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Date: 8/15/2023
NORTHAMPTON — The School Committee unanimously approved a 10-month lease agreement between Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech and Jackson Street Elementary School for inclusive programming during the 2023-24 school year.
During the Aug. 10 meeting, Northampton Superintendent Portia Bonner said that two classrooms and some office space will be used at Jackson Street for a shared partnership of programming. According to Bonner, the spaces will also be remodeled to fit some of the programming Clarke will bring in.
“We have presented a lease that we feel is not only sufficient in terms of meeting all the terms and any liability issues that may occur,” Bonner said.
According to the document provided by the meeting’s agenda, the agreement will allow “up to nine Clarke students” in pre-K through grade 5 to participate in inclusive recess, lunch, art, music and physical education with Jackson School students during multiple times throughout the week.
“It’s more of an inclusive practice to be with their regular-ed[ucation] peers,” Bonner said, of the shared programming. “We provide that service and avenue, and also diversifies our programs, as well. It’s an exciting opportunity.”
According to Marian Hartblay, the director of Clarke, Clarke has a longstanding relationship with Northampton Public Schools for “many years,” and noted how the school leased space with Leeds Elementary School for eight years prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
She said that some Clarke students participated in inclusionary activities last year twice a week, including lunch, recess and gym. This new partnership will help expand that programming to also add music, library and art to the fold.
“We are looking forward to re-establishing such a relationship that is mutually beneficial,” Hartblay said. “It did offer our students an inclusioned opportunity that, as a separate independent special education program, we can only provide so much of.”
Jackson Street Elementary School Principal Lauren Brown said a vacant fifth-grade classroom, a classroom-sized faculty lounge, as well as a former English language classroom, will be used for the new agreement.
“I’m excited for Jackson Street to have this program be a part of Jackson Street School,” School Committee member Gwen Agna said.
The lease cost is $34,000 for the 10-month period, and according to Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, the City Council will officially vote on the agreement at their meeting on Aug. 17.
The School Committee also voted to maintain the current substitute rates for the 2023-24 school year. This means that substitute bus monitors, substitute cafeteria staff, substitute clerical and substitute educational support professionals will continue to be paid $15 an hour. Substitute teachers will be paid $120 a day and substitute nurses will receive $205 per day.
Crossing guards, meanwhile, will continue at a rate of $16.33 per hour.
The bachelor’s degree requirement for the substitute positions will once again be waived, as well.
School Committee member Dina Levi asked if Bonner could provide rates of other school districts to compare to Northampton’s. Bonner said she will provide that throughout budget discussions during the year.