Canton Public Schools: January 6 School Committee Recap: GMS Therapeutic Program, 2022-2023 Pre-K Tuition Rates & Highlights, COVID-19 U ...

Press release from Canton Public Schools:

Taylor O'Neil

January 21, 2022

Interim Superintendent Derek Folan would like to share with the school community updates and information provided at the Jan. 6 Canton School Committee meeting.

A recording of the full meeting can be viewed here.

Additional meeting materials, including all documents shared at the meeting and the full Interim’s Superintendent’s report is available here.

The 2021-2022 school year is the first year CPS has offered the GMS Therapeutic Program. The goal of the program is to keep students who would’ve been placed out of district within CPS schools, which allows them to receive the same education as their peers.

Currently, the program has three students requiring full-time support to both access their school community and progress academically. At the initial start of the program in September, four students returned from out-of-district placements and since then, the program has added four more middle school students due to transfers and/or IEP eligibility meetings.

Through the program, Therapeutic Special Education services bridge the gap between therapeutic classrooms and general education classroom settings. Teachers and counselors communicate with the student’s academic team so instruction and work that has been given match that of the student’s peers. Students are expected to attend their scheduled classes when they are able to do so, but if they need additional support they can go to the therapeutic classroom and complete the work that was given in their general education classroom there.

The anticipated costs this program would have was anticipated to be $84,141. To date, there has been $162,478 in costs with the return of three students to the district. With the program in place, the district has already saved $260,205 in tuition and transportation, which would’ve been used for five students now accessing this program, including one student rising from elementary, two students from GMS and two students from GMS for 45-day assessments.

To learn more about the program, click here.

Ms. Kilday presented the proposed 2022-2023 Pre-K tuition rates and shared highlights on the Rodman Early Childhood Pre-K program.

For the 2022-23 school year, the Rodman Early Childhood Program will only offer a four-day and five-day schedule for students. The district will work with those who are currently in a two- or three-day schedule to find a placement. The proposed preschool tuition for the 2022-2023 school year is as follows:

Can't see the table below? Click here to view the original story.

The School Committee voted to approve a 2% tuition increase for the 2022-2023 school year. As such, a five-day schedule (20 hours) will cost $5,729 and a four-day schedule (16 hours) will cost $4,585.

Ms. Kilday also highlighted the Rodman Reads program. The program focuses on increasing student access to developmentally appropriate books, increasing student vocabulary development and engaging families in early literacy activities to improve student success. As part of the program, each week for four consecutive weeks students are sent home with activities to engage in with their families and activities are also conducted at school. To learn more, click here.

• Galvin Basketball Court Resurfacing – $54,095
• Hansen Front Playground Replacement – $285,000
• Lighting at Gibson Field – $200,000

• Grade 2 Teacher Hansen & Luce (2.0 FTE)* ($150,064)
• PK Additional Classroom (3.0 FTE) ($117,824)
• CHS Therapeutic Program & Home Base*** ($225,096)
• CHS Wellness Teacher (.2 FTE)* ($15,006)
• CHS Library Staff (.4 FTE) ($10,000)
• GMS Elective Teacher (2.4 FTE)** ($180,076)
• CHS AP Music Teacher (.2 FTE) ($15,006)
• CHS Visual Arts Teacher (.6 FTE)** ($45,019)
• Elementary Educational Assistants (3.0 FTE)* ($62,496)

• GMS Unified Sports* ($3,000)
• Chamber Orchestra & Jazz Club Stipend* ($3,152)
• Elementary School Adjustment Counselor (3.0 FTE)* ($218,106)

• GMS Instructional Coach (1.0 FTE)* ($75,032)
• GMS/CHS 504 Coordinator (.6 FTE) ($32,119)
• District Data Specialist (1.0 FTE)* ($100,000)
• Districtwide Curriculum Materials** ($175,000)
• PK-5 STEAM Instructional Supplies* ($3,000)
• PK-5 Humanities Instructional Supplies* ($5,000)
• Robotics/CAD Room Swap ($40,000)
• Visual Arts Materials* ($1,000)
• District PD Supplies* ($2,500)

• Contractual Obligations* ($1,359,216)
• Bus Contractual Increase* ($300,000)
• District HR Generalist * ($74,500)
• Student Information System* ($50,000)
• Post Grad Program Space ($5,000)

This press release was produced by Canton Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.