5 Things You Missed from School Committee

Here are 5 things from the School Committee from Wednesday night:

1. Vice Chairperson Erin Canzano reported that on March 31, the district received notification that Spring Street School has been awarded a grant for a Green Repair Project from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to replace the roof and windows. The award amount, about $583,000, is roughly half of the projected cost for the entire project, Canzano said.

2. The School Committee heard a mid-year update on the district’s bullying prevention initiatives. Superintendent Dr. Joseph Sawyer reported that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has notified the district that the bullying prevention and intervention plan, submitted in December 2010, met all criteria without exception. Ann Jones, Sherwood Middle School assistant principal, and Pat Degon, director of health, physical education and family consumer science, reported that all teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria staff and custodial staff have received bullying prevention training. Bus drivers and athletic coaches will receive the same training in the near future. The bullying reporting forms, available on the district’s website, were reviewed, as well as materials included in the training, including information on cyber-bullying.

3. The School Committee heard the first reading of the district’s policy draft on animals in the schools. The policy draft will be posted on the district’s website to allow for community viewing and feedback. School Committee members Canzano and Dr. B. Dale Magee briefly summarized the policy and said the policy was drafted in accordance to a recent amendment to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The policy draft specifies guidelines regarding service animals, such as dogs and miniature horses, as well as the occasional contact with animals for educational purposes, such as during a unit on nocturnal animals. The School Committee is expected to vote on the policy at the April 27 School Committee meeting, according to Sawyer.

4. The School Committee voted against offering school choice next year. The motion passed unanimously, without debate. As reported previously, Shrewsbury High School Principal Brian Reagan reported there was no significant impact regarding class size and no additional resources or teaching resources required by the addition of the 20 non-resident students in the freshman class for this school year. Reagan said that adding additional students this coming year would have “more of a significant impact than it did last year” on class sizes. Sawyer recommended not opening any school choice seats for the upcoming school year. 

5. The School Committee heard a proposal involving Shrewsbury High School and the Assabet Valley Collaborative (AVC). The proposal involves renovating some of the wood shop space and the autobody shop, most of which is presently unused. The space would house the AVC’s transition programs, Evolution, currently in Westborough. AVC would lease the space for eight years and provide $100,000 towards the renovation costs. Shrewsbury would receive tuition discounts for students enrolled in the Evolution for the duration that they are housed at Shrewsbury High School. Sawyer said the numbers of Shrewsbury students expected to go into transitional programs in the near future are projected to rise. Housing these programs would translate into savings in transportation as well as tuition costs, said Sawyer and the renovation would minimally impact the high school. The School Committee voted and approved, without dissent, to authorize Sawyer to enter into the proposed agreement with AVC. The School Committee also voted and authorized Sawyer to act as the district’s representative on the AVC’s Board of Directors.

The next School Committee meeting is Wednesday, April 23.