High - Newton Schools Foundation

Co-Teacher Development Pilot Program

We are piloting a program for co-teachers to improve practices. We aim to shift the culture to one that increases parity in co-teaching relationships and provides opportunities for collaboration, collective resources and professional development. While co-teaching is not a new model, approaching co-teaching holistically and collaboratively will give educators opportunities to approach their pedagogy differently. By piloting different models of co-teaching, teachers and Unit C staff will use their strengths in tandem, further developing professional skills. Refining the co-teaching dynamic will add to the educational experience for students. Effective collaboration will increase equity and accessibility for students.

Applicant: Emily Shire and Lillian Robinson

Schools: NSHS

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $9,247.08

Using a Trauma Informed and Culturally Responsive Approach for Behavioral Interventions

This project will extend training provided through a 2023 NSF grant to increase the knowledge and skills of staff in selecting and implementing behavior interventions that are Trauma Informed, Culturally Responsive, and Neurodivergent positive. Many practices used to address students’ behavioral challenges are no longer appropriate because they do not consider the cultural variables, cognitive variations, or potential trauma histories of students. This project will allow NPS to target professional training and support to specific staff (with a focus on Unit C staff) to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to select and implement interventions that are Trauma Informed, Culturally Responsive, and Neurodivergent positive.

Applicant: James Ellis

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $8,350

Professional Development- Keys to Literacy

I would like to bring Keys to Literacy, a PD program, to the science department at NNHS. I have taken PD through them in my previous district and believe they would be helpful to teachers.…

Professional Development- Keys to Literacy

I would like to bring Keys to Literacy, a PD program, to the science department at NNHS. I have taken PD through them in my previous district and believe they would be helpful to teachers. The Keys to Literacy program is Professional Development that provide a framework for teaching comprehension strategies and vocabulary routines. I think these strategies would be particularly helpful for our multilevel teachers in the North science department. We have a wide range of skills in the ML classrooms, including ELs and students with disabilities. Many of the techniques shown in the PD show scaffolding that would help a teacher in the multilevel setting. achers in multilevel classes.

Applicant: Melanie Pennison

Schools: NNHS

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $1,950

Psychology Department Book Study

Psychologists will continue our goal of reducing bias in assessment & counseling by reading over the summer and meeting in the fall to discuss and apply learnings in order to design more inclusive comprehensive evaluation and counseling processes. Earlier this year we read Systemic Racism and Educational Measurement: Confronting Injustice in Testing, Assessment, and Beyond, and met with the author for discussion. This led to additional thoughtful departmental discussions about bias in psychological assessments, and allowed us to review our practices and to collaborate on best practices for inclusive, comprehensive assessment and counseling practices which creates more educational equity for all students. We want to continue this work.

Applicant: Jordanna L'Esperance & Toni-Marie Kelly

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: 1,000

Cultural Kaleidoscope: Researching, Designing, and Promoting the District’s Monthly Heritage Celebration Resource

A few years ago, DEI began the Monthly Heritage Celebration document, and going forward, I’ll expand it for the District. This resource helps educators, students, and families as they look for ways to celebrate and …

Cultural Kaleidoscope: Researching, Designing, and Promoting the District’s Monthly Heritage Celebration Resource

A few years ago, DEI began the Monthly Heritage Celebration document, and going forward, I'll expand it for the District. This resource helps educators, students, and families as they look for ways to celebrate and learn about different heritages. Activities I will engage in include: evaluating needs assessment, setting a timeline, researching and curating resources, evaluating for quality and inclusivity, organizing the document, managing copyrights, designing layout, gathering feedback, promoting awareness, evaluating impact, and planning for long-term sustainability and growth.

Applicant: Eileen Keane

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $1,600

Futuring: Developing the Next Strategic Plan for the Newton Public Schools

After a 4-part session to develop a Profile of a Newton Graduate, the district and stakeholder groups will work to develop a 3-5 year strategic plan for the district. The entire school community would be affected and enhanced by a new strategic plan, but we aspire to 50 community members participating in the stakenolder engagement part of strategic planning.

Applicant: Anna Nolin

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $16,800

Professional Development and Alignment in Anti-Biased, Culturally Responsive Assessment for Psychologists

Book study of Systemic Racism and Educational Measurement Confronting Injustice in Testing, Assessment, and Beyond, by Dr. Michael Russell, culminating in meeting with the author in the spring and application of what is learned in future years. Over the course of the spring of 2024 and the 2024-25 school year, the psychologists will read Dr. Russell’s book, participate in book groups designed to apply the learning to their own work, and will discuss as a department additional measures, statements, and methods to be added or changed in order to reduce the inherent systemic and build-in bias in assessment. The department will invite Dr. Russell to join for some part of the discussion.

Applicant: Laurie Paul, Jordanna L’Esperance, Toni-Marie Kelly

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $4,037

Consultant on Anti-Ableism Work

Bring on regional expert to support w. engagement w. the district to leverage work of developing anti-ableist lens across district. Betsy Johnson would engage with the district in developing a critical lens through which to examine our current practices for evidence of ableism. Once we can root ableism, we can work to dismantle it so we eliminate/minimize impact of unintended discrimination caused by implicit biases. This would lead to more equitable educational experiences for all students.

Applicant: Casey Ngo-Miller

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $1,170

Teachers As Scholars

Teachers participate in small, 2 day seminars led by university staff in the arts, humanities, math, and science, and are thus reconnected to the world of scholarship. Participants will explore a niche area of content …

Teachers As Scholars

Applicant: Dani Johnson

Schools: NNHS

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $3,375

NPS Mental Health Summit

We held a district-wide Summit on 10/17, which was well-received. Feedback was so strong that we are looking to provide another SEL Summit in Spring 2024 based upon the significant and consistent needs of both students and staff. During a particularly tough landscape with ongoing contract negotiations and work stoppage, over 100 (that’s almost 90%) mental health professionals attended the Summit. The feedback received was they wanted to come for their own development professionally but also their own emotional health. Post-pandemic support has been very hard on our providers.

Applicant: Casey Ngo-Miller

Schools: Districtwide

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $6,000

Digital Tools for Targeted Speaking Practice

I would like to purchase an online application called Extempore for speaking practice to pilot for the WL Dept. I am looking at different applications that will more easily allow students to record and practice synchronous and asynch conversations. Students at North take the MA Seal of Biliteracy in increasing numbers. Many of them pass on the first try; some need to retake one skill. This area is often speaking. Extempore increases fluency in speaking by mimicking AP and Seal structures and allowing visual, audio, or written prompts with no prep time so that students have to show what they know. If we can get more students to pass on a first attempt, the better. Students can leave North with digital portfolio of progress over 4 years.

Applicant: Denise Cremin

Schools: Newton North

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $2,967

Dreamfar – Helping Students Build Wellness, Purpose, and Community Through a Mentor Supported Distance Running Program

Providing equitable access for NNHS/NSHS students of diverse backgrounds and abilities to participate in Dreamfar—a free, mentor-supported, running program that helps students build physical/mental wellness, purpose, academic focus, and community. NNHS and NSHS staff help Dreamfar reach out to diverse students, promoting equity for ALL students. Last year, 50% of Dreamfar youth were diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, mental health diagnosis, disability status, or socioeconomic differences. Many Dreamfar teens are not engaged in school sports/activities, while others do participate in school sports/activities. The result is an inclusive program where all can benefit physically, academically, and emotionally.

Applicant: Ethan Peritz

Schools: Newton North / Newton South

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $7,000