Westminster Meeting Feb 5

Not much of big news as we progressed through the principal's report (new NECAP test scores--some positive trends in certain grade levels, less positive trends with other grades, surprisingly little attention to the scores by anyone in particular), superintendent report, financial report (how much can we encumber funds for all year to nail down fixed and predictable costs?). The most exciting issue was a resolution concerning working with Rockingham Article 6 study committee on 7th-8th grade issues. The vaguely worded resolution suggested "cooperating in all matters affecting the 7-8 grades..." and to "combine efforts in order to reduce costs and increase the resources for our ms students." There was general agreement that we should try to be part of the conversation as Rockingham makes decisions, but when it got to the more particulars of how closely we should combine efforts, there was a bit more differences of perspectives. Personally, I don't think the history of our experience with BFMS is that it necessarily reduces costs (remember the ex post facto adjustment bill at town meeting a few years back for overexpenditures there?) or increase resources (note the staffing cuts in foreign language, music, etc over the years). Nor do I think our families have "voted with their feet" to combine with Rockingham in all matters affecting our 7-8 grade students. In fact, the majority seem to decide against this being the option for their children, and I don't see how it benefits our community to take away this choice and tie us to any single school that may work for some kids but like any single school, is unable to serve the best interest of each and every child in a region. This is not a criticism of BFMS or any particular school, but a belief based on my experience in many schools and the reading of ed research that raises important questions about "one size fits all (or most)" schooling. It is my belief, esp for ms/hs age kids, that the needs and interests and learning styles are too diverse to be well served by a monolithic institution, and at this age the student need for individuation leads them to be more likely to benefit from some degree of choice. It is also my strong belief that I don't want to promote a private system of education that skims off certain students or allows those with more resources to have even greater opportunities. But within a publicly accessible and fair system, we best can serve our community's children in the middle and high school years by having options that might connect better with the diversity of our kids. There was also a student matter reported in the press about a bus driver dropping off a child without parents at home. While this was an unfortunate incident, I worry that we expect perfection in schools that is just unrealistic in human lives. If we are so obsessed with never doing anything that is a mistake, we can get so hemmed in to do very little but meeting what is required and predictable. This is a tough balance, but schools are ultimately human places and we have to embrace some of the uncertainties and missteps that occur in a complex system dealing with fallible humans. Thankfully, this incident didn't cause any injury or harm, and we learn how to be more diligent in looking out for the best interests of all.