Last Meeting To Do List

The Mattapoisett School Committee navigated its lengthy last agenda for the 2012-13 school year on Monday night, making near-term decisions and long-term plans.

The Committee gave the go-ahead to a limited school choice program, allowing three students to participate on the first-grade level. Superintendent Doug White noted that the district had already received two applications.

White also noted that the district had $178,000 to spare with just days remaining in the 2013 fiscal year. Any surplus will carry over to the subsequent fiscal year. White did announce that the district will undertake a search for a fourth sixth-grade teacher to start next school year.

Not as rosy a budget report was Food Services Director Caitlin Meagher, who told the Committee that the district stood to lose upward in $7,000 in revenue in FY 13 due to a decrease in participation, new Federal and state regulations, and uneven bill collection.

“We’re tightened up our purchases,” Meagher said. “Next year, we’ll be focusing on gaining that participation back.”

Center School Principal Rose Bowman announced the donation of books from Project Grow, which the Committee voted to accept. In addition, Bowman told the Committee what she’s telling students and parents as the end of classes approaches.

“It’s critically important for children to be reading throughout the summer,” she said. “I’m really appreciating the joint partnership between the public library and the school library, to the great benefit of the students.”

The Committee formally OK’d White as representative to the Regional Educational Assessment & Diagnostic Services Board of Directors, which will come in handy since he will serve as chair of that group.

White told the Committee that the district plans to move 2014 parent-teacher conferences from March 20 and 21 to April 2 and 3, they’re currently scheduled “right in the middle of MCAS.” The body also approved its Committee Meeting dates for the next school year, which putting into place protocols for summer warrants on payroll and accounts payable in the absence of July and August meetings.

During its reorganization, the Committee reinstalled Jim Higgins as chair, Grace Knox as vice chair, and Deborah Carlino as secretary, while filling various delegate and representative positions including new member Patrick Leclair on the ORR Superintendency Union No. 55.

By Shawn Badgley

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