The lack of applicants for three vacant high school math positions at ConVal High School is a “critical shortage area,” according to Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders.

At Rizzo Saunders’ request, the School Board made that designation at Tuesday night’s meeting. The designation of “critical shortage" around hiring enables the SAU to offer additional funds to applicants. The increased pay for math position applicants, which Rizzo Saunders said would be between $3,000 and $5,000, would be applied to all current math teachers at ConVal as well. 

“We have had challenges hiring math teachers, and it continues to be a challenge,” Rizzo Saunders said. “What I can tell you right now is there have been no applicants for these positions.” 

ConVal Principal Heather McKillop reported that as of last week,  the ConVal Math Department has five returning math teachers and three open slots.  In response to a question from School Board member Jim Kingston of Temple about where the additional funds would come from, Rizzo Saunders noted that as these were not new positions, the funds could come from the salary budget.

“The funds could also come from the fund balance, because this is an emergency,” Rizzo Saunders said. 

Rizzo Saunders spoke to the importance of algebra for high school graduates. 

“I’m not saying it is an easy thing to do, but taking and passing algebra by the time you graduate from high school is an essential skill you need in order to be successful in the workplace – whether you are in manufacturing, whether you are working at Dunkin’ Donuts or whether you are going on to college. It is imperative that students leave school understanding algebra. I understand this is not a popular requirement, and it is not popular with the current math department. But is is considered, across education today, to be essential,” Rizzo Saunders said.

The board voted unanimously in favor of deeming the math department vacancies a “critical shortage area.” 

Communication Committee reinstated

School Board member Alan Edelkind of Dublin – who led the district’s Strategic Organization Committee that oversaw the failed effort to amend the district’s Articles of Agreement, which could have led to the closing of four elementary schools – proposed that the board reinstate the ConVal Communication Committee, which had been dissolved prior to the reconfiguration process. 

“The Communication Committee accomplished a lot, and the community appreciated the information we gave them,” Edelkind said. “The community wants and needs communications – that, we know. The community needs to know what the School Board is doing, and not rely on just  a handful of community folks who may attend our meetings, and who can only provide their own opinion. The Communication Committee provides a service for the community. Our goal is to have a committee which works well with the board as well as with outside communication firms.”

The majority of the board voted to reinstate the committee, with only Bill Bryk of Antrim voting against the motion. 

In the public comment portion of the meeting, Myron Steere, former chair of the ConVal School Board and former representative from Greenfield, thanked Rizzo Saunders for her 16 years of service with the ConVal School District.

Two members of ConVal’s 4x400-meter relay team, Jack Harris of Hancock and Kendrick Edwards of Francestown, thanked the board, McKillop and ConVal AD Kevin Proctor for their support of the team’s recent trip the NikeOutdoor  Track and Field Nationals in Eugene, Ore. Two other members of the team, Anthony Cadwallader and Elliot Featherstone, were not able to attend the meeting. 

Edwards and Harris presented the baton they used in their event, and told the board that at Proctor’s request, they would all be signing the baton and placing it in the ConVal trophy case. The Cougars relay team placed 10th at the national event.