HPS Fall Newsletter
October 29, 2024
Dear Parents, Guardians, Community Members & Staff:
It has been a very busy and exciting start to the 2024-2025 school year. Already the leaves have fallen, and so much has been happening behind the walls of all four schools. It is difficult to capture the volume of amazing things happening with our educators, staff, and students, each and every day at Holliston Public Schools.
I do want to thank everyone for the public display of support for our educators and schools, as demonstrated during the overwhelmingly successful override vote on September 10, 2024. Not only did this allow us to move forward with the contract that was negotiated by and with the Holliston School Committee and Holliston Federation of Teachers in providing competitive salaries, but it also ensures additional direct instructional time for all of our students, with ten additional minutes per day at Placentino and fifteen minutes per day at Miller, RAMS, and the HHS. With all of the initiatives we have undertaken to improve HPS, aligned directly with the HPS 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, and also a new math curriculum resource district-wide, this time will certainly benefit our students over their school careers beginning in the next school year.
Our Central Office Team has presented many updates to the arches and initiatives of our strategic plan already this school year at school committee meetings. On August 29, 2024, Dan MacLeod and I presented a Data & Assessment (Rankings) update. On September 26, 2024, Jess Beattie shared her presentation titled HPS Student Services Across the Arches, and Jariel Vergne presented on Safe & Supportive Schools that evening. Dr. Menard and the STEM & Humanities Curriculum Specialists/ Interventionists team, along with the UA Curriculum Coordinator, shared areas that they will focus on PreK-12 + to improve teaching and learning during the District Curriculum Team Presentation on October 10, 2024. Dan MacLeod also presented Technology Updates on October 10th. Our work to improve student outcomes is making a difference at HPS.
On October 24, 2024, the four principals and I presented our District & School Improvement Plans 2024-2025. If you listen to this presentation on YouTube, you will hear about the successes and the areas of growth which we recognize and are working on together as a school community of leaders PreK-12+. That same day and earlier last week, the principals and I enjoyed two, district-wide, in-person Parent Coffee Hours. These have been well-received, and we will continue these coffee hours as a team both in-person and via Zoom in the future.
In closing, I do want to share again the most exciting news that Robert Adams Middle School has been named a National Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education. Principal Manning, Tessa Piantedosi, Dr. Jordan, and I will be attending the ceremony to accept this esteemed honor on November 8, 2024.
Let’s continue our journey together at Holliston Public Schools.
Truly yours,
Susan E. Kustka, Ed.D.
Superintendent
New Home Monitoring Option for Student Devices!
We’re pleased to announce a new content filtering tool for Chromebooks, iPads, and other devices. This tool includes helpful features for teachers and gives families the free option to monitor student devices at home!
Originally, this option was offered only to families of students in grades 5-12, where school devices are frequently taken home. However, we’re now extending this to all grades. For younger students, this home monitoring option will work on personal devices if they log in with their school account.
Please note that this is an added option. The school’s 24/7 filtering policy already applies to all HPS student devices and accounts.
If you would like to enable home monitoring, please complete this form by Monday, November 4, 2024. Families who fill out the form will receive follow-up information and optional training sessions on Tuesday, November 5th.
Strengthening Our Cybersecurity Efforts
In line with our commitment to a safe school environment and our strategic plan, we are ramping up efforts to prevent and respond to cyberattacks. Over the next few months, we’ll be implementing enhanced cybersecurity measures, including incident response planning, tabletop exercises, and specialized staff training. These steps will strengthen our ability to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats with greater effectiveness.
All the best!
Dan MacLeod
Director of Technology & Digital Learning
From the Director of SEL & Equity and the Director of Student Services
From the Office of Student Services
We are excited to share the wonderful things we are doing from the Office of Student Services. This year we are putting forth tremendous effort into the following areas:
Student Literacy K-12+
Communication and Family Education regarding state of education
Launching Special Programs
District alignment with student experience, services, and engagement
In each quarterly newsletter we will aim to provide an update in each of these areas,and provide resources and links that we feel will be helpful to you. We look forward to the work ahead this year, and our work that aims to provide you and your child with the journey you deserve!
ChildFind
The Holliston Public Schools, Office of Student Services notifies parents and local preschools that services are available for children with special needs, including those with related service needs who may or may not attend the Holliston Public Schools. This information is posted in the newspaper, on the local cable network, and in school newsletters in October of each year. Additionally, this information is available on our Holliston Public Schools website www.holliston.k12.ma.us Please see the linked flyer for more information.
Starfish Awards
As a way to recognize the importance of making a difference, here are this month's "Starfish Award" recipients. We all may be familiar with the Starfish Story... it is about a child who was seen on the shoreline trying to save all of the starfish that washed ashore. A passerby told him they would never be able to save them all, and they replied "It starts with making a difference for one". Please take a moment to celebrate the following staff who are being recognized for their tremendous efforts with ALL STUDENTS!!
Placentino: Diane Brockert and Ashley Ruggieri
Miller: Kristin Dennison & Caroline Johnson
RAMS: Christine Silva
HHS: Gretchen Powers
Student Services FAMILY Ed Series
Please see the calendar linked below, where we welcome all families to attend our Student Services presentations throughout the year as a way to gain insight into current resources that best support families and students in HPS. All night events are via Zoom and are recorded and posted on the district website for viewing. Family Ed Calendar. Below are our most recent presentations to include the video recordings and slide decks.
JOIN US: ANNUAL Unified Basketball Vs Varsity Game Fundraiser
We are excited to announce our heartwarming, and fun-filled SEPAC Sponsored Unified Basketball vs Varsity Basketball Game on November 20th at 6:00 pm. This event will include music, contests, and concessions including pizza, all while fundraising for HPS SEPAC and most importantly celebrating OUR students! We hope that you can attend, please see the linked FLYER for more details.
Sincerely,
Jess Beattie
Director of Student Services
Continued Updates on Arch 2: Social Emotional Well-Being
Arch 2: From the Office of Social Emotional Learning & Equity
As the fall season brings new energy, I’m excited to share some recent developments and upcoming events related to our Arch 2 Social Emotional Well-being initiatives. This fall, we’re building on past successes and making new efforts to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment across the district.
Key Initiatives and Focus Areas:
This year's integrated approach centers around mental health (MH), social-emotional learning (SEL), and culturally responsive practices. Together, these lead us toward a district that embodies the Safe and Supportive Schools framework. By moving beyond isolated initiatives, we’re fostering a unified whole-school system that benefits all students. Some of the core focus areas include:
Trauma-Sensitive Practices: Ensuring a nurturing environment where students feel safe and valued.
SEL (RULER Curriculum): Embedding the RULER curriculum to support emotional literacy and social development.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS): Strengthening positive behaviors and creating predictable, inclusive school climates.
Chronic Absenteeism: Reducing absenteeism rates through data-informed and equity-minded strategies.
Professional Development and Planning - this year, our focus is INTEGRATION
Our summer planning brought together teams across the district to align our key priorities and set clear goals for 2024-2025. This collaboration ensures that our SEL, PBIS, trauma-sensitive, and culturally responsive initiatives are seamlessly integrated into daily school life. Staff development days are focused on building knowledge and sustainable practices around these approaches, ensuring consistency in implementation across schools.
DATA Highlights
Data Highlights
Chronic Absenteeism: Our attendance data shows promising results, with chronic absenteeism rates dropping from 16.7% in 2022 to 12.2% in 2023. This nearly 5% improvement underscores our impact in fostering a connected and engaged student body.
MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey (MWAHS): Encouraging trends have emerged, showing decreased substance use rates and strong support networks. 73-83% of students across schools report a trusted adult in their lives. However, opportunities remain, as over 50% of high school students report knowing how to access support but only sometimes seeking it when needed.
School Climate Data: Surveys from the Georgia School Climate Survey (via PBISApps) and NEASC indicate strong connections, with 94% of middle school students feeling connected to peers compared to 69% of high school students. This feedback guides us in supporting well-being and engagement at every level, and provides areas for future focus.
DATA Highlights
District MTSS Safe and Supportive Leadership Team
This year, our newly established District MTSS / Safe and Supportive Leadership Team brings diverse perspectives to align and drive our Safe and Supportive School efforts. The team includes district leaders, principals, student support staff such as counselors, BCBAs, school psychologists, instructional specialists like math coaches and curriculum coordinators, our Nurse Leader, and classroom teachers. This broad representation ensures that expertise informs our approach across every facet of student life and learning. Meeting quarterly, this team will focus on aligning SEL, PBIS, and mental health initiatives to create a lasting impact on the school climate.
Further Reading & Updates
In my recent presentation to the School Committee, I shared detailed insights and data on the initiatives covered in this newsletter. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to building an environment where every student can thrive!
Jariel Vergne
Director of Social Emotional Learning & Equity
