Superintendent's Blog
Superintendent's Bulletin #17
February/March 2010
Dear Colleagues,
February flew by with the completion of a successful first semester, no snow days (!), a well-deserved winter break, and a successful principal search for Thoreau's new principal. Rob Colantuono announced his retirement plans in December after serving for five years at Thoreau and 34 years in education. We are grateful for Rob's successful leadership in improving math achievement, school climate, and global studies for Thoreau students and we wish him a happy retirement. Kelly McCausland and Kathy Codianne in collaboration with the Thoreau faculty, staff, and parents, facilitated a professional and successful selection process for the new principal which included interviews, reference checks, candidate forums, and site visits. We are thrilled that Kelly Clough, principal of McAvinnue School in Lowell, will be the next principal of Thoreau. She has proven to be a highly effective school leader in both urban and suburban school districts. Kelly has been characterized by teachers parents, superintendents, and educational researchers as "one of the best elementary principals in Massachusetts" who focuses on challenging adults and students to achieve at high levels. Kelly will be introduced at the March 9 School Committee meeting, and she will visit Thoreau on Friday, March 19.
More good news! We are proud of Dr. Carla Sechman, CCHS Chemistry teacher, and Robin Chicetti, CCHS Library/Media Specialist, for being selected as recipients of the prestigious Goldin Foundation Excellence in Education Award for 2009-10. On April 8 the annual Educators Forum at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School will highlight Carla's and Robin's experiences and achievements. For more information, you can log on to www.goldinfoundation.org. Congratulations Carla and Robin! We are also proud of Diane Kablik, Elementary Science Specialist, for winning a 2010 Toyota Tapestry Grant for Science Teachers to support the fourth grade ecology project with the Blanding Turtles. During February vacation, David Nurenburg led a group of CCHS and Charlestown High School teachers on a successful diplomatic exchange to Turkmenistan. David has been working closely with the US State Department and the American Council on International Education to facilitate international diplomacy among educators. Stay tuned for more exciting news about Turkmenistan teachers visiting CCHS! Eighteen CCHS students and their Spanish teachers, Eric Pohl and Beatriz DesLoges also enjoyed a successful exchange trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
Congratulations to Carly Dwyer, Al Dentino, Ned Roos and CCHS students for the wonderful production of the spring musical, Wonderful Town. We look forward to Concord Middle School's performance of "Annie" at the beginning of April.
As we prepare FY 11 budget presentations for April/May Town Meetings, we continue to be grateful to the communities of Concord and Carlisle for supporting 21st century learning opportunities for our students to achieve at high levels. The FY 11 CPS School Committee adopted budget is at 0$ and 0% increase @ $27,699,200 which is within the Finance Committee's guideline. We have worked hard to develop a fiscally prudent budget during this challenging economic climate while maintaining focus on the district's first priority which is to ensure that we provide for student needs. We have been able to accommodate annual cost drivers with reductions in special education out of district costs, energy and building operating costs, bus replacement, and contingency accounts. The School Committee and the Concord Teacher's Association successfully negotiated a three-year contract which has helped the Town of Concord and the school district respond to financial realities. We are pleased to be submitting a school budget for the fourth year in a row that is within the levy limit and does not contain a request for an override. The FY 11 CCHS budget is more challenging due to cuts in state revenue in FY 10 resulting in year end reductions in the FY 10 budget in teaching staff, IT staff, clerical staff, professional development, supplies and materials, and administrative raises. Student parking and athletic fees were raised to offset program expenses. State funding (Chapter 70) has dramatically decreased in the past decade from supporting 12.4% of the CCHS budget to 8.03%. The FY 11 CCHS School Committee adopted budget is $23,498,427, a 5.1% increase from FY10 which is below the Concord Finance Committee guideline. We are not requesting an override in either Concord or Carlisle. Please join me in thanking John Flaherty, Deputy Superintendent, for his stellar financial management and excellent budget presentations at the Town budget hearings. Budget handouts are posted on the district's website for your review.
At both Concord and Carlisle Town Meetings we will request $1.3 M for the next step in the CCHS building project, Massachusetts School Building Authority ( MSBA) Feasibility Study/Schematic Design. The CCHS Facilities Master Plan Committee was formed in June 2009 to address the significant facility needs at CCHS. The Committee has met on a bimonthly basis to hire an architect, create goals and vision for the building project, reassess the building's systems, revise the educational specifications from the 2002/2005 studies, develop several approaches to remedy the building deficiencies, and collaborate with the MSBA. In September, the MSBA responded to the CCHS Statement of Interest and invited us to participate in the process for school building reimbursement. As required by the MSBA process, the next step is approval by both Concord and Carlisle of the $1.3 M warrant article for the feasibility and schematic design. For more information about the Committee's work, you can go to the website www.cchsmasterplan.org.
The terrific support of employees for the automated and paperless paycheck system is appreciated. The school districts continue to be committed to reduce, reuse, and recycle and simultaneously realize cost savings and operational efficiencies. The outdated and inefficient attendance system will finally be automated through the web portal. The administration has been visiting schools seeking employee input into the new process and working with the vendor to design a modern and efficient system. The targeted date for implementation is April 1st, and more information will be available to employees in the month of March.
Happy Spring! I look forward to visiting your classrooms. This month's Supt./School Committee's tea is Friday, March 5, 2:45 @ Peabody Library.
Sincerely,
Diana Rigby
Click here for dates and locations of 2009-2010 Superintendent's Teas.