An Important Update from the Office

Dear Lawrence Kindergarten - 4th Grade Families,

The arrival of spring signifies the time each year when we begin our initial planning for the next school year. One task for Lawrence staff is to develop class lists. Families sometimes ask how class placements are made and what role they may play in the process. This letter is meant to answer those questions and explain the process used at Lawrence School and within the Public Schools of Brookline.

A structured and thorough process is used in developing balanced classes. As a staff, we will spend significant time carefully developing classes for the 2026 -2027 school year. We take this process very seriously and put in considerable care and effort to create groupings that support academic and social-emotional growth for all students. Our team reviews a wealth of information about each child to build classrooms that are balanced in as many ways as possible. This is in alignment with Brookline’s Grouping, Inclusion, and Placement Practices (Revised Policy Adopted by School Committee 3/11/10, #10-19), which states: “When determining class placement of students at any grade level in elementary school and in the creation of middle school class lists, consideration shall be given to various student learning needs. In order to create effective learning environments and maintain valued diversity within each classroom, efforts will be made to place students with some peers who share similar profiles so that teachers can more effectively address the strengths and needs of all students.” We want students to be familiar with some classmates but also to meet new ones each year. It is our team’s firm belief that each student will have their needs met regardless of the assigned teacher, as all our teachers are highly qualified professionals. Moreover, although our teachers employ a range of styles, they teach under the same umbrella of shared core values, curriculum, and best instructional practices.

Given the complexities of placement for the upcoming year and the numerous data points that we consider (including feedback from the educators who know the students best in the school setting), we will be making deliberate decisions regarding class composition. Please trust that we have the knowledge to create next year’s classes, and will do so with the utmost care. Because of this, we are requesting that any input from families regarding placement be limited to extraordinary circumstances that require our special attention. As you may know, we are not able to honor requests for specific teachers, nor are we able to honor requests for specific friend pairings to be placed together. Input of this nature will not be addressed. In addition, placement input from prior years are not saved for the purpose of use in a following year’s placement, so if an issue/concern remains, a new communication must be submitted.

While it is not necessary, nor is it expected, if there are essential concerns that you believe are paramount for our consideration, please submit this information via hard copy letter or email, addressed to Vanessa Bilello, Lawrence Principal, by Friday, April 24, 2026. For example, recent updates to medical history, information on historical relationships between children, previous experiences with a teacher from an older sibling, or placement of twins or triplets might be new information that the school would need. During our comprehensive process, our team will consider your feedback/input, along with numerous other factors, to determine your child’s placement.

For families who also have current 5th-7th graders: we are in the process of evaluating placement for middle schoolers as a staff, so we respectfully request that any such requests for students entering middle school (6th-8th grade) be put on pause until we send follow up communication to families.

While you may be sharing important information with classroom teachers or a member of the clinical team that you hope to be considered during placement, please understand that input for placement MUST be delivered to the building principal to be considered. As the only member of the placement process who works all summer, when occasional changes do need to occur, it is critical that essential concerns reach my office. Please note that the team will be unable to consider information that is received after 5:00 pm on Friday, April 24th, as the placement process will have commenced.

Typically, classroom placement letters for all elementary students in PSB are emailed in mid-August, allowing us the time to make careful decisions for our current and newly enrolled students. We will provide updates regarding class placement as the summer progresses. Please remember that the Public Schools of Brookline no longer distribute class lists, due to student privacy requirements. If enrollments change dramatically during the summer in such a way as to alter the number of sections at a certain grade level, we reserve the right to reconfigure classes as needed.

Finally, if your child will be leaving Lawrence, we want to help make the transition as smooth as possible. We strongly believe both children and adults should say goodbye to one another and mark the time spent together. Our team is here to guide you through this transition. The office staff can provide proof of enrollment letters, and our counselors are also available to talk with children and parents during this time. To start the withdrawal process, please fill out this form, Withdrawing from PSB, as soon as you know you will not be returning. If your plans for next year are unclear or have any special circumstances, please contact your grade band counselor and/or the main office.

If you have any questions/concerns about this process, please reach out to me or your grade-band administrator for advice: Dr. Dominique Ferdinand (K-2) and Ms. Laura Horst (3-5). You may also contact your grade band guidance counselor with questions; however, all placement input MUST be delivered to the administrative team at Lawrence to be considered.

Sincerely,

Vanessa Bilello, Principal

Lawrence School

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Update from the Lawrence Office: Placement for 2026-2027 School Year Update from the Lawrence Office: Placement for 2026-2027 School Year

Dear Lawrence Kindergarten - 4th Grade Families,