Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Barrington School Committee holds a special meeting tonight on full-day kindergarten; a report from its subcommittee to be center of attention.
The Barrington school board holds a special meeting tonight on all-day kindergarten. The meeting starts at 7:30 pm in the School Committee Room in Town Hall. A report from the subcommittee for the Barrington School Committee that has been assessing all-day kindergarten will be presented, said Robert Shea Jr., School Committee chairman. Superintendent Michael Messore has been leading that subcommittee. It’s possible that a decision on all-day kindergarten could be made tonight as the school board sits down again to deal with a proposed budget that right now is a few hundred thousand dollars short of what the committee wants for the schools next year. The shortage comes from the Committee on Appropriations’ recommendation at last night’s …
Barrington children participate in global exercise class at their schools -- All Children Exercising Simultaneously (ACES).
Children all over Barrington took part in a global event on Wednesday, May 8. The event was the All Children Exercising Simultaneously (ACES) program – often referred to as the world’s biggest exercise class and always held on the first Wednesday of May. Exercises could be just about anything – walking, jogging, biking, dancing, aerobics or a combination of them all -- as long as they were done together. At Hampden Meadows School, the PTO decided to make ACES there a bit out of the ordinary, said Bindu Mallick, PTO president. Working with physical education teacher Lauren Graham, they recruited Pam Van Ness and Amy Boyes to offer Zumba and Yoga to the hundreds of kids in the school at the same time. “It was the largest class I’ve ever led…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Cheryl August will be recognized today for making a real difference in the lives of her pupils at Primrose Hill School in Barrington.
Today is National Teacher Day, and at least one Barrington teacher will be given recognition for making a real difference in the lives of her pupils. Cheryl August, who has been teaching second-graders at Primrose Hill School for the past 16 years, will be recognized for making a difference in a “Celebrate Teachers” contest sponsored by the Providence Place mall. Barrington Superintendent Michael Messore mentioned the recognition at last week’s School Committee meeting. August was nominated by Mary Kay Talbot, a parent volunteer and mother whose children have had her as a teacher. August described her recognition “as really sweet” because parents and former students and supporters voted for her in the mall competition either by email or …
The private Barrington school on Federal Road only has 8 students in fifth grade in its elementary school right now; it's closing at the end of this year.
St. Andrew’s School in Barrington is suspending its lower school for elementary students at the end of this year, according to eastbayri.com. The decision is being made, according to Headmaster John Martin, because of a drop in enrollment in the lower school, which is set up for third-, fourth- and fifth-graders. Only eight fifth-grade students are in the lower school right now, he said. The school also wants to review the lower school’s curriculum, target audience and tuition, Martin said. A committee has been set up to do this over the next two years. The school will decide how to proceed after the review, Martin said. It is still committed to offering a lower school. Martin cited a downturn in the economy as playing a key role in the…
Monday, May 6, 2013
Barrington School Committee member Scott Fuller says new contract does not address two 'new realities' facing town and state.
The School Committee recently approved a contract (by a 3-2 vote) with the NEAB (teachers' union). In my view, this contract has many shortcomings and did not seriously address the two new "realities" that are facing our state and our town. The first reality has to do with the teaching profession; the second with economic conditions. With regard to teaching and learning, the language in this contract offers no compensation alternatives for "great teaching" (highly effective teaching if you base it on the Race to the Top rubric) and/or improved student achievement. Rather, remuneration rewards teachers for simply reporting to work and doing their job. It is widely accepted by most residents that many Barrington teachers are indeed …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
A Superior Court judge and an attorney teach kids at the Barrington school on RI Law Day
A Superior Court judge and a Riverside attorney taught some lessons on the law at St. Luke’s School in Barrington last Friday morning. The lessons were taught as part of Rhode Island Law Day, sponsored by the Rhode Island Bar Association and the Rhode Island Judiciary. Judge Stephen P. Nugent and attorney Dean G. Robinson taught a lesson on “Equality Under the Law: Civil Rights in the United States” – the theme of this year’s law day. They presented information aimed at “soliciting student opinions, surfacing the legal issues relating to the topic, and reviewing the role of judges and lawyers” in addressing the teacher's choice of the following issues: 1) Police Questioning/Right to Arrest: Does a police officer or other individual ever …
Friday, May 3, 2013
The annual luncheon recognizes the more than 500 people who volunteer in the Barrington schools each year.
“Thank you for your partnership.” Barrington School Committee Vice-Chair Kate Brody gave that thanks to scores of volunteers who attended the annual luncheon recognizing their service to the schools on Thursday afternoon. “You are part of moving our district forward,” Brody said. “You role is critical. You are helping students to understand the connection between curriculum and real life, and helping them make healthy choices for a health lifestyle.” The mid-day event drew principals, administrators and about 100 volunteers to the Barrington Public Library gallery. Singers and guitarists from the high school played background music. Dara Iserson and Jennifer Gildea were two of the 10-year volunteers who got special recognition at the …
The two Barrington boards cannot reach common ground on a proposed increase in school spending for next year, so it's on to the Financial Town Meeting.
The Committee on Appropriations bumped heads with the School Committee over the proposed school budget for next year one last time on Thursday night. It was a session that ended with frowns on all faces. The boards could not reach common ground on a proposed budget increase to take before the Financial Town Meeting in about three weeks. The COA has proposed a $900,000 boost – much less than the $1.675 the School Committee proposed before a new teachers’ contract was approved a few days ago. That contract will now shave about a half million dollars from the original School Committee request. But that still leaves about a $300,000 gap. The COA actually upped its proposed boost in spending to $1.1 million during the meeting -- but contingent…
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Roger Williams University hosted U.S. Sen. Jack Reed on Wednesday, May 1, to speak about the expected doubling of student loan interest rates.
Noting that more than 45,000 Rhode Island college graduates would face higher costs because of a scheduled doubling of the interest rate on student loans, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed told current students at Roger Williams University on Wednesday, May 1, that he is working to avoid the hike. "They rely upon this need-based financial aid in order to make it through school, and we are at a moment in history where we need all the talent and all the educated men and women that we can muster," Reed said in a speech at the Global Heritage Hall Atrium just before noon. "The reality is that, students today are graduating with tremendous debt. It's not only affecting us from an educational standpoint, but from a macroeconomic standpoint." Reed explained …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The Barrington School Committee meets again on Thursday evening with the spending plan for 2013-2014 expected to dominate the session.
The proposed budget for next year is expected to dominate the next Barrington School Committee meeting on Thursday evening, May 2. The board meets at 7:30 pm in the School Committee Meeting Room in Town Hall. Proposed spending for next year could not be finalized without the approval of a new contract with the teachers’ union, which makes up most of the $46.18 million budget. With last night’s approval of a new three-year contract, the School Committee now can determine more exact spending for all line items. Here is the complete agenda for Thursday’s meeting: BARRINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Government Center, 283 County Road AGENDA May 2, 2013, 7:30 p.m. A. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (approx. 7:30 – 7:32 p.m.) B. ACHIEVEMENT …
Townie
6:32 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013
I do not believe anyone is saying the all day kindergarten is a bad thing. Those with youngsters will argue that it is a necessity. It is just that in these trying economic times it may be considered a luxury to the majority of citizens. By all means, put it in. Just find the funding in the current budget. Are middle school sports necessary? Some will say absolutely; others maybe not. Perhaps it … more ›