Weymouth School Committee Approves New CTE Admissions Policy With Middle School Pathway Requirement
WEYMOUTH - OCTOBER 9 - The Weymouth School Committee unanimously approved a comprehensive Career and Technical Education (CTE) admissions policy on October 9, 2025, including a newly added middle school pathway component that requires all Massachusetts school districts to document how they prepare middle school students for CTE opportunities. The policy, which required approval by November 1 to meet state deadlines, establishes clear admissions criteria for Weymouth High School’s ten CTE programs and outlines how Chapman Middle School will provide career exploration opportunities to sixth through eighth graders.
The Full Story
The committee combined the second and third readings of the CTE admissions policy to expedite approval ahead of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s deadline. Principal Karen Monahan and CTE Director Sam Depina presented the policy, which includes a newly mandated middle school pathway section that was not part of the original proposal.
Assistant Superintendent Lindsey Fratolillo explained that DESE now requires all districts to outline in writing how they educate middle school students about CTE programs and provide career exploration opportunities. “What happens is every district is different. So our district has our own CTE programs,” Fratolillo said. “What we’ve added into the CTE admissions is a section that DESE is requiring that makes us outline and put in writing what we do at the middle school to provide our students and family education about our CTE programs as well as career exploration.”
The middle school pathway includes several key components: on-campus assemblies where Mr. Depina and Weymouth High School CTE staff and students visit Chapman to discuss the ten shop programs, the “Walk with a Wildcat” evening for eighth graders to tour the high school, eighth grade classroom tours during the school day, and online resources available in multiple languages. The policy also requires course selection information to be distributed to families through newsletters and guidance counselor classroom presentations.
Committee member Kathy Curran raised questions about record-keeping requirements, noting that DESE will require documentation of all presentations, assemblies, and tours. The policy initially stated that Chapman Middle School would maintain these records, but discussion suggested this responsibility might shift to the district level. Superintendent Melanie Curtin clarified that while the policy must be in place, DESE typically reviews such documentation during periodic district reviews rather than requiring annual submissions.
The CTE admissions policy itself establishes clear criteria for ninth-grade applicants to Weymouth High School’s CTE programs. Students must achieve passing grades in a ninth-grade exploratory rubric that evaluates their performance across different shop rotations. The policy allows students to appeal admissions decisions within ten business days and provides the principal with authority to review individual cases on a case-by-case basis.
Committee member Danielle Graziano asked whether students who perform poorly in exploratory classes would be excluded from CTE programs. Depina clarified that the exploratory rubric impacts shop selection and placement but students still have the option to remain in CTE based on their overall performance or choose to leave the program.
In other business, the committee heard presentations from three elementary schools on their three-year school improvement plans. The Early Childhood Center, Academy Avenue School, and Frederick Murphy School each presented data showing progress in three key areas: student belonging, student achievement, and family and community partnerships.
Superintendent Curtin provided an update on recently released MCAS scores, noting that while Weymouth typically performs at or above state levels in literacy, the district saw concerning declines at the high school level. “We, as well as the state, all did see significant declines at the high school,” Curtin said. “I think some of us expected some declines, losing the MCAS as a graduation requirement. I think kids taking the MCAS for six years, and then not taking it in the ninth grade, and then taking it in the tenth grade, I think they lose a little bit of momentum and motivation.”
The superintendent indicated the district would work to determine whether the score declines reflect true literacy and math deficiencies or student motivation issues. District-wide MCAS data will be presented at a future meeting after all individual school presentations are completed.
The committee also received a second major policy update: new competency determination requirements that will replace MCAS as a graduation requirement. Principal Monahan explained that starting with the class of 2026, students will need to earn passing final grades in English 9 and 10, one credit each of Algebra and Geometry, and one credit of Biology, Physics, or Chemistry. Beginning with the class of 2027, students will also need a passing grade in one credit of U.S. History.
Monahan emphasized that these new state requirements do not change Weymouth High School’s existing graduation requirements, which already exceed the competency determination standards. “Our Weymouth High School graduation requirements remain unaffected by the adoption of any of this language,” she said. “Because students still must have 22 credits, including the completion of all core and non-core subject area requirements, and complete 40 hours of community service to graduate from Weymouth High School.”
The competency determination policy will return for a second reading and public comment at the committee’s October 23 meeting before final approval.
Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Brian Smith presented the semi-annual gift report, showing that between January 1 and June 30, 2025, the district received $127,541.95 in monetary donations and $59,275.44 in in-kind donations. Smith highlighted the success of a new athletic sponsorship program that has generated over $20,000 from approximately 23 donations in its first season. “If you think about using that to cover user fees for students, that would be roughly 100,” Smith noted, emphasizing the program’s potential to reduce costs for families.
Smith thanked new development coordinator Christine O’Connor for her work on the gift program and athletic sponsorships, noting she “had really big shoes to fill with Betsy Harris.” He also recognized the community partnerships during challenging fiscal times, stating the donations provide significant benefits to the district.
The committee approved Policy JF for first reading, which will require students to reestablish residency when entering sixth and ninth grades. Assistant Superintendent Fratolillo explained that many surrounding districts have implemented similar requirements to keep records accurate and ensure students reside in the town. The policy will be implemented gradually, starting with fifth graders entering Chapman Middle School, before expanding to eighth graders entering high school.
The re-registration process will happen at the building level through school administrative assistants, with families having until the end of the school year to provide required documentation. Fratolillo noted that families will be able to scan and email documents if they cannot visit the school in person, making the process accessible to all families. For families who do not complete re-registration by the deadline, central administration will take over the process.
The Early Childhood Center, led by Principal Maura Perez, reported strong progress in implementing the Second Step curriculum and maintaining robust Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) practices. Data showed that 75% of preschool students met or exceeded standards by the end of the 2024-25 school year, with significant growth in both letter naming and mathematics.
Academy Avenue School, under Principal Pat Higgins, earned a 73rd percentile rating from DESE for substantial progress. The school demonstrated strong MCAS performance, with scores at or above state averages in English Language Arts and mathematics, and particularly strong results in science. Principal Higgins highlighted the success of i-Ready benchmark assessments, showing that students in the “core” proficiency level increased from 25% to 68% in math and made similar gains in reading.
Frederick Murphy School Principal Pat Costello reported that 75% of students in grades three through five were considered “on track” for social-emotional learning, placing the school at the upper end of the acceptable range. The school showed particular success in supporting high-needs populations, with MCAS achievement for these students increasing in all three tested areas. Costello emphasized the importance of staff belonging as a foundation for student belonging, noting that his school began the year with staff development focused on creating regulated, happy classrooms.
All three principals highlighted concerns about panorama survey data showing declines in students’ sense of belonging, despite improvements in other areas. Committee member Danielle Graziano questioned how schools would engage families who might not feel connected to the school community, particularly families of substantially separate special education students who may not live in the immediate neighborhood. Principals described various outreach strategies including monitoring parent-teacher conference attendance, using translation services and apps, and creating multiple opportunities for family engagement.
During public comment, resident Ben Crosby advocated for a long-term, town-wide vision for Weymouth Public Schools that extends beyond three-year improvement plans and ties together school goals, community input, and budget priorities. “Having that cohesive vision between both our school committee or our council and the mayor’s office and the town’s vision for what we want for Weymouth and tying the budget kind of in those two things together to those very trackable metrics and trackable outcomes based off of investment,” Crosby said.
Crosby also emphasized the importance of early investment in STEAM education, particularly in light of declining math scores across the state. Parent Council member Ashley Dickerman echoed Crosby’s comments, noting the importance of school councils and suggesting they function as “a mini school committee for each school” where stakeholders can collaborate on vision and budget alignment.
Committee member Kathy Curran, in her final year requesting school council membership lists, expressed satisfaction that all three presenting schools provided information about their councils, including newly elected members. School councils are required by state regulation to be representative of the school population, including parents, teachers, staff, and community members.
Why It Matters
The approval of the CTE admissions policy ensures Weymouth High School students will continue to have access to ten career and technical education programs while meeting new state requirements for middle school career exploration and preparation. The middle school pathway component aims to provide all Chapman students with equal opportunities to learn about CTE options regardless of family circumstances, language barriers, or evening availability for tours. The policy’s emphasis on documentation and record-keeping will help the district demonstrate compliance during state reviews while ensuring consistency in how CTE opportunities are communicated to families. For families with eighth graders, the reinstatement of daytime school tours provides additional opportunities beyond evening events for students to explore high school options, potentially increasing access for families with transportation challenges or work conflicts.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve Consent Agenda including warrant 12-2026 ($627,393.92), minutes from 9-11-25, budget subcommittee 9-17-25, policy subcommittee 9-24-25, and overnight field trip for WHS choral students to New York City February 14-17, 2026. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 8:28-8:40)
Motion: Combine second and third reading of WHS CTE admissions policy with middle school pathway. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 24:20-24:29)
Motion: Approve WHS CTE admissions policy with middle school pathway as presented with corrections made during discussion. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 24:54-25:01)
Motion: Accept semi-annual gift report showing $127,541.95 in monetary donations and $59,275.44 in in-kind donations for January-June 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 34:43-34:58)
Motion: Adjourn meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:51:38-1:51:43)
Public Comment
Three residents spoke during public comment. Ben Crosby of Norma Avenue advocated for establishing a long-term town-wide vision for Weymouth Public Schools that extends beyond three-year improvement plans, ties together school goals and budget priorities, and incorporates community input. He also emphasized the importance of reestablishing STEAM programs in elementary schools given statewide declines in math scores. Ashley Dickerman of Pleasant Street supported Crosby’s comments and highlighted the importance of school councils, describing them as “mini school committees” where stakeholders can collaborate. She encouraged the public to research school council requirements on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website. Allegra Marrone of Carroll Street expressed enthusiasm for the new CTE admissions process and particularly the eighth grade tours component of the middle school pathway.
What’s Next
The Weymouth High School Program of Studies and Competency Determination policy will return for second reading and public comment at the October 23, 2025 School Committee meeting. Policy JF regarding school admissions and residency verification will also be presented for second reading on October 23. The Budget Subcommittee will meet November 12, 2025 at 6 PM at Adams School to discuss the five-year budget forecast. Town-wide Parent Council will meet October 21, 2025 at 7 PM with Director of Student Services Dr. Margaret Verlicco to discuss graduation requirements and post-graduate transitions. The Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) will meet October 21 at 7 PM. District-wide MCAS data presentation will occur after all individual school presentations are completed. Weymouth High School Theatre Club will perform “Mean Girls” November 21-22 at 7 PM and November 23 at 2 PM at Marie Weston Chapman Middle School.