The Standard Times - April 8, 2013
www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130408/NEWS/304080327/
By Natalie Sherman, Writer for The Standard Times
nsherman@s-t.com
Relevant Quotes: (Please follow the link above to read the complete article.)
Innovation schools, as envisioned by [Governor Deval] Patrick, would be part of the district — overseen and funded by the School Committee and staffed by union teachers — but have independence from district policies in areas such as budget, staffing and curriculum.
Two years of organizing, research and School Committee votes produced two teacher-led proposals, which would provide opportunities for foreign language and integrated arts education currently unavailable in the district in one of the city's poorest — and poorest performing — neighborhoods.
The School Committee will vote on the schools — the Renaissance Community School for the Arts to be housed at Gomes Elementary and a bilingual immersion Esperanza School of Language and Culture, which would take over part of Roosevelt Middle School — for a final time tonight. The meeting is at 6 p.m. in the Keith Middle School auditorium.
School Committee member Marlene Pollock, a participant in the original UIA working group and a supporter of the proposals, said false rumors had circulated about teachers losing jobs or losing bargaining rights; schools running without School Committee oversight; and money being taken from other schools to fund the new ones.
"It's simply not true," she said. "I wish the opponents would do their homework. ... You can't be in denial."
School Committee member Larry Finnerty, who also participated in the UIA working group, called the tone of the debate "disgraceful," pointing to personal online attacks.
"Everyone will vote their conscience and when we're done with the vote, everyone needs to support the new superintendent and the public schools in our effort to improve academic performance and educational outcomes," Finnerty said.
Note from Esperanza School Design Team:
The Esperanza School will not simply offer foreign language classes to K-8 students. Spanish-dominant and English-dominant speakers will be integrated into a two-way dual language immersion program. Students will be learning language as well as content in English and Spanish, our partner language.
