DESE Doing Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Winchendon Public Schools.
During the week of April 26, 2021 the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE's) Office of Language Acquisition will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of the Winchendon Public Schools. The Office of Language Acquisition reviews each district's and charter school's ELE program every six years to monitor compliance with federal and state English learner education laws and regulations. Areas of review will include English learners' student assessments, identification of English learners; what programs English learners are placed in, parent and community involvement, curriculum and instruction, student support services, licensure requirements for faculty, staff and administration, program plans, and evaluation and recordkeeping.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Language Acquisition will send a survey to the parents of students whose records the review team examines. The survey focuses on key areas of their child's English learner education program. Survey results will contribute to the monitoring report.
Parents and other individuals may call David Valade, Office of Language Acquisition Review Chairperson, at (781) 338-6711 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, DESE will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days of the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the Winchendon Public Schools with a report with information about areas in which the Winchendon Public Schools meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the Winchendon Public Schools requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The report will be available to the public at https://www.doe.mass.edu/ele/cpr/.
During the week of May 23, 2021, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Winchendon Public Schools. The Office of Public School Monitoring conducts a review in each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child's special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chairperson(s) of the district's Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations.
Parents and other individuals may call Michael McDonald, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at (781) 338-3746 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the district with a report with information about areas in which the district meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the district requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report at www.doe.mass.edu/psm/.
Winchendon Public Schools
Suzanne Michel, Director of Pupil Services
Preschool Screening in June
Winchendon Public Schools Preschool Screening will take place on June 9 & 10, 2021. Children must be age 3 or 4 by August 31, 2021 to be eligible. Screening looks at a child's development in the areas of language, fine and gross motor skills, cognition and social emotional skills.
If you have any concerns about your child, suspect your child may have a disability, or if you did not receive an information packet by mail please call the Winchendon Pre-K Program 978-297-3436 or email kbrooks@winchendonk12.org.
Mount Wachusett Community College Board of Trustees Grants Tom Matsuda Emeritus Status
GARDNER, MA - April 21, 2021 - The Board of Trustees of Mount Wachusett Community College voted unanimously to approve the recommendation of Thomas Matsuda for Emeritus status.
Matsuda is a master sculptor and multimedia artist who specializes in Buddhist iconography. He began his formal studies as an artist at Pratt Institute and as a lithographic printer in New York. His work was in abstract drawings, paintings, and prints, influenced by Eastern Philosophy.
His interests in Eastern philosophy led him to accompany a group of Japanese Buddhist monks on a Peace pilgrimage that involved walking across America for six months and an additional six months living with the Dine (Navajo) in Arizona. He traveled to Japan where he lived for twelve years, during which time he apprenticed under sculptor Koukei Eri and lived in a remote mountain village where he honed his skills sculpturing in wood and stone.
A prolific artist, his work includes two hundred sculptures in Japan for various temples, shrines, villages, businesses, and individual patrons. He has been an artist-in-residence in Latvia, Japan, and Romania with public art installations and exhibitions in those countries as well as throughout the US including a seven-ton marble Buddha for the Grafton Peace Pagoda in Grafton, NY.
Matsuda came to MWCC in 2005, and his impact on the growth and success of the Art program and its students cannot be understated. He brought stone and wood carving into the sculpture curriculum and advanced techniques used in classroom bronze casting. He served as the Art department chair for a number of years and has been a mentor and advisor to countless students. He was also an exceptional advisor to the MWCC Art Club and hosted the annual bronze pour.
He initiated several service-learning projects with the MWCC art students, bringing art into the streets and across our campus. His students created mural projects around Gardner, painted repurposed ski lift chairs into park benches, and decorated utility boxes across the city.
"Tom will always be remembered for how he connected our art program with our communities and beyond," notes MWCC President James Vander Hooven. "As he retires from teaching, he will continue to make an impact through his art as he explores themes of nature, peace, and global culture."
Full recognition of Tom's accomplishments and Emeritus Status will also be presented during the 2021 Virtual Commencement Ceremony on May 19, 2021.