4-3 vote OKs Peirce principal search

For a change, the School Committee heard two positive budget numbers on Tuesday, Jan. 26, totaling $1.3 million and reducing the forecast shortfall to $5.8 million, still a significant projected sum.

Diane Fisk Johnson, the schools' chief financial officer, reported the numbers, learned late last week. Federal stimulus funds for special education, called IDEA, projected two weeks ago at zero, are expected to come in at $700,000. Further, circuit-breaker money, also projected Jan. 12 at zero, is now expected to be $600,000. 

She called the numbers "conservative." In fiscal 2011, $1 million of that total applies, accounting for the $5.8 million. The $700,000 in IDEA money is for both fiscal 2010 and 2011.

In other business, the committee voted 4-3 to pursue filling the principal position at Peirce School permanently, following a lengthy discussion about whether the job description should include duties beyond those of principal. Voting against the measure were committee Chair Joseph Curran, Denise Burns and Joseph Curro.

The committee discussed the 2010-2011 school calendar, provided concerns about it, but did not vote on it. The first day of school in September is Wednesday, Sept. 8, under a compromise between the administration and the teachers' union.

Further, Interim Superintendent Kathleen Bodie announced that the state Department of Education has nominated the Stratton as one of seven Blue Ribbon Schools. Stratton administrators face a Feb. 26 to complete its application for the honor, given to schools that show academic excellence or marked academic improvement.

The committee also sat at rapt attention during a presentation called "Global Education" by Kerry Dunne, director of social studies for kindergarten through 12th grade. Curro said the presentation, which included video clips, made him feel like going back to school.

Budget discussion

In the light of budget numbers first reported Jan. 12 pointing toward the loss of more than 100 staff positions in the worst-case scenario, Bodie addressed what she called a "very difficult topic" by explaining that the timelines for devising a school budget is not in sync with funding from federal and state sources.

Responding to the question she said she has heard often since Jan. 12 -- how did the shortfall rise from $2.6 million in late December? -- Bodie explained that as numbers evolved, the administration found it had to take a more conservative view of money that might be expected.

"There was no intent on the part of the administration to use scare tactics," she said. "We know teachers are anxious." She said Arlington principals have reported to her that teachers "continue to come in every day and are being as positive as they can be."

She then let Johnson report the latest positive budget numbers. In discussion, Curro said he hoped the Legislature would take another look at the Chapter 70 formula, which has left Arlington short since it was changed for fiscal 2003.

Member Jeff Thielman asked Bodie about whether Town Manager Brian Sullivan has offered a strategy to deal with the dismal numbers reported two weeks ago. "He understands," she said. "We're trying to work together. The town is in a tough situation, too."

She said she did expect significant movement until there is action on the state level.

Public budget explanations

In an attempt to explain Arlington's budget plight, a number of public meetings have been scheduled:

• Dallin School, Thursday, Jan. 28, 7 p.m.

• Budget & Revenue Task Force, 2nd floor, Town Hall, Monday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m.

• Hardy School, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 6 p.m., at which Arlington's State House delegation is expected.

• St. Paul's Church, Thursday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m., with Allen Tosti, chairman of the Finance Committee.

Peirce principal search

Carol Greeley, Peirce PTO co-president, raised the issue of the search during public participation. After Karen Hartley was appointed to the job following the retirement of Bob Penta last August http://www.yourarlington.com/school-news/2265-peirce-principal-retiring, Greeley said the search for a permanent principal was put off until January. With the month nearly done, she said parents are concerned and wondering what is happening.

Following the budget discussion, Bodie made clear she thought a principal was needed for Peirce -- and for each public school in town. She called on the committee to carry through.

During discussion, all committee members except Curran said the school needed a principal. He appeared to suggest that the school could get by without one. "I want to look at everything," he said.

Curro said he would support a motion to begin a search, contingent on School Committee approval of the job description for the position.

"I want to see a principal [at Peirce]," Burns said, "but what is that job?" Her comments were made in the context of possibly adding other duties beyond those of a principal.

Bodie said she did not understanding what committee members were seeking as to other duties.

Thielman said he could not imagine the Peirce without a principal.

"We're going through a fiscal crisis," Curran said. "When we start cutting, I want to see us addressing administration and teachers."

The discussion included comments noting that the Peirce is relatively small. Under redistricting, the number of students would likely increase there.

Following the meeting, Curro wrote in an e-mail Jan. 27:

"Equity is an issue between elementary principals, who are all paid pretty much the same, regardless of the size of their school communities, number of District programs hosted in their buildings, experience, or any number of other factors. 

"In this tough fiscal time where we are called to think differently about how we do things, I thought it reasonable to ask if there were any administrative duties -- perhaps in the area of curriculum leadership or some other area -- that might reasonably be folded into the job description of the principal at our smallest school.

"My sense is that several of my colleagues on either side of the vote agreed with me in principle and that most of us believed that Peirce deserves a high-quality principal, but that we differed in our assessment of how best to meet that goal and where the lines and methods of School Committee oversight on the matter should fall."

Voting in favor were Leba Heigham, Cindy Starks, Ron Spangler and Thielman.

School calendar discussion

During discussion of next year's school calendar, the committee raised these concerns, which members have heard from parents:

• Regarding elementary conferences in December, many parents would like them in the evening. Now, children are released during the day, and some parents have to miss work.

• Starks suggested scheduling a release day before or after a weekend.

• Spread out conference days in different weeks.

Stratton School honor

Stratton Principal Alan Brown sent this e-mail to parents this week:

"A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) informing me of a national school recognition program that honors public and private K-12 schools 'that are either academically superior in their state or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.' It is run by the U.S. Department of Education. It is called The Blue Ribbon School Program.

"Each year the U.S. Department of Education allots each state a certain number of schools to submit applications to be identified as a Blue Ribbon School. A formula developed by the US DOE and enhanced by the Massachusetts DOE identifies the nominated schools. This year Massachusetts was asked to nominate 7 schools grades  K-12. I am pleased to announce that Stratton is one of those seven schools.

"We immediately established a team to work on the application process. The application will be submitted by February 26th - it is extensive. The U.S. Department of Education will announce the selected schools from across the nation in August."

 

This story was first reported at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, and updated after that.