SCITUATE - November 17 - The Scituate School Committee officially began a six-to-eight-month redistricting process to establish attendance zones for three elementary schools before the new building at Hatherly opens in September 2027 and Cushing Elementary closes, with consultants from Cropper GIS Consulting outlining a timeline that includes public input sessions beginning in December and a final recommendation expected in March.
The Full Story
Matthew Cropper of Cropper GIS Consulting, a firm that conducts 10-15 redistricting studies annually across the United States, presented the comprehensive process to the School Committee on November 17. The objective is clear: create attendance zones for the new school at Hatherly, Wampatuck Elementary, and Jenkins Elementary for implementation in fall 2027-28, when the new four-section-per-grade building opens and Cushing Elementary discontinues operations.
The redistricting will affect all four elementary schools in the district. As Dr. Tom Raab, Interim Superintendent, explained, “The new school has four sections of each grade level, and currently when you combine Cushing and Hatherly, it’s five or six sections depending on the grade level. So, you know, likely anywhere from 8 to 12 sections, you can move out to Wampatuck and Jenkins. The entire purpose of this study is to figure that out. So it’s all four elementary schools.”
Cropper outlined a set of criteria that will guide all boundary decisions, emphasizing that the best plan touches on all criteria rather than focusing too heavily on any single element. The primary objective, he stated, is balancing school facility utilization—ensuring equitable space in all schools. Additional criteria include considering future growth potential, maintaining demographic composition equity across schools, assigning students as close to their homes as possible, creating efficient bus transportation routes, maintaining contiguous zones rather than creating isolated pockets of students, respecting major roads and geographic features as boundaries, and minimizing the overall number of students affected by boundary changes.
“I think the hardest part with redistricting is that there’s a very big emotional component to it,” Cropper acknowledged. “People have emotional ties, loyalties to schools. They love the school their kids go to. And so they are very emotional if they see the potential of them getting moved. We take that into consideration. That’s all things that we’re compassionate for the emotion. But it’s most important to separate the emotion from actual making data-driven decisions and focusing on what’s best for all children in the district.”
The timeline begins with an internal planning team meeting on December 4, followed by the first public information session—a webinar on December 9 at 6 p.m. Cropper explained that webinars for initial sessions typically draw ten times more participants than in-person meetings because options maps are not yet being shared. A general feedback forum will launch that evening, allowing the public to provide input before draft maps are developed.
The planning team, consisting of district administrators including all four elementary principals, senior leadership, and transportation staff, will work with consultants one to two times per month developing options. Draft boundary maps will be presented to the public at an in-person session on February 25, where attendees can view maps on easels and discuss them with planning team members and consultants. A survey will accompany that session, running for approximately two weeks.
A final recommendation is planned for presentation to the School Committee on March 30, with a vote anticipated in April. This timeline provides sufficient lead time for notifying parents, adjusting staffing allocations, and planning transportation routes before the 2027-28 school year begins.
The district is developing a dedicated website that will serve as a comprehensive resource, including a background report with criteria, maps, stakeholder information, and objectives. An online interactive map will allow the public and planning team to zoom in on areas and examine geography as options are evaluated. School Committee member Carey Borkoski asked about ensuring communication opportunities, noting that in other communities, poorly managed public meetings have become “wild and disastrous” because “things are lost in translation.” Dr. Raab assured the committee he plans to continue offering open office hours to give families a place to share their lived experiences alongside the data.
Committee member Peter Gates asked whether the timing—launching a search during the holidays—posed concerns about attracting qualified candidates. Cropper responded that it depends on the applicants: “I really want to put this out immediately and see who’s out there. But we want the best candidate. And so if the committee feels, the interview committee, feels that we don’t have the best candidate, then we’ll start” the search again.
Other Significant Actions
The School Committee approved the 2026-2027 school calendar after making one adjustment from the initial draft presented at the October 20 meeting. The revision clarified that parent conferences will be held on a single date—Tuesday, December 15, 2026—for all grade levels, kindergarten through 12th grade. Elementary conferences will be available during the day, with middle and high school conferences extending into the afternoon and evening to accommodate families with students at multiple levels.
Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch explained the rationale: “We moved it to that week closer to the holidays because we want to make sure we can get past day 60 at the elementary level, which is when report cards are produced. And that provides a good topic of teacher parent meetings to have the report cards available.” The calendar maintains 180 instructional days, with school starting on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 (after Labor Day), and ending on Friday, June 18, 2027, with a half-day dismissal. Kindergarten students will begin on Thursday, September 3, following the Labor Day weekend, allowing time for small group orientations on backpack procedures and lunch routines.
The committee approved school year 2025-26 goals during their second reading. The three goals focus on: strengthening the connection between school committee work and district improvement through monitoring progress on strategic priorities; ensuring fiscal responsibility through quarterly budget updates from the superintendent including progress outputs and outcomes; and aligning committee practices with Massachusetts Association of School Committees standards and best practices. The goals reflect feedback from a workshop with MASC Field Director Sean Costello in August.
Dr. Raab presented his superintendent goals for the 2025-26 school year, identifying six “power standards” he will focus on: instructional leadership around teacher evaluation, data-informed decision-making, fiscal systems and budget development, family and community engagement, professional culture and communication, and continuous learning. His specific goals include completing professional development courses in “Analyzing Teaching for Student Results” and “Leading Strategically” with administrative team members; achieving 70% of students meeting or exceeding expectations in English Language Arts (grades 2-5) on STAR benchmarks by year-end; reaching 75% proficiency in mathematics for the same grades; hiring a Director of Support, Engagement and Advocacy by February 2026; and completing a triennial district improvement plan by March 2026 that aligns ELA, mathematics, social-emotional learning, and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives through 2028.
Committee members praised the ambitious nature of the academic goals. Member Janice Lindblom asked how the percentages were determined. Dr. Raab explained he examined Open Architects data showing fall 2025 benchmark results: in ELA, grade two scored 60.1% proficient, grade three 65%, grade four 61%, and grade five 62.2%. In mathematics, results were higher—grade two at 67.2%, grade three 67.9%, grade four 69.3%, and grade five 73.6%—justifying the more aggressive 75% target. “We do have a three-year goal internally of getting to 80, 85% over the next three years,” he said. “So I think this will help take a significant step along the way.”
Lynch provided a teaching and learning update, highlighting that the district’s November 10 professional development day featured training for all PK-12 staff on the Open Architects data platform. The session included separate tracks for elementary and secondary teachers, followed by time for educators to examine their own student data. “It was a milestone for us because we’ve spent a long time collecting assessment data from various platforms and pulling it into one space,” Lynch said. He noted that preliminary feedback indicated teachers appreciated the time and requested more of it, though acknowledged “there’s no system test like go live” and some improvements are needed.
Beginning-of-year benchmark testing has been completed at elementary and middle school levels, with an improvement this year being extended half-day data meetings for grade-level teams to analyze results with school adjustment counselors and support staff. Lynch will present grade-level results at the next School Committee meeting. The district is sharing benchmark data with families in grades K-5 for both literacy and mathematics—exceeding the 2022 state requirement to notify families twice yearly only for grades K-3 students scoring significantly below benchmark in literacy. “We think that’s really important for all parents to have information about how their students are performing,” Lynch stated.
Elementary teachers are participating in cross-district professional development days by grade level. On October 28, all grade five teachers met at Scituate Town Library to discuss ELA focus areas based on MCAS data, with curriculum coordinators and reading specialists providing strategies. Each grade level will have similar opportunities, with kindergarten and grade three sessions scheduled for November.
The committee approved a job description for the Director of Support, Engagement and Advocacy position after making amendments from the initial draft. Changes included explicitly adding “LGBTQIA+” to the list of underrepresented and marginalized students; ensuring efforts are linked with comprehensive social-emotional learning initiatives; removing language about “implementing curriculum” to clarify the role supports rather than teaches curriculum; adding requirements for experience building and managing teams; and strengthening the data analysis requirement from “familiarity with data analysis” to “experience interpreting and applying data findings to create, strengthen, and expand programs and policies.” The enhanced language came from community feedback emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making. Dr. Raab indicated he would post the position immediately to assess the candidate pool, noting that if the best candidate doesn’t emerge, the search would be extended.
Director of Special Education Michele Boebert requested and received approval to increase tuition for the Early Childhood Center’s four-year-old afternoon preschool program from $2,500 to $3,100 annually—a $600 increase. The increase will help offset costs of expanding the program from four days to four-and-a-half days per week (with potential for five full days the following year) by increasing paraprofessional positions from 0.8 FTE to 0.9 FTE. The change affects approximately 24-32 families of typically-developing peer students; students with IEPs are not charged tuition. Boebert noted the rate remains competitive regionally, with comparable programs charging $3,920 to $4,600 annually for five half-days per week. Families were notified during fall registration that a tuition increase was being considered. The district offers monthly payment plans and families can apply for tuition reduction on a case-by-case basis.
Marcell St. Jean presented on behalf of the CORSE Foundation (Scituate Community of Resources for Special Education), a nonprofit established approximately 25 years ago to fund programming ensuring appropriate staffing ratios for students with and without special needs, ages 3-22. Programs include Best Buddies at elementary, middle, and high school levels; adaptive recreation like Maritime Adventures and skateboarding; Nautical Mile sessions during fall, spring, and summer in partnership with Scituate Recreation and Scituate Public Schools; and funding for the Gates Middle School band consultant who works with 33 percussion students, 16 of whom have IEPs or 504 plans. CORSE also provides partial funding for student agendas for grades 5-8 to support executive functioning, and previously funded music therapy and yoga in pre-kindergarten classes. St. Jean stated the organization is working to increase visibility with newer families and reintroduce itself to the community through fundraising events including the North Pole Express, drive-in movies, a Giving Tuesday campaign, and a spring dance-a-thon during Autism Awareness Month. Committee members suggested ways the district could better support CORSE, including potentially incorporating historically CORSE-funded programs like music therapy into the operating budget and improving connections with younger families who may be unaware of available resources.
Student representative Luke Bonney reported on November activities including several sports teams qualifying for state tournaments (boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball, field hockey, golf, and football); October Sailors of the Month recognition; expansion of dual enrollment courses to include anatomy and physiology, physics, and pre-calculus; 11 students earning college credits at Rochester Institute of Technology through Project Lead the Way classes; VFW Voice of Democracy speech competition winners; a second-place math team finish at the first SMML meet; and over 800 college applications processed for 120 seniors as of November 10, with 23% of the senior class having already applied to at least one institution. Bonney also reported on his experience at the Model UN conference in Montreal, where Scituate High School earned three outstanding delegate awards despite competitive competition in his International Court of Justice committee format.
The School Committee conducted first readings of additional policy reviews, including examining the competency determination policy that must be approved by January 1, 2026, following Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidance issued after the 2024 ballot question eliminated MCAS as a graduation requirement. The policy establishes that students must successfully complete with passing grades two English courses, two math courses, and one science course in grades 9-12 to meet competency determination requirements, with provisions for students with disabilities, late-enrolling students, and an appeal process. Committee members noted the policy aligns with what most districts are implementing, though calibrating what constitutes “passing” remains work for teachers to address.
Policy subcommittee members reported progress on reviewing sections A and B of the district policy manual, identifying needed updates including changing “selectmen” to “select board,” updating gendered pronouns to be more inclusive, adding a policy manual introduction memo that was drafted in 2007 but never posted, potentially revising the mission statement which appears outdated, updating the tobacco use policy to include vaping products as outlined in the MASC model policy, ensuring a school committee member serves on the wellness committee as recommended by MASC, and adding policy BAA on school committee goals and evaluation which the district does not currently have despite following those practices. The subcommittee will continue working through the policy manual with plans to complete a comprehensive review during the 2025-26 school year.
Why It Matters
The redistricting process will determine where approximately 8-12 sections of students currently attending Cushing and Hatherly elementaries will be assigned when the new school opens. Every family with elementary-age children could potentially be affected by boundary changes. The process emphasizes data-driven decision-making using geographic information systems while providing multiple opportunities for community input through webinars, in-person sessions, surveys, and ongoing feedback forums. The careful timeline ensures families will know their children’s school assignments well before the September 2027 opening, allowing time for adjustment and planning. Beyond logistics, the redistricting aims to create equitable learning environments across all three elementary schools, balancing enrollment, demographics, and resources while considering future growth patterns and minimizing disruption to students and families.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To approve the school year 2026-2027 school calendar as presented. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:02:06)
Motion: To approve the draft school committee goals as amended. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:10:08)
Motion: To approve the job description for the Director of Support, Engagement, and Advocacy as amended. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:14:11)
Motion: To approve the increase in Early Childhood Center tuition for 2026-2027 as presented. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:40:08)
Motion: To approve the minutes from November 3, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 2:03:41)
Motion: To approve warrants S-250710 ($84,606.15), S-250717 ($844,335.06), S-250723 ($646,114.89), S-250731 ($252,121.50), S-250806 ($200,615.66), and S-250814 ($154,557.06). Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 2:06:05)
Public Comment
No public comments were made during the designated public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.
What’s Next
The redistricting process will continue with an internal planning team meeting on December 4, 2025, followed by the first public information webinar on December 9 at 6 p.m. A dedicated website with interactive maps, background information, and a feedback forum will launch on December 9. The planning team will develop draft boundary options through January and February for presentation at a public session on February 25, 2026. A final recommendation is expected at the March 30, 2026 School Committee meeting, with a vote anticipated in April 2026. The Director of Support, Engagement and Advocacy position will be posted immediately with interviews planned for January and an appointment goal of February 2026. The competency determination policy will return for a second reading and vote before the January 1, 2026 deadline. Dr. Raab will present superintendent goal progress quarterly, with the first quarterly budget update expected in December 2025. Assistant Superintendent Lynch will present beginning-of-year benchmark assessment results at the next school committee meeting. The policy subcommittee will continue reviewing district policies with focus on needed updates identified in sections A and B. School committee members Lindblom and Borkoski will continue offering office hours on Friday mornings from 9-10 a.m. at Gates Middle School.