February Somerville Public Schools News

Somerville Public Schools

February 2026 News

From the Superintendent JR Lubisco

Dear Somerville Family,

🎯 2025–2026 District Goals: Midyear Update

At the 2/10/26 Board of Education meeting, we publicly presented our Midyear District Goals Check-In. Transparency matters. Progress matters. And most importantly — student growth matters. Somerville continues to be a special place because of the partnership between our students, staff, families, and community. At the midpoint of the year, I am proud to share that we are making meaningful progress toward the goals established at the start of the school year. Here's where we stand:

Academic Achievement: Increase student proficiency (meeting/exceeding expectations) on NJSLA by 3%.

Across the district, our midyear data shows encouraging growth in reading and math. Foundational skills are strengthening at the elementary level, middle school students are showing steady improvement, and high school benchmarks indicate forward movement.

While we are pleased with the progress we are seeing, we know there is still important work ahead, especially in mathematics and advanced reading comprehension.

We remain committed to continuing this growth together and ensuring every student reaches their full potential.

Tier 1 Data-Based Decision Making: Build staff capacity to implement a high-quality Tier 1 instructional framework. To improve student outcomes, we have:

Established teacher leadership teams for reading and math, clarified curriculum timelines, adopted iReady for regular student progress checks, organized our assessment data for easier tracking and faster response to student needs.

We are also committed to ensuring consistent, high-quality instruction across all classrooms by using real data to support teachers.

Culture & Climate: Implement an empirically supported third-party assessment to enhance school climate and culture.

Staff and parent feedback, gathered via surveys in December and January, was reviewed by school and district teams. February's work links these findings to program revisions. This analysis will guide next year's enhancements, focusing on student belonging, engagement, and school climate.

The bottom line:

Student growth is reducing the number of at-risk students. Clear systems have strengthened instruction and school climate. We will continue public progress reports and adjust our approach to meet every learner's unique needs. Together, we are building a strong, sustainable, and student-centered foundation in Somerville.

🌐 Referendum Website Revamp: Clearer. Easier. More Accessible!

We've refreshed and upgraded the Referendum section of our district website to make it more user-friendly, transparent, and accessible to our entire school community.

Why it matters:

As we move from planning to action, many projects will be going out to bid shortly so that construction can begin this spring and summer. This updated site will serve as our central hub for progress updates.

What's new: Improved Navigation | Enhanced FAQ Section | Real-Time Project Tracking

Details on navigating the updated site are available on Facebook and Instagram.

📂 Registration for Preschool and Kindergarten Are Open

Families are encouraged to review timelines carefully and submit Preschool registrations before the deadline.

🏅 Stay Updated
Check out our website for the latest on school events and programs. You can also find our sports schedules and follow us on social media for real-time updates:

District Website | Referendum Updates | Sports Schedules

Facebook | X | YouTube | Instagram

Looking forward to more great weeks ahead!

Warm regards,

Gary Lubisco, Jr.

Superintendent

Data-Based Decision Making

In support of the district's goal to build capacity in tier 1 data-based decision making, we are continuing to focus on the effective use of the LinkIt platform to analyze student performance data and inform instructional planning. In January, our district and school-based data teams received valuable training from LinkIt, with additional professional development planned for our teaching staff. Our professional development day on February 13th will concentrate on this critical area, providing teachers with intensive training on how to use data, including the LinkIt platform's reports and analysis tools, to best meet the needs of all students.

Data Chats

In keeping with data-based decision making, Data Team members, including Building Administrators, Curriculum Supervisors, Instructional Coaches, and Teachers, have been engaging in essential "data chats" to collaboratively analyze student progress using beginning and middle-of-year benchmark assessment data. These data analysis discussions lead to action steps within the classroom to provide specific and targeted instruction.

Is it Alive?

Our Somerville Middle School students from Ms. Amerman and Ms. Harrington's Science class participated in a virtual lab with Students 2 Science.

In the forensic biology lab, "Is It Alive?," students analyzed "mysterious material" from an archaeological dig. Using scientific techniques like extraction and separation, they sought to locate DNA and determine if the materials were once living.

Free or Reduced School Meals

Families can apply for Free or Reduced School Meals at any time during the school year. To view the income eligibility charts, please visit our newly updated webpage and click "Who can get free or reduced price meals?" to expand the charts.

If your child is already receiving free/reduced meals, no action is needed at this time.

If your child is not currently receiving free/reduced meals and you wish to apply you can...

Submit via the Realtime Parent Portal

Submit a hard copy application, which can be printed off our website or obtained at any school building or the Board of Education office.

Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG)

The Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG) is a parent-led, district-level advisory group that provides input and recommendations to the Somerville Public Schools regarding systemic issues related to special education programs and services.

The SEPAG is open to all parents and caregivers in the Somerville School District, including parents of students with disabilities, parents who have concerns about their child's learning or development, and parents who wish to learn more about special education and related services from early intervention through high school.

The SEPAG focuses on district-wide practices and programs. In accordance with New Jersey regulations, the SEPAG does not discuss individual student cases or confidential student matters.

The SEPAG works collaboratively with CST and district administration to identify trends, share parent perspectives, and support continuous improvement in special education services across all Somerville schools, including Van Derveer Elementary School, Somerville Middle School, Somerville High School, and out-of-district placements.

March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, and March 25th is CP Day. Wear Green on March 25th!

March 21st

is Lots of Socks day for World Down Syndrome Day. Wear mismatched socks! March 21st was chosen since the genetic cause of Down Syndrome is Trisomy 21, meaning an individual has three copies of the 21st chromosome instead of the typical two. The mismatched or odd socks directly symbolize this difference and the uniqueness of individuals with Down Syndrome.