Voicing deep concerns over swelling classroom sizes and heightened behavioral challenges, roughly 30 parents from the Prescott Elementary School crowded into last night’s School Committee meeting to plead for the hiring of a part-time teacher to relieve overcrowding.
Overcrowding and Special Needs Challenges
Mother Maureen Walsh shared that her young son, John, had recently been getting into mischief during kindergarten. Rather than placing blame on the child, Walsh attributed the behavioral lapses directly to classroom congestion. “When I ask my son why he gets into trouble, he says they do things one at a time, there’s long lines for everything and while he’s waiting, that’s when he gets into trouble,” Walsh explained.
Parent Gail McGloin, who submitted a petition bearing 65 signatures urging the appointment of additional staff, highlighted that afternoon kindergarten classes swell to 27 children, while the morning session accommodates 24 pupils. McGloin emphasized that overcrowding is severely exacerbated by a high concentration of specialized student requirements within the Prescott cohorts: out of 51 total kindergartners, 10 require special education services, eight need vision and hearing assistance, and five present attention-deficit challenges. “Can one teacher do her job effectively given this scenario?” she asked.
Another parent, Candace Jama, reported that three acquaintances opted against enrolling their children at Prescott due to crowding concerns, choosing private preschool or nursery school alternatives instead.
Administration Response and District-Wide Enrollment Trends
Superintendent James Savage promised to review class sizes at the Prescott School and deliver a formal report to the School Committee within weeks. However, Savage maintained that Norwood public schools generally avoid severe overcrowding. “Very few communities in this commonwealth have the class sizes we do,” Savage remarked. “Please believe me.”
Assistant Superintendent Ralph Toran noted that while district-wide enrollments increased across multiple grade levels this year—with pronounced spikes in kindergarten, first grade, and fifth grade—district-wide kindergarten enrollment climbed from 251 pupils last year to 295 this year, driving average kindergarten class sizes up from 18 children to 21.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
-
School Committee Considers Sweeping Administrative Reorganization Plan-August 24, 1967
School Committee Chairman Francis X. Sheehan Jr. proposed a sweeping administrative reorganization creating an associate superintendent to streamline Norwood school management
-
Schools Prepare for 5th Annual New Teacher Orientation-August 22, 1967
Superintendent Dr. Philip O. Coakley welcomed 58 incoming educators at the fifth annual teacher orientation institute at Prescott School, introducing new faculty across secondary and elementary schools.
-
Norwood Teachers Association Submits $1,000 Pay Increase Proposal-August 18, 1966
The Norwood Teachers Association submitted a $1,000-plus pay raise proposal as the school committee signed its first collective bargaining agreement amid debate led by John J. Cavanaugh and William Egan.
-
Andrew J. Ciarletta Jr. Appointed Principal of Winslow Elementary School-July 27, 1966
The Norwood School Committee appointed Andrew J. Ciarletta Jr. as principal of Winslow Elementary School, succeeding Alan R. Wonson.
-
Superintendent Coakley Tells PTA Council That $4 Million in New School Construction Is Mandatory-September 10, 1965
Dr. Philip O. Coakley tells the PTA Council that $4 million in new school construction—including a new elementary and junior high—is mandatory to handle over-capacity enrollment.
-
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.
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.