Extended School Day Committee chosen

By Janelle Randazza

PEABODY – Peabody will officially begin research on the feasibility of lengthening the school day district-wide. The subcommittee developed to explore the venture has been chosen and was announced at last week’s school committee meeting. School Committee member Anne Manning will chair the 13-member subcommittee, which was appointed by Mayor Michael Bonfanti.
Manning said that while some may hope that a longer school day will help extend the city’s elementary school recess, that issue will not be the only focus of the subcommittee.
“Although recess has been an issue that has garnered a great deal of attention, there are many issues that need to be addressed and this committee will focus on the entire school day for our K-12 community,” said Manning.
Manning was appointed to chair the subcommittee by Bonfanti; she says had Bonfanti not asked her she would have volunteered.
“The mayor and I had a mutual understanding that I have particular interest in this topic,” said Manning, who feels that a longer school day is an essential ingredient in providing the children of Peabody with quality education.
“I, for one, am every excited about the prospect of a longer school day. I think there are many opportunities here for us to explore,” said Manning. Manning, who supported the mandate that shortened elementary school recess, was also a champion of full-day kindergarten and chaired the subcommittee on redistricting. While opposition plagued each of those issues, Manning believes that opposition provides the best environment for informed dialogue.
“Where others see contention I see opportunity. In order to make progress we need to seize opportunities that some may find troublesome and difficult to accept” said Manning, “Our redistricting, which stemmed from full-day kindergarten implementation, allowed us to reduce class sizes and we saved a significant amount of money on transportation when we redistricted. There is always opportunity to be had if you look for it.”
While Manning sees “miles of opportunity” in extending the school day she says that the point of the subcommittee is to develop a consensus and get a wide perspective of what the district wants.
“What I would like to do is allow the subcommittee to meet and I’d like for us to have a consensus about pursuing what is best for the K-12 community. I am only one member so I can’t really comment on what our focus will be until I get input from the subcommittee as a whole,” said Manning, who stressed that any ideas brought forth by the subcommittee must be “deliberated and accepted by the school committee.”
Manning did feel comfortable with commenting on the quality of volunteers that will serve on the subcommittee.
“We had no shortage of bright and experienced volunteers to choose from. I am ecstatic with the caliber of the committee who volunteered and I am thrilled to begin work both with educators that have years of experience behind them and with the fresh faces that are eager to get on board and roll up their sleeves,” said Manning.
The Extended School Day subcommittee will have its first meeting on Monday, February 27, at 7 p.m. in the Cullen Library at the Higgins Middle School.


Extended Day Committee
Anne Manning, chairwoman
Anne Brown, teacher, Higgins Middle School
Lynda Brown, parent
Jeanne Burbridge, parent
Ellen Fiore, parent
David Gravel, parent and former School Committee member
Herb Levine, parent and former Salem superintendent
Kendra Piza, parent
Sandra Ring, teacher, Peabody Veterans Memorial High School
Janet Sakelakos, teacher, South Elementary School
Joel Saslaw, Community member at large
Sarah Takis-Welch, teacher, West Elementary School
Julie Talbot-Donnolly, teacher, Higgins Middle School