Revisiting Span Of Control At SMHS

Ken O’Brien

Back in 2012 when this issue first arose I wrote a piece on the subject of whether Southbridge Middle/High School should have one or two principals.Tuesday night's meeting of the Southbridge School Committee will once again address this issue.

Interim Superintendent Timothy Connors will recommend operating the middle/high school as two separate facilities in one building according to the Worcester Telegram.

The core issue is whether Southbridge Middle/High School will have one principal with oversight of the entire school or two independent principals – one for the Middle School and one for the High School.That is, which administrative model, one or two principals, makes the most sense from a management standpoint?

Southbridge Middle/High Third Worst in Central Mass. For Discipline Problems

Ken O’Brien

An article in today’s Go Local Worcester identifies Southbridge Middle/High School as the third worst in Central Massachusetts for discipline problems.

Last school year, more than 50,000 students across the state of Massachusetts were suspended or expelled.

In Worcester, just over 2,600 students (nearly 1 in 20) faced suspension. Worcester had the third highest total of disciplined students behind Springfield (3,656) and Boston (3,378). 

Breaking News: School Committee Defeats Restructure Proposal

By a vote of four to two the School Committee defeated Acting Superintendent Stanton's plan to restructure the Middle/High School.

Voting against the proposal were Chairman McLoughlin, and members Raymond Page, Christopher Olivo and Jill Congdon. Voting for it were members Brent Abrahamson and Erin Quinney. Committee Vice-Chair Kara Donovan abstained.

What If They Vote To Restructure?

Ken O’Brien

Despite an overwhelming turnout at the public hearing against the plan to restructure the Middle/High School, it appears that the School Committee is set to support the proposal.

Barring a last minute change of heart by a member of the majority a plan that was revised as recently as last Wednesday and the impact of which was still being discussed at a subcommittee meeting on Monday night will take effect on Wednesday. 

Telegram Reports On Restructure Hearing

Ken O’Brien

Under the title Southbridge school reorganization plan meets resistance, Telegram reporter Brian Lee summarized tonight’s meeting on the proposed restructure at Southbridge Middle/High School.

“The School Committee hosted a well-attended public hearing Tuesday on a proposed restructuring of the 3-year-old middle-high school that would eliminate 13 administrative positions and create 12 new ones in 2015-16, including the creation of principal jobs for both programs.

“Many people expressed that the proposal was being rushed and was perhaps politically motivated to target certain existing employees.” He reported.

He then went on to summarize the comments of a number of those present. 

Moriarty Provides “Blow By Blow” Of Hearing On Facebook

Town Councilor Shaun Moriarty The debate over the proposed restructuring ought not to be about any individuals or personalities, but rather process and what works for the students.

Six speakers into public hearing, one supports restructuring while five others oppose it. Opposition complains about administrative turnover over recent years, while applauding efforts of current administration team.

More updates to come. 

One Third Of SMHS Students Chronically Absent

Ken O’Brien

Today’s Go Local Worcester contains an article titled “The 25 Central MA Schools with Worst Chronic Absentee Problem”.

The article observes that “According to the statistics from the 2013-2014 school year from the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education, the districts across the state that have the worst chronic absenteeism issues are Fall River (31.7 percent of students are chronically absent), Holyoke (29.4), Southbridge (27.8) and Boston (24.7).”

Chronic absenteeism refers to students that miss 10% or more of the school year.

It ranks the worst schools for chronic absenteeism in Central Massachusetts. In that report Southbridge Middle/High School ranked second in the region with a rate of 34%. 

Countering The Coup

Ken O’Brien

Let us understand a fundamental notion of Parliamentary procedure.

That notion is the motion to rescind.

A motion to rescind takes a prior vote on a motion and makes it as though the vote had never occurred. The motion to rescind can take place at any time and applies to all but a few, limited cases.

Let us apply that notion to the current proposal to restructure the Middle/High School. 

The Restructure Question – And The Cost

Ken O’Brien

At Wednesday night’s meeting of the EHS subcommittee the vote was taken to adjourn thus recommending the budget approved at the prior meeting. The entire video of Wednesday's meeting is provided in the post below.

However, near the end of the meeting Town Manager Paicos addressed the issue of the proposed restructuring of the Middle/High School. In slightly more than two minutes he summarized the underlying logic of the proposal and the associated costs of that action.

The Hypocrites’ Ball

Ken O’Brien

After slow-walking the superintendent search process the hit-and-run Chair of the School Committee and her sycophants decided that the Acting Superintendent’s contract should be extended and the selection of a permanent superintendent should be left to the incoming committee.

In a related matter, immediately following her contract extension, the newest one-year wonder presented a plan to reorganize the middle/high school. The (supposedly) carefully-crafted, extensively vetted plan had no associated job descriptions and no budgetary impact associated with it. 

Southbridge Mid/Hi School Students Sent Home

Massachusetts State Police bomb squad responds

Ken O'Brien

(Updated 1:35 PM) Students at the Southbridge Middle/High School have been sent home for the day.

A posting on the school website says, "Due to an unanticipated issue at the middle high school, the building has been evacuated. Because the students are not clear to re-enter the building at this time, we have contacted the bus transportation company for students to be sent home within the hour. If your child does not take bus transportation, please arrange for someone to pick your child up at the middle/high school.

All children are safe and accounted for and there is no danger to the student population."

Wanted – (Another) New Principal At SMHS

Ken O’Brien

Last Sunday in our article Opa City we made mention of the sudden leave-taking by Southbridge Middle/High School Principal Amy Allen.

Ms. Allen has been in the position less than a year. Prior to becoming Principal she had spent about a year as the district’s Curriculum Director.

In keeping with the ongoing pattern of recent years, it became obvious yesterday that Ms. Allen definitely would not be returning to the Principal’s position.

What clinched it was a posting that appeared yesterday on the site SchoolSpring.com. School Spring is an employment site for professionals in the education field. 

Who Approved This?

Ken O’Brien

Paul Zotos Photo

I am a licensed gun owner.

I am also proud to be an American and proud of our pioneer heritage.

However, I have to question the wisdom of our public decision-makers who have adopted a logo for our new Middle/High School that features one of these proud frontiersmen emphasizing the importance of guns thirteen years after the events at Columbine.

Why not show them scalping a Native American? 

Breaking News: Perreault To Be Named Principal Of Southbridge Middle/High School

 Ken  O’Brien

Updated with new material from the Office of the Southbridge Superintendent of Schools after the page break (8/3/12 - 8:30 am).


The O’Zone has learned from reliable sources that Tammy Perreault, M,Ed, currently Director of Mathematics, K-12, within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the school district, will be named Principal of the new Southbridge Middle/High School.

A formal announcement is expected to be forthcoming imminently.

UPDATE: The Worcester Telegram is reporting (8/3/12, 4:30 am) Superintendent announces two new principals Tammy Perreault at the Southbridge Middle/High School and Dana Labb at West Street Elementary School. The article also elaborates upon what appears to be a bitter conflict between school committee members Scott Lazo and Mary Ellen Prencipe.

Be Careful What You Wish For…

Ken O’Brien

Southbridge politics have forever been defined by coalitions sharing grudges and vendettas.

Last night’s meeting of the Southbridge school committee cemented in place a new brick in that relentlessly growing wall of infamy. 

One Principal At Southbridge Middle/High? The Span of Control Issue

Ken O’Brien

Tonight’s meeting of the Southbridge School Committee will address an issue that has drawn a lot of attention in recent days for a variety of reasons. The agenda item reads:

“Vote to reorganize the Middle and High School Administration to create a new position of Principal of Southbridge Middle/High School (job description attached), and three (3) Assistant Principals for Southbridge Middle/High School, thereby abolishing the current positions titled, Southbridge High School Principal, Southbridge Middle (Mary E. Wells) School Principal, High School Assistant Principal, and Middle (Mary E. Wells) School Assistant Principal/Dean of Students.”