By Laura Hayes, Senior Community Reporter
NORTHBOROUGH/SOUTHBOROUGH – From goals surrounding instruction to collecting student data, Northborough/Southborough Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Martineau laid out his goals for the year during a Combined School Committee meeting Sept. 14.
Martineau’s evaluation began with a self-assessment examining how he is performing based on feedback from his evaluation in the spring. Martineau then identified his goals to propose to the school committees.
Southborough School Committee Chair Roger Challen asked Martineau how he knows whether a goal is too much to bite off.
“Because there’s the old jack of all trades syndrome that sort of exists everywhere,” Challen said.
Martineau said his goals are the district’s goals. The district’s curriculum directors have parallel goals.
“It’s really the thinking that we’re all working toward this work,” he said.
Goal focuses on instruction, collaboration
Martineau’s first goal centers around instruction and, specifically, looking at how schools can collaborate to make sure they are implementing consistent, high-quality instructional practices and encouraging innovation.
“I think, over the past year, many of our practices were no longer feasible as a result of the pandemic,” Martineau said. “We’ve learned a lot around what we can do and can’t do in terms of innovation.”
He said he wants to continue the out-of-the-box thinking that teachers did during the height of the pandemic.
Second goal centers on equity
Martineau’s second goal focuses on equity of opportunity.
One of the initiatives under this goal is having the district collect and use student learning data. Specifically, Martineau talked about providing dashboards to staff so they can see how a student and students across a course have performed on an assessment.
Additionally, under this goal, one of the initiatives is to continue to foster culturally responsive and inclusive communities and environments that set up students to access and excel in school programs.
His third goal is to prioritize the social, emotional and physical well-being of students.
His fourth goal, meanwhile, deals with educator learning and leadership.
Fifth goal breaks down finance, operations
Martineau’s fifth goal is about the district’s finance and operations, focusing on support for teaching and learning.
“Obviously, resources and the budget is an important part in the process to accomplish the goals that we set out for students,” Martineau said.
He said the schools work with town staff in Northborough and Southborough as well as the police and fire departments to make sure the schools are safe and to make sure the schools connect to town master plans.
One of Martineau’s initiatives under this goal is to examine and maximize the district’s energy efficiency.
“Ultimately, I think we want to reduce our carbon footprint and have sustainability goals as a district,” Martineau said.
Plan to be implemented soon
The plan will be implemented through the spring. In the middle of the process, Martineau will report in his progress toward his goals before his summative evaluation next June.
“I’d just like to say, another great job, Greg, in coming up with a lot of meaningful goals. I think we’ll do a lot to push the district forward,” said Regional School Committee Chair Paul Desmond.
RELATED CONTENT:
Algonquin Booster Club talks sponsorship opportunities (communityadvocate.com)
New field hockey coach Jennifer Brown takes the reins at Algonquin (communityadvocate.com)
School Committee vice chair concerned about mascot selection process (communityadvocate.com)
