USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1960 > Part 11
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Mr. Herbert Baron of the Joshua Eaton School staff was appointed teaching principal of the Prospect Street School to replace Mrs. Cons- tance Loud who resigned in June to take up residence in Florida.
All available elementary classrooms in Reading are now in use and it became necessary this September to house one 6th grade from the Joshua Eaton School in the Parker Junior High School.
Impact of Educational TV
The impact of educational television on the curriculum of the elementary schools of Reading continues to be both thought-provoking
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and challenging. Again this year, under the leadership of the Modern Language Project of Boston, sponsored by the Massachusetts Council for Public Schools, Madame Anne Slack of WGBH, has presented her program of French to our fourth grade pupils. Added to this is the second year French program being carried on with our fifth grade students. Madame Slack continues to use the proven and highly effec tive aural-oral method of teaching a foreign language to elementary school children. In April of 1960 Madame Slack made a personal visit to Reading to speak and demonstrate most effectively her French pro- gram to the P.T.A. of the Highland School.
Working with this program are area coordinators who serve as a liaison between the schools and the production staff. In September of 1960 Madame Francis, of the Parlons Francais staff, was assigned to the Reading area and is making regularly scheduled visits to work with the children and the members of the teaching staff and will conduct monthly workshops for the teachers working with this program. On December 8, 1960, she conducted her first in-service workshop for the teachers of grades 4, 5 and 6. In September of 1961 we anticipate a continuation of this program through grade 6.
The Reading Elementary Schools have also continued to participate in several other programs which are being presented regularly over educational television:
Grade II Folk Music
Grade III
Literature and Story Telling
Grade V
Natural Science
Grade VI Physical Science
Each of these programs has been found to be a valuable supple- ment to our elementary school curriculum.
One classroom in Reading last year participated in an evaluative study being made by Boston University and Station WGBH-TV in Bos- ton, in an effort to determine the effectiveness of science teaching by means of educational television. The study continued through June 1960.
Curriculum Evaluation
Curriculum Guides are an essential part of the school system because they act as coordinators among the various schools, enumerate the needs of pupils at the different grade levels, and establish the frame- work within which both new and experienced teachers may work.
In order to best serve these purposes these guides have to be revised and sometimes changed completely. With this in mind the schools have proposed changes in the areas of science, language arts and social studies.
The science and language arts curriculum guides now in use have been retyped and will be presented to the committees so that work may begin in January 1961. Each of these committees is composed of teachers from all of the elementary schools and are representative of grade levels 1-6.
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As a result of an extensive study made by the elementary school teachers the Winston arithmetic series has been incorporated in grades 1 and 2 this past year. To insure the most effective use of this series a workshop for teachers of grades 1, 2 and 3 was made available to us by Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Inc. Held at the Highland School on September 13, 1960 this workshop proved to be very successful due to the able presentation by Mr. Robert Provasoli.
Continuing our practice of providing in-service training for teach- ers two courses were offered during the past year. Miss Marie Hagman, Supervisor of Elementary Music, conducted a course in music theory and piano instruction.
The second course was taught by Mr. Ara Karakashian, Director of Guidance, in the administration of the newly revised Standard Binet Intelligence Scale. Both courses offered valuable practical experience to the teachers who participated.
Physical Fitness
The youth fitness tests set up by the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, were again given to the boys and girls of grades 5 and 6 as part of the physical education program.
From the test results submitted by all of the elementary schools Mr. Althoff reports that 11% of the Reading youngsters tested at or above the 80th percentile and 65% are at or above the 50th percentile.
The children showed a weakness in activities which involved the use of upper arm and shoulder muscles while in activities which involved throwing and jumping, they consistently achieved above the 50 percentile.
Report Card Revision
This year saw a committee at work on a study of elementary school report cards. Parents were surveyed as a part of this study. They were invited to offer suggestions as to the type of marking system that would be most meaningful to them. Of the total number of question- naires distributed only 7% were returned. The ensuing revision was completed and accepted by the School Committee in June and cards were printed and ready for use in September.
Reports should serve one major purpose - to facilitate the educa- tional development of each pupil in relation to his ability. Their effec- tiveness should be judged in terms of this criterion. Reports succeed to the extent that they improve the possibility that each pupil will achieve to the degree that his talents allow.
With this philosophy in mind a dual marking system has devel- oped. The pupil receives two ratings for each subject-matter area. The first rating represents the pupil's final achievement in relation to the standards of the grade. The second represents the amount of effort put forth by the pupil.
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A five-point system is used to record the pupil's final achievement. A three-point number system is used for recording the pupil's effort.
Special plans were formulated in each building to introduce the new reports to the parents. The general response following the first marking period would indicate that the cards were being favorably received.
Harker Study Committee
In May 1960 Mr. John Harker, of Reading, a member of Cole and Associates, labor consultants, met with the Reading School Committee with the suggestion that a group of teachers, administrators, School Committee members and townspeople at large form a working commit- tee to survey the personnel of the Reading School Department for the purpose of completing a thorough and comprehensive job analysis of each position within the local school system. The results of this study would then be analyzed with the thought in mind of relating job responsibility to an appropriate salary schedule. The elementary school teaching staff has already completed the preliminary survey for this study and two members of the elementary administrative staff and one member of the elementary teaching staff are now serving as part of the eight-member Harker Study Committee.
Summer School
The 1960 Summer School, still sponsored by the P.T.A. Council, completed its third successful year under the direction of Miss Barbara Hill. Enrollment for the remedial classes increased from 100 to 118 pupils and to maintain the average of 15 pupils to a group another class was added.
Music was the only enrichment course to be offered this past year because there was little or no interest shown in the area of science.
Classes were again held at the Highland School from July 5th to August 12th. There were eight classes in operation - two at the pri- mary level, two at levels three and four, and four at levels five and six.
R. HILDA GAFFNEY DENNIS F. MURPHY JOHN F. MORABITO ELEANOR M. SKAHILL
Supervising Principals
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT FOR 1960
The year 1960 brought new personnel changes to the Guidance Department. A new Director of Guidance was appointed. The guid- ance personnel in the High School, Miss Helen Hart and Mr. John Pacino, were placed on a full-time basis. Mr. Forrest Troop was appointed to carry on full-time counseling at the Junior High School. The latter appointment was aided by the National Defense Act of 1958. Mr. Wil- liam O'Keefe continues as our capable Youth Adjustment Counselor at the elementary level.
131
The counseling situation at the High School has been eased con- siderably. Miss Hart has the responsibility of the Sophomore Class. Mr. Paskowsky is working with the Junior Class, and Mr. Pacino guides the Seniors toward college and employment. By enlisting the services of the assistant principals, Miss Florence Nichols and Mr. Ernest Spence, as counselors, there is complete counseling coverage of the Freshman Class.
At the Junior High School Mr. Forrest Troop is engaged in full-time guidance work for the first time. He is assisted on a part-time basis by Mr. John Copithorne, Principal Designate of the new Arthur W. Coolidge Junior High School. This new program is being observed carefully. After the first half of the 1960-61 school year the program will be evaluated by the guidance staff. If changes are needed to have a more effective junior high school guidance program, steps will be taken to make adjustments.
At the elementary schools the work performed by Mr. O'Keefe, Youth Ajustment Counselor, is "top notch." He has the full coopera- tion of the teaching staff and this team-work approach is meeting the needs of this early school level.
To help free counselors from considerable clerical work a full-time clerk has been appointed to the department. At present much of her time is being spent in transferring records from the old permanent record card to the revised card completed at the close of school in June. It is hoped that the transfer of material to the revised card will be completed before the end of 1960. This will then relieve the clerk, Mrs. Ethel Gallagher, to assume many other clerical duties now performed by some of the counselors, student assistants and others.
A review of 1960 with Mr. Karakashian revealed no significant changes or new projects. The department continued to test in the same manner as in 1959. Direct photocopying of permanent records resulted in accuracy and neatness of work, and cut down considerably the clerical help previously needed in preparing transcripts for college and industry.
The new form, designed in 1959 to provide a fairer and more uni- form method of making personality ratings of pupils, has been so well received by the faculty and guidance staff that the department continued its use in 1960.
Most tests given in 1960 have been machine scored by the mem- bers of the staff, using the IBM test scoring machine which is now rented jointly with four other towns and which is presently housed in Winchester. We are striving to get as many clerical people as possible to learn the scoring operation. This will relieve more counselors for more important duties.
During 1960 Reading Memorial High School again served as an area center for the administration of college board examinations in January, February, March and May. In addition, the preliminary scho- lastic aptitude test was given to 140 juniors and seniors in October, while the national merit qualifying test was given in April. The Reading Memorial High School had five semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Examination in 1960.
132
The new Director has spent most of the past three months getting acquainted with the total guidance program. Projects planned for the near future include:
a. In-service training classes for the guidance staff and interested teachers who would like to develop better techniques in counseling.
b. A follow-up of graduates and dropouts to ascertain the effec- tiveness of the Reading guidance program.
c. Full cooperation with the Citizens Committee for Better Schools. (The guidance staff has already met with a sub-committee related to guidance.)
d. Improving and enlarging the Educational and Vocational In- formation Library in the High School and developing the same for the Junior High School.
Observations by the Director follow:
a. Increased staff on fulltime basis has resulted in more effective counseling on an individual basis with more students at the High School and Junior High School levels.
b. In-service training of Stadard-Binet with elementary and junior high school teachers, led by Mr. Karakashian in 1960, has pro- duced effective testers for the elementary and junior high school pro- grams insuring individual testing of all pupils suspected of very high or very low mental ability.
c. The need for more guidance personnel at the junior high school level is evident if we are to qualify for National Defense Act monies (except for testing) and are to have the required guidance counselor- pupil ratio as set up by the Massachusetts Plan. This means that two full-time people will be needed for 1961-62.
d. At the high school level we should begin to think of three full- time counselors so that the Director can be relieved of the responsibility of a class of 260 students. This will give the Director greater oppor- tunity to coordinate and supervise the total guidance effort.
e. The physical facilities at the High School are inadequate if we are to do the job necessary in guiding and counseling our students. Lack of private counseling facilities and space for occupational and educational materials calls for the renovation of the existing area. It is recommended that the guidance department submit a proposal of physical changes to be made and action to be taken upon it by the appropriate body at some later date.
Respectfully submitted, WALTER G. PASKOWSKY Director of Guidance
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH
The program of health services is essentially the same from year to year and is easily tabulated as such. The various and myriad other experiences which seem to fall within the sphere of the nurse do not as easily lend themselves to paper.
There is satisfaction in promoting the correction of a physical defect which has kept a child from enjoying optimum health. For the children
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whose physical difficulties are but manifestation of an emotional dis- turbance, the problem is much greater. There have been many home visits in behalf of these children and contacts with the children them- selves.
Pre-school registration was conceived as being an ideal time to meet the child and the parents. We share this experience with the Guidance Director and first grade teachers. Of the 375 children entering grade one last September the large majority presented their physical record card with evidence of examination by their own doctor and dentist. This is the result of a long educational campaign.
All essential health services - testing of vision, hearing and physi- cal examinations - were completed for the school year ending in June 1960. Testing programs would be of no value if they did not result in the correction of defects found. To this end we work with the parents and doctors.
The annual report of the vision and hearing testing, as submitted to the State Department of Public Health in November for the school year 1959-1960, is as follows:
Vision
Hearing
School enrollment
3867
3867
Children tested
3867
3864
Failed Massachusetts Vision Test
123
Failed Auditometer Test
41
Number seen by specialist
119
41
Number accepted as correct referrals
119
41
It is our policy to report, also, all pupils who have blurring or other difficulty in passing vision test and many of these go for advice and many receive correction.
Three hundred fifty-six children were cared for at the Dental Clinic. The budget was not sufficient to operate the clinic full time and some work was not completed. The legitimate requests for use of the clinic are greatly on the increase. It is to be noted that the state of dental health is noticeably improved among our school children. The Board of Health is asking for a larger appropriation for the Dental Clinic that this work may be carried on.
The annual program of inoculation with triple and double antigen (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) was held in the elementary schools and grade 9 in the spring. Four clinics for infants and pre-school children were held in the Municipal Building. 539 school children and 40 babies received inoculation.
A program of tuberculin skin testing was carried on in grade one. This is in cooperation with the Board of Health in accordance with the recommendation of the State Board of Health. A child showing a posi- tive skin reaction would be followed by an x-ray and follow-up of the family to determine source of infection. The work of follow-up would be carried by the Visiting Nurse Association for the Board of Health.
The program of physical examinations was completed for the school year by Dr. Wakeling and all negative findings were interpreted to par-
134
ents in home conferences, telephone conferences, or by letter. There has been a great increase in the number participating in competitive athletics, all of whom are examined.
The Annual Census of Physically Handicapped, due each November, contained the names of 61 children, 17 of these being new reports; 5 were dropped from the list as recovered; 4 moved; 1 graduated. Six children have received home instruction.
Health Education in all grades is carried on in varying interesting methods. There is need for greater development in this area and it merits much study.
The demands upon our time due to the increased enrollment in school allow little time for classroom observation and conference. This is an important part of the program and should not be neglected. There is need of additional staff to carry out the complete health program ac- cording to the high standards established and that Reading has come to expect.
Respectfully submitted,
MARGARET B. CLEWLEY, R.N. Director of Health
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READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AGE-GRADE TABLE - OCTOBER 3, 1960
Age
5
6 7
8
9
10
11 12
13
14
15
16
17
18+
Totals
Grade
1
69 303
8
380
2
2 78 279
18
1
378
3
67 260
28
2
357
4
65 273
40
378
5
59 228
34
321
6
60
225
45
2
332
7
72 229
47
2
1
8
81 243
39
4
367
9
120
206
24
2
1
353
10
63 170
28
5
1
267
11
76
148
25
2
251
12
1 86
160
20
267
PG
1
3
4
SE
2
3
4
1
3
3
Totals
71 381
354
345
364
334
332
358
415
310 276 264
192
26
4022
St. Agnes
12
112
94
81
87
51
64
52
28
1
582
Grand Total
83
493
448
426
451
385
396
410
443
311 276
264
192
26
4604
16
351
SCHOOL CALENDAR 1961-62
Teachers' Workshop Schools open
September 5 and 6, 1961 Thursday, September 7th
No Session: Columbus Day Teachers' Convention Good Friday Memorial Day
October 12, 1961
October 27, 1961
April 20, 1962 May 30, 1962
Thanksgiving Recess: Close noontime Reopen
November 22, 1961
November 27, 1961
Christmas Vacation: Close noontime Reopen
December 22, 1961
January 2, 1962
Winter Vacation:
Close
February 16, 1962
Reopen
February 26, 1962
Spring Vacation: Close Reopen School close
April 13, 1962
April 23, 1962
June 20, 1962
APPOINTMENTS
Senior High School Spence, Ernest G. Adams, John L. Cahill, Walter
Assistant Principal Industrial Arts English
Carbone, Peter F., Jr.
Drabik, John Johnston, William H.
LaHood, Albert (January)
Paskowsky, Walter G.
Robinson, William F.
Sullivan, Paul J.
W. S. Parker Junior High School
Broadcorens, Joan Day, Marion Tempone, Gennaro H.
Home Economics English
French and English
Birch Meadow School
Murphy, Dennis F. Burns, John R. Maloy, Barbara C. O'Keefe, Maureen Wood, Ronald
Commercial Education Chemistry Mathematics Social Studies Director of Guidance
Science Science
Supervising Principal Grade 6 Grade 1. Grade 5 Grade 6
137
Highland School Wilson, Pauline
Grade 5
Joshua Eaton School
Homer, Katherine L.
Grade 3
Meehan, George
Grade 6
Papandreou, Charles
Grade 6
Grade 3
Grade 5
Grade 3
Pearl Street School
Baskin, Marilyn J. Das, Maya Kutchukian, Barbara Randlett, Jean (February)
Grade 1
Grade 3
Grade 3
Grade 2
RESIGNATIONS
Rodgers, William W.
Bennett, Alton C.
Miksen, Robert
Myers, Richard (January)
Social Studies Chemistry
Birch Meadow School Perkins, Carl
Grade 6
Highland School
Gray, Sandra
Grade 6
Joshua Eaton School
Homer, Katherine (October)
Grade 3
Kimball, Eleanor (February)
Grade 5
Murphy, Lois Piper, Ethel
Grade 3
Pearl Street School
Grade 2
Hughes, Patricia (February) Needham, Shirley
Grade 5
Sibley, Lynda
Grade 1
Town, Brenda
Grade 3
ON LEAVE OF ABSENCE
High School Gray, Robert
Mathematics
138
Grade 3
Ravesi, Elinor
Supervising Principal Assistant Principal Science
Papandreou, Elaine (October)
Saben, Charles (February)
Saylor, Marion
MEMBERS OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND FACULTIES
(Date after name indicates year of appointment in Reading)
School Committee Office
Robert F. Perry, B.S. (1935) Superintendent of Schools
Roderick E. Macdonald, B.S., Ed. (1937) Asst. to the Supt. and
Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds
Directors
Philip W. Althoff, B.P.E., M.Ed. (1927) Director of Physical Education Margaret B. Clewley, R.N., CPH Simmons (1939) Director of Health
Aldona F. G. Bell, R.N. (1956) School Nurse assisting Dir. of Health
Walter E. Hawkes, B.S., M.Ed. (1933) Director of Athletics
Walter G. Paskowsky, B.S., M.A. (1960) Director of Guidance William E. O'Keefe, B.S., M.Ed. (1954) School Adjustment Counselor assisting the Director of Guidance
J. Douglas Oliver, A.B., M.M.Ed. (1948)
Director of Music
Senior High School
Ara A. Karakashian. B.S., M.Ed. (1954) Supervising Principal Florence G. Nichols, B.S.Ed. (1929) Asst. Principal and Dean of Girls Ernest G. Spence, B.S.Ed., M.Ed. (1951) Assistant Principal
Clarissa B. Abbott, B.S.Ed. (1953) English
John L. Adams, B.E. (1960) Industrial Arts
James M. Aldrich, A.B., A.M. (1954)
Head of Social Studies Dept.
and Coach
Willis E. Anderson, A.B. (1955) Civics, U.S. History, Driver Education Rolfe G. Banister, B.S., Ed.M. (1958) Mathematics and Science Virginia Bartlett, B.S., M.Ed. (1958) Phys. Ed., Coach of Girls' Sports Jeannette T. Bell, B.A. (1957)
Alexander L. Boch, A.B., M.A. (1959)
Spanish
Harold E. Bond, B.A., M.A. (1956) English Robert Bronner, B.A., M.Ed. (1939) Driver Ed., Visual Ed., and Civics Walter T. Cahill, B.S. (1960) English
Peter F. Carbone, Jr., B.S.Ed., M.Ed. (1960) Business Education
Ardis V. Chapman, B.S. (1957) Home Economics, Head of Dept. Ruth E. Conti, B.A. (1958) English
Jane R. Cutcliffe, B.S.Ed .. M.Ed. (1952)
Head of English Dept.
Elisabeth A. Dagdigian, A.B., M.Ed. (1953)
English I and Latin 1
Edwina M. Donohoe, B.S.Ed. (1958)
History and Civics
Leonard D'Orlando, A.B., M.A. (1958) John S. Drabik, B.A., M.A. (1960) Robert Dunbar, A.B. (1957)
English Chemistry
Mary H. Eaton, B.Ed. (1954)
U. S. History Mathematics
David L. Garland, B.S., Ed.M. (1956)
Biology French
Richard W. Ham, A.B .. A.M. (1958) Elizabeth G. Hardy, B.A. (1954) Helen M. Hart, A.B., A.M. (1957)
Mathematics
Wendell W. Hodgkins, B.A., A.M. (1957) John A. Hollingsworth, Jr., B.S. (1955)
Guidance - Grade 10 English Mathematics and Coach
William H. Johnston, A.B. (1960)
Doris L. Kelly, B.S., M.B.A. (1956)
Mathematics Business Education
139
English
Albert A. LaHood, B.A., M.S.Ed. (1960) Francis J. Logan, B.A. (1956)
Ernestine H. Macdonald, A.B. (1953) Neta Sue Melton, B.S.Ed. (1959) James T. Murphy, B.S.ED., M.Ed. (1953) Joseph V. Nisco. B.A. (1959) John B. Pacino, B.S., M.Ed., Adv. Cert. (1945)
Social Studies and Coach Mathematics Librarian Household Arts Science French and Spanish Guidance Counselor Industrial Arts
Robert F. Patterson, B.S.E. (1959)
Hazel M. Percy, A.B. (1955)
Head of Mathematics Dept.
Jerome H. Pierianowicz, B.S.Ed., Ed.M. (1957)
Science
William F. Robinson, B.S. (1960) James L. Roth, A.B. (1957)
Head of Commercial Dept. Chemistry and Physics Music and Band Director Art
Geraldine F. Roy, B.S., Ed.M. (1950)
Anthony Salvo, B.S.Ed. (1959)
Business Education
Arthur L. Spencer, A.B., A.M.+30
Head of Foreign Language Dept. and Dramatics
Sally Stembridge, A.B. (1955)
English
Paul L. Sullivan, A.B. (1960) Science
Frederick C. Wales, B.S.E. (1942)
Head of Industrial Arts Dept. Social Studies and Coach
Ruth A. White, B.M. (1957) English
Helen R. Zimmerman, B.A., M.S., Ph.D. (1936) Head of Science Dept.
W. S. Parker Junior High School
Albert H. Woodward, A.B., Ed.M. (1940) John R. Copithorne, B.A., Ed.M. (1946)
Supervising Principal Assistant Principal
Donald F. Adams, B.S.Ed. (1959)
Louis A. Adreani. B.S., Ed.M. (1955)
Harriet S. Beattie, B.S.Ed. (1936)
and Head of Science Dept. English Science Art
Frank Bergmann, B.S.Ed. (1959) Joan Broadcorens, B.S., M.S. (1960) Stanley E. Butcher, A.B. (1949) Richard G. Chapman, B.S.Ed., M.S.Ed. (1958)
Head of Social Studies Dept. English
Josephine Collins, B.S.E. (1957)
Social Studies English
Mildred R. Day, B.S.Ed., M.Ed. (1960)
Anna M. DeSantis, B.S.Ed., M. in R. (1956) Physical Education
Richard A. Dunstan, B.S.Ed. (1959)
Mathematics
John J. Fasciano, B.S.Ed. (1959) Ethel L. Garfield, B.A. (1955)
Special Education
Donald B. Garland, B.S.Ed., M.Ed. (1956)
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