Westfield

Westfield School Committee addresses Question 2

WESTFIELD – The Westfield School Committee voted unanimously on Monday for a resolution against raising the existing cap on charter schools in Massachusetts. In making the motion, Diane Mayhew asked the committee to join more than 100 School Committees across the state in voting to oppose Question 2 on the November ballot, which would increase by twelve the number of charter schools allowed in the state per year. Mayhew said if passed, Question 2 could triple the number of charter schools statewide in ten years.
During the discussion of the motion, Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski gave the committee a picture of the financial effects of charter schools on the district. He said in FY 16, $191,578 was deducted from the local allocation for the district for students attending charter schools. The state then reimbursed the district $20,851 of that cost, for a net loss of $170,727. This year, $195,856 is going to charter schools and the state reimbursement is $33,692, for a net loss of $162,164.
Czaporowski said that among the schools Westfield students are attending are Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School of Excellence in Springfield, Pioneer Valley Performing Arts in South Hadley, Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion in Easthampton, and Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School in Holyoke.
The resolution under consideration in Westfield stated that the Commonwealth’s reimbursement to districts has failed to be fully funded, and Governor Charlie Baker’s proposed reform of charter reimbursement neither fully funds reimbursement nor equitably treats sending districts.
Kevin Sullivan said the biggest issue is the reduction in state aid.
“If this passes, it’s going to be another stream of revenue that we’re going to lose as a city,” Sullivan said. “Unfortunately, it’s the public schools that are going to come out on the short end of the stick.”
Mayor Brian P. Sullivan said that he attended a Massachusetts Mayors Association (MMA) meeting last week, at which that board also voted unanimously to oppose Question 2. He said at this point the Westfield City Council may or may not weigh in.
Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy, City Council liaison to the School Committee, spoke at the start of the meeting to encourage the committee to take a strong stance on the question.
In other business, Westfield Technical Academy senior Tyler Simpson and junior Payton MacTavish gave a report to the committee on activities at their school. Upcoming events include the first annual alumni barbecue this Thursday, Oct. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Also, Culinary Arts students will begin a series of cooking classes for Southwick seniors with a class on Fall Soup on Tuesday, October 25 at 10 a.m. The cost is $5, and reservations must be made by Oct. 19.
The students also thanked the Volunteers in Public Schools and WTA volunteers for a recently finished painting project at the school.
Also presenting from Westfield Technical Academy was school adjustment counselor Henry Bannish with a request for approval from the School Committee to name the recently constructed indoor raised bed at the main entrance to the school, the James Wagner Memorial Garden.
“I am really proud to talk about Mr. Wagner, who I knew for many years,” said Bannish in making his request.
He said Wagner, who was assistant principal at the school from 1989 to 2009, “went above and beyond to help others,” and was “an avid gardener, who loved fresh organic vegetables.” Wagner passed away in 2015.
The raised bed will feature a metal sign with Wagner’s name and years of service fabricated by Manufacturing Technology affixed to a wall near the garden. Construction Technology will create a portable wood sign reading “James Wagner’s Garden” for the bed, and the Ornamental Horticulture department will provide and maintain the plantings.
Cynthia Sullivan, who said she supported the request 100%, asked whether the memorial was in compliance with school policy.
Mayor Sullivan said they had checked in advance, after which the School Committee gave unanimous approval to the effort.

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