EB School Committee Considers Critical Response Mapping System to Enhance Emergency Response
EAST BRIDGEWATER - October 14 - East Bridgewater school officials are evaluating an advanced digital mapping system that would give police, fire, and emergency responders detailed building layouts and safety information during critical incidents. Fire Chief John Dzialo and Police Chief Michael Jenkins appeared before the school committee to present CRG Plans, a service that creates grid-based floor plans with precise locations of exits, fire extinguishers, and defibrillators throughout all school buildings.
The Full Story
The presentation on critical incident mapping took priority at the October 14 school committee meeting, with emergency services chiefs joining administrators who had previously reviewed the technology. The CRG Plans system breaks down school buildings into coordinate grids similar to a battleship game board, allowing first responders to identify exact locations during emergencies.
“If we arrive to a critical incident, we want to know where everything is,” Chief Jenkins explained. He noted that while local officers may be familiar with East Bridgewater school buildings, mutual aid responders from neighboring communities would benefit significantly from instant access to detailed layouts. “You can pull it right up on your tablet, your phones, whatever, we have a layer of all the different schools in East Bridgewater.”
Chief Dzialo offered additional support, emphasizing the system’s value for planning active shooter response and other emergencies. “The demonstration showed a lot of different mapping and overlays that really presented in a way that we could appreciate,” the chief said. “It really presented in a great way for us to plan an event as it’s happening and occurring.”
Director of Business Administration/Facilities John Shea, who attended the initial demonstration, emphasized the importance of rapid response. “Anything that helps emergency personnel respond sooner to the schools is a benefit for the schools,” he stated. “We’ve labeled doors, you know, we’ve done real basic things, but the way it was explained to me from John and Jim when they attended the meeting, it’s like battleship. You can know exactly where you need to be based on the grid locations.”
The system would require an unbudgeted expense, which Shea proposed funding through revolving accounts. Implementation would take approximately two months according to the vendor. The company offers annual updates for room changes at no additional cost, though a new building like the proposed Central School would require a separate purchase.
School committee member Peter Furia expressed interest in coordinating with other districts. “Wouldn’t it be nice if our county type system would be able to get behind something like this so that multiple schools, I don’t know if you’re able to see somebody else’s kind of blueprint,” he said, noting the value for mutual aid situations.
The committee decided to schedule a full presentation with the CRG Plans representative at their next meeting before making a final decision. The presentation is expected to take approximately 30 minutes.
In academic news, Assistant Superintendent Jennifer McPartland presented MCAS results showing mixed performance compared to pre-pandemic levels and state averages. The district performed above the state average in fifth-grade math and science, eighth-grade science, and high school science. Notably, only 13 districts statewide have returned to pre-pandemic proficiency levels in English Language Arts and math.
“Most of the districts across the state are about 10 percentage points below where they were back in 2019,” McPartland reported. East Bridgewater’s fifth-grade science scores were only two percentage points below 2019 levels, while fifth-grade math actually exceeded pre-pandemic performance by six percentage points.
McPartland also shared positive data about the i-Ready assessment tool’s ability to predict MCAS performance. “In all but a few cases, we were within a few percentage points of what i-Ready thought our students would perform,” she explained, validating the district’s investment in the diagnostic platform.
The Junior/Senior High School reported significant academic achievements. Principal announced that Advanced Placement test results showed dramatic improvement, with students earning scores of three or better jumping from the high 40s percentage range to low 70s—representing approximately a 25% increase. “When we look back the last three, four, or five years, we’ve always been in that 43% to 47% of our students getting threes or better,” the principal noted, crediting both the revised schedule that added 850 minutes per class and the district’s writing initiative.
The high school is also addressing attendance issues with a new policy limiting absences to seven for half-year classes and 14 for full-year classes. The policy includes a credit recovery option where students can attend Saturday sessions, with every missed day requiring two hours of makeup time. As of day 32 of the school year, only 22 students had five or more absences compared to 48 at the same point last year.
Transportation emerged as a significant success story this year. Despite eliminating one bus from the fleet—reducing from 13 to 12 buses—the district has achieved its most efficient operations in years. Central School Principal Catherine Byrne reported that dismissal now occurs by 3:16 p.m., with all students home by 3:50 p.m., compared to buses leaving after 3:30 p.m. last year.
“I want to say that this year, at this point, we are on time,” Principal Byrne told the committee. “We’ve had better dismissals and arrivals than we’ve seen in years.” Shea confirmed that timing “is the best it’s been in nine years,” with fewer complaints about inconsistent schedules.
Dr. Williams provided an update on her entry plan, reporting that 25 people have completed online surveys and that she has held her first open forum. She is scheduling meetings with PTOs, school councils, staff, lead teachers, sports parents, and before-and-after-care providers through the end of November. “My hope is by Christmas break, I’ll have all the data collected between electronic surveys that are being completed, as well as interviews, so that the first of the year, we can start looking at analyzing that data,” Williams explained.
The Central School Building Committee continues outreach efforts ahead of the November 10 special town meeting. Renderings are being distributed to Town Hall, local daycares, and the YMCA. Postcards with QR codes linking to project information are being circulated. The MSBA’s official vote to approve the project is scheduled for October 29, which will confirm the exact cost and tax implications.
Central School reported particularly strong results with the UFLI literacy program introduced last year. Typically 60-70 students qualify for Title I reading services in the fall; this year only 40 qualified. In first grade specifically, eight students qualified compared to the usual 20-25. “We’re really pleased with the impact of that program and teachers’ instruction, and we hope to continue to see that trend moving on down the road,” Principal Byrne stated.
Mitchell School Principal Matthew Paquette praised the district’s preparedness. “The preparedness has been most impressive going into this year,” he said. “The playground’s perfectly mulched. The parking lot looks great. You know, there’s rooms that are painted.” He noted that the summer maintenance list had shrunk from 23 pages several years ago to just four pages this year.
The district faces staffing challenges with 20 positions filled at the start of the year, numerous resignations (many in before-and-after-care and teaching assistant positions that typically have high turnover), and multiple employees on FMLA leave. Two positions—a school psychologist at the Junior/Senior High School and a reading specialist—are being filled through contracted services rather than traditional hires.
In financial matters, Business Administrator John Shea reported the district is in better financial position than at this point last year. The special education per-pupil services line shows a negative balance of $389,000, which officials will monitor closely. However, higher-than-budgeted circuit breaker reimbursement and unused school choice funds provide cushions for unexpected expenses.
The committee approved all six reauthorizations of previously approved MASC resolutions for the annual joint conference, including sanctuary laws for transgender students, increasing special education reserve fund limits, membership on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, preserving local governance of schools, personal financial literacy education, and establishment of regional school assessment reserve funds. The committee also voted to support a new resolution on removing BMI testing from schools by a 4-1 margin, with concerns raised about whether schools should handle health measurements versus family physicians.
The meeting included a reminder that the Massachusetts Senate has passed legislation to make schools cell phone-free, with the bill now moving to the House. If passed, DESE would have 180 days to develop model guidelines. Officials emphasized the importance of communicating this potential change to parents well in advance, noting it would require revisions to the district’s bring-your-own-device policy.
Why It Matters
The critical response mapping system represents a significant investment in school safety at a time when emergency preparedness is paramount for parents and staff. If approved, the system would give first responders crucial advantages in responding to active shooter situations, fires, or other emergencies—potentially saving lives through faster, more informed response. For residents, the transportation improvements demonstrate that difficult budget decisions like reducing bus routes can be managed successfully without compromising service quality. The strong academic results in several areas, particularly at Central School with its new literacy program, suggest that curriculum investments are yielding measurable improvements in student learning. However, the district’s ongoing struggle to return to pre-pandemic achievement levels mirrors challenges faced across Massachusetts and underscores the lasting educational impact of COVID-19 disruptions.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To schedule full presentation on CRG Plans critical response mapping system at next school committee meeting. Outcome: Approved by consensus. Vote: No formal vote taken. (Timestamp: 11:35)
Motion: To support MASC resolution on removing BMI testing from schools. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-1. (Timestamp: 1:31:00)
Motion: To support MASC resolution on sanctuary laws for transgender students. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-1. (Timestamp: 1:34:28)
Motion: To support MASC resolution on increasing maximum balance of Special Education Reserve Fund from 2% to 5%. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Majority (exact count not recorded). (Timestamp: 1:42:30)
Motion: To support MASC resolution on membership on Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-1. (Timestamp: 1:45:39)
Motion: To support MASC resolution on preserving local governance of Massachusetts schools. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-1. (Timestamp: 1:47:32)
Motion: To support MASC resolution on personal financial literacy education. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:53:03)
Motion: To support MASC resolution on establishment of regional school assessment reserve fund. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:55:53)
Motion: To approve multiple sets of school committee meeting minutes from July through September 2025. Outcome: All approved with appropriate abstentions from members not present at those meetings. Vote: Various. (Timestamp: 2:08:53-2:10:32)
Motion: To approve homeschool education plans as recommended by assistant superintendent. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 2:10:46)
Motion: To approve 2025-2026 school committee operating protocols. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 2:11:12)
Motion: To approve out-of-state field trip to Great East Music Festival at Canobie Lake Park, Salem, NH on June 5, 2026. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 2:12:10)
Public Comment
No members of the public were present for public comment at this meeting.
What’s Next
The CRG Plans representative will present the critical response mapping system at the next school committee meeting. The MASC workshop on roles, responsibilities, and ethics is scheduled for Saturday, October 19 at 9:00 a.m. in the high school library. A superintendent evaluation workshop will be scheduled. The MASC Annual Joint Conference is scheduled for November 12-14. The Central School Building Committee will continue community outreach ahead of the November 10 special town meeting. The MSBA vote on the Central School project is scheduled for October 29. Dr. Williams will continue her entry plan meetings through the end of November with various stakeholder groups. The first marking term ends November 7 with report cards distributed November 14.