Welcome to the launch of the monthly 2024-2025 Teaching and Learning Newsletter! We are excited to share information from the following departments:

Each department works collaboratively to develop coherence in support of the District’s Instructional Priority; If student-centered educators utilize intentional lesson design that includes clear objectives, strategies, scaffolds, and extensions based on individual profiles of students (IEP needs, Language Proficiency levels, various data points) to provide access to grade-level Tier I instruction for all students, especially students who are dually identified, then students will be able to master priority grade-level literacy standards and communicate their progress and how their work supports their growth and achievement. An intentional focus on the priority and the named subgroups focuses efforts on closing the opportunity gap while providing high-quality instruction for all students.

As we approach the Thanksgiving Break, we pause to reflect on how grateful we are for the ongoing partnership and support of our students and families, community members, teachers and leadership teams for their collaboration for student centered teaching and learning.

We have seen the great efforts of educators across the district demonstrating the work of our instructional priority. 

“If student-centered educators utilize intentional lesson design that includes clear objectives, strategies, scaffolds, and extensions based on individual profiles of students (IEP needs, Language Proficiency Levels, various data points) to provide access to grade-level Tier I instruction for all students, especially students who are dually identified, then students will be able to master priority grade level literacy standards and communicate their progress and how their work supports their growth and achievement.”

In support of the instructional priority and high-quality Tier I instructional practices all educators have independently and collaboratively planned lessons that are standards-based and in most content areas are using the adopted or recently revised curriculum materials. 

Evidence of this planning has shown up during our collaborative walkthroughs across dimensions of leadership.  

Here are some examples of ways educators are posting and living the MA Framework Standards, content, and language objectives for the lesson being taught. 

Highlights from practices across schools are exhibited below. Thanks you to Barbieri, Cameron, Fuller, and FHS for sharing their practice!

Elementary Semester 1:

August 28 - February 26

Families can expect report cards on February 7th, 2024

Educators the Grading Window is as follows:

Term 1: August 28 - December 2

Families can expect report cards on December 13th.

Quarter 2: November 7 - January 30

Jan 23, Jan 30, Feb 6

May 15, May 22, May 29

All families/caregivers should have received their students’ 2024 MCAS results. Please contact your child’s school if you have not received them. This link provides MCAS Resources for Parents/Guardians/Caregivers. 

iReady Performance of students demonstrates a correlation between end-of-year diagnostic assessment and the Spring 2024 performance levels indicated on student level reports. The Framingham Public Schools approach to using this nationally normed assessment as a predictor of student performance as well as a core tool in our Multi-Tiered System of Support. Educator teams across schools analyze student performance on iReady, across the domains of literacy and mathematics, to plan for instructional groups, tiered learning, and acceleration. As we continue to adopt High Quality Instructional Materials, iReady will serve the consistent measure to monitor the effectiveness of curriculum and instruction to measure progress. As we look forward to adopting a new math curriculum, we will phase out of personalized path for math similar to the way we phased away from personalized path for all students in literacy. Our WIN Blocks at both the elementary and middle schools levels will continue to be leveraged as a key lever in our MTSS process that utilizes a variety of intervention and acceleration methods and tools to close the instruction gap.

Massachusetts Ballot Question 2 focused on the eliminating the graduation requirement of a passing score on Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam. The passing of question 2 does not eliminate the MCAS test; students are still required to take the exam however, they would no longer need the passing score to graduate from High School. Districts, including FPS, will need to set criteria for graduation based on the MA education standards. 

The MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently release a Q & A document to provide guidance and answer questions that may arise in these weeks following.

Massachusetts’ official STEAM week occurred from October 21 to 25th. A variety of intriguing and inquiry based lessons were conducted throughout FPS during this week.  Across the district, students were seen collaborating in teams, building from model drawings they made previously, and updating prototypes from their model drawings.Thank you to WPI for supplying many of these lessons that build standards based, cross curricular connections between Literacy and Science. 

The FPS Math Curriculum Review Council is in full swing. Our first meeting was October 28 where we discussed The Opportunity Myth by TNTP, and how to keep students and families in the front of our minds during this work. Multiple perspectives and specialties have devoted their time to this much needed review in our mathematics curriculum. Special appreciation to those members: 

Yolanda Aranda - Barbieri

Norberto Curartero - Brophy

Michelle Flynn - Brophy

Carey Lyddy - Cameron

Jaimie Dobson - Dunning 

Kelsey Briselli - Dunning

Molly McGovern - Fuller

Kristin Benedict - Harmony Grove

Karen Morahan - Hemenway

Sarah Costa - McCarthy

Heather Alden - Potter Road

Leigh ann Evans - Stapleton

Kelly McCarthy - Stapleton 

Ashley Newton - Stapleton

Sheri Flecca - Walsh

Priscilla Ewen - Walsh 

We will provide monthly updates as the work of our committee progresses.

Conference: MSAA (Massachusetts School Administrators' Association) in partnership with DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) Early Literacy Summit

Title: Aligning and Bridging A Vision for Educational Excellence

Presented by: Amy Bright, Assistant Superintendent for PreK-12, Christina Shea, Early Education Manager, Dr. Marybeth O'Brien, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and Vanessa Acheampong, Humanities Coordinator for PreK-12

Description:.In this session, participants learned about strategies utilized by Framingham Public Schools to engage with partners in the larger community and within the district to create systems and structures rooted in data that align and bridge a vision for educational excellence that includes equity and culturally responsive early literacy practices.

Conference: MetroWest STEM Education Network: Aligning Education with STEM Workforce Needs 

Date: October 24, from 8:30-10:30am 

Title: Building and Retaining the Life Sciences Workforce, a panel discussion on regional efforts aimed to support the development and sustainability of the life sciences and biotechnology workforce organized by the MetroWest STEM Education Network (MSEN). 

Presented by: Elizabeth Warren, STEAM Coordinator for Framingham Public Schools, joined Susan Godwin, Head of Projects Portfolio of MA BioCampus, Sanofi; John Brothers Senior Director of Workforce Development Strategy, MassBioEd, Jennifer Hanselman, Ph.D, Associate Provost and Dean of Research at Clark University.

Representatives from K-16 education, industry, government, and non-profits will discuss some of the recommendations proposed by MassBioEd in the 2024 report on the Massachusetts Life Sciences Employment Outlook and explore ways in which they can collaborate and contribute to: Building the Talent Pipeline, Growing & Retaining the Workforce, and Expanding Career Opportunities & Diversity.

Organization: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)

Conference: NSTA National Conference NOLA 2024

November 8, 2024

Title: Supporting Multilingual Learners and High Needs Students with Science Notebooks

Presented by: Elizabeth Warren, STEAM Coordinator

Description: Participants will learn how to allow students to take ownership of their learning, build their own science resources, and foster creativity. We will delve into strategies for differentiation, language support, and fostering a safe and inclusive learning space.

Title: Maximizing Time on Learning Through Inquiry-Based Instruction within Science and Social Studies

Presented by: Elizabeth Warren, STEAM Coordinator

Description: By intertwining the principles of inquiry with the interdisciplinary nature of science and social studies, students will develop a holistic understanding of the world around them, its scientific underpinnings, and its societal implications.

Organization: Massachusetts Science Education Leadership Association (MSELA)

Conference: Annual Fall Conference 2024: Leading the Learning: Engaging Young Citizens Through Science

October 25, 2024

Title: Supporting Multilingual Learners & High Needs Learners through Science Notebooks

Presented by: Elizabeth Warren, STEAM Coordinator

Description: Explore how science notebooks can empower Multilingual Learners and high-needs students, offering differentiation and creativity in science education. TAKEAWAYS: You will take with you the ideas behind embracing flexible science notebooks to foster creativity and to promote inclusivity in science education K-12

As we continue to implement our Literacy Curriculum at the Elementary Level, we have planned workshops for grade levels to collaborate across the district. Please see the schedule below. School leadership and Instructional Coaches in the areas of Humanities and Language Development will communicate with teams on when they can expect to attend their half-day session.

We are looking forward to continuing to work towards our strategic priorities.