Reading, MA — Reading Memorial High School (RMHS) Director of Academic Achievement, Jessica Callanan, informed the School Committee on Thursday that the Innovations Pathways program at the school has received official designation from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This designation opens the door for additional funding resources to the engineering and computer science pathways as outlined by the school. Callanan is in the process of applying for a $75,000 implementation grant for next year which will help with field trips, speakers, equipment, and teacher professional development for the program. There are also continuation grants which could add $50,000 a year to the program for the next several years.
Callanan also reported that she had submitted a $400,000 skills capital grant to upgrade facilities to further develop programs in building and property management and biotech at RMHS. School Committee chair Shawn Brandt offered his congratulations on the significant milestone.
Director of Finance Susan Bottan reported that 284 students have enrolled for kindergarten for next year. Bottan also indicated that kindergarten class size at Wood End Elementary School is already at 22, which is at capacity given the School Committee’s class size guidance. Superintendent Thomas Milaschewski is exploring options if additional students enroll for kindergarten at Wood End.
Milaschewski reported that the five families in the district who registered for half-day kindergarten had been contacted and that solutions for those families are being reached. Milaschewski assured the committee that contact with those families would be maintained as the school year approaches.
After an executive session, the School Committee, by a vote of 6-0, approved the search process for a new Director of Finance. Milaschewski praised Bottan’s contributions to the district, sharing that Bottan’s resignation as of July 7 “is a major loss for us.” School Committee members Chuck Robinson and Thomas Wise will participate in the search process.
With only one snow day used this year, the committee also voted 6-0 to set the last day of school for June 16. The committee also voted 6-0 to direct the superintendent to offer an RMHS diploma to a 91-year-old veteran who left RMHS in 1950 to serve in the Korean War. The veteran’s family made the request and is allowed under Massachusetts General Law. The veteran will be invited to walk at graduation on June 2.
By a vote of 6-0, the School Committee voted to approve all the active student activity accounts and to close the inactive accounts. After any remaining funds in the closed accounts are used to bring overdrawn student activity accounts into balance, they will be used to fund a student access account to help defray club costs for students in need. Two accounts from the list, accounts for the classes of 2021 and 2022, were removed as the committee wishes to make a final effort to encourage the class officers to take ownership of the funds. The committee will give those classes until June to begin the process of funds transfer before closing the accounts. Bottan reported that the class of 2021 has approximately $13,000 and that the class of 2022 has approximately $15,000. Bottan also shared that Reading Cooperative Bank is working with the class of 2023 to transfer any remaining funds that they may have before they graduate.
The School Committee concluded its business by voting 6-0 to enter negotiations to extend the superintendent’s contract. Milaschewski is under contract through June of 2024, but per his contract, needs to be informed of the committee’s intent to seek to extend the contract by the end of June 2023.
The School Committee adjourned at 9:35 pm.
