Supt. Taymore opened the discussion by speaking to the issue
of elementary science fairs. She said the group she's organized to review the fairs has
been thoughtful about tying them to the curriculum and making them
project-based. They considered the “must-do’s” (what students should do with a
teacher) vs. “may-do’s” (elements of the inquiry that goes beyond that). The
plan will encompass all students regardless of the level of parental
involvement. Under consideration is a school-based fair (a showcasing) and then
a city-wide competition (for students who want that opportunity). She said the
parents in the group felt positive about the discussion. In the Citywide
meeting, it was suggested that students have the opportunity to see the rubric
before-hand so they can work to meet its expectations.
The Superintendent next addressed spring parent-teacher conferences
and talked about whether they should really be showcases for student work. At
the secondary level, should they include students in order for them to be more
meaningful? More info to come in this area.
The FY16 budget topic was discussed, including the city and
schools working together to determine a workable amount for a balanced school budget,
and the challenge of the increasing Kindergarten enrollment numbers. It was
noted that our school district is making good progress and homebuyers are noticing.
Supt. Taymore explained that in the Kindergarten registration process, having a
sibling in the school is a priority but not a guarantee. She mentioned the
NESDEC enrollment study coming up (ref.
my prior blog post), and also spoke to the fact that the Lincoln and
Roosevelt computer labs will likely be converted to classrooms (keeping in mind
that all Kindergarten rooms must be on the first floor of buildings). If NESDEC
indicates that we are looking at a trend of increasing enrollments, then the
School Building Committee will reconvene to address this issue. Of great
concern is the expense of adding Kindergarten classrooms ($45K+ for a teacher
and $20-25K for furniture/materials/etc.).
The state Kindergarten grant (which funds non-special education Kindergarten paraprofessionals)
is not guaranteed next year, but many good school districts do not use paras in
Kindergarten classrooms. One reason to have them is to qualify for National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation that we
may want to rethink. We are entering a partnership with Salem State’s five-year
teacher program, and the University may look to provide us with paras as a part
of the program. There is also increasing interest by pre-practicum students
from different colleges wanting to do their work in Melrose.
Other notes: The MHS Learning Commons work is slated to
begin at the holiday break in 2015 and finish by September of 2016; the group
organizing around the late-start concept is finalizing membership with results
due in June; the Healthy Melrose 5K run kicks off the Healthy Melrose Fair on
May 2nd and is looking for volunteers (with community service hours
are available to students); Dr. Michael Thompson will present “The Pressured
Student” on May 7th from 7-8:30 p.m. at the MVMMS Auditorium.
