Community Letter 9/22/26
September 22, 2026
Dear Holliston Students, Staff, and Families,
Welcome to the Fall season! We hope your school year is off to a wonderful start. Please take a moment to review a few important district updates and announcements below.
MCAS Results Available on the DESE Family Portal
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released 2026 MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) results today. District and school results are available on the DESE website. Here is the link to the Holliston Public Schools district profile. For more MCAS information, click on the “Assessment” tab. For Holliston’s new Accountability Report, click on the “Accountability” tab. For school-specific data, click on “Schools” in the upper right hand corner and select the particular school in the drop-down menu just below. Dr. Karen Rondon-Bourn, Director of Teaching and Learning, will present the district’s MCAS and accountability data at the October 8th School Committee Meeting.
Additionally, DESE has released individual student MCAS results via the MCAS Family Portal, an online tool that lets you view your student’s MCAS test results from 2023-2026. Later today, families will receive a separate email with a registration code and instructions on how to access the MCAS Family Portal. Final results, including student growth information and comparisons to school, district, and statewide performance, are now available. If you have specific questions about your individual student’s results, please reach out directly to their school.
To learn more about the MCAS family portal, or for assistance setting up your account, please visit www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/family-portal.
Superintendent's Roundtable
As I mentioned to you in my last community letter, I am establishing a Superintendent’s Roundtable. This group will bring together a diverse cross-section of our community – including students, parents, community members, educators, administrators, and support personnel – to assess how things are going in our schools, share ideas on future direction, and provide feedback on upcoming initiatives.
Schedule: The last available Wednesday of each month, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Location: Central Office Conference Room
How to Apply: If you are interested in joining, please fill out the Superintendent's Roundtable Interest Form to submit a statement of interest.
I want to thank all of you who have already applied to be on the Superintendent’s Roundtable. The application window is closing on Thursday, September 24th. I will contact applicants this Friday as we get ready for our first meeting on Wednesday, September 30th. Thank you for your consideration!
Stay Tuned for “Learning with Dr. Carter” on HCAT
I’m incredibly excited to launch this new show, which is all about shining a spotlight on the amazing things happening across our school district – and giving you a chance to hear directly from the students, staff, and community members that make it all possible. Last Thursday we recorded our premiere “tip-off” episode on the Holliston Unified Basketball program. If you have been to one of their games, you already know the joy and Panthers pride this team brings to the court. In the show, we sat down with an athlete, a student partner, the coach, and our Athletic Director who all helped bring the program to life. Be on the lookout for HCAT’s release!
Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making Holliston Public Schools a wonderful place to learn and grow. Wishing everyone a safe, vibrant, and successful Fall season ahead!
All the best,
Dr. J. Kimo Carter