Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4096
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
October 22, 2012
Daniel G. Durgin, Superintendent
Sturbridge Public School
320A Brookfield Road
Fiskdale, MA 01518
Re: Burgess Elementary School Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Durgin:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report based
on the onsite visit conducted in your district in May 2012. During the Mid-Cycle Review the
Department monitored selected special education criteria to determine your district’s compliance
with special education laws and regulations. The review consisted of information gathered from
one or more of the following activities: interviews, review of student records, examination of
documentation, and classroom observation(s).
The Department determined that one or more of the criteria monitored in your district was
“Partially Implemented” or “Not Implemented.” In all instances where noncompliance was
found, the Department has prescribed corrective action for the district. This corrective action
must be implemented as soon as possible, but in no case later than a year from the date of this
report. You will find these requirements for corrective action included in the enclosed report,
along with requirements for submitting progress reports using the enclosed form.
Please provide the Department with your written assurance that all of the required corrective
action will be implemented by your district within the timelines specified in the report. You
must submit your statement of assurance to Darlene Lynch, Director, Program Quality Assurance
Services, by November 7, 2012.
1
Your staff's cooperation throughout this Mid-cycle Review is appreciated. If you have questions
about this letter or the enclosed report, please do not hesitate to contact Suzanne M. Shaw at 781338-3727.
Sincerely,
Suzanne M. Shaw, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
cc:
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Elizabeth Y. Ahern, Ed.D., Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Katherine Alexander, School Committee Chairman
Brenda Looney, Local Program Review Coordinator
Daniel Carlson, Principal Burgess Elementary School
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Sturbridge Public School
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: May 15, 2012
Date of this Report: October 22, 2012
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN TWO SECTIONS.
Required Special Education Criteria Monitored in this Mid-cycle Review
Current special education criteria available by scrolling down to the special education instrument at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/default.html
Criterion
SE 7
Transfer of
parental
rights and
student
participation
and consent
at age of
majority
Criterion
Implemented

Not
Applicable
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
Sturbridge Public School serves
students from pre-kindergarten
through sixth grade.
Sturbridge Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 22, 2012
Page 1 of 5
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and
attendance

SE 18A
IEP
development
and content

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
A review of student records and
interviews with staff members
indicated that the district
maintains procedures consistent
with the requirements for Team
attendance at each IEP meeting.
Team chairs have received
training and are implementing
the excusal process that includes
parental agreement and a written
report from the absent required
Team member.
Interviews with staff members
and a review of student records
showed that the IEP Team
considers and addresses the
skills and proficiencies needed
to avoid and respond to
bullying, harassment, or teasing
for students identified with a
disability that affects social
skills development or when the
student’s disability makes him
or her vulnerable to bullying,
Sturbridge Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 22, 2012
Page 2 of 5
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
harassment or teasing, as well as
for students identified with a
disability on the autism
spectrum.
SE 25
Parental
consent

Student
Records
Document
Review
Staff
Interviews
Interviews with staff members
and a review of district
documentation indicated that the
district has procedures in place
to address when a parent
revokes consent to special
education services in writing.
The file review demonstrated
that the district acts promptly
and provides written notice to
the parent/guardian’s written
request to discontinue services
based on the revocation of
consent, as well as information
on how the parent can obtain a
copy of his/her procedural
safeguards before the district
discontinues the services.
Sturbridge Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 22, 2012
Page 3 of 5
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Additional Special Education Criteria Monitored in this Mid-cycle Review
Current special education criteria available by scrolling down to the special education instrument at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/default.html
Criterion
SE 32
Parent
Advisory
Council
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
PI
Method(s) of
Investigation
Document
Review
Parent
Interview
Staff
Interview
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
A review of district
documentation and
interviews with parents and
staff members
demonstrated that each
individual school district
within School Union 61
has not established a
separate Parent Advisory
Council (PAC) for each
entity; however Tantasqua
Regional and School Union
61 has established a unified
PAC with parent
representation from the
member schools. These six
districts maintain separate
organizational codes,
school committees, and
budgets but do share the
resources of a regional
middle and high school.
Since the district is participating in
the regional Parent Advisory
Council (PAC), which was
established by the six districts that
comprise School Union 61, each
individual district within the Union
must request a waiver from the
Department seeking approval to
implement a regulation in an
alternative manner, specifically in
this instance, satisfaction of 603
CMR 28.07 (4) Parent Advisory
Council for Special Education. A
request for a waiver for alternative
compliance may be found at:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/for
ms.html . Please include all
applicable forms and
documentation, including the cover
letter found at the above listed link.
The district must work with the
Tantasqua/Union 61 Parent
Sturbridge Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 22, 2012
Page 4 of 5
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
The district must
submit their
request for a
waiver for
alternative
compliance, along
with all applicable
forms to the
Department for
approval by
November 26,
2012.
The district must
provide a copy of
the plan developed
in conjunction
with the
Tanatasqua/ Union
61 PAC. Please
provide this to the
Department by
November 26,
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
School Union 61
administrators maintain
that the regional PAC
supports the alignment of
services between the
districts as well the needs
of the parents and students.
Advisory Council (PAC) to
develop a written plan that ensures
PAC participation in the evaluation
of the district’s special education
programs. This plan should
include a narrative description of
the procedures that will be put into
place, the name/role of responsible
district staff member(s) and a
timeline for implementation.
Interviews indicated that
the Tantasqua/Union 61
PAC has by-laws, meets
regularly and conducts an
annual workshop on the
rights of students and their
parents and guardians
under state and federal
special education laws.
However, interviews also
indicated that the district
does not have a clearly
defined process for the
PAC to participate in the
evaluation of the school
district’s special education
programs.
Sturbridge Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 22, 2012
Page 5 of 5
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
2012.
Please provide a
written narrative
that update’s
progress made on
the plan and steps
taken to ensure
that PAC
members
participate in the
evaluation of the
school district’s
special education
programs. Please
provide this to the
Department by
May 24, 2013.
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Sturbridge Public School
M I D – CY C L E P R O G R E S S R E P O R T
Date Prepared: ____________________________________
Prepared by: __________________________________________________________________
(name and title)
Criterion: _______________________
Topic: ________________________________________________________________________
For each criterion for which you prepare a progress report, please



make a copy of this cover page,
fill in the information requested above, and
attach a complete description of the corrective action taken and any accompanying documentation.
(Description of corrective action for each criterion and any accompanying documentation should include all of the
“Progress Report Required Elements” for that criterion in the Mid-cycle Report.)
Send the whole set of completed progress reports to:
Darlene Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148-4906