WESTFFIELD – The School Committee voted Wednesday to approve the use of $23,000 in school choice funding for capital purchases at Westfield High School.
Principal Raymond K. Broderick spoke at the special School Committee meeting, originally slated for Monday but postponed because of bad weather. He said that the funding request represents less than 6 percent of the school choice revenue brought into the district by students attending Westfield High School.
School Choice is funded through the state Chapter 70 program. About $5,000 per student of Chapter 70 funds is withheld from the home district of a student electing to participate in the School Choice Program. That money is then added to the Chapter 70 funding of the receiving district. Vocational schools are not eligible for School Choice programs or Chapter 70 funding.
The largest generator of school choice funding in the district is Westfield High School, which usually has a school-choice student population of 60 students, resulting in a school choice income of $300,000 a year. Broderick said this year there are 75 school choice students at the high school, providing $$350,000 in school choice revenue.
Broderick requested the School Committee to appropriate $23,000 for capital purchase of equipment and to fund the science fair held yesterday, in which more that 350 students participate.
The capital equipment purchases include $3,500 for a pottery kiln; $2,500 to replace classroom furniture and $8,000 for a laser engraving system. Broderick also requested $9,000 for the science fair, which in the past was funded through corporate donations.
Broderick said that kiln is needed because of the significant increase in the number of students enrolled in pottery program. There are currently 177 students taking the Pottery I and Pottery II courses.
“Unfortunately 125 of the students are scheduled for semester II, putting an incredible demand on our aged kiln,” Broderick said.
School Committee Vice Chairman Kevin Sullivan said that students are required to take an art class as part of their graduation requirements.
“The popularity of the pottery courses has exploded,” Sullivan said. “For whatever reason, it could be the subject matter or the teachers, students are signing up for that program.”
Broderick said the funding will be used to purchase a second kiln.
The appropriation will begin the replacement of classroom furniture much older not only than students, but many teachers as well. Broderick said that the 39-year-old furniture is beginning to fail and needs to be replaced.
The laser engraver is being purchased for the technology and engineering programs, and will also be used to engrave trophies and awards.
The $9,000 science fair funding is needed to continue that program because much of the corporate funding has dried up. Broderick said that the Westfield High School Science fair is the largest in the state with more than 350 students participating in the judged event. Many of the students begin their project during the summer, developing a project plan and submitting a proposal to the science department in September.
Broderick said the funding also will support students projects, selected by the judges, which advance to the state, national and international science fairs.
