Gill-Montague School Committee Unanimously Approves Superintendent Beck's Annual Evaluation

GILL -- May 9, 2023, Gill-Montague School Committee unanimously rated Superintendent Brian Beck proficient in his annual state evaluation. All six voting members approved the evaluation at the May 9 meeting, with Beck meeting or exceeding benchmarks on goals tied to the proposed Hillcrest Elementary School building project, secondary writing assessment, and district wellness policy, though the wellness goal drew the most mixed individual ratings, with only one member marking it fully met. The committee also approved two accounts-payable warrants totaling $241,565.97 before the vote on Beck's evaluation. Assistant Superintendent Diane Shapiro led a public recognition of Spanish family liaison Ximena Cabeza de Brega, who completed two 45-hour professional certification programs through UMass Amherst in the past year. Director of Curriculum Gene Powers reported the district's Culturally Responsive Practices Leadership Academy had completed its first-year classroom observation cycle with consultants from Blackprint Incorporated, with a formal report pending. Baseball and softball teams raised more than $620 for the Western Mass Food Bank at a Turner's Falls fundraiser, and district enrollment showed a net positive swing of 80 students compared to the prior year.