Weston School Committee: Get Word Out for Funding

Though the mid-year report of the Weston Education Enrichment Fund Committee (WEEFC) indicates strong financial support from Weston families, School Committee members are pushing for a more direct call for such support.

In a presentation at Monday’s School Committee meeting, WEEFC Chair Joan Heilbronner told members that WEEFC is on track to generate some $231,000 this year through its annual fall appeal/phone-a-thon and autumn auction, among other efforts. According to a letter Heilbronner drafted to the committee, donations are approximately 9 percent higher than the figures from last year at this time and the number of families participating is 10 percent higher, indicating that “WEEFC’s message of 100 percent of parents supporting 100 percent of Weston school children is still relevant.”

However, she added, the average amount of individual donations has gone down, which committee members said indicates that a more directed effort at reaching out to families could help increase revenues.

“We have to keep finding ways to spread the message of (WEEFC),” said member Court Chilton. “It’s time to remind people of the big-picture role of WEEFC and how it helps augment the school budget.”

In other business, Assistant Superintendent Amber Bock presented a Program of Studies update for grades 6-12, telling the committee that while there are “no major changes” planned at the middle school level, a transition to digital photography at Weston High School will require several program changes anticipated to take place during the next two years. Bock told the committee the transition is planned to take part in two phases, with the bulk of the expenses incurred during the first phase with the purchase of iMacs, cameras and network wiring.

Despite some uncertainties about funding, committee members agreed the transition to digital photography is ultimately a necessary one. The discussion wrapped with members approving the motion to change the Program of Study, with actual changes contingent on the ability to fund the project.

A final item of note was a plea by parents of an 8th-grader to reconsider the lottery system used to choose which students are to participate in an upcoming trip to Costa Rica. During the open forum portion of the meeting, Alice Ain Rich and Jack Rich told committee members their daughter was “devastated” to be one of only a few 8th-grade Spanish students who was not selected to go on the trip. In the discussion that followed, Superintendent Cheryl Maloney acknowledged the “difficulty of the situation” but said alternatives were unclear based on varying levels of trip participation each year.

“My heart goes out to (your daughter) but there are some years we don’t have enough kids” participating, said Maloney, adding that, “I don’t know how to move forward guaranteeing this won’t happen again.”

The discussion wrapped with the committee suggesting the appropriate administration members speak again to the tour company about possible alternatives.

The School Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, Dec. 12, has been cancelled.  The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 9, 2012 at 7 p.m. at Case House