Lee Public Schools reinstate curriculum director position

LEE – Though it was left out of the approved fiscal year 2014 budget, the administration has made some changes to continue the curriculum director position, which began just this year.

“To lose that person [Kerry A. Burke] would be to throw a year’s worth of work…out,” Superintendent Jason P. McCandless said.

To accommodate the position, the administrators are making some staffing changes, including reorganizing the technology department and choosing not to hire a replacement for a retiring guidance counselor at Lee Elementary School.

“It’s not ending anyone’s job,” Dr. McCandless said.

While some maneuvering was done to add the curriculum director back into the budget, the addition still makes for an approximate $20,000 increase.

“I’m not absolutely sure where the $20,000 comes from,” Dr. McCandless said, later adding it was likely the district could find the money from savings in other areas as soon as mid-June.

“It’s an uncomfortable place to be, but…this position has helped us make progress in aligning with the Common Core,” School Committee Chairwoman Susan Harding said.

Meal prices raised

To comply with government regulations and attempt to make the food services program more financially viable, the school committee also voted to raise meal prices for the 2013-2014 school year.

“We are in a financial situation,” School Committee Member Thomas Consolati said of the cafeteria program.

Student breakfast prices were raised from 95 cents to $1; elementary lunches, $2.15 to $2.25; middle and high school lunches, $2.40 to $2.50; milk, 45 cents to 50 cents; adult breakfasts, $2.25 to $2.35; and adult lunches, $3.25 to $3.40.

“It’s still a bargain,” Dr. McCandless said.

Cheerleading approved

Lee Middle and High School Spanish teacher Trisha Machado brought forward a proposal to start a cheerleading program at the school, which was unanimously approved by the school committee.

“I’m delighted because I know there are girls that want to do cheering,” School Committee Member Kathleen Hall said.

According to Ms. Machado, the program has already drawn interest from 24 students in grades seven through 11. She also said, in addition to cheering on Lee’s sports teams, the main focus of the program would be to participate in competitions.

“I really am looking for the opportunity to give that to those students,” she said.

The cheerleading program will be considered a club and will be self-funded through user fees and fundraising.

Posted by Catherine M. Krummey on May 23, 2013. Filed under Breaking News,Education News,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry