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.
Showing posts with label Newsletter #1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newsletter #1. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
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.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
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!
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