MANCHESTER, N.H. – A decision on implementing a new STREAM program at the city’s public elementary schools has been postponed pending a vote by the Manchester Board of School Committee on Monday night.
The new program, whose acronym stands for “Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art and Math,” is an expanded STEM/STEAM approach intended to assist the district in tackling dismal testing scores in reading and science.
Manchester School District Assistant Superintendent Amy Allen has stated that instruction time for the new approach to learning at the elementary school level would be obtained through removing elementary school level health classes.
Allen has said that Manchester is one of the few school districts in New Hampshire with elementary school health classes and its curriculum uses the outdated “Michigan Model,” which relies heavily on VHS tapes.
In the new STREAM program, nutrition information would be included through lesson plans that include reading and science, such as experiments where students learn about the nutritional information about certain foods.
Teachers currently teaching elementary school health classes would not be laid off, but would not be replaced upon their retirement, instead being replaced by teachers trained in STREAM techniques.
That point drew concern from Manchester Education Association President Sue Hannan, who said that the proposal should have included discussion with teachers and could violate existing collective bargaining agreements.
Hannan also expressed concerns about a more limited role for guidance counselors in the new program as well, with At-Large Board of School Committee Member Peter Argeropoulos and At-Large Board of School Committee Member James O’Connell asking Allen for more information
Allen said that existing elementary school health teachers could be transitioned to high school health classes if requested, but Allen said the program would have no impact to guidance counselors.
O’Connell moved to table a decision on implementation of the STREAM program across the city’s elementary schools until Hannan’s assertion could be confirmed. His motion passed in a voice vote, but not unanimously.