Chicopee School Committee unanimously accepts superintendent's five strategic goals

CHICOPEE -- November 5, 2025, Chicopee School Committee unanimously accepts superintendent's goals and hears state review findings. The full 12-member committee voted 12-0 Wednesday to accept Superintendent Dr. Marcus Ware's 2025-2026 goals, which set a 5 percent academic growth target in ELA and math, a higher target for students with disabilities and multi-language learners, and a 1 percent reduction in chronic absenteeism, all measured by internal benchmarks rather than MCAS following the passage of Question 2. Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Belleville presented findings from a 111-page state Comprehensive District Review conducted in April, reporting that the district exceeded state targets for dropout rate, English proficiency progress, and advanced coursework completion, and that chronic absenteeism has fallen to 14.3 percent. Belleville noted current enrollment of 6,625 students, down from 6,755 last year, partly due to the closure of migrant family shelters. The committee also approved a memorandum of understanding correcting a compensation error in Vector training pay for Unit E paraprofessionals and voted 12-0 to enter executive session for collective bargaining strategy with four employee units.