Schools

Watertown SEPAC Event Features Lawyer Who Works on Special Education Cases

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Watertown’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) welcomes Attorney Daniel T.S. Heffernan who will present “Special Education Law – Recent Developments and Future Trends.” The free event will be on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the library at Cunniff, 246 Warren St. A SEPAC business meeting will begin at 6 p.m.

Heffernan, of Kotin Crabtree & Strong, has extensive trial experience and since 1995 he has served on the board of directors of the Federation of Children with Special Needs, and served as president from 1995-2007. In 2002 he and his wife, Julie, received the Dr. Allen C. Crocker Award for Excellence from the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress.

Schools

Marathon Legend Dick Hoyt Speaking at Watertown Special Ed Awards Event

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Boston Marathon fixture Dick Hoyt will be the key note speaker at an event that honors those who have contributed to the education of special education students in Watertown. Dick and his son Rick joined to form Team Hoyt. Dick pushes Rick in his wheel chair and the pair has run more than 1,000 races since 1977, including many Boston Marathons. Hoyt will speak at the 2015 Watertown SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) Awards on April 9 at 6:15 p.m. at the Hosmer Elementary School Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. PDP’s available.

Schools

Congresswoman Clark Visits New Class at Watertown School

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Congresswoman Katherine Clark recently made a special visit to Watertown’s Cunniff Elementary School to see a new program where special education and mainstream students work together in the same class. The inclusion class at the Cunniff, which started this fall, allows special education students to spend more time in with their classmates, and in some cases mean they do not have to go to specialized programs located outside of Watertown. In her latest email update, Clark references her visit to Watertown. “I had a great visit with students and teachers at Cunniff Elementary School in Watertown,” Clark’s email reads. “Cunniff’s mission is to provide a supportive and challenging learning environment to maximize academic achievement, social responsibility and lifelong learning by attending to the intellectual and developmental needs of all of our students.”

Schools

School Officials Have Plan to Avoid Financial Problems This Year

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Last school year, the Watertown Public Schools had to freeze spending when they had a major mid-year deficit, but they ended up with a large surplus. The Fiscal 2014 budget looked like it could be a major problem for Watertown school officials, who froze spending in January when the school budget ran $926,000 in the red, said Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald. The district turned it around, but officials still appeared to have a major problem in June when they though they needed to make up a shortfall in the special education budget of about $640,000. It turns out the money was not needed. At Monday’s School Committee meeting, Watertown Director of Business Services Charles Kellner said the district ended the year with a $770,00 surplus.

Government

Town Will Hire Third Party Auditor to Look at School Budget

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After a long and detailed look at the Watertown Public Schools budget this year left Town officials with questions, an outside auditor will be hired to look at the school budget – particularly the special education portion. The rising cost of special education this year concerned Town Councilors. School officials said the district had an unusual number of new students move in with high-cost special needs, plus the town has had a spike in students who need special needs services. Part of this was due to the students who lived near the area of the shootout with the Boston Marathon Bombing suspects having emotional problems. (Read more here). After the Fiscal 2015 was approved, the Town Council voted unanimously to approve Town Manager Michael Driscoll’s request to hire a third-party auditor to examine the school budget.

Government

State Rep. Hecht Hopeful About Getting More Special Ed Funds

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Watertown’s state representatives have been working to add more money to help the Watertown Public Schools deal with spiking special education costs, and State Rep. Jonathan Hecht said he is hopeful of getting some additional money. The cost came in more than $650,000 above the budgeted level, and funds had to be diverted from those intended for the regular education budget. The School Committee has requested extra funds from the town for Fiscal 2015 to bring the base up to the level of the current year (Fiscal 2014). The House budget includes a bill that would create a fund of $250,000 for school districts that have higher than average high-cost, out-of-district special education costs. Those programs are for students who have special needs that cannot be served in the Watertown schools, and in some cases cost $100,000, $200,000 or more, according to Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald.

Government

Watertown State Reps Pushing for Extra Special Education Funds

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{See the latest on this subject by clicking here.}

With Watertown facing higher than expected special education costs during the 2013-14 school year, the town’s State House delegation is asking for extra dollars from the state. State Rep. John Lawn said he is trying to get more money from the state budget, and have asked for $250,000 on the House side. “Jon Hecht and I are working on special education. Our costs are higher than other communities,” Lawn said. Meanwhile, State Sen. Will Brownsberger has requested an additional $100,000 in the Senate budget for a total of $350,000.

Schools

Find Out How to Help Watertown Middle School Win $50,000!

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Watertown Middle School has entered a contest to win $50,000 so they can remodel an old home economics room so it can be used by the school, including special education students. The middle school is competing against projects in places across the country in the Ultimate Neighborhood Give Back Challenge run by Guaranteed Rate. The top project wins $50,000, and money is also given to the runner-up. Winners are chosen based on votes and the merits of the project. The Integrated Life Skills program at the middle school teaches students with special needs to be self-sufficient by focusing on personal responsibility, independence and appropriate interactions.