Committee Goals

Approved on September 2, 2025

FY2027 BUDGET
By the spring Town Meeting of 2026, the School Committee will finalize and present a comprehensive budget for the Dedham Public Schools that addresses the following priorities:

• Learning and Social-Emotional Needs: Ensure the budget supports programs and resources to meet the diverse academic and emotional needs of all students, educators, and staff.
• Infrastructure and Facilities: Allocate funds to address aging infrastructure and facilities, ensuring safe and modern learning environments.
• Summer Learning Opportunities: Enhance summer programs to provide expanded educational opportunities for students.
• Upgraded Learning Environments: Invest in improvements to classrooms and other learning spaces to foster innovation and engagement.

To achieve this, the School Committee will:

• Engage Stakeholders: Conduct effective listening sessions and increase communication with district educators, leadership, parents, Town committees and departments, and collective bargaining units.
• Strategically Prioritize: Align the budget with ongoing initiatives and commitments while addressing district improvements planned during the budget cycle.

The final FY2027 budget will be developed, communicated, and supported by the School Committee, ensuring alignment with the district’s strategic goals and readiness for approval at the spring Town Meeting.
 

SAFE, SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS 
By the end of the 2025-2026 school year, the School Committee will utilize district reports presented at meetings to make informed budgetary recommendations, shape policy decisions, and evaluate future programming aimed at fostering equitable and safe learning environments for all students. To achieve this, the School Committee will:

• Leverage Data: Analyze reports on key topics, including attendance, academic achievement, school safety, discipline, and extracurricular participation, to ensure equitable allocation of resources that support learning for all students.
• Focus on Equity: Pay particular attention to underrepresented groups by identifying and addressing disproportionality and intersectionality in student experiences.
• Drive Action: Use insights from these reports to recommend budget adjustments, implement policies, and develop programs that promote inclusivity and equity across the district.

Progress will be reviewed regularly during School Committee meetings, ensuring that actionable steps are taken to support equitable outcomes and safe learning environments for all students.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
By the end of the 2025-2026 school year, members of the School Committee will utilize available resources to develop and enhance their professional skills, both individually and collectively, to effectively meet the needs of the Committee and the Dedham Public Schools. To achieve this, the School Committee will:

• Skill Development: Participate in professional development opportunities to strengthen leadership, collaboration, and decision-making capabilities.
• Communication Systems: Establish and refine systems and structures to ensure clear, relevant, and timely communication with the Superintendent.
• Information Pathways: Create effective mechanisms for accessing and disseminating information among committee members to support informed decision-making.

Progress will be monitored through regular evaluations of communication effectiveness and professional growth, ensuring alignment with the Committee’s goals and the needs of the Dedham Public Schools.

EDUCATIONAL MODEL
By the end of the 2026 school year, the School Committee will conduct a comprehensive review of the district’s current educational model, focusing on its implications for future infrastructure needs. The Committee will work closely with the Facilities Master Plan Working Group, other Town boards, Town Meeting Members, voters, and families to ensure alignment and support for the initiative and will clearly articulate the academic benefits, costs, and student-centered advantages of proposed 21st-century school facilities through effective communication and collaboration.

The review will prioritize the academic success of students and the support of staff, ensuring the proposed facilities meet the needs of a 21st-century educational environment.