Overview:
Athol-Royalston Middle School administrators presented data on student behavior and school culture to the School Committee, which showed an increase in referrals following winter break. Staff are prioritizing getting students back to instruction before addressing consequences, and the school recently added a fourth counselor to provide additional support. The committee also discussed delays in the district's annual audits and voted to appoint a new independent auditing firm.
ATHOL – Athol-Royalston Middle School administrators presented student behavior data and an update on school culture to the School Committee, outlining trends seen since winter break and steps staff are taking to support students.
ARMS Principal Jason Webster, along with Assistant Principals Steven LaFountain and Kristen Capezio, presented a mid-year update on student behavior and school culture, using referral data to show trends seen so far this school year.
LaFountain said the school uses the School-Wide Information System [SWIS] to track behavior trends in the school, separating minor incidents handled by classroom teachers from major referrals requiring administrative involvement.
He said most referrals are managed by staff in the classroom, with disruption and defiance cited as the most common issues.
Administrators said referral data showed an increase following winter break, prompting staff to look more closely at when and where behaviors are occurring. They added that students skipping class has been an ongoing concern, with staff prioritizing getting students back to instruction before addressing consequences.
“They hang out in the bathrooms, they go to the office, they’re taking their time getting back to class,” LaFountain said.
Webster said the school’s response includes increased communication with families, reentry meetings following disciplinary action, counseling support, and student advisory time, with the goal of helping students return to class successfully.
He said the school recently added a fourth counselor, allowing counselors to remain with the same cohort of students, and administrators will continue reviewing behavior data as the school year progresses.
‘No confidence’ vote discussion
During public comment, Kerry Conway, president of the Athol Teachers Association, spoke about district culture and referenced ongoing conversations among staff about a possible vote of “no confidence” in central leadership.
“Culture is defined by trust, transparency, equity, and the daily, lived experiences of the people inside this building and how they are dealt with,” Conway said at the committee’s Feb. 11 meeting.
She said the committee should be focused on understanding what is happening within the district that has led to those conversations. A formal decision on a “no confidence” vote has not been made as of yet.
Other matters
The committee also discussed delays in the district’s annual audits. Business Manager Nancy Koinsky said the district’s auditor is still completing the fiscal year 2024 audit and is behind schedule.
Superintendent Matthew Ehrenworth said the firm fell behind after being acquired by a larger company.
“They’ve just taken on more business than they can actually handle, and that’s been confirmed through a number of districts in the area that have seen the same results,” Ehrenworth said.
To address the issue, the committee voted to appoint Roselli Clark Associates as the district’s new independent auditing firm under a three-year contract. Koinsky said the firm was highly recommended by the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools [MARS] and is able to begin work immediately.
Koinsky also said that development of the fiscal year 2027 budget is underway, with departments asked to review spending and identify potential reductions ahead of a March 11 Budget Subcommittee meeting and a public hearing scheduled for March 18.
Under unfinished business, the committee returned to discussion from its previous meeting about after-school transportation options for students at Royalston Community School [RCS], following concerns raised about limited childcare options in Royalston.
Ehrenworth said he was asked to look into the cost of transporting students from RCS to the YMCA’s Y-ACES after school program. He said running a route from RCS to ACES would cost $125 per day, a rate he was told is comparable to transporting students to the Village School.
Ehrenworth said he will survey RCS families to assess interest and begin conversations with the YMCA as soon as possible. He said if sufficient interest is identified and the committee supports moving forward, the transportation option could begin as early as the following week.
The committee voted to move forward with surveying families.