Belmont School Committee Accepts 'Dan's' Legacy

Merle Kummer arrived at the Belmont School Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 18 not to discuss rocketing enrollments, budget constraints or the number of frees High School students have.

Kummer was before the committee bearing a legacy in the memory of their friend and School Committee colleague Dan Scharfman, Kummer's husband who died suddenly in January.

Kummer told the committee and school district officials that many residents donated generously to a fund in her husband's name that would direct money towards projects that would promote Dan's ideals. 

A group of distinguished residents worked together to determine where to direct the funds, said Kummer.

"We liked the message of a mission to improve the capability of the school community to meet the differing needs of students and the changing needs of society," she said. 

"That was really Dan's vision," said Kummer.

And one of the things he "adored" in Belmont's schools were the Professional Learning Teams, the ongoing professional development program that is becoming a national model for teacher in-service training. The teams – made up of two or more educators –help create new approaches to educating and learning at a minimum of cost.

"He said if one PLT gave a presentation at every School Committee meeting, the town would understand what a glorious resourse [the school's] had," said Kummer.

Belmont School Superintendent Dr. Thomas Kingston noted that the new initiative to use iPads in ninth grade classrooms in September resulted from a PLT presentation.   

With that in mind, the group pleaged to provide a $4,000 gift in Dan's memory to the School Committee to support teachers who explore and create innovational instructural models and who develop programing within the PLT model.

"We really wanted to help teachers share learning beyond professional learning teams so this donation will fund things that needed teacher time to be with each others and learn from each other," said said.

"I'm just delighted to do it," said Kummer.

"This is very generous," said Kingston.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to help what is becoming an engine of innovation. Most of the ideas we have about revising, reimaging and restructuring have emerged from the Professional Learning Teams," he said.