Lanesborough Not Alone in School Budget Blues
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That was message of School Committee Chairman Richard Cohen at the board's meeting on Wednesday, Jan 23.
The Cohen reported on a meeting of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees held Monday in Dalton. School boards across the state are having similar problems, principally shrinking budgets and unfunded mandates, he said. Although Gov. Deval Patrick's recently released budget calls for $368 million more for education, Lanesborough is set to get $64,000 less than this year.
Superintendent of Schools Robert Ballen presented the final version of the list of assurances given to the other towns in the school union in the event that Lanesborough forms a new union with Williamstown. The committee approved that version.
Principal Ellen Boshe reported on the professional development program. There was an all-day workshop with Hancock and Richmond with regards to differential teaching in the "reading" category. She indicated that the staff looked across grade levels and made appropriate changes. Cohen said he was very happy with the work of the staff on the differential learning approach.
Boshe also reported on a workshop with the district attorney's office regarding bullying.
Boshe said the School Council has a plan with seven strategic goals for school improvement. Cohen said it was a very ambitious plan and asked that goals be set to identify at what point each action item was to be accomplished.
Although the Education Reform Act of 1993 required a school council, Cohen said this is the first time one was actually established at Lanesborough School. He express concern that the makeup of the council had more faculty than parents and that the law required an equal balance. The council should be comprised of the principal, parents, teachers and community members, with parent and faculty representatives of equal parity. Two of the community members are retired staff, which brought the number of faculty to five and parents to four.
Boshe said she is very pleased with the dynamics of the group and was very encouraged with the participation. She indicated that she found it very difficult to fill the positions for community members and would certainly encourage anyone from the community to get involved.
Class size was then discussed. Cohen requested a report on class size breakdown from Ballen.
Cohen also expressed concern that he was getting feedback from parents that the more advanced students were not being challenged and that these children might be developing bad habits as a result of their boredom.
Boshe asked for approval to put the pending technology plan project out to bid on infrastructure and for the laptop initiative. The board approved. The principal said she wasn't looking for the board to approve the spending on the project but felt it would be timely to get the bids first.
Ballen then went over the fiscal 2009 budget. A display of past revenues was presented comparing 2004 through 2008 in school choice, grants, preschool revenue and special education funding. The expense budget was also provided.
The School Committee commented that it needed time to digest all the numbers and determine which programs should continue and which programs should not. The School Committee asked for more detailed breakdown of the numbers for review. Ballen agreed to provide the information.
The School Committee is hosting an informal gathering on Monday, Jan. 28, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the school so the community can meet Rose Ellis, superintendent of Williamstown Elementary School.
Ellis is expected to become the superintendent of the Lanesborough School if it joins Williamstown in establishing a new school superintendency union. The committee is urging parents, community members and town officials to attend the gathering.
Information provided by Lanesborough Concerned Citizens Newsletter. To receive the weekly newsletter with more Lanesborough news, e-mail ahartheimer@yahoo.com.
