John F. Monahan, principal of the Prescott School, was named school department business manager last night, filling a post that had remained vacant for a year and saddled Superintendent Louis J. Taris with extra administrative duties.
Alongside Monahan’s appointment, the School Committee voted to transfer Alan Wonson, who had served as principal of the Willett School since its opening in 1968, to the Prescott School to replace Monahan. The committee announced plans to seek a temporary “building administrator” or acting principal from within the school system for the Willett School until its anticipated closure in one or two years. Monahan, affectionately termed a “favorite son” by committee member Charles C. Saraca, stood to lose his principalship when the Willett closes due to having the least seniority among district principals. Addressing the board, Monahan thanked the committee for its confidence and assured members that he would not seek another principalship if one opened up, stating, “All my efforts will go to my job as business manager.” Before arriving in Norwood as a teacher in 1963, Monahan worked as an accountant for several firms.
The committee had interviewed five other candidates for the business manager position. Superintendent Taris noted that the yearlong vacancy had forced him to shoulder double duties since Lawrence S. Canter departed the role the previous August for a similar position in Bedford, while Thomas Lyndon of the Education Cooperative had temporarily assisted as a part-time business consultant.
In other business during the session, the committee:
- Asked Ruth Shea to delay her planned August 31 retirement until a permanent replacement can be found as director of the Peabody School.
- Voted to combine the boys and girls physical and health education department head positions at the high school for one year as a cost-saving measure, with potential for permanence.
- Raised the price of teacher lunches from 95 cents to $1.25 and introduced charges for desserts at the junior high and high schools (20 cents for small desserts, 25 cents for large), which were previously included in the meal price.
- Trimmed elementary school dessert service from five days a week to two days a week. Food Services Director Mary Nagle explained that the price adjustments and cutbacks were necessary to offset rising food costs and decreasing federal subsidies. (Reporting by local archives).
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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