by Frank Schroth

Last night (12/3) the School Committee unanimously approved $591,000 to fund advancement initiatives for FY16. This is the third year that the committee has voted to fund specific strategies to “move the district forward.” These strategies fall into three key categories: Early literacy achievement (PreK-3), closing the proficiency gap (K-12), and advancing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in PreK-12).

The funds would enable an additional 3.3 FTEs (full time equivalent staff). This includes a 1 .5 Pre-school teacher, a high school reading specialist, a Gr 4-5 reading specialist and a Middle School STEM teacher (.8 FTE). In addition ~$173K would fund instructional materials and $200K would fund consultants, professional development and extended time on learning. Specific items, most of which are district wide, include, but are not limited to:

• Summer professional development institute on Early Literacy ($20K)
• Consultant to provide year end professional development on Readers and Writers Workshop ($30K)
• Calculus project ($40K)
• Elementary extended day for at risk students ($20K)
• Elementary science materials for Gr K-2 ($35K)

The committee also took up a discussion of the FY16 budget request which is currently $41,064,500, a 4.3% increase over FY15.The dollar change is $1,706,610. The key budget driver is personnel with negotiated wage agreements totaling $1,239,575.

In discussing the budget Committee member Padera raised the issue of strained resources in two areas a) lack of a pre-school director and b) lack of assistant principals especially at Collicot. Currently curriculum coordinators and special education chairs or counselors act as back up if the principal is off site. Member Sheridan concurred that the issue was one that is worth looking at further (Ms. Sheridan is herself a principal).

Other school committee business included but was not limited to:

• An update from Ms. Padera on her attendance at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Assoc. of School Committees. She made special mention of her no vote on resolution 7 which called for the Dept of Elem and Secondary Ed to re-examine the common core and PARCC assessment tests. Padera noted that Milton is in much better shape for dealing with PARCC (the replacement for MCAS) that many other school districts. PARCC is a digitally based testing system. Many districts don’t have the computers etc to administer the test.
• There was also discussion of the facilities subcommittee. Lynda Lee Sheridan, a member of the subcommittee, was looking for clarification of expectations and the charge of the committee. She said the committee felt a need to be validated. Some requests and needs that might be under facilities were taken up by capital improvement committee and submitted directly to finance committee without facilities involvement. At end of discussion there appeared to be consensus that there is a need for a long range comprehensive facilities plan.
• Ms. Padera asked that an item be put on future agenda to discuss enrollments specifically regarding space requirements. Enrollments could grow and if so how will they be accommodated.