Newington presentation details school-climate framework and restorative practices

Dr. Gerald Hairston, introduced by Superintendent Parisi, told the Newington Board of Education on Jan. 28 that the district has begun systematizing school-climate work to align discipline and social-emotional learning under an MTSS model. "We want that for SEL, school climate, and discipline," Hairston said, describing the district's shift from summer 'Equity University' sessions to frequent, small partnerships that enable faster, practice-focused changes.

Hairston used a case study labeled "High Hope School" to explain how schools choose among five state standards and how the district is developing "holistic data" — what he called 'street data' — to capture engagement and other precursors to academic outcomes. He said principals and legal counsel are engaged in the effort and that the district has created subcommittees at district and school levels to consolidate routines and measures.

Board members pressed Hairston on implementation details. One board member asked how progress would be measured; Hairston said the district intends to use surveys, focus groups and recurring datasets captured by living hyperlinks in the presentation materials to monitor fidelity. Another member asked about the former "Equity University" model; Hairston said it has evolved into routine, frequent interventions rather than a slow, summer-only program.

On staffing and cultural responsiveness, Hairston acknowledged a changing student population and said the district's strategy is to identify and share effective practice across schools. "We can maximize what we do have that we know works," he said, naming several staff members who have led efforts in classrooms and professional learning communities.

Board members requested a more detailed written plan to be shared with the full board; staff said presentation slides and a fuller outline will be distributed after the meeting. The district emphasized that school-climate work will feed into a three-year strategic plan and that a more detailed school-level improvement plan will be available in June.