Former School Board Members: Change Chemical Health Policy

George Thompson, Rod Jane and Craig Harris say the "'knowingly in the presence' clause potentially creates a public health hazard."

Three former Westborough School Committee members want the current board to remove the "knowingly in the presence of" clause from the school district's chemical health policy, a clause approved during the trio's tenure. George Thompson, Rod Jane and Craig Harris told the board in a letter submitted on Tuesday that "we are of the opinion that the anticipated public policy benefit relative to the behavior of Westborough students over the years has not materialized." "Consequently, the policy unfairly penalizes good behaving students who serve as positive role models relative to those students who wrongly consume alcohol or drugs," the letter states. "A policy that is neither effective or fair has no utilit and should be changed or eliminated…

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Jenni Speed

6:39 pm on Thursday, May 2, 2013

Contributor, I do get your point - I just don't agree that that is enough reason to scrap the policy. If we need to make changes to how it is implemented, let's do that. If we aren't punishing kids who need to be punished, let's do that. I don't care whether there is a federal or state law about kids being in the presence of alcohol. The more they are in the presence of alcohol, especially when …   more ›

Levine-Kanji Continues as School Board Chairman

The board reorganized during its first meeting since the March 5 annual town election.

The Westborough School Committee has reappointed Ilyse Levine-Kanji chairman for another year. The board reorganized Wednesday night during its first meeting since the March 5 annual town election. Stephen Doret and Bruce Tretter were re-elected, unopposed. Doret was reappointed vice chairman/secretary.

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Should Town Meeting Return to May?

School committee to vote on whether to seek this change at the March 16 annual town meeting.

Should Westborough move its annual town meeting back to May? The school committee next Wednesday night will vote on whether to place an article proposing this change on the March 16 annual meeting warrant. School Committee Chairman Ilyse Levine-Kanji suggested the idea Wednesday night. A May town meeting would give school officials “more fiscal certainty” when preparing their budget, as the state’s second quarter numbers would be available, she said. Now, “the school administration, the second they walk in the door, they’re already focused on next year,” Levine-Kanji said. Levine-Kanji said some residents have told her, regarding the current school budget debate, “’Hey, this is Christmas, I don’t have time to be coming to school committee …

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Patch Facts

5 Things: School Board Begins Budget Talk

Wondering what's happening in Westborough today?

Each morning, Westborough Patch presents “5 Things You Need to Know,” a collection of announcements, events, reminders and odd little ditties to help you organize your day. What will you be doing today? 1. The Fales Elementary School holds a Westborough Food Pantry Collection Day today. 2. And the Fales Parent Group's Book Fair and Ice Cream Social is from 6 to 8 p.m. 3. And the Hastings Parent Group's Book Fair and Ice Cream Social is from 5 to 8 p.m. 4. The Westborough School Committee meets at 6 p.m. at the Forbes Municipal Building. The agenda, which includes budget talk, is here. 5. And the Westborough Cultural Council meets at 7 p.m. at the Forbes Municipal Building. The agenda is here.  

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5 Things: School Board to Begin Budget Talk Nov. 7

Selectmen awarded the contract Tuesday night.

Each morning, Westborough Patch presents “5 Things You Need to Know,” a collection of announcements, events, reminders and odd little ditties to help you organize your day. What will you be doing today? 1. The Westborough School Committee plans to begin discussing next year's budget on Nov. 7, Chairman Ilyse Levine-Kanji said Wednesday night. 2. Support Westborough High School athletics. Remember: this is the Week of Lights: 3. The Westborough Public Library holds a Two-Time storytime for children ages 2 and 3 at 10:30 a.m. 4. Learn about wine and test drive the newest Cadillac model at "Wine Adventures with Abe," from 5 to 8 p.m. at Julio's Liquors. 5. And She's a Gem holds a Spin the Wheel of Fashion party from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

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Potential Gibbons Renovation Taking Next Step

Vote by the school committee today will lead to feasibility study.

Westborough school officials today take the next step toward pursuing a Gibbons Middle School renovation project. The school committee will vote to authorize Chairman Ilyse Levine-Kanji to sign a feasibility study agreement with the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The 2:30 p.m. meeting is in the Forbes Municipal Building. Levine-Kanji said Thursday night that voters at the spring town meeting approved $158,000 to begin this next phase, which includes hiring an architect and owner's project manager. The Gibbons school is about 50 years old, and requires renovations to bring it up to current building codes, she said. Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with …

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Committee Approves Increase in Student Activity Fees

Family activity fee cap to hike 170 percent.

  When the Westborough School Committee agreed to a FY13 budget proposal at its Dec. 14 meeting, the panel agreed to implement fees totaling $210,000 in an effort to hold down expenses. This week, the board approved various ways to raise that money, that largest of which raises school activity fees. “This is a way to maintain the quality of our school system,” said member Ilyse Levine-Kanji. The five members unanimously approved raising the school activity fee to $200 per activity, with a family cap of $500. Beginning in the 2012-13 school year, the fee will be in place for each activity involving fine arts, athletics and clubs. Currently, all middle and high school students participating in one or more extracurricular activites are …

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