For the next three years, Waterville Central School District students will have an additional 30 minutes of instruction each day.
That comes to 14 more days of school, WCS Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Spring told the WCS Board of Education last week. It is one of the ways Waterville will use federal recovery money to address the educational impact of the pandemic.
The meeting also marked a turning point in the Covid-19 world, as all seven board members, administrators and guests attended in person. The meeting was also livestreamed.
One of those guests was former Board member Roberta Williams, whose term ended last June when the board had switched to virtual meetings. She was honored for her 12 years on the board.
Board member Mark Mowrey was also thanked for his four years on the Board; the meeting was the last before his term ends. Mowrey said it was a pleasure and positive experience to be a member of the Board.
Also celebrated were the district’s employees who are retiring: teacher Joe Angerosa, bus drivers John Sheldrick and Robert Thomas, office secretary Deborah Gerhart, aide Sheena Pughe and Memorial Park School Principal Maureen Gray, who was at the meeting.
After starting her teaching career in Clinton for the first 11 years, Gray spent the next 22 years at Waterville in a variety of positions. Along with being principal, she was athletic director, chair of special education and last summer interim superintendent.
During the two-hour public session Board members enjoyed treats from the Waterville Standard Bakery provided as a thank you by a satisfied parent, according to the card.
Spring explained that the first goal of using the just under $3 million in federal money was to expand learning for all students. The additional 30 minutes per day also received approval by 95 percent of the Waterville Teachers Association.
About $1.3 million of the money will go for this initiative. Teachers will receive a set stipend per year.
The second phase is the summer enrichment program that begins at MPS this summer and runs through summer 2023. Students entering grades kindergarten through fifth can attend four weeks of the program, which runs three hours each morning four days a week.
Spring said 100 students have signed up for this year’s program. Gray said an activity is planned for every day, with each week having a theme….
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