Program Reviews
K-12 Guidance (2020-Present)
Marla Schay, 6-12 Guidance Director, presented the K-12 Guidance Self-Study to School Committee on May 20, 2019. The external review was expected to take place during the 2020-2021 school year but has been put on hold due to COVID-19. The external review was held April 25-26, 2022.
6-12 Athletics (2019-Present)
The Athletics department has been carrying out an internal review since 2019, which was paused during the COVID-19 Pandemic. An external review is expected to begin in the 2021-2022 school year, with findings to be presented in 2022.
K-12 Social Studies (2022-Present)
The district is currently engaged in a K-12 Social Studies Program Review. The external review committee visited Weston Schools May 9-10, 2022, with Dr. Robert Martinelle, a lecturer in the Social Studies Education/Teaching & Learning Department at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development chairing the committee. Other members of the committee included professionals from area public schools and universities and curriculum associate with iCivics. Dr. Martinelle reported the committee’s findings to the School Committee on November 29, 2022. Susan Bairstow, History/Social Studies 6-12 Department Head and Susan Erickson, Elementary Science/Social Studies Specialist, are expected to present their response to the report by the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
Click here for the 2022 K-12 Social Studies Program External Review Report
K-12 Science 2022-Present
The K-12 Science Department, led by Dr. Steve Ribisi, 6-12 Science Department Head, and Dr. Susan Erickson, K-5 Science Curriculum Specialist, completed the major components of the self-study process and presented its self-study to the School Committee on January 9, 2023. An External Program Review committee is currently being formed and is expected to conduct their review in March 2023. Their findings will be presented to the School Committee in the Fall of 2023.
Click here for the 20122 K-12 Science Department Self Study Report
K-12 METCO (Dec 2008)
The K-12 METCO Program Review took place December 15-16, 2008. Dr. Emmett Price, III, Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the African American Studies Department at Northeastern University chaired this committee. Other members of the committee included professionals from different grade levels from area public schools. The committee presented their findings to the School Committee on February 9, 2009 and the METCO response to that report was presented to School Committee on April 6, 2009.
K-12 Music (March 2008)
The K-12 Music Program Review took place March 18-19, 2008. Dr. William McManus, Chair of the Music Education Department at Boston University chaired the Committee. Other members included professionals from area public and private schools and a Weston High School Alumnus who was a current college student majoring in music. The committee presented their findings to the School Committee in May 2008 and the Music Department’s response to that report was presented to the School Committee on November 14, 2008.
K-12 Health & Wellness (Oct 2011)
The K-12 Wellness Education Program review took place October 27-28, 2011. Dr. Patricia L. McDiarmid, Ed.D, Associate Professor of Health Education at Springfield College, chaired the review committee. The Committee was comprised of Health & Physical Education faculty at the college, secondary, and elementary levels; Health & Physical Education district administrators and curriculum developers; high school administrators; college-level teachers of physical education, and a Weston High School alumnus currently completing a graduate degree in Physical Education. Dr. McDiarmid presented the committee’s findings to the School Committee on March 26, 2012 and the Wellness Education Department’s response to that report was presented to the School Committee by Mitch Finnegan on October 15, 2012.
Click here for the K-12 Wellness Education Program Review Report
Click here for the K-12 Wellness Educaton Department Response
K-12 World Language (Oct 2014)
The K-12 World Languages Department presented its self-study at the June 2, 2014 School Committee and underwent an external review from October 7- 9, 2014. A visiting committee from outside of the district spent those three days reviewing materials, observing classes, and meeting with students, faculty, administrators and parents. Their purpose was to collect data and summarize their findings in response to a charge that was approved by the School Committee. Dr. Arlene Guerrero-Watanabe, Chair and Associate Professor of the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department at Assumption College, chaired the committee. She presented the committee findings to the School Committee on January 7, 2015 and Cort Mathers, K-12 World Language Director presented his departmental response to that report to School Committee on March 2, 2015.
Click here for the K-12 World Languages Self-Study Report
Click here for the K-12 World Languages Program Review Report
K-12 Visual Arts (Oct 2013)
The K-12 Art Department presented its self-study to the School Committee on June 3, 2013 in anticipation of an External Program Review scheduled for October 16-18, 2013. The team of six educators, representing area public and private schools, was chaired by Barbara Milot, Professor of Art at Framingham State University. She presented the committee’s findings to the School Committee on February 10, 2014. On March 3, 2014, the response to those findings from the K-12 Visual Arts Department was presented to the School Committee by Chris Fehl, K-12 Visual Arts Director.
Click here for the K-12 Art Department Self Study Report
Click here for the K-12 Art Department Program Review Report
Special Education (Nov 2015)
EDCO Collaborative was contracted by Weston Public Schools to conduct a Special Education Program Evaluation. Dr. Marguerite Connolly, Director of Student Services, and Dr. John Brackett, Interim Superintendent, requested this evaluation aimed at determining the effectiveness of special education programs and services in supporting positive outcomes for students receiving special education services, and to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement in department organization, programming, and delivery of services.
Click here for the Special Education Program Review Report
(Presented 1/11/16)
ELA/Drama (June 2016)
The PreK-12 ELA/Drama Department developed its self study report during the 2015-2016 school year and presented it to the School Committee on June 6, 2016. Dr. Mary Ann Cappiello, Associate Professor of the Language and Literacy Division, and Coordinator of the Collaborative Internship Partnership of Lesley University’s Graduate School of Education, chaired an external review of Weston’s PreK-12 ELA/DRAMA program from November 8-10, 2016. She presented her findings to the School Committee at its March 20, 2017 meeting. On May 22, 2017, Pamela Bator, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning, Kate Lemons, Gr. 6-12 English Department Head and Kath Odell, Elementary Reading & Writing Specialist, presented the department’s response to the external review’s findings to School Committee.
Click here for the ELA/Drama Self-Study Report
Click here for the ELA/Drama Program Review Report
Click here for the ELA/Drama Department Response to the External Review
K-12 Math Program Review (February 25 & 27, 2020)
On February 25 & 27, 2020, a committee of private and public school educators visited our schools to evaluate Weston’s K-12 Mathematics program. The purpose of this external review was to collect data and respond to the charge set forth by the School Committee. This charge stemmed from the 2019 self-study by Weston’s K-12 Math Department. The committee, chaired by Kate Ariemma Marin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education Studies at Stonehill College, reviewed materials, observed teaching and learning, and heard from faculty, administrators, families and community members. Dr. Marin presented her committee’s findings in a report to the School Committee on May 18, 2020.
K-12 Math (2007)
The K-12 Math Program Review took place on March 8 & 9, 2007. The Chair, Dr. Donna Beers, Mathematics Professor from Simmons College, presented the Committee’s findings to the School Committee in the Spring of 2007. The Departmental response to those findings were presented the following fall to School Committee.
Click here for the Math Program Review Report
Click here for the Response to the Math Program Review Report