Littleton School Committee Approves Warrant Signatory, Hears School Improvement Updates

LITTLETON -- May 29, 2025, Littleton School Committee reviews first-year curriculum rollout and flags Shaker Lane outreach gaps. All four school principals presented school improvement plans at the May 29 meeting, with Shaker Lane's Michelle Cain and Russell Street's Colin McDonald describing a demanding first year of the Wit and Wisdom knowledge-based ELA curriculum, including pacing challenges and emotionally weighty content in the upper grades that prompted teacher and parent questions. Middle school principal Jason Evered reported a measurable decline in behavioral referrals tied to a new in-class intervention model and a teacher relationship-building initiative. High school assistant principal Seth Bartlett, standing in for principal John Johns, outlined progress on a "Portrait of a Learner" framework linked to the school's May 2026 NEASC accreditation. Business manager Steve Martin warned that only 663 students, against an expected 950 to 1,100, had registered for school buses, with the deadline set for June 26. The committee voted unanimously to designate Chair Justin McCarthy as the authorized signatory for accounts payable and payroll warrants, and members spent considerable time discussing community outreach for the Shaker Lane building project ahead of a fall town vote, with a community forum planned for June 24 or 25 and a postcard mailing to all Littleton households set for the following week.