary kitchen expansion’s impact on students’ ability to utilize the facilities were addressed, with an expected completion by late October.

Staffing updates revealed that the district is 90% staffed with teachers, with some schools, including preschool and several elementary schools, fully staffed. The superintendent emphasized that addressing staffing is a top priority.