Mix-up Delays Release of Superintendent's Contract Terms
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee approved a contract for shared Superintendent Rose Ellis during an executive session Tuesday night, but it wasn't the right contract.As a result, the terms of Ellis' agreement to become the new superintendent of Mount Greylock, in addition to her current position as School Union 71 superintendent for Williamstown and Lanesborough Elementary Schools, are not expected to be released until Thursday.
"We approved the contract that we had handed to us. It is unfortunately, with some small wording differences, different than the contract that was approved earlier by Union 71 [on June 24]," Archibald said on Tuesday night.
On Wednesday night, Chairman David Archibald explained that the school's lawyer had provided the wrong contract to the School Committee, which justifies some of the committee's requests for changes in its "archaic" language.
Archibald spoke with Regina Dilego, chairwoman of the Union 71 School Committee, on Wednesday and the mix-up was clarified.
Pending Archibald's signature on the correct contract — and Ellis' signature — the details will then be released to the public.
In other business during Tuesday night's School Committee meeting:
— William D. Travis served his last School Committee meeting as the Mount Greylock superintendent. His retirement becomes effective July 1. Before Tuesday's meeting was adjourned, committee members expressed their gratitude for Travis' five years of service as the Greylock superintendent and their admiration for his 40 years in the education field.
"He came to the [Mount Greylock] when morale wasn't good and there were some serious organizational and education problems," David Langston said. "He kept plugging away, and noticeably the spirit and the sense of cooperation has improved.
"The school is better for Bill's leadership over the last several years. He's sacrificed his vacation days, and he has exemplified the steady hand on the tillers that every school needs."
— Committee member Robert Ericson reported that the locker room repairs at Mount Greylock are slated to be finished by the start of the school year (Thursday, Sept. 2). This update comes two weeks after Ericson, the project manager, said the repairs would be finished by mid-September.
The concern with the mid-September deadline was that the sports teams would be forced to change into their athletic apparel in other areas of the building.
To meet the Sept. 2 deadline, Ericson said that construction workers are taking "a slightly more risky approach, but it accelerates the installation process."
By "risky," Ericson said they will install the locker room equipment before the installation of the ceilings, whereas traditionally the ceilings are installed before the equipment.
"It's still an acceptable way to go. They just recognize that they want to move ahead faster," Ericson said.
— Co-Principal Timothy Payne gave a slideshow presentation on the scheduling process at Mount Greylock. Payne reported that, of the 638 students in the school, all but three students have received completed schedules for the fall term.
Payne outlined some of the setbacks in the scheduling process, which include: the obligation to meet the fixed-class schedule (primarily the connection between the wellness and science periods); limited student interest for certain courses, which leads to fluctuating class sizes; and some teachers' reluctance to mentor classes such as independent study, teacher assistant, peer tutoring and work experience.
Payne said there will be discussions in the future pertaining to extending the length of class periods and extending the school day, changes that could allow for more flexibility in scheduling.
He also reminded the public that, after June 30, there are no more guidance hours for students. The hours have been cut because of budgetary constraints.
Unlike previous years, where guidance counselors met with students to discuss scheduling concerns up to four or five days before the start of classes, students will this year have their add/drop period during the first week of school.
Ned Kleiner, the student representative at the School Committee meeting, said that through discussion with some of his peers, many students are expecting that the lack of summer guidance hours will make for a "chaotic" first few days of school.
