Belchertown School Committee Unanimously Approves Superintendent's Proficient Evaluation

BELCHERTOWN — July 14, 2026 — Belchertown School Committee rates superintendent proficient and hears IEP scheduling concerns tied to school reorganization. The committee voted unanimously at its July 14 meeting to authorize its chair to finalize and sign Superintendent Brian's annual performance evaluation, which returned a proficient rating across all four main standards, with minority "needs improvement" marks on family and community engagement and shared vision. A district special education administrator estimated that fewer than a dozen students at Jabish Brook Middle School currently have no elective period as a result of the school's reduction from seven to six periods per day, with scheduling decisions made through the IEP team process and signed off by parents. Food services director Winnie reported the district's Summer Eats program served 546 lunches in its first week at Chestnut Hill Community School, but flagged a $2,100 reimbursement gap the district will absorb because federal reimbursement is limited to Belchertown-enrolled free-and-reduced students. The committee entered executive session at 6:51 p.m. for collective bargaining strategy with non-union personnel.