October District Newsletter

Dear Harvard Public Schools Families and Caregivers,

As September comes to a close, I’d like to share a few updates from across the district.

Molly and I welcomed eight caregivers to our first monthly Community Coffee at the Harvard Public Library. We enjoyed a conversation covering topics from technology to mathematics. Our next coffee will be Thursday, October 15, in Devens. You can submit questions in advance using the Community Coffee Questions form.

I recently attended a session on classroom screen time and artificial intelligence. A key takeaway was the importance of looking at how technology supports student learning, alongside how much time students spend on devices. Additional information included emerging state policies, federal guidance on evaluating technology by its impact on learning, and the evidence school leaders should consider before adopting new tools or presenting recommendations. These conversations will help inform our thinking as we develop a shared vision of expectations and commitments moving forward. The following resource is from the session and aligns with the questions and topics brought up at our coffee:

Work continues to keep our schools safe and welcoming, including rebuilding the back staircase at Bromfield, maintaining our fields, and coordinating preventive tree care with the Tree Warden. As I walk the campus, I visit classrooms and attend day and evening events, including fall athletics and curriculum nights. My conversations with students, staff, and families continue to deepen my pride in our school community. There is a strong sense of school spirit, connection, and teamwork, along with a shared commitment to making our schools even better. I continue to have gratitude for the opportunity to serve in such an engaged community.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

Warmly,

Dana Labb

Superintendent of Schools

Dear Families and Caregivers,

As we are a month into a new school year, this month’s newsletter will be a bit more “data-heavy” than usual.  I know numbers, assessments, and accountability measures may not always make for the most exciting read, but they provide important information about how our students and schools are doing.

I want to share a few updates on how our schools are using student data to support learning, growth, and success for every student.  Behind every data point is a student, and our goal is always to use this information thoughtfully to support every student having the opportunity to grow and excel.  

Our beginning-of-year benchmark assessments have now been completed. These assessments provide teachers and instructional teams with important information about what students know and are able to do at the beginning of the school year.  While these assessments are one source of information about student learning, they help us identify strengths, areas for continued growth, and instructional needs.

Teachers and teams are reviewing this information and using it to guide instruction and plan appropriate supports and enrichments.  This work is part of our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, which is designed to provide students with the level and types of support needed to be successful.  

MTSS provides a framework for matching instruction and support to student needs.

Tier 2 and 3 instruction, interventions, and enrichments are often provided during a designated block of the school day.  At Hildreth, these are provided primarily during the Targeted Intervention (TIB) block.  At The Broomfield Middle and High Schools, FLEX block is used to provide enrichment and support.  

Through an MTSS approach, teams consider multiple sources of information, including classroom performance, district benchmark assessments, MCAS assessments, observations, and other relevant data to determine how to best support each student.  Depending on individual needs, students may receive additional targeted instruction, intervention, enrichment, or other support. 

This process is ongoing throughout the school year.  Teachers and teams will continue to monitor student progress, adjust instruction, and collaborate to ensure that support and enrichment opportunities remain responsive to student needs.  

I also want to provide an update regarding MCAS results for students who were in grades 3-8 and grade 10 during the 2025-2026 school year.  

The MCAS results that were released to families through DESE’s new MCAS Family Portal in August were provided as preliminary scores.  As of September 22, 2026, those results are now official.  Families should continue to use DESE’s MCAS Family Portal to access their child’s MCAS results.  

The 2026 MCAS accountability data has also been released publicly, and I’m excited to share several highlights for our District and schools:

We are proud of these results.  These accomplishments represent the hard work and dedication of our students, educators, staff, and families.  We remain committed to using assessment data thoughtfully to celebrate student growth, identify areas of continuous improvement, and ensure all students are supported to thrive at HPS.  

Respectfully,

Molly Superchi

Assistant Superintendent

Michelle DellaValle, Director of Pupil Services

The Pupil Services office supports learners with specialized needs. This includes students who receive special education services, those on 504 accommodation plans, English learners, and students experiencing housing instability. Our staff includes Teachers, Counselors, Speech/Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Nurses, Physical Therapists, Learning Assistants, Tutors, Administrative Assistants, and Administrators. This work is nuanced and multifaceted and requires adapting support for each student, collaborating with families and colleagues, and responding to needs that often change over time. Therefore, we make professional learning a priority. Below are some of the opportunities planned for the year that our staff will engage in. 

Coming up this year, we will work with a consultant from CASE Collaborative's Consultation arm to support co-teaching across the district. This consultation will be targeted to the individual needs of co-teaching teams and can include support for co-planning lessons or co-delivering instruction. Our special education teachers will also work together to align their approach to leading IEP meetings, so families have a more consistent experience across schools and grade levels.

While this is only a portion of the learning and collaboration that our department will engage in, these opportunities highlight our ongoing commitment to helping staff grow in their practice and support learners with complex needs. I am grateful for the care and dedication staff in the Pupil Services department bring to that work each day.

Sincerely, 

Michelle DellaValle

Director of Pupil Services