Schools are built, staff added, business office reorganized
Published on September 6th, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - Stoneham Public Schools begin the 2000-2001 academic year this week with a $66,000 projected personnel deficit and plans to expand staff, services and grounds.
Some administrative changes are also in the works.
On the final, sweltering day of August the School Committee discussed completion of South School, ongoing work at Central School, staffing and classroom changes at Robin Hood, busing, growing special education costs and changes in the Business Office.
South School
"I am confident that the South School will open on time (Sept. 7)," said Superintendent of Schools Joe Connelly.
The South School is the first in a four-school, state-assisted building project. The school cost just under $10 million.
To open this week the School Department needs an occupancy permit from Building Inspector Gene Argiro. According to Connelly, Argiro has been instrumental in getting the various subcontractors to finish their tasks — installation of phones and a security camera, for example.
"Gene calls them, and they're there the next day," Connelly said at the Aug. 31 meeting.
At the meeting School Committee member Marie Christie said Flansburgh Associates, architects for the project, are putting together a punch list of cosmetic loose ends.
"These things can be taken care of after the school opens after school hours," Christie said.
A South School inaugural celebration is planned for Oct. 21. The event will be open to the public, but the School Committee plans to extend personal invitations to special guests, including state and local pols and the family of Ruth Gerrish, the memorial namesake of the school's Library and Media Center.
Keeping the South School clean may be a Herculean task for the two-person custodial staff, agreed Connelly and School Committee Chair-woman Jeanne Craigie.
"There are 27 bathrooms in there," Craigie said.
Connelly said he will check on the school after a few weeks of class to see if additional custodians are necessary.
Central School
Connelly said Alexandra Construction workers have excavated and trucked off contaminated soil from three quarters of the area behind the Central School site targeted by DEP for remediation.
"No work will be done during school," Connelly said.
Workers will continue remediation next summer or during Christmas break if the weather is warm enough.
The Central School is the second project in Stoneham's four-school plan. Soil remediation has added about $500,000 to the cost of the project. The soil is sitting at the Stevens Street dump. The contractor has two more weeks to move it to a permanent site.
Christie, the School Committee's representative on the School Building Commit-tee, gave a Central School update.
"They started pouring the foundation," she said. "And DEP wants a fence around the areas not remediated."
Staffing
By mandate of special education law Stoneham had to hire an additional .5 nurse and .5 school psychiatrist.
The need for these positions had not been identified when the budget was set, creating the $66,000 shortfall.
"The Finance Committee said to hire them, and if we cannot make up the money elsewhere, the town will help us out in the spring (Town Meeting)," Connelly said.
Business Office
In an appropriate turn the School Department will trim costs through a rearrangement of the Business Office.
Three new faces will be watching the dollars and cents by the end of the school year.
Frank Angelosanto retired from his $62,000 post as Director of Special Services, or coordinator of facilities, in June of 2000. Business Manager Don Simpson will retire from his $75,000 job this November. And after 28 years, Martha Downs announced her retirement effective this month from her job as Assistant to the Business Manager. Due to her seniority, Connelly said, she was making $49,000.
Connelly hired George Zummuto at $60,000 per year as Administrator of School Business Operations. Zummuto will take charge of facilities but also monitor all non-budget finances, including the revolving accounts, e.g. sped grants, North School rent, user fees.
Michael Musto takes over as Administrator of Finance on Oct. 15 at $74,000. Musto will keep his eyes on the annual school budget.
And an accounts payable bookkeeper will join the team, making less than Downs had.
Robin Hood class sizes
A class size reduction grant will allow the School Department to add a third section of kindergarten at Robin Hood. Two classes of 25 will be split into three classes of 17, 17 and 16. Also under the grant, a part-time teacher's aide will assist the Robin Hood second grade class.
Busing
If everybody who has signed up for busing sticks with it and pays, the School Department will end the year with an $8,000 surplus in the busing account.
"But kids get cars or carpools form," Connelly said.
But even if this happens, Connelly said, students on the waiting list could pick up the slack.
Civil Rights Policy
A Department of Education audit of the Stoneham Public Schools recommended the School Committee adopt an anti-discrimination policy.
On Aug. 31 the Committee unanimously approved a policy promising no discrimination against anyone on account of "...race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and disability..."
Committee appointments
Ben Caggiano, Pat Jordan and Frank Angelosanto were added to the Middle School Feasibility Committee Aug. 31.
On that night Joanne Vennochi Herzog and Michael Sweeney were added to the Hall of Fame Committee.
New idea
Craigie suggested using Stoneham coaches and facilities for sports camps during summer school as a service to the kids and another source of revenue.
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