School committee promotes longtime curriculum director and reviews EL audit findings

The School Committee voted unanimously to convert the position held by Julian Leven from Director of Curriculum and Grants to Assistant Superintendent. The superintendent framed the title change as recognition of work Leven has already been performing and said the position change carries no immediate budgetary implications.

“She is an unbelievable member of the central office team,” one committee member said in supporting comments during the motion.

Julian Leven then presented results from the district’s English Learner (EL) desk review. The state desk review found the district in compliance on six indicators — including improved identification processes, parent‑language supports, recordkeeping, and ACCESS participation — and identified six areas requiring corrective action. Identified deficits included: alignment between the new elementary literacy curriculum and ESL instruction, insufficient staffing patterns that prevent grouping EL students by proficiency, limited preschool EL services, occasional failure to meet 10‑day screening notification timelines, gaps in SEI endorsement coverage for vocational pathways, and the need to provide required in‑district professional development in sheltered English immersion.

Leven said documentation and many procedures have been improved since the last audit cycle but stressed that staffing remains the most difficult barrier to full compliance. She proposed converting one EL paraeducator position into a full EL teaching position to ensure timely screening and better group instruction; the committee was presented with the corrective‑action path and told DESIE will support planning for PD and staffing solutions in small districts.

Committee members accepted the final EL report and supported the corrective‑action approach; they also approved two grants presented later in the meeting that the administration said will help curriculum planning (MYCAP planning funds) and early‑childhood itinerant services (federal grant, $20,000).