The Seekonk
Reporter
AUGUST 2010 VOLUME 22, NO. 8
frEE
Serving the Residents of Seekonk, Rehoboth and Surrounding Communities Since 1989
REHOBOTH
HARVest Block party sat. sept. 18th
Redway plain, Rehoboth, MA
see page 103 for more info
back to school see page 60
Seekonk Schools Will Have Better Technology but Fewer Teachers Next Year
By Laura Calverley The new school year in Seekonk will ing enrollment. Two teaching positions bring several changes, both good and bad. were also eliminated in the middle school Schools will be getting a much-needed due to changes in the foreign language technology upgrade, but reductions in lo- curriculum. cal aid have caused the district to cut staff, Also, two technology integrators who including teachers. supported teachers across the district and Superintendent Madeline Meyer, who one elementary differentiated instructor were just finished her first year with the district, cut. Two guidance-related support staff at says her goal to provide the best education the high school were reduced to part-time. possible for the children of Seekonk, while “While these decisions are always difkeeping the cost affordable to taxpayers, ficult to make, we are moving forward to has been a challenge. provide the best educational opportunities The school department was forced to for our children. We will continue to be frucut approximately $800,000 from its original gal and to investigate ways to do more with proposed budget, mostly due to reductions less,” Meyer said. in state aid. Chapter 0 money was reduced Fortunately, the cuts will not be affectby .84 percent, or more than $2 0,000. ing class size, which remains in the 2 -28 As a result, he district needed to cut range. Enrollment is down slightly from a fourteen positions. year ago. “The money was spread in cuts throughOne of the biggest changes for next year out the district, in the supply area, in materi- will be the elimination of the World Language als, in personnel. We tried to keep it as far program at Hurley Middle School. Currently, away from students as possible, but we th and 8th grade students take Spanish 2 ended up having to cut 14.4 positions,” days and 3 days a week, respectively. The Meyer said. expectation was that this program would Those positions include one elementary prepare the students to take Spanish 2 when classroom position, two elementary special they got to Seekonk High School. Unfortueducation positions and one middle school nately, it didn’t prepare them enough. position that were not filled due to decreas...continued on page 4
Rehoboth antiquarian Clambake August 15, 2010 • 1:00 pm • Goff Hall For Tickets, Call (508)252-4363 see page 33