Patrick C. Daly, Superintendent

On November 17, 2015 the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education made the decision to support the recommendation of the Commissioner of Education to move forward with a next generation MCAS test for all students, MCAS 2.0. For the past two years Massachusetts has been “test-driving” a new assessment called PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) which measures student performance on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).  These are the standards on which Massachusetts modeled its 2011 Frameworks in Mathematics and English Language Arts.  This next-generation assessment allows the state to retain control over the content of the questions and many elements of the test while also utilizing much of the PARCC tool that a Massachusetts team of PARCC fellows helped to build.  The decision calls for online testing for all students in 2019 with a plan to help schools and districts improve their technology infrastru...

As we head into the 2015-16 School Year we are excited about the many new changes that await our students and staff.  Many initiatives, new hires, and our new and improved buildings have increased our capacity for digital learning and technology throughout the district. One of the most exciting changes for this school year is the addition of Digital Learning Specialists and Digital Learning Paraprofessionals at each elementary school.  Middle school and high school students and educators  will also continue to have the support of a Middle School/High School Digital Learning Specialist and all schools will benefit from a district-wide K-12 Specialist. Our Digital Learning Team will be providing students and teachers with support in their classrooms with new and emerging technologies as well as offering students a state-of-the-art curriculum in Digital Learning, Digital Citizenship, and Computer Science/Robotics.   Many of our schools have received additional...

Parent Tips for the Common Core Mathematics Many have likely witnessed the extensive media coverage over the past several months about the Common Core Standards and the assessments that have been designed to measure those standards.  From trusted news sources to blog posts to viral videos on Facebook it is clear that there are many questions about the new standards that have left many parents wondering why there seems to be a “new way” and an “old way” to solve mathematics problems. In fact, these “new ways” have been around for quite some time.  It’s important for us to distinguish between a new way of teaching and learning and a poorly worded worksheet that has gone viral on the internet. This article will help to frame some of the thinking behind the changes represented in the new 2011 standards and provide some helpful resources to parents to work with their students at home. PhotoMath ( https://photomath.net ) This smartphone application, available in...

Providing a Safe and Supportive Environment for our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQ) Students The mission of the North Reading Public Schools includes the charge to “provide a safe, supportive, and contemporary learning environment” for all of our students.  Recent updates to the Student Anti-discrimination Law that now include gender identity have led us to update our policies and practices in order to ensure that all students continue to be safe and supported. In recent years our district has taken many proactive steps including creating a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Club at the high school, providing professional development for educators, and addressing the concerns for the safety and well-being of our LGBTQ students through updates to our Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan. Our P.A.U.S.E. group (Public Awareness and Understanding of Social Education) has been at the forefront of exploring the recommendations of the Departmen...

Each year educators in North Reading spend a great deal of time and effort continuously improving themselves professionally.  Goals are developed at the district, school, and educator level that lead to the exploration of a great many topics relevant to those working in our schools.  Many professionals enroll in graduate courses and attend conferences where the latest trends and best practices are explored.  There are professional development days sponsored by the district, opportunities for educators to attend presentations and workshops, as well as online opportunities for extended learning. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has developed standards for High Quality Professional Development (HQPD) that North Reading looks to follow: The ten standards that make up the Massachusetts Standards for Professional Development: HQPD has clear goals and objectives relevant to desired student outcomes. HQPD aligns with state, district, schoo...