Duxbury School Committee Sets Summer Workshop Schedule, Evaluates Superintendent
Committee plans three workshops to address governance and budget issues; Dr. Klingaman receives proficient rating in all performance areas
DUXBURY - June 5 - The Duxbury School Committee has finalized its summer workshop schedule, focusing on roles, responsibilities, and budget review as members seek to improve their operational effectiveness and goal-setting process.
During their June 5 meeting, committee members agreed to hold three workshops over the summer months to address key governance and planning issues.
"I hate going to meetings and not having an understanding of what we're trying to accomplish and what we're supposed to walk away with," said committee member Matt Gambino during the discussion.
The first workshop, scheduled for June 18, will focus on roles, responsibilities, operating norms, and subcommittee structures. The committee voted to extend this session to four hours, from 8 a.m. to noon, recognizing the substantial work needed in these areas.
Committee member Jen Weedon will work with MASC Field Director Sean Costello to prepare for the workshop, with committee members agreeing to provide individual input to help shape the agenda.
"I'd be happy to do that," Weedon said. "My only wish here is that we don't have a presentation of content and we just sit there like we've been lobotomized and we don't actually talk about the things we need to."
A second workshop is scheduled for July 29 from 1 to 4 p.m. to conduct a postmortem review of the budget process and develop recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year.
The final summer workshop will take place on August 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., focusing on school committee goals with Costello facilitating the first two hours.
Committee members expressed frustration with their current goal-setting and evaluation process, noting that their existing goals lack specificity and measurability.
"When I look at these and we talk a lot about SMART goals and measurable goals and outcome-based kind of things for everybody... the school committee should have the same," said committee member Lauren Deacon. "The goals that we have are really process goals. They're like, these are the actions that we are going to take."
The committee also reviewed their 2024-2025 goals, which focused on supporting the district's strategic plan, developing a sustainable budget, and updating school committee policies. Members generally agreed they had met most of their goals but acknowledged the need for more specific and measurable objectives in the future.
In other business, the committee reviewed Superintendent Dr. Danielle Klingaman's evaluation for the 2024-2025 school year, rating her as proficient in all performance areas.
"Dr. Klingaman has demonstrated a strong strategic leadership as superintendent of Duxbury Public Schools, consistently prioritizing student learning, instructional quality, and community engagement," said Chair Kellie Bresnehan, reading from the compiled evaluation.
The evaluation highlighted Dr. Klingaman's "tireless dedication" in preparing and defending the FY26 budget while maintaining an active presence in schools and the community.
"Dr. Klingaman is a committed and capable leader who has navigated significant challenges while preserving the district's core educational goals," Bresnehan continued. "Throughout, she has modeled professionalism, transparency, and a clear vision for moving the district forward."
The evaluation noted promising trends in student data, including Title I math intervention groups exceeding growth expectations and improvements in GMSI-ready scores for both math and literacy.
In response, Dr. Klingaman expressed appreciation for the feedback and her enthusiasm for working in Duxbury.
"I love working here in Duxbury. I love my job," Dr. Klingaman said. "I'm really proud of the work of our teachers."
She outlined several priorities for the coming year, including developing a new strategic plan, negotiating a teacher contract, and addressing another challenging budget year.
"I want to make sure our next strategic plan really does focus on how our budget is built in supporting our student programs and making sure that the data we're presenting shows that the things that the community has invested in and the school committee has prioritized and supported are actually making the biggest difference for students," she said.
The committee also reviewed results from the district's K-12 Insight survey, which gathered feedback from parents, staff, and students on school climate.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Beth Wilcox, who presented the findings, noted that satisfaction with education quality increased across all groups compared to last year, with 88% of parents, 97% of staff, and 87% of students rating their schools as excellent or good.
These results place Duxbury above the national average by 3 percentage points for parents, 7 percentage points for staff, and 12 percentage points for students.
The committee approved its 2025-2026 meeting calendar and, at the request of a student representative, added a cell phone policy update to the October 8 meeting agenda.