Page 268 - BOXFORD

The 2015-16 fiscal year was one of innovation and change in the Masconomet Regional
School District. We kicked off some new initiatives and made strides in achieving
others, all while continuing as a high-performing district. Boston Magazine rated
Masconomet 24th among the best high schools in the state.

As the result of previous year discussions with the Town Administrators and Finance
Committees, the School Committee rolled out a new budget process that was designed to
provide transparency and open communication regarding the budget development.
Through a series of public meetings in December, the academic and administrative areas
discussed their wants, needs and future plans with the Budget Subcommittee. This
allowed for an open and honest discussion of potential budget issues. The proposed
budget, presented in February, reflected the discussions and what the senior leadership
felt was a reasonable request to the towns. After considerable dialogue, the School
Committee approved a FY17 budget which represented a 3.4% increase of FY 16.
During the budget discussion, the decrease in overall student enrollment was discussed.
The Committee charged the administration with producing a staffing and enrollment
analysis for use in developing the FY18 budget.

In addition to the operating budget, Masconomet works with organizations and
individuals to receive grants and gifts to help support the academic program and physical
plant. The Masconomet Education Foundation (MEF) granted a total of $300,000 during
the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. This year, $200,000 of the grant was
provided for the construction, equipment and furnishing of a Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) lab. A science lab in the high school was
converted over the summer and opened September 2016. We also received gifts from a
number of graduating classes to complete funding for a digital sign outside the high
school. We will work with Essex Technical School for construction and installation.

As the landscape of state mandated assessment changes, the School Committee discussed
the shift from MCAS to PARCC and then to MCAS 2.0. It was decided to implement the
online version of PARCC for the Middle School, but remain with MCAS in the High
School. As a result of the Middle School’s performance on MCAS last year, the school
moved from Level II to Level I and achieved the status of Commendation School.
Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell Chester visited Masco
Middle School in May to offer his congratulations to the Middle School Principal,
teachers and students.

The School Committee and District launched a strategic planning process to establish a
fresh and future vision for Masconomet – Masconomet 2025. A task force of faculty,
staff and community members created a vision, mission and statement of values that are
the basis of the development of a strategic plan to be developed in 2016-17.

After nearly 5 years of planning and work ensuring that our infrastructure was sound and
our teaching staff was prepared to utilize the technology, we began the process to rollout
a 1:1 digital learning environment. It was decided that the environment would only be
th
th
required in the high school and phased in, beginning with 9 and 10 graders in 2016-17.

267