Rochester Memorial School is still looking to establish a breakfast meal program at the school, although it remains uncertain if enough students will show an interest in the program.
RMS Principal Derek Medeiros said on November 6 that parent outreach has so far resulted in at least eight students interested in the breakfast program, but the school will continue to probe parents on the likelihood of their children participating.
“We don’t want to put it to bed right away,” said Medeiros, adding that he will continue promoting a breakfast program for the remainder of the year.
School Committee member Robin Rounseville asked if there would need to be a minimum number of interested participants in order to start the program. According to Medeiros, other districts have begun their breakfast programs with only 20 students participating – is that the magic number?
“But if it’s ten or 15 (students), we’ll visit it,” said Medeiros. The level of interest will drive the decision on whether or not the school will establish the program, Medeiros said.
Also during the meeting, Medeiros told the Rochester School Committee that RMS has been selected to take the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Fourth-graders will undergo only the math portion of the exam in February, and the data will represent Massachusetts in an assessment of schools nation-wide.
School Committee member Tina Rood expressed concern over students having to take yet another exam, prompting a further discussion on the matter.
“Is this sort of a feather in our cap?” asked Rood, wondering if there is any merit to having been chosen to participate.
RMS was chosen at random, Medeiros told her, and Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos said, once selected, the school must participate and that is “non-negotiable.”
“It’s a kind of a dipstick, if you will,” said Frangos. She said the test would measure how students fare in Massachusetts.
The paper and pencil test is only about 60 minutes long, said Medeiros, with minimal prep time on behalf of the school staff.
In other matters, the committee accepted a cash donation of $250 from Attorney Matthew Beaulieu to be used strictly for the RMS Library.
The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for December 4 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
By Jean Perry
