USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1963-1967 > Part 31
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A Special class has been provided in Westford for a number of years, serving the academically slow. The especially strong pupils are served by special groupings and accelerated courses. Home in- struction, and home-school telephone have served pupils who, for physical reasons, usually temporary injury, have been unable to attend school. A full time speech pathologist serves the elementary school pupils. Pupils with special emotional problems are attending out-of- town schools. More recently the School Committee has provided tutors for pupils whose problems do not permit them to benefit from a full day of regular instruction. And the services of a consulting psy- chiatrist on a bi-weekly basis have helped the classroom teachers to understand and to provide more effective programs for those pupils whose behavior in the classroom previously puzzled and often dis- tracted.
The preface to the 1967 School Budget, received by the School Committee after the close of school in June, recommended a table or organization which would recognize the office of Director of Special Pupil Services to assure that the special pupil needs would not be overlooked and that the efforts of all staff members serving pupils with special needs would be coordinated. It shall be the responsibility of this director to make provision for the identifi- cation of pupils in need of special instruction, to provide for this need as far as local resources allow, to recommend additional services required, and to evaluate and report. The 1967 Budget made provision for this office by reclassifying the school adjustment counselor . Under the new organization the efforts of all staff members while working with handicapped pupils will be coordinated under the Director of Special Pupil Services. A final need in this area is a center for a thorough evaluation of pupils with special problems, and necessary guidance and follow-up on each case. The Lowell Mental Health Center is part of the answer. A regional Federal Title III project under PL 89-10, presently under study, may provide the additional help needed.
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Curriculum reviews in Social Studies and Mathematics, grades 1-12, have been accomplished, and the 1967 Budget makes provision for initial curriculum surveys in English and Science. The plan, initiated with the Social Studies curriculum revision, involves a team representing each of the four major levels, primary, inter- mediate, middle grades and high school, making a thorough study of current programs, discussing with teachers strengths and weaknesses of these programs, reviewing promising practices as well as the current literature, seeking the advice of consultants, and completing all the preliminaries to the writing of the guide before the close of school. The two weeks following the close of school are devoted
to writing the guide and preparing copies for distribution to staff during the summer. The committee then reviews the program annually, making changes where a need for change is indicated. Philosophies and techniques are changing. It is urgent that the curriculum re- main a guide subject to periodic revision, rather than an inflexible teacher directive.
This past year in-service courses were offered to the staff by the music director and by the speech pathologist. Courses were well attended and credits were approved on the basis of one credit hour for each ten hours of classes. We are fortunate that we have on our staff teachers who are qualified and interested in providing such in-service courses.
A staff kindergarten committee has been appointed to research current practices and effective programs and to prepare a set of educational specifications for the inclusion of kindergarten rooms in our proposed new elementary school. It is inconceivable that fully equipped and accredited kindergartens will not in the very near future be a state department requirement for full Chapter 70 State Aid.
Another area under review is our testing program. How valid are the standardized tests under changing curricula and techniques? Are they worth the time, and can we justify pupil and teacher anxi- eties on the basis of the guidance these tests provide the total instructional program? Sequence is important. It would be unwise to change testing policy annually; nor should we sacrifice the effectiveness of the program to the tyranny of sequence. Any change accepted will have been well considered and will carry promise of a high degree of stability over the next few years.
The availability of Federal Aid has had a decided impact on school programs. Staff has continued to take advantage of NDEA funds with successful elementary school arithmetic, elementary and secondary history and geography, secondary civics and secondary science projects. Total Federal Aid for these projects amounted to over $3000 this past year and there was an additional $2000 received under Title V, Guidance, of the same Act. The National Defense Education Act of 1958 provides for 50% matching funds, but other Federal Acts underwrite expenses 100%. Under the Economic Opportunity Act PL 88-452 a very successful Headstart program was operated out
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of the Nabnasset School this past summer at no cost to the community, but at the cost of considerable time and effort on the part of some of our school administrators. Hopefully such a program will again be made available this coming summer. Under the Vocational Education Act of 1963 some $1700 worth of multi-channel dictating and trans- cribing equipment was procured for the Academy Business Department.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, PL 89-10, holds great promise for fulfilling the pressing needs of a school system as well as a region. This past year Westford was approved $4700 for supplementing library resources under Title II. Un- fortunately the heavy rush on publishing houses by schools across the country forced the cancellation of a portion of the Westford orders placed in the spring. A Title I project for special summer school services failed to materialize, but shall again be attempted in 1967. And the school systems of the Merrimack Valley are actively working on a Title III project to serve the region.
Under Chapter 70 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth as amended by Chapter 14 of the Acts of 1966, a percentage formula was adopted for State Aid to public schools, the percentage depending upon a town's evaluation per school attending child as compared with the state average. This means simply that a town of means with a high evaluation per school attending child would be eligible for a lower percentage reimbursement than a less wealthy community. Westford's high evaluation was restored to a more equitable level just in time for Westford to benefit from this 1966 amendment. Consequently Westford is a 40% community, average for the Common- wealth, rather than a minimum 15% community. In terms of a million dollar net budget, the additional State Aid for which the Town is eligible is considerable, and this increased aid is not a one year benefit but will be a cumulative benefit over the years.
PLANT AND PLANNING
1966
For a growing community adequate classroom space is a continuing problem. The School Planning Committee, whose report appears elsewhere in this Town Report, has been meeting regularly to prepare recommenda- tions for Town action. Through mutual agreement at the October 3 joint meeting of School Committee and School Planning Committee, "it was resolved that the Planning Committee proceed with its plans for an elementary school, including site examination and recommenda- tions for purchase and appointment of a building committee, and that when and if the elementary building committee is formed the high school building committee will be requested to proceed with its plans with a recommendation that they re-examine the possibility of ex- panding the present Academy, which shall include discussions with the Permanent School Planning Committee."
During the 1966-67 school year, Old Nab has remained closed, and Roudenbush for a second successive year has been rented to the Town of Tyngsborough. In 1967-68 all local school buildings will be occupied by Westford pupils. Westford Academy will continue to house grades 9-12 and for the fifth consecutive year will carry a
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10% overload. It is fortunate that this enrollment plateau, antici- pated in the early 1960's, has materialized, but it is unfortunate that the anticipated large increase in 1968 has not yet been provided for.
1
The North Middle School in 1967 will be barely adequate for our grade 6-7-8 pupils, forcing the accommodation of all grade 1-5 pupils in existing elementary spaces. Hence the 1967 budget provides for the reopening of Old Nab and for the occupation of Roudenbush by Center and Parker Village grade 4 and 5 pupils. An effort will be made in September 1967 to return all out-of-district pupils to their proper district school, but some class balancing will be inevitable. The significant fact is that the 1967-68 school year will see all school facilities taxed to maximum and 150-200 annual enrollment increases anticipated for the foreseeable future.
As early as 1963 a need for expanded Central Office space was foreseen and the possibilities of relocation were investigated. It was felt unwise to move the offices to the top floor of Roudenbush at an expense of some $10,000 because the building might soon have to be abandoned. An office layout for the second floor of Town Hall was considered and Town Farm property was investigated. The School Superintendent raised three questions. "1) Will the School Budget assume the entire operational and maintenance responsibility? 2) How about custodian service? 3) Is there a long range master plan for full utilization of the Town Farm wing for office space, or is the creation of office space merely an interim move until the property shall be sold? If the answers to the above questions meet with School Committee approval, then the transfer of Central Offices to the second floor of Town Hall should be abondoned in favor of the Town Farm Space." (School Committee Agenda Feb. 11, 1963, Tab A-2)
At the invitation of the committee appointed by the Town to investigate the use of Town Farm Property, the School Committee visited the property December 4, 1966, and expressed interest. The School Committee was advised that the Town Welfare Board was inter- ested in the ground floor offices. It was agreed that the Selectmen should be approached to place special articles in the Annual Warrant to see if the Town would approve the use of the Town Farm wing for such office space, and to see if the Town would approve the necessary expenditure to ready the wing for occupancy.
Over the past year substantial improvements have been made in school buildings and grounds. The planting of shrubbery along the parking side of the Academy removed its barren appearance, and the sag in the center of the football field was filled to create a crown for improved drainage. The Cameron field was completely regraded and seeded, and by summer should be a much improved play area. A tractor complete with flail mower and bucket was purchased to pro- vide much needed regular mowing of playing fields in spring and sum- mer and snow removal in winter. Much incidental grounds maintenance has also been accomplished by the new maintenance man with the new equipment at his disposal. Budgeted for 1967 are further grounds im- provement projects, including the regrading and seeding of the Sargent
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School play area, improvement of the Old Nab community field and the fencing of Academy girls' and boys' athletic fields.
The academy music room was closed in, eliminating ventilation noise and converting the folding partition to a safe fixed wall. The 1967 budget provides for the replacement of the unsatisfactory gang showers in the Academy girls' shower room with individual stall showers and dressing rooms. This budget also provides for the re- opening of Old Nab, including the installation of an oil burner to replace coal firing and the unnecessarily heavy custodian services which coal' firing demands. Painting schedules have been maintained, and the Town's investment in school plant adequately protected.
The boiler inspection of this past spring revealed a small leak in the Sargent School boiler. The many attempts to weld the break failed and finally the boiler had to be condemned. Fortunately a replacement oil-fired boiler was in place just before the severe winter weather set in. No school days were lost, but the unantici- pated $7000 expense far exceeded the budgeted contingency. Moreover, in addition to the 1966 budget offset provided by the balance in the PL 874 account, an additional $26,000 in anticipated income was committed, and final 1966 PL 874 income fell $6500 below the anti- cipated figure. A $10,000 contingency is budgeted for 1967.
POLICY
Chapter 763 of the Acts of 1965 introduced a new era in school policy building. Direct Collective Bargaining between staff and school committee was written into state law. Neither the Westford School Committee nor the Westford School Staff were prepared for the responsibilities which this law imposed, but both groups assumed their roles in good faith, negotiated with sincerity and a commendable degree of moderation this past fall and arrived at a contract which received the unanimous support of School Committee and staff alike. The role of the Superintendent was to serve strictly as a resource person for the representatives of both groups, avoiding direct parti- cipation in the negotiating process.
Over the past few years there had been direct staff-School Committee discussions concerning policy, mainly salary policy, but these meetings had consisted mainly of the presentation of position papers, and the school budget in each case was the final statement of the School Committee. The School Committee listened, and resolved.
But this past spring, supported by Chapter 763, the Westford Teachers Association petitioned the School Committee for recognition of the WTA as the sole bargaining agent for the Westford teachers, and, on presentation of the testimony of proper procedure and the signed cards of the majority of the teachers, the School Committee, in regular session June 13, 1966, so moved. In the meantime both School Committee members and staff leaders were attending bargaining seminars and learning all they could about procedures and responsi- bilities.
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Each party selected its negotiating committee, and the first meeting was held Nov. 7. (Under the law each party is free to choose its own representatives to negotiate, either from within or outside its membership.) The first order of business was agreement upon future meeting dates, and the establishment of ground rules for the meetings. In subsequent meetings the basic contract was approved, and the all important details of salary schedule policy, professional salary schedule and differentials, and fringe benefits including sick leave, personal leave, mileage reimbursement, and sabbatical leave were worked out through a series of meetings terminating with the December 12 meeting. Throughout the period of negotiations both groups evidenced a sincere desire to arrive at a decision which would serve the best interests of the pupils and the community. Proposals and counter proposals were reviewed, both committees frequently caucused, and the final agreement represented a genuine compromise. The salary schedule, the most significant and critical article of the agreement, follows.
PROFESSIONAL SALARY SCHEDULE
Effective Jan. 1967
Effective Sept. 1967
Step
Bachelors
Masters
M+30
Bachelors
Masters
M+30
1
5300
5830
6360
5700
6270
6840
2
5565
6120
6680
5985
6580
7180
3
5830
6410
7000
6270
6900
7520
6 HOURS
3 HOURS
6 HOURS
3 HOURS
4
6095
6700
7310
6555
7210
7870
5
6360
7000
7630
6840
7520
8210
6
6625
7290
7950
7125
7840
8550
6 HOURS
3 HOURS
6 HOURS
3 HOURS
7
6890
7580
8270
7410
8150
8890
8
7155
7870
8590
7695
8465
9230
9
7420
8160
8900
7980
8780
9580
6 HOURS
3 HOURS
6 HOURS
3 HOURS
10
7685
8450
9220
8265
9090
9920
11
7950
8745
9540
8550
9405
10260
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Following is the report of the School Nurses from January 1, to December 31, 1966:
Children taken home from school because of illness. 187 Children taken to the School Physicians or other dorctors 11
Nurse-Teacher Conferences 685 Nurse-Pupil Conferences. 920 Tested vision of all children with Massachusetts Vision Equipment. Children referred to Physician. 146
Tested hearing of all children with a Pure Tone Audio- meter. Children referred to Physician. 75
Assisted School Physicians with Physical Examinations
in Grades 1, 4, 7 & 11 and also students partici- pating in sports. Students playing sports were also given a Tuberculin Tine Test and a Urine Test as part of this examination.
Home Visits:
Acute Communicable 37
Tuberculosis:
Case 18
Suspect.
3
Contact. 3
Crippled Children. 12
Children under 1 year.
39
Children 1 year to school age.
86 School age children. 336
To Middlesex County Sanatorium for X-ray. 2
Conferences and Meetings attended. 19
The Dental Hygienist on the staff of the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health gave Fluoride Treatments to the children in grades 2, 5 and 8. Notices were sent home to parents of children needing dental care.
In April and May, Dr. W. G. Mackenzie Hume conducted three Pre- School Clinics for the children who were to enter Grade 1 in Septem- ber. This gave parents an opportunity to have the children examined, vaccinated and receive diptheria and tetanus boosters before entering school. One hundred seventeen (117) children attended.
Oral Polio Clinics, for grade 1 children, were held in April, June and November.
Tuberculin Tine Tests were also given in November to students in grades 1 and 9.
Immunization Clinics for students in grades 1, 6 and 11 were held in March.
Well Child Conferences were conducted by Dr. Mary Donald for Pre-School children. There were 23 conferences held during the year.
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For statistics on these clinics and all other Nashoba sponsored activities, see the Report of the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health appearing elsewhere in the Town Report.
We would like to express our appreciation to Mr. Blanchard, the teaching staff and the school physicians for the cooperation and assistance we have received at all times.
Respectfully submitted,
Ruth Hall, R.N. Dorothy A. Healy, R.N. SCHOOL NURSES
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WESTFORD ACADEMY 1966 GRADUATES
Beverly Jean Anderson John Antonelli Dorothy Bernice Axon *Charlotte Rose Baker R. Bruce Beaulieu Paul Arthur Bellemore Penny J. Bellinger *Robert J. Borland Betty Jane Bouchard Constance Mary Bourgeois Barbara Anne Boyd Robert Llewellyn Brown Donna Mae Cabana Richard Robert Camire Joann M. Carpenter
*Sandra Elizabeth Cofran Gary F. Connell Mark F. Conway Denise Pamela Cote David John Darrah
Herbert C. Decato, Jr.
Peter Anthony DelPapa Joseph Anthony DeVincentis June Evelyn Dunn Kathleen Anne Dunn Richard Mark Dunning Arleen Frances Fields
John M. Fitter Timothy P. Fitzpatrick Priscilla Jean Fletcher
*Stephen Donald Floyd Francis P. Gagnon Michael Gilbert Peter R. Gladu Margaret Rose Green Robert Gilson Haberman Geoffrey Dana Hall Diane Catherine Hanson William M. Harris Christina Ranae Hart John E. Hassett *Bethel Louise Healy Kathleen Margaret Healy *Thomas Alan Hoermann Daniel Walter Holmes *Mary Nell Huckins Robert Andrew Hunt Paul Gerald Isabelle Patricia Linda Jacobs Kenneth L. Jean David R. Jelley
Kathryn Ellen Kelty *John Stephen Kern Stanley M. Kosowicz George Stephen Kovalchek Arleen Louise LaPan Margaret LaSalla Maureen M. LaVie Thomas James Lamb Howard J. Lamson
Paul Joseph Lamy Mary L. Lawson Jane Marlene LeGacy Elaine Edna Lavasseur Nancy J. Lewis
Alexandra Jay Loney Nadine Joan Lorrain Gail Marie Lyons
*Cynthia R. MacDougall Phyllis May MacDougall John Edward MacLatchy Robert W. MacQuarrie Christine A. McDermott Robert McEnaney
*Karen Ann McGlinchey Marguerite Therese Menard Priscilla Irene Menard Frederick J. Mendes Timothy Fraser Miskell Robert E. Mitchell Edward James Murray, Jr. Susan Jean Murray Thomas R. Murray, Jr. Doris Ruth Newton George William Nutt Gail P. Oliver Leo E. Olsen
*Lisa Fay Palmer Warren R. Palmer, Jr.
*Joseph J. Pelerin Robert J. Phalon Noel D. Rainville Laura Regan Janice M. Reid
Imelda Helene Riley
Joseph Roscoe Nancy Lee Rouleau
Janice Elaine Secovich Kathryn Sedach
Peter George Sharpe Norman Ernest Shaw III Bruce Shawcross
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Kathryn Barbara Sienkiewicz Mary Rita Smith Kenneth R. Snow
Pamela Ann Soubosky David Ralph Sousa Edward J. St. Gelais
Paulette D. St. Onge Eduardo Otegui Strube
David G. Starratt
Kathleen Mary Sudak
Peter Nicholas Sudak
*Jane Julia Targ DeWitt E. Taylor Emily Marie Terenzio Elizabeth A. Thibodeau
Mary Joanne Truitt
Susan Joyce Tuttle Jane Marie Valcourt
Ronald Wark Helena M. Watson
Janet S. Wisnowski
Wanda Joyce Wojcik
Virginia E. Wilson Barbara J. Wyman Viola I. Wyman Lee A. Zwicker
*National Honor Society Member
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PROGRAM
PROCESSIONAL: "Pomp and Circumstance"
NATIONAL ANTHEM
INVOCATION
REVEREND RICHARD S. DE VEER
SALUTATORY
JANE TARG
HONOR ESSAY
STEPHEN D. FLOYD
SENIOR CLASS ODE- - Tune:
The Sound of Music
Words: KATHLEEN SUDAK
HONOR ESSAY
KAREN MCGLINCHEY
PRESENTATION OF CLASS GIFT
STEPHEN D. FLOYD
President of the Class of 1966
ACCEPTANCE OF CLASS GIFT
LEO CLARK President of the Class of 1967
VALEDICTORY
THOMAS HOERMANN
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS (Given by the Trustees of Westford Academy)
For Excellence in English
For Excellence in French
For Excellence in Home Economics
For Excellence in Industrial Arts
For Excellence in Latin
Thomas Hoermann Thomas Hoermann Barbara Wyman Kenneth Jean Jane Targ
For Excellence in Mathematics and Science Thomas Hoermann
For Excellence in Music Robert Mitchell & Mary Truitt
For Excellence in Secretarial Science Helena Watson
For Excellence in Social Studies Cynthia MacDougall
THE MOST WORTHY REPRESENTATIVES OF WESTFORD ACADEMY
Class of 1966 - Stephen D. Floyd Class of 1968 - John A. Guislin
Class of 1967 - Thomas A. DaSilva Class of 1969 - Twila E. Acker
THE JEFFREY H. PETERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Presented By Richard Hall
Peter Sudak
OTHER AWARDS
Presented by Daniel L. Desmond, Principal
Bausch & Lomb Science Award
Thomas Hoermann
Fletcher Club, Women's Auxiliary Betty Crocker Award D.A.R. American History Award
Janice Secovich Sandra Cofran
Thomas Hoermann
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SCHOLARSHIPS
Fletcher Athletic Club Scholarship
Paul Lamy
Jane Valcourt
Cynthia MacDougall Imelda Riley
Westford Academy Booster Club Athletic Scholarship - Charles Loiselle
Peter Sudak
Westford Grange Scholarship Miss Ruby Downie, Master, Westford Grange
Westford Teachers' Association Scholarship Mrs. Catherine Lewicke, President
Robert Brown
Janice Secovich Peter Sudak Wanda Wojcik
Westford Academy National Honor Society Scholarship - Patricia Begley, President
Sandra Cofran Thomas Hoermann Cynthia MacDougall
Westford Jaycee Citizenship Award Sam I. Frank, Scholarship Comm. Chairman
Paul Lamy Peter Sudak
AWARDING OF DIPLOMAS
MAURICE HUCKINS, JR., M.D. Chairman, School Committee
WESTFORD ACADEMY ALMA MATER
Calkin
FRANK PAGE, Music Director
BENEDICTION
REVEREND MARVIN R. GREEN
RECESSIONAL "Triumphant"
Helfurth
Westford Academy Band, FRANK PAGE, Director
. CLASS MARSHAL - LEO CLARK
CLASS MOTTO - "The hands that follow intellect can achieve."
CLASS COLORS - IVORY AND GOLD
CLASS FLOWER YELLOW ROSE
RECEPTION TO GRADUATES
137
St. Catherine's Catholic Youth Organization Scholarship - David Sousa, President
Westford Academy Student Council Scholarship Sherri Swanson, Scholarship Comm. Chmn.
ACADEMY PROGRAM OF STUDY 1966-1967
GRADE IX
REQUIRED OF ALL
English +Civics
GRADE X English Phys Ed
GRADE XI English U.S. History Phys Ed
ELECTIVES
ART
Art
BUSINESS
Business Math I Intro. to Business
Art Bookkeeping I
Business Math II Typing IB
Art *Bookkeeping II *Steno I Typing IB or IIB
ENGLISH
Speech, 2nd Sem. Accelerated Reading
FOREIGN *French I
LANGUAGES *Latin I or II
INDUSTRIAL Industrial Arts I
ARTS
Tools & Wood
MATH *Algebra I or II Math I
*Algebra II *Geometry Math II
MUSIC
Instrumental Vocal-Choral Music Apprec . Food & Clothing I
Instrumental Vocal-Choral Music Apprec.
Food & Clothing II
ECONOMICS SCIENCE *Biology & Lab
*Biology
*Biology *Chemistry & Lab
HISTORY
Earth Science Required Courses
Modern History World History
Economics, 1st Sem. +Amer. Prob. 2nd Sem. +Econ. & Pol. Geog.
GRADE XII English Phys Ed
Art *Bookkeeping II *Office Practice Business Law *Steno II and Trans. *Type IIB *Type IC Speech, 2nd Sem. *World Literature *French IV *Latin III, IV, or V Materials & Processes Ind. Arts IV Graphics Tools & Wood
Ind. Arts III Graphics Tools & Wood *College Rev. Math .. 2nd *College Rev. Math. 1st Sem. *Geometry Math III *Trig & Analyt. Instrumental Vocal-Choral Music Apprec. Food & Clothing III Food Prep & Mgm't. *Chemistry & Lab *Physics and Lab
Math IV *Trig & Analyt. *Calculus Instrumental Vocal-Choral Music Apprec. Food & Clothing IV Food Prep & Mgm't. *Industrial Science *Physics & Lab *Adv. Biology Economics, 1st Sem. Amer. Prob. 2nd Sem. Econ. & Pol. Geog.
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