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School committee approves funding and reassignments to bolster interventions at Richard Elementary
Summary
The committee approved a funding motion to create an intervention coordinator position and endorsed reassigning a wraparound services coordinator to Richard Elementary to address concentrated learning gaps, particularly among fifth graders, using salary savings and unfilled positions to cover near‑term costs.
The Marlborough School Committee voted Sept. 9 to fund a new intervention coordinator position and approved reassigning existing wraparound services staff to provide more immediate support at Richard Elementary School.
Dr. Scaza, presenting a staffing reallocation plan, said district leaders identified growing academic and social‑emotional needs at Richard and are requesting three staffing moves: a new intervention coordinator (a new budgeted position), a dedicated fifth‑grade interventionist to provide targeted literacy and math support, and designating one existing wraparound service coordinator to work more closely with Richard’s leadership.
Assistant Superintendent O’Brien explained potential funding sources: an unfilled 0.4 high‑school position (estimated savings around $30,000), salary savings tied to a teacher on long‑term leave (estimated around $37,000), and the district’s salary reserve; together those sources could cover much of the first‑year cost for the fifth‑grade interventionist and offset part of the coordinator expense, while ongoing funding will be discussed in future budget planning.
The committee approved suspending the rules to add the agenda item and then voted to fund the intervention coordinator. Administration said the wraparound designation for Kayla Flarity Dawson will improve referrals and continuity of services while other wraparound staff remain available for families who need language‑specific support.
The action is framed as an early response to preliminary (embargoed) MCCAST results suggesting pronounced gaps in the grade‑five cohort; administration said it will continue to monitor data and report back to the committee.
