1982-10-18 School Committee Minutes

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M READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES OCTOBER 18, 1982 As Coordinator Mr. Hill visits all schools which METCO students attend at least weekly, working with classroom teachers, specialists, guidance people, etc. The breakdown of METCO students by schools is: Barrows - 12, Birch Meadow -18, Killam - 19, Pearl Street 13, CJH - 6, PJH - 9, and RMHS - 25. Mr. Hill said he was very pleased with Reading's method of selecting students randomly from a computer list, rather than pre- testing before acceptance as some communities do. The only preference in Reading is for siblings, whereas some communities "test children out of the program" Through Mr. Hills' presentation and the question and answer period which followed it was brought out that: - METCO is state - funded, with Reading's program allocated $200,286 for 1982 -83. -32 communities participate in METCO, with about 6,000 students involved. Only Framingham has discontinued the Program. Students are recruited by METCO in Boston. There is a waiting list of about 3,000. - Boston Public Schools do not favor METCO, particularly in view of declining enrollments, but have no control over it. - Children who enter the program in the first grade are usually up to grade level by third grade. -Due to lack of funds there is no follow -up of students who graduate other than { by students and /or their parents contacting METCO. Mr. Hill told the School Committee that students are encouraged to participate in extra curricular activities, including after - school activities and there is a late bus for this purpose. Host- parents are solicited to care for METCO students on early - release days and when there are evening events. Acting Chairman Coco thanked Mr. Hill for an interesting and informative pre- sentation. Preliminary Review - Art Program Evaluation Art Director Mrs. Susan Wheltle gave a preliminary review of the recent evaluation of the program, and presented slides showing the work of students at all grade levels, illustrating the use of form, lines, color, textures, materials, etc., explaining how they related to the art curriculum The review of the Art Program consisted of a self - evaluation by members of the Art Department and an evaluation by outside art experts Professor Diana Korzenik, Chairman, Department of Art Education, Massachusetts College of Art, Mr. Richard Clancy, Art Director of the Belmont Public Schools, and Ms Lauren Erwin, art instructor at the Fayerweather Street School, Cambridge. A copy of the evaluation report had been distributed to School Committee members prior to the meeting. The report gave summary and conclusions as follows: