The ORR school district has never taken an official vote on a military leave policy for employees, so on April 8 the Old Rochester Regional School Committee formally adopted one to address the situation of ORR Math teacher Micah Kidney who serves in the U.S. National Guard.
Superintendent Doug White suggested options such as the use of personal time or paid leave of up to 17 days.
“Do you feel that the 17 days is a sufficient number to meet your needs?” asked School Committee member Paul Goulet.
Kidney, seated in attendance replied, “I think that would be absolutely fair.” Kidney said, while on duty, most soldiers make less than their regular job salaries. “For future soldiers, I would love to see that support.”
“I think it’s perfectly reasonable,” said School Committee member Cheryl Hebert. “I think that it’s invaluable to have people (staff in the military) … as role models, and I would hate to see them suffer any loss.”
Given the choice of the two options, Goulet made the motion to grant military employees authorization to use personal days during military service, in addition to the up to 17 days of paid leave.
In other matters, ORR High School Principal Michael Devoll briefed the committee on a revision to the program of studies to add the school’s first ever Advanced Placement Psychology course.
Devoll said some students currently take honors-level Psychology using the AP-level textbooks and a few sit for the AP exam at the end of the course. Once the interested teachers are certified to teach the AP course, the school can offer it without having to hire any new staff or purchase any new books, Devoll said.
Also during the meeting, the committee renewed the one-year lease contract with the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC) for classroom space at the high school.
“It’s been a positive experience,” said Devoll. “Everything’s been positive. It’s been a smooth year, and we look forward to continuing that.”
The School Committee was pleased to hear that considering that when it approved the SMEC program last year, Devoll was opposed to the segregated nature of the program, which he said at the time went against the full-inclusion philosophy of the school.
Devoll said that although some students in the SMEC program are still working toward the possibility of attending some regular education classes, most SMEC program students do have lunch in the cafeteria everyday and attend field trips with the general population of students.
The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for May 13 at 6:00 pm in the ORR Junior High School media center.
By Jean Perry
