Who We Are

We are Ralph C. Mahar & School Union 73. We serve four local communities of Orange, Petersham, New Salem, and Wendell, Massachusetts. As educators and community members, we work together to create an environment that promotes a desire to learn and succeed. See how we do it here.

At Your Service

The Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District and Superintendency Union 73 serve a student population in rural North Central Massachusetts. The Mahar Regional District educates students from the towns of Orange, Petersham, Wendell, and New Salem. Union 73 is comprised of the Orange Elementary Schools and the Petersham Center School. There are three school committees (Mahar, Orange Elementary, and Petersham Center), and each district maintains its own budget.

Our Theory of Action

We believe that if we work as a cohesive system focused on:

  • improving the instructional core as the key variable in improving student achievement;
  • continuously advancing rigorous instruction through a collaborative culture and continuous data analysis; and
  • involving all stakeholders in supporting a literacy-focused curriculum across all core subjects and grade levels; then

every student will graduate from high school ready for college success without remediation and for career success as a citizen in a global society.

Three Strategic Objectives

Our district improvement plan is centered upon the belief that students are our priority and that all students can achieve high academic success. These objectives focus on the central task of improving core reading and math instruction for all students, including students with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency. We believe the following strategic objectives complement and reinforce one another to provide a powerful plan for improvement:

  1. Aligned and consistently-delivered and continuously improving curriculum
  2. Strong instructional leadership and effective instruction
  3. Well-matched school supports and interventions with embedded assessment, technology integration, and professional development