Hatfield School Committee Eyes Move of Sixth Grade to Smith Academy

HATFIELD — March 25, 2024 — Hatfield School Committee explores moving sixth grade from elementary to Smith Academy. At a special March 25 meeting, Interim Superintendent Connor Driscoll reported that a survey of fifth grade families found 17 expressing enthusiastic support for the shift, seven showing moderate interest, and four in opposition. Sixth grade teachers Megan Bailey and Jennifer Sheret, with 13 and 14 years in the role respectively, argued that Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks place sixth grade standards in the middle school band and that the elementary schedule cannot provide adequate instructional time for science and social studies. The full middle school team at Smith Academy said it "universally supports" the move. Chair Christy Boudreau announced a go/no-go decision deadline of April 22 for the 2024-25 school year, with Driscoll describing the change as budget neutral and enrollment neutral. PTA President Jen Margolis pushed back, calling the timeline "rushed" and citing a Duke University study linking sixth graders in middle school settings to lower grades and higher discipline rates.