School Comm. Chairman bids farewell after long run
Published on April 2nd, 2008
STONEHAM, MA - The School Committee bade farewell to two of its members last week and geared up for a reorganization once this week's election is finalized.
School Committee Chairwoman Maureen Soley ended her service to the committee at last Thursday's meeting, thereby wrapping up an illustrious career with the Stoneham Public Schools. Soley has been an educator and administrator in Stoneham for over 30 years. In addition, she served on the School Building Committee that oversaw the rebuilding and remodeling of the town's four elementary schools. She retired as principal of Robin Hood School just as it was to reopen its enlarged and renovated space, stating at the time that she felt it was a good time for someone new to start fresh as principal in the new school. But with retirement, came a new role as she sought and won a three year term on the School Committee.
“Although Maureen has given over 30 years of dedicated service to the Stoneham Public Schools, in retirement, she again stepped up to the plate,” said School Committee member Marie Christie, praising Soley for her vast experience in school administration and classroom instruction, as well as for her negotiating and budgeting skills and tireless commitment to the system.
“She states her views, she explains her rationale, and she votes her conscience,” Christie said. “She is highly admired by staff, students, parents, and town officials. The School Committee will surely suffer a great loss with Maureen's departure.”
School Committee member Cheryl Walsh was also honored for her six years of service to the School Committtee, including service as Chairwoman.
Christie explained that Walsh began her local political career as a parent activist “fighting for what she believed was in the best interests of her children,” referring to the Central School building project that got off to a rough start initially due to its proximity to the former George Mann Company, and the ensuing issues and demands regarding contamination and clean up for the site designated to house Stoneham elementary school students well into the future.
“She has an innate ability to sense the pulse of the community,” Christie said, adding that Walsh brought many new ideas to the School Committee, not the least of which was pushing for televised meetings, and rotating meeting sites.
“She is a great advocate for the children of this town. She listens to concerns of parents and fights vigorously to provide our children with the best educational experience available.”
Soley advised that while she is withdrawing from a public role, both she and Walsh will remain interested in school issues and will likely be working behind the scenes.
In other news, the School Committee voted in favor of imposing a late fee for parents who habitually pick up children after the 6:00 deadline of Stonehams' After School Child Care Program.
The After School Child Care program has been a successful one since its inception. Students are provided care at dismissal time, but the program is designed to end promptly at 6 pm.
According to School Superintendent Dr. Les Olson, some parents are picking up after 6 pm, sometimes as late as 6:30 pm.
Language for a late penalty is included in the program policy but no amount has been enforced. Olson suggested a fee similar to that in private day care programs be imposed to the tune of $1 per minute.
The fee is not to penalize the parent who gets stuck in traffic once or twice, the committee said. Rather, it is to deter those who do not regularly abide by the 6 pm deadline from continuing their tardiness.
“It's one of those fees we hope we never have to collect but given the nature of the program and the need to keep it at a cost-neutral basis, I am recommending a $1 per minute fee,” Olson said.
The School Committee advised that notification go out to parents and that the penalty not be assessed on late pick ups until after April vacation.
Finally, Thursday's meeting provided the new superintendent with his first public performance evaluation by the Stoneham School Committee, and he secured high marks across the board.
“The superintendent, as far as this committee is concerned, has had a very successful year,”Soley reported on behalf of the committee. “He has worked extremely hard. He is working in more than satisfactory capacity and is exceeding a lot of the committee's expectations.”
Among the comments expressed by School Committee members were praise for Olson's “outstanding work ethic,” his visibility in the school buildings, very effective management of crises, and “despite budget woes, he is still very focused on teaching and learning.”
Soley also credited Olson on coming into the superintendent job with unsigned teacher contracts, two principal openings, two vice-principal openings, one atheletic director opening and a special education director vacancy.
“He's had to replace over 50 teachers in his first weeks and did so with Herculean effort,” Soley said. “By and large, we all think he's done a wonderful job for us.
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