School staffing squabble heated in Swampscott

SWAMPSCOTT – Parents criticized school administrators and rallied in support of popular first-year Stanley Elementary School Music Teacher John Reynolds, who resigned Friday rather than accept a part-time job when a senior teacher bumped him from his full-time position.”We finally had a teacher who is motivated and then, 10 months later, we’re losing (that) great teacher,” said parent Patty Colone. “It’s questionable whether (the senior teacher) even wants this position or whether he accepted full-time pay for part-time work. Where is the accountability?”Superintendent Lynne Celli said that the decision to reduce Reynolds’ position arose in February. At that time, she said, administrators realized that the high school and Stanley Elementary School both had full-time music positions but there was only enough responsibilities for one full-time position at the Stanley School and a part-time position at the high school.Since that time, Celli said, the administration tried to schedule additional electives for next year that would enable them to retain both teachers. However, she said that students did not express interest in those classes. With last Friday as the last day to inform teachers of their positions for next year, administrators had to offer Reynolds the part-time job.”I know this is a case where we all don’t like (what happened),” said Celli. “But we were trying to find a solution up to the deadline? There was absolutely nothing we could do to maintain legal responsibilities. We tried to create orchestra and electives but there was no way to keep the position. The best we could come up with was the assignment we came up with.”But parents criticized Celli and the school committee for not informing them of the situation. After the meeting, parent Marianne McDermott said that when she heard the news Friday afternoon, she picked up the phone and began trying to find out more information.Outside the meeting, McDermott, Colone and parents Ariel Wallen and Melissa Caplan said that parents raised concerns about whether Edward Jack, the music teacher at the high school level, was leaving the school halfway through the day but being paid for full-time work; whether there were other budget problems and whether Jack was qualified for Reynolds’ position as well as other issues.”My concern is a disturbing lack of partnership here,” she told the committee during the meeting. “We could have worked together and figured out a solution. We’d like to see a change in the future and we’d like to have a voice before the door closes.”Celli defended the administration’s decision. She emphasized that Jack was not being paid for only performing half-time work. She added that additional “non-teaching duties” Jack had been assigned – by previous administrators, she noted – to meet full-time status could be performed more cheaply by a paraprofessional. She also said that Jack had no moral or ethical responsibility to object to these duties because they were assigned to him. And she said that because he was licensed to teach elementary music education, he had the skills required for the full-time position at Stanley.Celli agreed with School Committee Member Jaren Landen that these incidents send a problematic message to “young, talented and enthusiastic educators.” But she also said that it would be “arbitrary and capricious” to expand a program that wasn’t demanded by students just to retain a popular teacher.Parents said after the discussion that they appreciated the clarification by the school committee, and understood the administration’s actions. But they were still disappointed.”I take it as what it is, the situation stinks,” McDermott said. “It’s just a pity to see a young teacher leave. “And it comes after we finally had a program that we feel really worked, Colone added.