SOUTHWICK – Powder Mill Middle School Principal Ronald Peloquin is hoping to take a new approach to enrichment for gifted and talented students.
With the retirement of longtime teacher Susan Pac, who coordinated most of the school’s special pull-out programs, Peloquin said finding someone with enrichment certification who has math and science expertise is practically impossible.
“The pool is restricted on the number of people who have the licensure for these programs,” he said.
Peloquin noted that “Massachusetts is the leader in education across the U.S., but we’re at the bottom of the barrel in accelerating high achieving students.”
Peloquin said there could be a need for “push-in” programs in addition to pull-outs.
“I’m suggesting we consider somebody with a dual certification in science and math,” Peloquin said, adding that he would like to merge the program to include pull-out and push-in to “promote accelerated excellence in high achieving students.”
Superintendent John Barry said he hoped someone was hired soon.
“We don’t want to have a large part of the year go by without filling this position,” he said.
Peloquin acknowledged his suggestion was a lot to ask.
“It’s a major challenge for one person,” he said. “But I think it could work if we craft it well enough.”
The program would be for grades 5-8. Committee Vice Chairman Jeffrey Houle noted that there would be an additional challenge in the future because grades seven and eight would be moving to the new combined middle/high school.
He also said he thought the math coach’s job was to help teachers accelerate students.
Peloquin said the position he suggested would “enhance” the work of the math coach.
Peloquin said he would come back to the committee with candidates soon.
