New organization for school administration proposed
By Angela Greiner Community Reporter

Marlborough - In an effort to save teaching positions during the upcoming tight fiscal year 2009 budget season, the Marlborough Public School System is in the process of reconstructing the organization chart for the district's administrative positions. Former High School Principal Mary Carlson, who has officially accepted the position of superintendent of schools after working as acting superintendent, said one objective was to not cut teachers.

"We wanted to keep direct services to the students intact," Carlson said.

To do that, the School Committee and Carlson adopted some of former Superintendent Barbara McGann's recommendations to reorganize positions in the administrative offices.

The reorganization has redistributed the district's administrative responsibilities and has resulted in positions that were not renewed, while other positions were created.

During the 2007-2008 academic year, Carlson explained, the district administrative office had one assistant superintendent. In the proposed 2008-2009 academic year, the new reorganization chart proposes the creation of a new position with the addition of another assistant superintendent position.

This would mean that the existing Assistant Superintendent James R. Jolicoeur could re-assume the responsibilities of the instructional technology position, which, Carlson explained, Jolicoeur was responsible for in the past. The additional assistant superintendent would assume the responsibilities of two former teaching and learning specialist positions.

Adding one assistant superintendent position would mean the district would no longer need the three positions of two teaching and learning specialists and the instructional technology professional.

"Everyone in the administrative offices had to take on more responsibility because we did not want class sizes affected," Carlson said.

Another significant change that the reorganization will have on the district will be the elimination of a principal position in the Marlborough Intermediate Elementary School and the Middle School. The two schools are in a unique position because they are both housed within one building. In the reorga- nization, the schools will be supervised by one principal and will gain an additional vice principal, bringing the schools' total to three vice principals.

The Intermediate Elementary School, for students in grades four and five is under the direction of Principal Susan Pikor and the Middle School, grades six and seven, is under the leadership of Principal Dr. Sara Lane.

In a March School Committee meeting, a petition signed by 80 percent of the Middle School teachers was brought forward from by teacher Betty Naumes expressing concerns about the age difference in students in grades four through seven and opposing the reorganization.

Carlson has hosted several informational meetings for parents and community members about the reorganization and said she has been met with support for the changes.