WPS Elementary Literacy

Updates

Winter 2024 / 2025

  • ELT Meeting 6: February 12, 2025

  • Educator Information Sessions: February 7, 2025

    • Lynch Elementary School

  • CES Caregiver Information Session (Virtual): February 5, 2025 from 6:30-8:00 PM

  • CES Caregiver Information Session: February 4, 2025 from 3:30-5:00 PM

    • Lincoln Elementary School Auditorium

  • Educator Information Sessions: February 4, 2025

    • Muraco Elementary School

  • Educator Information Sessions: January 31, 2025

    • Vinson-Owen Elementary School

  • Educator Information Sessions: January 30, 2025

    • Lincoln Elementary School

  • Educator Information Sessions: January 29, 2025

    • Ambrose Elementary School

  • ELT Meeting 4 & 5: December 9, 2024 & January 14, 2025

  • December 12, 2024: CES Mid-Year Update

Fall 2024

Summer 2024

Elementary Literacy Team

  • The ELT will meet regularly through June 2025. The CES team will continue to work with the ELT and inform the district with updates about the team’s work.

    Steering Committee:

    Andrea Phelan, Principal (Ambrose)

    Chrissy Capodanno, Principal (Lynch)

    Ella Adams-MacLeod, Principal (Lincoln)

    Kathy Caron, Principal (Vinson-Owen)

    Leslie West, Principal (Muraco)

    Laurie Kirby, Assistant Superintendent 

    Elementary Literacy Team:

    Christina Desjardins, Classroom teacher (Lynch)

    Ella Adams-MacLeod, Principal (Lincoln)

    Hannah Dingman, Director of Multilingual Learner Education

    Jenn Anderson, Classroom teacher (Vinson-Owen)

    Jennifer Dumas, Literacy Coach (Lincoln)

    Karen Rizzuti, Classroom teacher (Vinson-Owen)

    Kim Penta, Classroom teacher (Lincoln)

    Leah Medwar, Classroom teacher (Lynch)

    Lisa Mahoney, Literacy Specialist (Lynch)

    Lorri Kane, Classroom teacher (Ambrose)

    Lynn Mazzocchi, Special education teacher (Vinson-Owen)

    Melissa Testa, Classroom teacher (Muraco)

    Morgan Doney, Literacy Specialist (Lincoln)

    Natalie Katz, Special education teacher (Muraco)

    Patricia Henneberger, Classroom teacher (Muraco)

    Rebecca Decaneas, Special education teacher (Ambrose)

Elementary Literacy Study: The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES)

The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) is a public nonprofit, 501(c)(3) educational services agency based in Massachusetts. Since 1974, CES has worked with children, youth, and adult learners, families, schools, districts, educators, and community members and organizations in our region, across New England, and nationally. Their mission is to develop and foster lifelong learning and to provide opportunities for wellbeing for all of the communities with whom they work, through collaboration and leadership. CES collaborates with school leaders and staff, state agencies, non-profit organizations, and foundations to facilitate learning partnerships that promote equity within organizations and among partners.

The Collaborative for Educational Services’ (CES) research & evaluation team conducted a study to provide the Winchester schools and community with critical data to support and strengthen the district’s elementary literacy program. Data collection included surveys, interviews and listening sessions, as well as analysis of existing data.

Study Overview

The impetus for this project was the recognition among the leadership of the Winchester Public Schools (WPS) that strengthening the district’s early literacy program was a central and urgent priority. Implementing changes in any area of curriculum, instruction, and assessment is challenging and must be meaningfully informed by and sensitive to existing data, practices, and understandings. 

With respect to elementary literacy, WPS leadership and the School Committee believe it was important to provide everyone with safe avenues for expressing their thoughts. We deeply value the experiences and perspectives of our educators and parents, and this study was designed to capture and understand them. CES has developed a thoughtful process that will be as inclusive as possible, with a Design Team that will serve in an advisory capacity throughout the various components of the study:

  • The Winchester district design team for elementary literacy was created to support the work of the CES research team in gathering, analyzing and interpreting data. The role of the design team was to provide valuable feedback, perspective and context from the community for the research team’s work.

    Alyssa Loring Tirella, Parent (Muraco)

    Andrea Phelan, Principal (Ambrose)

    Christine Cronin, Parent (Vinson-Owen)

    Jenn Anderson, Classroom teacher (Vinson-Owen)

    Jennifer Dumas, Elementary Literacy Coach (Lincoln)

    Karen Rizzuti, Classroom teacher (Vinson-Owen)

    Kathy Caron, Principal (Vinson-Owen)

    Katie Malone, Elementary Literacy Coordinator

    Laurie Kirby, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel & Elementary Education

    Lynn Mazzocchi, Literacy Specialist (Muraco)

    Nicole Cordeiro, Parent and aunt (Lynch and Ambrose)

    Rebecca Cummings, Classroom teacher (Lynch), parent (Landmark)

    Rebecca Decaneas, Special education teacher (Ambrose), parent (Lynch)

    Shannon Stott, Parent (Vinson-Owen and McCall), WinPAC Board Member

    Stefanie Gordon, Parent (Ambrose), PISC committee member

    Susan DeLeo, Parent (Ambrose and middle school)

  • The design team meeting dates were 4/11, 5/2, 5/9, 5/23, 5/30, 6/6 and 6/13.

    Design team meeting updates can be found below:

    Meeting 1 Update: 4/11

    Meeting 2 Update: 5/2

    Meeting 3 Update: 5/9

    Meeting 4 Update: 5/30

    Meeting 5 Update: 6/7

    Meeting 6 Update: 6/13

  • A survey for elementary teachers in Winchester was distributed.

  • Surveys were sent to Winchester families through ParentSquare.

  • The purpose of teacher listening sessions was to hear from Winchester teachers about their experiences with elementary literacy in the district. Teacher listening sessions were facilitated in-person at Winchester on the following dates during common planning time. This FAQ document (link) may provide additional information.

    Thursday, May 16: Lincoln Elementary

    Friday, May 17: Ambrose Elementary

    Monday, May 20: Vinson-Owen Elementary

    Tuesday, May 21: Muraco Elementary

    Friday, May 24: Lynch Elementary

  • The purpose of family listening sessions was to hear from Winchester families about their experiences with elementary literacy in the district. Family listening sessions were facilitated in-person at Winchester and online on Zoom on the following dates. This FAQ document (link) may provide additional information.

    These listening sessions were open to parents, guardians or primary caregivers of students currently in the Winchester elementary school, and students who are in elementary or middle school and formerly attended a public elementary school in Winchester.

    Monday, May 20 at 6:30 PM, Vinson-Owen Elementary School Cafeteria

    Tuesday, May 21 at 3:30 PM, Muraco Elementary School Library

    Tuesday, May 28 at 3:30 PM, Zoom

    Tuesday, May 28 at 6:30 PM, Zoom

    Thursday, May 30 at 10:30 AM, Zoom