Waltham Schools Respond to State Report

The response comes more than two weeks after a state report criticized Waltham's schools on many issues.

The Waltham Public Schools officially responded to the recent state report this week criticizing the district for its failings saying some of its findings were inaccurate. Waltham Schools Superintendent Susan Nicholson, in her written response, also claimed the media inaccurately reported parts of the report painting the district in a poor light. Nicholson presented the district’s response during the Wednesday, Nov. 7 School Committee meeting at Waltham High School and stressed many of the issues were already being addressed. “A significant number of the findings have already been addressed in my first year as superintendent,” Nicholson told the committee. The response comes more than two weeks after the state Department of Elementary and …

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Waltham Teachers Union Responds To Schools Report

Union believes schools can improve.

In the wake of a damaging state report on the Waltham Public Schools, the union that represents Waltham Public Schools' teachers says it has confidence that administrators will vastly improve the district. "Teachers have put a lot of trust and faith into [Superintendent Susan] Nicholson and [Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Paul] Maiorano. Given the recommendation DESE has made, we are confident that they will be afforded more autonomy by the school committee to make the kinds of leadership-management decisions that will make our schools more successful than they already are," the Waltham Educators Association said in an email statement to Waltham Patch. The WEA was reacting to the report criticizing the Waltham School…

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State Report on Waltham Public Schools

Full coverage of the state's report on the state of the Waltham Public Schools

TELL US: What Do You Think About Critical Waltham Schools Report

Sound off on the report heavily criticizing the Waltham Public Schools.

With the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's new report criticizing the Waltham Public Schools on many different issues, we are wondering what you think of it? In short, the report cites the school for having micromanaging, funding and training issues, which you read more about here.  Tell us your thoughts in the comment box below. 

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Communication, Training, 'Micromanaging' Issues In Waltham Schools, Report Says

New report criticizes Waltham schools.

The Waltham Public Schools have micromanaging issues, outdated technology, unclear priorities and bad communications habits, according to a new Department of Elementary and Secondary Education report. Two DESE officials presented the findings of their Coordinated Program Review during the Oct. 17 meeting of the Waltham School Committee. “The report is devastating when you read it," said Waltham Mayor Jeanette McCarthy during the meeting. Waltham School Committee members, however, were quick to note the district has many strengths, which they said are not adequately emphasized in the report. Also, much has been done to address some of the problems since the state review team visited the district in February, according to school committee …

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Bad Training, 'Micromanaging' Cited in Waltham Schools Review

A report on the state's review of the Waltham schools will be presented tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Waltham High School.

A new state report, which will be formally presented at the Oct. 17 Waltham School Committee meeting, harshly criticizes the committee itself as well as the district. The report will unveil the findings of the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s review of the district, which it began in January. The report will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at Waltham High School. MICROMANAGEMENT The report criticizes the School Committee for “micromanaging” the district and recommends that Superintendent Susan Nicholson and the committee join the District Governance Support Project that is intended improve members’ understanding of their roles in the district. The report also says that some school committee members told the review board…

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