District Departments » Student Services and Transportation » Resources & Information

Resources & Information

Servicing students across all grade levels, the Student Support Team consists of School Psychologist, Dr. Linda Watt, Director of Student Services and Transportation, Stephanie Hoye, and Director of Special Education, Amy Moynihan.  This district team works closely with building-based guidance counselors, adjustment counselors and teachers to create student support plans for students who are struggling with behavioral and academic issues. Meetings are held bi-monthly via Zoom. Contact your child’s guidance counselor.
The Taunton Public Schools provides Newcomer Academies (NCA) at all three grade spans. Located at the Elizabeth Pole, John F. Parker Middle and the Taunton High School, students who have non or extremely limited English speaking and comprehension skills are provided with intensive and individualized instruction to develop and nurture their English language skills while preserving and respecting their native language.   
The Strive Program was established at Taunton High School in 2018 through a competitive nine year grant with the High Point Treatment Center in Brockton.  Presently, there are two full time clinicians and a therapeutic mentor located at the high school.  This program provides substance use counseling services as well as therapeutic support services. 
In conjunction with Mass General Hospital's Center for Addiction Medicine to support via easily deployed curricula targeting those students who demonstrate addictive behaviors or as an effort to be proactive in supporting students in their effort to withstand pressures to use substances. This program will be used as part of the district's restorative practices suite for students and families in grades 5-12. 
Drug Education Curriculum: Intervention, Diversion and Empowerment.
In alignment with all the high schools within the Hockomock League, Taunton High School has partnered with Kyle Cares, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting open and honest communication about the mental health challenges experienced by teens and young adults in today’s society. Ultimately, they aim to eliminate student self-harm and suicide by creating school environments where students and their caregivers have the confidence and support to seek help without shame or hesitation.This collaboration is an extension of all the wraparound supports currently being provided to TPS students, educators and families. 
The Mind Up Curriculum is a research-based program used in every classroom at the Edward F. Leddy Preschool, and across all elementary and middle school classrooms too.  Teachers are provided with daily lessons including videos and question-based lessons.  Lessons are focused on the five domains of Social Emotional Learning.
The Family Welcome Center provides wraparound supports to students and families in all grades. The Family Welcome Center is located at the John F. Parker Middle School. The staff includes ten community facilitators, and other support staff to assist families with registration, basic family needs, and many other resources. Community facilitators are assigned to school buildings. 
Each school has both a Parent-Teacher Partnership; otherwise known as PTOs or PTUs. Additionally, each school has a School Council in compliance with Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regulations. 
The District, in conjunction with parents, has a Special Education Parent Advisory Council or, SEPAC. This group has been well-established with Taunton. This year, the District has begun the process of establishing an English Language Parent Advisory Council or ELPAC.
SEPAC: www.TauntonSEPAC.org.
ELPAC: Contact the English Language Learners Program Director at 508.821.1230.
  • Manet Community Health Center- Taunton Public Schools has partnered with Manet to create a campus-based satellite health office located at Parker Middle School. This center will provide both medical and mental health supports. Contact (857) 358-7260
  • Community Counseling of Bristol County (CCBC) - (All Grades) We are presently contracted with Community Counseling of Bristol County. These are grant-funded.  CCBC offers school-based counseling services as well as support groups through the Access Center at the high school.  Contact (508)828-9916.
  • Community Crisis Intervention Team (CCIT) - Community-based forum focusing on problem-solving and interagency collaboration in response to an increasing number of challenging individuals and seemingly intractable situations in our community. It is a means of facilitating interagency communication, joint treatment plan development and implementation. The conferencing group endorses the philosophy that It’s not a matter of whose problem it is, rather it’s the community’s problem and everyone has a stake in finding a solution. Contact CCBC at (508) 828-9916.
  • CAC (All Grades) - The Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County provides professional development to 
    staff on recognizing and assisting families and students who have been impacted by trauma. Contact Andrea Souza at (508) 674-6111.
  • Attendance Diversion Program (All Students 16 and under) - Working with the Magistrate’s Office and the Taunton District of the Juvenile Court, the Taunton Public Schools and our assigned school truancy officers have partnered with the Taunton District Juvenile Court, DCF, Family Resource Center, to assist students by creating Integrated Care Plans for students with truancy issues.  This is a Pre CRA referral process. 
  • The Family Resource Center (All Families) - The Family Resource Center works in conjunction with the YMCA and the Juvenile Court of Taunton.  This organization offers a variety of support and resources to the families of Taunton as well as Bristol County.  They are included in our Juvenile Attendance Diversion Program through the Magistrate’s Office with Taunton Juvenile District Court.  Representatives include a clinician and support personnel.  Contact person Erin Kelley Green at (774) 501-2633.
  • Taunton Area School to Career (TASC) - In collaboration with TASC, the agency connects Taunton area employers with high school-aged students forming mentoring relationships. By providing individualized support, mentors provide life-changing career development insight and skills that are underidentified and untapped within our most at-risk student population. Contact (508) 821-2846.
  • Bridgewater State University (BSU) Student Success Coaches - In collaboration with BSU, the district will provide 20 students which will be hired as part of a pilot program to serve as student success coaches and will collaborate with classroom teachers to provide both in-person and virtual academic support. Coaches will be paid by the University. 
  • Bridgewater State University’s Reading Buddies Program - Each college semester, students within Bridgewater State University’s Reading Program of Studies, report to Galligan Elementary School to develop their skills in leading reading instruction. As “Reading Buddies” for our students, this mutually supportive relationship provides for opportunities for fieldwork on the part of the collegians while simultaneously forming positive relationships with our younger learners. 
  • TPS/TFD Fire Prevention Safety Program - TFD created a curriculum. TPS partners with the Taunton Fire Prevention Office to support our youngest students in their basic understanding of fire safety and how to recognize (and not be fearful) of fire department personnel entering their homes or structures with all their fire gear.  
  • Arbor Day Program - TPS /City Parks & Recreation co-created lesson. Last year, TPS partnered with the city's Park and Recreation Department to educate all our fourth graders on the importance of trees and to provide each student with a sapling to plant at their residence.
  • Junior Achievement - Junior Achievement is an organization which Taunton Public Schools has partnered with in an effort to increase the educational opportunities of our students as it pertains to providing lessons/skills regarding entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programming. Contact your child’s building principal.
  • Coaching 4 Change (C4C) - TPS has partnered with Coaching 4 Change which provides a diverse population of college students (mentors) from local colleges and universities in an effort to support our students’ learning. While doing so, our students are provided with much-needed opportunities to visit college campuses which reinforces within them the belief that attending college is a tangible and realistic option. Contact Marquis Taylor at (508) 521-9369.
  • Old Colony History Museum - TPS has a long-established partnership with the Museum in support of deepening our educators' knowledge base with local and state history. Professional learning opportunities take place throughout the school year. For our students, the Museum presents lessons to grade 2 students on Immigration; grade 4 on “mapping” Taunton and grade 7, “Beyond Browsing”- digging deeper into the exhibits at the Museum.
     
  • Taunton Public Library - Representatives from the public library meet with elementary students at their respective schools to provide each with their first library card and provide an overview and invitation to visit Taunton’s Public Library.