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Community Corner

Re: RIZZI DEFIANT OF STATE REPORT

Stoughton School District Review Report (see www.02072.org) issued by the Department of Education in May 2013 identified several areas Stoughton Schools need to improve. One of the problem areas was identified as the Pathways courses in Stoughton High School. The State report determined that the Pathways courses at the high school are below the standard classes, and do not offer the preparation students need for after graduation.

Students who have had academic difficulty, English language learners (ELLs), and students with disabilities were routinely assigned to Pathways courses at the high school. Research indicates that tracks below the college prep level in high schools do not prepare students well for higher education or for career options after high school.

For that reason, students who have had academic difficulty, ELLs, and students with disabilities were not being given access to the same content and held to the same expectations in preparation for college and/or careers as their peers.

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Kudos to the SHS principal Juliette Miller, all Pathways courses in SHS will be eliminated soon. Last night, Stoughton High School Council voted to approve the 2014-2015 High School Program of Studies, which eliminates all the Pathways courses.

However, Dr. Rizzi continues to defy the State report in another important area.

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The State report pointed out: “The current administrator of special education serves in the role of principal at the Jones Early Childhood Center as well as being coordinator of all district special education services. Having both these roles makes the administrator of special education less available to ensure that the needs of the district’s 619 students with disabilities are met.” … “District leaders should consider separating the roles of special education coordinator and principal of the Jones Early Childhood Center. By virtue of having both these roles, the principal is less available to ensure that the needs of students with disabilities are met.”

Unfortunately, eight months after the report was issued, Ms. Heather Tucker (a school committee appointee) continues to serve in both capacities. I pressed the issue during the School Committee meeting held on 9/24/13. Superintendent Rizzi responded “I AM NOT GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING SUCH A THING.” I asked School Committee chair Joyce Husseini to put this matter on the agenda so, at least, the School Committee can discuss it intelligently. Ms. Husseini has been refusing to do so.

On the other hand, State Department of Education recently demoted our Gibbons School from Level 2 School to a level 3 school. Gibbons School’s demotion appears to be in part a result of inadequate education of students with disabilities.

Furthermore, I recently discovered that the School Department underspent its 2012/2013 budget by approximately $780,000. Superintendent failed to respond to my multiple inquiries as to why. On a telephone conversation, School Department business manager Maria Hortaridis (another school committee appointee) stated most of the unspent money was from the special education budget. She said she prepared a list of underspent accounts with amounts, but could not share it with the school committee members without the superintendent’s authorization. This amount would be in addition to the traditional year-end money transfers out of the special education accounts.

It is our moral responsibility to properly educate our students with disabilities. We cannot allow Rizzi administration to risk the future of our children. We also cannot allow Rizzi administration to adversely affect the property values in Stoughton by letting the state demote any of our schools.


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