Attleboro School Committee Roundup: AP Program, Gift Donations and Payphone Removal

The following is a round-up of Monday night's Attleboro School Committee.

-Superintendent Dr. Pia Durkin, principal Jeff Newman and Dave Sawyer gave a presentation to the Attleboro school committee marking the merits of the current advanced placement program in the Attleboro school system and to give reasons for the removal of certain honors courses.

They said that, while honors classes are more challenging than the standard college prep courses, they don't provide the national recognized merit of AP courses, which would be more advantageous to a college-bound student. They also said the program has expanded to include many more students.

-The Attleboro School Committee voted unanimously to accept a donation in the amount of $1,902.32 from LaPrade Studio to be deposited in the Wamsutta gift/donation account, to accept a donation in the amount of $1,984.24 from LaPrade Studio to be deposited in the Coelho gifts/donation account, to accept five computers valued at $160 each to be used at the Brennan Middle School in Room 218 accept a donation in the amount of $24,357 from the Studley PTO for the Studley Playground project and to approve a field  trip proposal from Attleboro sigh school for grade 10 advanced placement students to attend Washington, D.C. on April 14-16 (funding sources parents/fundraiser).

-Nancy Sprague, Director for Teaching and Learning Excellence, reported that Stephanie Harvey, a paraprofessional special education insights teacher, has resigned from her position at Willet effective on Jan. 6, and has taken a full-time grade 2 teaching position at Hyman Fine. She also reported that three full-time teacher positions have been added with visual arts teacher Susan Hamelin and special education insight teacher Donna Moulder. Paraprofessional special education inclusion teacher Sharon Ricci and senior clerk at the special education office Julianne Daniels have also been added. David King was also added as an interim business manager at the central office.

-The school committee also unanimously approved a motion to authorize the removal of pay phones at all schools, citing the fact that Verizon has sold its payphone upkeep services to a third party, which now charges about $15,000 a year for their services, while the phones themselves go mostly unused.

-The school committee also unanimously approved a motion to request City Council approval of a food service contract for one year with a renewal option every four years.

-The school committee also unanimously approved  a motion to request Attleboro City Council's approval of a transportation contract for three years with two one year renewal options.

-Discussion of school calendars 2012-12 and 2013-14 was tabled because of the collective bargaining concerns that would have to be discussed outside public view before being released and voted on.

-Concerned parents Leanne Isabella and Lorrie Brewster voiced their issues with the current setup for bus schedules and elementary school hours. They felt that the students weren't being delivered on time to their respective stops.