Clarksburg School Committee Accept Budget, Discuss PARCC
 The School Committee adopted a budget of $2.5 million for the coming year. |
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The School Committee on Thursday accepted the school budget of $2,487,736 for fiscal 2016.
The budget reflects a 2.6 percent increase from this fiscal year.
Both the Selectmen and the Finance Committee approved the budget and the number will go to town meeting.
Interim Principal Karen Gallese said the school just finished up Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests and a trial run of the new PARCC test.
She said aspects of the online Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers tests were difficult for both teachers and students.
"We were all scurrying around trying to figure it out," Gallese said. "It needs a lot of work, and it's a lot of time taking away from instruction, which is concerning to me."
She said teachers not familiar with technology had difficulties helping students when the computers went off line.
She said some of the English and language/arts questions did not make sense to her.
"They gave a selection from 'David Copperfield' and they wanted them to compare that to James Joyce," she said. "The language in both of those pieces is very difficult even for an eighth-grader. For special needs students it was horrendous."
She said students had difficulties with the math questions, too, because it was hard to manipulate the numbers on the computer.
Gallese reported that the kindergarten screenings took place and the class is filled with nine Clarksburg pupils and five school-choice children.
"I think the kindergarten screenings went smoothly, and it was fun because we had a couple of children we knew before they were born," she said.
She said the school has received many calls from North Adams parents unhappy with the recently released restructuring plans for the new Colegrove Park Elementary School. She said there are some openings still in second grade and sixth grade.
Superintendent Jonathan Lev said the committee should think about school choice as they develop plans for a new Clarksburg school.
"That is something we really need to think about. Like what we want the enrollment to be, classroom size, and new programs we could house here," Lev said. "That will all have to be taken into consideration."
Lev said he has contacted an environmental service to test the historical air quality issues in the building. These tests will occur when the building is empty.
Gallese said both students and teachers have complained of complications because of the air.
"This winter we had a lot of breathing issues and a lot of headaches, which is unusual for tiny kids," Gallese said. "Some had migraine headaches which made me concerned. ... I have kids that had to wear sunglasses to school because the light is bothering their eyes."
The committee also adopted the Mass in Motion Wellness Policy.
Tags: fiscal 2016, MCAS, PARCC,
