WESTFIELD – The Westfield Public School District started 2019 with good news of an additional $2.1 million in Chapter 70 (Local Aid) funding, due to an effort by the state to rectify shortfalls in foundation budgets. As a result, along with anticipated grants and decreased expenses in certain areas, an actual increase of 3.1% in a budget totaling $63.1 million for FY20 was not passed along to the city.
District CFO Ronald R. Rix and Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski answer questions from the School Committee. (Photo by Amy Porter)
At a public hearing in April, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and Chief Financial Officer Ronald R. Rix presented a budget request to the city of $61 million, containing a zero percent increase to the general fund.
An anticipated $300,000 to pay for Westfield students who attend charter schools was deducted from the Chapter 70 funds. The majority of the remaining increase was intended to cover a $1.4 million increase in the cost of Special Education; and a smaller increase in the English as a Second Language program.
“Our hope is that we’re going to be able to improve their services,” Czaporowski said about the two programs.
The expense ratio also changed this year, to 77% on the personnel side and 23% for program expenses, down from a split of 80/20.
After several months of review, the school budget passed the School Committee and City Council intact.
AMT Founding Instructor Galen Wilson (L), WTA Principal Joseph Langone and Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski (R) flank AMT Class of 2019. (Photo by Amy Porter)
On June 6, Westfield Technical Academy’s Aviation Maintenance Technology hosted the graduation of the inaugural cohort of the Class of 2019 in the WTA auditorium, prior to that evening’s graduation ceremonies in Westfield Barnes Airport.
AMT Founding Instructor and Department Head Galen Wilson introduced each student by name, and spoke about their journeys in the program, their strengths, and their plans for next year. AMT graduating seniors are Devon Dupuis, Jared Fournier, Marc Franceschet, Brandon Laviolette, Vadim Lukin, McKenzie McCann, Keeley Meyer, Nathaniel Spiller, and Edward A. Towers.
“That is my class. The first high school in New England to produce a graduating class from an FAA-certified aviation program in New England,” Wilson said, adding, “Work harder, do the right thing, be committed in your convictions. I will never forget you.”
FAA New England Region Acting Administrator Colleen D’Alessandro, WTA Principal Joseph Langone, AMT Department Head Galen Wilson, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski, and FAA Acting Deputy Administrator Carl Burleson at the award ceremony. (Photo submitted)
On June 11, Czaporowski, WTA Principal Joseph Langone, Wilson and a group of AMT undergraduates were invited to the Federal Aviation Administration’s New England Regional Administrator’s 2019 Award Ceremony at their headquarters in Burlington, where the program was honored with the 2019 STEM Aviation and Space Education Award.
Czaporowski said this week that the graduation ceremonies will return to Bullens Field in June, 2020. Graduation ceremonies were moved to the airport last year due to extensive renovations being done on the football and soccer fields at Bullens Field.
On June 17, the School Committee voted to grant $45,000 for a new playground at Highland Elementary School, after an effort spearheaded by parent volunteer Rebecca Hart raised $50,000 towards their goal.
Kids swarm the new playscape at Abner Gibbs following the opening ceremony. (Photo by Amy Porter)
In July, Abner Gibbs Elementary School was also granted $10,000 in matching funds from the Community Preservation Commission for new playground equipment at their school.
Westfield Middle School became a 1:1 school in the fall, assigning a dedicated Chromebook to each student for use in school during the day. During an update on the rollout to the School Committee in December, Assistant Principal Karoline Kells called the program “a successful implementation.” Kells said teachers are also receiving professional development help with Google Classrooms, which the guidance staff is also using.
“We’ve been talking about one-to-one computers as long as I’ve been here on School Committee. It’s great that we’re finally getting there,” said committee vice-chair Ramon Diaz, Jr.
Westfield Middle School leadership team: Assistant Principal/Special Education Supervisor Karoline Kells, Assistant Principal Peter Lurgio, Assistant Principal Jessica Kennedy and Principal Paul Newton. (File photo)
WMS Principal Paul Newton called the move “huge.” He said the plans are to implement one-to-one technology in the whole district, which takes time. The Westfield Intermediate School is planning to introduce the program in the second semester, which begins the third week of January, 2020.
Earlier in the year, WMS was selected as a Spotlight School by the New England League of Middle Schools, one of two to receive the honor. “The school was selected because of its ability to create an excellent learning environment for young adolescents and its consistent observance of middle school best practices,” said Kathleen Hill, NELMS Spotlight Schools Coordinator.
All of the schools in the district from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 participated in STEM Week in October. The second statewide Science, Technology, Engineer and Math (STEM) week ran from Oct. 21 to 25, and the Westfield schools were “all in,” according to Czaporowski, Curriculum and Instructor Director Susan Dargie, and STEM Supervisors Lauren Figy and Kate Perez.
WPS Math Supervisor Kate Perez and Science, Engineering and Technology Supervisor Lauren Figy. (Photo submitted)
The schools received grants in donated materials from Project Lead the Way and i2 Learning, which also chose Westfield as a Spotlight District for the STEM Week initiative.
Another “huge” event for the school district was the acceptance of the Franklin Avenue Elementary School project into the Massachusetts School Building Authority feasibility study phase.
On Dec. 11, the Massachusetts School Building Authority officially invited the city to move forward with the feasibility study for the Franklin Avenue School Building project.
The City Council had voted unanimously in October to approve the $900,000 funding for the feasibility study, which will be reimbursed monthly based on submitted invoices.
Franklin Avenue School.
Rix said this is a good time for the city to be entering into the project with the MSBA, because this is the final year of payments on a 30-year bond for the north and south middle school building school projects begun in 1999.
“Now we’re working with a professional to design the most cost effective solution for our needs,” Rix said, adding that the feasibility study phase could take up to two years.
Czaporowski said he is also looking forward to the continued expansion of Early College Programs at Westfield Tec and Westfield High, such as Westfield Promise at Westfield State University, which WSU President Ramon Torrecilha called a “win-win.”
Czaporowski said over 250 students will be participating in the program in the second semester.
“Our schools experienced significant growth last year in terms of our identified areas of focus in fostering relationships among students, staff, and the community. We have also made a lot of progress toward ensuring that our teaching is relevant to our students by providing more authentic learning experiences. We look forward to continuing this work while introducing increased rigor over the next year and beyond,” Czaporowski said this week.
