By NEIL ZOLOT
NORTH READING – Jeff Friedman is the new chairman of the School Committee. The vote of the members was unanimous after he was nominated by outgoing chairman Scott Buckley in the first order of business at Monday night’s School Committee.
“The effort to do this is more than you’d think, but it’s a pleasure to serve,” Friedman said. In the May 6 election he was re-elected to a second three-year term, with 2,018 votes.
Noelle Rudloff was chosen as secretary. She was also re-elected to a second three-year term with 2,022 votes on Election Day.
Both Friedman and Rudloff ran unopposed.
Tim Sutherland was chosen as the committee’s vice chairman. He was elected to his first term in 2024.
Buckley ran unopposed in 2023. His term is up next year.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Daly thanked Buckley for his years of service as chairman. “I’ve never known another chairman as Superintendent,” he said of Buckley. ”He guided us through several changes. I couldn’t have done this without him.”
“It’s been a pleasure to do it,” Buckley reacted.
Batchelder School presentation
The reorganizational meeting was held for the second year in a row at the L.D. Batchelder School as it coincided with the annual presentations from the school’s students and teachers.
The Batchelder presentation included reports of the effort underway to get everyone to know each other so students would be familiar with their teachers when they move from grade to grade as well as a third grade project on traditions, for which the students interviewed relatives about family traditions. Principal Michael Maloney described the school as “a place where everyone wants to learn and grow. We have wonderful teachers who facilitate that.”
The meeting was the second stop on the annual schedule of School Committee meetings held at the elementary schools. They met at the J. Turner Hood School April 28 and will meet at the E. Ethel Little School, 7 Barberry Road next Monday, May 19.
“Without a doubt our favorite thing to do is see and learn from these presentations,” Friedman said. ”We really appreciate it.”
“You should be proud of yourselves,” Daly commented to Maloney, the students and teachers. “We’re coming up with exciting projects. When you do that test scores take care of themselves.”
Field trip gifts
The School Committee also accepted gifts from two school parent associations for field trips. The Hood Parents’ Association donated $3,562 for a fifth grade trip and the Middle School Parents’ Association donated $1,800 for a sixth grade trip.
School Con’s future goals
An agenda item on School Committee goals was “pushed” to a future meeting. Among the goals to be discussed are:
• aligning the North Reading Public Schools District Mission and Vision for Student Learning by reviewing, developing and implementing policies and practices that provide direction and tools for administrators to implement effective programs that maximize student achievement;
• supporting a long-term plan and financial budget to support the district’s strategic plan, NRPS 2025, the development of NRPS 2030 and other strategic initiatives;
• continuing to support the Student Opportunity Act goal to reduce the kindergarten fees leading toward the eventual goal of providing free full day kindergarten;
• reviewing the impact on NRPS families of the current fee structure and schedule for extra-curricular and athletic activities;
• reviewing all aspects of school transportation, including the bus fees, contracts and rates, the process for route design, and emerging topics such as the electric school bus pilot;
• supporting the administration in its efforts to maximize the performance of each student in all academic areas to meet the expectations set forth in the mission and vision of the NRPS;
• communicating openly, providing opportunities for feedback and fostering active partnerships with students, parents, organizations, and businesses to improve relationships with families and the community and encouraging the district-wide expansion of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and re-thinking the powerblock concept.
MTSS is a three-level system of support for students. Tier 1 is service to all, and universal support and preventive practices. Tier 2 is support, services and interventions for a targeted and select group of students, and Tier 3 is intensive individualized support and interventions and support.