School Savings Means Part-Time Help at Highlands, Morrison

Braintree Public Schools will use approximately $50,000 in savings realized from recent appointments and resignations to add part-time educators at Highlands and Morrison schools.

Superintendent Dr. Peter Kurzberg told School Committee members on Monday night that the money came from savings when recent hires were made at lower salaries than had been previously budgeted.

Using supplemental state education funds, the school department earlier this year added teachers at Highlands and Flaherty, an ELL instructor and a housemaster and administrative assistant at Braintree High School. Some of the money came from salary savings among those positions, Dr. Kurzberg said, and some from replacing a BHS English teacher who unexpectedly retired this fall.

"We were fortunate in both instances," Dr. Kurzberg said.

A part-time educator will work three and a half to four hours per day helping students that need extra attention at Highlands. The hours at Morrison will go toward assisting ELL students who need additional support.

On a related note, Committee Chair Shannon Hume apologized on Monday night to parents and educators at Flaherty School for a misunderstanding about the committee's vote this summer to add a full-time position for grade five.

The committee voted to approve a half-time educator and a half-time special needs educator, amounting to a full-time position, Hume said, but failed to effectively communicate that distinction.