Schools To Add Seven Positions With Fed Ed Funds

A total of seven "full-time" jobs will be created over the next two years as the Belmont Public Schools uses its portion of the $26 billion Education Jobs grant signed into law last month by President Obama.

Belmont Superintendent George Entwistle and the Department's Leadership Council told the Belmont School Committee Tuesday, Sept. 14, will spread the federal funding windfall over a wide swath of the department, providing needed money for libraries, academic support and for math classes.

Entwistle said the plan's implementation does not require School Committee approval; however, he sought and received School Committee support for his and the Leadership Council's decision.

Entwistle said the funds Belmont will receive was to be used for "job creation" and was one of the leading impetuses behind their plan.

The money will be spent over the next two year:

                  2010-2011                  2011-2012             Totals

Full-time             4.6                      2.4                            7

$                  $168,838              $162,803                 $331,641

More specifically, the money and positions will be used in the following ways:

• There will be a focus on mathematics and literacy at the elementary and middle school levels.
• A full-time professional aide will be added in response to increased class sizes at the Wellington Elementary School.
• Two part-time library aides who will serve the four elementary schools to improve library access.
• A professional aide will provide academic support at the High School.
• Tutoring hours will been increased to accommodate the rising English Language Learner (ELL) population.
• A full time Guidance/Student Services professional will be retained "to make advances in addressing important mandates…that are not currently being adequately addressed with available resources," said Entwistle.

"Belmont Public School does not have a comprehensive, K-12 Guidance/Student Services curriculum. The absence of a comprehensive curriculum creates a significant risk that the already stretched resources assigned throughout the district are not being most effectively deployed/utilized," added Entwistle.