Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson delivered an update to the Mattapoisett School Committee on the UMass Boston Collins Center school-consolidation study during Monday night’s committee meeting.
In summarizing the study’s progress, Nelson told the School Committee that he and Committee Chairperson Carly Lavin took part in facilities tours that also included Town Administrator Mike Lorenco, Capital Planning Committee Chairman Chuck McCullough and ORR Facilities Director Gene Jones.
Community engagement work has been completed, said Nelson, along with surveys that had been open for several weeks. A major data collection has also been completed, after which ORR administrators followed up with questions for Collins Center representatives.
Nelson anticipates that the Collins Center will submit a draft report with its findings in February.
“Once final report is in, we’ll schedule a joint meeting with the Select Board and the Collins Center for final walkthrough and ask questions,” he said.
The School Committee also heard from Nelson regarding the FY24 operating budget for Mattapoisett Schools. The Budget Subcommittee has drafted a proposed budget addressing regular and special education, technology and facilities.
Inflation, said Nelson, will drive up the cost of utilities such as electricity and gas, along with tuition increases. The FY24 budget, he said, is designed to meet level services. There are no new positions or programming proposed. The focal point will be on meeting the needs of students in classrooms and ensuring teachers are meeting expectations, particularly in literacy and mathematics.
In the near future, Nelson said to expect a formal budget hearing, including public discussion, then for the budget to be finalized and put before the committee for its approval before submission to voters at the annual Town Meeting.
“I believe the Budget Subcommittee has made good progress,” said Nelson, who also noted that the committee is close to submitting its capital plan for FY24 and the 10-year projection.
In his Financial Report, ORR Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber told the committee that there is now under $600,000 remaining in the FY23 operating budget. Barber said both elementary schools passed inspections. Barber also noted that there are shortages among some food items.
In her Chairperson’s Report, Lavin told the committee she was “blown away” by the commitment shown by the students during holiday-season concerts. “All the children worked so hard,” she said.
Nelson also thanked everyone in the Tri-Towns for their participation in celebrations around the holidays. “It’s one of the things that make our schools so special,” he said.
Director of Student Services Craig Davidson reported new grant funding that will support a math academy to be held during school vacations in February and April. Registration is open; Davidson encouraged those interested to reach out directly to his email or via the Central Office phone. Davidson also reported on a professional-development event scheduled for February 1 at 6:30 pm. The event, he said, includes powerful strategies to help children.
ORR Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Shari Fedorowicz briefly discussed forward progress with an initiative, including six working group sessions on Tier 2 and 3 interventions. The work, conducted in conjunction with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), will take place over the next few months.
January 10 was scheduled as the first full day of work geared toward a literacy, action-plan implementation, and on Friday, January 13, faculty will hear from psychologist and former child therapist and teacher Rob Evans in a session of “plain talk” around educational challenges.
The fourth Learning Walk was held last week at Rochester Memorial School, as Tri-Town educators exchange visits in a collaborative effort to learn from one another and provide mutual support.
Fedorowicz also discussed peer-to-peer learning that students in Grades 5-6 and 7-8 engaged in while visiting the Boston Celtics training facility in Brighton.
Center School Principal Linda Ashley reported on a Parent-Teacher Association event in which third graders enjoyed a class trip to the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, each classroom spending an hour.
Citing news that Diana Russo will no longer be available as recording secretary to Mattapoisett School Committee, the committee voted to appoint Melissa Wilcox as the School Committee secretary and added Wilcox to the recording-secretary role alongside Toni Bailey.
Amanda Hastings was voted to represent the School Committee to the Old Rochester Foundation.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for Monday, February 27, at 6:30 pm at Center School, and the next meeting of the Joint School Committee will be held on Thursday, January 19, at 6:30 pm at the ORR Junior High School media room. Both meetings will also be remotely accessible via Zoom.
Mattapoisett School Committee
By Mick Colageo