Currently in Petersham it is very rare to have a class with more than sixteen (16) students. This is because there is a school committee policy that school choice students will not be accepted into any particular grade if class size will be driven to be higher than sixteen students. Now, it is possible that in some year there are more than 16 students from Petersham in a particular grade. If this happens, then a class may be higher than 16 students. But, to date this has rarely been the case.
Without a doubt the lower the number of students in a class, the more individual attention each student receives. Educational research shows that small class sizes have a deep correlation with higher student performance. In general this is an irrefutable fact in education. The smaller the class the more attention each student gets from his or her teacher. And this is why Mr. Berube’s question is such an important one. Why would anyone in Petersham want to merge their school with another district if it were to mean diminished learning opportunities for the children of Petersham Center School?
Below, please find a list of protections that will exist for the Petersham Center School with regard to educational quality, class size, and school finance:
Petersham School Choice Policy
As I stated above, class size in Petersham is regulated by school committee policy. This policy limits the number of students that can be accepted in to Petersham Center School from other communities. In order for this number to change the school committee would have to pass a policy to this effect.
The Authority of the Superintendent of Schools
In some school districts, class size is listed in the collective bargaining agreement for the teachers. Since the Petersham Teacher’s Contract has no such language at this time, the decision that pertains to the number of students in each class is made by the Superintendent of Schools, and in consultation with the building principal. The contract for the Superintendent of Schools reads:
“The Superintendent shall administer curriculum and instruction and decide all matters having to do with selection, appointment, assignment, transfer, promotion, organization, reorganization, reduction, or termination of personnel employed or to be employed by the school districts consistent with state law and contract obligations.”
More important than the aforementioned statement is language in the Superintendent’s Contract specifically written to ensure that a school committee cannot remove the authority of the Superintendent to make educational decisions:
“The Committees shall not, without the Superintendent’s written consent adopt any policy, by-law, or regulation which impairs or reduces the duties and authority specified above; and provided; further, that all additional duties and responsibilities prescribed by the Committees are consistent with those normally associated with the position of Superintendents of School in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
Budget Approval Process in the Newly Proposed Region
Here you see a picture that provides a graphic illustration of the budget approval process in the newly proposed region.
1. First and foremost, the Petersham Elementary subcommittee (2 members) would both have to approve the Petersham Center budget to be presented to the full Mahar Pre-K – 12 School Committee.
2. The Mahar Pre-K – 12 School Committee approves the entire Pre-K – 12 budget. The two members from Petersham sit on this committee. In order for the budget to pass in an eleven member committee 8 of the 11 members must approve. Two of these members are from Petersham. If some amendment to the Petersham budget were to be presented to the Mahar Pre-K – 12 Committee, it would be very difficult for it to pass without the approval of the Petersham representatives.
3. If a budget were to be passed by the Mahar Pre-K – 12 School Committee that was not approved by the Petersham Elementary Subcommittee, the Town of Petersham would be provided with the option of not approving the full Mahar Pre-K – 12 budget on town floor at its Annual Town Meeting. Three out of four towns must agree in order to pass a budget in a regional school. I have been here since 2007, and have yet to see all four towns agree on a budget. As a matter of fact, Petersham’s continual support of the Mahar budget has been greatly appreciated by our school community.
Option to Gift Funds to Peterhsam Center School
In the newly proposed regional agreement, the Town of Petersham (or Orange) has the option of gifting funds to its elementary school(s). This mechanism allows for additional programs to be added to the elementary school of one town without impacting the entire Pre-K – 12 budget.
Finally...
Five layers of protection were named above for individual towns to support their schools. If a time ever came in which the interests of the Town of Petersham and the Petersham Center School were not being respected by the full Pre-K – 12 school committee, Principal, Superintendent of Schools, and/or the Budget Subcommittee, Petersham residents could vote at a town meeting to make a new decision. You see just as a vote of the Town can get into a regional agreement, a vote of the Town can be to pull out of a regional agreement.
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