Acton-Boxborough Regional School District
The public record of how AB Forward was developed and how our elementary schools were reorganized, from the School Committee’s vision in April 2025 through the start of the 2026–27 school year. Read the vision
Where it began The School Committee’s vision, April 2025
Imagine a future where our schools are designed to meet the needs of the community, from our taxpayers to our students.
A place where teachers feel supported, not overwhelmed, and students thrive in the best possible learning environment. Picture a community that celebrates its outstanding, sustainable schools. What would that look and feel like for your family? For all of us?
Read the full visionClose the vision
Everything is on the table.
You may have heard about the challenges of recent years and the tough choices we’ve had to make to balance the budget. The funding we receive from our towns and the state is no longer keeping up with the external factors driving up costs in our current system. The reality is, the way we’ve structured and funded education over the past 50 years is no longer enough to meet the fast-changing needs of today.
We’re taking this on because we believe in our students and our community. Our goal is to build something sustainable that will endure for decades - not just patchwork solutions for another budget cycle. Our ever-changing world demands more from both our educators and our graduates. We are committed to ensuring every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential and that our educators have the resources they need to support that goal. At the same time, we also recognize that our community must be able to afford our schools. This isn’t just about saving money; it’s about being smart with the resources we have. Acton-Boxborough has evolved, and our students need new skills that our current system isn’t equipped to provide.
That’s why we’re reimagining how we approach education - rethinking everything from the number of schools and grade configurations to how we match students with the best opportunities for growth. While there’s still much to explore, we’re excited about the possibilities ahead.
We know this process brings uncertainty, and that can be scary. But we’re committed to designing a sustainable, innovative structure that allows us all to rise together and meet the challenges of the next 50 years.
We need your voice in this conversation. We can’t do this alone. Together, we can shape the future of education in Acton and Boxborough.
Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee, April 2025
After a year of community engagement, the School Committee made two decisions that reshaped our elementary schools. Both took effect on July 1, 2026.
January 22, 2026
The School Committee adopted Option 5 (Version 2), often called Option 5v2. All elementary schools as they existed closed except Blanchard Memorial School, and new lower (K–3) and upper (4–6) schools were created in the Parker Damon Building and on the Boardwalk Campus. The district also moved from open enrollment to a geographic enrollment model, with no phasing.
April 9, 2026
The School Committee adopted Scenario 7 as the elementary geographic boundary map, along with flex zones, a sibling policy, and two grandfathering provisions. The map balances student populations and building use to support long-term enrollment stability and equitable class sizes.
Blanchard Memorial School
Boxborough
Serves Boxborough and part of western Acton, including the Blanchard Expansion Zone.
Boardwalk Campus
West Acton
Home to the Pathways and Connections programs.
Parker Damon Building
Acton
AB Forward moved through four phases. Highlighted milestones mark the School Committee’s vision, its key votes, and the date the new model took effect. Links open the full record further down the page.
March – Fall 2025
The district partnered with District Management Group (DMGroup) and a community Steering Committee to build a new strategic plan grounded in the Vision of a Graduate.
The district releases a Request for Proposals for a strategic planning and reorganization consultant, and the School Committee discusses the steering committee’s charge.
Meeting record, March 2025School Committee shares its vision to reimagine the district’s structure and plan for sustainable schools.
Read the visionDMGroup presents its strategic planning and reorganization approach to the School Committee.
Meeting record, April 17, 2025School Committee establishes the Strategic Planning & Reorganization Steering Committee.
Meeting record, May 22, 2025The Steering Committee holds its first meeting with District Management Group (DMGroup).
First Steering Committee meeting summaryThe committee becomes AB Forward and launches a district-wide community survey.
June 2025 Steering Committee updateDMGroup shares diagnostic findings with the Steering Committee and School Committee.
Diagnostic findings summaryThe Steering Committee recommends mission and vision changes and previews the reorganization framework.
September 9 Steering Committee summaryOctober 2025 – January 2026
Nine preliminary scenarios were narrowed through community forums, surveys, and Steering Committee votes to a single preferred option.
DMGroup presents nine preliminary reorganization scenarios to the Steering Committee.
Read the summaryFirst community forum at the ABRHS Auditorium, with about 75 families.
First community forum detailsSchool Committee reviews the options and the multi-year financial model showing a projected FY27 deficit.
Meeting record, October 23, 2025Virtual community forum with more than 600 attendees.
Virtual forum recording and detailsSteering Committee eliminates five options. Explainer materials are released for community feedback.
November 18 Steering Committee summarySteering Committee recommends four options to the School Committee, which receives them on December 4.
Meeting record, December 2 – 4, 2025School Committee removes Options 6 and 3v2, leaving Options 4 and 5v2.
Meeting record, December 18, 2025Listening session and committee discussion on Options 4 and 5v2.
Meeting record, January 8, 2026School Committee adopts Option 5 (Version 2): five elementary schools and a geographic enrollment model.
Meeting record, January 22, 2026January – April 2026
Dillinger Research and Applied Design (RAD) used enrollment, capacity, demographic, and housing data with community feedback to draw attendance zones.
First family webinars on implementation milestones and the new principals.
Webinar records, January 27 & 29, 2026Dillinger RAD introduces the boundary process to families.
Webinar record, February 3, 2026Dillinger RAD presents to the School Committee to set decision points.
Meeting record, February 9, 2026Community survey on boundary priorities.
Dillinger RAD presents three initial boundary scenarios to the School Committee.
Meeting record, February 26, 2026Revised Scenarios 4 and 5 presented; Scenario 5 described as the strongest technical option.
Meeting record, March 5, 2026Family webinar reviews Scenarios 5 and 6.
Webinar record, March 10, 2026School Committee guides the Blanchard expansion, transition policy, and flex zones, centering on Scenario 7.
Meeting record, March 19, 2026School Committee adopts Scenario 7, flex zones, and grandfathering provisions.
Meeting record, April 9, 2026April – September 2026
Families received school placements, students formed new cohorts, and staff moved classrooms into the five new schools.
Deadline for grandfathering opt-out requests and sibling requests for special education programs.
School assignments and grade-level student lists posted in PowerSchool. Supportive peer survey opens.
Deadlines for extraordinary circumstance requests (May 1) and the supportive peer survey (May 7).
Extraordinary considerationsFamily webinars on supporting children through transition and on teaching and learning.
Webinar records, May 12 & 26, 2026Extraordinary circumstance decisions shared on a rolling basis, followed by school previews at all five schools.
Key datesClass lists shared with families. Classroom packing completed and moves begin.
New geographic boundaries and enrollment policies take effect.
Educators move into new classrooms, bus routes are published, and staff return for professional learning.
Implementation roadmapStudent and family drop-in sessions held in classrooms.
The rules adopted by the School Committee for the new elementary model, gathered in one place. Flex zone and sibling policies remain in effect for new registrations.
On April 9, 2026, the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee officially voted to adopt Scenario 7 as the district’s new elementary school geographic boundary map. This decision followed months of community engagement, data analysis, and planning to ensure long-term enrollment stability and equitable class sizes across all our schools. The new boundaries and enrollment policies took effect on July 1, 2026.
The hatched (meshed) areas of the geographic map are flex zones. These parts of the community have both a primary school assignment and a secondary school assignment that the district may use to balance class sizes across all of the schools.
Blanchard retains its name. The other campuses are Boardwalk (Lower and Upper) and Parker Damon (Lower and Upper). The School Committee may choose different names in the future.
The legal opinion provided to the district states that while the Regional Agreement mentioned “hometown priority,” it did not create a permanent guarantee that Acton students attend school in Acton. The School Committee has the legal authority to modify these enrollment policies.
The Acton-Boxborough Regional School District has established elementary school flex zones to balance enrollment and maintain consistent class sizes across all campuses. Flex zones are specific geographic areas where students may be assigned to one of two elementary schools based on district-wide operational needs.
Maintaining class-size equity is a continuous, year-round process rather than a one-time annual event. While flex zones are used during initial planning for the upcoming school year, they remain a dynamic tool throughout the year to manage mid-year registrations and address shifting enrollment patterns. Reassignment is considered not only when an existing class size deviates from the district average by more than one student, but also when forecasted enrollment suggests a potential imbalance, allowing the district to manage capacity proactively before classrooms reach an unsustainable level.
The specific application of these zones is based on the School Committee’s official residence maps.
Look up your address on the ABRSD Geographic School Zones Map to see whether your home falls within a flex zone.
What is a flex zone?
A designated geographic area used to balance enrollment and maintain class-size equity across the district’s elementary campuses. Every residence within a flex zone is assigned a geographic default school, but students may be placed at a secondary flex school if the district determines an operational need to align class sizes or optimize building capacity.
What is the purpose of having flex zones?
Flex zones are a proactive, year-round tool for managing capacity and keeping class sizes balanced and within recommended guidelines. This allows the district to allocate staffing and resources in a fiscally responsible manner while avoiding overcrowding at any single campus.
Does this apply to me?
Flex zones apply to approximately 25% of Acton-Boxborough elementary students. You are subject to a potential flex if you are registering a new student and your address is in a flex zone. Families moving into a flex zone who are already enrolled in one of the zone’s schools are generally not reassigned, although the district may exercise this option in exceptional circumstances to balance class sizes, incorporating parent feedback into the final decision. Students who are currently enrolled in an Acton-Boxborough elementary school and whose families have not moved are not subject to involuntary reassignment under this policy.
Is this a school choice program?
No. Families in flex zones can share a preference, but it is an operational balancing tool. The district only moves students when it is necessary to prevent overcrowding or underutilization at specific campuses.
What happens during registration?
Any address located within a flex zone is clearly identified during registration, and you may indicate which of the two assigned schools best meets your family’s needs. The district uses this information to identify families willing to serve as voluntary placements. If an operational need arises, families who signaled interest in the alternate campus are prioritized for reassignment first. Most students will continue to attend their geographic default school unless a shift is required to maintain district-wide balance and equity.
What if there are more flex requests than available spaces?
The district will use a lottery that considers the maintenance of demographic diversity, sibling access, and the minimization of transportation burdens.
What if I don’t have a preference?
You are not required to provide one. Without a stated preference, your child will be placed in their geographic default school. A reassignment to the flex school would only occur if the district determines an operational necessity to balance class sizes and no other families in that grade level have expressed a preference to move. Families who identify a preference to flex are prioritized for relocation first.
Are siblings guaranteed to be together?
The district has committed to a policy of non-separation for siblings currently enrolled in our elementary schools. Siblings will not be assigned to different campuses unless a parent or guardian explicitly identifies a preference for one child to move as part of the flex process.
Once my child is placed through a flex zone, will they move again?
No. Once a student is placed in a school, they remain in that school for their entire elementary career through sixth grade, and siblings would also attend that school.
The School Committee approved two grandfathering provisions for the 2026–27 school year:
Grandfathering applied only to students enrolled in grades K–5 during the 2025–26 school year. It did not apply to incoming kindergarteners, new registrations, or students who enrolled after June 30, 2026. It also did not apply to students living in Boxborough and attending Acton schools.
Eligible families were contacted by email. Families who preferred to move to their new geographically assigned school could submit an opt-out request through the district survey by Thursday, April 16, 2026. Opt-out decisions were binding so the district could finalize staffing and section sizes, and the district attempted to honor all requests but could not guarantee them. Approved opt-outs were reflected in the April 30 placement release. Grandfathered students did not need to take any action to keep their placement.
Grandfathering does not apply to younger siblings not yet enrolled in the district. A younger sibling starting kindergarten in 2026 or later is assigned to their new geographic school. If this results in children attending two different schools, families could opt out of grandfathering for the older child so the children attend the new geographic school together.
The district intends to honor grandfathering for students who later move within the district, even outside the legacy school’s region, so those students do not experience additional transitions.
The district has committed to a policy of non-separation for siblings currently enrolled in our elementary schools (grades K–6). Siblings will not be assigned to different campuses unless a parent or guardian explicitly requests a move. The district would only separate siblings under extraordinary circumstances, and only after consulting with the family.
Students in specialized special education programs, such as Pathways, Connections, or Compass, are placed at the school where that program is housed, regardless of geographic boundaries. If a student is assigned to a school to access a special education program, the district provides the option for their siblings to attend the same school.
The Pathways and Connections programs (autism-focused) are co-located on the Boardwalk Campus, which allows more flexible programming as student profiles change. Staff familiar with these students moved with the programs to maintain continuity.
If your child has an Individualized Education Program or a 504 Plan, please contact your child’s Special Education Coordinator or 504 Coordinator with questions.
We understand that changes to school assignments can bring about a range of emotions and concerns for families. We approach the reorganization process with empathy for the transitions our students and caregivers are navigating.
As a district, our primary responsibility is to ensure that every student across all our schools has access to a high-quality, equitable, and balanced learning environment. Achieving this requires us to work within the natural limitations of our building capacities and the operational necessity of maintaining stable class sizes. Because these systemic needs must be met to serve the entire student body, the district cannot accommodate individual placement preferences.
Our schools completed an extensive process to identify a very limited number of students who required special consideration during placement, and school staff contacted those families directly. We also recognized that there may be family circumstances outside of school that staff were not aware of, so the district set out the specific, documented extraordinary circumstances it could consider for placement adjustments.
Families submitted an Extraordinary Consideration Request Form through a ParentSquare survey (linked in an email sent April 10, 2026) by May 1, 2026. All requests required supporting documentation, such as letters from medical professionals, legal documents, or social service records. The district notified families of request status on May 13 and shared decisions on a rolling basis beginning June 1, 2026.
If a family moves mid-year, the family may choose one of two options:
If a family moves to another school zone but stays in Acton, children change schools unless they are part of a grandfathered group. The district typically allows students to stay at their existing school until the end of that school year to minimize disruption. The formal process is being codified in the district’s administrative procedures.
New families can find their assigned school by entering their address on the interactive map, and the district registrar walks new families through placement during registration.
The district placed psychological safety at the root of all transition planning through a tiered support structure and systemic assessments.
The AB Forward Community Wellness page offers guidance documents, a curated list of picture books on resiliency, relevant podcasts, and access to Care Solace and Cartwheel Care.
The School Committee meetings where AB Forward decisions were discussed and made, summarized from the approved minutes. Each record links to the meeting on Diligent, where agendas, documents, and full minutes are posted, and to the recording.
Superintendent Light presented the draft Request for Proposals for a strategic planning and reorganization consultant, explaining that the district was at the end of its current strategic plan and that this work would produce its successor. No vote was required.
The plan at the time was to post the RFP the following Monday, select from the top three vendors, and have a contract in place by April vacation so work could begin in mid-May. A Steering Committee would be formed with the School Committee, with preliminary work completed by fall so community engagement could begin then. Splitting the work across two fiscal years would allow turnback funds to be used for the second year.
Members discussed forming a steering committee to lead strategic planning and reorganization in light of declining enrollment and the district’s extraordinary financial challenges. The RFP had been released on March 17, six consultants had expressed interest, and a consultant was expected to be chosen by April 15. Mr. Light described a timeline with work starting in June, community engagement in the fall, and possible reorganization decisions at the December School Committee meeting, and shared a draft of the steering committee’s purpose, charge, outcomes, and membership. The steering committee’s role would be to guide the consultant.
Member feedback included:
The committee reached consensus on two School Committee members serving on the Steering Committee, with a 15th seat left open, and on a meeting schedule running through December. Members were to be voted at the April 3 workshop.
Superintendent Light reviewed the process that led to selecting District Management Group (DMGroup) as the district’s strategic planning and reorganization consultant. The resulting plan would replace the strategic plan expiring in 2026, with the intent of setting the district up for the next 50 years. DMGroup had previously completed a 2019 review of the district’s social, emotional, and behavioral supports.
Joe Costello of DMGroup presented the work plan: convening a Steering Committee in May, including School Committee members Adam Klein and Tori Campbell, and concluding in December 2025, with implementation in September 2026 or September 2027. He stressed that extensive stakeholder engagement would be critical.
Members emphasized that qualitative data and what is best for students are paramount, asked about up-front restructuring costs (which depend on the options chosen), and asked how DMGroup would reach community members not usually at the table, including families from other countries and educational systems. DMGroup described a stakeholder map and a communication plan with milestones and monitored engagement. Chairperson Klein noted the value of DMGroup’s Massachusetts experience and knowledge of the district’s open enrollment system.
Mr. Light updated the committee on the strategic planning process, including a new central information hub on the district website containing the School Committee’s message to the community and the Steering Committee’s meeting dates and topics. DMGroup had begun interviews to gather initial considerations. The Steering Committee roster had grown to 18 or 19 members, with an emphasis on strong communication with educators, especially at the elementary level, and a recognized need for better representation of the community’s diversity.
Mr. Light outlined a communication plan including summaries of Steering Committee meetings, staff Zoom check-ins, and parent coffees, with the district website as the central location for updates. Members suggested wider use of social media, and Chairperson Klein and Mr. Light agreed to take the question to the Steering Committee.
The first Steering Committee meeting was held the following Tuesday, May 27.
Superintendent Light reported that about 75 people attended the first AB Forward community forum and announced the launch of the AB Forward survey.
Joe Costello of DMGroup re-grounded the discussion in the goals of the initiative and outlined three dimensions of reorganization: facilities, the organization of schools and programs, and grade levels. He presented nine options, ranging from maintaining existing structures to closing the Conant building, consolidating to five schools, and merging schools, along with the criteria used to assess them, including impact on students and staff, level of disruption, and projected costs. He introduced the AB Forward survey and four enrollment policy options (open enrollment lottery, restricted open enrollment, district assignment, and geographic zones), recommending that enrollment policy be discussed separately from the structural decision.
Public comment raised the length of disruption, the perception that a Merriam and McCarthy-Towne merger amounted to a closure, and the needs of students with significant support needs who are not in named programs. Mr. Light confirmed that all current special education programs and student services would continue under any model, though locations might change.
Director of Finance & Operations Sheri Matthews presented multi-year projections showing salaries, benefits, health insurance, and OPEB as the main budget drivers. Mr. Light discussed the 3% budget target and the difficulty of separating AB Forward’s impact from other budget factors. Members discussed health insurance increases and clear communication with the public about the budget.
Joe Costello of DMGroup reported that, after extensive stakeholder engagement, the Steering Committee advanced four options: closing Merriam (Option 3v2), merging Merriam and McCarthy-Towne (Option 4), lower and upper elementary schools within shared buildings (Option 5v2), and three larger combined schools (Option 6). He and Mr. Light explained that Options 5v2 and 6 would place all sections of each grade in one building, increasing flexibility. Option 5v2 would create separate lower and upper schools, each with its own principal, while Option 6 would create single schools of about 900–950 students per building.
Members discussed balancing fiscal and non-fiscal impacts, merging best practices across schools, minimizing disruption for fifth graders, and concerns about cultural shifts, involuntary transfers, and building capacity. Public comment focused on impacts to the Merriam and Conant communities, students’ emotional well-being, and preserving diversity and inclusive school communities.
A motion to remove Options 3v2 and 4 drew objections that narrowing at the first full committee discussion was premature and inconsistent with the agreed timeline, and it was withdrawn. The committee agreed to keep all four options and requested more information, including impacts on special education and multilingual programming, financial comparisons, operational analyses, open enrollment effects, and alternative enrollment and transfer approaches for Options 5v2 and 6.
Chairperson Campbell named the tensions the committee was balancing: long-term sustainability against the amount and distribution of disruption, differing school identities, the needs of both towns, and competing understandings of equity and stability.
Mr. Light presented the four remaining options, all of which assumed closing the Merriam School and the Conant building, reducing 11 K–6 classroom sections, and about $1.9 million in first-year savings. He described Options 3v2 and 4 as a “targeted disruption” pathway that concentrates change in one or two school communities, and Options 5v2 and 6 as a “systemic reorganization” pathway that accepts district-wide disruption as a full reset. Andrew Shen outlined enrollment approaches for the systemic options: reassigning only Conant students, an all-student re-lottery, or a geography-based framework with flex zones, with specialized programs overriding geographic assignment.
Members expressed a range of views, from concern about the scale and timeline of a district-wide redesign to support for sharing disruption evenly and the benefits of larger grade-level cohorts. Members also acknowledged the influence of their own school affiliations. Public comment raised equity concerns about singling out any one school community, especially a majority-minority community, with some speakers favoring Option 5v2 with geographic enrollment and others warning that rapid systemic change would be destabilizing.
Assistant Superintendent Gabby Abrams and Director of Special Education Natalia Kierul presented the teaching and learning and special education implications of each option, including a proposed STEP program for students with significant cognitive needs. They affirmed that all IEP services would continue as written under either option. Option 4 prioritized continuity, while Option 5v2 would create program “hubs” for long-term coherence and inclusion.
Parents, staff, and community members spoke for and against both options. Some urged the committee to preserve existing school communities and limit forced moves, especially for young students and those with special needs. Others supported Option 5v2 with geographic enrollment as a way to share disruption equitably across a district-wide budget problem. Staff raised concerns about relocating the Connections program, class sizes, and stability for rising fifth and sixth graders. Chairperson Campbell noted that the two dominant themes, minimizing transitions and sharing change equitably, were in direct tension.
Members weighed Option 5v2’s long-term benefits (larger grade-level cohorts, flexible staffing, stronger supports, consistent practice) against the scale of disruption to nearly all elementary students. They also weighed geographic enrollment, valued for clarity and neighborhood schools but raising concerns about concentrating wealth or poverty, against a one-time re-lottery or hybrid approach, which could preserve social circles but was questioned as a long-term policy.
Public comment reflected strongly held, divergent views, with some speakers urging Option 4 or a phased approach and others supporting Option 5v2 with geographic enrollment.
Mr. Light presented one-time reorganization costs of just under $1 million plus contingency, funded from excess and deficiency so the FY26 operating budget would not be affected. He also presented a draft implementation timeline built around regular webinars, implementation surveys, educator involvement in student placement, family input on peer groups, and sharing school and classroom placements before the end of the school year. Members debated the two remaining structures and four enrollment models at length before voting.
The same meeting also received the Superintendent’s preliminary FY27 budget, which incorporated AB Forward staffing changes.
This budget workshop opened with an introduction from Nick Stellitano of Dillinger Research and Applied Design, engaged to design sustainable elementary attendance zones. He noted that drawing first-time boundaries is functionally a redistricting and that there is no perfect plan; every scenario involves trade-offs.
He laid out the schedule (initial scenarios February 26, revisions March 5, final scenarios March 19 and April 9) and the decision points he asked the committee to refine:
The remainder of the workshop reviewed the FY27 budget, including personnel reductions from the elementary reorganization.
The recording is the district’s livestream, starting at the Dillinger RAD presentation.
Public comment included members of the Acton Select Board and Finance Committee and the teachers union president urging residents not to vote down the school assessments at Town Meeting in protest of the geographic enrollment decision, noting that Town Meeting cannot change it and that rejecting the budget would force further cuts.
Nick Stellitano of Dillinger RAD presented three initial scenarios, built on baseline requirements of cohort continuity between lower and upper schools, utilization under 100%, and in-town priority, with Boxborough students assigned to Blanchard:
Members affirmed student safety as the overriding walk-zone factor, cohort continuity, demographic balance, and Boxborough hometown priority at Blanchard, while acknowledging the tension with Acton residents’ expectations and Blanchard’s lower utilization. Several members were open to less “neat” boundaries if they improved balance. The committee asked for the share and location of students changing buildings under each scenario, special education program space needs, future enrollment and development trends, refined neighborhood and walk-zone boundaries, flex zone options, and new variants with an expanded Blanchard zone.
Mr. Light reported on several hundred family and about 130 staff responses. Top themes were student belonging and well-being, academic quality, staffing and retention, school identity, and clear communication. He outlined responses including preserving peer connections, prioritizing continuity of special education services, consistent curriculum, a published staff placement timeline, regular webinars and written updates, and a mental health advisory effort.
The committee held first discussions of a proposed task force to help carry traditions into the new schools and of how to name the reorganized schools, which DESE requires before it can process the reconfiguration. No action was taken on either.
The meeting opened with the FY27 budget hearing, where Sheri Matthews reviewed the recommended budget of $122,593,238. No members of the public spoke.
Public comment on redistricting included concern that Scenario 4 was not as strong an alternative as Scenario 5, and West Acton families asking that their walkable neighborhood near Boardwalk (the “blue zone”) remain assigned to Boardwalk rather than Blanchard.
Heather Stouch, the district’s coordinator for SEL and mental and behavioral health, outlined trauma-informed supports for the transition: a Community Wellness Working Group and Advisory Council (with partners from Cartwheel Care and the Lesley Institute for Trauma Sensitivity), family resources and Care Solace referrals, crisis-intervention training for staff, universal transition supports for all students, and individualized transition plans for students identified by CARES teams.
Nick Stellitano presented two revised scenarios. Both expanded Blanchard’s attendance area, which he said is unavoidable long term because Blanchard is under-utilized while the Acton campuses are near capacity.
Members discussed alternatives to reassigning the walkable blue zone, how flex zones should be defined (with broad agreement they should be a rarely used tool for genuine capacity pressure), and implementation approaches from moving everyone at once to letting certain grades or neighborhoods stay temporarily. They also weighed Boxborough’s hometown priority against Acton families’ expectations of nearby schools. Mr. Light proposed a limited, transitional cross-town enrollment option, which members were open to exploring. Mr. Stellitano asked the committee to decide three questions at its March 19 meeting: the Blanchard expansion area, a flex zone policy, and an implementation plan including any grandfathering.
The committee agreed to Mr. Light’s proposed administrative placeholder names for DESE reporting (Blanchard Memorial, Parker Damon Lower and Upper, Boardwalk Lower and Upper), leaving room for a future community naming process.
Public comment included objections from West Acton and Merriam families to assigning certain neighborhoods to Blanchard or to flex zones, requests to grandfather rising sixth graders, and support for flex zones as an alternative to future redistricting.
Nick Stellitano of Dillinger RAD reported that an east–west framework best balanced demographics, utilization, walkability, and growth, and that Scenarios 5–7 refined walk zones, neighborhood integrity, transition policies, and flex zones. Because total enrollment requires assigning a set number of Acton students to Blanchard each year, he asked the committee for guidance on the Blanchard expansion zone, transition policies, and flex zones.
The committee also supported in principle the Town of Acton’s request to use the Conant building temporarily during the Town Hall renovation, with the Town covering operating costs.
Public comment ranged from strong criticism of the reorganization, citing large projected Blanchard class sizes, flex zones, and transparency, to support for geographic enrollment given fiscal constraints. Blanchard staff described the scale of staff reassignments and urged action on fourth- and fifth-grade class sizes.
Nick Stellitano presented three final east–west scenarios (6A, 7, and 7A) and proposed flex zones covering about 25% of Acton elementary students, applying only to new registrants, with siblings kept together and transportation provided. He outlined four transition policies, plus an option giving the Superintendent discretion to offer, never require, additional placements to relieve Blanchard class sizes. Mr. Light stressed that class size, not building utilization, should be the primary concern, and that grandfathering and flex zones were essentially cost-free compared with about $100,000 per added classroom.
Mr. Light reported implementation on schedule, with school assignments and grade-level rosters targeted for April 30. He reported AB Forward personnel reductions of about $1.875 million, offset by about $415,000 in new positions, for roughly $1.5 million in net annual personnel savings. First-year net operating savings are about $465,000, growing to roughly $2 million a year by year 10 and nearly $17 million cumulatively, not counting avoided capital costs from not renovating Conant.
See Policies for full details of what was adopted.
Twice-monthly webinars kept families informed throughout implementation. Each record includes the published summary, questions and answers, and links to slides and recordings.
How will educators be split across the new schools? Will previous school affiliation be considered?
The district is working with the Educators Association to understand staff desires and needs, taking a balanced approach that considers student needs, educator preferences, and building strong school cultures. Staff will be surveyed about their interests.
Will there be exceptions for children to remain in their current school if outside their zone, such as for disabilities or 504 plans?
There will be exceptions for specialized programs in special education. Beyond that, the process is still being developed until the geographic zones are drawn. The School Committee did not provide default exceptions but gave flexibility to find creative solutions.
What’s the likelihood that families will be placed in the school closest to them?
The consultants will consider not just geography but also socioeconomic balance and housing types across schools. Acton-Boxborough’s schools are located close together, which creates some ambiguity. Community feedback will be sought on the proposed models.
Will students in flex zones potentially move between buildings as they progress from K to 6?
Once students in flex zones are assigned to a school, they remain there for the duration, and siblings also attend that school. Flex zones provide initial assignment flexibility to balance class sizes, but students won’t bounce between schools once assigned.
What consideration is there for students who live in one town but attend school in another and may not know enough peers to form cohorts?
The district will need to balance enrollment between Acton and Boxborough, but specific solutions will not be available until the consultant provides initial models. The Superintendent acknowledged the concern about students not knowing peers in their neighborhood.
Is there any consideration of taking a year to plan this change and implement it more intentionally?
The $2 million deficit would still need to be addressed even with a delay. Without the reorganization, the district would likely still need to reduce classrooms and move students between schools this year, then reorganize next year. The School Committee preferred a one-time process rather than dragging it out over multiple years.
Have you thought about tracking the long-term impact of these changes on students and having flexibility to adjust?
The district has robust screening systems for academic and social-emotional needs, with multiple years of data in a consistent format. Staff regularly communicate across schools about student needs, and the district will involve educators in placement and ask families to identify potential peer cohorts.
How are you managing student cohort relationships when friends live across town?
Once geographic assignments are shared, families will be asked whether they want to participate in a release process to identify peers in the same school. It is unlikely students would end up in a school with no familiar peers, since they may know others from activities or neighborhoods.
When will you define the educational philosophy of each school? Will they be uniform or keep distinctions?
The initial focus will be on shared practices already consistent across schools, such as curriculum and the Responsive Classroom approach. Once communities come together, principals will lead visioning processes to define each school’s culture and core values.
How will the district ensure students feel safe and connected in a larger school?
School sizes won’t be vastly different from current sizes, perhaps 50–60 more students. Responsive Classroom and morning meetings will remain the foundation for building relationships, and schools have successfully welcomed students into larger buildings before.
Was Option 5 chosen because it would be easier to later switch to two larger schools with one principal each?
Multiple factors influenced the choice. The idea of 950-student elementary schools felt daunting compared to current 400–450 student schools. Having 6–7 sections per grade level, rather than 3, allows better balancing of student needs and services. The model does provide flexibility for future leadership structure changes if budget challenges continue.
Can you share rough estimates of the financial impact?
There will be initial costs of about $1 million from reserve funds, but approximately $2 million in annual savings, lowering the base budget.
What about the additional deficit the district is facing?
AB Forward can’t fully solve the revenue-expense gap in education. The biggest driver of deficits is health insurance costs, which the district needs to keep working to control.
With staff reductions, how will class sizes be affected and how will quality be maintained?
Class sizes will increase slightly but generally remain within School Committee guidelines: kindergarten about 20 students, grades 1–3 about 22 (some at 23), and upper grades typically 24, with some at 25–26.
How did the committee decide on no phasing for the geographic shift?
Any phasing plan would not apply to all students equally, because Conant families could not take advantage of phasing when the building would no longer exist. The committee sought an approach that applied equally across the district.
This session repeated the January 27 agenda.
Superintendent Peter Light opened by acknowledging the shift from planning to implementation following the School Committee’s formal votes.
The district is transitioning from open enrollment to a geographic enrollment model, where home address is the primary driver of school assignment.
Can current 5th graders (rising 6th graders) be kept together?
The School Committee did not vote for a staggered rollout. The Superintendent is working with the consultant to understand what flexibility exists and expects more clarity in three to five weeks.
Can social groups be kept together?
The district will seek parent permission to share student names within new school cohorts so families can see peers and suggest peer fits. Educators and principals will then use professional judgment to create balanced cohorts based on that feedback.
What proactive social-emotional support will be provided?
Beyond releasing class lists in June to foster summer connections, the first month of school will be heavily focused on developing peer relationships. Schools will also open for tours in June and August.
Why were principals kept in their current buildings?
Each building has unique operational nuances, such as layout and how recess and lunch interplay. Having a principal manage these complexities in a familiar building ensures the best experience for students during a chaotic transition.
With Conant closing, will staff be laid off or dispersed?
There will be movement across the district. Conant has a very veteran staff, and professional teacher status (seniority) is a contractual requirement in placement decisions.
Can the Boardwalk principals lead the Connections and Pathways programs?
Both principals have extensive experience with students with disabilities. Special education coordinators and district leadership are already having them observe classrooms and learn student needs to ensure leadership continuity.
How will the district ensure equal access to a quality education without choice?
The perception of vast differences between schools has been exacerbated during the public process. ELA, math, science, social studies, and SEL (Second Step) are already standardized, and all schools use consistent Responsive Classroom morning meetings to ground every student’s day.
How will you ensure instructional methods don’t diverge?
The district is implementing one common progress reporting document for all schools next year so families have a uniform understanding of student progress.
Is rigor substandard at some schools?
The Superintendent strongly disputed this as an incorrect assumption. Having visited every elementary classroom, he affirmed that all our schools use strong, research-based practices, and attributed score differences to differing demographics, such as the number of multilingual learners, rather than the quality of education.
Might Blanchard include Acton residents?
The district is exploring this with the consultant to soften the transition. Keeping some Acton students at Blanchard would help manage school sizes in Acton.
Will every Boxborough resident move to Blanchard?
Not yet known. Initial versions of the enrollment plan are expected from the consultant in about three weeks, with a final answer by April vacation.
Why must implementation be so rapid?
The district faces a deficit of a couple of million dollars. Past cuts focused on the junior high and high school have left no room for further reductions at those levels, and restructuring is necessary to stop draining resources from students.
How will the administration rebuild trust?
The Superintendent acknowledged the lack of trust and stated that the only path forward is to implement the plan transparently and with as much fidelity as possible.
The webinar explained Acton-Boxborough’s shift from open enrollment to geography-based elementary school boundaries as part of AB Forward. Superintendent Peter Light, School Committee Chair Tori Campbell, and consultants from Dillinger Research and Applied Design described how new attendance zones would be designed using student locations, school capacities, demographics, housing trends, and traffic patterns. The goal is to set clear, fair, and stable boundaries for the next 5–10 years, keep neighborhoods together where possible, and reduce uncertainty for families.
The Dillinger team outlined a three-phase approach: design (data analysis and community engagement), implementation planning (supports such as buddy programs, school visits, and parent meetups), and early supports that begin as soon as a final plan is approved. Speakers acknowledged tradeoffs and emphasized transparency and community input. They committed to publishing scenario maps down to the street and household level, considering flex zones to manage enrollment year to year, and weighing contiguous versus distributed zones to balance simplicity, transportation, and demographics. They discussed the tight but workable timeline, budget pressures, the likely consolidation from four buildings to three due to declining enrollment, and the School Committee’s vote for a geography-based model without phasing (while still planning a careful transition). They also addressed transportation timing, mental health supports, and regular communication through webinars, written updates, and public surveys.
What distance will define the walking radius around each school?
The district and consultants will set this together. In Massachusetts, one mile is often considered a safe walking distance, and local rules will be confirmed before finalizing.
How detailed will the attendance zones be?
Zones will be designed using capacity and enrollment data like an optimization problem. Final maps will go down to the street and address level. Keeping neighborhoods together is a priority, but the exact shape depends on the numbers.
How aggressive is the timeline compared to similar work?
It is on the aggressive side. Other districts have done similar work in 2–8 months. Waiting longer could harm staffing, budgeting, and kindergarten planning. With strong engagement and multiple feedback points, the team believes the schedule is workable.
When will transportation be finalized?
Bus routes are typically released a couple of weeks before school starts, after student assignments are known. The team can estimate average travel times and distances for proposed zones now but cannot finalize routes yet.
What local data is being used to design sustainable zones?
The team is working with local planning departments to gather housing development data and using census trends to forecast student populations, so zones remain balanced over time.
How will public survey results be used and shared?
The consultant will publish summary survey findings and share full data with the School Committee. Scenarios will be revised when feedback highlights safety or student experience concerns, and decisions will be explained clearly.
Can both entrances to the Boardwalk Campus be considered for walk distances?
Yes. The team will consider both the main entrance and the Elm Street boardwalk entrance.
What are flex zones, and why use them?
Areas that can be assigned to one of two schools based on capacity needs. They help manage year-to-year changes, new housing, and shifting cohorts without frequent redistricting, especially when buildings operate near 90–95% utilization.
How will the model handle children with two households in the district?
The team can flag current students with two households, assess impacts under proposed boundaries, and work with the district on transportation needs, including whether buses can serve both homes.
Could neighborhoods on opposite sides of town end up at the same school?
It is possible. Given the locations of the three campuses and student density, some northern or eastern areas may be divided or “wrapped” to another school. Modeling will clarify this.
Will schools have large contiguous zones or multiple smaller zones?
Contiguous zones are simpler and better for transportation, while smaller distributed zones can improve demographic balance but add complexity. The School Committee will guide priorities.
Is phased implementation, starting with kindergarteners, still being considered?
The School Committee voted for a geography-based model with no phasing. The team will still plan the transition and may test limited flexibility, but a full phased rollout is likely not feasible given capacity and cost.
Is there enough time to create a geographic plan?
Yes. Starting from scratch can help, and the schedule allows multiple engagement points to gather feedback and iterate.
How common is this approach, and what are the pitfalls?
Geography-based enrollment is standard nationally. Key risks are low community engagement and stretching implementation over many years, which prolongs stress. Strong engagement here is a positive sign.
How important is keeping friend groups together?
It matters, especially at transitions like middle school, though younger students often adapt more easily. The team will try to move neighborhoods together, but friend groups are dispersed and the new upper/lower structure adds complexity.
Why is the timeline so tight, and why aim for fall implementation?
Budget pressures, including rising health insurance costs, and declining elementary enrollment drive the urgency. Consolidating from four buildings to three helps right-size classes and avoid deeper cuts elsewhere, and the schedule aligns with budget cycles and staffing needs.
What happens if either town votes down the school budget?
Budget votes affect funding levels, not the structural plan, which the School Committee controls. If the budget fails, there may be additional town meetings and, if still unresolved, a 1/12th budget that forces larger cuts and creates operational risks such as staff departures.
Is closing one school now the best approach, and why affect all elementary families?
The committee prioritized fairness and building new school communities where all students start together. Although more disruptive, this approach supports equal footing socially and academically given declining enrollment.
What are the current capacity and enrollment trends?
Schools are projected to run around 94–95% capacity next year, with Blanchard slightly lower. Two studies show enrollment declining over the next decade, making consolidation feasible now.
How is the district supporting student mental health during the transition?
The district expanded supports through Cartwheel Care (direct services via counselor referral) and Care Solace (matching with providers), acknowledged concerns about past comments, and emphasized sensitivity to all students’ needs.
What is the communication plan going forward?
Parent webinars every other week, with written updates on the Tuesdays before each webinar. The district will post responses online and continue regular, systematic communication.
How long will surveys stay open, given equity concerns?
Survey windows may be short due to the accelerated timeline. The district will announce survey releases so families can plan but has limited flexibility on timing.
Superintendent Peter Light shared updates on the elementary reorganization, including timeline progress, family survey results, and geographic boundary planning.
The district is shifting from open enrollment to a geographic assignment model with five elementary schools: Blanchard (K–6), Boardwalk Lower (K–3) and Upper (4–6), and Parker Damon Lower (K–3) and Upper (4–6).
Nearly 500 families participated. The top concerns across all elementary schools were:
When will flex zones be decided, and will they affect this year’s enrollment?
The goal is to establish year-one maps that stand on their own, minimizing any use of flex zones in the first transition year. Flex zones are primarily for future enrollment.
If placed at a school in a flex zone for kindergarten, is my child guaranteed a spot there through 6th grade?
Yes. Once a student is placed in a school, they remain there for their entire elementary career through sixth grade.
Why can’t we survey friendships before finalizing placements?
Families need to know who is actually assigned to their child’s new school. Collected earlier, many listed friends might end up at different schools, making the data unusable.
What percentage of teachers are expected to move buildings?
There is no target percentage. Placements are based on student needs, staff skill sets, building strong new school cultures, keeping key instructional teams intact, and honoring educator preferences where possible.
Can we see street names on the draft scenario maps?
Street names would make the draft maps too busy, but the next iteration will include an interactive map where you can zoom in on your house to see your zone.
Did the recent tax override fix the district’s funding issues, or will cuts continue?
The override helped but did not fully close the long-term funding gap. Escalating costs, such as double-digit increases in health insurance, out-of-district special education tuitions, and employee wages, continue to outpace the 2.5% levy increase towns can afford annually. Health insurance rates were initially projected to increase 18% and have since dropped to 12%, which is still unsustainable for the school budget. Cuts have already been made at the junior high and high school, and budget reductions will remain an ongoing challenge.
This webinar focused on the move from open enrollment to a geographic enrollment model, overall implementation progress, and teaching and learning in the new model.
The district is transitioning from six elementary schools to five, and must draw zones to determine which students attend which buildings.
Assistant Superintendent Gabby Abrams highlighted that the foundational education across all six current elementary schools remains consistent.
Why do some Acton students have to attend Blanchard in Boxborough?
Acton’s buildings do not have enough physical seats for every Acton student. To avoid overcrowding and use the district’s total space effectively, a percentage of Acton students must be zoned for Blanchard.
When will the final decision on boundaries be made?
The School Committee is expected to decide on the geographic enrollment model and related attendance policies on April 9.
How will students with disabilities or special education needs be placed?
Students in specialized programs (such as Pathways, Connections, or Compass) will be placed at the school where the program is housed, regardless of geographic boundaries.
Will siblings be allowed to stay together if one is in a specialized program?
Yes. The district will provide the option for siblings to attend the same school.
What is the difference between Scenario 5 and Scenario 6?
Scenario 6 updates Scenario 5 to address feedback on walk zones and neighborhood continuity, adjusting boundaries to keep students in safer walking areas near Parker Damon and Boardwalk.
Can the district poll families to see who wants to volunteer to go to Blanchard?
The district is not looking to use a broad community poll for placement, as this was not the model voted by the School Committee. Leadership is discussing potential transition policies for families already enrolled at Blanchard.
Is there a financial advantage to moving to geographic enrollment?
The primary savings come from consolidating buildings and closing one school. Geographic enrollment is more of a philosophical shift regarding community structure than a source of direct savings.
Will specials like art, music, and PE be reduced?
No. All allied arts or specials will continue at least once a week with no reduction in time.
What are flex zones, and will they be used?
Areas where the district can adjust which school a student attends based on yearly enrollment to prevent a building from going over capacity. The goal is to design the map so these are rarely, if ever, needed.
Does the Regional Agreement guarantee that Acton students attend school in Acton?
The legal opinion provided to the district states that while the agreement mentioned hometown priority, it did not create a permanent guarantee. The School Committee has the legal authority to modify these enrollment policies.
Superintendent Peter Light and District-wide Coordinator Heather Stout detailed the shift to geographic enrollment, student placement strategies, and comprehensive mental health frameworks.
Why was Scenario 7 selected, and how are neighborhoods being refined?
The School Committee identified Scenario 7 as the most viable starting point. The district is refining flex zones for long-term stability and seeking neighborhood-specific feedback through a final survey.
What is the logic behind grandfathering certain Acton students into Blanchard?
Allowing approximately 67 Acton students at Blanchard to stay frees space in other Acton schools, which lets some Acton students remain in their current schools rather than making an abrupt change. This option will likely not extend to future siblings.
Why can’t all current students stay in their current buildings?
The School Committee voted on this path in January. Keeping current placements while shifting to a geographic model would create insurmountable capacity issues at specific schools, such as Parker Damon, and exceed the district’s transportation capabilities.
Can parents request specific teachers?
No. The district does not accept specific educator requests. The focus is on identifying trusted adults in the new school to provide emotional support during the transition.
How will specialized programs be integrated at Boardwalk?
The Pathways and Connections programs (autism-focused) will be co-located at Boardwalk, allowing more flexible programming as student profiles change. Staff familiar with these students will move with the programs to maintain continuity.
What can parents do to help anxious children?
Children take cues from the adults in their lives. Model a positive mindset, listen to specific fears (often more concrete and narrower than adult concerns), and frame the move as a growth opportunity.
Will academic policies be consistent across the new schools?
Yes. The district is standardizing academic processes, assessment policies, and reporting documents (report cards).
Superintendent Peter Light discussed the School Committee’s vote on geographic boundaries, the use of flex zones, and the grandfathering options. Families also submitted questions in advance; see Family questions submitted for April 14.
Correction: During an earlier webinar, it was incorrectly stated that this webinar was scheduled for April 7. It was held on April 14 as originally scheduled.
Could the South Acton flex zone be flexed to all three schools?
No. In the final Scenario 7, the default placement is Parker Damon, and it can only be flexed to the Boardwalk Campus.
What if a grandfathered family later moves within the district, but not into the legacy school’s region?
The district intends to honor grandfathering as long as the student remains in the district, so they do not keep transitioning.
How will the district make sure geographic assignment doesn’t lead to persistent disparities?
The district uses extensive social-emotional, literacy, and math screening data to identify cohorts needing assistance. Comparing future MCAS results to previous school settings will not be accurate because student populations will be different.
If we move to another zone but stay in Acton, would our children change schools?
Yes, unless you are part of a grandfathered group. The district typically allows students to stay at their existing school until the end of that school year.
What percentage of Acton students at Blanchard have accepted grandfathering?
Not yet analyzed, as the survey process is ongoing.
Will April 30 placements reflect approved grandfathering opt-outs?
Yes, for families who submitted the opt-out survey by April 16.
Can incoming kindergarteners list six supportive peers?
No. The supportive peer process is only for current students changing schools. Kindergarteners are entering on a level playing field.
How can families suggest peers without knowing classmates’ placements?
On April 30, PowerSchool will show each child’s school assignment along with the names of all students in that grade level at that school.
Will there be safety updates at Parker Damon, such as fences for ground-level classrooms?
Significant structural changes are not planned. All exterior doors are kept locked, and the district works continuously with local police and fire departments on building security.
Can packing bins arrive later to avoid causing student anxiety?
The district is balancing educators’ packing needs with students’ emotional needs. Teachers are encouraged to pack non-essential items later, and schools are looking for storage outside classrooms where possible.
When will permission forms to share contact information arrive?
Pushed to mid-May. The district can already share student names for peer grouping without extra forms; contact information for social purposes will be collected later.
When will the schools be named?
Blanchard retains its name. The other campuses will be Boardwalk (Lower and Upper) and Parker Damon (Lower and Upper). The School Committee may choose different names in the future.
What is the plan to increase after-school care capacity?
The district recognizes the challenge, especially with Wednesday early releases, but does not yet have a solid plan to significantly increase capacity.
What is the financial impact of closing two schools?
The district expects to save $1.5–1.6 million annually in operating costs, totaling $16–17 million over 10 years, and avoids $50–100 million in costs to renovate or replace an aging building.
Will campus PTOs be merged?
That is up to individual PTO leadership teams, which are independent of the district. Discussions are underway.
Will students new to a building get priority in peer groupings?
No. The goal is successful cohorts for all students, whether they stay in a familiar building or move to a new one.
Will cohorts be kept together from K to 6?
The district keeps certain students together when beneficial, but also values the opportunity for students to meet new friends each year.
About 45 families attended this webinar to ask questions about the restructuring process.
Class lists will be shared during the last week of June so families can connect over the summer. Teacher names will be available in August, because staffing can change over the summer. Families will receive an email in August to log into PowerSchool and complete required forms, which unlocks the teacher’s name.
All schools will start with consistent practices, including Pickup Patrol for dismissal at every level. A true school culture takes time; expect one to two years for each community to build its own identity. Teaching and curriculum are already consistent across AB schools.
Many classrooms are already having conversations about AB Forward, usually prompted by students. Teachers are receiving guidance on how to talk with students, and Cartwheel Care and the Lesley Institute for Trauma Sensitivity are advising the district on age-appropriate support.
The district is hiring an attorney to help PTOs navigate the transition to new structures. The Superintendent meets with PTO leaders monthly, with a follow-up meeting in about two weeks.
Do grandfathered students need to do anything to be placed at Blanchard?
No. Grandfathered students are placed automatically unless the family requested something different through the district survey.
Will Conant students in a flex zone get preference for Acton, since few are transferring to Blanchard?
No. Conant students are placed at the default geographic school. Adding more grandfathering exceptions created more “singletons,” students transitioning in very small numbers, which was not in their best interest.
When will we see class lists and teacher assignments? Will the survey consider more than social-emotional concerns?
Class lists will be published in the last week of the school year, and teacher names in August through PowerSchool after required forms are completed. The open-ended survey section welcomes any relevant information, including academic needs and peer dynamics.
When and how will PTOs be reformed?
The district is supporting the process, including hiring an attorney to advise PTOs. The Superintendent meets monthly with PTO heads.
Will all schools use the same systems, such as Pickup Patrol?
Yes. Pickup Patrol will be used at all levels, though dismissal for younger students (K–1) may look somewhat different than for older students (grades 5–6).
How will each school’s culture form, given families valued the distinct cultures of existing schools?
The district deliberately chose not to assign cultures before the communities form, which would feel artificial. Schools start with the district-wide mission, vision, and values, and each culture will develop over one to two years, shaped by the students, families, and educators in the building.
How will new families who aren’t on ParentSquare learn their placement and preview dates?
The district website’s interactive map lets new families find their assigned school by address, and the registrar walks new families through the process at registration.
Will teaching approaches differ between schools, as Conant and McT once did?
The Superintendent does not expect significant differences. During walkthroughs this year, the same math lesson, including the same slides, was observed in four different schools. Families should expect a consistent, high-quality experience regardless of school.
Will students be introduced to the changes gently before the end of the year?
Yes, and this is already happening. Teachers have initial guidance, more training is coming, and the strategies shared with parents in the Cartwheel Care webinar will also be taught to educators so families and schools are aligned.
Held 7:00–8:00 PM (virtual). Dr. Juliana Chen, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at Cartwheel Care, provided parents and staff with practical, evidence-informed strategies to support children through significant school and district transitions. Children often express stress through behavioral changes rather than words, so Dr. Chen encouraged caregivers to stay steady, curious, and present, validating their child’s experiences without rushing to fix or dismiss them. By making the transition “talk-aboutable,” keeping consistent routines, and facilitating intentional closure, families can help children see transitions as opportunities to build resilience. The session reassured families that they are not alone: the district increased counseling staff, partnered with Cartwheel Care, and committed to responsive, routine-based support.
How should I start a conversation about classroom packing and visible changes?
Make things talk-aboutable with advance notice and context. Staff can give warnings or involve students in packing. Parents can stay informed through newsletters and ask open-ended questions, such as “I heard they’re cleaning up some classrooms. What was that like for you?”
What about older students or alumni upset that their elementary school won’t be there to visit?
Older students may process feelings creatively, through letters, art, or music. The district may have logistical limits on physical access, but it is worth asking about future opportunities to visit or say goodbye to favorite teachers.
Is there a plan for how schools will support closure?
Staff were trained on May 4 on language and support strategies for the end of the year, and the district committed to sending families information on how schools are approaching closure.
Can lower school families attend upper school open houses?
Initial open houses are generally reserved for specific families to provide individual attention and keep crowds manageable. Reach out to the new principal for advice; schools sometimes host smaller, quieter sessions for students who need extra support.
What support will be available in the fall?
Additional counseling staff, Responsive Classroom routines from the first day, formal transition plans for identified students, and continued access to Cartwheel Care.
A virtual family webinar on district-wide teaching and learning practices in the new elementary model. A written summary and recording were not posted for this session.
Webinars were held on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. unless noted, with a direct link sent to families the morning of each session. The originally announced schedule was January 27, January 29 (added due to a technical issue), February 3, February 24, March 10, March 24, April 14, April 28, May 12, and May 26. The February 24 webinar was postponed and held on Friday, February 27, at noon via Zoom.
Frequently asked questions about the final decision, plus the family questions submitted before the April 14 webinar. Questions answered during each webinar are in the webinar records.
These answers are based on the School Committee’s votes on the new elementary school boundaries and enrollment policies.
1. What was the final decision made by the School Committee?
The School Committee officially adopted Scenario 7 as the new elementary school geographic boundary map. This plan was chosen to balance student enrollment and ensure equitable resources across the district. The changes took effect on July 1, 2026.
2. What are flex zones and how do they work?
Flex zones are specific geographic areas where a student may be assigned to one of two schools. They allow the district to manage enrollment year-round and avoid overcrowding. Every home in a flex zone has a geographic default school. If a class reaches capacity, the district first asks for volunteers who wish to flex to the alternate school. Without volunteers, the district may reassign students based on operational necessity to keep class sizes balanced. See Flex Zone Logistics.
3. Will siblings be separated?
No. The district has committed to a policy of non-separation for siblings currently enrolled in our elementary schools (grades K–6). Siblings will not be assigned to different campuses unless a parent or guardian explicitly requests a move.
4. Who is eligible for grandfathering?
The Committee approved grandfathering for two groups: Acton residents attending Blanchard Memorial School, and students in the Expanded Blanchard Zone (families newly zoned for Blanchard who attended a different Acton elementary school). Grandfathering applied only to students enrolled in grades K–5 during the 2025–26 school year, not to incoming kindergarteners or students who enrolled after June 30, 2026.
5. What if I have a younger child starting school later?
Grandfathering does not apply to younger siblings not yet enrolled. A younger sibling starting kindergarten in 2026 or later is assigned to their new geographic school. If this results in children at two different schools, families could opt out of grandfathering for the older child so they move to the new geographic school together.
6. Can I opt out of my grandfathered placement?
Families who were grandfathered but preferred their new geographically assigned school could submit an opt-out request through the district survey by Thursday, April 16, 2026. Opt-outs were binding so the district could finalize staffing and section sizes, and the district attempted to honor all requests but could not guarantee them.
7. What are extraordinary circumstances?
Documented, high-level needs such as medical or physical disabilities where a student requires specific building facilities, safety or legal mandates verified by law enforcement, and severe hardship for vulnerable populations such as housing instability. General stress, social peer groups, or family legacy (following an older sibling’s path) generally do not qualify. See Extraordinary Considerations.
8. Where can I see which school my house is assigned to?
Search by address on the ABRSD Interactive Geographic School Zone Map.
As of April 14, 2026 at 2:00 PM, the district had received 14 question submissions. The webinar focused on implementation questions; questions about the process of arriving at the decision could be directed to the Superintendent or School Committee.
If a parent opts out of grandfathering to keep siblings together, is that placement guaranteed, or could they still be separated?
Placement is not guaranteed when a parent submits an opt-out request, but the district will do everything it can to honor those requests, particularly when a younger sibling is entering the district. Our priority is to honor families’ desire to keep siblings together. We would only separate siblings under extraordinary circumstances, and after consulting with the family.
Can you clarify the disclaimer, “We attempt to honor all requests, but cannot guarantee them”? This creates significant anxiety for families trying to keep siblings together.
See the previous response.
We live on the boundary of Boardwalk and Parker Damon. If a student has attended Boardwalk for three years, can they be prioritized to stay?
The administration must place students based on the geographic map unless the student is in a group grandfathered into their current school. The administration cannot create exceptions unless there is an extraordinary circumstance to consider.
Is there a risk that families in flex zones assume they are grandfathered when they aren’t? Can you clarify the Expanded Blanchard Zone?
The district published final school assignments in PowerSchool on Thursday, April 30, so families could confirm their assignment. Currently enrolled students are placed by the primary school assignment on the geographic map unless they are in a grandfathered group. The district will not use alternate flex zone assignments for currently enrolled students, and families with students already attending a school will not have younger siblings flexed to different schools. Flex zones may only be used for students newly enrolled for 2026–27; incoming kindergarteners without older siblings already attending may be flexed to a secondary assignment.
In small private communities, can you guarantee all children in a flex zone are assigned to the same school for carpooling and community cohesion?
Currently enrolled families are placed in their primary school assignment unless grandfathered. Some students with disabilities may attend a school other than their primary assignment. Newly enrolled families for 2026–27 without children already in the district may be flexed to one of two schools to balance enrollment and class sizes.
Why were flex zones added for North Acton when most of that area already attends Boardwalk?
Flex zones allow the district to balance capacity and class sizes across all schools. The North Acton Flex Zone balances enrollment between the Boardwalk and Parker Damon campuses.
Scenario 7 feels like a last-minute addition. Why was it necessary?
At its March 19 meeting, the School Committee expressed interest in continuing to discuss Scenario 7. The consultant sought to improve it, and in the end the committee felt Scenario 7 was the better overall scenario for the district.
How will you prevent overloading Blanchard?
The School Committee gave the administration several options to balance class sizes at Blanchard. The district may offer additional school assignment options to families not covered by baseline grandfathering, only in Blanchard grades that exceed the anticipated district average class size. These options require parent approval and are prioritized as follows: (1) flex zone residents, (2) transportation efficiency, and (3) self-transportation. The district planned to reassess Blanchard class sizes in early May once placements were confirmed and work through the priorities, likely through June 2026, after which it may consider staffing adjustments.
Could the district honor volunteer swaps (for example, 10 families moving A to B and 10 moving B to A) before resorting to a lottery or forced moves?
The district is not pursuing a lottery or forced moves and is not able to offer placement swaps. If problematic class sizes persist after placements are confirmed at the end of April, the district will balance them using the process above.
Will each family receive an individual communication naming their school assignment?
All families can view their child’s assignment in PowerSchool as of April 30. Grandfathered families had an opportunity to request an opt-out, and the district confirmed those requests before publishing placements.
What do the hatched areas on the map represent?
The hatched areas are flex zones: parts of the community with both a primary and a secondary school assignment that the district may use to balance class sizes. See Flex Zone Logistics.
What happens if a family moves mid-year or just before the school year?
The student may transfer immediately to the new school, or remain at the previous school through the end of the year if the family provides transportation, transferring at the start of the next year. The formal process will be codified in administrative procedures.
How do these boundary changes reflect or improve diversity (for example, the low representation of African American students at the Boardwalk Campus)?
The demographic trends for the adopted enrollment plan were shared in a chart on the original page.
How will teacher selections and classroom placements be made?
Staff placements considered: balancing school needs (a healthy mix of experience levels and instructional strengths), professional diversity (a variety of teaching styles and backgrounds), holistic review (professional judgment and meetings with principals), and staff success (centering student needs while positioning staff where they can succeed). Families can share potential supportive peers, which are shared with current classroom teachers. As in any year, teachers consider many factors when placing students into cohorts, and while staff work to honor families’ priorities, many factors can limit how students are placed together.
What input will parents or staff have to match students with the right teacher and a balanced peer group?
Current teachers, school staff, and principals review peer groups in a multi-stage process: (1) initial classroom teacher input, (2) educators in current schools working with grade-level colleagues to develop cohorts, and (3) educators across all schools balancing cohorts districtwide. Principals at the new schools assign teachers to cohorts.
Can parents request specific teachers or placement with familiar friends?
Families were surveyed beginning April 30 about supportive peers. The district works to incorporate these requests but cannot guarantee specific peers, and does not accept requests for a specific teacher.
What is the common pedagogy going forward, and what does a typical day look like?
The district already uses a common pedagogy for social-emotional learning, literacy, math, science, and social studies, and all schools share a common schedule very similar to before, including time for each subject, specials (art, music, PE, library), flex block, lunch, and recess.
With many principals and staff staying in their buildings, how will you ensure a unified instructional goal rather than old ideologies?
Staff were assigned based on many factors, including the creation of new school cultures and identities. The May 26 family webinar focused on teaching and learning practices in the new model.
Can you show what qualifies as the Expanded Blanchard Zone?
It is the westernmost portion of Acton, outlined in red on the district’s map. It does not apply to any other area, including the portion of Boxborough designated as a flex zone.
Does grandfathering in the Expanded Blanchard Zone apply to 5th graders living in the Boxborough flex zone who attend Gates? Can they stay at Gates for 6th grade?
No. This provision applies only to students living in Acton. It does not apply to students living in Boxborough and attending Acton schools, which was not one of the groups covered by the School Committee vote.
Is there a timeline for how AB Forward was implemented?
Yes. See the timeline and the Implementation Roadmap.
Where can I find information about the decision-making process?
See the Planning Record. Agendas, minutes, and documents the School Committee used in making its decisions are on the School Committee website.
The original project scope, every Steering Committee update from May 2025 on, the boundary process, the implementation roadmap, and budget materials, organized from the most recent backward. Dates show when each update was posted, which may be a few days after the meeting it describes.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| May 12 | Family webinar: Supporting Your Child Through the Transition with Dr. Juliana Chen, Cartwheel Care, 7:00–8:00 PM (virtual) |
| May 13 | District notified families of extraordinary circumstances request status (4:00 PM) |
| May 26 | Family webinar: District-Wide Teaching & Learning Practices with Assistant Superintendent Dr. Gabby Abrams (virtual) |
| June 1 | District notified families of decisions on extraordinary circumstance requests (rolling basis) |
| June 2 | School previews: Boardwalk Lower, 5:30–6:30 PM; Parker Damon Lower, 5:30–7:00 PM |
| June 8 | School previews: Blanchard, Boardwalk Upper, and Parker Damon Upper, 5:30–6:30 PM |
| July 1 | New geographic boundaries and enrollment policies officially took effect |
Learn more about the budgetary impact of the AB Forward work by watching the School Committee’s presentation to Acton Town Meeting, or read a written version of the presentation.
Focus: community input, leadership decisions, and logistical inventories.
Focus: staffing updates and finalized placement notifications.
Focus: open houses, student cohort building, and physical packing.
Focus: final logistics and welcoming students to new spaces.
The district created new school attendance zones based on home addresses to ensure class sizes and student populations are balanced fairly across the district. The plan uses flex zones to manage changes in enrollment over time, keeping schools stable without frequently redrawing maps. Finalizing these boundaries was the most important step in allowing the district to assign teachers, build bus routes, and give families the certainty they needed to prepare for the school year.
The district worked with Dillinger Research and Applied Design (RAD) to draw new elementary attendance maps, using data to create fair zones that will last a long time, with a final vote in April.
On February 12, 2026, the district launched its first survey on community priorities for the boundaries, to inform the School Committee’s early decisions. The survey closed on February 25, 2026. Families could also share ideas directly with Dillinger RAD by email.
Acton-Boxborough Regional School District partnered with District Management Group (DMGroup) on a strategic planning and district reorganization initiative to create an updated strategic plan and a set of 3–5 actionable options for district reorganization that could guide district operations for the next 5–10 years.
The strategic plan is a clear roadmap that helps everyone work together to reach important goals for students and the district in a way that is sustainable for the community. Its components:
On December 2, 2025, the AB Forward Steering Committee voted to recommend four options to the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee for final consideration:
These options were presented to the full School Committee on December 4, 2025. The School Committee continued to deliberate on all four options and requested additional information about each, which was discussed at the December 18, 2025 meeting.
The AB Forward Steering Committee met on November 18, 2025, and voted to eliminate five options from consideration:
After two rounds of voting, the decision to eliminate these options was based on polling in which committee members expressed unanimous agreement. The other options had varied levels of support and were discussed further at the December 2 meeting.
This stage of the process involves incredibly difficult decision-making. A decision that may feel like relief to some may represent a significant loss for others. I would strongly encourage us all to act with both empathy and compassion for all of the members of our community as we move through the next month or so together. This is not easy and is deeply impacting many of us in different ways.
To kick off a round of significant community engagement through focus groups, community forums, and a survey, the district provided materials explaining each option. All three resources are based on the original District Management Group slides, presented in different formats to meet a variety of community members’ needs.
The explainer video was created using Google’s NotebookLM, a generative AI tool.
AB Forward hosted a virtual forum on October 30, 2025. The consultant reported more than 600 attendees throughout the evening.
The original page noted that the forum slides were posted at the top of the AB Forward website.
See the October 23 School Committee meeting record for the summary from the approved minutes.
About 75 families joined the district and DMGroup at the ABRHS Auditorium for the first community forum to discuss reorganization options.
On October 7, 2025, the Strategic Planning and Reorganization Steering Committee met to begin discussing potential district reorganization. Committee leadership emphasized that this was only the start of a longer process, describing the meeting as “the first lap” of several. The minutes of the previous meeting were unanimously approved.
The committee addressed community concerns about whether decisions had already been made or whether only cost-sustainable options were being considered. While cost stability serves as a necessary boundary, leadership emphasized that decisions should prioritize students, families, staff, and curriculum.
Consultants from DMGroup presented nine preliminary reorganization scenarios, narrowed primarily based on the feasibility of existing facilities and projected enrollment, though some options might require temporary modular classrooms. Scenarios included maintaining six K–6 schools while consolidating four buildings into three, potentially by closing Conant; shifting to five schools by merging two or closing one; and grade-banded models, such as an Early Childhood Center (Pre-K–K) combined with lower elementary (grades 1–3) and upper elementary (grades 4–6). Secondary options included moving 6th graders to the junior high to form a 6–8 middle school, or moving 8th graders to the high school to create space.
To support informed decision-making, the district commissioned research on the social, emotional, and academic impacts of these configurations and their effects on family engagement, to be shared before the next meeting.
Community participation plays a central role. All feedback from focus groups, surveys, and public meetings is considered equally. A community survey and three public meetings were planned, and the committee aimed to narrow the options to two or three final recommendations for the School Committee by its December 2 meeting.
The Steering Committee focused on making sure the process is clear and fair. Members asked for more information on how the options were developed, their costs, and how they might affect students, teachers, and families. They also requested research on the impact of different school setups on learning, class sizes, and social-emotional well-being. Committee members asked for clarity on special education programs, staffing changes, and transportation effects.
Public comments shared at the end of the meeting focused on the social and emotional impact of potential school reorganizations, particularly concerns about separating siblings, losing cross-age interactions, and ensuring students feel known and supported during transitions. Attendees requested detailed data on student outcomes, enrollment trends, school choice preferences, and financial implications to guide decision-making. Many also emphasized the importance of maintaining community trust, the culture of the district, and clear timelines for implementation.
The video was created using Google’s NotebookLM, a generative AI tool. It provides a high-level overview of the AB Forward reorganization work, but by design it lacks important details of each option. The district encouraged viewers to use the video and slides together to gain a deeper understanding of the potential options.
The slides were presented at the AB Forward Steering Committee meeting on October 7, 2025.
The project entered the phase focused on the possible reorganization of our schools. On October 7, District Management Group shared preliminary reorganization options with the Steering Committee, with the agenda and materials posted to the official meetings website on October 3. Steering Committee meetings were open to the public.
Launched in mid-October. All community members were encouraged to participate.
More than 30 focus groups with capacity for up to 250 participants across stakeholder groups. Invitations went out on this schedule:
Once community engagement was complete, the information helped the Steering Committee narrow the options to the top two or three concepts for submission to the School Committee.
The Steering Committee met on September 9 to continue its work on the district’s next strategic plan. The discussion centered on developing a clear theory of action (how the district achieves its goals) and identifying priority areas to guide planning. The group voted to recommend modifications to the district’s mission and vision as noted in the presentation materials, and previewed the framework for evaluating future reorganization options.
Joe Costello (DMG) introduced a framework for evaluating possible reorganization of the district to better meet student needs, guided by four dimensions:
DMG would provide the Steering Committee with 6–10 possible options in October, and the Steering Committee would use community feedback to narrow them to two or three for School Committee review in December 2025.
The School Committee and Steering Committee committed to a process that is inclusive, transparent, and responsive to community feedback.
At the September 4 School Committee meeting, DMGroup presented an overview of its findings on the current strengths and challenges within our schools. These findings served as the foundation for developing the district’s next strategic plan and for considering potential school reorganization options.
Superintendent Peter Light called the meeting to order with a quorum present, welcomed members, and introduced high school principal Joanie Dean as a guest pending formal appointment by the School Committee. The committee approved the minutes of its June 10, 2025 meeting and acknowledged public comments. Members noted that the community wants to understand the reorganization process better and is concerned that decisions might already be finalized.
Joe Costello and Yash Arora of District Management Group shared their analysis of the district:
The presentation also reviewed the strategic planning process and the district’s mission and vision. The community held a very positive view of the existing statements, and the working group suggested small wording changes, such as adding “inclusive” to the mission and changing a verb in the vision, to better reflect the district’s commitment to belonging. The next meeting, on September 9, would focus on the theory of action, while DMG began organizing October community engagement on specific reorganization options.
The Strategic Planning & Reorganization Steering Committee took the name A-B Forward: Shaping Our Future Together.
At its June 10 meeting, the committee approved the minutes of its May 27 meeting and reviewed public comments. Joe Costello of DMG updated members on stakeholder engagement, including preliminary interviews and focus groups gathering input on the district’s current state and future needs. The committee discussed its strategic planning framework, focusing on prioritizing initiatives and creating actionable steps, and emphasized the need for comprehensive community input throughout the process.
Peter Light chaired the first meeting of the strategic planning and reorganization Steering Committee, made up of School Committee members, educators, and parents. The committee discussed the need for a new strategic plan focused on meeting students’ needs during a period of declining enrollment and limited resources. District Management Group would assist with stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and actionable strategies. The committee emphasized transparency, public records compliance, and maintaining community trust, with the aim of presenting final options by December 2025.
The Steering Committee included School Committee members, families, educators, and school and district administrators. Meetings were open to the public and held in the Auditorium of the Administration Building, 15 Charter Rd., Acton. Agendas (posted at least 48 hours in advance) and minutes were published on the School Committee website.
| # | Date | Drafted objectives |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tue, May 27 6:30–7:30 pm | Public Records and Open Meeting Law training; introduce the committee to DMGroup and the process; introduce a strategic planning framework; confirm members’ role |
| 2 | Tue, Jun 10 6:30–7:30 pm | Strategic planning framework; district mission, vision, and theory of action; next steps for the summer |
| 3 | Mon, Aug 25 6:30–8:00 pm | Review stakeholder feedback and DMGroup diagnostic findings; workshop mission, vision, and theory of action |
| 4 | Tue, Sep 9 6:30–8:00 pm | Confirm mission and vision; discuss theory of action and priority themes; review preliminary reorganization options for community feedback |
| 5 | Tue, Oct 7 6:30–8:00 pm | Confirm theory of action, priorities, and measurable goals; confirm reorganization options for community feedback; engagement update |
| 6 | Tue, Nov 18 6:30–8:00 pm | Review stakeholder feedback on options; confirm strategic plan elements; align on finalizing options for the School Committee |
| 7 | Tue, Dec 2 6:30–8:00 pm | Final presentation of the strategic plan and reorganization options ahead of sharing with the School Committee |
All comments submitted to the Steering Committee were public records. Community members could submit comments through the official Public Comment Form (the preferred method, so comments were logged and distributed to all members) or by emailing the School Committee, in which case the sender’s email address became part of the public record.
Quick meeting updates were created with the assistance of generative AI and may contain errors. They are not a substitute for approved meeting minutes, which are approved at the next regularly scheduled Steering Committee meeting.
