- The Impact of Budget Limitations
- Parental and Community Involvement / Communication
- Preparing Students for the 21st Century
- Collective Bargaining Agreements – Contracts
The Impact of Budget Limitations
The Needham School System does an excellent job in keeping expenses as low as they can while providing an outstanding education to our children. In comparison with twenty surrounding suburban communities, Needham's per pupil expenditures rank in the middle, teacher salaries are lower, and there are fewer administrators per student. Yet scores on the MCAS exam consistently rank towards the top statewide.
But considering the increases in our population of young people and their educational needs, and the challenges posed by the new global economy, more resources are surely needed.
Robert Reich (December 23, 2010), Former U.S. Secretary of Labor, OpEdNews.com
However, the annual operating budget for Needham Public Schools has not kept pace with increasing enrollments, negotiated labor contracts, rising costs in special education services, supplies, and equipment. This has resulted in valued programs being cut over the years, including the elimination of elementary foreign language instruction, reducing elective courses, and significantly increasing fees for high school athletics and bus transportation. Since salaries represent about 85% of the budget, teaching positions are also on the line when there is a difference between the proposed Superintendent's budget and the available funds determined by the Town Manager.
Because of inadequate funding and reimbursement from the State and Federal governments, there is an ever increasing burden at the local level. This has resulted in many communities resorting to override initiatives to fund their school programs. The last operational override in Needham was in November 2008 to open the Sixth Grade Center at High Rock School and restore some school programs.
Increased public education and advocacy efforts through community groups (such as Citizens for Needham Schools), collaborative programs (The Education Collaborative), and associations (Massachusetts Association of School Committees) are needed to get a greater share of government funding. Kim Marie has extensive experience in creating teams and advocating for services, and would bring those skills to the School Committee.
Kim Marie pledges to scrutinize the available resources and promote fiscal responsibility while staying mindful of the educational needs of Needham's students in all budget decisions.
Parental and Community Involvement / Communication
The best investment a community can make is in public education. Because of our high quality schools, property values in Needham have remained relatively stable despite the recession. Currently, the average listing price of homes for sale in Needham is about $1million. Needham's MCAS scores have consistently ranked in the top 15% of Massachusetts high schools, which is a draw for home buyers. Our residents are highly educated, for 65% of our population has earned a Bachelor's degree or higher. Since 2007, Needham voters have passed every school capital and operating override. We are proud of our schools and recognize the value they bring to our community.
We cannot look at the school and the home in isolation from one another; we must see how they interconnect with each other and the world at large.
A. Henderson (1994) “A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is Crucial to Student Achievement”, National Committee for Citizens in Education
Many Needham parents are deeply involved in their children's education through creating environments at home that value learning, by volunteering in the classrooms, and attending school events. Research shows that there is a strong correlation between parental involvement and high levels of student achievement. Extra effort is needed to involve the parents who are not active in the schools except when there is a 'hot topic' or problem. Communication has to flow among various channels, including emails, websites, public hearings, and presentations to PTCs and in other community forums, and it needs the engagement of everyone concerned. Controversial subjects, such as the Sex Education curriculum that is still being developed, requires ongoing collaboration between school staff and parents.
There are amazing things happening in Needham Public Schools every day. However, Needham residents who do not have children in the school system are generally unaware of them. There is a need to establish better communication and crossover between the schools, homes, and the community. Over the years, Kim Marie has attended countless school performances in theatre, dance, and music, and has been thoroughly impressed by the outstanding talent and poise of Needham students. It is worth taking a walk down our school hallways and seeing the displayed art and classroom projects. Kim Marie, as both a parent and a member of various community organizations, would like to see student achievements better publicized and relationships with the community expanded.
Having greater community participation in the schools adds a new dimension and dynamic to our children's education. If elected as a School Committee member, Kim Marie is committed to explore new ways to reach out to parents and the community and get them more involved in the schools. This would include tours of renovated school buildings, encouraging volunteerism, and supporting collaborative projects with community groups and Olin College. Kim Marie would also be available to any Needham resident who wants to express concerns or ask questions about the school system.
Preparing Students for the 21st Century
Even more than in the last century, schools must prepare students to be technologically competent and culturally sensitive in a global society. Program and budget decisions have to provide educational experiences that may be very different from when most of Needham's voters were in school.
Students will develop proficiency in a language other than English and develop the cultural, technological, and civic skills necessary to adapt and respond to the conditions of 21st century global changes.
Needham Public Schools, District Goals 2010-2011, District Goal #3 - Promote Active Citizenship, Objective #3
Research in best educational practices gives substantial evidence that technology can play a positive role in academic achievement. If elected to the School Committee, Kim Marie is committed to reviewing changing technology and providing sufficient teacher training, support, and resources so students can fully participate in our technology based information society. It is vital for students to receive learning opportunities that will equip them for future success in higher education and in the work force.
The purchase, maintenance, and replacement of computers and software are a portion of the annual school budget. The school system and teachers have embraced interactive white board technology (SmartBoards) which have transformed classrooms from Kindergarten through high school in all subject areas. This technology offers collaborative learning opportunities and access to interactive websites, which has made both teaching and learning more engaging. Recent renovations to Needham school buildings have allowed for additional wiring and installation of new equipment. However, there is an inequitable distribution of equipment amongst all the schools, and the older buildings do not have the electrical and wireless infrastructure to support current and developing technology. Utilizing her leadership and collaboration skills, Kim Marie plans to work with other Committees and Boards to address how the Town of Needham can financially address these needs.
Beyond technology, schools must teach students to become global citizens. Unfortunately, instruction in world languages has been reduced through budget cuts in the past decade and Spanish is no longer offered in the elementary grades. Initiatives such as the high school's Global Competence Program and school sponsored trips and exchange programs to countries such as China, Costa Rica, Peru, and Japan, offer enriching experiences in other cultures and languages. The recent visit of Chinese students to our elementary and middle schools was an exciting learning experience for host families and students. Kim Marie offers her enthusiastic support to these innovative opportunities that expand our children's understanding of the world beyond the borders of Needham.
Collective Bargaining Agreements – Contracts
The duration of contracts between the School Committee and the Needham Educational Association is three years. Contract negotiations are currently being held with those in Units C (Teaching Assistants), D (Secretaries), and E (Cafeteria Workers), while personnel in Units A (Teachers) and B (Administrators) have contracts that expire in 2013. Teachers and staff represent about 85% of the total school operating budget, so negotiating their contracts are a major responsibility for the School Committee, and Kim Marie would like to be part of the process.
Except to those who work in schools or closely monitor their operation, most of the public lacks a full appreciation of what is at stake when administrators and unions negotiate a collective bargaining agreement.
Dale Ballou (June 2000) “Teacher Contracts in Massachusetts”, Pioneer Institute White Papers #12
Needham has a high teacher retention rate and is attractive to applicants. This is despite wages being less than those in surrounding communities. In order to retain our excellent school personnel, we need to negotiate fair collective bargaining agreements that recognize their professionalism, experience, and technological skills, provide them with professional development opportunities, and pay them a just wage, all while being cognizant of the financial limits of the Town of Needham's budget.
Kim Marie has received professional training in collective bargaining from both sides of the negotiating table. Her graduate program in Educational Administration and Supervision had classes on dealing with teacher contracts as a school administrator. She has also attended The Labor Guild and her coursework included Labor Relations, Contract Negotiations, and Labor Laws. As a Massachusetts state worker, she assumed leadership positions in Union Local 509 - SEIU and worked on contract negotiations teams. Kim Marie's skills would be useful to the School Committee as new contracts are being negotiated.