October 8, 2024 By Carol Britton Meyer
Acting Supt. of Schools Kathryn (Katie) Roberts shared her “entry plan” for the new school year with the school committee this week.
This is one of the first required tasks requested of new superintendents enrolled in the Massachusetts Association for School Superintendents “New Superintendent Induction Program.”
One of the key elements of her plan is to maintain a regular presence in the six HPS schools — already underway — in order to observe teaching and learning and to work with principals, directors, and educators to identify “areas of strength and opportunities for growth” — as well as attending extracurricular, enrichment, and community-building events.
“These opportunities for community and connection are integral to entry plan findings and are also essential elements of rebuilding our district culture and climate,” Roberts states in the plan. “I additionally hope to work with partner organizations to be a visible member of our broader community. Whether serving on the board of the Hingham library, having an ‘Ask the Superintendent’ table at the Hingham Farmers Market, or visiting with seniors at the Hingham Center for Active Living, such connections will enable me to seek community feedback and message the importance and value of community support for our schools.”
Given that Roberts has served in the Hingham Public Schools for more than 27 years — including most recently as assistant superintendent — “the development of an entry plan provides a unique opportunity for me to ‘reintroduce’ myself to community stakeholders and learn more about our school system through a new lens,” Roberts states. “My goal in undertaking this process is to gain a deeper understanding of the current strengths, challenges, and opportunities that the district faces and to ensure that all stakeholders’ voices are heard.”
During this period of transition, Roberts and the leadership team will be “fully centered on fostering learning environments where every student feels valued, supported, and inspired. Together, we will build on our strengths and continue to create inclusive spaces where every student has the opportunity to flourish and thrive.”
Entering into the final year of the 2022-2025 strategic plan for HPS, “the road ahead is clear in terms of the unfinished work on initiatives,” she said.
Key areas of focus include:
- continuing the development of a robust Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)
- increasing the HPS district’s capacity to support students’ social emotional learning and behavioral health
- addressing the feedback for improvement outlined in the recent special education audit.
“Our leadership team will simultaneously engage in planning for our next three-year cycle of improvement, which will include community-wide collaboration this fall to develop our district’s ‘Portrait of a Graduate/Vision of a Learner,'” Roberts said. “This work will be an important first step to ultimately inform the development of the 2025-2028 strategic plan, and we look forward to engaging all of our stakeholders in this visioning and strategic planning process.”
Development of an entry plan involves reviewing key district documents and data sources and talking with stakeholders and focus groups — including staff and faculty, students, and parents as well as community groups such as PTOs, the Special Education Parent Advisory Council, and METCO parents/caregivers; and town officials — including the school committee, select board and advisory committee chairs, town adminstrators, and the police and fire chiefs.
Roberts intends to keep the school committee informed of her progress, observations, and “any tentative findings that may develop.”