Q&A for the Director of Special Education - Judy Norton
We hear about the Early Childhood Center (ECC) in the High School. What is that?
The ECC is a mandated preschool and extended day kindergarten program for children 3-6 years old. It works collaboratively with Early Intervention Agencies (EI) and community programs to provide required education services for children. Each class includes a balance of children who are typically developing students and children with special needs. More information is available on the school website on the Department’s page.
Can you provide a better understanding of the Special Education Budget?
The Special Education budget includes:
Out-of-District tuitions
Special Education Transportation
Supplies
Equipment
Summer Programming
Contracted Services
Evaluations
Special Education Staff are budgeted through each school in the district.
The district budget supports approximately 75% of the special education expenses. Entitlement Grants (state and federal) support approximately 12% of the special education expenses. And the “Circuit Breaker” (a state reimbursement program) supports approximately 12% of the special education expenses.
Did You Know?
The Special Education Parent Advisory Panel (SEPAC) meets monthly to educate parents on Special Education issues as well as provides feedback to School Administration. SEPAC is included on the school website under Departments – Special Education.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Newsletter #2 - Did You Know? - ELA & MCAS
Did You Know?
Scituate’s English Language Arts (ELA) books and resources are older than the majority of the students using them (12+ years old). They are no longer available in print and contain out-dated terminology. In fact, the ELA materials used to open the Jenkins Elementary school 4 years ago were retrieved from the Marshfield Public School’s dumpster, as they were throwing the old textbooks away.
Did You Know?
Passing 10th grade MCAS is required in order to receive a state-sanctioned diploma. Students who fail can take the test several times before graduation. The Massachusetts Board of Education voted to change the minimum MCAS score requirements from 220 to 240 starting with the class of 2010.
Did You Know?
Due to budget cuts, there is no longer a technical education program (shop program) at Gates Middle School. There are a number of technical education/engineering questions on the MCAS, with no curriculum to teach the students what they need to know.
Did You Know? Scituate MCAS results, as well as all MCAS results for the State of Massachusetts are available on the MA Department of Education website (http://www.doe.mass.edu/).
Scituate’s English Language Arts (ELA) books and resources are older than the majority of the students using them (12+ years old). They are no longer available in print and contain out-dated terminology. In fact, the ELA materials used to open the Jenkins Elementary school 4 years ago were retrieved from the Marshfield Public School’s dumpster, as they were throwing the old textbooks away.
Did You Know?
Passing 10th grade MCAS is required in order to receive a state-sanctioned diploma. Students who fail can take the test several times before graduation. The Massachusetts Board of Education voted to change the minimum MCAS score requirements from 220 to 240 starting with the class of 2010.
Did You Know?
Due to budget cuts, there is no longer a technical education program (shop program) at Gates Middle School. There are a number of technical education/engineering questions on the MCAS, with no curriculum to teach the students what they need to know.
Did You Know? Scituate MCAS results, as well as all MCAS results for the State of Massachusetts are available on the MA Department of Education website (http://www.doe.mass.edu/).
Newsletter #2 - Q&A for Asst. Suprdt. - Dr. James Kelleher
Q&A for Assistant Superintendent - Dr. James Kelleher
Dr. James Kelleher’s role as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Staff Development is outlined on the school website and on the blog.
What is your role as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Staff Development?
I have served for the past four years and during this time, I have led a variety of initiatives throughout the district, all focused on helping to implement the district’s Five Year Accountability Plan (included on the Scituate Public School website http://www.scituate.k12.ma.us/ on the Superintendent’s page). The goals of the Accountability Plan are to:
Support curriculum alignment and review on a continuous basis for all disciplines;
Improve the quality of classroom, school and district planning by systematically using data to guide decision making;
Endeavor to increase and improve communication and collaboration with colleagues, students, parents and community members, and;
Evaluate and reconsider governance and operational structures; update policies, procedures and systems of central office.
What are the key initiatives you are working on related to the goals of the school district?
Each year, I lead a core committee of stakeholders in reviewing a new curriculum area, with the intention of identifying new trends and purchasing new materials, as necessary. Dr. James Kelleher - “My number one priority currently the English Language Arts (ELA) program.” English Language Arts (ELA) includes: reading, writing, language (vocabulary, grammar, and usage), as well as speaking, listening and thinking skills. In the first several years of school, up to 50-60% (up to 3 hours a day) of a typical student’s daily curriculum is ELA. The K – 12 program is currently in need of replacement as the books and resources used currently are ‘on loan’ from the publishers as a pilot program. We need to purchase those materials this year to replace the outdated 12-year old materials currently owned by the district.
What are the district's plan to address the gap in MCAS scores which could result from the
elimination of key curriculum, particularly at the high school and middle school levels?
Teachers are responsible for reviewing and interpreting the scores and needs of their students and planning class lessons appropriately. Principals also review the scores for their school and meet with the teachers to discuss where changes or additions to the curriculum need to be made. All staff have been trained in Performance Improvement Mapping (PIM) so they have the skills to interpret MCAS scores and set new goals based on discrepancies that are identified. This becomes more challenging when the district is not able to provide them the materials or teaching staff they need to instruct this curriculum.
Dr. James Kelleher’s role as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Staff Development is outlined on the school website and on the blog.
What is your role as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Staff Development?
I have served for the past four years and during this time, I have led a variety of initiatives throughout the district, all focused on helping to implement the district’s Five Year Accountability Plan (included on the Scituate Public School website http://www.scituate.k12.ma.us/ on the Superintendent’s page). The goals of the Accountability Plan are to:
Support curriculum alignment and review on a continuous basis for all disciplines;
Improve the quality of classroom, school and district planning by systematically using data to guide decision making;
Endeavor to increase and improve communication and collaboration with colleagues, students, parents and community members, and;
Evaluate and reconsider governance and operational structures; update policies, procedures and systems of central office.
What are the key initiatives you are working on related to the goals of the school district?
Each year, I lead a core committee of stakeholders in reviewing a new curriculum area, with the intention of identifying new trends and purchasing new materials, as necessary. Dr. James Kelleher - “My number one priority currently the English Language Arts (ELA) program.” English Language Arts (ELA) includes: reading, writing, language (vocabulary, grammar, and usage), as well as speaking, listening and thinking skills. In the first several years of school, up to 50-60% (up to 3 hours a day) of a typical student’s daily curriculum is ELA. The K – 12 program is currently in need of replacement as the books and resources used currently are ‘on loan’ from the publishers as a pilot program. We need to purchase those materials this year to replace the outdated 12-year old materials currently owned by the district.
What are the district's plan to address the gap in MCAS scores which could result from the
elimination of key curriculum, particularly at the high school and middle school levels?
Teachers are responsible for reviewing and interpreting the scores and needs of their students and planning class lessons appropriately. Principals also review the scores for their school and meet with the teachers to discuss where changes or additions to the curriculum need to be made. All staff have been trained in Performance Improvement Mapping (PIM) so they have the skills to interpret MCAS scores and set new goals based on discrepancies that are identified. This becomes more challenging when the district is not able to provide them the materials or teaching staff they need to instruct this curriculum.
Newsletter #2 - Q&A for Selectman Jim Pollard
Q&A for Selectman Liaison to School Committee - Jim Pollard
What is your role as the liaison to the School Committee?
I have been a selectman since 2001 and have served as the liaison to various Town committees. As a liaison, I am responsible for establishing and maintaining communication and a mutual understanding of current and future issues between the two groups.
What are the key issues facing Scituate?
The major issues we face in Town are financial. The Town has and will continue to face a fiscal squeeze as our underlying costs grow faster than our revenues and local aid. The financial crunch has been created by a series of events, including: (1) several consecutive years of declining local aid from the State and 2 years of double digit increases for national health care costs, which are quickly spiraling out of control.
Last year’s increase in State aid and slight increase in Scituate Town revenues had little impact and will be insufficient to maintain the level of vital Town services we need.
In my view, Scituate can not continue to rely on real estate taxes, fees and other charges to balance future budgets. We need one or all of the following changes to occur at the State level:
· A steady increase in the share of tax revenues from the State;
· An increase in Chapter 70 Educational funding; and
· Greater authority to manage health care and retirement costs.
Do the selectman feel the current Town budget is sufficient to cover the current needs of the schools and town offices?
This year’s budget will be a challenge. Since we can’t rely on the State, Scituate residents may have to decide what is in the best interest of our Town. There are a few options available outside the normal budget process, such as operational and debt exclusion overrides that allow the town to raise taxes over the legal limit set by Proposition 2 ½ .
The Schools, consistently praised for providing an excellent education for the children in Town, are desperately seeking additional financial resources to move forward. The Town continues to discuss projects such as a Senior/Community Center and new Fire Stations and the associated costs to operate them. I’m convinced this year we will once again need to ask Town residents to decide (1) What they want from our Town Government and School system and (2) Are they willing to financially support it?
Many communities, both locally and throughout the State, are facing the same financial challenges as we are here in Scituate. During the next few months, I look forward to working with other elected officials, town employees and citizens volunteering their expertise and support in moving Scituate ahead.
What is your role as the liaison to the School Committee?
I have been a selectman since 2001 and have served as the liaison to various Town committees. As a liaison, I am responsible for establishing and maintaining communication and a mutual understanding of current and future issues between the two groups.
What are the key issues facing Scituate?
The major issues we face in Town are financial. The Town has and will continue to face a fiscal squeeze as our underlying costs grow faster than our revenues and local aid. The financial crunch has been created by a series of events, including: (1) several consecutive years of declining local aid from the State and 2 years of double digit increases for national health care costs, which are quickly spiraling out of control.
Last year’s increase in State aid and slight increase in Scituate Town revenues had little impact and will be insufficient to maintain the level of vital Town services we need.
In my view, Scituate can not continue to rely on real estate taxes, fees and other charges to balance future budgets. We need one or all of the following changes to occur at the State level:
· A steady increase in the share of tax revenues from the State;
· An increase in Chapter 70 Educational funding; and
· Greater authority to manage health care and retirement costs.
Do the selectman feel the current Town budget is sufficient to cover the current needs of the schools and town offices?
This year’s budget will be a challenge. Since we can’t rely on the State, Scituate residents may have to decide what is in the best interest of our Town. There are a few options available outside the normal budget process, such as operational and debt exclusion overrides that allow the town to raise taxes over the legal limit set by Proposition 2 ½ .
The Schools, consistently praised for providing an excellent education for the children in Town, are desperately seeking additional financial resources to move forward. The Town continues to discuss projects such as a Senior/Community Center and new Fire Stations and the associated costs to operate them. I’m convinced this year we will once again need to ask Town residents to decide (1) What they want from our Town Government and School system and (2) Are they willing to financially support it?
Many communities, both locally and throughout the State, are facing the same financial challenges as we are here in Scituate. During the next few months, I look forward to working with other elected officials, town employees and citizens volunteering their expertise and support in moving Scituate ahead.
Newsletter #2 - Message from Senior Citizen - Val Baker
Message from the Senior Citizen Community – Val Baker
I would like to thank CSI: Scituate for the invitation to be included in this new communication forum. As Vice Chairman for the Council on Aging, I feel strongly that the senior community works with the younger community for the better good of the town.
Over the past 40 years I have always strongly supported the Scituate schools. There are parents of school age children who think Scituate’s senior population does not support the schools. This is a misconception. My husband and many friends contribute weekly by volunteering in the schools. Many seniors teach religious classes for students in grades K-10. When a need presents itself, many seniors are willing to help.
After listening to discussion by town leadership and community members, it is clear that there is a unique opportunity presenting itself based on the needs of the seniors and the needs of the schools. The High School is quickly becoming space constrained. This could be alleviated if tenants of the High School such as the Recreation Department and/or the Early Childhood Center found a new home. Maybe now is the time for the Town of Scituate to consider a community center. Working together we can find the right answers.
I would like to thank CSI: Scituate for the invitation to be included in this new communication forum. As Vice Chairman for the Council on Aging, I feel strongly that the senior community works with the younger community for the better good of the town.
Over the past 40 years I have always strongly supported the Scituate schools. There are parents of school age children who think Scituate’s senior population does not support the schools. This is a misconception. My husband and many friends contribute weekly by volunteering in the schools. Many seniors teach religious classes for students in grades K-10. When a need presents itself, many seniors are willing to help.
After listening to discussion by town leadership and community members, it is clear that there is a unique opportunity presenting itself based on the needs of the seniors and the needs of the schools. The High School is quickly becoming space constrained. This could be alleviated if tenants of the High School such as the Recreation Department and/or the Early Childhood Center found a new home. Maybe now is the time for the Town of Scituate to consider a community center. Working together we can find the right answers.
Newsletter #2 - Did You Know? Teacher Information
Did You Know? (by Laura Lawson – President of the Scituate Teachers Association)
America’s public school teachers spend an average 50 hours per week on instructional duties, including an average of 12 hours each week above and beyond the contractual work day on activities such as grading papers, club advising, curriculum building, and mentoring new teachers. In addition, teachers spend an average of $443 of their own money each year to meet the needs of their students. Source: 2003 National Education Association survey.
Did You Know? – Out of the 280 teachers in Scituate….
99.5% of core academic teachers are identified as Highly Qualified
74% hold a master’s degree (compared to approximately 50% nationwide)
62% are Scituate residents
Did You Know? Scituate has the lowest teacher salaries among our competing schools on the S. Shore.
Avg Teacher Salaries
Cohasset - $57,957
Duxbury- 58,592
Hingham - 56,679
Marshfield - 55,049
Norwell- $59,550
Scituate - $51,726
Source: Mass Dept of Education website
Did You Know? Only one of the 4 elementary schools has a dedicated music room. The remaining elementary schools share space in the library or have ‘music on a cart’, where the music teacher visits the classroom with a push-cart of instruments. Instrumental music teachers have been known to use a closet or two to provide lessons to students.
America’s public school teachers spend an average 50 hours per week on instructional duties, including an average of 12 hours each week above and beyond the contractual work day on activities such as grading papers, club advising, curriculum building, and mentoring new teachers. In addition, teachers spend an average of $443 of their own money each year to meet the needs of their students. Source: 2003 National Education Association survey.
Did You Know? – Out of the 280 teachers in Scituate….
99.5% of core academic teachers are identified as Highly Qualified
74% hold a master’s degree (compared to approximately 50% nationwide)
62% are Scituate residents
Did You Know? Scituate has the lowest teacher salaries among our competing schools on the S. Shore.
Avg Teacher Salaries
Cohasset - $57,957
Duxbury- 58,592
Hingham - 56,679
Marshfield - 55,049
Norwell- $59,550
Scituate - $51,726
Source: Mass Dept of Education website
Did You Know? Only one of the 4 elementary schools has a dedicated music room. The remaining elementary schools share space in the library or have ‘music on a cart’, where the music teacher visits the classroom with a push-cart of instruments. Instrumental music teachers have been known to use a closet or two to provide lessons to students.
Newsletter #2 Scituate Elementary Teacher Thoughts
Scituate Elementary Teacher Thoughts –
I am fortunate to be using a new reading and writing program for the past two years, as a part of the pilot team for the much needed new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum. The pilot program incorporates all of the current research into a teacher and student friendly, up-to-date literacy program. With the pilot program coming to an end this year, I am a bit worried that if our district does not have the funds to purchase the new ELA books and materials I will go back to teaching the old ELA curriculum. My son, a junior in college, used the ELA series currently owned by Scituate Public Schools when he was in first grade.
I look over my list of new students. I observe that there are some students who will require special attention in my class. I try to strategize ways in which I will meet all the needs of my students in the few hours a day that I am given to teach a curriculum that grows exponentially each year. I know that I need to get each of my students ready to pass the MCAS. How will I do that? Will I work with the slower students and try to catch them up, and leave the others on their own? Will I try to use some of my lunch hour to teach and help catch up the lagging students? I make a note to consider scheduling a few of the students with the reading specialist before her time gets booked up. I further decide I need to do some research on one of my student’s disabilities and talk to the previous year’s teacher. My “To do” list grows.
Time has past and I am well into the school year. I have some real concerns about some of my students. They are not making the kind of progress that I would have hoped. I know that this is a critical year for developing literacy fluency. All the research says that young children can be caught up, gaps can be narrowed and no child will be left behind. I am here by 7:30 AM and some days don’t leave until after 5:00PM. I spend every weekend planning for the following week - modifying, creating and individualizing and yet I feel that these students could use many more hours of extra help and instruction. Worse yet, I need to choose between those who can and those who can not.. Who do I teach? I look around my building. These students won’t qualify for special educational services. Our reading specialist is booked solid. We don’t have a math specialist. There simply is not any available support for these students. I do the best I can.
Despite all the challenges, I would not want to be doing anything else – I the students and love being a teacher!
I am fortunate to be using a new reading and writing program for the past two years, as a part of the pilot team for the much needed new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum. The pilot program incorporates all of the current research into a teacher and student friendly, up-to-date literacy program. With the pilot program coming to an end this year, I am a bit worried that if our district does not have the funds to purchase the new ELA books and materials I will go back to teaching the old ELA curriculum. My son, a junior in college, used the ELA series currently owned by Scituate Public Schools when he was in first grade.
I look over my list of new students. I observe that there are some students who will require special attention in my class. I try to strategize ways in which I will meet all the needs of my students in the few hours a day that I am given to teach a curriculum that grows exponentially each year. I know that I need to get each of my students ready to pass the MCAS. How will I do that? Will I work with the slower students and try to catch them up, and leave the others on their own? Will I try to use some of my lunch hour to teach and help catch up the lagging students? I make a note to consider scheduling a few of the students with the reading specialist before her time gets booked up. I further decide I need to do some research on one of my student’s disabilities and talk to the previous year’s teacher. My “To do” list grows.
Time has past and I am well into the school year. I have some real concerns about some of my students. They are not making the kind of progress that I would have hoped. I know that this is a critical year for developing literacy fluency. All the research says that young children can be caught up, gaps can be narrowed and no child will be left behind. I am here by 7:30 AM and some days don’t leave until after 5:00PM. I spend every weekend planning for the following week - modifying, creating and individualizing and yet I feel that these students could use many more hours of extra help and instruction. Worse yet, I need to choose between those who can and those who can not.. Who do I teach? I look around my building. These students won’t qualify for special educational services. Our reading specialist is booked solid. We don’t have a math specialist. There simply is not any available support for these students. I do the best I can.
Despite all the challenges, I would not want to be doing anything else – I the students and love being a teacher!
Newsletter #2 - Did You Know? School Committee / Selectman
DID YOU KNOW?
The school committee and selectman are subject to “open meeting laws” and therefore cannot meet as more than two members at a time outside of a public open meeting. This significantly restricts the ability to discuss complex matters prior or subsequent to meetings to come to consensus and take action.
Did You Know?
At every School Committee Meeting they ask for comments from the public at the beginning and end of the meeting. The School Committee takes these comments into consideration for the current or future meetings. This presents a good opportunity for community members to voice their concern or praise related to the schools.
Did You Know?
The Board of Selectmen consists of five members who are elected to serve three year terms of office. The Board is responsible for the operation of Town government, the oversight of personnel and operating policies of all agencies of the Town except those under the direction of the School Committee. The Board of Selectmen is the chief executive office of the Town and serves as the chief policy making agency, including:
legislative directives and town meeting articles;
the general evaluation and oversight of the administration of Scituate’s government and municipal buildings including all schools;
the coordination and development of both short and long range planning; and
the development of the annual operating budget.
Refer to the Town of Scituate Annual Report for additional information on the Board of Selectmen
Did You Know?
The Town of Scituate Charter Article 6 provides the finance and fiscal procedures for the Town and The Town of Scituate Annual Report provides the financial reports for the town, including: historical data, balance sheet, income statement. The Charter is the first item available on the town website and the Annual Report is available to every citizen at Town Hall.
Did You Know?
Selectman meetings are held every other Tuesday and are televised on Channel 10
The school committee and selectman are subject to “open meeting laws” and therefore cannot meet as more than two members at a time outside of a public open meeting. This significantly restricts the ability to discuss complex matters prior or subsequent to meetings to come to consensus and take action.
Did You Know?
At every School Committee Meeting they ask for comments from the public at the beginning and end of the meeting. The School Committee takes these comments into consideration for the current or future meetings. This presents a good opportunity for community members to voice their concern or praise related to the schools.
Did You Know?
The Board of Selectmen consists of five members who are elected to serve three year terms of office. The Board is responsible for the operation of Town government, the oversight of personnel and operating policies of all agencies of the Town except those under the direction of the School Committee. The Board of Selectmen is the chief executive office of the Town and serves as the chief policy making agency, including:
legislative directives and town meeting articles;
the general evaluation and oversight of the administration of Scituate’s government and municipal buildings including all schools;
the coordination and development of both short and long range planning; and
the development of the annual operating budget.
Refer to the Town of Scituate Annual Report for additional information on the Board of Selectmen
Did You Know?
The Town of Scituate Charter Article 6 provides the finance and fiscal procedures for the Town and The Town of Scituate Annual Report provides the financial reports for the town, including: historical data, balance sheet, income statement. The Charter is the first item available on the town website and the Annual Report is available to every citizen at Town Hall.
Did You Know?
Selectman meetings are held every other Tuesday and are televised on Channel 10
Newsletter #2 - School Committee Message by Libby Michaud
School Committee Message by Libby Michaud
As a member of the School Committee since 2001 and a working mother of five grown children who attended the Scituate Public Schools, I appreciate the top-quality education Scituate is providing its students. However I can clearly see that the growth and changes in the town require vigilance to successfully manage our schools going forward. While Scituate is known as a top-performing school district, our on-going success will depend on the actions we take now.
Developed by school leaders and community consensus, the Scituate Public Schools Five Year Accountability Plan (2003 – 2008) presents a vision of where the Scituate Public Schools plans to be going forward. Find it on the school website (http://www.scituatek12.ma.us/). The goals are simple but the objectives are detailed and the responsibilities outlined.
While ultimately the Superintendent ensures the completion of all objectives, we as a school committee have identified three top needs for the schools currently and have created sub-committees to address them: facilities, finances and communication.
The sub-committee’s charge will be fact-finding, working groups with representation from various Scituate schools and grade-levels. They will be led by a school committee member who will report back to the school committee for feedback, discussion and a vote on the sub-committees recommendations.
I am the chair of the communication sub-committee. Members include representatives from each of the 6 schools as well as each of the organizations supporting our schools. Our mission is to forge school community relations. The communication sub-committee members and goals are included on the school website on the School Committee page.
As Mark Twain once said “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” I believe there is much community members don’t understand about the process, or things they think they “know” for sure.
The communication sub-committee will develop a policy that outlines procedures for communications with the public, media, parents, staff and students. There will be a focus on ensuring positions are clear and consistent to avoid confusion or misunderstandings.
The School Committee’s responsibility is to implement statutory requirements pertaining to public education as well as fulfill local citizens’ expectations for the education of the community youth. We want to hear those expectations and act on them.
Working with the newly formed CSI: Scituate, we plan to improve communications in the district. I want the power of our intentions to drive the direction of our school district
As a member of the School Committee since 2001 and a working mother of five grown children who attended the Scituate Public Schools, I appreciate the top-quality education Scituate is providing its students. However I can clearly see that the growth and changes in the town require vigilance to successfully manage our schools going forward. While Scituate is known as a top-performing school district, our on-going success will depend on the actions we take now.
Developed by school leaders and community consensus, the Scituate Public Schools Five Year Accountability Plan (2003 – 2008) presents a vision of where the Scituate Public Schools plans to be going forward. Find it on the school website (http://www.scituatek12.ma.us/). The goals are simple but the objectives are detailed and the responsibilities outlined.
While ultimately the Superintendent ensures the completion of all objectives, we as a school committee have identified three top needs for the schools currently and have created sub-committees to address them: facilities, finances and communication.
The sub-committee’s charge will be fact-finding, working groups with representation from various Scituate schools and grade-levels. They will be led by a school committee member who will report back to the school committee for feedback, discussion and a vote on the sub-committees recommendations.
I am the chair of the communication sub-committee. Members include representatives from each of the 6 schools as well as each of the organizations supporting our schools. Our mission is to forge school community relations. The communication sub-committee members and goals are included on the school website on the School Committee page.
As Mark Twain once said “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” I believe there is much community members don’t understand about the process, or things they think they “know” for sure.
The communication sub-committee will develop a policy that outlines procedures for communications with the public, media, parents, staff and students. There will be a focus on ensuring positions are clear and consistent to avoid confusion or misunderstandings.
The School Committee’s responsibility is to implement statutory requirements pertaining to public education as well as fulfill local citizens’ expectations for the education of the community youth. We want to hear those expectations and act on them.
Working with the newly formed CSI: Scituate, we plan to improve communications in the district. I want the power of our intentions to drive the direction of our school district
Newsletter #2 - A Message from Scituate Citizens for Limited Taxation by Norm Paley
A Message from Citizens for Limited Taxation Norm Paley
The following quotation is attributed to Alexander Fraser Tytler, economist and professor at Edingurgh University, writing at the time of the American Revolution.
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse (generous benefits) from the public treasury.
“From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.
“The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence:
“From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependence back to bondage.”
We are in my opinion in the next to the last stage of Tytler's warning. We have a public wanting more services and a government more than willing to provide them and an apathetic public unwilling to educate themselves as to why it costs so much. We are beginning to reach the point where government has grown so large and has become so powerful that they really don't care what the public thinks or what their programs cost. But those services do come with a price. Government tends to be a ferocious feeder. Feeding on our wealth and labor and always eager to add to their ranks workers dependant on the State, City or Town for their jobs. They then form unions to increase their wages and decrease their workload.
We pay for the School Department to educate our children to a level that will provide the best and the brightest a path to college or university. We also provide for the others a path to a decent job and decent living. I use the term path because we cannot make a promise that all children can, or desire to, make the effort to continue on to college and a great career.
The School System operates on the theory however that everything that possibly could be done will be done to make all children equal in their educational outcome. This is known as Outcome Based Education. The state joins them and provides mandates that while illegally unfunded are pursued none the less. In order to try to achieve these goals they have pursued several avenues. Small classes that make it easier for the teacher to give special attention to each student, specialist teachers to take up the slack for what the regular teacher can't, won't or has not been educated to do, and administrators and assistant administrators and principles and assistant principles all there to see that all the goals are met.
We then add the publishers of new curriculums all promising that their new method, or their new technique will suddenly enlighten even the most uninterested or challenged student. Most of these new programs have failed. The so called new math curriculum is the most recent and is being abandoned throughout most of the country. The cost of most of these new programs is exorbitant but is pushed with the same enthusiasm as the drug companies marketing the next new cure.
The cost will continue to grow as the size of the workforce grows to provide the service. There will come a point where we will no longer be able to fund this. We will either put an end to the insanity or we will vote with our feet and leave the town and then the state to find a school system where learning goes on at a more reasonable cost. The march out of Massachusetts has already begun. And an apathetic public continues to elect the officials responsible for the high cost and the poor performance.
The following quotation is attributed to Alexander Fraser Tytler, economist and professor at Edingurgh University, writing at the time of the American Revolution.
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse (generous benefits) from the public treasury.
“From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.
“The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence:
“From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependence back to bondage.”
We are in my opinion in the next to the last stage of Tytler's warning. We have a public wanting more services and a government more than willing to provide them and an apathetic public unwilling to educate themselves as to why it costs so much. We are beginning to reach the point where government has grown so large and has become so powerful that they really don't care what the public thinks or what their programs cost. But those services do come with a price. Government tends to be a ferocious feeder. Feeding on our wealth and labor and always eager to add to their ranks workers dependant on the State, City or Town for their jobs. They then form unions to increase their wages and decrease their workload.
We pay for the School Department to educate our children to a level that will provide the best and the brightest a path to college or university. We also provide for the others a path to a decent job and decent living. I use the term path because we cannot make a promise that all children can, or desire to, make the effort to continue on to college and a great career.
The School System operates on the theory however that everything that possibly could be done will be done to make all children equal in their educational outcome. This is known as Outcome Based Education. The state joins them and provides mandates that while illegally unfunded are pursued none the less. In order to try to achieve these goals they have pursued several avenues. Small classes that make it easier for the teacher to give special attention to each student, specialist teachers to take up the slack for what the regular teacher can't, won't or has not been educated to do, and administrators and assistant administrators and principles and assistant principles all there to see that all the goals are met.
We then add the publishers of new curriculums all promising that their new method, or their new technique will suddenly enlighten even the most uninterested or challenged student. Most of these new programs have failed. The so called new math curriculum is the most recent and is being abandoned throughout most of the country. The cost of most of these new programs is exorbitant but is pushed with the same enthusiasm as the drug companies marketing the next new cure.
The cost will continue to grow as the size of the workforce grows to provide the service. There will come a point where we will no longer be able to fund this. We will either put an end to the insanity or we will vote with our feet and leave the town and then the state to find a school system where learning goes on at a more reasonable cost. The march out of Massachusetts has already begun. And an apathetic public continues to elect the officials responsible for the high cost and the poor performance.
Newsletter #1 - Did You Know - School/Town Budget
Did You Know?
The school budget comprises nearly 66% of the town budget after Shared Costs, excluding monies the town receives related to Waterways, the golf course, MBTA monies or CPA funds.Personnel costs comprise 81% of the school budget, leaving 19% for supplies, technology and equipment. These personnel costs are contractual and, as a result, are fixed costs. They are in line with state-wide personnel costs
Did You Know?
Gates was built in 1912, Hatherly in 1963, Cushing in 1965 and Wampatuck in 1954. Limited funds have been invested over the years in the up-keep of these facilities, as the needs and costs were higher then the available budget dollars. The resulting issues include problems with the heating and ventilation systems as well as structural and maintenance difficulties. The majority of the furniture in these buildings is original (40-50 years old) and was used by many Scituate parents when they were in school. Desks that do not adjust to a child’s size and can no longer be held open by the hinges need to be replaced. Recently a facilities manager was hired to ensure the new Jenkins school and the renovated High School were maintained properly and to focus on the necessary improvements to Cushing, Hatherly, Wampatuck and Gates schools.
Did You Know?
Scituate lost Title I Federal funding in 2004 due to the 2000 census results. Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provided $225,000 per year in student support for reading and math specialists in the schools. Title I funding is dependent on the town having at least 4% of its population at the poverty level. Scituate’s poverty level was reported at 1.8%. It should be noted other surrounding towns maintain Title I funding including Cohasset, Duxbury and Hingham. Title I is the most significant federal program supporting public schools. The school department and town looked into appealing the findings to regain Title I funding but were not successful. The next census will be held in 2010.
The school budget comprises nearly 66% of the town budget after Shared Costs, excluding monies the town receives related to Waterways, the golf course, MBTA monies or CPA funds.Personnel costs comprise 81% of the school budget, leaving 19% for supplies, technology and equipment. These personnel costs are contractual and, as a result, are fixed costs. They are in line with state-wide personnel costs
Did You Know?
Gates was built in 1912, Hatherly in 1963, Cushing in 1965 and Wampatuck in 1954. Limited funds have been invested over the years in the up-keep of these facilities, as the needs and costs were higher then the available budget dollars. The resulting issues include problems with the heating and ventilation systems as well as structural and maintenance difficulties. The majority of the furniture in these buildings is original (40-50 years old) and was used by many Scituate parents when they were in school. Desks that do not adjust to a child’s size and can no longer be held open by the hinges need to be replaced. Recently a facilities manager was hired to ensure the new Jenkins school and the renovated High School were maintained properly and to focus on the necessary improvements to Cushing, Hatherly, Wampatuck and Gates schools.
Did You Know?
Scituate lost Title I Federal funding in 2004 due to the 2000 census results. Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provided $225,000 per year in student support for reading and math specialists in the schools. Title I funding is dependent on the town having at least 4% of its population at the poverty level. Scituate’s poverty level was reported at 1.8%. It should be noted other surrounding towns maintain Title I funding including Cohasset, Duxbury and Hingham. Title I is the most significant federal program supporting public schools. The school department and town looked into appealing the findings to regain Title I funding but were not successful. The next census will be held in 2010.
Newsletter #1 - Q&A for Head of Finance for Scituate Public Schools - Paul Donlan
Q&A for Head of Finance for Scituate Public Schools - Paul Donlan
Can you simplify town/school finances into one, short paragraph?
Did you know the “State” of Massachusetts isn’t a state but a Commonwealth? In the time it takes you to ponder the difference you’ll know why so few of us understand the basics of our town’s budget process. Here’s the CliffNotes version:
Money that pays for our public schools, public safety, public library, etc., comes primarily from our property taxes or the“Levy”. Massachusetts “Proposition 2 ½” places constraints on the amount of the levy raised and how much the levy can be increased year to year.
Levy X 2 ½ = The amount of money our town can raise through taxation or “Levy Limit”
Added to the Levy Limit is:
Aid from the State (or Commonwealth) that is impossible to forecast accurately each year and is eagerly awaited by towns throughout Massachusetts and comes in a 2 page document called the Cherry Sheet. Included is a chunk of the Commonwealth’s Lottery proceeds. For 2007 it was $400K!
Local Receipts (your car’s excise tax and the parking fine you got with it as well as interest on the town’s cash on hand.)
New Growth (those condos sprouting up all over the Harbor as well as the addition that just went up next door)
Add this up and subtract our payments back to the Commonwealth (offsets) and any deficits (usually “snow & ice”, no one in New England can be trusted to accurately forecast this) and you are left with the available money to split between the Town budget and the School budget. Scituate works with a 66/34% split, respectively. In fiscal year 2007 the $36,476,087 figure split left the Schools with a budget of $24,074,217 within which to work and the Town $12,401,870.
Now, figure in rising pension and health insurance costs, new fire stations, a senior center, an updated English language program, teachers to make up for a growing student body, the list goes on and the well runs dry. What happens when a town’s calculated Levy Limit no longer supports its needs?
Proposition 2 ½ does provide communities with some flexibility. It is possible to levy above the limit on a temporary or permanent basis through an Override or Debt Exclusion. An override enables a community to permanently increase its levy limit and a Debt Exclusion allows for a temporary increase over the levy limit and is used to fund capital projects only. These increases must be approved by a majority vote from the community.
For more information go to the department of Revenues website www.mass.gov/dis
Give us a step by step of the school budget process.
Give us a step by step of the school budget process.
The school budget is separated into 7 sections; Central Administration, High School, Gates, Jenkins, Hatherly, Wampatuck and Cushing, each with subsets that include Personnel, Expenses, Equipment and Contract Services.
STEP 1: I am given information from the principals and department heads from which I build the budget and present it to the Superintendent.
STEP 2: We have budget meetings with the school leaders and break down each individual budget with supporting documentation and say yes or no to each line item requested.
STEP 3: The Superintendent presents the budget to the School Committee, along with a recommended dollar figure.
STEP 4: A Public Work Session is held for review and recommendations to the budget from the community.
STEP 5: Once the budget is finalized and approved by the School Committee, it moves on to the Advisory Committee (the Town’s Finance Committee) and the Board of Selectmen for approval.
STEP 6: The budget is voted on at the Town Meeting in March.
*The 2007/2008 Budget Presentation and Calendar is on the school website on the Superintendent’s page*
*The 2007/2008 Budget Presentation and budget calendar is on the school website on the Superintendent’s page*
How can parents become involved in the budget process?
The role of the community in the budget process is to be active participants before, during and after the Annual Town Meeting in March.
(1) Talk to the principal of your child’s school before the budget is drafted with your thoughts and concerns about the quality of education offered to your child and the district. Offer to be a part of the budget deliberations and help to ensure the enhancements you and your PTO have identified are addressed. The voice of the community is heard loudly –go to meetings.
(2) During the budget process ask questions, offer ideas and be active participants. Attend and support your ideas at the School Committee, Public Work Session, Advisory Board and Selectman meetings.
(3) Discuss the budget during the process with all of your friends, neighbors and family. Be sure that school and town leaders make the right decisions as it relates not only to your child’s school but to the Scituate school system as a whole.
(4) Attend the Annual Town Meeting in March and VOTE! Make sure your friends and family vote! Be there when the Town decides how much money is allocated to the schools.
Can you simplify town/school finances into one, short paragraph?
Did you know the “State” of Massachusetts isn’t a state but a Commonwealth? In the time it takes you to ponder the difference you’ll know why so few of us understand the basics of our town’s budget process. Here’s the CliffNotes version:
Money that pays for our public schools, public safety, public library, etc., comes primarily from our property taxes or the“Levy”. Massachusetts “Proposition 2 ½” places constraints on the amount of the levy raised and how much the levy can be increased year to year.
Levy X 2 ½ = The amount of money our town can raise through taxation or “Levy Limit”
Added to the Levy Limit is:
Aid from the State (or Commonwealth) that is impossible to forecast accurately each year and is eagerly awaited by towns throughout Massachusetts and comes in a 2 page document called the Cherry Sheet. Included is a chunk of the Commonwealth’s Lottery proceeds. For 2007 it was $400K!
Local Receipts (your car’s excise tax and the parking fine you got with it as well as interest on the town’s cash on hand.)
New Growth (those condos sprouting up all over the Harbor as well as the addition that just went up next door)
Add this up and subtract our payments back to the Commonwealth (offsets) and any deficits (usually “snow & ice”, no one in New England can be trusted to accurately forecast this) and you are left with the available money to split between the Town budget and the School budget. Scituate works with a 66/34% split, respectively. In fiscal year 2007 the $36,476,087 figure split left the Schools with a budget of $24,074,217 within which to work and the Town $12,401,870.
Now, figure in rising pension and health insurance costs, new fire stations, a senior center, an updated English language program, teachers to make up for a growing student body, the list goes on and the well runs dry. What happens when a town’s calculated Levy Limit no longer supports its needs?
Proposition 2 ½ does provide communities with some flexibility. It is possible to levy above the limit on a temporary or permanent basis through an Override or Debt Exclusion. An override enables a community to permanently increase its levy limit and a Debt Exclusion allows for a temporary increase over the levy limit and is used to fund capital projects only. These increases must be approved by a majority vote from the community.
For more information go to the department of Revenues website www.mass.gov/dis
Give us a step by step of the school budget process.
Give us a step by step of the school budget process.
The school budget is separated into 7 sections; Central Administration, High School, Gates, Jenkins, Hatherly, Wampatuck and Cushing, each with subsets that include Personnel, Expenses, Equipment and Contract Services.
STEP 1: I am given information from the principals and department heads from which I build the budget and present it to the Superintendent.
STEP 2: We have budget meetings with the school leaders and break down each individual budget with supporting documentation and say yes or no to each line item requested.
STEP 3: The Superintendent presents the budget to the School Committee, along with a recommended dollar figure.
STEP 4: A Public Work Session is held for review and recommendations to the budget from the community.
STEP 5: Once the budget is finalized and approved by the School Committee, it moves on to the Advisory Committee (the Town’s Finance Committee) and the Board of Selectmen for approval.
STEP 6: The budget is voted on at the Town Meeting in March.
*The 2007/2008 Budget Presentation and Calendar is on the school website on the Superintendent’s page*
*The 2007/2008 Budget Presentation and budget calendar is on the school website on the Superintendent’s page*
How can parents become involved in the budget process?
The role of the community in the budget process is to be active participants before, during and after the Annual Town Meeting in March.
(1) Talk to the principal of your child’s school before the budget is drafted with your thoughts and concerns about the quality of education offered to your child and the district. Offer to be a part of the budget deliberations and help to ensure the enhancements you and your PTO have identified are addressed. The voice of the community is heard loudly –go to meetings.
(2) During the budget process ask questions, offer ideas and be active participants. Attend and support your ideas at the School Committee, Public Work Session, Advisory Board and Selectman meetings.
(3) Discuss the budget during the process with all of your friends, neighbors and family. Be sure that school and town leaders make the right decisions as it relates not only to your child’s school but to the Scituate school system as a whole.
(4) Attend the Annual Town Meeting in March and VOTE! Make sure your friends and family vote! Be there when the Town decides how much money is allocated to the schools.
Newsletter #1 - Did You Know? Scituate High School
Did You Know?
The high school facility houses not only 900 high school students, but also 75 Early Childhood Center pre-school students, a vocational program for 18 youngsters, the school district’s administrative offices, the Town’s Recreation Department and a branch of a local bank.
Did You Know?
Scituate High School (SHS) for the 2006/2007 school year -
Was not unable to offer 13 courses, including 4 Advanced Placement (AP) courses and International Relations, Intro to Psychology, and Coastal Geology classes amongst others) due to teacher and space constraints.
Was not able to accommodate 624 requests for courses in nearly all subject areas such as english, math, science, social studies, foreign language, business and art.
Had 30% more students assigned to study halls than in the previous year, due to lack of course offerings.
**A chart of this information is included on the school website on the SHS page**
The high school facility houses not only 900 high school students, but also 75 Early Childhood Center pre-school students, a vocational program for 18 youngsters, the school district’s administrative offices, the Town’s Recreation Department and a branch of a local bank.
Did You Know?
Scituate High School (SHS) for the 2006/2007 school year -
Was not unable to offer 13 courses, including 4 Advanced Placement (AP) courses and International Relations, Intro to Psychology, and Coastal Geology classes amongst others) due to teacher and space constraints.
Was not able to accommodate 624 requests for courses in nearly all subject areas such as english, math, science, social studies, foreign language, business and art.
Had 30% more students assigned to study halls than in the previous year, due to lack of course offerings.
**A chart of this information is included on the school website on the SHS page**
Newsletter #1 - Message from High School Student by Kelcie Sweeney
Message from High School Student – Kelcie Sweeney
Kelcie Sweeney, a Scituate High School senior honors student, wrote an article for The Scituation, the SHS student newspaper. This is an excerpt of her article.
“Scituate High School experienced some major scheduling problems this year. It resulted in horror stories of schedules overloaded with study halls and requested classes replaced by fill-ins.
Why? There were several factors the guidance office had to deal with:
The freshman class was much larger than the recently graduated senior class. There was suddenly a bigger group of students divided into the same amount of classes as in years past.
There was an increase in new students, especially in the already large junior class.
The school needed to create more core classes, which in turn led to a major decrease in the number of classes that enhance students’ transcripts (aka – electives) as well as those courses that provide career connections such as some advanced placement courses, marketing, computer-aided drafting, journalism, business law, psychology and the like. One history teacher’s assignment had to change to strictly core classes just so every student could complete school requirements for graduation.
There are two solutions, more teachers and more space. According to principal Mrs. Nuzzo-Mueller, the first thing that would ease the scheduling conflict would be to “hire seven faculty members and find rooms for them to teach in.” In doing this the school would be able to open multiple sections of the same courses which would provide more scheduling options. It would make it possible to have more sections for high demand classes like art, music, journalism, and visual media.
New teachers would mean finding new rooms inside the building. According to Mrs. Nuzzo-Mueller there are several options. The school is home to four tenants. The town would have to find different housing for at least one of these tenants. One of the ideas that have been raised before has been the plan to build a town community center that could house a senior center as well as the early childhood center. This would then benefit both the seniors and the young families of Scituate.
Yet, when it comes down to it, money matters and so does space. Mrs. Nuzzo-Mueller estimates that seven teachers would cost around $45,000 each, which is a grand total of $315,000 per year which doesn’t include the amount of money it would cost to reconfigure the classrooms.”
Kelcie spoke at the Joint PTO/School Council meeting on December 4th. The summary of this meeting is included on the school website and the CSI: Scituate blog. Kelcie applauded the teachers for all that they do, calling them ‘troopers’. She said they, and others, do the best they can with what they have, which is symbolic of who we are. She summed up by saying that students should use their voices to propose solutions and help do something about it.
Kelcie Sweeney, a Scituate High School senior honors student, wrote an article for The Scituation, the SHS student newspaper. This is an excerpt of her article.
“Scituate High School experienced some major scheduling problems this year. It resulted in horror stories of schedules overloaded with study halls and requested classes replaced by fill-ins.
Why? There were several factors the guidance office had to deal with:
The freshman class was much larger than the recently graduated senior class. There was suddenly a bigger group of students divided into the same amount of classes as in years past.
There was an increase in new students, especially in the already large junior class.
The school needed to create more core classes, which in turn led to a major decrease in the number of classes that enhance students’ transcripts (aka – electives) as well as those courses that provide career connections such as some advanced placement courses, marketing, computer-aided drafting, journalism, business law, psychology and the like. One history teacher’s assignment had to change to strictly core classes just so every student could complete school requirements for graduation.
There are two solutions, more teachers and more space. According to principal Mrs. Nuzzo-Mueller, the first thing that would ease the scheduling conflict would be to “hire seven faculty members and find rooms for them to teach in.” In doing this the school would be able to open multiple sections of the same courses which would provide more scheduling options. It would make it possible to have more sections for high demand classes like art, music, journalism, and visual media.
New teachers would mean finding new rooms inside the building. According to Mrs. Nuzzo-Mueller there are several options. The school is home to four tenants. The town would have to find different housing for at least one of these tenants. One of the ideas that have been raised before has been the plan to build a town community center that could house a senior center as well as the early childhood center. This would then benefit both the seniors and the young families of Scituate.
Yet, when it comes down to it, money matters and so does space. Mrs. Nuzzo-Mueller estimates that seven teachers would cost around $45,000 each, which is a grand total of $315,000 per year which doesn’t include the amount of money it would cost to reconfigure the classrooms.”
Kelcie spoke at the Joint PTO/School Council meeting on December 4th. The summary of this meeting is included on the school website and the CSI: Scituate blog. Kelcie applauded the teachers for all that they do, calling them ‘troopers’. She said they, and others, do the best they can with what they have, which is symbolic of who we are. She summed up by saying that students should use their voices to propose solutions and help do something about it.
Newsletter #1 - Did You Know? Per Pupil Expenditures
Did You Know? Scituate has the lowest per pupil expenditures among our competing school districts on the South Shore. **Chart included in newletter and available on www.doe.ma.edu.*
Did You Know?
Scituate per pupil expenditure is 10 – 18% below the state average for the past 5 years. *Chart included in the newsletter and available on www.doe.ma.edu.*
Did You Know?
Of the 30 schools receiving the Standard & Poor’s outperforming district recognition in Massachusetts, Scituate ranked at the bottom for per pupil expenditure (25th out of 30. At the overall State level, we ranked 282 out of 337 municipal and regional districts per pupil expenditure.
Did You Know?
Scituate per pupil expenditure is 10 – 18% below the state average for the past 5 years. *Chart included in the newsletter and available on www.doe.ma.edu.*
Did You Know?
Of the 30 schools receiving the Standard & Poor’s outperforming district recognition in Massachusetts, Scituate ranked at the bottom for per pupil expenditure (25th out of 30. At the overall State level, we ranked 282 out of 337 municipal and regional districts per pupil expenditure.
Newsletter #1 - Did You Know? SHORE, CORSE & PTO $ funding
Did You Know?
- Supplies provided by PTO fundraising dollars in recent years include items such as basic white paper, library books, dictionaries, gym equipment, classroom furniture, air conditioning, playground equipment, Clorox wipes and even carpet cleaner!
Did You Know?
- The Cushing, Hatherly and Wampatuck PTOs raised over $120,000 to build new playgrounds. - S.H.O.R.E awarded $40,000 in grants in 2006 for various programs and equipment, including soccer uniforms, computers, calculators, and Edline, a new on-line system that allows parents and students to view their grades and communicate back to the teachers.
- The Gates School has implemented a Mentoring Program targeted at students who are at high risk for failure, as well as an Incentive Program to recognize students who are “good citizens”.
- The Jenkins School opened without books in the library and over $20,000 was raised to purchase books, in addition to the many books that were donated. The Jenkins ‘Dad’s Club’ designed and built the amphitheater on the playground.
- The Cushing PTO spent approximately $8,000 to install mats on the gym walls to improve safety conditions for the children..
- CORSE provided supplemental funding for library books, teacher conferences, computers for Special Education students, music therapy and after-school skill-building programs
- Supplies provided by PTO fundraising dollars in recent years include items such as basic white paper, library books, dictionaries, gym equipment, classroom furniture, air conditioning, playground equipment, Clorox wipes and even carpet cleaner!
Did You Know?
- The Cushing, Hatherly and Wampatuck PTOs raised over $120,000 to build new playgrounds. - S.H.O.R.E awarded $40,000 in grants in 2006 for various programs and equipment, including soccer uniforms, computers, calculators, and Edline, a new on-line system that allows parents and students to view their grades and communicate back to the teachers.
- The Gates School has implemented a Mentoring Program targeted at students who are at high risk for failure, as well as an Incentive Program to recognize students who are “good citizens”.
- The Jenkins School opened without books in the library and over $20,000 was raised to purchase books, in addition to the many books that were donated. The Jenkins ‘Dad’s Club’ designed and built the amphitheater on the playground.
- The Cushing PTO spent approximately $8,000 to install mats on the gym walls to improve safety conditions for the children..
- CORSE provided supplemental funding for library books, teacher conferences, computers for Special Education students, music therapy and after-school skill-building programs
Newsletter #1 - Superintendent's Message by Mark Mason
Superintendent’s Message by Mark Mason
The schools of Scituate have endured, and overcome, restrained budgets over the past five years. We speculate as to the reasons for the lack of support and funding. Some say that our local school system is under-supported because we continually demonstrate success and achievement. Others say that there is incompatible funding for state and federal mandates. Others state our shortfalls result from economic pressures on local taxpayers. Still others claim that it is a lack of resolve from political, community or administrative leaders. Whatever the reason, the Town of Scituate schools can not continue to meet the demands placed upon it with another year of minimum budget increases.
Funding for the Scituate Public Schools should be a priority for the entire community.
Although the school department has shown consistent and continual progress in a number of areas, it can be rightfully said that we have reached our potential for growth and may very well begin to regress. This is a direction no one in this community wants. Yet, the school community cannot secure greater funding without the support of other local constituencies. Each year, the school department builds its budget in concert with other municipal departments, ever-sensitive to the restrictions of available resources. We have accepted minimal budgets, recognizing that our community has limited resources. We have proven we can manage our limited funds to provide an exceptional education and compete with some of the best school districts.
We must join together in teaching the public about the importance of education for both students and the community at large. While educators must stay committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning, we must also become more politically aware and active. We must unite families in the cause of high quality staff and programming; we must seek greater support from local business and civic alliances in realizing that the spirit of a town emanates, in part, from its schools; we must join with taxpayers and homeowners who understand that good schools equate to good real estate values. The effort will be demanding, but the results will be consequential.
We have the ideas, the people, and the determination to make the Scituate Public Schools, your schools, better. We just need the resources to underwrite our cause.
The schools of Scituate have endured, and overcome, restrained budgets over the past five years. We speculate as to the reasons for the lack of support and funding. Some say that our local school system is under-supported because we continually demonstrate success and achievement. Others say that there is incompatible funding for state and federal mandates. Others state our shortfalls result from economic pressures on local taxpayers. Still others claim that it is a lack of resolve from political, community or administrative leaders. Whatever the reason, the Town of Scituate schools can not continue to meet the demands placed upon it with another year of minimum budget increases.
Funding for the Scituate Public Schools should be a priority for the entire community.
Although the school department has shown consistent and continual progress in a number of areas, it can be rightfully said that we have reached our potential for growth and may very well begin to regress. This is a direction no one in this community wants. Yet, the school community cannot secure greater funding without the support of other local constituencies. Each year, the school department builds its budget in concert with other municipal departments, ever-sensitive to the restrictions of available resources. We have accepted minimal budgets, recognizing that our community has limited resources. We have proven we can manage our limited funds to provide an exceptional education and compete with some of the best school districts.
We must join together in teaching the public about the importance of education for both students and the community at large. While educators must stay committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning, we must also become more politically aware and active. We must unite families in the cause of high quality staff and programming; we must seek greater support from local business and civic alliances in realizing that the spirit of a town emanates, in part, from its schools; we must join with taxpayers and homeowners who understand that good schools equate to good real estate values. The effort will be demanding, but the results will be consequential.
We have the ideas, the people, and the determination to make the Scituate Public Schools, your schools, better. We just need the resources to underwrite our cause.
Friday, January 26, 2007
School Committee Highlights - January 22, 2007
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING HIGHLIGHTS – January 22, 2007
**School Committee Meeting Minutes are posted to the Scituate Public Schools website, http://www.scituate.k12.ma.us/
Committee member in attendance: Maura Curran, Libby Michaud, Edward Tibbets and Michael Hayes
Administrators Present: Mark Mason (Superintendent), James Kelleher (Asst. Superintendent/Curriculum), and Paul Donlan (Business & Finance).
# of attendees: approximately 10
Special Matters:
a. School Committee Student Representative - Scituate High School Student Representative, Charles Powers and Alternate, Melanie Collins were introduced to the Committee. Their input is appreciated and valuable.
b. English Language Arts Pilot Program was presented by Dr. Kelleher, Ms. Wells, Wampatuck, and Ms. LeBlanc, Gates. The Task Force of over 30 teachers has been working on this project for 3 years. 60 teachers in grades K-12 have been piloting various programs and the Task Force has unanimously selected Prentice Hall for grades 6-12 while they are piloting both Harcourt and Houghton Mifflin for grades K-5. The English Language Arts Program (ELA) is critical to our schools. We have been using the materials in grades K-5 since 1993 and 6-12 since 1994. The books are older than many of our students. This new program offers a balanced approach of phonics and whole language skills. In the younger grades 50-60% of a typical student’s day (up to 3 hours) is related to reading and writing. These new programs will offer consistency across the entire system and allow our teachers to be more efficient and effective in the classroom, no more copying, borrowing and creating their own materials and tools while spending their own out-of-pocket money.
The ELA program accomplishes the following:
Consistency across all 4 elementary schools
Literature Centered with a variety of genres for different types of comprehension
Meets Federal requirements for English as a Second Language
(ESL) development (50-75 students/year in Scituate require this type of service)
Materials for gifted and talented
Adapted Readers for lower reading levels
Writing Lessons – grammar and writing workbooks
Bench marks in place to measure success
Meets MCAS Standards
Comprehensive K-12 program, all students at all levels benefit
The publisher has been loaning the materials to Scituate for the past 3 years, but the time has come for us to invest the $500,000 to purchase the ELA program. The cost of textbooks keeps going up every year and the longer we wait the more expensive it will be, also the old materials from 1993 are no longer in print and can not be purchased.
Routine Matters:
a. SCAMPS Overview – Joanne McIntosh the Director of the SCAMPS program for the past 11 years presented the plan to get the program back in the black by year end. Unfortunately, the program did not receive $9,000 worth of funding and several accounts had become overdue. There are 135 children involved in the after-school program, a 30% increase in enrollment. The self-supporting program is very successful. The board approved the plan.
b. FY’08 Budget Cycle – Paul Donlan reviewed the School Budget that has been presented to the Selectmen and Advisory Committees. The $27,006,187 budget would include 20 staff members (including 5 Teachers at SHS, 4 Special Ed Teachers a result of No Child Left Behind, 3 Reading Specialists, and 2 Teachers at Gates), and $500,000 for the ELA Program for grades K-12. The Gates position would reinstate the Industrial Technology Teacher which was cut last year. Industrial Technology is covered on the MCAS test. The budget did not include Assistant Principals or Librarians.
The $300,000 for desks and furniture, language lab upgrades and technology and equipment were not part of the total budget and would be part of a Town wide Debit-Exclusion Override figure. These items have been part of the budget for the past 6 years, but have always been cut. The Board approved unanimously to keep the $500,000 for the ELA program in the Operational Budget and put the $300,000 for equipment in the Debit Exclusion Budget. Dr. Kelleher presented an overview of the curriculum maintenance budget for the future which would be possible with the $500,000 for curriculum in the school budget. The increase to curriculum would help us to become as competitive as our neighboring school districts and allow the schools to reinstate programs that have been eliminated or not implemented.
c. Out-of-State Field Trip Request – Madame DuFault, Gates French Teacher and Dick Blake, Gates Principal, requested that 28 8th graders be allowed to travel to Quebec City for a cultural learning experience. The Board unanimously approved the request.
Superintendent’s Report:
Mr. Mason is scheduling a community meeting with Denise Kennedy from the State Office of Campaign and Political Finance to provide guidance to public employees and officials as well as citizens on the application of the laws governing override campaigns. Time and date to follow.
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
**School Committee Meeting Minutes are posted to the Scituate Public Schools website, http://www.scituate.k12.ma.us/
Committee member in attendance: Maura Curran, Libby Michaud, Edward Tibbets and Michael Hayes
Administrators Present: Mark Mason (Superintendent), James Kelleher (Asst. Superintendent/Curriculum), and Paul Donlan (Business & Finance).
# of attendees: approximately 10
Special Matters:
a. School Committee Student Representative - Scituate High School Student Representative, Charles Powers and Alternate, Melanie Collins were introduced to the Committee. Their input is appreciated and valuable.
b. English Language Arts Pilot Program was presented by Dr. Kelleher, Ms. Wells, Wampatuck, and Ms. LeBlanc, Gates. The Task Force of over 30 teachers has been working on this project for 3 years. 60 teachers in grades K-12 have been piloting various programs and the Task Force has unanimously selected Prentice Hall for grades 6-12 while they are piloting both Harcourt and Houghton Mifflin for grades K-5. The English Language Arts Program (ELA) is critical to our schools. We have been using the materials in grades K-5 since 1993 and 6-12 since 1994. The books are older than many of our students. This new program offers a balanced approach of phonics and whole language skills. In the younger grades 50-60% of a typical student’s day (up to 3 hours) is related to reading and writing. These new programs will offer consistency across the entire system and allow our teachers to be more efficient and effective in the classroom, no more copying, borrowing and creating their own materials and tools while spending their own out-of-pocket money.
The ELA program accomplishes the following:
Consistency across all 4 elementary schools
Literature Centered with a variety of genres for different types of comprehension
Meets Federal requirements for English as a Second Language
(ESL) development (50-75 students/year in Scituate require this type of service)
Materials for gifted and talented
Adapted Readers for lower reading levels
Writing Lessons – grammar and writing workbooks
Bench marks in place to measure success
Meets MCAS Standards
Comprehensive K-12 program, all students at all levels benefit
The publisher has been loaning the materials to Scituate for the past 3 years, but the time has come for us to invest the $500,000 to purchase the ELA program. The cost of textbooks keeps going up every year and the longer we wait the more expensive it will be, also the old materials from 1993 are no longer in print and can not be purchased.
Routine Matters:
a. SCAMPS Overview – Joanne McIntosh the Director of the SCAMPS program for the past 11 years presented the plan to get the program back in the black by year end. Unfortunately, the program did not receive $9,000 worth of funding and several accounts had become overdue. There are 135 children involved in the after-school program, a 30% increase in enrollment. The self-supporting program is very successful. The board approved the plan.
b. FY’08 Budget Cycle – Paul Donlan reviewed the School Budget that has been presented to the Selectmen and Advisory Committees. The $27,006,187 budget would include 20 staff members (including 5 Teachers at SHS, 4 Special Ed Teachers a result of No Child Left Behind, 3 Reading Specialists, and 2 Teachers at Gates), and $500,000 for the ELA Program for grades K-12. The Gates position would reinstate the Industrial Technology Teacher which was cut last year. Industrial Technology is covered on the MCAS test. The budget did not include Assistant Principals or Librarians.
The $300,000 for desks and furniture, language lab upgrades and technology and equipment were not part of the total budget and would be part of a Town wide Debit-Exclusion Override figure. These items have been part of the budget for the past 6 years, but have always been cut. The Board approved unanimously to keep the $500,000 for the ELA program in the Operational Budget and put the $300,000 for equipment in the Debit Exclusion Budget. Dr. Kelleher presented an overview of the curriculum maintenance budget for the future which would be possible with the $500,000 for curriculum in the school budget. The increase to curriculum would help us to become as competitive as our neighboring school districts and allow the schools to reinstate programs that have been eliminated or not implemented.
c. Out-of-State Field Trip Request – Madame DuFault, Gates French Teacher and Dick Blake, Gates Principal, requested that 28 8th graders be allowed to travel to Quebec City for a cultural learning experience. The Board unanimously approved the request.
Superintendent’s Report:
Mr. Mason is scheduling a community meeting with Denise Kennedy from the State Office of Campaign and Political Finance to provide guidance to public employees and officials as well as citizens on the application of the laws governing override campaigns. Time and date to follow.
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
CSI: Scituate - Seeking Volunteers
Not sure how large an organization folks think CSI: Scituate is currently, but we are a SMALL but mighty team (and I mean small). If you are interested in helping out in any of the following areas, please email us at csiscituate@yahoo.com:
- Blog - gathering information (ie., attending and summarizing meetings) & technical expertise in blogging!
- Channell 22 - ideas, coverage of meetings, creative uses (i.e., commercials)
- Mariner - providing district-wide information
Thanks!
- Blog - gathering information (ie., attending and summarizing meetings) & technical expertise in blogging!
- Channell 22 - ideas, coverage of meetings, creative uses (i.e., commercials)
- Mariner - providing district-wide information
Thanks!
Newsletter #1 - CSI: Scituate Message
CSI: Scituate Message by Barbara Lydon and Sharon Mohr, CSI: Scituate Chairs
This newsletter is written for the community, by the community. It represents the views of the many constituencies of Scituate including the selectmen, school administration, school committee, teachers, students, parents, senior citizens and citizens for limited taxation. It grew out of the need and request for improved communication between all parties related to the public schools.
CSI: Scituate endorses the concept that community participation in the efforts of the schools is essential if the school system and the community are to maintain mutual confidence and respect and work together to improve the quality of education for students.
Scituate is our Town. We are ‘the Town’. If ‘the Town’ does not take action to get more done, it means we did not take action. We all need to work together with Town officials to identify issues, propose solutions and ensure we have adequate funding to maintain and improve our municipal services.
Demonstrate your commitment to this community and its public schools - educate yourself on the issues, think proactively toward solutions and take action by voting and volunteering your time. We appreciate the fact that we, as individuals, are working longer and harder than ever before in the home and outside the home, but we need to set aside time to ensure the needs of the Town and our schools are met.
Individuals and groups have stepped forward over the years, and many recently, to demonstrate that time is well spent working with others who have similar ideas and solutions for district-wide school issues. As examples:
- SEA is a foundation whose board of parents, teachers and Town officials have provided funding and programs to enhance education throughout the community since 1999. Safe Routes to School, Community of Concern, Kids Voting, Alcohol Awareness, ProActive Parenting and Open Circle are SEA-driven initiatives. http://www.scituate-sea.org/
- S.H.O.R.E was established in 1990 by parents when widespread budget cuts threatened the quality of education. Since inception, S.H.O.R.E. has provided over $650,000 of financial support for academics, arts, sports and technology at Scituate High School. www.scituate.k12.ma.us/shs/parentsupport
- The PTOs of the Gates Intermediate School and Cushing, Hatherly, Jenkins and Wampatuck Elementary Schools raise and fund over $200,000 annually to provide enrichment programs, curriculum materials and “supplies” through volunteer efforts. PTO news and information is available on each of the school websites. http://www.scituate.k.12.ma.us/
- CORSE (Community of Resources for Special Education) has raised and funded over $16,000 since inception in 2006, to support supplemental special education programming. http://www.corsefoundation.org/
- Other activity-specific groups, including Friends of Scituate Recreation, Scituate Friends of Music and the various sports organizations and booster clubs, raise significant funds each year for their various causes.
We thank these organizations for funding the costs of this newsletter.
Scituate Public Schools is this community’s largest employer and most significant expenditure. We need to make time to educate ourselves about the school system by attending School Committee meetings (or watching them on Channel 22 - The Public Education Access Channel), and attending PTO, School Council and Joint PTO/School Council meetings.
Provide your input, feedback and questions by being an active participant in the CSI: Scituate blog http://www.csiscituate.org/. CSI Scituate is open to your suggestions as to how best serve the communication needs of our community as they relate to the schools. We look forward to working with all of you!
This newsletter is written for the community, by the community. It represents the views of the many constituencies of Scituate including the selectmen, school administration, school committee, teachers, students, parents, senior citizens and citizens for limited taxation. It grew out of the need and request for improved communication between all parties related to the public schools.
CSI: Scituate endorses the concept that community participation in the efforts of the schools is essential if the school system and the community are to maintain mutual confidence and respect and work together to improve the quality of education for students.
Scituate is our Town. We are ‘the Town’. If ‘the Town’ does not take action to get more done, it means we did not take action. We all need to work together with Town officials to identify issues, propose solutions and ensure we have adequate funding to maintain and improve our municipal services.
Demonstrate your commitment to this community and its public schools - educate yourself on the issues, think proactively toward solutions and take action by voting and volunteering your time. We appreciate the fact that we, as individuals, are working longer and harder than ever before in the home and outside the home, but we need to set aside time to ensure the needs of the Town and our schools are met.
Individuals and groups have stepped forward over the years, and many recently, to demonstrate that time is well spent working with others who have similar ideas and solutions for district-wide school issues. As examples:
- SEA is a foundation whose board of parents, teachers and Town officials have provided funding and programs to enhance education throughout the community since 1999. Safe Routes to School, Community of Concern, Kids Voting, Alcohol Awareness, ProActive Parenting and Open Circle are SEA-driven initiatives. http://www.scituate-sea.org/
- S.H.O.R.E was established in 1990 by parents when widespread budget cuts threatened the quality of education. Since inception, S.H.O.R.E. has provided over $650,000 of financial support for academics, arts, sports and technology at Scituate High School. www.scituate.k12.ma.us/shs/parentsupport
- The PTOs of the Gates Intermediate School and Cushing, Hatherly, Jenkins and Wampatuck Elementary Schools raise and fund over $200,000 annually to provide enrichment programs, curriculum materials and “supplies” through volunteer efforts. PTO news and information is available on each of the school websites. http://www.scituate.k.12.ma.us/
- CORSE (Community of Resources for Special Education) has raised and funded over $16,000 since inception in 2006, to support supplemental special education programming. http://www.corsefoundation.org/
- Other activity-specific groups, including Friends of Scituate Recreation, Scituate Friends of Music and the various sports organizations and booster clubs, raise significant funds each year for their various causes.
We thank these organizations for funding the costs of this newsletter.
Scituate Public Schools is this community’s largest employer and most significant expenditure. We need to make time to educate ourselves about the school system by attending School Committee meetings (or watching them on Channel 22 - The Public Education Access Channel), and attending PTO, School Council and Joint PTO/School Council meetings.
Provide your input, feedback and questions by being an active participant in the CSI: Scituate blog http://www.csiscituate.org/. CSI Scituate is open to your suggestions as to how best serve the communication needs of our community as they relate to the schools. We look forward to working with all of you!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
School Committee Highlights - January 8, 2007
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING HIGHLIGHTS - January 8, 2007
**School Committee Meeting Minutes are posted to the Scituate Public Schools website www.scituate.k12.ma.us
Committee Members in Attendance: Maura Curran, Jamie Strobino, Libby Michaud, Edward Tibbets and Michael Hayes
Administrators Present: Mark Mason (Superintendent), James Kelleher (Asst. Superintendent/Curriculum), Judy Norton (Special Education) and Paul Donlan (Business & Finance).
# of Attendees: approximately 20
Special Matters:
Request for Waiver of Local Residency Requirement was discussed for family doing construction on Scituate home but temporarily living in Marshfield (during construction). Voted to approve waiver unanimously.
Proposed policy for ‘My Space” was given to the School Committee by Mark Mason for their review and discussion at the next school committee meeting.
Proposed Policy regarding “The Scituate School’s District Website” was given to the School Committee by Mark Mason for their review and discussion at the next school committee meeting. Policy is the same as that used for the Town website.
A district-wide Flyer Distribution Policy will be drafted and presented to the School Committee members at the next school committee meeting. A letter was sent to Mr. Mason by a concerned citizen about what is being sent home with the students from both the private and public sectors. In total, 42 flyers have been sent home from the district (more from each individual school) and approximately 18 requests for flyers have been turned down.
Comments were made about how many flyers are going home on non-school related matters and that a policy needs to be put in place to ensure that only value added information is sent home with the students. Additional comments were made that the school website should be considered as a place where parents can go to get things that interest them vs. having them sent home. An elementary principal pointed out that the number of flyers can allow for important information to be lost – like a principal’s newsletter.
The Out of State Fieldtrip request to NY by the Music Department was approved for March 27 & 28th. The students will get to go back stage of a Broadway show and perform at Carnegie Hall. 125 students will go with a teacher to student ratio of 1 to 10.
Update on the Budget Cycle for 2008
Mark Mason discussed a revised budget proposal to cut down from the $28.9 million the School Committee had voted on in December based on a meeting with selectman, advisory, financial forecasting and members of the School Committee. Despite wanting to stick with the original number, his proposal was based on the sense that the Town’s financial situation would not support the proposal with all of the other Town needs.
Members of the school committee expressed that, while they understand that the schools may not get the entire amount in the end, the amount is for what is needed to restore (not improve) the level of education the Town deserves. The Committee members want it to be the responsibility of the town leadership to scale the number back and let the community know that the Town cannot support this level of education or funding.
Mason had sent an email to the selectmen requesting a meeting of the entire Board of Selectman, School Committee, Advisory and the financial forecasting prior to the Jan 16th Selectman meeting. A meeting of these groups was held last year and was very effective. All agreed it might require more deliberations but it was well worth the time spent by all.
The school budget proposal goes to the Board of Selectman 1/16 and the Advisory Board 1/25. It needs to be finalized by the first week in February to be discussed at the March 3rd Town Meeting and voted on at the March 31st Town Election.
Maura Curran shared an article from Boston Business Journal, dated 12/29/2006 citing that Scituate ranked 46 among the top wealthiest 50 zip codes in Massachusetts. Recognizing that many are on a fixed income and a tax increase could require adjustments to a resident’s budget, it would appear the community should be able to afford an increase in taxes as we have one of the lowest tax rates on the South Shore.
Donations and Letters – refer to the School Committee minutesThere were no Other Business, Communications from School Councils or Sub-Committee Reports agenda items for discussion.
**School Committee Meeting Minutes are posted to the Scituate Public Schools website www.scituate.k12.ma.us
Committee Members in Attendance: Maura Curran, Jamie Strobino, Libby Michaud, Edward Tibbets and Michael Hayes
Administrators Present: Mark Mason (Superintendent), James Kelleher (Asst. Superintendent/Curriculum), Judy Norton (Special Education) and Paul Donlan (Business & Finance).
# of Attendees: approximately 20
Special Matters:
Request for Waiver of Local Residency Requirement was discussed for family doing construction on Scituate home but temporarily living in Marshfield (during construction). Voted to approve waiver unanimously.
Proposed policy for ‘My Space” was given to the School Committee by Mark Mason for their review and discussion at the next school committee meeting.
Proposed Policy regarding “The Scituate School’s District Website” was given to the School Committee by Mark Mason for their review and discussion at the next school committee meeting. Policy is the same as that used for the Town website.
A district-wide Flyer Distribution Policy will be drafted and presented to the School Committee members at the next school committee meeting. A letter was sent to Mr. Mason by a concerned citizen about what is being sent home with the students from both the private and public sectors. In total, 42 flyers have been sent home from the district (more from each individual school) and approximately 18 requests for flyers have been turned down.
Comments were made about how many flyers are going home on non-school related matters and that a policy needs to be put in place to ensure that only value added information is sent home with the students. Additional comments were made that the school website should be considered as a place where parents can go to get things that interest them vs. having them sent home. An elementary principal pointed out that the number of flyers can allow for important information to be lost – like a principal’s newsletter.
The Out of State Fieldtrip request to NY by the Music Department was approved for March 27 & 28th. The students will get to go back stage of a Broadway show and perform at Carnegie Hall. 125 students will go with a teacher to student ratio of 1 to 10.
Update on the Budget Cycle for 2008
Mark Mason discussed a revised budget proposal to cut down from the $28.9 million the School Committee had voted on in December based on a meeting with selectman, advisory, financial forecasting and members of the School Committee. Despite wanting to stick with the original number, his proposal was based on the sense that the Town’s financial situation would not support the proposal with all of the other Town needs.
Members of the school committee expressed that, while they understand that the schools may not get the entire amount in the end, the amount is for what is needed to restore (not improve) the level of education the Town deserves. The Committee members want it to be the responsibility of the town leadership to scale the number back and let the community know that the Town cannot support this level of education or funding.
Mason had sent an email to the selectmen requesting a meeting of the entire Board of Selectman, School Committee, Advisory and the financial forecasting prior to the Jan 16th Selectman meeting. A meeting of these groups was held last year and was very effective. All agreed it might require more deliberations but it was well worth the time spent by all.
The school budget proposal goes to the Board of Selectman 1/16 and the Advisory Board 1/25. It needs to be finalized by the first week in February to be discussed at the March 3rd Town Meeting and voted on at the March 31st Town Election.
Maura Curran shared an article from Boston Business Journal, dated 12/29/2006 citing that Scituate ranked 46 among the top wealthiest 50 zip codes in Massachusetts. Recognizing that many are on a fixed income and a tax increase could require adjustments to a resident’s budget, it would appear the community should be able to afford an increase in taxes as we have one of the lowest tax rates on the South Shore.
Donations and Letters – refer to the School Committee minutesThere were no Other Business, Communications from School Councils or Sub-Committee Reports agenda items for discussion.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Give Us A Clue!
Let us know your comments or questions on any topic related to the Scituate Public Schools here! We are looking to start a dialog. Let us know what you think.
FY 05 Per Pupil Expenditures
FY 05 Information
Per Pupil Expenditures
Cohasset -$7,373
Duxbury - $7,904
Hingham -$6,937
Marshfield- $7,125
Norwell - $7,422
Scituate - $6,561
Source: Mass Dept of Education website - http://www.doe.mass.edu/
Per Pupil Expenditures
Cohasset -$7,373
Duxbury - $7,904
Hingham -$6,937
Marshfield- $7,125
Norwell - $7,422
Scituate - $6,561
Source: Mass Dept of Education website - http://www.doe.mass.edu/
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