School Committee Roundup: Wrestling Team Donation, Elementary School Reviews

The Foxborough school committee accepted a donation of $5,000 from the Jeff Parker Charitable Fund Monday night. 

Parker was 2003 graduate of Foxborough High School. He was a "real student leader" and wonderful young man who passed away from cancer in 2010. The Jeff Parker Charitable Fund hosted the First Annual Cherish the Champions Gala at Gillette Stadium on Nov. 18. The mission of the Jeff Parker Charitable Fund is to give back the things that were most important to Jeff – helping young kids that have been stricken with cancer that are in financial need; scholarships for student athletes and funding for melanoma research.

The money donated will be used for the Foxborough High School wrestling team.

“Very generous donation and since wrestling was his great love, that will also be his great legacy,” said Superintendent Debra Spinelli when accepting the donation Monday night.

In other committee news, Foxborough's Elementary School leaders gathered Monday to discuss the Elementary School improvement plans. Principal of the Burrell School, Ms. Michele McCarthy, Igo School principal Dr. Ingrid Allardi and Taylor School principal Peter Regan all presented to the committee.

The three leaders spoke as one voice when expressing that many of their goals mirror those of the district's goals for 2011-2012.

Goals listed included continuing to offer programs that promote a high level achievement for all students; measuring student achievement; and increasing reading comprehension.

Regan noted that another district wide goal includes "increasing students' number sense" through calendar activities.

McCarthy spoke individually on the Burrell School, listing "expanding the caring school community program" as an improvement goal of the school.  She noted continuing the homesite and buddy activities. Homesite activities are learning assignments sent home for students to complete with their parents. McCarthy gave, "researching a student's name" as an example of an homesite activity.

All three schools listed implementing the icare program as a goal. The program aims at expanding students' knowledge and awareness of different learning styles through literature. Parent volunteers will come to the classrooms and read literature, which may address topics such as learning disabilities, OCD and autism. After the reading, the teacher and parent will co-facilitate a discussion about the literature with the students.

The Burrell School will look to strengthen students understanding of citizenship and family involvement in school activities. Strengthening the program will be completed through researching and implementing one community service project at each grade level.

Allardi spoke on the Igo School’s improvement goals, which included continuing to develop student’s healthy habits for living and expanding homesite activities. The Igo School will continue to expand their fitness Friday program that aims at offering a structured fitness activity during recess for children who want to participate. Allardi noted that the school is looking into strengthening their relationship with the senior center and promoting greater community involvement.

Regan said that the difference this time around in discussing the goals and strategies of the school, was that the word "data" came more into play. 

"This district has really embraced data," said Regan. "We want to work on collecting baseline data to make sure we are maintaining consistency."

The committee was impressed with the elementary leaders ability to come together.

"You speak as one voice, you all want the same thing for your students," said school committee member Martha Slattery. 

In other news, the school committee approved, with a vote of 5-0, late night and overnight school travel. The newest event added to the list was the boys track team. If the track teams qualifies, they will go to Dartmouth on an invitational basis on Jan. 6 and Jan. 7. Every student trip requires a chaperone for every six students.

Onto other matters, Spinelli gave an update on the new Legal Counsel process. Six law firms have submitted proposals, which will be looked over in order to bring any recommendations forward to the committee. Spinelli is aiming for legal services to be finalized sometime in January.

Spinelli also gave an update on the High School principal search.

"The plan is to advertise after the New Year, Jan. 3. Applications will be due by Jan. 31st and interviewing will be done during February. By late February and early March we hope to have a recommendation," she said.

Spinelli noted that she will be putting out requests for parents to be involved in the process, including parents from the middle school.