Weston School Committee Launches EL Education Curriculum, Pulls Gaming Club Proposal

WESTON — October 6, 2025 — Weston School Committee launches sweeping elementary literacy overhaul and receives world language external review. Director of Elementary Curriculum Deb Moriarty told the committee Monday that grades four and five began the new EL Education K-5 ELA 2025 curriculum that same day, with a kindergarten-through-grade-three rollout planned for January; a full Fundations structured literacy program is simultaneously in place pre-K through grade three, though funding gaps have delayed purchase of recommended classroom libraries. An external review team led by Dr. Catherine Ritz recommended the district explore a Chinese dual-language immersion program, increase middle school world language contact time from twice weekly to parity with other core subjects, and redesign curriculum around a thematic, language-agnostic framework — with World Languages Coordinator Kathy Baker noting sixth-grade world language meets twice a week against five or more sessions weekly for math, science, ELA, and social studies. The committee voted 4-0 to approve the consent agenda after pulling a student Clash Royale gaming club proposal over cell phone policy conflicts, inviting sponsors to a future meeting, then voted 4-0 to enter executive session on collective bargaining. Member Stephen Dietz announced two public presentations on the high school and middle school feasibility study — October 23 in person at Case House and a subsequent online session — with the district awaiting an MSBA acceptance decision by mid-December on a project where high school roof replacement alone is estimated at $12 million.