An unexpected increase in the student body this school year that caught administration by surprise resulted in a shortage of textbooks and some larger class sizes, specifically in introductory-level Spanish and Health.
“The school has grown,” said Old Rochester Regional High School Principal Michael Devoll. He said the old adage was that the school was “healthy north of 700.” The number is now up to 785.
“The joke now is we are morbidly obese,” said Devoll. Administration anticipated 195 students to move up from the junior high school, but ultimately the number climbed to 213.
“I think it speaks to the product we’re putting out,” said Devoll. “It’s a great school.”
Devoll said fewer students moved out of the district and a higher number moved in.
“Space-wise we can handle it,” said Devoll. He said there are enough classrooms, enough lockers for every student, and now enough furniture for everyone.
However, the two sections of introductory Spanish are full, with 34 students in each class, and the two Health classes have increased in size, resulting in four classes not having enough textbooks. Devoll requested that the committee support adding a third Spanish section to alleviate the high numbers of students.
“There was no way to predict that number, said ORR School Committee Chairman Jim O’ Brien. “It’s a good thing, but we do have to keep an eye on the high class sizes.”
New Business Administrator Patrick Spencer told the committee that there was funding in the budget to cover the cost of purchasing the textbooks and also add another instructor for a third section of Spanish to alleviate the problem.
“I can assure you that we can absorb that cost at this time,” said Spencer.
ORR and Mattapoisett School Committee member James Muse said the committee and administration should do anything and everything they can to correct the situation.
“Frankly, it’s unacceptable,” said Muse, without placing blame. “Thirty-five kids in an introductory foreign language class is not what we’re all about.”
Muse suggested the committee advocate for a third Spanish section and find the money.
Superintendent Doug White said the administration has done its due diligence, and they could likely cover the cost to resolve the overcrowded classes, but White pointed out to Muse that the district must stay within the budget the towns approved.
“We need to live within the means of that budget,” said White.
Muse replied, “If we have to go back to the towns, then we have to go back to the towns … And if the towns refuse, we did our job.”
The committee approved two budget transfers of $3,100 and $1,804 from one textbook line item to another textbook line item to purchase the new books.
Also during the meeting, the committee approved the transfer of funds totaling $11,744 back to the Athletic Booster Club since it is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
In the past, the booster club would keep a modest petty cash account and deposit its larger sums acquired through fundraising to the School Department for it to manage. Former President of the boosters Sean Walsh said the boosters decided to seek 501(c)(3) designation back in January 2009 and manage its own bank account, calling it the best practice at this time.
“It really is a great organization. I wish there were more parents that would get involved,” said Walsh. He said the boosters have raised roughly $300,000 over ten years, “which is really tremendous.”
White pointed out that the athletics budget accounts only for salaries.
“We wouldn’t be as well-equipped and the athletes wouldn’t be as well-prepared,” said Walsh.
The committee approved continuing the “common planning time” program that teachers and staff at the high school piloted last year with success. The number of common planning mornings will decrease, though, from 19 per year to 13, since many staff members felt having two mornings per month took away too many classroom instruction hours.
Instead, there will be common planning mornings once during shorter months, and twice during longer months.
The committee approved a contract for a driver’s education course at the high school, which will bring in $6,125 in annual revenue. It also approved an extracurricular and athletics transportation one-year contract for Braga Transportation for $106,000.50, up a mere 31 cents from last year’s rate.
During open comments at the end of the meeting, ORRHS Social Studies teacher Dr. Colin Everett expressed opposition to the district’s adoption of the new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test.
“The PARCC testing just benefitted a multi-billion dollar company,” said Everett about the pilot PARCC trial exam last school year. “It didn’t benefit the students.”
Everett asked the committee to reconsider doing away with MCAS in favor of PARCC, which he said about 40 percent of districts have done.
“None of us have a great love of the MCAS, but it’s something we know,” said Everett, adding that he found the new online test cumbersome both in presentation and material. He argued that the curriculum is now test-driven toward the exam. “Everything is taught to the test.” He continued to say that more and more states are moving away from the Common Core Standard as well.
The committee could reconsider the decision to switch to PARCC with enough support, and the committee decided to continue the conversation at its next meeting after several members tossed around some pros and cons.
Muse said he appreciated Everett bringing his concerns to the forefront. No one showed any particular fondness for any the standardized tests, including MCAS, but some members agreed that curriculum has moved toward raising student success with the MCAS.
“We lost the ‘comprehensive’ [in Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System],” said Everett. “The ‘C’ is just an acronym now.”
The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for October 8 at 6:00 pm in the media room at Old Rochester Regional.
By Jean Perry
