| Recently, Kelly Johnson, an 18 year old Senior at Recovery High School in Beverly and a Reading resident, passed away from her battle with substance abuse. Diana LaVancher, a parent of a student at Recovery High School, and a Reading resident, wrote this emotional and powerful set of thoughts and has given us permission to share it with the greater Reading Community.Our thoughts go out to the Johnson family on the loss of her daughter.
By: Diana LaVancher Last Saturday I attended 18 year old Kelly Johnson’s funeral at St. Augustine Chapel in Andover, MA. Bless her parents for speaking openly in her obituary of her battle with substance abuse. Bless the priest Reverend Gori for commending them and going further saying in a voice reverberating through the church and in me still, “If you think that you or your family and friends are immune to the disease of substance abuse- you are sadly mistaken.” Bless all the children and their families who are at this moment struggling with any and all the issues relating to substance abuse. Anyone who’s been around the recovery block knows kids don’t start off shooting heroin. It would be one thing if we had an MCAS test to discern which kids were going to dabble in pot and alcohol and go down the slippery path towards heroin and opiate abuse. Nor can we predict with impunity which kids will struggle with depression, anxiety, be diagnosed as bi polar, or what type of medication and/or therapy might be effective with which kid. But here are a few thoughts I’ve had this new year. First of all- to parents and kids- we are NOT alone. Walk down any street in any town/city and if you are willing to engage someone in a conversation about substance abuse you will find almost everyone knows somebody who knows somebody…..if they haven’t already experienced its consequences firsthand. What we DO know is that rehab and treatment are no guarantee for recovery, nor is counseling, nor are medications, nor of course is anyone’s denial. It’s clear there is some type of downward trajectory that seems to happen over a period of time. And that we are no longer talking high school age, we’re talking junior high and sometimes elementary school- These are kids who haven’t yet dealt straight up with the “normal” issues facing adolescents – They never got to navigate their way through to the other side of those issues sans drugs- So if your son or daughter becomes sober and is trying to maintain sobriety- remember – they are having to learn to negotiate their way through an entire emotional landscape without the usual “tools”…. they relied on. Don’t be deceived by numerical age. On the other hand these kids have lived through more of the suffering of life than we can imagine- or at times even bear to consider. When they do battle with this disease it is a full fledged war against demons without and within. Maybe you’ve had tastes of what I’m referring to- or even whole entire meals…. And then begins the stealing at which point there’s more going on than we ever imagined. Of course there’s the trajectory of parents’ responses-eventually leading to trying every kind of treatment you can afford (and those you “cant”, but do anyway)-There’s of course the MGH Arms Program and Children’s Hospital’s ASAP Program, there’s McLean’s 2 week in patient- if you can get a bed there, wilderness programs, residential treatment programs if you are lucky enough to have insurance that will cover them– and with money you can even hire someone to the tune of $5,000-10,000 to help you choose which treatment program might work for your kid. There’s also the chance you will find a decent adolescent psychiatrist- not private pay, and even a counselor or social worker that connects with your kid (which is worth more than can be measured). There’s also Alanon, COPE, Smart Recovery- all of which can provide needed support and resources but maybe even more significantly- places where parents can see tangibly how many others are affected by this also–that they and their kids aren’t “the only ones” in this boat. Maintaining sobriety is so damn difficult at any age, but think about what it must be like for a teen to first acknowledge problem, consider a lifetime of sobriety- it’s too huge to wrap your head around. Not to mention- there must be things that make sobriety worth battling for. If we aren’t encouraging other interests and activities- meaning literally FUNDING them, how can we truly be fostering sobriety? There are so many angles to the disease of substance abuse and just as many varied approaches to addressing it. It’s easy to get completely lost in any one aspect- anywhere along the continuum- There is so much to think about and often we are too busy treading water to really step back and have a bigger perspective, it’s too personal and for so long we seem to be right in the thick of it. My final point here is to illuminate one fairly underutilized option right under our noses which deserves recognition AND assistance. Recovery High Schools-There are 3 in this state-Amen for those of us living in Massachusetts, because many states don’t have the funding for this option. Recovery High Schools aren’t panaceas, but they are often a hope, a last hope, a first hope- that a kid can get help in the community- or nearby. They are a sorely neglected option in the recovery repertoire. They are in need of our help. I say this having a teenager who has attended the North Shore Recovery High School for the past 2 years- I say this despite all my previous fears of lower academic standards, of- oh no he’ll be surrounded by other kids using who knows what. I say this because anyone who has been desperately searching for something to help their kids have a chance, is willing to try almost anything. Good news-There are a group of people working there committed heart and soul to helping our kids- specifically with dealing with substance abuse. One doesn’t see this kind of thing every day of the week- and when kids are getting lost in the shuffle in huge mega high schools this is a place where everyone from the school janitor to teachers, support staff, counselors, and principal- all know your kid and are trying to have his/her back. All this is no guarantee for sobriety- but it is comforting and has a shot at helping. Providing daily structure, compassion, support, small individualized classes, fostering kid’s interests in the arts while also addressing the substance abuse and mental health issues does have an impact- not to mention being in a school where you can’t quite disappear- or if you do- people go looking. When Reverend Gori spoke about love of neighbor- that’s what North Shore Recovery High doesn’t just espouse. It lives it- in sickness and in health, in life and death. These are people who will be there to rejoice at your kid’s graduation and yes- be there to tell their story- to be their witness if that is what is required. They cannot do it alone- They need our support and funding. One can’t help but be inspired by the brave struggle of so many of these kids and those around them. Kelly Johnson and all our kids deserve our love, compassion, and help-If not now, when. Diana LaVancher Reading, MA |
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Martin Luther King Celebration A Powerful Inspirational Event
On Monday, January 20th, the Reading Public Schools and the Town of Reading Human Relations Advisory Committee presented the Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the William E. Endslow Performing Arts Center. Over 300 families and community members attended this inspirational event. The event featured beautiful music by the Reading Memorial High School Singers, the METCO Elementary School Chorus, the Korean Church of the Nazarene, and the Reading Community Singers. RMHS students Hannah Byron and Jennie Dockser from the A World of Difference Club talked about how Martin Luther King, Jr. and Leonard Zakim have been role models in standing together for justice. In addition, RMHS students and members of the Gay Straight Alliance Club Shayla Leary and Lily Mittnight talked the powerful impact that Harvey Milk and Malala Yousafzai have had on our world.
Reading METCO Elementary Students Singing at MLK Event
One of the many highlights of the event was the inspirational “Hero Art” program by Rob Surrette. In his presentation, which included a multimedia celebration of heroes in history, science, social studies, literature, art, music, athletics, drama, Rob created portraits right in front of our very eyes of Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Albert Einstein, and Abraham Lincoln. Rob’s message was to inspire us to be our “best self.”
Rob will create four additional portraits, Martin Luther King, Leonard Zakim, Harvey Milk and Malala Yousafzai which will be proudly displayed on the walls of the Patrick A. Schettini, Jr. Library at Reading Memorial High School. In addition, due to a generous donation from Board of Selectmen Member John Halsey, the four portraits that Rob created at the event will be on display in Reading as well.
Members of the Reading Public Schools Administration, Board of Selectmen, Reading School Committee, Reading Human Relations Advisory Council, students, and members of the Leonard Zakim family pose with Rob Surrette and one of the portraits that he created at the event
Special thanks goes out to Eastern Bank, Kohl’s Department Stores, the Reading Cultural Council, and Moynihan Lumber for sponsoring this event. Also, a special thanks to the Reading Human Relations Advisory Council for coordinating this event.
Reading Rotary Club Announces Competitive $10K Scholarship for Seniors
The Rotary Club of Reading is happy to announce a competitive $10,000 scholarship to be awarded to a high school senior who is pursuing higher education. The award, funded by Rotary District 7930, serves to recognize an outstanding high school senior who has demonstrated his/her commitment to Service Above Self in his/her town, school or community. It is designed to encourage the recipient to dedicate his/her personal and professional life to improving the quality of life of people in his/her local community and beyond. Potential applicants will be interviewed by the Reading Rotary Club and one applicant will be submitted to a final pool of applicants to be considered by the Rotary District. Children and grandchildren of Rotarians are not eligible. Potential applicants should contact their high school guidance counselors or contact Club President John Doherty at 781-944-5800 or john.doherty@reading.k12.ma.us for more information. Applications must be submitted to the Reading Rotary Club by May 1, 2015. A copy of the application is below.
Latest Edition of Pathways Newsletter
The link below is for the latest edition of the Pathways Newsletter. This edition contains information on the FY16 budget, the Martin Luther King Celebration, and a thoughtful passage from a Reading parent about substance abuse. We also have photos from the Coolidge Geography Bee, the Reading Robotics Team, and the Footprints activity from Parker.
Local Professionals Certified as Youth Mental Health First Aid™
Instructors Mental health literacy program certifies 10 instructors representing Reading, Massachusetts
Reading, MA (January 12, 2015)— The Reading Public Schools is pleased to add 10 new instructors from Reading, Massachusetts to the Mental Health First Aid™ team from the Pittsburgh, PA training session (November 2014) and Foxboro, MA training session (January 2015).
“We are thrilled to bring Youth Mental Health First Aid™ to Reading,” says John Doherty, Superintendent of Reading Public Schools. “Most people know how to recognize and appropriately react to medical emergencies, but there is less knowledge about what to do in a youth mental health crisis.”
Youth Mental Health First Aid™ is an 8-hour training course designed to give members of the public key skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The 10 instructors recently certified to teach the 8-hour program include
| Sara | Burd | Reading Public Schools | District Administrator of Support Services |
| Thomas | Zaya | Reading Memorial High School | Assistant Principal of Athletics & Activities |
| Jennifer | Hagopian | Reading Memorial High School | Guidance Counselor |
| Nicole | Brett | Joshua Eaton Elementary School | School Psychologist |
| Harlan | Kroff | Reading Memorial High School | Social Worker |
| Susan | Hooper | Reading Memorial High School | Social Worker |
| Anna | Kyritsis | Birch Meadow Elementary School | School Psychologist |
| Erica | McNamara | Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse | Grant Project Director- AWARE |
| Michael | Muolo | Reading Police Department | School Resource Officer |
| Michelle | Halloran | Reading Police Department | Detective |
The instructor certification training was conducted by the National Council for Behavioral Health, who manages the program across the US along with the states of Maryland and Missouri.
“We’re enthused to welcome Reading Public Schools as a partner in extending mental health first aid across the country,” says Linda Rosenberg, MSW, president and CEO of the National Council. “We anticipate the new instructors will have a great impact throughout the town of Reading, and will be key players in improving mental health literacy.”
The new instructors join more than 3,700 U.S. instructors already certified by MHFA-USA as instructors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Instructors come from a variety of backgrounds, including behavioral healthcare, law enforcement and public safety, universities, faith communities, and primary care.
Included on SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence Based Programs and Practices, studies show that training in Mental Health First Aid™ builds confidence in helping an individual experiencing a mental health challenge, reduces negative or distancing attitudes towards individuals with mental illnesses, and increases mental health literacy – being able to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
The team of instructors from Reading will offer trainings to staff in the district later this year. The instructor training is made possible by SAMHSA Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness & Resilience in Education), Reading Public Schools Grantee#: 1H79SM061993-01
Mental Health First Aid™ USA is a collaboration between the National Council for Behavioral Health, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Missouri Department of Mental Health.
The National Council for Behavioral Health (National Council) is the unifying voice of America’s community mental health and addictions treatment organizations. Together with our 2,000 member organizations, we serve our nation’s most vulnerable citizens — the more than eight million adults and children living with mental illnesses and addiction disorders. We are committed to ensuring all Americans have access to comprehensive, high-quality care that affords every opportunity for recovery and full participation in community life. The National Council pioneered Mental Health First Aid™ in the U.S. and has trained nearly 100,000 individuals to connect youth and adults in need to mental health and addictions care in their communities.
High School Robotics Team News and Information
This past week, FRC Team 4761, “The Robockets” moved into their new larger space in the basement of RMHS. This space is about three times larger than the small room that the team has occupied for the past 2 years, which The Robockets are very thankful for. The move was just in time for the team’s kickoff event and the start of the team’s build season. Along with the move, as a result of increased team sponsorship, we were able to get many new tools and equipment to build this year’s new robot, for the new game including a CNC router from our fellow FRC Team 125 The Nutrons. We are very excited to begin working on this years challenge in our new space with all our new tools! Many thanks to everyone who has supported us!
Reading Memorial High School Robotics Team
The 2015 FIRST Robotics game challenge is called Recycle Rush. The game is a recycling-themed game played by two Alliances of three robotics teams each. Alliances compete simultaneously to score points by stacking Totes on Scoring Platforms, topping those stacks with Recycling Containers, and properly disposing of Litter (represented by pool noodles), in designated locations. The game is played in two parts; Autonomous Period (when the robots operate on code alone) and Teleoperated Period (when the student drive team controls the robot). Teams on an Alliance work together to place as many Totes on their Scoring Platforms as possible. Alliances earn additional points for Recycling Containers placed on the scored Totes, with Recycling Containers at greater heights earning more points. Alliances also earn points for disposing of their Litter in either their Landfill Zone or placing Litter in or on scored Recycling Containers. To earn the most points, Alliances must be versatile and work together in this Recycle Rush.
Reading Memorial High School looks forward to hosting an official FIRST Robotics Event in the fieldhouse on March 6th-8th. At this event, 40 New England FIRST Robotics teams will come to Reading to compete in the Recycle Rush game challenge. The whole community is welcome to attend this free event. Matches will be occurring throughout each day. As a huge STEM and community outreach opportunity, this is an exciting event for the Robockets and we hope to see you there! To follow our team and to learn more about the upcoming season, please visit our website (www.robockets.org), like us on Facebook (FRC Team 4761 “The Robockets”), and/or follow us on Twitter (@FRC4761).
FY16 Budget Update
Last evening, the Reading School Committee heard presentations from the School Administration on the Regular Day and the Special Education Cost Centers of the FY16 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget. The final formal presentation will be this Thursday, January 15th, at 7:00 p.m. in the School Committee Room of the Reading Public Schools Administration Offices. During this presentation, the District Wide Services (Health Services, Athletics, Extra-curricular Activities, and District Wide Technology) and the Town/School Facilities cost centers will be discussed.
A copy of the power point presentation for all of the cost centers is attached below. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Reading Public Schools Administration Offices.
Latest Pathways Newsletters Now Posted
The latest editions of the Pathways Reading Public School Community Newsletters are now posted. In these two newsletters, there is information regarding the ongoing FY16 budget presentations and several pictures of recent school events including Hour of Code at Birch Meadow, a Killam All School Assembly, the RMHS Girls Hockey Team Pink in the Rink game, Parker Middle School’s trip to UMass Lowell and Coolidge Middle School’s recent participation in the International Economic Summit Competition.
Have a great week!
FY16 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget
Attached below is the FY2016 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget of $41,350,043 representing an increase of $1,032,070 or 2.56%. This base budget follows the Reading Finance Committee’s recommendations of developing a budget that aligns with the available revenue projections of the Community, which are restricted by an annual structural revenue deficit, combined with an inadequate Chapter 70 funding formula and minimal state aid funding increases. Unfortunately, the budget presented results in a reduction of $849,620 from a 4.7% level serviced budget. In order to reach the 2.56% base budget, $849,620 in budget reductions to both personnel and non-personnel areas, combined with offset increases were made. In addition, there are proposed increases in user fees for athletics, extra-curricular activities, and non-mandatory bus transportation. These fees have not increased since 2010.
The base budget attempts to achieve the multi-year goals of our school system, while staying within the fiscal constraints of our available community resources. It also restructures several areas to fund needed positions and services in the areas of learning and teaching and special education. It includes funding to primarily address the following budget drivers:
- All salary and benefit obligations to employees per the collective bargaining agreement
- Non-union salary and benefit increases in line with COLA adjustments for collective bargaining units
- Anticipated increases in special education transportation and known out of district special education tuition increases, along with a decrease in circuit breaker reimbursement due to less students who cost greater than the required threshold of services
- Anticipated increases in natural gas costs when our contract concludes in June, 2015
Not included in this budget are funds for extraordinary increases in water and sewer or electricity rates, unanticipated enrollment increases, or unanticipated special education costs related to out of district placement tuition, transportation, or other services as required by a student’s individualized education plan. Funding that remains within the base budget will be used to continue several strategic initiatives that have been and are continuing to be implemented in our schools including:
- Implementing the Literacy and Mathematics Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, Educator Evaluation System, and District Determined and Local Measures of Student Success
- Addressing the academic, social, and emotional needs of all students through the implementation of the Multi- Tiered System of Support
Our base budget also allows us to continue maintaining our low class sizes (18-22) in Kindergarten through Grade 2, our middle school interdisciplinary model, our behavioral health initiatives, our technology infrastructure, all of our regular day programs, and our school facilities.
In order to achieve the above priorities and to continue to move forward our school district towards its mission and vision of Instilling a Joy of Learning and Inspiring the Innovative Leaders of Tomorrow, we have restructured several existing resources in the base budget to fund critical programs and positions. This restructuring of funds would have occurred regardless of next year’s fiscal constraints and include the following:
Figure A: FY16 Budget Restructuring
| Restructured Position/Resource | Restructured Area to Fund Position/Resource |
| Grade 1 Teacher at Joshua Eaton | Kindergarten Class Size Paraeducators at Joshua Eaton |
| K-8 Mathematics Coach | Professional Development |
| K-8 Literacy Coach | Professional Development |
| Technician | School Transformation Grant Savings |
| Technology Replenishment | Per Pupil Building Budgets |
| Program Director for Student Support Program and Therapeutic Support Program | Middle/High School Transition Psychologist |
| Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) | Special Education Consulting |
These above positions and resources are critical to the ongoing improvement of our school district. The Grade 1 Teacher at Joshua Eaton is to address current over-enrolled kindergarten classes which currently have an average class size of 24.5. The K-8 Mathematics and Literacy Coaches are necessary to provide ongoing instructional support in mathematics and literacy as the district continues to transition to full implementation of the Massachusetts Mathematics and Literacy Frameworks. An additional technician is necessary to address the ongoing technology network and hardware learning needs of our district as we increase the use of technology and mobile learning devices in grades K-12. The additional technology replenishment funds brings the district back to pre-FY15 Budget levels and allows us to continue to strive towards a 5 to 6 year technology replacement cycle for student and staff computers. A program director for our K-12 Student Support Program and High School Therapeutic Support program is critical in providing leadership and vertical articulation to a program that addresses the needs of our most emotionally fragile students. Finally, the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) brings in house a person who can provide behavior consultation to our special education programs in a cost effective manner. It should be emphasized that the above restructuring efforts do not increase the FY16 budget.
Budget Reductions/Offset Increases/Fee Increases
In order to reach the base budget recommended by the Finance Committee, the following program reductions, offset increases, fee increases and/or personnel reductions were included in the Superintendent’s FY16 Recommended Budget:
Figure B: FY16 Budget Reductions
| Area | Amount |
| Grant Writing Services | $8,500 Reduction |
| Regular Day Bus Transportation | $23,000 Reduction |
| Substitute Teachers | $137,000 Reduction |
| Per Pupil Building Budgets | $26,000 Reduction |
| Virtual High School Stipends | $18,120 Reduction |
| EMARC Restructuring of Services | $30,000 Reduction |
| Increase METCO Offset | $25,000 Increase in Offset |
| Increase Extended Day Offset | $50,000 Increase in Offset |
| Increase Athletic and Extracurricular User Fee | $60,000 Increase in Offset |
| Increase offsets in special education tuition and RISE to accommodate decrease in circuit breaker | $277,000 Increase in Offset |
| Reduction in Regular Education Paraeducators and Tutor Hours | $135,000 Reduction |
The reduction in Grant Writing services will limit the district’s ability to seek grant funding to help offset the costs of current or future innovative programs that align with goals and vision of our district. The decrease in regular day bus transportation eliminates all non-mandatory bus transportation in Grades K-12. Any additional bus transportation will need to be self-funded by user fees, resulting in an increase in bus user fees for riders. Reduction in substitute teacher funding will require restructuring in the use and pay rate of substitute teachers. The reduction in per pupil funding will affect the amount of educational supplies and curriculum materials that are purchased at the building level. Virtual High School, an online service that provides unique high school courses will be restructured to allow access to students based on course need. In addition, we will be proposing a restructuring of the special educations services that we provide to our 18-22 year old population through EMARC so that the resources are more effectively and efficiently used for our students.
The Superintendent’s FY16 Recommended Budget proposes an increase in athletic and extra-curricular user fees to offset the increased cost of living adjustments in coaches and advisors stipends since 2010, the last time the user fees were increased. In addition, offset increases are proposed in the special education tuition and RISE revolving accounts to offset the decrease in circuit breaker special education funding that we will be receiving in FY15 and using in FY16. We are also proposing an increase in offsets in from the METCO grant back to FY14 levels and the Extended Day Revolving Account to reflect the programmatic changes in these two areas over the last few years.
Unfortunately, in order to reach the Finance Committee budget guidance, personnel reductions will need to be made in the area of our regular education paraeducators. This reduction will have a significant impact at our elementary level in providing support for our teachers, staff and students.
Presentation Dates
The dates for the FY16 budget presentations are as follows:
- Thursday, January 8 (Overview, Administration)
- Monday, January 12 (Regular Day, Special Education)
- Thursday, January 15 (District Wide Services, Town/School Facilities)
- Wednesday, January 21 (Financial Forum)-7:30 p.m. at Senior Center
- Thursday, January 22 (Public Hearing, Questions)
- Monday, January 26 (School Committee Vote)
All meetings will be held at the Reading Public Schools Administration Offices at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Attached below are two documents: the January 8th Budget Presentation for School Committee and the FY16 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget Document.
FY16 Superintendents Budget Presentation-Overview and AdministrationFY16 Superintendents Budget Final2
Upcoming School Committee Calendar of Events
Listed below is a the latest schedule for upcoming School Committee Calendar of Events. The main discussions topics this month include a request for modular classrooms for the 2015-16 school year and the FY16 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget. All meetings will be held in the Reading Public Schools Administrative Offices at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
| Date | Topics |
| 1/8 | · Discussion on Modular Classrooms
· Overview of FY16 Budget/Administration Cost Center |
| 1/12 | · FY16 Budget Discussion-Regular Day and Special Education Cost Centers
· Possible Continued Discussion on Modular Classrooms |
| 1/14
7:30 p.m. Town Hall |
· Finance Committee Meeting to Discuss Modular Classrooms |
| 1/15 | · FY 16 Budget Discussion-Athletics, Extra-curricular, Health Services, Districtwide Technology Cost Center and Town/School Facilities |
| 1/21
7:30 p.m. Senior Center |
· Financial Forum to Discuss Modular Classrooms, Possible Special Town Meeting on February 23rd, and FY16 Budget |
| 1/22 | · Public Hearing on FY16 Budget and Discussion |
| 1/26 | · School Committee Vote on FY16 Budget |
The Journey-The Next Chapter 