Annual report 2020–2021 | 1
Celebrating Maskless “Green Day” Mrs. Sheridan’s 5th grade class at Douglas School celebrates “Green Day,” the unification of the Gold and Blue cohorts, in May 2021, and the day students were able to be maskless outside.
Acton-Boxborough Regional School District 2020–2021 Annual Report
2 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee (2020–2021)
Tessa McKinley ( Boxborough)—Chair Diane Baum (Acton) Angie Tso (Acton) John Petersen (Acton)—Vice Chair Adam Klein (Boxborough)—Vice Chair Kyra Wilson-Cook (Acton) Evelyn Abayaah-Issah (Boxborough) Amy Krishnamurthy (Acton)
Ginny Kremer (Acton) Yebin Wang (Acton) Nora Shine (Boxborough)
Contact Us: abrsc@abschools.org
Central Administration
Peter Light, Superintendent Marie Altieri, Deputy Superintendent
Deborah Bookis, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Dawn Bentley, Assistant Superintendent for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Debbie Dixson, Interim Director of Special Education JD Head, Director of Operations & Facilities Amy Bisiwiecz, Director of Educational Technology David Verdolino, Director of Finance Erin Bettez, Director of Community Education
To sign up for future electronic newsletters: https://tinyurl.com/ABRSDNews
Website: abschools.org
15 Charter Road Acton, MA 01720 978-264-4700
Wellness Equity Engagement
All photos provided by A-B schools unless otherwise indicated.
Design : David Gerratt/NonprofitDesign.com
Annual report 2020–2021 | 3
Five new members joined the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee this year
Evelyn Abayaah-Issah (2020–2021)* Evelyn lives in Boxborough with her family. She is the Director of Network Development and Strategic Partner- ships at Mass General Hospital. She has over 15 years of experience in healthcare with expertise in hospital operations, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, quality and safety, global business development, and strategic planning. In her current role, she has oversight of 14-plus Network hospitals including domestic, national and international. Her role is to establish domestic, national and global strategic partnerships with healthcare organizations with an aim of spreading Mass General’s mission of research, education, and clinical best practices. She co-chairs the Mass General Cancer Center Equity Council, and engaged in several diversity and equity initiatives at the institution and her community. Evelyn has a B.A in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, B.S in Health Education, and M.S in Health Policy and Management from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and is undertaking her doctor- ate in Public Health Leadership at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Benjamin Bloomenthal (2021–2022)* Benjamin was elected in 2021 to the Acton Boxborough Regional School Committee. He has lived in Acton, with his wife Doronit and son, since 2010. Benjamin has over 20 years of work experience in healthcare, transpor- tation, government finance and man- agement. He currently works in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hos- pital, overseeing research grant funding. Benjamin also serves on various committees and boards including but not limited to the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, Acton Democratic Town Committee, and as representative of Acton to the MBTA Advisory Board. Benjamin obtained his Master’s in Business Administration from the distinguished Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Suffolk University. Benjamin also volunteers at Temple Emunah in Lexington, where he and his family are members. Benjamin also enjoys the outdoors and is an avid skier, cyclist and camper.
Andrew Schwartz (2021–2022)* Andrew is the proud parent of four boys. He believes that we are at an incredible inflection point for learning and wants to help ABRSD continue to be a place where kids can thrive. Andrew, his wife, kids and dog, have lived in Acton for the past three years. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Andrew graduated from Rollins College. Andrew is the Director of Innovation Engineering at Nike, His background is in strategic consulting. He’s owned his own businesses, established and run Innovation Labs for Fortune 5 companies, been an advisor for start- ups, worked in the agency world and consulted with healthcare, financial services, entertainment and non- governmental organizations. Andrew believes schools are the center of the community. They connect us, they make us stronger, they build our future. When our schools work, they give our kids a love of learning, the tools to explore their curiosities and an environment where they can grow in incredible ways.
Kyra Wilson Cook (2020–2021)* Kyra lives in Acton with her husband and two children. She previously taught middle school in Boston. She served on the superintendent search committee in 2018 and currently serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Family Advisory group. She works as the Events Coordinator for the Silver Unicorn Bookstore. A writer, Kyra taught noveling and short story classes through AB Community Education. She also served as a classroom mom for three years. Kyra holds a B.A. in Political Science and Secondary Education from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and an Ed.M. in Learning and Teaching from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Aside from her other work, Kyra is an accomplished cook, knitter, quilter, and embroiderer.
Yebin Wang (2020–2021)* Yebin, along with his wife and two kids, has lived in Acton since 2011. While enjoying a friendly neighbor- hood, excellent school system, and pristine environment, they would love to do their part to sustain and improve our community. Yebin joined the School Committee in 2020 and serves in the policy sub-committee. Yebin is a frequent volunteer at Conant school. He served low income families as a tax preparer through CRA’s “Community Volunteer Income Tax Program” for many years. Profes- sionally, Yebin is an engineer working for a corporate research and develop- ment organization in Cambridge; his commitment to excellence has earned him Best Annual Employee and the President’s Award. He also proudly served as associate editors for various referred journals and conferences. He holds a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering.
* Year elected to School Committee
4 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
Superintendent’s Welcome
Acton and Boxborough Residents,
I am pleased to provide you with this annual report of the activities of the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District. The story of the last 18 months for our schools begins and ends with the pandemic. I am incredibly proud that after our initial closure from March through June of 2020, we opened our doors for students in September and remained open for the entire year. My pride in the historic efforts of our educators and staff is balanced with a keen under- standing that our students lost much during the pandemic including learning opportunities, activities,
and most importantly, the deep human connections that are so important for all of us. Those losses notwithstanding, learning and the work of our schools did not stop. This annual report provides you insight into our work throughout the district over the last year. Highlights include: • Remaining open for learning for the full school year that shifted from a hybrid model (where students learned partially in-school and partially at-home) to a full in-person option for all students by the Spring. • The development of a fully remote school that served over 800 elementary students and a fully remote program for 400 secondary students. • Supporting our students and educators with the tools and training needed to engage in a digital environment. • Continuing our work to build more inclusive schools for all of our students by focusing work on diversity, equity and inclusion. • Serving over 300,000 meals to our community at-large during the pandemic. • Launching a new 5-year strategy for the district that focuses on student engagement, inclusion, equity, and social-emotional learning. • Providing computers and devices for all of our students K-12 and broadband service to families who did not have prior access. • Significant progress on the new Douglas-Gates-Huebner Elementary School.
I am not sure when we will have the opportunity to reflect and fully grasp the toll the pandemic has taken on us, our community and our students. We have lost loved ones, dealt with personal economic hardship, felt the burden of fear and isolation, and are just beginning to re-establish relationships and a sense of connectedness. In the coming year, we will be here for all of our students, educators, families and community and helping our students move their learning forward. I hope the information in this report helps you stay apprised of the various happenings in our schools. If you would like to continue to stay abreast of activities across the district, you can sign up for our newsletter and future annual reports by visiting http://eepurl.com/gxd5Ob.
Peter Light Superintendent of Schools August 2021
Annual report 2020–2021 | 5
District Strategy
Engaged Learning
Cognitive, Behavioral, Emotional Engagement
Best Practices for Digital Learning
Acton-Boxborough has a rich and storied tradition of educational excellence and this strategy continues that tradition by ensuring excellence for all students. We recognize that the students we serve today are vastly different from the students we served even just one generation ago. This strategy is committed to our tradition of excellence along with an updated vision where our efforts to serve all students at AB must include particular attention to those students and families who have been historically under- represented and underserved. Our strategy focuses on four primary aspirations: engaged learning, inclusive practices, equitable oppor- tunities and outcomes, and social emotional learning. Engaged Learning: We want our students to think deeply about their learning, be effective problem solvers and remain persistent when faced with challenges. We also want them to be passionate and see their coursework as relatable, relevant and valuable to their lives. Inclusive Practices: Every student and family deserves to feel welcomed and included in our school communi- ties. We want to focus on building strong relationships between and among students and adults within our schools. To provide this for all students, we need to focus on those students and groups we have under- served or who have been underrepresented. We need to ensure that our students see themselves in our cur- riculum. We need an outstanding and diverse group of leaders and educators who are prepared to respond to, and welcome, all of the cultures found within our
Increase Variety and Relevance of Learning Experiences
Acton-Boxborough Regional School District District Strategy 2021–2026
Increased STEAM Learning
Access to Early Education
Shared and Expanded Vision of Success
Stakeholder Engagement
Literacy and Mathematics Outcomes
Equitable Opportunities and Outcomes
Strengthening Relationship, Climate and Culture
Expand the Diversity of the Workforce
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
Assessment and Grading Practices
Restorative Practices
Inclusive Practices
Equitable Representation in Advanced Courses
Culturally Responsible and Inclusive Professional Learning
Culturally Responsive Curriculum, Instructional Practices and Materials
Evidence-based Screen and Assessment
Academic Integration of SEL
community. Most importantly, we need to engage with and listen to our students and families to understand how they experience our schools and use this information to drive improvement. Equitable Opportunities and Outcomes: As a community, we are all proud of our students’ accom- plishments. Despite our best efforts, we know there continue to be areas where we must expand and im- prove student learning outcomes within and amongst specific cohorts of students. As part of our strategy, we want to make sure our tradition of excellence extends to all of our students. This means we will need to demonstrate fidelity to specific outcomes for every student who passes through our schools and ensure that each student has equitable access to the oppor-tunities our schools provide.
Social-Emotional Competencies
Social Emotional Learning
Social Emotional Learning: A longstanding goal of our schools is to provide appropriate support for student mental health and wellness. The well-being of our educators and families is also an important element of this work. We will continue to be proactive in helping students build important social-emotional skills and ensure that we provide support for all of our students. We look forward to sharing more with you about our district’s strategy in the coming months.
6 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
Demographics at a Glance
Student Population by Race, 1994–2020
Students Eligible for Free & Reduced Lunch
100%
12.5%
10.86%
10.45%
11.09%
80%
10%
8.84%
9.63%
■ White
■ African-American
60%
7.5%
6.17%
■ Hispanic ■ Asian ■ Multi-Race ■ Native American ■ Hawaiian
6.74%
5.07%
40%
5%
3.90%
2.55%
3.72%
20%
2.5%
0%
0%
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2024 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
10–11 22–12 12-13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21
2020–2021 Student Enrollment by Race
The charts and graphs included on this page are intended to provide you with a general overview of our student and family population during the 2020-2021 school year. Where helpful, we have also included data that provides perspective about the change over time that Acton-Boxborough has experienced in terms of the demographics of our continually evolving community. Please note that the graphic that illustrates the shifts in our student population by race between 1994 and 2020 comes from the Cleargov.com website. If you are interested in reviewing the information that is highlighted by Cleargov about our district, please visit: https://cleargov.com/massachusetts/school/acton-boxborough. The information found on the Cleargov.com site is current to 2020 and does not include the most recent school year (2020–2021).
African-American/ Black 3.1%
Latinx 5.2%
Multi-Race Latinx 1.1%
White 51.8%
Multi-Race Non-Latinx 5.0%
Native American 0.1%
Asian-American 33.6%
Annual report 2020–2021 | 7
2020–2021 Enrollment by School
2020–2021 Total and Remote Learning Enrollment
6,000
6,000
5,207
5,207
■ Total Enrollment ■ Remote Learning
4,000
4,000
2,552
1,751
1,751
2,000
2,000
1,207
831
831
802
802
487 394 378 377 483 433
263
180
73
0
0
Total Elementary
R.J. Grey
ABRHS
Total Students PreK–12
* Students enrolled in RLP are also included in the enrollment numbers of their home elementary school
Student Sub-Group Populations 2016–2021
30%
27.8%
27.5%
27.1%
25.1%
24.9%
20%
16.4%
16.0%
15.7%
15.6%
15.0%
8.5%
10%
7.5%
6.1%
6.0%
6.2%
5.2%
5.2%
4.8%
4.3%
4.1%
0
2016–2017
2017–2018
2018–2019
2019–2020
2020–2021
■ Special Education
■ High Needs
■ English Language Learners
■ Economically Disadvantaged
8 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
The heart of our DEI work is to examine and disrupt institutional biases and systems that limit access, opportunity, and ultimately equity for our students. DEI Family Advisory In September 2019, we invited interested families to apply to serve on a DEI Family Advisory to provide advice around student and family experiences in AB. This group of 40 dedicated volunteers met throughout the year and examined four areas: • Family Engagement subcommittee: proposed including a Cultural Sharing Program for families to present a tradition to their child’s class and supported a “Welcome to AB!” video to welcome new families to the District. • District and Police Interactions subcommittee: recommended educating our community about School Resource Officers (SROs) and implementing a more regular, formal evaluation of the SRO program. • Curriculum subcommittee: created a family survey about DEI-related curriculum and recommended continued curriculum expansion that includes the history of Indigenous and Black people and other marginalized groups. • Staff Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention subcom- mittee: recommended facilitating anti-bias training for interview teams and provided comments to strengthen hiring policy. Access complete recommendations at https://www. abschools.org/school_committee or http://actontv.org/ on-demand/government.
We trained 44 more staff in Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED- https://nationalseedproject.org) and added two new learning facilitators and, aimed at driving personal and institutional change toward social justice.
Student Clubs Dedicated to Equity and Inclusion
In addition to our World of Difference Peer Leaders and AB Students for Equity and Social Justice, ABRHS now boasts affinity groups including Dear Asian Youth!, Black Student Union, Korean Language Club, Muslim Student Association, Jewish Student Union, Latinx Affinity Group, and Common Ground.
DEI PK-12 Staff Workgroup We implemented a districtwide staff workgroup to further equity and inclusion goals by examining data, establishing measurable indicators for DEI goals and recommendations around policies, procedures, and resources. Professional Learning to Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion DESE allocated ten days of professional learning to open schools. Ours included: • Self & Collective Care: we can’t help others if we’re not okay- educators learned strategies to take care of themselves and each other • Ready to Learn: building equitable classrooms and employing trauma-informed strategies to support students • Anti-Bias Principles & Education 101: the impor- tance of being an anti-racist educator and how to engage students in age-appropriate conversations about race, racism, and social justice
What is “DEI?”
Diversity: the sum of the ways that people are both alike and different. While diversity itself is not a value- laden term, the way that people react to diversity is driven by values, attitudes, beliefs, and experiences. (Adapted from the National Education Association) Equity: securing needed supports, opportunities, and resources for individuals and groups of students who typically haven’t received what they need from schools (Adapted from Mica Pollack’s Schooltalk: Rethinking What We Say About- and to- Students Everyday) Inclusion: is not a strategy to help people fit into the systems and structures that exist; it is about transforming those systems and strategies to make it better for everyone. Inclusion is about creating a better world for everyone. (Diane Richler, Inclusion International)
Annual report 2020–2021 | 9
Education Technology incorporated home technology support into its plan. New responsibilities included providing
The Covid-19 global pandemic transformed our teaching and learning community during the 2020–2021 school year. While the abrupt shift to remote learning occurred in March 2020, our educators and administration spent the summer months planning for an unprecedented school year. Recognizing that the use of technology was a crucial component to a successful year, the Department of Educational Technology (EDTech) prepared to take on the difficulties that were likely to occur. EDTech’s first objective was to provide each student a technology device to support their learning from home . Our kindergarten and 1st grade students were provided with iPads loaded with apps needed to support teaching and learning throughout the year. Students in 2nd–12th grade received chromebooks that seamlessly integrated with our ABschools Google platform. While the work to prepare and distribute the devices felt insurmountable, EDTech accomplished this feat which also resulted in completing a long-term goal of a “1-to-1” (one device per student) program . Based on the current technology plan, the district would not have reached this goal for another three years without the pandemic spurring this forward! EDTech’s second objective focused on providing all members of our learning community with excellent customer support , a common goal we strive for every year. With the addition of the Remote Learning Program, EDTech quickly
families with Internet connectivity, trouble- shooting home networks, working with parents to update devices (especially the students with iPads!), and replacing devices that didn’t work well on Zoom. Throughout the year, we worked with the Department of Teaching and Learning to deliver professional learning on the digital resources needed to support remote and/or hybrid learning . The Digital Literacy team frequently attended Zoom classes to support both teach- ers and students and provided on-demand training when requested. Further, they created a standardized digital toolkit that focused on re- sources that align with district learning goals and protect student data privacy. By consoli- dating our resources and targeting our profes- sional learning, the district saw an increase in teacher proficiency in the use of technology. Technical proficiency by our educators has long been targeted in the district technology plan as a crucial area for growth so it will be important to maintain this momentum into next year. EDTech appreciates this opportunity to share some of the challenges of last year with our learning community. The strategies and initia- tives that took place provided an opportunity to greatly advance the district’s three-year technology plan. Our efforts will continue to move the district forward with our technology goals into next school year and beyond.
10 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
District Finance at a Glance
FY21 District Revenue
FY21 District Expenditures
FY21 Financial Highlights • Total Revenues should just about break even with budget ($96.9 million); some individual components experienced gains or losses. • Appropriated Expenditures should wind up below budget, resulting in a net surplus (turnback to reserves) of about $1 million. • The Contingency Reserve ($500K; part of the FY21 appropriation) was mostly unused and is included in the $1 million turnback. • Details of budget-to-actual results will be explained in the final FY2021 financial report to the School Committee (August 2021).
Use of E&D Reserve
Facilities & Maintenance Debt Service Assessments Capital Outlay Transportation
Other
Regional Aid— Transportation
Acton (Assessment)
Personnel
State Aid (Chapter 70)
Special Education
Instruction & Administration Costs
Boxborough Assessment
Employee Benefits
Budget/Assessment Trends
8%
Boxborough Assessment Increase Acton Assessment Increase
FY22 Budget Actions
6%
• Both towns have voted approval of the district’s FY22 operating and capital budget ($99.7 million), an increase of 2.9% over FY21. • Revenues (from sources other than the regional assessment) are flat; budgeted use of available district reserves continues to rise. • Boxborough’s FY22 assessment increase (4.6%) is greater than Acton’s (3.0%), due to Boxborough’s proportion of K-12 enrollment.
4%
2%
Annual Budget (Appropriation) Increase
0%
-2%
-4%
AVG.
FY15
FY16
FY17
FY18
FY19
FY20
FY21
Annual report 2020–2021 | 11
Teaching and Learning The defining feature of the school year was uncer- tainty. Beginning in May 2020 and throughout the summer, the District Pandemic Transition Team com- prised of District and school leaders, educators and ABEA leadership, committed to these teaching and learning priorities:
This year required our educators to embrace a mind- set of flexibility and agility. It called for District and school leaders to provide an organizational structure that allowed for and supported innovation and adap- tation at the educator-student level to meet students’ needs. We explicitly acknowledged that our teaching and learning would look and feel different and then determined how to operationalize the following learning elements in the varied environments: • Relationships, relationships, relationships — develop and nurture relationships with students, families, and each other. • Community —create caring and welcoming environments • Purpose —identify and clearly communicate the “why” • Clarity —identify and clearly communicate the “what” • Access —utilize instructional practices and materials that meet learner needs, are inclusive, and culturally responsive • Agency —provide timely and meaningful feedback; provide choice
Before the school year began, all educators partici- pated in professional learning that emphasized build- ing community, inclusivity, and social emotional learn- ing; digital tools and strategies; instructional practices that support and encourage student engagement in remote and hybrid learning environments, and effec- tive and efficient ways for educators to collaborate, share, and support one another. Educators, coordinators, and building, department and District leaders also revised our curriculum scope and sequences to emphasize critical learning standards. They prioritized key grade-level content, concepts and skills, and built in what we call “just- in-time, just-enough” instruction of prerequisite learning so students could access the critical stan- dards. Educators implemented a combination of K-8 screening tools for literacy and mathematics, and classroom and ongoing assessments to determine student instructional strategies and supports. They also planned for alternative ways to provide feedback for students, to show growth for families, and for students to provide feedback to each other by utilizing many digital tools.
• create warm and welcoming environments that prioritize connections with and among students and staff; • support students’ social-emotional well-being; • focus on students as learners and individuals; and • keep equity at the core of our work We considered four in-person learning modes on a continuum: a full return mode for all students; a par- tial hybrid mode where elementary students returned full time and secondary students attend half the time in-person and half the time remotely; a hybrid mode where K-12 students attend school half time in-per- son and half time remotely, and a fully remote mode. We also prepared a Fully Remote Learning Program for students not returning to school in any of the in-person modes and for continuity in learning should the need arise.
12 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
Feeding the Community Between March 2020 and July 2021, the Acton-Boxborough Food Services department served over 300,000 free meals to the community through curb- side pickup. Over 600 people received 14 meals each week. This is in addition to the meals that were served to stu- dents who attended school this past year. Produce boxes were also distrib- uted to families at the same time.
We are very grateful to the Director of Food Services Kirsten Nelson and Cafeteria Managers Jean Tibbets and Amy French who worked tirelessly to make this all happen. We want to thank our entire Food Service Department Staff who all worked hard to make this possible. Curbside pickup would not have been possible if it were not for the many volunteers from Neighbor Brigade. 72 volunteers helped with food distri- bution at the high school and delivery to families who were unable to come and pick up the food . Special thanks to Kathleen Surdan and Nora McMillan from Neighbor Brigade for all of their work in recruiting and organizing all of these events. The School Committee recognized these outstanding contributions to the community at their June 17th meeting.
Annual report 2020–2021 | 13
ABRSD’s Health Response to the Pandemic ABRSD nurses engaged in supporting their schools and our community 2020–2021
Contact tracing, pooled testing, and PPE—oh my! This has been a year for the history books. From March 2020 through the end of the 2020-21 school year, our amazing team of ABRSD nurses have been busy! From mass- producing and shipping homemade fabric masks early in the pandemic, to volunteering regularly at our local food pantry, to collaborating with our local health departments to get residents their flu and Covid vaccines, our nurses have served as local health heroes in addition to taking care of our students and staff. This was a year like no other, and our nursing team members rose to the challenge, creating (and frequently revising!) flowcharts to help staff and families navigate the ever-changing rules about quarantine, travel, and symptoms throughout the pandemic. We created a website to ensure transparency and easy access to flow- charts, Covid protocols, our health metrics dashboard, learning resources for families, and more. While our nursing team was amazing, we also want to be sure to note our appreciation for the amazing cooperation
from our staff and students, the ongoing support from so many of our families, and the collaboration and guidance from the Acton Health Department, the Nashoba Boards of Health, and Acton Medical. It took everyone across our entire school community to pitch in and help keep our schools open throughout the entire 2020–2021 school year.
14 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
From March-June of the previous school year we worked through a full closure of the high school due to a pandemic; many student activities suffered because of it. At the start of the 2020–2021 school year we asked students and staff to commit to what they could do and let go of what they could not. As we look back at the year, the results of this commitment exceeded all expectations. Under the Hybrid and RLP schedules, academics, clubs, activities, athletics, performing arts continued on, albeit with modifications. The Senior Sunset Send-Off and the Graduation Ceremony were times of great pride at the high school. We would like to acknowledge the support of the Acton and Boxborough communities in making it all possible. • Our Ambassadors welcomed the Class of 2024 to the school and provided small group tours right before school opened up in Fall 2020. Back to School Night was completely virtual by website with pre-recorded videos provided by all of our faculty and administration. • The 21st annual Community Service Awards Night was held on Thursday, January 14th. The event was pre-recorded and streamed on YouTube due to the pandemic. This annual celebration of our student volunteers included staff presentations, student speakers, a slide show of volunteer activities, and a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Over 500 ABRHS students volunteered 40,000 hours during 2020! • Extracurricular clubs and activities continued to be very active at ABRHS. During the 2020–2021 school year, approximately 55 out of our 65 clubs were able to continue meeting remotely . They were able to host online activities and competitions while engaging all of our students, whether they were in-person or part of the Remote Learning Program. • Proscenium Circus proudly presented a short play, “Act Free,” written by award- winning playwright and poet, Idris Goodwin, to honor Martin Luther King Day and inspire conversation about the Black and Brown experience in America. The play streamed free to our community. • This year, in spite of the pandemic, we were able to offer 33 sports. 1,225 students participated in Athletics at the high school level . We were excited to offer a junior high school athletics program again for the 2021–2022 school year. This year we earned 6 DCL titles, 3 North Sectional Finalists (only spring sports had a state playoff), our boys track team won the All-State Championship and our girls tennis team won the State Championship! • The ABRHS Band , Jazz Band , Orchestra , and Chorus had end-of-year concerts after outdoor restrictions were lifted. All of the performances were well-attended and students were proud to present a year’s worth of repertoire for their family
Larry Dorey Principal Beth Baker Associate Principal Maurin O’Grady Associate Principal Michael Csorba Dean Fred Hohn Dean
Annual report 2020–2021 | 15
and friends. Additionally, members of the ABRHS marching band played at the town of Acton’s Memorial Day ceremony, and the ABRHS choir held a virtual version of the annual Cabaret night. • Despite everything this year threw at them, our visual arts students produced a ton of creative and innovative work. Highlights include three separate shows that were on view this Spring: In the Mask Show students responded directly to the pan- demic in a wide variety of two and three dimensional media. In the Flamingo show our artists cleverly transformed pink lawn flamingos and installed them around the AB campus. Finally, in a first for AB, our senior art show was exhibited at the Gallery at VillageWorks , a gorgeous professional space. We look forward to full art studios in the year ahead! • Senior Week , a week-long celebration of our seniors, ran from June 1st through June 4th. This included a streaming Scholarship Night Video Program, the Senior Send-Off supported by Project Graduation , which was a carnival-type celebration in our senior and back parking lots, and Graduation. On June 4th, we graduated 423 seniors with their families sitting next to them on Leary Field in a pod-style arrangement compliant with COVID guidelines.
16 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
• As part of our modified hybrid schedule, RJ Grey organized several all-school online assemblies that featured various speakers and pre- senters that aligned with aspects of our curriculum. The inaugural assembly was for all students and featured musicians Alastair Mook and Reggie Harris on Race & Music . • 7th Grade Wednesday Assemblies included presentations by John David Anderson , author of Posted; Theatre Espresso’s performance about Japanese internment; and Holocust survivor Janet Applefield • 8th Grade Wednesday Assemblies included presentations by Dr. Ron Hirschberg , Music is Medicine !; and Cal Armistead , author of Being Henry David • The 8th Grade Social Studies curriculum included a new and extended unit on the African American experience to provide all students with important context and history to help them participate meaningfully in the dialogue around race, Black Lives Matter, and questions involving diversity, equity, and inclusion. • The Social Action student club developed materials and educational resources for the community around anti-Asian hate crimes and activities, as well as facilitating a response to hate speech directed at members of our district’s School Committee. • While meetings took place primarily online, our students and teachers continued to meet as part of lively student clubs and activities such as: Common Ground , Speech , Mathcounts , FitClub , Chess & Board Games , Photography , Creative Writing , Current Events and Spanish Club . • As part of our full
This year, RJ Grey students began the year either in a hybrid in- person learning model, or in a fully remote learning model. Approxi- mately 650 students attended school in-person, and 180 students attended classes in a fully remote setting. Regardless of setting, all students were members of a team which allowed them to share the same teachers, curriculum, and supports. Many of our highlights from the year at RJ Grey have been the remarkable ways that students and teachers adapted to more restric- tive and unique conditions, while still offering and participating in meaningful activities and programs. • This year, our performing arts program held a modified outdoor Spring play, “Help Desk” that included in-person and fully remote students. • Our Project 351 Ambassadors this year were Sephora Stouch and Jacob Tucker , who both organized clothing drives to support Cradles to Crayons.
in-person return in the Spring, over 120 students joined the modified Spring Track program during the month of May.
Andrew Shen Principal James Marcotte Assistant Principal David Lawrence Assistant Principal Catherine Boege Assistant Principal
At RJ Grey Junior High School, our vision is to create a community of thinkers, learners, and responsible citizens.
Annual report 2020–2021 | 17
The students, staff, families, and caregivers at Blanchard Memorial School feel our STARR values help to create a nurturing, inclusive environ- ment in which everyone is welcome. We reinforce these values through our school
• The Blanchard Bingo Night went virtual and attracted over 70 families! • The award winning Blanchard Band performed an entirely remote/virtual band concert! • The PTF awarded over $10,000 in grants for school-wide enrich- ment , which included diverse books, infrared cameras, and an archeological dig. • The annual Festival of Cultures went virtual this year. Blanchard students, staff, and families con- tributed to a community Padlet that included a theme of the month. Some topics were: celebrations, storytelling, and recipes. • Blanchard supported a long- term food drive in support of the Acton Food Pantry .
• Blanchard participated in the Cradles for Crayons sock and the Anton’s Cleaners Coats for Kids drive. • Students in all grades created, designed and engineered objects in the library Makerspace. • Community Meetings were virtual newscasts coordinated by sixth graders. There were monthly themes: Black History , Women’s History , AAPI , Jewish American , National Mental Health . Students interviewed community members, and children’s book authors. • Grade 2 raised and released (endangered) Blanding’s turtles! • Students in K-6 learned about
events, monthly community meetings, and cross-grade buddy partnerships. They are also reflected in our school wide and classroom expectations for behavior. Some of the highlights from the year at Blanchard have been: • Blanchard celebrated Literacy Week March 1–5 with activi- ties that included virtual read-alouds, Mystery Readers, (the much anticipated) Hygge Day, and the Tournament of Books! • The Blanchard community enjoyed a virtual concert by Singer-Songwriter Adam Ezra hosted by the PTF.
Dana Labb Principal Mike Votto Assistant Principal
Blanchard’s STARR values • Support • Teamwork • Attitude • Responsibility • Respect
race, culture and social justice through morning meetings and advisories.
18 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
During the 2020–2021 school year, we worked together to provide a safe, nurturing school environment during an unusual time. Conant teachers piloted a new mathematics curriculum, Illustrative Mathematics. New this year, all students in grades four, five, and six participated in a word study curriculum called “Words Their Way.” Some highlights of the school year include: • Monthly All School Meetings were facilitated over Zoom so that all students and families could participate. Students volunteered to showcase their special talents, such as stand-up comedy acts, piano, dance, and voice. • Classrooms held elections and students represented their grade level in the Conant Student Council. • First Grade Teachers and the Literacy Specialist held a well-attended Family Literacy Night to discuss the science of reading. • Conant celebrated National Poetry Month daily during the month of April. Each day, several student poets had their original poems read aloud to the entire school. • Several Conant students showed their original works of art in the Statewide Virtual Youth Art Month exhibit. • Conant students started a newspaper club and published several popular editions of the “ Conant Cubs ” • All students participated in a week-long Polar Pride Spirit Week , which consisted of schoolwide challenges (both virtual and in-person), a book-grab event for summer reading, team- building activities, and an obstacle course! • Conant students focused on kindness throughout the school year and were encouraged to sign a Kindness Pledge .
Abigail C. Dressler interim Principal
At Conant School: • We believe that every person should feel valued and respected as an individual, in order for learning, teaching, and risk-taking to take place. • We believe that every individual is part of a community, and each person should take responsibility for oneself and the group in order to contribute to its success. • We believe that lifelong learning is essential. A stimulating and nurturing environment should be provided so that students experience success and feel the challenges and joy associated with learning.
Annual report 2020–2021 | 19
Douglas students learn to ask big questions, collaborate and create, and work to build a better world for everyone. Douglas teachers seek out student passions in order to design rich learning experiences, combining structure and discovery. Student learning is in service to solving complex problems and sharing solutions with a global audience. This year Douglas students were unable to present their exhibitions of learning; instead, there were many creative and interactive all- school events for students, staff, and families. Douglas School believes every student should • experience joy and wonder. • have the opportunity to be brave. • feel valued. • be proud of the work they do.
Some highlights of these events at Douglas include: • An all-school study of Identity featuring local community members including school committee, clergy, and State Representatives from different cultures. This culminated in an all-school art show of how all students celebrate traditions. • All-school video music production of the song “Stand By Me.” • Virtual All School celebrations of Veterans and Memorial Days featuring a collection of veteran stories on Zoom archived for future generations. • Peace Chalk Walk • An all-family online Festival of Cultures featuring interactive cooking, dancing, and travelogues.
• Kindergarten celebrated Global Play Day , exploring many new ways to play and have fun at school. • The whole school live-streamed a Halloween Parade inside the school for families who could not attend • The whole school participated in a “Fun Day” outside treasure hunt in the spring. • Fifth grade organized a very successful All-School food drive for the Acton Food Pantry . • Sixth graders performed several plays, including the Jungle Book’s virtual performance and live outdoor perfor- mances of five Greek Myths.
Chris Whitbeck Principal Jenna Larrenaga Assistant Principal
20 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
Exciting highlights of the 2020–2021 school year: • The U.S. Department of Education recognized the Paul P. Gates Elemen- tary School as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2020 . The Gates Elementary School was specifically recognized as an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School for “being among our state’s highest performing in closing achieve- ment gaps between the school’s stu- dent groups and all students.” This was a very proud achievement for the entire Gates School community. • During the summer of 2020, Gates staff participated in professional learn- ing for a new math program called Illustrative Math . All Gates students in grades K-6 participated in a year- long pilot for Illustrative Math . • When we were unable to celebrate the school’s rich diversity during our Annual Culture Showcase, the PTO decided to collect favorite family recipes, which were published in the Gates School Multicultural Cookbook .
At the Gates School we believe that student suc- cess begins when the school community focuses on the social-emotional well-being of all students. Students are able to learn best when their heart and the mind are calm and peaceful. The dedicated staff works collaboratively with families to meet the needs of all of our students. The Gates School is proud to be growing a caring community through civility, respect, and kindness . A com- munity where every student feels loved, valued, challenged, and is supported by all members of the Gates community.
• Throughout the school year the Gates School community celebrated monthly All School Meetings that highlighted student artwork, allowed students to sing, dance, and participate in a variety of physical education activities that got everyone up and moving around in a virtual setting. • The Gates PTO sponsored an evening author visit with children’s author Laurel Snyder . This event was shared virtually with all of our in-person and remote learning program families. • A virtual Celebrate the Arts presen- tation showcased artwork by every student and was accompanied by stu- dent musical performances during the June All School Meeting. • All students in grades K-6 were excited to participate in Activity Day at the Douglas School field . • The school year ended with the Sixth Grade Send Off Parade . All of our sixth grade RLP and in-person families were invited to decorate their cars and par- ticipate in a rolling rally of music and cheers from the Gates staff.
Lynne Newman Principal Allison Warren Assistant Principal
Gates Core Values • Generosity • Acceptance • Trust & Respect
• Enthusiasm • Scholarship
Annual report 2020–2021 | 21
to study the weather around them. As part of this study, they also learned about how artists show weather using different materials. • Each second-grade class studies Acton Long Ago as part of a Social Studies unit. They dress up in turn-of-the-century garb, pretend to time travel, and explore artifacts from the time period. An observant and historically accurate student noted that, with their masks on, they looked like they had time-traveled to 1918. • After two years of carefully caring for and learning about them, our fifth graders released Wood Turtle 2004 and 2005 into the Nashoba Brook during a virtual field trip. • Each sixth grader completed a group hominid project working via zoom with members of the opposite cohort. This kind of collaborative work connected their full learning community. • The McCarthy-Towne staff reinvigorated our art integration roots by collaborating with one of McT’s founding staff members, Margot Grallert. During building-based professional learning time, our Art Integration committee organized an amazing afternoon where staff members were able to experience the art integration process as learners. • We are grateful to our students, staff, and families for their partnership in keeping our community connected during this unique year.
At McCarthy-Towne, everyone is considered both a student and a teacher. Integrated curricula and thematic approaches stress cooperation, active participation, and experimentation. Asking questions is considered as important as giving answers; teachers and students value the pro- cess of learning. Students’ individual needs, per- sonal strengths, and learning styles are always supported. Children are given the responsibility for learning independently, solving problems, and making decisions. They are encouraged to take risks and are acknowledged for their unique talents, skills, and ideas. Highlights of the year: • We were happy to be able to continue with some of our school-wide, community-build- ing traditions this year. We hosted our Story Night with Silver Unicorn. We also were able to continue our tradition of the Project Spoon . We look forward to returning to the connection with Project Bread in the future. • Kindergarten classes participated in a Story Quilt project that was inspired by the work of Faith Ringgold. Through this project our youngest learners discussed identity, sharing about their favorite places through their drawings. • First graders became weather experts this year. They used thermometers and wind flags
David Krane Principal Matt McDowell Assistant Principal
McCarthy-Towne Core Values • Community • Risk taking • Collaboration • Persistence • Flexibility • Trust
22 | Acton-Boxborough regional school district
At Merriam School, experiential, hands-on project-based learning provides opportunities for students to develop skills, self-confidence, a sense of responsibility, and enthusiasm for learning. Math, science, language arts, social studies and the arts are integrated into interesting, challenging projects. Merriam emphasizes community building, supported by activities like our weekly All School Meetings as well as special activities with our multi-age “family groups” like Community Day , Theme Day , and Field Day . Students stay with the same family groups throughout their time at Merriam, gradually assuming leadership roles as they progress through the grades. Highlights of the year included: • Maintaining Merriam’s weekly All School Meetings via Zoom from March 2020–June 2021. This structure connected us to one another by grounding us in our community. From our own homes we sang together, danced together, bird watched together, shared regular art shows, and were able to present our learning and class projects to the school as an authentic audience. • We created a digital library of picture books in order to maintain “zoom-style” reading buddies across the grade levels.
• We integrated our theme “bridges” into classrooms which involved civil engineers from a local firm presenting at an ASM , and then they met with individual classrooms to complete a bridge building challenge. The engineers planned with our students, helped them think about real world applications, asked them questions to support the revision process and of course attended the ultimate bridge test. • First graders planted a garden as a culmination to their inves- tigation, “How do living things grow, change and survive? • During our winter Literacy Week , High School students read books to our students in various languages, and we had authors visit every classroom to read and talk about being writers, all via zoom. Children loved these interactive opportunities with incredible role models. • Sixth graders ended the school year by presenting their Merriam culminating project at our Topics Fair . • Merriam fourth graders collected cards of cheer for the elderly community. These cards were delivered to Acton seniors with meals for those who needed them during the pandemic. • We deepened our collaboration between teachers and families in order to support the learning of every child as we navigated COVID.
Juliana Schneider Principal Bryant Amitrano Assistant Principal
Merriam Core Values • Risk taking • Persistence in Learning • Respect
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