Teachers end support of eighth-grade events
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

In a letter to Overlook Middle School Principal Brenda Houle, the eighth-grade teachers pulled their support from many end-of-the-year activities for their students because the work is done as volunteer hours.

The letter, signed by the 15 eighth-grade teachers, states the "eighth-grade graduation ceremony and dance and the endof the-year field trip require extensive time and effort above and beyond the contractual day."

They stated that "until further notice" they will not attend the graduation ceremony, chaperone the dance, and they will scale back the hours to only those of a regular school day "cutting the itinerary in half."

The letter dated Jan. 16 was forwarded to the Ashburnham- Westminster Regional School Committee and Supt. Michael Zapantis.

The Ashburnham-Westminster

Regional School Committee and the Ashburnham-Westminster Teachers' Association are in mediation as part of the ongoing contract negotiations. The teachers' contract expired on June 30, 2007. They are working under the terms of the expired contract.

The events will not be cancelled, according to Zapantis, who said he and the administrative team have been meeting to determine the best way to handle the changes.

"We as an administrative team support the activities," Zapantis said.

He said they will do anything to help these activities, including possibly chaperoning the events. He added any public support would also be helpful.

The field trip is the annual trip to Boston. Last year's, trip included visits to Fenway Park, a cruise around the city, and dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, said Houle.

The graduation event is an evening event with awards presentation, speeches and other presentations. The event is scheduled once the district has typically finished having snow days, Houle said. The dance is held following the ceremony.

There are 220 students in this year's eighth grade class.

The teachers explained the reason for the withdrawal of their support in the letter.

"Due to the lack of respect the School Committee members and the superintendent showed to all the AWRSD teachers at the School Committee meeting last night (Tuesday, Jan. 15), the eighth-grade teachers have decided to rethink their volunteer hours," states the letter.

The letter appears to be referring to the fact that the teachers were not allowed to address the School Committee at their Jan. 15 meeting. Committee Chairman David Christianson said the committee did not let the teachers speak because it was a single-item agenda with no time allotted for public comment.

"It would have been unfair to everyone else," he said.

He said he spoke with the chair of the union's negotiations committee before the Jan. 15 meeting, altering him to the fact that there would be no public comments. The union had previously addressed the committee in October and December.

"We do recognize what goes on here at the school," Christianson said. "It's not about the great job they do. It's not about not recognizing what they do. It's about the financial aspect."