What's ahead for Pilgrim, understaffing, overcrowding?

By Celeste Mullane
Posted 6/14/16

Celeste Mullane, who will have three children attending Pilgrim High School this fall made the following comments at the School Committee meeting. I have come before the School Committee and I have written numerous emails regarding my

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What's ahead for Pilgrim, understaffing, overcrowding?

Posted

Celeste Mullane, who will have three children attending Pilgrim High School this fall made the following comments at the School Committee meeting.

I have come before the School Committee and I have written numerous emails regarding my concern about the disparity in numbers between Toll Gate and Pilgrim for this upcoming academic year and this is still a great concern of mine. When the initial study was conducted by SSMA they strongly recommended not exceeding an 85% student capacity at the high schools. It was reported that if it were at 85% capacity Pilgrim's population would be at 1,513 and at 85% capacity Toll Gates numbers would be at 1,407. As of this morning, registered students for the upcoming academic year at Pilgrim number 1, 547 and registered students at Toll Gate number 1,169. Pilgrim will be at 87% capacity while Tollgate is well below at 70%.

The significant increase in numbers will definitely impact both schools but the unfair distribution of students will have a greater impact on the class size, traffic, safety, accessibility, and opportunities for the students at Pilgrim, and I urge you to reevaluate these numbers, because even with the Career and Tech students attending Toll Gate next year, the number will still not be equitable.

I am deeply concerned about the experience that all three of my children will have at Pilgrim next year and especially that of my daughter as she will be researching and coordinating her senior project and completing all the necessary requirements for graduation while looking for guidance while applying to college. Last week I posted a question on the consolidation web site to try to find an answer to a question that my daughter had. 'If Pilgrim was going to see an increase of over 500 students would there be additional Graduation by Proficiency staff added to help with the graduation portfolios and Senior Projects - 2 very important proficiency based graduation requirements for seniors. A few days after posting I received a response to my question; there is only ONE Graduation by Proficiency Coordinator assigned to Pilgrim next year. However, the response added, an additional assistant principal for teaching and learning has been added to the administration which will be another resource for students and their academics.

This answer and situation is unacceptable. Reading through the posting for the new Assistant Principal this is not part of his job description . Even with his experience as having been a GBC at Toll Gate, with over 1,500 students in the school I am doubtful that this new Assistant Principal, however well-intentioned and experienced will have the additional time to dedicate to assist the over 330 Pilgrim seniors with the completion of their senior projects and portfolios. Students working on their senior projects require one-on-one time with the coordinator and from what I understand they generally can only meet during the 20 minutes of daily advisory or after school. How can one GBC possibly offer the support needed for such a critical piece of a senior's graduation requirement in addition to attending to their responsibilities to the other three grades of students. To me this is a glaring example of serious understaffing and I am greatly concerned that it is happening in other academic and advising areas as well.

In the mission statement that was printed in last year’s program of study for the Warwick Senior High Schools. The mission of Graduation by Proficiency is to enable students to possess the competence and personal character to compete in a global economy by providing equitable opportunities and offering a rigorous curriculum incorporating applied learning skills.

By understaffing and overcrowding schools you are not providing equitable opportunities for the students. I think that many of the aspect of this consolidation have not been fully thought through and I do not want my children over the next three or four years to be the guinea pigs in this consolidation effort.

Comments

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  • smh

    Thank you, Mrs. Mullane! I am curious as to how the School Committee Members answered you. With silence and blank stares, no doubt....this is such a travesty!

    Wednesday, June 15, 2016 Report this

  • Imhere

    This is Phil Thortons grand idea, which is scary. The school committee picked this guy off the floor after bouncing from school to school. With his track record he should be unemployed! He leads "the cover up crew" which consists of Thorton as leader followed by Lynn Dambruch and John Gannon you wouldn't believe the lies these people tell. Anything that comes from his or his crews mouth is nothing but lies and Thorton wants to be the best cover up artist to live and he is doing pretty good but it will end and his lies will be told.

    Thursday, June 16, 2016 Report this