Excellence and Growth in the Needham Public Schools

Recently, our district has received notable recognition for excellence in student learning, achievement, and overall wellbeing:

• Needham ranks #1 in Massachusetts for K-12 districts in 2026 MCAS accountability scores. This year our official ranking is third, but the districts ranking first and second are either K-6 or K-8 school districts, and it is the additional metrics around high school graduation and rigorous course completion that set us apart. In 2025 our overall rank was #1, so we are proud that we have achieved such a high level of academic distinction again. To learn more about Needham's 2026 MCAS results, please check out the recent presentation to the School Committee:  2026 MCAS Report 

• Needham received the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy Star Award from Commissioner of Education, Dr. Pedro Martinez.  The Commissioner recognized certain school districts who awarded at least ten percent of the graduating class of 2025 the MA State Seal of Biliteracy. Over 16% of NHS grads in the Class of ‘25 met this rigorous requirement for language development and acquisition. The State Seal of Biliteracy is awarded on the diplomas and transcripts of graduating seniors, recognizing the value of language diversity. The Star Award from DESE celebrates our District's work to expand opportunities for students to demonstrate their multilingual skills and earn the Seal. (Wait until next year’s award ceremony: 25% of the Class of 2026 earned the distinction!)

• For the 5th year in a row, Needham’s chronic absenteeism rate decreased.  Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student missing 10% or more of the school year.  Of course, students can’t learn or interact with their peers when they are chronically absent, and the NPS has made significant strides addressing this issue through the use of data and working with students and families to support students’ sense of belonging, wellbeing and attendance.  In fact, Needham has among the lowest chronic absenteeism rates of our peer communities.  And we aren’t done improving student attendance!  We are conducting a comprehensive study this year to evaluate how we can best provide every student and family with the necessary resources and support to promote strong attendance and academic success.

These are not the only indicators of our district’s success, and I recognize there are many areas for continued improvement.  But the Needham community should be justifiably proud of the efforts made by dedicated staff, supportive families, and talented students to grow, learn, and achieve every day.

I look forward to sharing more accolades in the year ahead!

The Small Stuff is the Big Stuff

NHS Senior Lucas Lear welcoming the faculty
and staff back to school in August

Students can be the most powerful teachers.

A few weeks ago, I invited Needham High School senior Lucas Lear to welcome the faculty and staff back to school at our annual General Staff Meeting.

Lucas, who is an athlete and the Disability Advocacy Officer for the NHS Best Buddies Chapter, is a highly respected student leader at the high school, and he spoke eloquently before an assembly of 800 staff - no small task. He was a little nervous and joked that while it was daunting to speak to the faculty, it was even more challenging to be a New York Giants fan in Boston!

In his address to our staff, Lucas reflected on his life with hemiplegia—a profound paralysis on his right side caused by a traumatic injury in infancy. After he spoke we gave him a rousing and well deserved standing ovation for his thoughtful and moving remarks which included this observation:

"What I've learned is that everybody is carrying something. Mine you can see. Most people’s, you can't. The kid who seems checked out, the colleague who seems short with you—you have no idea what their week looks like. So that’s my whole ask: Be there for each other—students, teachers, staff—the small stuff is the big stuff." With clarity and wisdom, Lucas expressed his hope for us—a charge really—as we began a new school year.

In the days following that gathering, our Needham Public Schools community honored Lucas’s words by lifting up our students and each other after we learned of the tragic loss of an 11th grade student.

In classrooms throughout the district I witnessed young people and staff struggling to comprehend a student’s sudden death. I observed NHS Principal Sicotte lead restorative conversations with grief-stricken classmates and teammates. I watched teachers and staff support confused and upset students and colleagues even as they grappled with their own emotions. I was moved by seeing football teammates embrace in high school hallways sharing their heartbreak and loss.

These were small but powerful acts of care, compassion and grace.

And I have been so appreciative of the outpouring of support from the broader community, particularly local school districts who reached out to offer condolences, the parents who generously supplied pizza and snacks and the police officers from across the state who arrived with their service dogs to NHS—bringing comfort during an immensely difficult time.

Confronting the untimely death of a student is the hardest and most painful thing for an educator to do, and, unfortunately, it is simply not within our power to keep a tragedy like this away. The best we can do is to act with empathy, patience, resilience and hope.

The best we can do is to be there for each other and to offer a smile or a hug because as Lucas taught us: “The small stuff is the big stuff.”

Looking Ahead to the 2026-27 School Year!

It's been a busy summer in the Needham Public Schools! While students and families have been enjoying a well deserved break, teachers, staff, and administrators have been working and learning throughout the summer to prepare for the new school year.  While we have also taken time to enjoy the beautiful weather and get away, we are focused in these last few weeks on final preparations and getting ready to welcome our students back on September 1st.

Arriving in each family's mailbox soon will be a copy of the 2026 Performance Report which captures student achievements and the successes and challenges of the past school year.  The report will tell the story about last year and highlight plans and opportunities for the coming year.  Here is a sneak preview of the report and our planned action steps for the 2026-27 school year:

413 + 1 = Exceptional Needham High School Graduates!

In June we held two important graduation ceremonies to mark the achievements of Needham students - past and present.

Members of the Class of '26 celebrate their graduation.

On June 8th 413 NHS graduates received their diplomas in a sun splashed ceremony on Memorial Field surrounded by thousands of friends, faculty, and family. Principal Aaron Sicotte presided over the graduation program which included heartfelt speeches by School Committee Chair Alisa Skatrud as well as two student speakers, Simi Basak and Marco Barbosa. (My remarks, which include advice from 6th graders to the graduates, can be found here: Graduation 2026)

An original member of the NHS Class of 1945,
John Hasenfuss, finally receives his diploma.

Later in the month, on June 29th, Principal Sicotte and I were honored to hold a second graduation ceremony, attended by School Committee Chair Alisa Skatrud and Vice Chair Michael Greis as well as friends, family and local veterans, for NHS Class of 1945 member John Hasenfuss who had just turned 100 years old!  John was deployed to the Pacific during World War Two and missed his senior year. He returned 82 years later to be awarded a diploma that recognizes not only his scholarship at NHS but a life well lived in service to his family, community, and nation. Thank you, John - and all who serve - for keeping our nation safe.

413 + 1 = Exceptional graduates from Needham High!

Congrats and Go Rockets!

Next Steps for the Pollard Middle School Project

Proposed Pollard Middle School Site Plan

Work on the Pollard Middle School project continues to move forward!

Over the last year, and under the direction of the School Building Committee (SBC) and Permanent Public Building Committee (PPBC), School Committee and other town boards, significant work has been done by the Pollard design team to prepare a schematic design to submit to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) this summer.  If the MSBA approves the proposed design, the project is anticipated to receive a reimbursement of between 20% and 23% of the total project cost. A debt exclusion would still be necessary to secure the remaining funds, a measure that would be presented to Needham residents for a vote this coming fall.

(To learn more about the project, please visit the project website: Pollard Project Updates)

What's coming in the next month?

• Revised estimates for the project will be shared in June. Prior estimates have put the projected cost around $336 million.

• The School Committee and School Building Committee (SBC) will vote to approve a schematic design for the project.

• The design will be submitted to the MSBA for their review and approval.

The submission to the MSBA follows months of study and feedback to refine and finalize the building design, informed by feedback from educators, town leaders, and community members. In addition, traffic studies, tree assessments, zoning changes, and planning with public safety officials and the project's contractor, Bond Construction, have taken place.   As part of the effort to meet the educational program while considering the impact on taxpayers, reductions in the building's spaces, amenities, and square footage have been carefully considered, and the site plans have been developed to ensure the 

project fits nicely into the neighborhood.

Following the June submission, and assuming no MSBA directed changes, the project will be brought before the community in the fall as submitted.

What's happening over the summer and into the fall?

• Additional public meetings will take place at Pollard (and via Zoom) on June 30, July 22, and August 26 to keep the neighborhood and wider community updated on progress. Information about total cost and the impact on taxpayers will also be shared.

• In July the Needham Select Board will discuss and vote language for a debt exclusion question to be placed on the November 2026 ballot.

• Upon MSBA approval of the schematic design in August 2026, the Town of Needham and the MSBA will enter into a Project Funding Agreement that establishes the project cost and the amount of reimbursement to be provided by the MSBA.

• In October a Special Town Meeting will convene to consider the project and vote on whether or not to approve it. In November, Needham voters will have the opportunity to vote on a debt exclusion ballot question for the Pollard project.

Where can I learn more?

To receive project updates by email and learn more about the plan for a new Pollard that brings 6th, 7th and 8th grade students under one roof while meeting today's educational needs and providing flexibility for the future, please visit the Pollard website:  Pollard Project Updates. 

Many Faiths: One Community

The level of engagement, pride, and sense of belonging among students in the Needham Public Schools was highlighted recently when four student-led high school groups shared with the School Committee how their faith-based clubs are a way to express their religious identity, faith, and values. Student representatives from the Hindu Student Union (HSU), Jewish Student Union (JSU), Muslim Student Union (MSU) and Christian Student Union (CSU) provided the School Committee with information and context about their faith-based clubs and activities as well as how their religious and spiritual values are shared within the high school community for all students to participate in and understand.

Following are written excerpts from their presentation about the clubs:

• Jewish Student Union: Our club is incredibly impactful to the Jewish community among Needham, where we have consistently held meetings with over 30 Jewish students at the high school. In our biweekly meetings, we present slideshows on important current and historical events, and holidays that relate to Judaism. Additionally, we have interactive gatherings including art projects and food that relate to specific events on the Hebrew calendar. We also have had various meaningful discussions on the growing amount of antisemitism here in the US and globally. We had our second annual October 7th meeting, this year with a special guest, Rabbi Elyse Pincus Abrahams of Temple Beth Shalom in Needham. Students in our club had the opportunity to ask Rabbi Elyse about how to better navigate difficult conversations in the Middle East and how to approach each conversation with curiosity instead of animosity… We believe in the importance of a welcoming community, creating a space for all Jewish students to feel safe. (Excerpted from the remarks of JSU representatives Lily Fogelman and Sam Cornell.)

• Muslim Student Union: The MSU is a student-led club at Needham High School which aims to provide Muslim students with a sense of community and belonging… In Western societies, minority groups such as Muslims may feel isolated, making it one of MSU's main priorities to create an environment where students have a sense of connection, support, and representation. In addition to prioritizing community, MSU reinforces Muslim cultural practices and traditions while encouraging thoughtful discussions about modern-day challenges that Muslims globally face… Through MSU's capabilities, students have access to a "prayer pass", one that excuses Muslim students from their fourth period to go to the teachers lounge and pray the Dhuhr prayer... The MSU is committed to promoting unity, compassion, and understanding while ensuring that Muslim students at Needham High School feel supported and valued. (Excerpted from the remarks of MSU representative, Jana Ghbeis.)

• Christian Student Union The Christian Student Union is a club focused on providing a community for people who are interested in exploring Christianity or want to learn more about the subject… Currently, we are running a Cradles to Crayons clothing drive in partnership with Project 351 and are eagerly partnering with Avenue Church on various events. Our goal is to provide a safe space for people to learn and explore their faith. At each meeting, we normally complete a get to know each other activity, as well as a small lesson where we dive into an aspect of Christianity, and close with a prayer. Currently, we are learning about the different sections of Christianity and how they are similar or different. It is a great way to get to know people in the community and bond with people who have similar interests! (Excerpted from the remarks of CSU representative, Brianna Sickmier.)

• Hindu Student Union: HSU at Needham High School is a student-led organization that creates a welcoming space for students to learn about, celebrate, and share Hindu culture, traditions, and values while building community with one another. We meet regularly to discuss holidays, cultural practices, and the historical and philosophical foundations of Hinduism, while also providing a supportive environment for students of all backgrounds who are interested in learning more. Members especially enjoy the sense of community and the opportunity to connect with others who share similar traditions or are curious to learn more. Our club focuses on promoting inclusivity, cultural awareness, and respect through open conversations, activities, and collaborative events. Throughout the year, we celebrate major festivals such as Diwali and Holi within our club, organize educational presentations, and plan cultural and service-oriented events that bring students together. HSU continues to grow as a space where students feel represented, valued, and proud of their heritage. (Excerpted from the written remarks of HSU representatives, Nandini Niranjan and Isha Nair.)

At a time when religious and ethnic differences can often drive wedges between people, I am proud of the young people of Needham who choose to build connections and community instead!

Note:  Many thanks to NHS junior and School Committee student representative Jack Arvedon for pulling this presentation of the faith groups together!

Keeping Kids Safe

A year ago the district experienced an unprecedented situation with the arrests of three staff members  affiliated  with the Needham Public Schools. Over the course of three months in the spring, two teachers and one contracted employee for our before/after school child care program were arrested in three separate incidents for the possession and/or distribution of child sexual abuse materials (i.e., child pornography).  Working with state and local police during the ensuing investigations, we learned that no Needham students were involved or victimized by the horrific behavior of these three trusted staff members. The employees were quickly dismissed from their roles and their cases are currently being adjudicated in the courts.

Staff, families, and students were understandably shocked by the arrests and had many questions:  “Why didn’t you know about this illegal behavior?”... “How do you ensure that potential employees are not predators?”... “Is my child safe at school and in the community?”... “How can I help my child trust adults when things like this happen?” Even though we believed that it would have been impossible to know what these former employees were doing in their private lives, the questions were fair and required the district to reflect deeply on our practices, policies, and procedures.

Since last spring we have undertaken the following activities to ensure our students are safe, our employment practices sound, and policies and procedures are rigorously implemented:

• Partnership with ICAC The Massachusetts State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and working with local communities to combat online child exploitation and the use of child sexual abuse materials.  We have developed a positive working relationship with ICAC and recently invited ICAC officials to meet with private and public school leaders in Needham to learn about their work and to help us prevent online child exploitation.  The Town of Needham Police Department counts itself as a member of the ICAC network.

• Human Resource Assessment The district contracted with the UMASS Collins Center to review, analyze, and understand our practices and procedures related to recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of new employees to assess our compliance with the law around, for example, conducting Criminal Offender Records Information (CORI) and Sexual Offender Records Information (SORI) checks, among other responsibilities, to ensure student and staff safety and wellbeing. (Access the report here.) The assessment showed that the district’s compliance practices are extremely strong and that there was no reasonable way to determine whether or not any one of these three individuals was engaged in this illegal and abhorrent behavior. The assessment also gave us an opportunity to review other human resource programs and procedures to strengthen the overall experience for a professional and dedicated staff.

• Child Protection Units This year we are introducing Child Protection Units in grades K-5 to enable children to understand ways to stay safe; encourage them to speak to trusted adults when they are concerned about their bodily autonomy or personal safety; and understand safe and unsafe touches. This developmentally appropriate elementary level curriculum is designed to involve parents and empower children by teaching them how to seek assistance if necessary.

• Mandated Training Each year our staff is required to complete a training to remind them about rules guiding student privacy, special education, and other compliance issues.  This year we updated the training with a new interactive platform and ramped up additional modules to include additional responsibilities, including the role of staff in reporting concerning behavior in school.

• Supervision Practices The district has long been committed to supporting and supervising our teachers once they have been hired. We provide mentors for new teachers, and we have adopted state guidance and rubrics that provide a foundation for our evaluation procedures for teachers. Building administrators also receive support and training to assist them with their supervisory responsibilities. Additionally, we are one of a handful of districts that has a rigorous protocol for the review of those teachers who are in their first three years of service.  Professional status is granted to an educator in the Needham Public Schools after a thorough and detailed conversation and collaboration which involves the principals, district administrators, and the superintendent who meet annually to review each educator's growth and identify areas for improvement. Only after a thorough review and discussion of the supervisors’ notes and observations is a teacher awarded professional status.

These activities, procedures, and programs alone can’t guarantee that illegal and inappropriate behavior will not occur in the Needham Public Schools; there is simply no way to prevent that. However, rigorous hiring and vetting procedures coupled with strong staff supervision and thoughtful student programming will assist us to continue to keep our students safe - and focused on their wellbeing, learning and growth. 

Why are there so many early release days?

 

Sometimes I am asked about why we need the Wednesday half days for professional learning.

Parents ask questions like:

• Why does the district disrupt my schedule on certain Wednesdays requiring me to figure out what to do with my child?

• When I was in school I never had half days for my teachers to work on PD. Why do they need it now?

• What actually happens on those half days that can’t happen at another time so my student can stay in school and I won’t need to worry about childcare?

• Can’t you do all of the professional development in the summer before school starts?

• What about all the kids who are roaming around in the center of Town causing problems on half days?

All these questions are fair to ask!  

We use the early release schedule to provide time for all teachers, instructional aides and administrators to get together to work on developing curriculum, discuss student assessments, and attend to their professional learning. Given that teachers are typically scheduled with students the entire school day, there is then no other time for them to receive training, new updates, revise curriculum, and discuss and plan for district initiatives.  For example, we are in the middle of a three year effort to identify a new literacy curriculum at the elementary level. Teachers and administrators need time to sit down together to assess the pilot, discuss options, and review student assessments and work.  It simply is not possible to do this during the school day when children are present. Teachers do have meetings and professional learning time and hours after the students have left for the school day, but it's not possible to conduct all of their work after 2:30 or 3:00 p.m.

Many teachers are working after hours to tackle school responsibilities (e.g., planning tomorrow’s lesson, coaching, running a club activity) and we have a significant number who participate in training over the summer.  But we still need the additional time to address the needs of our staff so they, in turn, can be more responsive to the needs of our students.  Teaching and learning has only gotten more complicated than it was, for example, when I was a teacher.  When I taught in the 1980s it was mostly a solitary experience. I was never expected to work or collaborate with other teachers; I was just given a text book and told to do my best.  Federal and state mandates, which I did not have to contend with as a teacher, are now more pronounced and intrusive, requiring even more attention to collaborative work, planning and discussion among educators. Over time we have recognized the need, and the power, of teachers working together to improve learning.  I'd like to think that the way we structure early release days and professional work and learning for our staff, while imperfect, is one of the reasons our district has been recognized for significant growth and success in the last few years.

I know the disruption is sometimes challenging for parents who are struggling to plan their work week, etc.  One of the things we have done in recent years is to reduce the total number of early release days, especially at the middle school level, as a response to families and childcare issues.  We are constantly considering new and alternative ways to work (e.g., we use some virtual learning and meeting time) to ensure students receive the education they deserve, and we try to avoid disrupting the schedule as much as possible. We also have been working with business and shop owners to address some of their concerns about student behavior in their stores. The middle school principals are very clear with students about what is expected, and I hope parents are also letting their children understand their expectations for respectful and appropriate behavior. For sure, it is important for young adolescents to have some independence and demonstrate good decision making when they are away from their parents and teachers.

Each new calendar year presents challenges with religious holidays, late (or early Labor Days), Federal elections, snow days, etc.  I try to ensure we start before Labor Day but end by mid June with as few disruptions as possible.  We also do not want to stack early release days back to back, and we try to have as many full, five day weeks as we can.  This January (2026) we  faced the challenge of needing two early release days but recognizing we would bump up against February and the February break.  Ultimately, we decided to schedule just one early release day in February to help balance things out.  Believe me, there was much discussion about the January 2026 schedule among staff, parent leaders, and School Committee members before we decided on the calendar plan.  For sure:  The academic calendar is imperfect at best and in my 20 years of experience as Needham's superintendent has never satisfied all constituents.

Nonetheless, we will keep trying to ensure we can deliver a quality program to our students - one they deserve and parents expect - while also attending to the increasing and varied responsibilities our educators have.

What I Learned in Kindergarten

 

Recently I had the opportunity to help out for a school day in a Kindergarten classroom.  Besides being exhausted by the time dismissal rolled around, I did learn a lot from the experience:

• Regardless of one’s position or authority, Kindergarteners are brutally honest and treat everyone the same.  I was introduced to the class by the teacher as the “Big Boss” who runs the schools.  That introduction quickly fell flat when one student looked up at me, shrugged, and asked me to move over because I was apparently invading his space. I was invited to join morning circle for a greeting, and I was eagerly welcomed by my new friends. And even though these kids didn’t know me from Adam, it only took a few minutes for one to tap me on the knee and ask me to read a book.

• Kindergarteners love learning.  Whether it was a phonics lesson, math challenge, or selecting a special book from the library, these kids were eager to learn and demonstrated an amazing capacity to switch gears between lessons. They were all business! They were inquisitive, attentive (even when rolling around on the rug…) and had self management skills that I sometimes see lacking in fellow superintendents(!)

• There is a lot of nose blowing in Kindergarten. Of course, it’s winter time in New England but even I was surprised at the number of runny noses. Let me be clear: There were prodigious amounts of snot - wiped all over chins, hands, and sleeves.  It was a constant battle keeping noses clean. Thank goodness for Purell. (Parents, if you really want to put a smile on a teacher’s face, send in extra boxes of Kleenex; there is never enough.) 

• Everything is breaking news.  One kindergartener lost her first tooth, and it was a cause for celebration and excitement. Stories about siblings, recess drama, and pets abound. In the middle of a math game and without prompting, one boy shared what his father said over the weekend when his dad hit his head on the door; he explained it in such exaggerated detail it could have been a screenplay for a hit movie. I was mesmerized. 

• The power of the hand signal. The teacher and her assistant expertly used a raised hand and gesture to get all the Kindergarteners to stop what they were doing and form a straight and quiet line to head out for recess. If only I could get the principals to fall in line like this.

• Speaking of Kindergarten teachers… The adults in that classroom, and all of our teachers and staff, are heroes.  Our teachers are dedicated to meeting the many and varied needs of all of our children, regardless of their circumstances, and I am grateful for all they do. Each day they arrive prepared to guide and support these children and they do so with humor, flexibility (wicked flexibility!) patience, creativity, caring, and love. I already know that about our teachers, but spending a day in a Kindergarten classroom helped me to put my work in perspective; and looking at those 20 something faces made the Portrait of a Needham Graduate come alive - and feel personal.

I am so fortunate and privileged to work in a community that values its children and young people like Needham does.  

For sure, educating young people is challenging and our efforts sometimes imperfect, but the teaching and learning that is going on across the district is the most important work happening in this community, and I am humbled by our educators’ commitment and inspired by our Kindergarteners' joy.  

A Thanksgiving Message

Before Thanksgiving the
"Big Boss" received a
special card.
Thanks, Tara!

I sent the following message to our faculty and staff this week. I hope each member of the Needham community enjoys a restful and peaceful Thanksgiving holiday!

Dear Faculty and Staff:

Near downtown Worcester there is a small soup kitchen and hospitality house called the Mustard Seed. In 1977, when I was a freshman at Holy Cross College, I first had the honor of volunteering there serving meals. Since then and over these many years my family and I have supported the Mustard Seed and their mission of serving homeless folks, migrants, and those who have simply struggled to make ends meet.

One of the things that always strikes me on those occasions when we are delivering groceries or serving food is the profound sense of gratitude from the patrons.  Their sense of appreciation always catches me off guard because I feel privileged to have the means to serve them and don’t expect the strong expressions of thankfulness and grace they extend. I recall one man who, after a simple meal was served, grabbed my hands and with tears in his eyes whispered, “Thank you and God Bless you.”  In those moments I feel a deep sense of guilt and humility. I can’t really explain it, but it is humbling to serve others knowing that our life’s stories could have been so different.

That same feeling of profound gratitude and humility is what I carry with me as I work with the extraordinary staff, students, and families of the Needham Public Schools.

In the faces of our students and staff, I always see a spark of potential and joy, and I feel that same sense of privilege to be a part of our students’ and a part of your journey. Let me take this opportunity to say to each of you: Thank you for letting me share this mission with you and for making our schools a place of hope and growth.

This Thanksgiving, I am particularly grateful for my family, my health, and I am profoundly humbled to be your colleague. Wishing you and your families a wonderful and peaceful Thanksgiving.

Dan

It's Time for Pollard!

Inaccessible and undersized classrooms… Lack of a modern HVAC system to provide consistent heating, cooling, and air quality… Leaky roof… … Modular classrooms that have outlived their useful life… Outdated science labs… Lack of special education programming spaces… Small and antiquated auditorium… Undersized office and conference spaces…  

These are the conditions for learning for over 800 students at Pollard Middle School. And as your superintendent for 20 years, I have concluded that it’s finally time to focus on the needs of our grades 6-8 students to ensure they have the infrastructure, resources, and conditions for learning that will empower their success. Let me explain:

Since 2019, the Town has been studying and planning for our future school building needs and anticipated school building projects have been a subject of discussion for several years now. After years of study, Pollard Middle School was prioritized as the district's next school building project, and it has been accepted into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) program, which provides significant reimbursements to towns to help reduce school construction costs.

We are currently in the midst of the feasibility period of the MSBA process. In September the town submitted seven options to the MSBA for consideration and all seven options are now being studied in greater depth and will be narrowed down to a single preferred option with a vote by the School Building Committee (SBC)/PPBC in early December. 

Upper left: 20 plus year old modulars Upper right: antiquated mechanicals 

Lower left: Storage and office space Lower right: Inaccessible bathroom

The SBC decision will be guided by the answers to three key questions: 

• Renovation or New Construction: Do we renovate and add on to the existing Pollard building, or build a new school? 

• Grade Configuration: Will the school reunite grades 6-8, which is the School Committee’s preferred option, or remain just grades 7 and 8?

• Site Selection: Will the school be built on the current Pollard site, or on a portion of the DeFazio site?

According to the current schedule, the preferred option will be submitted to the MSBA in mid December for their review.  (The Town could be eligible for a reimbursement of about 22% of the estimated construction costs.) Ultimately, in order to fund this project, the community will need to approve an override measure by ballot, which we anticipate in the fall of 2026.

I encourage parents and community members to learn more about this important project and stay updated in the months ahead.  We host periodic community meetings about the project, and the next one is coming up on Thursday, November 6, at 6:30 pm on Zoom. We are also hosting an Open House on Saturday, November 15, 9:00-10:30 am at Pollard, where you can take a tour and gain a better understanding of the challenges we face in the existing building.  More information about these events can be found on the Pollard Middle School Project website, which is your best resource for background on the project and current information. You can also sign up for our weekly email which will keep you informed.

It’s time for Pollard!

Upper left: Outdated and crowded science labs Upper right: Inadequate classroom HVAC

Lower left: Cot in health office Lower right: School entrance

A New School Year Means New Possibilities!

We are off and running on a new school year! Allow me to share some of the key activities we will be engaged in as part of the new 2026-2030 Strategic Plan which is based on the Portrait of a Needham Graduate Competencies. This plan is our roadmap for the next four years, and it's built on four key pillars: Growth, Innovation, Communication, and Infrastructure.

Based on the plan, we will be engaged in the following activities for the '25-'26 school year: 

Pillar 1: Growth

Our primary goal is to ensure that every student grows academically, socially, and personally. This isn't just about grades; it's about fostering well-rounded individuals who are prepared for the world. This year, we will:

• Demonstrate student learning progress toward the Portrait of a Needham Graduate (PONG) competencies, which are the essential skills and dispositions we want all of our students to possess.

• Pilot and select a new evidence-based literacy curriculum to strengthen foundational reading and writing skills.

• Collect and analyze student data to improve social-emotional learning (SEL) instruction and provide targeted interventions for those who need them.

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Pillar 2: Innovation

We believe in enhancing learning through new structures and paradigms. The world is changing rapidly, and our education system must evolve to keep pace.

This year, we will:

• Enhance our Intensive Learning Center (ILC), a special education program to better support inclusive education and ensure all students, regardless of their needs, have access to a high-quality learning environment.

• Expand real-world learning opportunities (e.g., interdisciplinary learning, civics education, and career exploration) that connect classroom knowledge to practical experience.

• Develop a clear framework for the ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in our schools, preparing students for a future where AI is an integral part of life.

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Pillar 3: Communication

Strong schools are built on strong partnerships. Our goal is to foster greater collaboration with families and the community.

Over the next four years, we will:

• Address chronic absenteeism by identifying barriers and working closely with families to improve student attendance and learning.

• Streamline our registration process to make it easier for new and returning families.

• Launch a new learning management system to enhance instruction and strengthen partnerships between families and teachers.

• Increase family access to information about our curriculum, district projects, and priorities, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

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Pillar 4: Infrastructure

A strong foundation is essential for success. This pillar focuses on the support needed to implement our district plan effectively.

Over the next four years, we will:

• Continue the Pollard Middle School feasibility study by analyzing various design options to create a modern learning space.

• Procure and begin implementing a new financial application to improve operational efficiency.

• Adopt a new teacher evaluation rubric and continue to link professional growth with employee evaluations, helping our educators grow in their careers.

• Diversify our educator workforce to better reflect our student body and successfully negotiate new collective bargaining agreements.

The new school year is a time of renewal and possibility! We are excited to embark on these strategic actions together and build a future where every student thrives. Here's to a year of growth, innovation, and strong community connections!