Marblehead principal lists school facility needs as top concern

MARBLEHEAD – A growing number of parents at the Gerry School, the only downtown school building, believe that the 101-year-old structure is adequate for learning.However, Coffin and Gerry schools Principal Sean Satterfield said in his school improvement plan that school facility needs still top the list of items needing improvement.Fifty percent of Gerry and Coffin school parents responded to the February survey of school parents, far more than the 29 percent who responded in 2007.Forty-eight percent of those responding said the school facilities met academic needs, as opposed to 42 percent in 2007. That was the only question where the positive answers were in the minority. Questions about having enough school supplies and the usefulness of the school report card were the next lowest, with about 64 percent of the parents answering favorably.The Gerry School is scheduled for some repairs in the coming months.The highest positive responses for both schools were for the standards they set for academics and behavior, and having a safe and positive climate.The plan said both schools would focus on ongoing maintenance issues next year, along with pursuing Smartboard technology and increases in standardized test scores.The report was prepared by the schools’ Site-Based Management Team, which includes Satterfield, parent representatives Kerry Zurn and Sue Bragdon, Coffin teachers Heidi Janock and Joan Kavanagh and Gerry teacher Diane Babbitt.