Webutuck’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports team attended the first of four MTSS countywide meetings for the 2024-2025 school year at Dutchess BOCES on Sept. 24.
MTSS is a framework to help schools provide academic, behavioral and social-emotional support to all students. The program is designed to assure students are given the support they need to succeed.
In the program, a teacher and administrator may meet to address an area that a student may need additional support, design a plan to attain a goal and meet regularly to discuss the student’s progress.
Webutuck was one of several Dutchess County districts represented at the meeting. Representing Webutuck at the meeting was Jennifer Hengen, Eugene Brooks Intermediate School principal for students in grades four, five and six; Amanda Coppola, principal of Webutuck Elementary School; Cara Tomasetti, school psychologist; Stefanie Milot, teacher, and Karen Kleespies, teacher.
“It’s a nice team analyzing things that we’re really doing well and things that we need to tweak a little bit more,” said Hengen. “It’s a really nice way of collaborating, using our resources and supporting our students. The goal is to have this tiered system of supports going through pre-k to 12th grade.”
The Webutuck team met days after attending the meeting at BOCES.
“We will meet as a district team and we will meet as building teams from there to address what needs to be supported in our own systems,” said Coppola. “We’re making sure our systems are running clearly, so we’re supporting every kid and getting every kid what they need.”
At Webutuck, Hengen and Milot introduced the program to the elementary school when Hengen was the building principal. The program was brought to the intermediate school last year and will be added to the high school.
“Jenn (Hengen) had some good systems in place already, so we’re just now analyzing those, seeing what programming we need to get for students,” said Coppola of the elementary school. “We’re looking at where our students are struggling and making sure we have those supports in place within the classroom, but also in pull-out services so that there’s something for every child that needs an intervention in place.”
