Winchester Elementary Schools Request Psychologists, Assistant Principals

The school budget won’t be finalized until sometime next spring, but the School Committee began the discussion Tuesday night.

The principals from all five elementary schools, the middle school and the high school presented their individual budgets.

The five elementary schools all had similar requests.

After having from last year’s budget all five elementary principals – Leigh Petrowsky (), Kate Scanlon (), Grant Smith (), Laurie Kirby () and Christine Kelley () – informed the committee that school psychologists, a similar position, is now a top priority.

“There’s an increase in demand for the school psychologists,” Scanlon said. “We need to be able to handle our diverse population of students.”

According to Kirby, these psychologists will help handle the emotional and social needs of students.

“The school psychologists role is priceless,” Kirby said. “It’s not a special education role because these psychologists service the entire population. They keep a positive culture and help keep a positive proactive approach to learning.”

But that wasn’t the only area where the elementary teachers had similarities on their budget requests. Four of the five schools (Ambrose, Lincoln, Lynch and Muraco) requested administrative help in the form of an assistant principal.

“It’s so needed at the elementary level,” Kirby said of the position. “We want, need and can be the instructional leaders of the school, but we’re falling short.”

According to Kelley, it’s difficult for the principals to be the instructional leaders at the school because they don’t have enough time between the observations, events or crises that pop up throughout the day. And since they’re the only administrative personnel at the school, it’s their responsibility to handle it.

“There’s just not time,” Kirby said. “It’s a luxury to set time for any one individual.”

Principal Smith of Vinson-Owen did not request an assistant principal, but told the committee that in a few years, as enrollment continues to grow at VO, that he will eventually ask for one as well.

“It makes such a big difference to be the instructional leader as opposed to a manager,” Smith said.

Ambrose, Lincoln and Lynch also requested additional teacher to maintain class size for their larger classes.

The principals also included teaching assistants in the morning session of the all-day kindergarten program.

Kirby told the committee that it becomes a safety issue when there’s one adult in the classroom and needs to help a student in the bathroom, leaving the other 20 students.

“We have to make sure there’s another adult in the classroom,” Kirby said.

The budget discussion will continue over the next few months and will eventually be voted on at Town Meeting in the spring.