WESTFIELD – The School Committee hit the ground running at its first meeting back after summer break. With one week to go before classes start, the list of bus drivers, substitutes and monitors were approved, as was the YMCA before and after school contract, and one with Futures Educational, Inc. for speech and language pathologists.
Melanie Chasse began as Paper Mill Elementary School Principal on July 1, 2018. (Photo submitted)
Westfield Public School Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski said that 43 new teachers will be attending an orientation Wednesday at Westfield Intermediate School, adding that he still has four spaces left to fill. He also introduced two of the new hires; Melanie Chasse, the new principal at Paper Mill, and Dan Trudeau, new athletic director for Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy, to the School Committee.
New Westfield and Westfield Technical Academy high schools athletic director Dan Trudeau. (Photo by Chris Putz)
“Thank you for appointing me. I’m extremely excited to be in Westfield,” said Trudeau, who started August 1.
Chasse said she is “very much looking forward to meeting the students, and having all of the teachers return.” She also thanked School Committee member Diane Mayhew for coming over and spending the day at Paper Mill.
Czaporowski said that Transportation Director Pamela Kotarski has been working hard on bus routes and schedules to be ready for opening day. He reminded the School Committee that 1,400 students in grades 5-8 are going to be transported across the city to Westfield Intermediate School and Westfield Middle School. “It’s the B run we’ll have to keep an eye on,” he said, adding that Kotarski is confident about the A and C runs.
The superintendent said that the numbers are constantly shifting, noting that 48 students registered last week. He also said that road work on Montgomery and North Roads, and the sewer project in the Munger Hill neighborhood may also slow the bus schedule down at first.
Bus schedules were mailed out last week, but Czaporowski suggested that anyone with questions call the transportation office at 413-572-6599. Registration will also be open until 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 30, he said.
The School Committee also approved home school applications. Timothy O’Connor asked how the numbers were trending compared to other years. Denise Ruszala, Director of Assessment and Accountability, said the numbers of home-schooled children are normal and “pretty consistent,” averaging between 80 and 100 each year.
Czaporowski gave a “shout out” to Westfield Intermediate School, which held a summer transition program in which 60 students participated. He said the school will also be giving a tour for fifth graders on August 29 from 6 to 6:30 p.m., and for sixth graders on August 30 from 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Westfield Middle School will hold a tour on Wed., August 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. That same night will be an orientation presentation in the auditorium, followed by a second building tour and Q&A from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Czaporowski said last Wednesday, 300 students showed up for a pizza social and tours at WMS.
Mayhew asked about the new signage for WMS and WIS. Czaporowski said the district is working with a local company on the signs. Chief Financial Officer Ron Rix said they should have the ones by the road ready to pick up. Rix said for the sign on the building at WIS, they are trying to track down the company that did the original lettering.
Kotarski said they will also be putting signs on the buses for WMS and WIS.
“I do know how hard the busing is every year. I give you a lot of credit,” School Committee member Heather Sullivan said to Kotarski.
