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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Norwood School Clerk Wins National Redbook Beauty Ideas Contest-This Day In Norwood History-July 23, 1975
Gwynne Jamieson, serving as secretary to the Norwood School Committee and school clerk, achieved national recognition by winning Redbook magazine’s competitive “Great Beauty Ideas” contest. Outshining roughly 30,000 entries submitted from across the country, her innovative submission earned her a $1,000 cash prize and an exclusive, all-expenses-paid weekend trip to New York City. The August…
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School Board Trims Pay Request-July 18, 1974
The School Board in Norwood has trimmed $19,478 from their pay request for school department employees. The revised total now stands at $598,370, which will be sought at tonight’s special town meeting. The School Board warned that no school department employees will receive negotiated wage increases until September if tonight’s special town meeting fails to…
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School Board Rejects ‘Floating Principal’ Proposal-July 03, 1974
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School Drop-In Centers Possible In Fall-June 24, 1974
Citing summer custodial constraints and a lack of air conditioning, town officials vote to survey local youths during the summer to prepare for a fall launch.
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School Committee Split Over Closing the Shattuck and Winslow Buildings-June 19, 1974
Debate intensifies at a Norwood School Committee meeting over redistricting, school closures, and federal grants.
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Delayed Computer Billing Receipts Spark Optimistic Tax Forecasts-June 18, 1974
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Proposal Would Combine High School and Henry O. Peabody School Facilities-October 4, 1973
The School Committee reviews a preliminary proposal to combine Norwood High School and Henry O. Peabody School facilities for a new career development and vocational program.
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Norwood Jr. High Offered Land At $9,500 An Acre-September 30, 1971
The Norwood School Committee recommends the Endean area in Walpole as the site for a new junior high school, facing sharp questioning from town meeting members over rising costs and site shifts.
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School Committee Appoints Michael Gallahue and George Usevich to Key School Posts-August 26, 1971
Michael Gallahue and George Usevich were appointed to key administrative roles at Norwood High School for the 1971-72 school year.
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Norwood Junior High School Building Committee Reviews Five Replacement Plans-July 27, 1971
The Norwood building committee reviewed five alternate architectural plans for a new junior high school while exploring federal disaster aid.
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