Weymouth Elementary Schools Present Ambitious Plans to Boost Student Achievement and Belonging
WEYMOUTH - November 6 - Three Weymouth elementary schools presented comprehensive improvement plans Wednesday night, outlining strategies to address student achievement gaps, strengthen emotional regulation skills, and increase family engagement, while celebrating significant progress in returning to pre-pandemic performance levels.
The Full Story
The Weymouth School Committee received detailed presentations from principals at Hamilton, Wessagusset, and William Seach elementary schools, each outlining three-year improvement plans focused on student belonging, academic achievement, and family partnerships. The presentations revealed both encouraging progress and persistent challenges as the district continues recovering from pandemic-era disruptions.
In a particularly notable announcement, Superintendent Melanie Curtin shared that Wessagusset School has returned to pre-COVID performance levels on MCAS assessments. The accomplishment represents years of focused intervention and instructional improvement following widespread learning loss during the pandemic.
All three schools identified student emotional regulation as a critical area requiring additional support. Panorama survey data presented by the principals showed that between 43% and 53% of students in grades three through five reported difficulty regulating emotions or experiencing challenging feelings. The schools are responding with comprehensive social-emotional learning programs, including the Second Step curriculum, trauma-informed practices, and targeted small-group interventions.
Hamilton School Principal Ashley Panetta highlighted the success of her school’s Student Intervention Team process, which has significantly reduced special education referrals through earlier identification and intervention. “We had only 18 students discussed, down from 30-plus the past three years,” Panetta reported. “Five of those students were recommended for an evaluation, and only one qualified for an IEP. It means the accommodations are working.”
Tardiness emerged as a growing concern at Hamilton, with students arriving 30 to 40 minutes late and missing crucial morning time for relationship-building with teachers and peers. The school is exploring partnerships with Champions before-school childcare to address barriers preventing on-time arrival.
Wessagusset Principal Tanna Jango, in her first year at the school, emphasized the importance of addressing achievement gaps in fourth-grade ELA and math, where performance lagged behind the state average. The school is implementing differentiated instruction within all three tiers of support and has launched a “Wessagusset Writes Initiative” to improve writing skills across grade levels. Approximately 20 students are participating in the new Amplify Tutoring program, which provides one-on-one support three times weekly.
At William Seach School, Principal Nicole Doherty presented what may have been the most comprehensive behavior support system in the district. The school recently earned a nomination for the Safe and Supportive Trauma-Sensitive School Award from the Lesley Institute for Trauma Sensitivity, recognizing extensive work with trauma expert Joe Restuccia.
Seach has implemented the Collaborative Problem Solving model, which Doherty credited with dramatically reducing behavioral incidents. “We’ve seen a significant decline in behaviors over the last probably three or four weeks since we’ve really gotten this model up and running,” she told the committee. The approach involves identifying the underlying cause of student behavior rather than simply addressing the behavior itself, and developing solutions collaboratively with students.
The school has also expanded its support staff, adding a third adjustment counselor, a full-time Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a Registered Behavior Technician. Assistant Superintendent Brian Smith noted that roughly 10 positions have been added or reclassified district-wide this year, totaling approximately $330,000 in additional investment. “We talk about cutting, cutting, cutting, adding,” Smith said, explaining that the additions address compliance needs and prioritize student support.
All three schools reported strong participation in backpack food programs, with Seach serving more than 90 families weekly. The programs, coordinated with the food bank, provide weekend meals for students from families experiencing food insecurity. Principals noted that requests have increased following recent political developments.
MCAS data presented by the schools showed mixed results. Hamilton’s third and fourth graders performed above state averages in both ELA and math, though fifth-grade students struggled with extended written responses. Wessagusset’s third-grade students also outperformed the state in both subjects, while fifth-graders exceeded state averages in math and science but lagged in ELA. Seach’s data showed the greatest need for improvement, with proficiency rates of 33% in ELA and 27% in math for third-graders.
To address achievement gaps, all three schools are prioritizing strengthened Tier 1 core instruction, implementing supplemental math resources, and providing additional common planning time for teachers to collaborate on data analysis and instructional strategies. The new STAR curriculum for the Comprehensive Education Program (CEP) students was highlighted as a significant addition that will provide appropriate access points for students with the most significant disabilities.
Executive Director of Student Services Meg Verlicco explained that STAR “takes a standard and brings it all the way back to an access point for that student,” including school readiness skills like sitting at a table, raising hands, and self-help activities. Teachers at Hamilton and Wessagusset participated in full-day professional development this week and will pilot the program with small groups of students this year before full implementation next year.
Family engagement initiatives were prominent across all three improvement plans. Hamilton is working to be more inclusive of English Learner and special education families in enrichment activities and is exploring ways to reinvigorate the student council. Wessagusset is creating a gratitude assembly that will invite community members including fire, police, and senior center representatives to receive thank-you gifts from students. Seach is using Facebook Live to broadcast parent council meetings, reaching 80-85 families who cannot attend in person due to work or other barriers.
School Committee member Danielle Graziano praised the comprehensive approaches, particularly noting the emphasis on solutions rather than just identifying problems. “You actually came to the table with solutions to work on those things, and that’s great to hear,” she told Hamilton Principal Panetta.
Committee member Kathy Curran commended the trauma-informed approach at Seach, stating, “It shows that you’re focusing on the whole student. You’re not just saying behavior is a consequence. You’re looking at the student to see what’s really going on with them.”
In other business, Superintendent Curtin reported that the district’s inclusive practices survey was distributed this week to staff, families, and students. The survey will inform the development of a vision for inclusive practices as the district prepares to develop a new strategic plan. She also announced that 112 first-graders and 24 second-graders are receiving tutoring through the Amplify program, funded by a grant exceeding $400,000.
Athletic Director Kristen Kelly received praise from the superintendent for a successful fall sports season. Notable achievements included the football team advancing to Division I playoffs, boys’ soccer reaching the round of 16, the dance team winning multiple first-place finishes, and the cheer team capturing the Bay State Conference championship for the second consecutive year.
The committee also welcomed new member Kelly McClean, who was sworn in Wednesday morning after topping the ticket in Tuesday’s election. Committee Chair Tracy Nardone congratulated Ashley Dickerman and Cindy Lyons, who will join the committee in January, and Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw, who was elected to the Town Council and will leave the school committee at year’s end.
Upcoming changes to Career Technical Education admissions were highlighted, with the new policy now live on the Weymouth High School website for eighth-graders applying for ninth grade. The district will also begin implementing residency confirmation for all fifth-grade students in the new year.
Why It Matters
The school improvement plans represent the district’s roadmap for addressing learning gaps and social-emotional challenges that persist in the wake of the pandemic. With student emotional regulation emerging as a concern across all three schools, the comprehensive support systems being implemented—including trauma-informed practices, collaborative problem-solving, and additional counseling staff—signal a shift toward addressing underlying causes of behavioral challenges rather than punitive responses. For families, the increased focus on accessibility through translated communications, flexible meeting times, and programs like the backpack food program demonstrates recognition that family circumstances can create barriers to student success. The return of Wessagusset to pre-COVID achievement levels offers hope that sustained focus on core instruction, interventions, and data-driven decision making can reverse pandemic-era learning loss. Parents should expect continued emphasis on attendance and punctuality as schools work to maximize instructional time, along with more opportunities for family engagement through culturally responsive practices and multiple communication channels.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approval of Warrant 18-2026 dated November 3, 2025 in the amount of $903,457.38, and approval of minutes from October 23, 2025 regular meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:01:30)
Motion: Adjourn the meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:37:08)
Public Comment
Kimberly Ferreira of Charles Diersch Street addressed the committee, expressing encouragement about the school improvement plans presented. She noted that CEP programs represent a large portion of SEPAC membership and welcomed seeing how these students are being integrated into school communities. Ferreira praised the candor in acknowledging shortcomings and presenting improvement plans, and highlighted the value of using community resources, parents, and district-wide knowledge as strategies for improvement.
What’s Next
The Budget Subcommittee will meet November 12 at 6 p.m. at the Adams Building to discuss the five-year forecast and begin FY27 budget preparation. The Athletic Subcommittee meets November 13 at 7 p.m. at Weymouth High School. SEPAC meets virtually November 18 at 7 p.m., the same evening as the Townwide Parent Council meeting at Weymouth High School. Another Budget Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for December 3 at 6 p.m. The next full School Committee meeting is December 4 at 7 p.m. The inclusive practices survey will close around Thanksgiving break. Schools will send residency confirmation information to fifth-grade families in the new year.