HPS Spring Newsletter

Following our presentation to the School Committee on March 12, 2026, we are pleased to share the progress of the AI Steering Committee. Our goal is to ensure Holliston remains forward-thinking by providing ethical guidance and strategic recommendations for AI use.

🤝 Our Collaborative Effort

This roadmap is the result of months of dedicated work by our 23-member AI Steering Committee. This diverse group—comprised of students, parents, teachers, and administrators—has volunteered several hours and shared their professional expertise to ensure our district navigates this technology with care, ethics, and a focus on our students' best interests. We are incredibly grateful for their commitment to the Holliston community (see full committee member list here).

📊 Data-Driven Foundations

Our primary action step this year was the administration of a comprehensive faculty survey in February 2026. We are proud to report that over 80% of our teachers across the district participated. This high level of engagement has provided the committee and our leaders with the critical insights needed to build a roadmap to support our classrooms and staff.

🛡️ Strategic Recommendations

The committee has also developed several frameworks designed to ensure AI is used responsibly and ethically:

• Traffic Light Guidance:The recommended framework uses a Red/Yellow/Green system to clearly communicate when AI is forbidden, allowed for brainstorming, or fully integrated.

• The "CPU" Rule: This framework teaches students to view their own brain as the "CPU" (the primary engine for thinking) and AI as an external storage drive. The goal is to ensure students remain the lead "thinkers" in their work to protect essential cognitive development.

• Privacy-First Mandate: A strict requirement that no student personally identifiable information (PII) or health information (PHI) is ever shared with AI tools.

• Human-in-the-Loop: A professional standard ensuring all teacher-generated content and assessments are reviewed and finalized by the educator to maintain a personal touch.

• S.H.I.E.L.D. Framework: Guidelines to help students and staff identify and respond to synthetic media or deepfakes.

🚀 A Thoughtful Path Forward

As we look toward the 2026-2027 school year, we are entering a period of transition as four of our ten senior leaders will be new to their roles this fall—including the Superintendent, the Director of Teaching & Learning, and the Miller Elementary School Principal. Additionally, we are pleased to welcome back our Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, who previously served as the district's Director of Student Services.

This leadership transition offers a unique opportunity for our incoming team to collaborate on these initiatives. By prioritizing a thoughtful onboarding and alignment process, we ensure that our final rollout is consistent, well-supported, and successful for every student and staff member in Holliston.

🌟 Recognition & Highlights

A Special Thanks

We would like to extend a special thank you to one of our 6th-grade student committee members, Jackson Cutone, for his invaluable assistance and leadership in co-presenting our update to the School Committee on March 12th. His perspective, along with other students on the committee, is essential as we shape the future of learning in our district.

Holliston Leads the Way

We are also incredibly proud of our educators and committee members who continue to share their expertise beyond our district. Pictured above are two of our staff members, Jenny White and Allie Curley from Miller Elementary, during their presentation at an AI conference on April 8th, highlighting Holliston's commitment to staying at the forefront of educational technology.

For more information, please visit the Holliston AI Steering Committee Website.

Best,

Dan MacLeod

Director of Technology & Digital Learning

Spring brings a natural mix of transitions graduations, endings, new beginnings, and shifts in routines. While this time of year is often filled with excitement, it can also bring added stress and emotional ups and downs for students.

As students navigate MCAS, end-of-year expectations, changing schedules, and more time spent outside and socially, we often see both increased energy and increased stress. This season holds a lot at once and it’s important to recognize that these shifts can impact students in different ways.

With May approaching as Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s a meaningful reminder that supporting students’ emotional well-being is just as important as supporting their academic growth. Feeling a mix of excitement, pressure, uncertainty, or fatigue during this time is completely normal.

Supporting Your Child and Family During This Season

• Maintain consistent routines where possible, even as schedules shift for your family

• Check in regularly transitions often show up in small ways first

• Encourage balance between school, activities, and downtime

• Normalize mixed emotions feeling excited, nervous, or overwhelmed at the same time is part of change

Even small, consistent check-ins can make a meaningful difference during times of change.

From the Office of the Director of SEL & Equity,

Jariel Vergne

If your child is experiencing increased stress, anxiety, or emotional challenges, there are supports available both in school and within the community.

These resources are available not only for students, but also for parents and caregivers. We recognize that supporting student well-being often means supporting the entire family, and these services are here for you as well.

Below, you’ll find a bit more information about each resource:

Cartwheel (Teletherapy Services)

Access to licensed clinicians for therapy and consultation in partnership with our schools. Cartwheel provides virtual (teletherapy) support for students and can also work directly with families to help navigate concerns and next steps. Services are available in multiple languages to ensure access for all families.

Care Solace

A free, confidential service that helps families quickly connect with mental health providers. Care Solace can assist both students and caregivers in finding support that fits your needs, including insurance navigation and appointment coordination.

Holliston Youth & Family Services (HYFS)

Local counseling and family support services available within our community. HYFS offers support for students, families, and caregivers across a range of needs.

Looking Ahead

We will continue to share resources and opportunities for families, including upcoming webinars and supports focused on student mental health, anxiety, and overall well-being.

We have partnered with Cartwheel to provide telehealth therapy and a variety of family support services for our students and families. Cartwheel offers access to licensed clinicians and a range of supports designed to meet families where they are. Services are available in multiple languages to support access for all families in our community.

Getting Started with Cartwheel is Easy
It takes less than 5 minutes to complete a short interest form. This is simply a way to learn more and get connected. There’s no commitment to services. You can also learn more about Cartwheel, the support they offer, and how your family may benefit from connecting with them.

Connect My Child to Cartwheel →interest form

Flyer (English, Spanish, Portuguese)

I encourage you to take a few minutes to explore this resource and see if it may be a helpful support for your family.

Holliston Youth & Family Services (HYFS) provides free, confidential counseling and family support services for Holliston residents of all ages. Their team offers a range of supports designed to meet families where they are, from short-term counseling and consultation to therapeutic groups and service coordination.

HYFS also partners closely with schools and community organizations to support student well-being and family needs across Holliston.

Getting Connected with HYFS
Families can reach out directly to explore available services, ask questions, or get connected to support that fits their needs.

Learn More About HYFS → https://www.townofholliston.us/321/Youth-Family-Services

Additional Community Resources

The Holliston Drug & Alcohol Awareness Coalition (HDAAC) is a community-based organization focused on prevention, education, and reducing substance misuse. They provide resources, information, and opportunities for families to stay informed and connected.

Explore Local Resources →https://hdaac.org/

We partner with Care Solace to help connect students, families, and caregivers with mental health providers and substance use treatment options. Care Solace is a free and confidential service that works to quickly match individuals with providers based on their needs, regardless of circumstances.

Getting Started with Care Solace is Simple
You can search for providers on your own or be matched with support through a brief process. Care Solace can also assist with navigating insurance, availability, and scheduling appointments.

We want to make families aware of a concerning social media trend that has been circulating among students on platforms such as TikTok. We were recently made aware of this through communication from a neighboring district, and felt it was important to share proactively with our community.

What is the Social Media “Fainting” Trend?

This “challenge” involves a student crouching down, breathing rapidly (hyperventilating), and then standing up quickly while holding their breath. In some variations, a peer may apply pressure to the chest. These actions can cause a sudden change in blood pressure and oxygen levels in the brain, leading to dizziness, a brief “high,” or loss of consciousness. The goal of the trend is to create a temporary “head rush,” but it can be dangerous.

How Families Can Help

Our shared goal is the safety and wellbeing of every student. Having a calm, open conversation can make a meaningful difference.

• Start with awareness
  Ask your child if they’ve seen or heard about this trend, either online or in person. Talk about how quickly these trends can spread.

• Talk about the risks
  Help them understand that “passing out” is not a game it is the body’s response to a lack of oxygen and can have serious, lasting consequences.

• Encourage safe choices
  Remind your child to walk away from situations where this behavior is happening and to let a trusted adult know.

Our students are the heart of our community, and keeping them safe is a shared responsibility. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting their wellbeing.

As part of our partnership with Cartwheel, families have access to a free webinar series led by national experts, focused on supporting student and family mental health and well-being.

🟦 Upcoming Next Week

5 Keys to Parenting a Child with ADHD

📅 April 15th | 🕛 12:00 p.m. (ET)

Practical strategies to support children with ADHD at home and in school.

Attend live or register to receive the recording.

👉 Register for April 15 Webinar

🟩 Coming Up Next Month

Recognizing and Treating Youth with OCD & Related Disorders

📅 May 12th | 🕖 7:00 p.m. (ET)

Learn how to recognize and support anxiety-related conditions, including OCD.

Attend live or register to receive the recording.

👉 Register for May 12 Webinar

Registering for any session will also give you access to the recording if you’re unable to attend live.

FY27 Budget Projections (Level Service)

• School Committee Recommended Budget

• FY27 Budget Process

• The above document covers in detail the HSC’s recommended budget for the 2026-2027 school year. Level services are projected at 3.26%, with an additional $158,000 in Priority Needs, bringing the overall budget increase to 3.61% over FY26.

• Additionally detail is also provided on the Spring Capital Requests, which center around a $2,500,000 Feasibility Study for a new high school

HHS Schedule

Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, Holliston High School will implement a refined class schedule designed to better support student success and instructional continuity.

Based on feedback from students, staff, and families, this change addresses current challenges with pacing and fragmentation. The new structure focuses on:

• Consistent Learning: Longer, more stable instructional blocks.

• Targeted Support: Dedicated time for academic intervention and enrichment.

• Collaboration: Increased time for teachers to coordinate and improve curriculum.

• Alignment: Better synchronization with graduation requirements and course sequencing.

What’s Next?

We are planning this transition thoughtfully alongside faculty leadership. In the coming months, families can expect:

1. Detailed breakdowns of the new daily structure.

2. FAQs regarding the impact on student routines.

3. A clear implementation timeline.