⠀
The Norwood School Committee voted 5 to 2 last night to relocate the town’s school administration offices to the Winslow School, contingent upon cost estimates proving favorable. The motion, introduced by William F. Egan, passed with support from most of the board, while committee members Richard Joseph and Joseph M. Pentowski cast the dissenting votes.
Along with housing central administration, the Winslow School would accommodate business operations, the supervisor of custodians, buildings and grounds, the director of food services, and office spaces for art, music, and physical education coordinators. The facility would additionally function as an audiovisual center, house a professional library, provide space for a bilingual education program, and serve as headquarters for a federally funded employment program covering fifteen towns. Furthermore, the board previously voted to allow a federally funded regional special education program from Medfield and Dedham to locate at the Winslow School.
Chairman Charles C. Saraca favored the move only after William F. Egan made the project contingent upon cost estimates to be delivered to the committee by Superintendent Philip O. Coakley the following week. Chairman Saraca criticized Philip O. Coakley for not having immediate figures available regarding potential rental income if the current administration building on Walpole Street were vacated. The board decided to meet at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Shattuck School to tour both older, phased-out elementary schools before their next meeting.
Discussions regarding the future uses of the Winslow and Shattuck schools had been under study since the spring. Joseph M. Pentowski unsuccessfully attempted to convince the board to retain the Shattuck School for educational purposes, citing its suitability for pupil personnel services, pre-school screening, and special education compliance under Chapter 766. However, Philip O. Coakley indicated he would prioritize the Shattuck if forced to choose, while board member Patricia O. Prindle expressed strong unhappiness with the Shattuck proposal, arguing that the main thrust of Chapter 766 was to integrate children with special needs into regular classrooms rather than segregating them.
In other business, the committee voted to change its meeting format, opening with executive sessions on appointments and resignations when necessary before moving into open session for votes. Chairman Charles C. Saraca announced he had signed an application for $285,000 in state reimbursement for special education programs, while the board also addressed kindergarten and sixth-grade overcrowding concerns at the Willett School raised by PTA co-presidents Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Turner. Additionally, the committee directed Philip O. Coakley to consult legal counsel Francis L. Kelly of Weymouth regarding fifteen principals and vice principals whom the committee refused to recognize as members of the Norwood Teachers Association (NTA) collective bargaining group following a recent state law ruling them managerial personnel.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
-
Norwood School Committee Reviews Summer School Program and Proposes Token Fees-September 3, 1965
Following the successful completion of Norwood’s first town-sponsored summer school program—which enrolled approximately 330 local students in remedial coursework—the Norwood School Committee is evaluating future administrative structures, including a proposal to institute a nominal student fee. Superintendent Philip O. Coakley presented a comprehensive report detailing the inaugural summer session, noting that progress reports for every…
-
School Wiring Hazard Suspected at Norwood Junior High-September 3, 1965
Expressing deep concern over aging infrastructure, the Norwood School Committee has called for an immediate investigation into potential electrical wiring hazards at the Norwood Junior High School to determine whether emergency repairs are urgently required. The inquiry was initiated after Superintendent of Schools Philip O. Coakley delivered an alarming report on the condition of the…
-
Norwood Tennis Courts Recreation-July 10, 1965
On July 10, 1965, Norwood officials were actively working to resolve the placement of a proposed six-court tennis facility at the Prescott School. Recreation Superintendent Richard Ready noted that while the specific site remained undecided, he and other town officials were in the process of analyzing a location proposed by the Norwood School Committee. ⠀…
-
Norwood Renews Search For High School Principal-June 25, 1964
Officials plan to evaluate past candidates and request recommendations from Boston area colleges while Vice Principal John Mombouquette prepares for interim leadership.
-
Enrollment Hike Forces Split Classes in Norwood Public Schools-September 5, 1963
Norwood public schools experience an enrollment spike of 416 students, prompting split classes at Cleveland and Callahan schools and sparking a debate over elementary cafeteria capacity.
-
Eleventh-Hour Decision on Oldham School Registration-September 3, 1963
NORWOOD — An eleventh-hour session of the Oldham School Building Committee is being held tonight to make the decisive call on whether the newly constructed school will officially open its doors for student registration tomorrow morning. Final Scramble and Boiler Inspections Workmen labored through the weekend, including a full day on Saturday, trying to wrap…
-
Oldham School Opening Set for Wednesday, New Teacher Appointments-August 30, 1963
As Norwood prepares for the new academic year, the School Committee has announced plans to open the newly constructed John P. Oldham Elementary School next Wednesday, contingent upon final safety inspections of its heating and ventilating systems. While municipal electric light department crews rushed to finish electrical work and boilers were fired for the first…
-
Bios of New Norwood Public School Teachers-August 29, 1963
As the Norwood public school system prepares for the upcoming academic year, officials announced the appointment of 56 new teachers. Biographical profiles for the first 28 incoming educators highlight their educational backgrounds and assignments: High School Appointments Elementary, Junior High, and Special Services Appointments Discover more from Norwood Historical Society Subscribe to get the latest…
-
Superintendent Coakley Announces Upcoming Student Registration, New Teacher Orientation, and Summer Maintenance Progress-August 22, 1963
Norwood schools set registration dates and orientation schedules while summer maintenance projects wrap up across local buildings ahead of the September 4 opening.
-
Eight-Room Addition to Cleveland School Recommended Over New Construction-August 16, 1963
Voting 3 to 2, the Elementary School Building Committee recommended an eight-room addition to the Cleveland School over building a new facility, setting a joint meeting with Superintendent Philip O. Coakley.
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.