School principals speak for override
Published on May 26th, 2004
STONEHAM, MA - Largely absent from the public budget debate thus far, the school system's principals voiced their support for a $2.9 million override at a high school press conference last Friday morning.
Fearful of the consequences that will unfold with a townwide rejection of the June 15 ballot initiative, the top administrators cautioned that rising class populations, the extinction of the arts program, and limited opportunity for extra-curricular activities would seriously hinder Stoneham's educational system.
And for those citizens who continue to label the proposed cuts as scare tactics, the principals issued a uniform warning: these reductions will become a reality without a yes vote on June 15.
"I think people say that because what they hear is kind of scary. So maybe they're trying to fight back in some way, shape, or form," remarked South School Principal Nick Leonardis.
"My perspective on this, and I have 33 years experience, is that [people think] in the eleventh hour the white knight is going to appear at the door just like last year. That's not going to happen this year," added Middle School Principal James Andreottola.
With the fate of approximately 40 teachers, specialists and teaching aide positions hinging on an override approval, the primary concern of the administrators was the threat of class populations rising to as many as thirty students.
"I know people will say that's the way it was in my school. But I'm not really interested about the way things were when I went to school. If things were that great then, they would have stayed that way," argued Stoneham High School Principal Thomas Ryan.
With the town's elementary schools facing the most drastic teaching layoffs, Leonardis and Robin Hood Principal Alice Reilly said that nearly 30 students would be moved to schools outside their districts in an attempt to balance out class sizes - with 12-15 Robin Hood students slated to be redistricted.
According to Leonardis, because the elementary schools will lose 10 grade level teachers, the shift will occur to keep class sizes in the high twenties and low thirties by cutting employees from grade levels that have three separate sections.
"In an effort to have an equitable balance of enrollment, we'd look at redistricting certain grade levels. The way it worked is we need to move kids from specific grades to Colonial Park or in some cases to the Central School," explained Leonardis.
Reilly and Leonardis also lamented the loss of a teaching tool called looping. Primarily utilized for first and second graders, looping entails having teachers stay with their students through both grade levels. According to the two principals, the system benefits an age group first learning to read by retaining a teacher familiar with each student's individual needs.
Although rising class sizes stemming from layoffs remained a huge concern of the principals, the group also spoke at length about the possible extinction of the arts program.
"The Department of Education has recognized that there is a body of knowledge within these programs. Students with art ability would have no venue with which to express their skills. The most important thing is that children would not be exposed to art at all on the elementary level," said Colonial Park Principal Maureen Burke.
With Andreottola arguing that such enrichment courses were pivotal to a student becoming well-rounded, Ryan warned that the loss of the arts would have long lasting impacts. According to Ryan, with elementary and middle school children losing all art opportunities, a ripple effect would occur well into a student's high school experience.
"The art program will be diminished because we don't have the background [at the lower levels]," Ryan predicted. "These [cuts] really impact the classes of 2007, 2008, and 2009 because I think the impact is really a three to four year impact, where parents will say this is really different than it was for my older son."
According to Andreottola the reduction of health as well as art classes will leave him with a school that only teaches core subjects. Saying his adolescent students deal with difficult developmental issues, the Middle School Principal claims the loss of enrichment classes could have serious consequences for an age group first encountering the sexual, social, and emotional issues of adulthood.
"Look at my age group, I'm dealing with kids 12-14 years of age. So when you talk about things like sexuality, diet and nutrition, these things have a dramatic roll with the development of adolescents. Does it impact their academics? No. But does it impact their life development? Absolutely," Andreottola commented.
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