The Elementary School Math Team, composed of the math coaches from the three elementary schools and Donna Krikorian — who holds dual roles as assistant principal of Happy Hollow and the district’s Math and Science curriculum coordinator — shared progress and next steps for the Bridges 3 curriculum at the Wayland School Committee meeting on Jan. 7.
Staff reported some notable changes from the second to third edition of Bridges. Edition 3 addresses how math is evolving and incorporates a strong emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, takes feedback from teachers, and allows students of all levels to see themselves as mathematicians.
The team contributed the success of Bridges 3 to a variety of factors. One was visits from the Pre-K and the elementary teams to observe each other’s classes to see how the curriculum aligns. Another was providing teachers with Bridges in PLCs (Professional Learning Communities). Finally, co-teaching and coaching as well as instructional rounds helped the math teachers with this new curriculum at the different years of implementation, with many resources now online for coaches and teachers.
The math coaching team agreed that they are still working to refine their practices. They answered questions about data and explained that longer-term outcomes could be tracked from I-ready data from the previous year and a new Bridges 3 tracker.
The committee asked how Bridges 3 curriculum prepares elementary students for middle school and whether sixth-grade teachers see a difference in students who have had Bridges. The math team reported strong alignment and positive feedback from middle school staff on students showing math fluency and forward thinking.
Committee members were strongly supportive of Bridges 3 for measuring skills and not scores, and that training now allowed teachers to differentiate their lessons and to target kids who may need additional assistance for intervention groups. Several members were impressed by student engagement and highlighted how much kids are talking about math and using vocabulary. “They’re excited about it,” Christina Rodrigo remarked
The team was asked where caregivers could find math resources and how much time during the daily school schedule could be dedicated to Bridges 3 instruction. The team acknowledged that they will be working on offering more information to families via newsletters and letters home via Parent Square after every unit, suggestions for at home practice, and in-some future in person activities.
Student mental health
Dr. Randi Schuster reviewed survey data on the Effectiveness of SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) and Strategies for Improving Student Outcomes. Schuster outlined the Oasis project and SBIRT, which is a state-mandated program that addresses early intervention for substance abuse and mental health issues.
She also introduced Hyacinth Tauriac, youth health and Wellness coach, who has been doing the expert screening for tenth-grade students in the program.
Tauriac said she “love[s] the way that [high school students] make sense of themselves and the world and things around them…. [and she can support them with non judgmental listening] as like a younger person, is that even though most students are saying that they don’t engage with any substances, pretty much all of them have thoughts about it, … and they have ways that they’re making sense of it, and they have opinions.”
Results from the survey were similar to results in surrounding school communities. Post-pandemic results now show promise in moving in a more positive direction with a decrease in reported electric cigarette use and vaping.
Some results from the survey administered in October 2025 reveal that one out of five kids have not talked to anyone about mental health, approximately 67% talked to caregivers, and some students discussed it with a friend.
Dr. Schuster explained that the goal of the project is not to replace clinical care but rather to build connections in the moment. She intends to return to the school committee to give updated details about SBIRT after the spring survey. She also answered questions about what support and interventions might look like for students and explained that such realistic strategies involve conversations, motivational interviews, and goal setting by the student.
Portrait of a Learner
Assistant Superintendent Betsy Gavron and Superintendent David Fleishman gave an update on the Portrait of a Learner vision as outlined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. As part of a planning year for the district, Fleishman explained that the key effort is developing a broad, flexible Portrait of a Learner designed for Wayland. The Portrait will become a blueprint for district strategy and future district goals, with heavy community engagement (students, recent grads, parents, and community members in mixed stakeholder groups). The goal is to define the skills, knowledge, and experiences students need for “success beyond school,” rather than just “college and career readiness.”
The internal steering committee and an outside facilitator want multiple “portraits” (archetypes) so students can see themselves in different futures and not feel there is only one path.
“The goal in this is to create a blueprint for a district strategy to prepare students for the changing realities of the world,” Fleishman said. “We also think this is a really unique time to do this, as we enter this fourth industrial revolution… We can’t prepare students in narrow ways, because we don’t know how the world is going to change in just a few short years.”
Fleishman intends to have different stakeholder meetings with various members of the community such as teachers, administrators, recent graduates and parents. Big group meetings are scheduled for Feb. 9, and early and late March.
