District School Leaders Vote To Approve Middle and High School Improvement Plans

During a lengthy meeting this week, Lynnfield school district officials heard presentations from the High School foreign language department and two special education organizations.

The committee also unanimously approved the Middle and High School Improvement Plans that were presented during their last meeting on May 10.

Prior to hearing the respective presentations, Committee Chair Dorothy Presser enthusiastically recognized Lynnfield senior Megan Goodwin for her dedication as a student leader at LHS.

Goodwin, who has presented the Student Advisory Report to the committee for the entire school year, was awarded the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) Roberta Doering Scholarship. 

Presser, the current President of MASC, explained the purposed of the award: “The award is based on scholarship and service to the school community.”  

“Clearly, you are one of the top ten students in the class, you are a National Honor Society officer, president of the student council and a very competitive athlete,” Presser said of Goodwin.

Later, the committee heard presentations from the executive directors of The NorthShore Education Consortium (NEC) of Beverly and the SEEM Collaborative of Stoneham.

Colleen Dolan, from NEC, informed the committee about programs and services offered by the organization to area school districts.  NEC offers special education services to 380 students with behavioral, emotional, medical and physical disabilities on the North Shore.  Lynnfield Public Schools are one of the 18 member districts in the Consortium.

“Our mission is to provide high quality, cost effective programming for the districts,” said Dolan.  “I meet monthly with the special education
directors from each district.  We work very closely around assessing your needs so that we can be responsive to those needs in a cost effective way,” Dolan asserted.

The Lynnfield school district is also one of the ten member districts of the SEEM Collaborative.  Kathy Lawson offered an overview of the Collaborative, which provides students with moderate to severe disabilities with educational programs and services in a restructured environment.  “We are looking to help students achieve their personal goals, a more whole child approach, whether it be independent living, vocational training, or college,” Lawson concluded.   

Lisa Giacalone of the LHS foreign language department informed the committee about plans for a potential trip to Italy and Spain.  “I’m here to propose an eight
night field study to Spain and Italy for April vacation 2012.”

“I really believe international travel is the best way for foreign language students to practice what their learning, experience a culture, and they really get excited when they return… it just really piques their interest,” Giacalone explained.

Following the regular meeting, committee members met for an executive session to discuss the Lynnfield Teachers Association bargaining situation. 

The last School Committee meeting of the 2010-2011 year will be held on June 14 at the High School Media Center at 7p.m.