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Lanesborough-Williamstown School Union Gets OKBy Al Hartheimer - May 17, 2008
Lanesborough News
LANESBOROUGH — The new Lanesborough-Williamstown Elementary School Union was approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, effective as of July 1, according to a letter dated May 2 from Jeffrey Neilhaus, acting director.
The schools had been discussing the creation of a union since late last year as a way to save funds.
The Williamstown Elementary School Committee voted in early February to join a superintendency union with Lanesborough, which had voted on Jan. 31 to dissolve School Union 69 with Richmond, New Ashford and Hancock.
Williamstown's Superintendent Rose Ellis and Special Education Director Michael Singleton will continue in those positions for both schools, which will share the salary costs. The schools will also split costs for clerical help and associated administrative costs.
With William Ballen, the current superintendent of Union 69, and Paul Mays, its special education director, both leaving, Lanesborough now avoids a protracted search for their replacements. Lanesborough will also receive committee representation commensurate with its costs, a virtue school officials found lacking in Union 69, in which they had 25 percent of the votes but incurred more than half the costs.
A number of Lanesborough parents have expressed hope at earlier hearings that the new union between the schools will promote closer connections between their students, who become classmates once they enter Mount Greylock Regional High and Middle School.
In his letter to the Lanesborough School Committee, Neilhaus said "... I continue to be concerned about the long-term viability of the small district model ... .
"A consolidation of administrative offices, either through regionalization or expanded superintendency unions, would make it easier to provide the wide array of instructional and business services needed to support schools and teachers."
"I would therefore ask the two of you (Lanesborough and Williamstown) to continue the conversatons in your towns regarding long-range options for a more comprehensive governance structure."
Information provided by Lanesborough Concerned Citizens Newsletter. To receive the weekly newsletter with more Lanesborough news, e-mail ahartheimer@yahoo.com. |
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