Question:
Anyone know who the business manager is yet ? Also anyone know the status of assitant principal at the middle school. School opening is not that far away. We should have those positions on board by now.
Response:
Mrs. Sargent only officially took over on July 1; we have advertised the Assistant Principal's job and received many applications; a search committee has been formed and met once; I'm sure the group will pare down the number and interviews will be held within the next two weeks. Certification is required and experience preferred.
As for business manager, we received 12 applications; a search committee already met once to pare down the number to the top 5 applicants. This committee will meet again next week and has now invited the Chair of the Finance Committee to join; the interviews will probably be held the week of July 23. That number will be knocked down to two finalists--for those last two interviews, we will invite a member of the Board of Selectmen (or their designee) to join the committee. Certifcation is required.
Both positions will be in place by mid-August.
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Question:
As a staff member of CES and a parent of a child in the school, I hope I can answer a few of the questions relating to that particular school. I understand the concern regarding the NEASC certification and the $15,000 it is costing the district, however, without accreditation we will lose the full day kindergarten grant which pays several salaries. We receive approximately $90,000 annually from this grant (please do not quote me on the numbers; they may not be exact). In the past, we were able to receive this grant because the preschool and kindergarten were accredited by NAEYC. Our current kindergarten program would no longer be in line with NAEYC's developmental approach to education. So basically the district was faced with the decision to either lose the grant money or put the time and hard work into becoming accredited by a different organization. So yes, we are spending $15,000 but it is necessary.
As far as school choice, this also brings money into the district. Only a few grade levels in the district except school choice students and it is based on the class size. Acceptance is based on registration returns; first come, first served type of situation. For example, if first grade is accepting 5 school choice students the first 5 who registered will be accepted (each folder is numbered when it is completed). It is against the law to discriminate based on a disbality.
I love the idea of a monthly newsletter and I agree communication is lacking across the district.
Hope that helps...
As far as school choice, this also brings money into the district. Only a few grade levels in the district except school choice students and it is based on the class size. Acceptance is based on registration returns; first come, first served type of situation. For example, if first grade is accepting 5 school choice students the first 5 who registered will be accepted (each folder is numbered when it is completed). It is against the law to discriminate based on a disbality.
I love the idea of a monthly newsletter and I agree communication is lacking across the district.
Hope that helps...
Response:
Also, accreditation MAKES for a better school. For the past year, an intensive self-study has been going on. Aspects like curriculum, leadership, community support, support services, instruction, etc. are all studied and analyzed by a mix of teachers, parents, etc. Each standards area "rates" itself; when the visiting team comes in, they read the report, interview people, and MOST IMPORTANTLY--observe classes and actually see what's going on. At the end of all of this expensive venture, the elementary school will be accredited--however, the visiting team will make recommendations to us (things we need to work on, to get better at) AND commendations (things we are doing very well that we should be very proud of); from there a follow up committee is established to start working on these goals--how are we going to make this school better. Although this is an expense, I believe NEASC is a great tool to help improve a school.
As to school choice, we're probably only taking students in K and in all Clinton High grades; it is very unlikely (because of class size) that we'll take too many others--that's why I so concerned about the money issues and people thinking that I'm sitting on a "pot of money" -- that money could dry up very quickly as some students leave and we don't take other students in.
Thank you for the update Mr. Ingano, this is exactly what I feel is necessary, we must communicate to the public, not just parents but the entire town and promote our schools.
ReplyDeleteTo just let people assume what is going on is what creates untruths to be spread and I feel contributes to our schools lack of support from the public. Thrilled to see you agree with a monthly newsletter. Also happy to see progress being made on the business manager and middle school vice principal. Could not be happier that you are looking for a certified and experienced asst principal. I agree 100% that the middle school will benefit greatly from hiring the most experienced vice principal they can find. Bringing a person in to the middle school with experience can bring about needed change and ideas and in my opinion help our students and teachers to succeed and also to help our new principal Mrs. Sargent to be able to focus on her new responsibilties. Thank you
Accreditation is a good idea, but it should be a true evaulation of school function on a daily basis. I disagree that two days 1/2 days of school should have been utilized to prepare for this -that took educational hours away from the students. Learned along time ago that if a person or a facility has prep time you rarely get the true picture of what is needed to improve. Yes without those days maybe the evaluation would have showed some needed things, but isn't that what we want out of this. As well as an accreditation. - If this time was needed to do paper work then that should not have happenned, administration at the elementary school should have planned their time to accomodate those needs, and students should have not had to lose education time to accomodate whatever was needed to be submitted, boils down to a time management problem in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteStudents do not lose any educational time for the accreditation process or for professional development of any kind.
DeleteAll students in Massachusetts must attend school for 180 days which includes a certain number of hours, which is different for elementary, middle and high school.
Mr. Ingano what's going on? How come no one in the school can seem to update the web site or get communication out to parents and the public regarding simple things, like supplies or middle school sports sign up. Don't we have staff for the administration on board in the summer for the most part? I hope we get a good experienced assistant principal on board in the middle school QUICK !
ReplyDeleteI was reading Mrs. Sargents web page today - 700 students pre-school to Gr 3 elementary school. (Are they all housed in the Elementary School or do we still have some pre-school in the High School?) Maybe we should consider pre-school to gr 3 in Elementary - Move grade 8 to High School (that might encourage more students to stay in CHS if they experience the high school environment in Grade 8)-We must have enough space in the elementary school now that grade 4 is in the middle school. just a thought.
ReplyDelete