ORR Joint School Committee — June 12, 2025

The Old Rochester Regional District School Committee and Superintendency Union met in a joint session on June 12, 2025, to conclude the 2024–2025 school year. Chaired by Michelle Ouellette-Smith and Nicole Daniel, the meeting opened with recognitions honoring long-serving committee members Sharon Hartley, who retired after more than 20 years of service, and Rose Bowman. The committee celebrated the conclusion of the academic year, passing of local school budgets across Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester, and received a comprehensive year-end presentation from district leadership detailing progress on Year 2 outcomes of the Vision 2028 Strategic Plan across five core objectives.

Key administrative updates highlighted curriculum and instruction enhancements, including district-wide alignment of literacy action plans, introduction of high school midterm exams, expansion of the Fly Five and Responsive Classroom programs, and implementation of the Open Architect data warehouse platform. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Sherry Fedorowicz presented updates on the district's Portrait of the Graduate initiative and the proposed 2025–2026 Professional Development Plan, which focuses on Universal Design for Learning, Understanding by Design, executive functioning, and common assessments. Superintendent Mike Nelson also delivered his mid-cycle evaluation progress report covering his four SMART goals, noting substantial progress in literacy leadership, community engagement, and administrative visibility.

During formal business, both committees approved the 2025–2026 school committee meeting schedules, the 2025–2026 Professional Development Plan, and several policy actions, including a new Artificial Intelligence Policy (Policy IN), a Surplus Property Policy, and mandated Title IX and non-discrimination policy updates (Policies AC, ACR, ACAB, ACABR, and the elimination of Policy ACA). The Superintendency Union reorganized its leadership, electing Nicole Daniel as chair and Nicole Nye-McGaffey as vice chair. Following brief public comments and administrative acknowledgments, both bodies voted via roll call to enter executive session under Open Meeting Law Exemptions 3 and 7 regarding collective bargaining and litigation strategy.

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