Lynch Parent: Winchester Not an 'Equitable Elementary School Program'

When the MCAS results were released earlier this fall it identified the Lynch School for

Since is a Title I school and a school that needs improvement,

Lynch parents received a form recently and will have the option to transfer their children to another school within the district. Parents will have 14 days from receiving the letter to make the decision.

According to Superintendent William McAlduff, the choice forms are due on Nov. 18 with school assignments set for Nov. 29 and the placement would be effective Dec. 6 of this year.

“These letters are supposed to be sent 14 days prior to the beginning of the school year under the requirements of No Child Left Behind,” said Lynch parent Rob Curtin during the public comment portion of Tuesday night’s School Committee meeting. “Why were the state guidelines not met? We want an explanation of why more information wasn’t available to parents.

“We’re asked to make a decision [on school choice] with zero information except to move and to move quickly. We’d like to be part of the solution and I’d ask you to give us time in order to make a decision.”

While members of the School Committee and McAlduff are not required to answer questions during public comment, when asked at the end of the meeting about Curtin’s statements, McAlduff had no comment. However, McAlduff said the timeline is subject to change, and that he would have more answers Wednesday night when he will be meeting with parents at the Lynch School at 7 p.m.

Curtin said that what concerns him more as a parent is the student growth percentile at Lynch (43.5 ELA, 45 Math) compared with the rest of the schools – Ambrose (70, 61), Lincoln (60.5, 59.5), Muraco (65.5, 51.5), Vinson-Owen (54.5, 62).

According to the Massachusetts Department of Education, “Each student with at least two consecutive years of MCAS scores will receive a student growth percentile, which measures how much the student changed relative to other students statewide with similar scores in previous years.” The scores are only calculated for fourth and fifth grade students at the elementary level.

“The middle of the pack students at Lynch learn substantially less than the other students in Winchester and less than the average students at average schools in Massachusetts,” Curtin said. “This is not an equitable elementary school program. Learners learn less at Lynch. We’re inferior to every school in Winchester and too any average school in the state.”

McAlduff said some of the questions from Tuesday night’s meeting may be addressed Wednesday night when he meets with Lynch parents.

“I know this is frustrating, not engaging back and forth,” McAlduff said. “But you’ll have an opportunity to do that [Wednesday] night. We’ll be able to talk about School Choice and other questions.”

To see the MCAS results click here.