The Public Schools of Brookline
Parent Leader Meeting
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Dr. Lupini met with school parent leaders on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Topics for this meeting included:
• Enrollment
• Community and Staff Survey (Pilot)
• Implications on the School Department from the Override Recommendations
Enrollment
• Enrollment has increased again this school year. Brookline schools are educating 7,578 students. (Click here to view data)
• Devotion, Pierce, and Baker’s enrollment are all over 800 students
• See the attached document that provides detailed enrollment data for each school and grade level.
• There was some interesting discussion about the diversity of our community, and its impact on ELL and the
language-centered programs.
There are approximately 75 different languages spoken across the district
While the language centered programs focus on the top 5 (Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Spanish, and Korean),
they address approximately 50% of the language needs. There is a large increase in Arabic language learners.
Brookline will be hiring another 1.4 FTE ELL teachers to address these growing needs.
• There was also interesting discussion about the impacts of the increased enrollment on BHS:
The decrease in middle level enrollment (grades 4 through 8) may delay the pressure of overcrowding at the
high school by 1 year.
The high school headmaster is developing alternative schedules, including “double sessions” to start in 2019 or
2020, assuming Devotion and other elementary schools will still need the OLS building.
In April 2015, Brookline may restate their Statement of Interest to the MSBA to include a high school
expansion, instead of the current submission for Driscoll.
Community and Staff Survey Pilot
• Parents received a letter through Blackboard Connect this week describing the piloting of community and staff
surveys designed to gather information that school and district personnel can use to improve learning and other
services. If you are one of the lucky 500 to receive this pilot survey, please do participate.
Override Study Committee Report
• The Superintendent and his staff will present their feedback from the Override Committee Recommendations to
the Board of Selectmen at 7:45 on October 7th at Town Hall (click here for link to presentation).
• The Superintendent committed to having legal counsel talk with Parent Leaders about the role that PTOs can
play in override campaigns.
Future Agenda Items
• New attendance and discipline policies
• Address verification process
• Town-wide student handbook
• Medical attention procedures during field trips or overnights
• ELL and language-centered programs
Parent Leader Meeting
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Dr. Lupini met with school parent leaders on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Topics for this meeting included:
• Enrollment
• Community and Staff Survey (Pilot)
• Implications on the School Department from the Override Recommendations
Enrollment
• Enrollment has increased again this school year. Brookline schools are educating 7,578 students. (Click here to view data)
• Devotion, Pierce, and Baker’s enrollment are all over 800 students
• See the attached document that provides detailed enrollment data for each school and grade level.
• There was some interesting discussion about the diversity of our community, and its impact on ELL and the
language-centered programs.
There are approximately 75 different languages spoken across the district
While the language centered programs focus on the top 5 (Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Spanish, and Korean),
they address approximately 50% of the language needs. There is a large increase in Arabic language learners.
Brookline will be hiring another 1.4 FTE ELL teachers to address these growing needs.
• There was also interesting discussion about the impacts of the increased enrollment on BHS:
The decrease in middle level enrollment (grades 4 through 8) may delay the pressure of overcrowding at the
high school by 1 year.
The high school headmaster is developing alternative schedules, including “double sessions” to start in 2019 or
2020, assuming Devotion and other elementary schools will still need the OLS building.
In April 2015, Brookline may restate their Statement of Interest to the MSBA to include a high school
expansion, instead of the current submission for Driscoll.
Community and Staff Survey Pilot
• Parents received a letter through Blackboard Connect this week describing the piloting of community and staff
surveys designed to gather information that school and district personnel can use to improve learning and other
services. If you are one of the lucky 500 to receive this pilot survey, please do participate.
Override Study Committee Report
• The Superintendent and his staff will present their feedback from the Override Committee Recommendations to
the Board of Selectmen at 7:45 on October 7th at Town Hall (click here for link to presentation).
• The Superintendent committed to having legal counsel talk with Parent Leaders about the role that PTOs can
play in override campaigns.
Future Agenda Items
• New attendance and discipline policies
• Address verification process
• Town-wide student handbook
• Medical attention procedures during field trips or overnights
• ELL and language-centered programs
