At the last School Committee meeting, Superintendent Heather Perry made it clear that Proficiency Based Learning (PBL) is “not going away,” but that the state Educational and Cultural Affairs Committee is working on possible revisions to state statues regarding PBL diplomas. Revisions would address continuing concerns about special education and the capacity of all schools across the state to offer opportunities for students to meet proficiency in all eight content areas, perhaps by removing the tie-in on meeting proficiency from diplomas.
Perry also announced that preparation of the FY19 budget is on schedule. A draft budget proposed by the administration is the basis of ongoing discussion with the School Committee and can be viewed on the district website. Individual budget presentations by school and program are also available to the public from the website, as well as a video recording of the March 3 budget workshop. The School Committee will vote to approve the updated FY19 budget on April 11, after which the committee will meet with the Town Council.
GHS Principal Brian Jandreau introduced Ryan Chicoine who heads the Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) program at the high school. The program facilitates connections between businesses and students by teaching skills necessary for successful employment. Currently 44 junior and seniors are enrolled in the class and 19 have part-time jobs through the program.
Trevor Stout told about some of the projects he and fellow students organized, including a Chili and Chowder Cook-off that raised funds to maintain a Dress for Success Closet that offers students outfits for special occasions such as job interviews. Cassie Marceau, a 2017 graduate of GHS and the JMG program, is now enrolled in Southern Maine Community College. She described how the program had given her confidence and experience that prepared her for college and for writing for the SMCC newspaper.
Dennis Libby reported that the Policy Committee will be meeting with transgender students for input as they review current policies that affect them.
Jennifer Whitehead, chair of the PBL Steering Committee, reported that the committee decided not to have GMS 8th grade teachers move entirely to the 1-4 grading scale next year, although 6th and 7th grades will be using the 1-4 scale entirely. Grade 8 will use this scale entirely beginning in the 2019-20 school year.
The School Committee voted (7-0) a negotiated 2.5% base increase for administrators for the next three years and to add five more salaried days for special education and six additional days for adult education. They also approved a 2.5% one year central office staff basis increase and adjustments on some positions to bring them up to the average of area schools. Committee member Bill Benson said he would like to see increases in the future based on cost-of-living figures or some other metric.
The Committee voted (7-0) to approve the 2017-18 School Committee goals, acknowledging that the school year was more than half over. Chairman Darryl Wright said that the Committee has been working toward those goals without formal adoption and Kyle Currier agreed that the Committee evaluates goals at the end of each year and incorporates revisions in the following year.
In other business, the SC voted (7-0) to approve stipends for coaches for spring athletics, and also approved updating revisions to the Alternative School Programs Policy and the policy on Instructional and Library Materials Selection.