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School Committee candidates state cases

Date: 4/4/2011

April 4, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow High School was the site of the town's first-ever debate for School Committee candidates on March 31.

Two incumbents — Gregory Thompson and Angela Thorpe — and two challengers — William Bednarzyk and Richard Freccero — had the opportunity to state their cases for a seat on the committee at the event, which was sponsored by East Longmeadow Cable Access Television.

Budget concerns were a major topic of the debate, which was moderated by East Longmeadow High School teacher Ed Polk.

The budget for the School Department is proposed to be $25.3 million, but carries with it a request for an additional $180,000 to support the implementation of district goals and each had specific ideas as to how that additional money should be used.

Freccero stated the need for secretarial help in order to keep up with Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) standards. Thorpe agreed with Freccero, but also thought an allotment should be set aside to bring the music teacher position from a 0.7 full-time equivalent position to 1.0.

"If you were at the concert here [March 30] you would have seen the importance of keeping this program," Thorpe said.

Thompson stressed the need for an additional adjustment counselor, stating that in the past the district has relied on guidance counselors to act not only as the support system for students' academic achievement, but also any other concerns students may have. He also stressed that any additional changes such as this would come from the additional $180,000 and would not be taken from the level service budget of $25.3 million. Thompson noted the final decision as to where those funds would come from would be up to the Appropriations Committee.

All of the candidates agreed that if there are cuts to the Chapter 70 state aid, the School Department should do everything they can to keep any cuts that need to be made as far away from the classroom.

Freccero suggested cuts in maintenance as one way to combat state aid cuts, but Thompson and Thorpe stressed the district's need to support the upkeep of the schools in order to keep them viable. They also added that merging maintenance with the Department of Public Works helps keep costs down.

When asked what the long-term plan for the town should be if it faces cuts, Thompson asserted that the School Committee has taken a long-term approach and would continue to if he was elected to another term.

"The long-term perspective [for the goals of the district] is the same as my family's. I have two children in this district, so I'm committed to it for another 14 years," he said. "I guarantee that we'll keep that focus on being responsible with the taxpayers dollars."

Freccero and Thorpe both agreed that exploration of department mergers would be a step toward recouperating any lost funds and Thorpe added that rallying on Beacon Hill against unfunded mandates would be another positive step.

"You would not believe how much they are taking out of our budget," Thorpe said.

Bednarzyk said he did not have a specific long-term plan in the event of cuts, stating that a committee should be formed to discuss all aspects of the budget.

All of the candidates agreed that technology will continue to be a major part of education, but Freccero said students not only need the equipment, but also need to be taught the skills to use it the right way. He added that this should be done two-fold, with specific courses and training and integration in other classrooms.

Bednarzyk agreed that the district has to support and teach technology, but added a component to Freccero's proposal.

"Children are learning how to use this stuff on their own," he said. "I think as parents and as a community we have to help them navigate this new technology safely."

Thorpe lauded the consolidation of the school and town Information Technology departments as a way to cut the cost of technology maintenance within the schools and both she and Thompson sited the district's exploration into Mimio technology in the classrooms.

"With this technology, it's going to increase the amount of information teachers have at their disposal in the classrooms 10 times," Thompson said.

Thompson added that the town is ahead of the curve because while other districts have been forced to use American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to keep staffing levels up, East Longmeadow has been able to use those funds toward this technology.

Freccero's opinion differed from his colleagues in regards to another technology issue — cell phone and PDA use in schools. While Bednarzyk, Thorpe and Thompson all stated that at varying levels the technology should be embraced and explored, Freccero didn't see a place for it in the modern classroom.

"At this point, [we] should keep a lid on cell phones in classroom and during the academic day. With technology evolving, it may become an educational tool in future, but it is a distraction right now."

The issue of transportation was addressed with Bednarzyk stating that he could not adequately answer any questions regarding safety because the fees for his children to use school buses was too restrictive, adding that eventually the fee could catch up with the town.

"If you increase the price of something, eventually you're going to lower the demand," he said. "If we could find a way to lower the fee, that would be ideal."

Thorpe stressed a need for monitoring on the bus, while Freccero and Thompson pointed out that video cameras on the bus could act as a deterrent for prospective troublemakers. Both also agreed that empowering the drivers to uphold the same code of conduct that is expected within the schools aids safety on the buses.



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