LETTER: Dorothy Presser for Re-Election to School Committee

School Committee Chair and candidate for re-election Dorothy Presser discusses accomplishments of the district and its students in past few years.

The following is a letter provided by School Committee Chair Dorothy Presser, who is running for re-election on April 8th: In Lynnfield, we are justifiably proud of the quality of our schools and the accomplishments of our students. During the time I have served on the School Committee, our schools have continued to rank highly in state and national measures of achievement and accomplishment:  As we strive for educational excellence, my fellow committee members and I also focus on fiscal responsibility. In FY2011, the latest data available, Lynnfield spent $1886 per pupil less than the state average.  Our budget would have to increase by $4.3M to match the state average.  It would have to increase by $7.1M to match the per pupil spending …

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Photo Of The Day

PHOTO: Suburban Coalition Legislative Breakfast

Got a photo to share with the community? Email william.laforme@patch.com.

Senator Katherine Clark was among the attendees at the recent Suburban Coalition breakfast in Boston. Clark is shown here with Lynnfield School Committee member and Suburban Coalition President Dorothy Presser. The Suburban Coalition is a statewide organization that brings together local officials to advocate for Massachusetts communities.

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Elementary School Administrators Share Improvement Plans With School Committee

Huckleberry Hill and Summer Street principals discuss promoting a fair and safe learning environment.

School administrators from both Lynnfield Elementary Schools detailed their improvement plans for the next academic year during last week's School Committee meeting.  The Committee previously heard Middle and High School improvement plans at their last meeting on May 10th. Elementary officials explained to the Committee that the improvement plans enhance teaching, learning, and student achievement at the Huckleberry Hill and Summer Street Elementary Schools. Summer Street School principal, Jane Tremblay, informed the Committee that a task force was developed at the elementary level.  The group was formed to examine desired behaviors for students to ensure a fair and safe learning climate.  “We feel that the plan that we’re putting forward …

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

School Committee also recognizes Megan Goodwin for contributions to High School community.

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, …

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School Committee Votes to Remove Busing Fee

During pre-town meeting session, committee reversed decision to institute busing fee, Superintendent presented worst-case budget scenarios.

Lynnfield parents will apparently not have to pay for busing fees for next year after school committee members voted to remove the busing fee approved at their April 5 meeting.  The proposal passed 4-0, with one member, Michael Craffey abstaining since he had previously voted to not institute a busing fee.  The committee also approved a proposal to ask the Board of Selectmen to add an additional $250,000 to a Proposition 2 ½ override ballot question.     In other action during Monday night’s meeting, Superintendent Robert Hassett spoke candidly about potential worst-case budget scenarios if there is a $1.2 to $1.3 million budget cut for the school department in FY12. “I’ll be distributing sometime in the next week 43 letters of non-renewal…

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School Committee Unanimously Approves 4.5 Percent Budget Increase

Challenging budget process awaits in coming weeks.

The Lynnfield School Committee unanimously voted to approve a 4.5 percent budget increase for the FY 2012 school budget.  This budget would total $18,631,091. School committee members also voted on a new policy for their online policy manual concerning admission of transfer students. Update For Current Fiscal Year Budget Appearing before school committee members this week was Tom Geary, the Director of Finance for the school district.  Geary presented an update of where the school budget stands with three-quarters of the year complete. Geary recapped the current $17.8 million fiscal year budget which includes salaries, expenses, and revenue off-sets. Geary noted that the district has a budget surplus of $54,000. “I’m hopeful for more than …

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Social Studies Teachers Present Curriculum Updates To School Committee

Committee hears K-12 presentations, revises '11-'12 school calendar

This week's school committee meeting was highlighted by presentations from social studies department leaders and by further discussion about the FY12 budget.  The committee also revised the calendar for the 2011-2012 school year, which ends June 21, 2012.       Michael Boulay, Maureen Fennessy, and Kate Robertson appeared before the committee presenting social studies curriculum updates in the Lynnfield public schools. Robertson, department head of Language Arts & Social Studies at Lynnfield Middle School, addressed the rigorous curriculum at the middle school level.  Students in grades 5 – 8 have had opportunities to use interactive technology in the classroom and attend field trips.  Later in the school year, 5th graders will visit sites…

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School Officials Concerned About Budget Cuts

Superintendent said 5.6 percent increase in upcoming budget is necessary for programming at the district.

Schools officials in Lynnfield are concerned about programming cuts if town officials fail to raise the district’s budget by 5.6 percent—following the recommendation of Superintendent Robert Hassett. The Board of Selectmen asked the School Committee for an increase of no more than 2 percent. Hassett’s proposal sits at a 5.6 percent increase, about $993,000 more than this year’s budget. The superintendent said the increases in his proposal would include $60,000 for staffing technology, $54,000 for a math position to lessen overcrowding in the middle school and a $64,000 item for a special education teacher and aid at the middle school. Last week, Hassett told the School Committee about some potential reduction ideas that he and his …

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