Diana Stricker Photo.
Walsh Dance Team
It appears the school superintendent may get his wish to move the Branford School District’s administrative headquarters to Walsh Intermediate School, despite pleas that the targeted space is already being used by several school groups.
“I’m very confident we can work out the scheduling and space issues,” said Hamlet Hernandez, who is serving his second year as superintendent.
Hernandez asked the board Tuesday to authorize moving ahead with conceptual drawings of the how the former industrial arts (IA) area could be renovated for use by about a dozen administrators.
The school officials are now housed at 1111 Main St., whose lucrative location across from the Town Green was part of an ill-fated three-way swap proposal last year. Click here to read a news analysis on the subject..
Diana Stricker Photo.
When Hernandez (pictured) announced the proposed move to Walsh last month, he said the space at the rear of the intermediate school was empty. “Clearly the space is being used,” Hernandez said Tuesday, acknowledging the numerous comments at the board meeting. “Those are things we really need to address,” he said.
Jessie Pantani, one of several members of Walsh Dance Team who attended the meeting, said the dancers use the former IA space for practice three days a week.
Parents and dancers said the team’s practice space has been moved several times and that the team is actually a sport and should be given the same preference when it comes to scheduling times and areas.
“It seems like the boys’ sports have priority,” said Michelle Vitale, whose daughter is on the dance team. “I’m very concerned they won’t have a space.”
The Walsh Dance Team placed fourth in a nationwide dance competition last spring in Orlando, Fla.
Sam Smith, whose daughter is on the team, said he is concerned about the girls having a quality space for practice. He said the IA area has concrete floors and the dancers really need wood floors.
The comments prompted board Chairman Frank Carrano to ask, “Is the dance team a sport or is it not a sport?” He asked the superintendent to look into that question and also into the issue of practice space.
Theresa Pappa, music teacher at Walsh, asked the board to consider the music department’s needs regarding the IA space. “I use that room daily,” she said. Pappa said she needs the additional space to accommodate large instrumental music classes that resulted when one music teacher was cut last year due to budget constraints.
Pappa said other groups, including the physical education department, also use the IA space. “It’s used to the fullest extent all of the time,” she said.
Board members Mario Sabatini and John Prins asked how the affected programs will be relocated, and how many students are currently using the area.
Carrano and Hernandez said they will provide that information before any final decisions are made regarding the move. In the meantime, Hernandez will begin the process of having conceptual drawings made to illustrate the feasibility of converting the IA space to administrative offices.
No More “Dick & Jane”
The board meeting also featured reports from school principals who announced that all grade levels will be focusing on literacy skills this year. Recent standardized test scores highlighted the need to improve reading and writing skills.
The three elementary school principals gave a team report on the use of reading and writing workshops to boost skills. They said the three schools are working together and collaborating on innovative ideas to help the students.
“You mean, no more “Dick and Jane,” joked Carrano, referring to the standard Dick and Jane reading series commonly used when Baby Boomers were in elementary school.
Anthony Buono, principal at Mary T. Murphy School, said the teachers have started to form book clubs to help the students learn how to discuss books and characters. The focus is also moving to non-fiction books.
Susan Iwankicki-Smith, principal at John B. Sliney School, said they’re encouraging kids even in kindergarten to think of themselves and readers and writers, and to relate the books to their own lives. “It really encourages kids to be excited about reading and writing,” she said.
Board member Michael Krause Said he was pleased to see the three elementary schools working together. “The team concept is going to be better for the whole district,” he said.
At the high school level, principal Lee Panagoulias said the goals this year are to develop reading skills, reading comprehension and vocabulary. The highs school has instituted two online pilot programs which are being used as “literacy intervention” for students whose test scores indicate they need help with reading skills. He said about 60 students are participating in the programs during their free periods.
“It’s not a magic solution,” Panagoulias said in regard to the online programs. “It’s one way of engaging the students.” Click here to read a story about where Branford High’s class of 2011 is now.
Walsh Intermediate school Principal Robin Goeler said students in grades five through eight are focusing on reading and writing across the curriculum, in addition to critical thinking and problem solving. Goeler said that all classes — from arts to academics to gym — include a literacy component.
###
