DESE Office of School Monitoring to Visit MGRSD

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — During the week of May 13, 2024, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Mount Greylock Regional School District. 
 
The Office of Public School Monitoring visits 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 Michelle Hennessey-Kowalchek, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at (413) 314-6709 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 http://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/reports/.
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Mount Greylock District Aims to Provide Healthier Foods

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A Mount Greylock Regional School District committee is working to ensure that the three public schools provide healthier food options for students and staff.
 
The co-chair of the district's Wellness Committee gave a report to the School Committee at its Thursday meeting, outlining the wellness group's priorities for the year ahead.
 
Joelle Brookner told the elected officials that a group of 16 people representing staff, district families, students from the middle-high school and the administration had met three times as of the School Committee's April 9 meeting.
 
Job one for the Wellness Committee has been to use tools from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to look at the district's current policy, and her panel will be making recommendations to the School Committee's Policy and Governance Subcommittee for amendments to bring to the full committee in the near future.
 
At the same time, Brookner said the Wellness Committee asked its own members what their priorities are for improving the schools.
 
"We had a pretty good range of what people are interested in, and we asked people to rank the top three categories that need the most attention,"Brookner said. "Those were, in this order: school meal programming, nutrition and food system education and social and emotional climate and caregiver engagement.
 
"That's going to be the focus of our work this year."
 
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