The
South Berwick Citizen
An
unofficial website for South Berwick, Maine
www.southberwickcitizen.org
Archive of Town Council Meetings
Archive of Planning Board Meetings
School
Board meetings are on the first and third Wednesday of each month 
Archive of SAD 35 School Board Meetings
(Read a report on the most recent School Board Meeting on the home page.)
December
17, 2003 | January 7, 2004 | February
4, 2004 | February 25, 2004
March 3, 2004 | April
7, 2004 | April 28, 2004 | June
2, 2004 | January 19, 2005
March 2, 2005 |
Maine School Administrative District #35
Board of Directors - Regular Meeting
by William Varner
The Board of Directors for MSAD #35 met at 7:00 pm on December 17th at the Superintendent's office. The meeting was called to order by Helene Cass, Chair. No individual from the public had requested an audience so the board moved on to the report of the secretary. Minutes from the December 3 meeting were approved with one minor name change. The report of the chairperson followed. Helene Cass announced she had received a memo stating there was an opening on the Board of Directors for Region 9, and asked if anyone was interested in applying. There was general discussion among the members about what the time frame might be. Helene Cass was to call to find out more details as it was not clear from the memo what the specifics of the job were
Resignation of Athletic Director
The superintendent, Cheryl Jensen,
followed with her report. She stated that she had accepted the resignation
of Lisa Tanguay, Athletic Director at Marshwood HS/JHS. Tanguay has accepted
a position of assistant principal at Marshwood HS. Jensen noted Tanguay's
release will be effective Friday, December 19. She had accumulated vacation
time which allowed the release to occur quickly. Jensen noted Tanguay
had done an excellent job as Athletic Director and was leaving everything
in very good shape. There were a number of new coaching positions left
to be filled but strong candidates had been identified by Tanguay. When
asked about the vacancy at the Athletic Director position, Jensen said
she had received "an amazing number of applications," and had
begun to identify candidates suitable for interviewing. Interviewing during
vacation would prove difficult, and Jensen expected she would be ready
to interview the first week of January. David Allen asked if the new position
would be filled and active by mid-February. Jensen responded that there
were too many variables at this point to make a prediction like that but
that she expected things to "happen quickly."
The Board then reviewed correspondence.
Jensen stated that there was only one item, but it was a confidential
personnel matter and should not be discussed publicly. There were no reports
from the Finance Committee, Facility Committee, or Educational Policy
Committee.
During the New Business discussion,
several policy revisions were tabled for approval. First was the revision
to the BEDH Policy on Public Participation at Board Meetings. Ellen Breed
expressed concern that there might be some misinterpretation from the
public about the revision around budget time. Helene Cass asked for clarification,
asking if Breed meant the misinterpretation could stem from the difference
between budget workshops and regular meetings. General discussion followed
and some minor changes were made and the motion was approved.
The second policy revision discussed
was to the EDC Use of School District Equipment. Dr. William Gilbert noted
that the revision agreed upon to items 5 and 6 had not been made. A decision
was made to delete items 5 and 6. Some minor word changes were made and
the revision was approved.
Revisions to the DC Short Term Loans
policy and the CGD Federal Funds policy were approved with no discussion.
New Positions Appointed
Board members then moved on
to personnel items, and approved the appointments of the following:
- Misty Boyd, Volunteer Varsity Girls
Basketball
- Priscilla Metalious, Music Assistant
Drama
- Pamela Carnicelli, Support Team Leader
- Kristan Daugherty, Support Team Member
- Kathyrn Mills, Support Team Member
Fundraising for Hockey Boosters
Next a motion was made
to approve a fundraising activity for the hockey boosters. A few members
noted that "they have already been doing it." Also noted was
the fact that Philbricks Sports had already paid for it, and their "nice
donation" was acknowledged. Susan Pullar noted that it is a common
occurrence for a retail store to become involved in fundraising activities.
The motion was approved.
Overnight Field Trips
The overnight field trip for the
wrestling team on February 6-7, 2004 was then discussed. It was stated
that they do this every year. All members of the board noted that they
appreciated the job Lisa Tanguay had done with extra curricular activities
and special events like the overnight trip. Susan Pullar expressed her
desire to see other clubs and departments offer the same kind of opportunities.
In response, Jensen noted that of the 275 students involved in sports,
138 were male and 137 were female, and that the district provided equal
opportunity to boys and girls. She also noted this was a good thing because
if a Title IX audit were to occur, the auditors would look at the level
of participation. (Title IX is a Federal law which requires schools to
give equal athletic opportunities to females.)
The Board of Directors then moved
on to the Executive Session, which is closed to the public.
School Board Meeting
of January 7, 2004
By William Varner
MHS Curriculum Change Expected
Marshwood High School will
have to change its curriculum and most likely hire more staff if it is
to come more into line with the state law requiring a policy change in
graduation requirements, agreed board members of the School Administrative
District 35.
The SAD # 35 board discussed the changes
during a meeting Jan. 7 in the Learning Center at Marshwood High School.
Principal Greg Bither presented his preliminary report to the board and
a lively discussion ensued.
Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Jensen
started the workshop session by saying this could be the most important
policy decision board members have to make in their positions, and that
everyone should take their time to understand proposed changes. Jensen
reviewed existing graduation requirements that require a student to complete
four years of high school and to accumulate enough "Carnegie Units"
to graduate.
To come into line with the state's Maine
Learning Results, Bither said students would also have to demonstrate
proficiency in core curriculum areas (math, science, English, social studies/history)
through presentations, projects, and papers. He said he has been working
with teachers and administrators to create a system to accomplish this.
The group has identified weak areas, most
notably that the existing curriculum doesn't match the Maine Learning
Results. Bither said other high schools such as Biddeford, Kennebunk,
Massabesic and Noble make the students do more, and have more requirements
for the core subject areas. Bither summarized the proposed curriculum
revision as a move towards "the core skills our students need to
have" as defined by the Maine State Department of Education.
Board Member Susan Pullar asked if other
districts had increased their core requirements in response to the state
requirements, and if they have seen their test scores improve as a result.
Bither said he had only anecdotal evidence, and that he had heard results
were mixed. He also noted that you "don't hit a home run in the first
year," and that improvement often takes at least three years.
At the suggestion of Jensen, Bither gave
an example of how the science curriculum might be revised. The curriculum
now starts with an introduction course in freshman year, biology in the
sophomore year, chemistry as a junior, and physics in the senior year.
Physics would move to freshman year, followed by chemistry and biology.
The introductory course would be abandoned, and AP biology would be offered
senior year. Board member Ellen Breed noted that physics was a good way
to get active minds engaged in learning. Pullar asked if the building
would need more resources such as textbooks and labs to support the change.
Bither reported that even if we kept the
same textbooks, more students would need them, so there would be some
need for more resources. He said the existing space is "fine."
Two key issues emerged from the larger
discussion. First, the increased number of courses in the core areas would
require more staff. Second, with the increase in core curriculum offerings,
the number of electives offered would have to be trimmed down substantially.
Regarding the latter issue, Bither noted that teacher attrition had already
pared down the number of electives. He said they were facing tough choices
about "what's more important" in the curriculum.
Breed expressed concern that courses in
the fine arts would be
decreased. Bither agreed but mentioned again that tough choices had to
be made and that the criteria for deciding is whether the students would
be prepared beyond high school. He also said he wanted to raise the bar
at Marshwood High School so more students go to college. Breed conceded
if it were a choice between preparing a student to be economically stable
and having a student "know the difference between a Monet or a Manet,"
she'd choose the former.
Bither submitted his "wish list"
for hiring new staff, including a
half-time English position, a half to full time math position, one to
two science teachers, and a two-thirds to one and two-thirds social
studies position. The driving goal behind hiring more staff is class size.
There are about 24 students per class in social studies right now, Bither
said.
Pullar suggested the school might change
to block scheduling. Bither said, however, that block scheduling actually
lessens instructional time.
Changes will be staggered and phased in
so no student repeats a subject, Bither said. William Gilbert wondered
if the school day could be lengthened by one period, and if teachers are
required by contract to teach a certain number of periods. Jensen said
the contract requires only a certain number of planning periods.
Board members agreed that athletics was
the biggest impediment to any kind of schedule change, and that it would
be difficult to change that aspect of scheduling. Pullar noted she would
rather have someone get their required core courses in education than
serve on an athletic team. Jensen noted that almost every high school
in the nation is dealing with these issues, and a lot of schools, such
as those in the West and Florida have gone to year-round schedules. Board
members agreed that there were a lot of options and that further exploration
was necessary.
Board member Martha Leathe suggested it
will come down to a budget decision, and that the goal was how do we remain
true to "our primary focus of doing the best we can for our kids."
Bither noted the board will have to answer
the question: "what are we willing to give up."
"We can't offer everything to everybody,"
he said.
Jensen noted this year will be a challenging
budget year as she expects much less money from the state. The board and
administrators agreed it would be a difficult time to propose expanding
the budget. While the curriculum revisions would be beneficial to students,
board members agreed explaining the changes to the public will be difficult
since they were just beginning to fully understand the issues after spending
much time trying to do so.
Ed
Tech Leaving MJHS
Also at the meeting, Jensen noted in her
report that Brandon Albert, an education technician at Marshwood Junior
High, will be resigning. Albert has accepted a teaching job elsewhere.
Jensen said it is difficult to keep good ed techs because they are often
"snapped up" quickly for teaching positions.
Correspondence
Jensen also read three letters she had received. The first two focused
on an audit recently performed on the district concerned with how well
they are meeting requirements of the Federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The first letter indicated the district is doing well meeting general
requirements. It recognized specifically how well Assistant Superintendent
Gail Sullivan has been doing to help the district meet the goals of the
new federal policy. The second letter gave the district full approval
for its special education program.
And the third letter, from Dick Baugh of
the Eliot Lions Club, commended the district on making Project Share
such a success this holiday season. Jensen also read Baugh's history of
Project Share, and he noted the school system has a long history of supporting
the program. Baugh wrote that in talking to principals in the district,
he learned it is difficult to get donations for two holidays, and that
perhaps in the future a plan to divide donation drives among schools could
be developed.
Also during the meeting, Matt Rix was appointed junior high wrestling coach.
School Board Meeting
of February 4, 2004
By William Varner
A New Truck
The School Board this month
approved the purchase of a new 2004 Dodge ¾ ton truck at a cost
of $20,737.
The decision was made after a lengthy
discussion in which Superintendent Cheryl Jensen noted that the old
truck, which still runs, in the end costs the district more than
a new truck would.
A new truck would allow the district's
mechanic, "Smitty," to service buses that break down on the
road since it would be outfitted to provide the service. Road service
is very expensive when a bus breaks down, and the old truck is not set
up to service buses broken down on the road, Jensen noted. The new truck
would also reduce plow costs, she said.
Board member Martha Leathe wondered if
all the maintenance would be on site, or if there were still going to
be repairs to buses the district could not handle. Jensen said there probably
would be some "major times" outside repairs would be needed,
but that the number would be significantly reduced with the new truck.
Board member David Allen asked about financing
for the vehicle and if the "0%" option was available instead
of a full purchase. Jensen said it was not. Susan Pullar noted that in
the past vehicle labor bills were very high.
Public
Audience
Also at the Feb. 4 meeting, the board
agreed to consider the request of a nab whose family lives on the
Berwick/South Berwick line who asked the board to reverse its decision
not to allow his son to attend Marshwood High School.
Recently relocated from the state of Washington,
Robert Grimes said he works for the government in counterterrorism activities
and his wife is a full time nurse at Portsmouth Hospital. Grimes told
the board the family originally moved to Somersworth, which "was
not good to us." His son developed problems with other students,
which included harassment, escalating to the point where the police needed
to be called to the Grimes' home.
The family now lives in South Berwick,
but on the line between South Berwick and Berwick. Grimes pays utilities
to South Berwick, but his property taxes are paid to Berwick. Grimes said
he must travel a lot for work, and his wife works long hours at the hospital,
leaving his son alone at home frequently. They want a fresh start for
their son, and "don't want to worry about his welfare" when
they're not home.
Noble High School can't provide protection,
he said. Grimes said all his family is back near Seattle, and that they
are "on our own" with this issue, and would the board please
reconsider their decision.
Helene Cass said the board's policy allowed
them not to make decisions right away, and that the Grimes family
would hear from them "in a reasonable amount of time."
Attendance
at Post-Secondary Schools
The board also discussed language for their
goal for the number of students attending post-secondary schools. Board
member Ellen Breed wondered if they should set a goal to increase a certain
amount each year. Board member William Gilbert disagreed, noting fluctuation
is inevitable. The board eventually agreed to leave the current wording
as is (without a set figure increase), and to examine five-year trends
to gain a more accurate picture of progress. If the trend is negative,
the board will analyze the causes and seek to rectify them.
Superintendent's
Report
In her report, Jensen lamented that as
usual, she is running behind on the district's newsletter, Newsline. She
said it would be out very soon to the public with the budget timeline.
She also noted that Marshwood had it first
athlete sign with a Division I school. Andrew Elwell, who played football
for Marshwood, signed with the University of New Hampshire. Jensen was
especially pleased with the signing ceremony put together by new Athletic
Director Rich Buzzell.
Jensen also recognized the retirements
at the end of the school year of Michael Lewis, a social studies teacher
at the high school, and Rosemary Swan, librarian there. She noted that
there will be an event scheduled to recognize their service.
Overnight Trips Approved
The board also approved an overnight trip for the Competition Cheering Team, as well as an overnight trip for the MHS Ski Team to compete in the Class A State Championships Feb. 17 and 18 at Mt. Abrams.
MMS Music Teacher
The board also approved the hire of Janice Ford, Music teacher at Marshwood Middle School.
School Board Meeting
of February 25, 2004
By William Varner
Childcare
Program Offered at
Central
School This Spring
Starting this
spring, a new childcare program will be offered at the Central School,
Principal Barbara Mazeika told members of the South Berwick School Board
at a board meeting February 25th.
Clubhouse Kids, as the program
will be called, will be a private program at the elementary school,
open from early morning to early evening.
Repeated complaints from parents
that they can't afford daycare in the area led the school and directors
of the new program, Debra Austin and Shelley Vetter, to send home a survey
to gauge interest. The response was overwhelmingly positive, said Mazeika.
The program is modeled on the successful
Kidcare program at Eliot Elementary. It will use the cafeteria,
gym and hallways of Central School.
Austin noted it can be difficult
to get a meal ready and help kids complete homework in the evening.
Clubhouse Kids will help students complete homework and offer meals.
Organizers are working on the by-laws and creating a board of directors.
They are also looking for insurance.
The program will be private and not
use district buses, Austin said. Superintendent Jensen noted there
will be some liability because the program is on school property.
Margaret Shephard, Eliot Elementary's
principal who has daily contact with the program, described it as
"wonderful."
Curriculum
Change
Also during the February 25th meeting
of the school board, members continued to discuss proposed curriculum
changes at Marshwood High School that are meant to bring the district
in line with new state graduation standards.
High school department chairs discussed
the existing curriculum and proposed changes that are needed to satisfy
tougher state graduation requirements of the state under Maine Learning
Results. Principal Greg Bither described the changes as a move towards
a "standards-based diploma."
Science department chair Vincent
Johnson spoke first. In the existing curriculum, the normal track is biology
in the freshman year, chemistry as a sophomore, physics in the junior
year, and electives in the senior year. In the proposed change, physics
would be first, followed by chemistry and then biology. Mr. Johnson
said both physics and chemistry would focus more on concepts, and
less on math.
Board member Susan Pullar asked if
the shift away from math hurt students in college. Mr. Johnson investigating
the concepts will help students understand the rationale for the
math required by sciences in later courses, both as juniors and seniors
in high school, or in college. He said the current curriculum does
not guarantee students will meet state requirements.
The current math curriculum also
does not insure that state standards will be met, said the Math Department
Chair, Fred Graunke.
Assistant Superintendent Gail Sullivan
added that changes would at last bring the district common benchmarks.
She gave an example of one element in the math curriculum and noted
schools do not agree on when students should cover and understand
this area.
Fewer changes were presented for
the English Department. Chair Merrill Cousens said for the most part,
the existing curriculum will let students meet the new requirements.
The state looks at 10 skill clusters, while at Marshwood High School
they focus on 18, Cousens said. The department has been a model for
other districts, he noted. If a student does not meet requirements
by the end of junior year, the school can find ways to close the
gap in senior year. He was confident that students would continue to do well.
Board member Helene Cass asked about
foreign languages. The school now offers Spanish, Latin, and French,
a selection that is more than adequate as far as the state is concerned,
Cousens said. He also mentioned that the state was a long way off
from addressing foreign languages in a substantive way. He also mentioned
it is very difficult to get good foreign language teachers.
Changes to the social studies curriculum
are meant to give students more of an understanding of a global world.
Social Students Chair Matt Sanzone said students now take Modern
World History in Grade 9, and US History in Grade 11. He proposed
adding a sophomore course in social studies focused on civics.
It is difficult to maintain continuity
within the social studies curriculum when students take a year off,
he said, adding "It's challenging to take a year off from anything."
Sanzone said he would revamp freshman
and junior history courses to focus more on economic history, noting
economics is the cause of many historic events. The proposed curriculum
would be World History that focused on the modern era for freshman,
a half year of World Regional Studies and a half year of Civics and
Government for sophomores. Civics class would focus on basic US History
and teaching students to be active citizens. The junior year would
still consist of US History.
Principal Greg Bither ended the discussion
by noting that most other school districts in the state required
21 to 22 or more credits to graduate, and Marshwood only requires
20, the lowest in York County. Adding requirements would also help
kids stay engaged in their senior year, Bither suggested.
High
School Basketball Team Successes
Also at the meeting, Superintendent
Jensen noted the success of both the girls and boys high school basketball
teams and congratulated them on their successful seasons.
Multigenerational
Dance March 13th
The district will be hosting a multigenerational
dance featuring the swing band Roundhouse on March 13, Jensen noted,
and encouraged all families to attend. Proceeds will benefit the Arts
Department.
School Board Meeting
of March 3, 2004
By William Varner
Tackling
A Tough 2004-2005 School Budget
An increase in both
property values and medium incomes in South Berwick and Eliot has
caused the state to again reduce its share of school funding for this
school district, Superintendent Cheryl Jensen told the school board during
a recent discussion of the proposed 2004-2005 school budget.
The state will reduce its share of
school funding to 41 percent of the total school budget, representing
a $500,000 cut from last year, Jensen said. The state's share last
year was 45 percent. In the past five years, the state has reduced its
funding share a total of 24 percent, according to Jensen.
Jensen warned during the March 3
meeting that this would be a very tough year since the district is
"leaner than we've ever been before." She told the board
any further reductions will require policy changes such as increasing
class size.
She noted that the budget is tentative
until June 8 when citizens will vote on referendums affecting property
taxes and school funding. In fact, Jensen said, one initiative by
a citizen would return property taxes to 1997 levels and reduce current
local revenues by 45 percent. But Jensen noted that Gov. Baldacci
recently released his own plan that presented what Jensen called
"the most positive part of tonight's story." The Governor's
plan would increase state spending on education by $25 million next
year. Another plan sponsored by the Maine Municipal Association on
the June ballot would require the state to pay 55 percent of state
education costs.
The proposed 2004-05 budget is 4.83
percent higher than last year. Local property taxes would pay for
$2.4 million of that. This would mean a 13.31 percent increase in
necessary funds for both South Berwick and Eliot. The relative contribution
percentages from both towns remain the same as last year - 44.5 percent
for South Berwick and 55.5 percent for Eliot.
While creating the budget, Jensen
said she considered staffing requests from all district principals
and the special services director. Under the proposed budget, Marshwood
High School will add staff next year, largely due to the curriculum
changes to put the district closer to the standards of the Maine
Learning Results requirements for graduation. The high school will
add 1.1 Social Studies positions, a half-time English position, and one
science position. The request for an additional math teacher was not granted.
A technical support position will be added as well for the district,
since all freshman are expected to receive laptops next year and no one
in the district now provides computer support. Two positions will be eliminated
at the junior high, as well as a half-time position at Central School.
The percent of the school budget
allotted for salaries and benefits remains almost the same as the
2003-04 year at roughly 70 percent. No layoffs or firings are anticipated,
as teacher attrition and retirements are expected to satisfy the
need for reductions.
The district also seeks to cut costs
by reducing the number of contracts with outside vendors. Jensen
noted that the district pays almost $26,000 a year in snow removal
costs, and a new truck will be outfitted for snow removal and salting.
In an effort to reduce outside contract and "do our own work,"
a new maintenance person will be hired. The district will also lease
or purchase three new vehicles to defray the commuting costs of special
needs students.
In what may be the most controversial
proposal in the budget, students would be required to pay a separate
fee for transportation to and from athletic events. This is not a
"pay to play" situation, Jensen said, but added that the
district needs to defray $35,000 in transportation costs. The amount
of the fee had not yet been determined.
The district's supplies, equipment,
textbook, and travel budgets were kept to a bare minimum. Cuts were
also made in the number of field trips, and repairs to facilities.
An increased fee for nighttime athletic events was also proposed.
The board will hold a budget workshop
from 8 am to 1 pm Saturday, March 20. Regular meetings on April 7, 21,
and 28 will also address budget issues, with possible board approval
in late April. The public is welcome to attend and give input.
A Visit From the Governor
Superintendent Jensen also noted that Governor Baldacci visited Eliot Elementary to celebrate "Suessentennial," which celebrates the famous children's book author and the Read Across America program, which is sponsored by the National Education Association. Margaret Shepard, principal of Eliot Elementary, said the school challenged kids to read six books throughout the year, which would be a total of 2,484. As of yesterday, the total was over 5,000 books.
Notable Achievements
Also noted was the success of the
boys basketball team, which has made it into the state semi-finals.
Their coach, Mike Zamarchi, was voted Coach of the Year by the Southern
Maine Athletic Association.
Jensen commended the choral music staff
for a district-wide concert that ended with a "spectacular presentation"
of "United We Stand."
The board also accepted the retirement
of Doug DuVarney, Social Studies teacher at Marshwood Junior High.
School Board Meeting
of April 7, 2004
By William Varner
School Board ConsidersProposed School Budget
Local residents of
Eliot and South Berwick packed into Marshwood High School recently to
offer a mix of praise, suggestions, and criticism for the proposed school
district budget for the next school year. The 2004-05 budget is a 4.83
percent increase over this year's budget (for more on the budget, see
the March 3 school board report).
Cheryl Jensen quickly opened the floor at the April 7 meeting to public
comment on the 2005-2005 budget for Maine School Administrative District
35.
Much of the discussion centered
on whether athletic programs should be cut, with some time devoted to
the cost of special education.
South Berwick resident Ralph
Stevens, who spoke first, was clearly concerned about rising property
taxes and the threat of more increases with the proposed budget. Stevens
suggested the board needed to examine two main issues: class sizes and
special education. He pointed out that since 1996, special education costs
have risen 66 percent. He added that if the district "doesn't get
a handle" on the rising costs, they could spin out of control, and
he was concerned about "the everyday student getting lost in the
shuffle."
Board Chair Helene Cass countered
that special education costs are a concern at schools across the nation,
and that the costs were not negotiable. Federal law requires the school
to develop an IEP, or Individualized Education Program, for each special
needs child, and she said the district can be sued if it does not meet
requirements. She added that the district has worked very hard on this
issue by developing programs on site instead of sending students to schools
like the Baxter School for the Deaf, which incurs a large transportation
cost. She gave the autism program as one example of a successful program
developed at the school and said "the parents of those children are
very pleased with it."
Stevens asked how many students
are added to the special education program each year and suggested "some
of those students don't need to be there.
Superintendent Cheryl Jensen
responded by saying the state of Maine sends an audit team to the district
every five years, and that each year this district has passed with no
issues.
Cuts to Athletic Program
Discussion concerning
cuts to the high school's athletic program dominated much of the time
devoted to public comment. Several residents opposed the board's planned
elimination of the indoor track program and the ski team. Many residents
questioned the board's decision process.
Suggestions for solving the
issue of cutting $35,000 from the athletic program ranged from eliminating
the junior high athletic program to cutting a portion of the sum from
each of the high school's athletic teams. By far the most controversial
suggestion was the idea of a "pay to play" system.
The public seemed evenly divided
about such a program. Junior High Principal Valerie McKenney understood
why people might be interested in such a program, but noted many parents
are not going to be able to pay. She was deeply concerned that students
in athletic programs who could not pay for it would be left facing the
highest risk time of day for adolescents, 2 to 6 pm, when parents might
not be home.
Responding to the many comments
concerning the necessity of funding academics over athletics, South Berwick
resident Dominic Strada commented that "athletic teams are a classroom."
Adding that they teach kids the teamwork skills that are just as important
in the workplace as academic skills. Chris Strada suggested that a lot
of kids do their homework because of sports teams.
Board member William Gilbert
said that, in his opinion, a parent with a child in band or on an athletic
team was already paying to play, considering the cost of instruments and
other things.
Disturbing Rumors in Eliot
Several Eliot residents remarked
that they have heard a lot of rumors concerning the changes the budget
will bring to the district. Yvonne Cedergren said that she has heard that
there will be no athletic program soon, and that the music program would
be eliminated in two years. She also said people now think the school
board and the Eliot Board of Selectmen are adversaries.
Sharon Kibat, representing
Eliot Selectmen, said residents of Eliot are tired of paying "for
the things that we don't have to have." She mentioned that last year
more people were delinquent in their taxes than ever before.
Speaking again, Cedergren said
the board needed to do a better job of educating the public about what
was already cut from the budget, and that if senior citizens were to spend
just one hour a week in schools, they'd understand how frugal the district
already is with items such as copiers and supplies.
Ralph Stevens finished the
public session by saying he was "one of those dreaded senior citizens,"
and that his wife was a retired teacher so he was not unsympathetic to
school issues. "But my taxes have gone up $700 the last three years,
my health insurance has gone up $260 last year, and I anticipate paying
$242 more this year in healthcare costs. My pension doesn't begin to cut
it. I haven't bought a new car since 1979. I've lived here 36 years and
I don't want to leave, but if taxes keep going up, I'll have to. Athletic
programs are not as important as reading, writing, and arithmetic. And
you all must consider, one day you're all going to be in my shoes."
Workshop Session
Superintendent Jensen then
presented the board with an itemized list of what must be cut from the
proposed budget in order to realize a 0 percent increase over last year's
budget. She said she would not recommend any of these cuts, but that they
were possibilities. Eliminations included:
- One teaching position at each of the following schools: Central Elementary, Eliot
Elementary, Marshwood Middle School and Marshwood Junior
High School
- One Title I Reading Recovery teacher
- Team Leader at MJHS
- The indoor track and ski teams at MHS
- The entire Junior High Athletic program
- Standardized test reductions
- Technical support position for the laptop program
- Elimination of three new buses
- A maintenance position
- The gifted and talented program
- Supply reductions
- Equipment reductions
April 28, 2004
School Board Meeting
By William Varner
Another
packed house greeted the Marshwood School Board recently as the board
returned to questions and some controversy regarding the proposed budget
for the 2004-05 school year.
The most heated topic of the evening
was a proposed 4 percent raise for Superintendent Cheryl Jensen, who is
now paid $98,000. Several residents of both Eliot and South Berwick expressed
frustration and dissatisfaction that the superintendent's salary was so
high.
Jensen's salary is out of line, said
Cathy Vassal of South Berwick, who said she compared the salaries
of superintendents from large urban districts in New England. Vassal,
who has a daughter at Marshwood High School, gave no specific figures.
She wondered why the district was looking at cutting activities such
as the indoor track and ski team at the same time the superintendent's
salary is so high and getting higher. Vassal also insinuated that
Jensen was raising her own salary.
School board chair Helene Cass countered
hotly that the school board sets the salary for the superintendent
and assistant superintendent.
"We are very fortunate" to have
Jensen, Cass said, and added that she's "worth every penny."
Cass said the salary is not off the mark in York County, and she
suggested the figures Vassal cited were erroneous.
"My sister is a superintendent in
Milford, Connecituct, and she makes $200,000 a year," Cass.
said, noting that in some ways, "the superintendent is the CEO
of a 21-million dollar company."
Elizabeth O'Donahue of Eliot, a retired
grandmother without any
grandchildren in the system yet, asked why so many administrators were needed
at the schools. O'Donahue asked why we need assistant principals if it's
a choice between their employment and cutting athletic programs.
Cass said the board had indeed cut an assistant
principal last year.
Paul Trumbull of Eliot, who earlier had
a sharp exchange with Cass about the district's plan to do its own
snow plowing, supported Jensen's salary saying that "she does
a heck of a job" and that "everybody expects some kind
of pay increase each year."
But Susan Casey of Eliot said that she
and her husband, who both work at York Hospital, were asked to take
a cut in benefits, and that in these times of economic stress, perhaps
the superintendent should too. She added that "it's not that
I don't think the superintendent doesn't deserve it."
Advertising
on School Buses
Catalina Baccus of South Berwick brought
up the idea of putting advertising on school buses, noting that some
districts in Massachusetts allow it.
The school board doesn't have a policy
on that yet, but that in recent meeting with administrators at other
districts in York County, the administrators did not allow a local
realtor to do demonstrations in science classes that would effectively
be advertisements, Cass said.
Trumbull, who said he had worked on school
buses in the past, said the state of Maine's regulations do not permit
advertising on buses.
Share of School Budget Between Eliot
of South Berwick
Several Eliot residents commented on the
fact that Eliot pays for 55.5 percent of the school budget, while
South Berwick pays for 45.5 percent. Sue Daly of Eliot wondered if
school board members could continue to work on the formula for the
funding since there are far more students at Central Elementary than
at Eliot Elementary.
Board member William Gilbert explained
that property valuations are at the core of the formula, and that
any change required the state to hire an independent mediator to
work with both towns, and that each town would vote separately to
approve any increase.
Kathy Busque of South Berwick said that
this debate seems to surface every year, and appealed for the towns
to work together to address inequity as a community, saying that
from the middle school on up, students from both towns were all together
in school.
Indoor
Track and Ski Team Elimination
Christine Holmes of Eliot, a student at
Marshwood High School and a member of the indoor track team, appealed
passionately to the board not to cut the indoor track team. She said
that although the cost per student was high, the reason participation
was low was because of a recent league change for Marshwood. The change
called for many track meets to be held on Saturdays, causing lower enrollment
because kids work or have other commitments. Holmes said that all of the
members of the team had a deep camaraderie and that it helps them prepare
for outdoor track.
Holmes also said all but two of the team
members had qualified for "states" last year which was
"quite a few for a smaller team." She also wondered why the
board would "keep freshman teams over the indoor track team, since
that is what junior varsity is for."
Cass said no decisions had been made yet.
"But as you know, we're having a really
tough time with the budget this year. There are no good choices,"
she said.
Parent Nevin Damon of Eliot spoke
on behalf of the ski team. Damon asked why the ski team was "singled
out" for elimination when it was eight in terms of overall costs
of an athletic program. He said the school has an excellent new athletic
director in Rich Buzzell. More than 900 students are enrolled in
sports programs, he said. Noting that the school recently held a
workshop on the dangers of drug use for kids, he said cutting athletic programs
contradicted that effort, since one of the goals of an athletic program
is to keep kids busy.
New
Calendar, Cystic Fibrosis Fund Raiser
The board approved the calendar for the
2004-05 school year. Students return from summer vacation Sept. 7.
The board rejected a request for an annual
fundraiser for cystic fibrosis to be held by the Girls Lacrosse Team.
Board members were confused that what they were voting on was that
it actually be an annual event. Ellen Breed asked for clarification
from Jensen, asking whether any vote on a fundraiser approves it
as an annual event. Jensen confirmed this fact.
Board member Susan Pullar was concerned
that the district and boosters were paying for the fundraiser, yet
would receive none of the funds. She did not want to say no to the
cause of raising money for cystic fibrosis, but asked for clarity
on the policy before proceeding. Principal Greg Bither is expected
to approve the fundraiser and the board will seek clarification on the
policy for annual fundraising events.
June 2, 2004
School Board Meeting
By William Varner
Please
remember to vote on the budget for MSAD 35's 2004-2005 school year June
8. Copies were mailed to all residents.
In a recent
meeting, Superintendent Cheryl Jensen's resignation was announced. Jensen,
and her husband Paul, are taking a year to travel "south" on
the steel trawler.
Read
a May 2004 Portsmouth Herald interview here.
Calling
last night's school board meeting her "favorite evening of the year,"
Superintendent Cheryl Jensen recognized both the top 10 students at Marshwood
High School and the district's retiring teachers and personnel.
Several teachers were retiring, and
some after 30 years,. Jensen read a brief biography of each retiree, adding
humor to each story.
Fern Dondero, an education technician in pre-k and kindergarten at Eliot Elementary, came to the district as a volunteer in 1976. She became an ed tech in 1987. Jensen noted that Dondero "once saved a former principal when his tie became stuck in the laminating machine."
Doug DuVarney, social studies teacher at Marshwood Junior High School, began his teaching career in the district in 1979. A supervisor in the district where DuVarney taught before coming to MSAD 35 noted that DuVarney had a "questioning nature, but would be 100 percent behind you once a decision was made," Jensen recalled. DuVarney also displayed a love of history, especially the Civil War, she said. Jensen also noted that he "helped bring the district into the computer age."
Mike Lewis taught
social studies at Marshwood High School for 30 years. In addition to teaching,
he also coached several sports teams including girls' varsity basketball.
Lewis "created opportunities for students to achieve, and he will
be very hard to replace," Jensen said.
Priscilla Metalious
began her career as a part-time guidance counselor for the district. She
later became the career-tech coordinator, managing a program that worked
with more than 65 students who traveled locally to vocational programs.
She also managed costume design for school plays.
Gail Paige, an afternoon kindergarten teacher at Central School, was described as "a veteran teacher, who many of the other teachers came to for help."
Pat Sharp was described by a former principal as "an ambassador of goodwill for the district." Jensen said that while Sharp "was a mother to nine children of her own, we all know she was a mother to 900 children."
Helen Sullivan began
her career in 1979 as a volunteer at Eliot
Elementary. Now secretary to the assistant superintendent, Sullivan has
also been responsible for accounts payable and has been the "heart
of the transportation department."
Rosemary Swam retires after 27 years as librarian at Marshwood High School. Jensen noted that everyone knows and respects Swam's "wide range of knowledge," especially of Maine history. She also commended Swan for her work with special needs students.
The top 10 students at Marshwood High School introduced each other to the board and the public. Rebecca Jane Dailey of Eliot is the Valedictorian, and Rebecca Leathe, daughter of board member Martha Leathe, is the Salutatorian. The remaining eight top students are: Yvonne Castro, Julia Tomanio, Joseph Collier, and Benjamin Lynch of Eliot, and Ashley Stevens, Kaitlyn McGreevey, Carlyn Chase, and Kaitlyn Moseman of South Berwick.
The board also approved hiring several
new teachers:
Sonia Latendresse,
MJHS Special Education
Carol Brunjes, MHS
Chemistry/Physics
Zachary
McLaughlin, MHS Social Studies
Cynthia
Bufithis, MHS Librarian
Luke Edgar,
MHS English
Dana Gray,
MHS Social Studies
posted January 24, 2005
January 19, 2005
MSAD 35 School Board
By Bill Varner
The Marshwood School district
is exploring the idea of becoming a pilot site for an athletic initiative
sponsored by the state that focuses on creating exemplary athletic programs,
Marshwood Principal Greg Bither said at a school board meeting this month.
Ultimately, Bither explained, the program
would involve the administration, coaches, students, and teachers. Bither
said the program would involve training and support for coaches to spread
the principles throughout the district.
The district is already "pretty close"
to these standards, Bither said.
"We have a fantastic sports program,
but we are always looking for ways that we can make it better," he
added.
The program, called Sports Done Right,
addresses seven areas: values and ethics; sports learning; parents and
community; quality coaching; opportunity to play; health and fitness,
and leadership policy, he said.
Reading Comprehension
Also at the Jan. 5 meeting, Assistant
Superintendent Gail Sullivan reported on efforts to improve reading comprehension
throughout the district. Sullivan and a group of administrators and two
teacher at each school have been researching how reading is taught in
the district.
She found that originally there was a lot
of disparity among teachers about what methods and materials were used.
There was "no clear, consistent strategy to curriculum." The
team has focused largely on the primary grades, training all elementary
teachers in guided reading, a method proven effective for teaching beginning
and young readers. The team is now reviewing every student's individual
record to see patterns and how well the kids have done over time.
Four myths have surrounded the hotly debated
subject of teaching reading for many years, according to Sullivan. They
are:
- Children learn to read in grades K-3, then
begin reading in grades four on up.
- The best way to teach reading comprehension is through
questions at the end of the chapter, like
a traditional textbook.
- First students learn to decode words, and fluency
and comprehension naturally follow.
- In grades 6-12, only the English teacher is responsible
for
teaching kids how to read.
These myths are incorrect, according to
Sullivan, and each teacher in the district is working on a definition
of what reading is, and what it involves to teach reading comprehension.
She said readers must: be active when reading; monitor their own comprehension;
use prior knowledge; use visualization; summarize and synthesize; analyze
text structures; and determine important ideas.
She also noted that most reading done by adults
is nonfiction, and almost all internet reading is nonfiction.
"Kids have gone from reading stories in
the primary grades right into a textbook in grade four," she said.
She emphasized a need to focus on nonfiction in the primary grades to
better help that transition. She noted, too, that boys struggle with reading,
and that they are more likely to engage in reading if it is nonfiction.
Her ultimate goal is to create a common vocabulary
throughout the district of the best ways to teach reading, as well as
a common definition and vocabulary of what reading actually is.
Sullivan said she often wakes up at 2.AM with
thoughts of how she can help all students in the district meet the
Maine Learning Results. Reading comprehension is the main thing in meeting
that goal, she remarked.
Crisis Response Report
The board this month also heard a report
from Paul Mehlhorn, assistant principal of Marshwood High School, on the
status of the district's crisis response plan. He said most buildings
have "pretty good plans," but they are not uniform.
The goal will be to have a "common form"
to the plans, Mehlhorn said. He, guidance counselors, and other administrative
staff are examining other school plans in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
Mehlhorn envisions two plans - a plan for each school building, and a
district plan to oversee them all and function as an incident management
team.
A crisis team would be assigned in each building
to respond to such things as a chemical spill on the road.
Also at the meeting this month, Interim Superintendent Tim McCormack said the search for a new superintendent continues, and urged the board to come up with a list of questions for candidate interviews. Interviews are set to begin April 1.
Board Meetings and the Budget
The school board began the 2005-2006 budget season this month, setting a tentative schedule of meetings and workshops. Board Chair Helene Cass welcomed public input on the agenda at the upcoming meetings:
February
2 - regular meeting
March
19 - Superintendent Tim McCormack presents his
budget to the board.
March
30 - regular meeting
April
6 - regular meeting and board workshop
April
28 - regular meeting and board workshop.
An Eliot resident urged the board to make sure elementary teachers have adequate materials since they have an incredibly difficult job.
posted
March 9, 2005
March 2, 2005
MSAD 35 School Board
By Bill Varner
All Day Kindergarten Discussed
A committee researching
the idea of an all-day kindergarten in School Administrative District
35 has recommended that the district have a pilot all-day program
next year and perhaps the year after, before deciding what action
to take.
At a March 2 meeting, school board members agreed
to table a vote on the recommendation of the All Day Kindergarten Committee
after a lengthy discussion on the all-day kindergarten.
The All Day Kindergarten Committee, which
has been meeting since October, researched the subject extensively and
made several visits to all-day kindergarten programs around the state.
The committee includes three teachers and Principal Margaret Shepherd
from Eliot Elementary; two teachers and Principal Barbara Mazeika from
Central School; school board director Martha Leathe, and Superintendent
Tim McCormack.
Mazeika told the board the committee recommends
a pilot program for the 2005-2006 school year, perhaps extending into
the next year. Each elementary school would have one all-day kindergarten
class, with other kindergarten classes continuing as half-day programs.
Mazeika said 59 percent of school districts in
Maine have all-day
kindergarten, and that the number is growing every year.
Districts with all-day programs have seen a steady
drop in the number of students who need reading remediation, Mazeika said.
The last three years of data shows a large percentage of SAD 35 students
in primary grades were not meeting the Maine Learning Results, placing
a heavy burden on the district's reading remediation program, "Reading
Recovery."
In a district-wide survey, 45 percent of residents
who responded favored the idea of all-day kindergarten, but that number
dropped to 33 percent when all-day kindergarten meant eliminating the
pre-K program, as the district has proposed. Many parents asked for a
decision as soon as possible so they can sort out day care for the fall.
This prompted the board to decide more quickly to keep pre-K for the upcoming
2005-2006 school year.
Principal Shepherd said the curriculum in the
all-day program will not change, but that the pace of the day would change.
There would be more time for "remediation of struggling readers,"
as well as "more time for enrichment for those already reading."
Shepherd also said that the pilot program would
give the district a chance to see an all-day program on site, instead
of traveling around the state. Students would be chosen with the goal
of having a mix of students who have and have not attended pre-k and of
both genders. Children whose parents who do not want them in the all-day
program will not be enrolled. Responding to concerns from parents that
kids would be tired in an all-day program, Shepherd remarked that she
thought "they will be less tired than we think."
Several teachers said the all-day kindergarten
would help them achieve the requirements of the Maine Learning Results.
Janet Cassidy said early childhood curriculum has changed in the last
10 years from play-centered to a more academic curriculum. Teachers each
discussed a different content area of the kindergarten curriculum stating
that the Maine Learning Results required them to address 38 combined performance
indicators in math and reading, while an additional 35 indicators must
be introduced in social studies and science. The district has also added
a handwriting program which takes time.
Board member Ralph Stevens asked how the program
would handle kids who are not mature enough for the all-day program. Mazeika
said parents would have the option, as in other districts they studied,
to "gradually introduce the kids to the full day by picking them
up at 11 a.m., then 1 p.m., until they are attending the full day by the
end of the year."
In response to a question from board member William
Gilbert, Mazeika said there would not be any logistical problems with
things like busing and space. Shepherd said the pre-K numbers were down
for the first time, and that she expected the number of students to stay
near current levels.
Board member Susan Pullar did not dispute the
benefits to an all-day kindergarten, but questioned the lack of equal
access to the pilot
program. She wondered if there could be legal action by a parent who wants
their child to attend the all-day program, but does not get chosen. She
also said that "there might be inequity issues beyond just the first
grade."
Stevens suggested the program needed to run until
the third grade. Admitting he is no expert on the matter, he said all
the research he found on the subject of all-day kindergarten found that
by the end of second grade all the benefits of the all-day program were
gone.
"While I understand what you are saying
about the pressure of the Maine Learning Results, maybe what we should
be doing is talking to the state about those instead," Stevens said.
Mazeika responded by implying that not all research
is reliable. She explained that research also shows Reading Recovery does
not yield effective results, when they have found that in the district,
90 percent of students who complete the program retain what they
learned well into their schooling. It "depends on schools and curriculum
and we have wonderful teachers," she said. She agreed that a longer
study would be a good idea.
Several residents spoke in favor the all-day
kindergarten. Jen Batchelder of South Berwick said she pays over $7,000
a year for her child to attend Montessori school, and a significant reason
for that is it has a full-day program for kindergartners.
"Kids are learning sponges at this age,"
she said. Another South Berwick resident, Vicki Boyd, said that while
she supported the all-day program she was very disappointed that it had
become pitted against the pre-K program, which she noted was the state's
oldest program. The pre-K was "not daycare, it was quality early
childhood education," she said, and asked that it be continued.
Stevens, noting he was "older than everyone
in the room," suggested schools are pushing kids too hard these days.
All day kindergarten is becoming more like what used to be first grade,
he said, adding "We are not letting our kids be children."
When Board Chair Helene Cass asked if the board
wanted to vote on the matter, Susan Pullar said she did not. The issue
was tabled for further review.