The
2014-15 school year concluded successfully in the Needham Schools, and at its
last meeting of the academic year the School Committee celebrated the many
accomplishments of students, staff, and the community, including the:
•
Implementation of new elementary programming in Spanish, Wellness, Music,
and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics); new
interdisciplinary courses at the high school, including the Greater Boston
Project and robotics/arts programs
•
Integration into the schedule additional time for staff to collaborate,
meet, and plan
•
Development of common assessments at every level in an effort to improve
the instructional experience for all children and ensure each child has
foundational experiences and skills in grades K-12
•
Level One Status achieved by four Needham Schools based on improving MCAS
scores
•
Expansion of opportunities to ensure the development of culturally
proficient practices and school cultures in each building; expansion of our
exchange program with the Daxing School District (Beijing)
•
Opening of the Da Vinci Workshop at NHS in partnership with the NEF and
PTC Corporation; incredible elementary family STEAM fair (over 800 attendees!)
•
Continued implementation and strengthening of the educator evaluation
program
•
Review and recommended enhancements to school safety protocols; pilot of
the A.L.I.C.E (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) protocol
•
Launching of the 1 to 1 Personalized Learning Initiative at High Rock and
middle school
•
Development of a possible pathway to implementing Full Day Kindergarten
•
Feasibility study to replace Hillside and expand high school space; Start
of construction of Newman Fields and Eastman Conservation areas
•
Assessment of the impact of service learning activities on student growth
and achievement
•
Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Sportsmanship Award
in Skiing and Boys’ Volleyball (The volleyball team also went undefeated and
captured the state title!)
It
has been a busy and productive year, and we look forward to the opportunity to
recharge our batteries over the summer, even as we begin planning for the
2015-16 school year. For additional information about the district goals
and a presentation to the School Committee, check out our website: 2014-15 Goals Update
