Brookline School Committee News

Across Brookline, students returned to classrooms, educators and staff launched a new year of teaching & learning, and our schools began buzzing with activity, once again, as classes for the 26-27 school year kicked off on September 3.

Before students arrived, educators, staff, and school and district leaders came together for an Opening Day meeting on Tuesday, September 1. Superintendent Bella Wong, School Committee Chair Bob Weintraub, and leaders of Brookline’s six employee unions welcomed the over 1,400 paraprofessionals, food service workers, custodial staff, teachers, vice principals, secretaries, special educators, direct service providers, nurses, and more that make up the extraordinary PSB team.

Click here to watch School Committee Chair Bob Weintraub share his Opening Day welcome.

We’re excited to be back, too – and look forward to staying connected to our schools, and centering Brookline students’ success in our work.

At our first regular meeting of the year, Superintendent Wong welcomed six new school and district leaders and outlined a larger focus for the year ahead: strengthening classroom instruction, collaboration, and the use of student data as PSB moves its Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) work from framework to practice. As Superintendent Wong put it in her report on opening day, “We have the talent and capacity to support our students to do much better.”

That commitment to student achievement runs throughout Superintendent Wong’s goals for the year, an ambitious agenda focused on strengthening instruction and building sustainable feedback loops for collaboration and continuous improvement across schools, classrooms, and the district as a whole. We look forward to supporting her and her leadership team in this important work.

Other updates from Superintendent Wong’s report included an introduction to new PSB leaders and staff, DESE’s District Review Report, and K-8 enrollment updates.

Passage of last spring’s override was a resounding affirmation of Brookline’s commitment to the people, programs, and learning opportunities that inspire a love of learning and challenge students to reach their fullest potential.

That includes robust opportunities in music, visual and performing arts, theater, athletics, and more – and the talented educators and staff who bring them to life. For a wonderful reminder, listen to one of the extraordinary performances from last year’s final BHS band concert, featuring BHS student musicians under the direction of Instrumental and Digital Music Teacher Carolyn Castellano, who has dedicated her career to igniting in generations of students a love of music and the pursuit of mastery.

That same commitment to rigor across a broad spectrum of opportunities extends to Career and Technical Education. The School Committee recently voted unanimously to establish a revolving fund to support and expand PSB’s Career and Technology programs as BHS continues to connect academic learning with hands-on experience and career exploration. Opportunities range from medical careers, business and technology, and culinary arts to environmental technology, construction, and graphic arts – with a new after-school, dual-enrollment EMT program being developed in partnership with MassBay Community College.

Brookline voters made a significant additional investment in our schools through last spring’s override. The School Committee’s responsibility is to steward the finite resources available to the district thoughtfully – supporting and valuing the educators and staff who serve our students while ensuring that the resources entrusted to PSB are used to provide the strongest possible learning experience for every student.

Use this primer to help understand the collective bargaining fundamentals as they relate to PSB.

As negotiations continue this fall, we encourage community members to follow the process by watching recorded sessions and reviewing bargaining materials and updates on the School Committee’s negotiations page.

At our September 16 meeting, Superintendent Wong announced that PSB will soon invite stakeholder feedback on the school calendar through a survey that will help inform this important aspect of our schools.

The school calendar affects nearly every member of our community and, importantly, how we make the best use of the school year for student learning. Keep an eye out for the survey and an opportunity to weigh in.

Follow School Committee meetings and materials here.

Questions, ideas, or feedback? Reach the School Committee anytime at school_committee@psbma.org. We’d love to hear from you!

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