Here’s a look at some of the items that the Manchester Board of School Committee (BOSC) will discuss at their May 11, 2020 meeting. Manchester Ink Link will have full coverage of important topics discussed during the meeting next week. A full copy of the agenda can be found here.
Facilities Master Plan Presentation
Manchester School District Superintendent Dr. John Goldhardt will provide a presentation outlining thoughts and ideas on proper and optimal utilization of the city’s 22 current public school facilities, likely touching on how to address overcrowding at some schools and empty space at others.
Ultimately, the report also aims to stir the a sub-section of the BOSC, school district leaders, an educational planning consultant and two architectural firms into a presenting a four-phase planning process that will provide a recommended solution for the full-board.
In Goldhardt’s proposal, The Team Organization phase of the plan would take place from May to June 2020, information gathering will occur from July to October 2020, creation and evaluation of options to address the problem will take place from November to December 2020 and a presentation of final options is scheduled for January 2021.
Memorial/MST Merger on the Table
Recently, a proposed merger of Manchester Memorial High School and Manchester School of Technology (MST), two public high schools with different focuses separated by just a few thousand feet, was placed on the table.
It remains on the table as an agenda item on Monday and At-Large BOSC Member Jim O’Connell has told Manchester Ink Link that he will make a motion to receive and file the request, effectively ending any possibility of a merger for the time being.
During the most recent discussion on the merger, O’Connell said he was not necessarily opposed to the merger, but required detailed expert analysis before making a decision.
In Goldhardt’s proposal for the merger, Memorial would become the district’s first Career and Technical Education (CTE) magnet school, building on the CTE programs already in place at MST. The merger would also allow MST students to participate in extra-curricular activities at Memorial and would also address unused space at Memorial as well as a lack of space at MST.
In the proposal, the new merged school would have one principal, three assistant principals at Memorial and two assistant principals at MST.
Proposed 2020/2021 School Calendar
Whether in-person or through remote learning, the proposed first day of school for the 2020-’21 school year in Manchester is Sept. 2, 2020 and the proposed tentative last day of school is June 16, 2021.
If approved, preschool will start on Sept. 9 with three orientation days from Sept. 2-4.
There are 10 professional learning days: three preceding the first day of school, two after the last day, two coming on days when schools are closed for the municipal primary and election and other days in October, January and March.
Students and faculty will also receive holidays on Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving as well as the day before and after it, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day and Presidents’ Day.
Vacations are also scheduled for Dec. 24 to Jan. 1, Feb. 22 to Feb. 26 and April 26 to April 30.
