So if there is no room this year for all Kindergartens to be in elementary schools how will we fit them there next year ? Also will the children housed at ECC have gym, library, music ? Do they have cafeteria at ECC ?

Rumor has it that all day kindergarten may be on the chopping block. Going to 1/2 day only frees up 6 classrooms.

There is indoor gym in what was the old auditorium and the front and back playgrounds.
There is no lunchroom. When the school was built kids went home for lunch. Kids bring lunch or can order from the menu which is delivered from
the HS.
There is no lunch room or art room or cafe or music room.

There are a lot of good teachers. There are a lot of caring Paraprofessionals. The nurse is great. Secretary too. The SPED teachers do a wonderful job. The Director got the job because she is connected. Beware of her crocodile smile. As phoney as a 3 dollar bill.

Just got my letter yesterday that my son will be at the ECC. This was not my "choice". Everyone should have to resubmit their choices once the ECC was an option. I am sure there are kids that live around there that would have rather been there but will be sitting in a classroom that I picked as my first choice and their parents did not. I live 8 houses away from the Winthrop but now will have to drive across town. Not happy with Taymore as most in this town, truly a botched job. The question now is, will there by a Metco class next year? Taymore told me she will not know until June. This should have been a definite "NO", with our overcrowding. This does not give me a good feeling. If Melrose takes in a Metco class next year, stay tuned...it will get ugly.

Ok, I must have missed something here. Are you stating Metco as a whole should be discontinued by Melrose because of the overcrowding in our school system OR are you inquiring as to whether Metco kindergarten will be attending school in Melrose? I've got a head full of allergy medicine so your comment is registering as unclear to me. Thanks.

The Winthrop School is preserved for the well-to-do-kids.:white_check_mark:

I would hope that when a house is for sale the homes will not have a school name attached to it ! Years ago for instance we bought in the “desirable Horace Mann area” Now you are NOT guaranteed to go to neighborhood schools.

Dillon,
What part of Metco class next year is confusing to you?

My post was self explanatory, but seeing you are attempting to undermine my intellegence let's try simpler terms so you can comprehend. A kindergarten class where Metco students are not permitted to be enrolled in OR are there serious discussions about dissolution of the Metco Program as a whole in Melrose due to overcrowding. At least I have an excuse, fog-brain from benadryl, what's yours? What else do you have for me wise@ss?

Are you sure it's just benadryl? You seem too stupid to comprehend sentences. How about you knock back some more pills, cuddle up in a blanket and count down the hours till next pill popping time. If you can't determine that I am talking about next years kindergarten class being sent to the ECC due to overcrowding and still no word on accepting a Metco class next year, then pal you have worse issues to worry about than Metco being eliminated. I know you must be worried about your child not having their diversity requirement fulfilled.

Junk, I hope they stick to the assignments in the letters. The Winthrop neighborhood residents are friendly and kind to each other. Calling someone "stupid" and making reference to "pill popping" is uncalled for. You referencing African Americans with your comment about "your child not having their diversity requirement fullfilled" is aweful. Your name suits you.

Melrose, trying to be a community open to all including Metco.

Not if it means my child being displaced to a preschool.

Glad to hear all is peachy at the Winthrop, of course no metco students were taken in last year, it must of saddened you very much. Perhaps you should have volunteered your child to go to the preschool so a metco student can sit in your child's chair at the Winthrop. With an even bigger kindergarten next year and no decision about metco, not sure why Melrose kids need to be displaced to a preschool because I am sure none of the metco students will be at the preschool. I'm sorry if you think this question is offensive, of course any discussion about metco seems to set people off on here. I wonder why.

Leave them alone, Junk! To paraphrase that great philosopher, Axl Rose, they've worked too hard for their illusions just to throw them all away.

Someone needs to clue them in that there's no reason to virtue signal when you're posting anonymously.

All I know is that If I had a kid in the system I'd be none too pleased that METCO pays all of $3,925 (FY 2017) per student and the district picks up the difference. Meanwhile, Boston pays over $20K per pupil for the kids they keep.

It's an interesting little criminal enterprise. This from the moonbats at Wikipedia:

"Current challenges and controversies
The size and the scope of the METCO program has changed dramatically, but the essential goals and logistics remain unchanged. However, a 2007 Supreme Court ruling has the potential to fundamentally alter the METCO program. Through the decisions Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 and Meredith v. Jefferson County Board of Education, the Supreme Court determined that race cannot be a factor in school assignments. Should METCO be legally challenged by a white student, the program may be forced to use income instead of race to screen applicants. This would impact the program's usefulness as a desegregation tool.[18] No lawsuits challenging the program have yet[when?] been filed, but several communities have begun to discuss whether income should be used instead of race.

Receiving school districts offer numerous tutoring, extended day, and counseling benefits exclusively to METCO students, despite constitutional issues with use of race to determine programmatic eligibility.

Suburban cost
When METCO was initiated in 1966, receiving districts received a state grant covering transportation costs for students, and a tuition assessment set by receiving districts. Over time, the financial system evolved from one where receiving districts set tuition rates, to a "grant" system where a standard per-pupil grant of $3,925 (FY2017) is provided to receiving districts, almost all of which is used to fund METCO direct services with no money available for indirect general educational expenses. [19] The Boston School Committee does not pay METCO financial expenses, having passed a resolution supporting METCO upon the condition that Boston not contribute financially.[20] The consequence is that receiving districts must make up the gap in costs. [3] [21] [22]

Performance measurement and referral practices
While numerous studies have compared METCO student success with general populations in Boston or the state, no controlled studies have been done to determine effects. METCO students come from families with higher income levels than the Boston population at large,[2] and an extended wait list system which requires registration as early as infancy[23] may be biased against participation by transient and low income populations. Rather than randomized referral to suburbs from the wait list, METCO Inc. states that its policy is to give priority based on waitlist order. It is unclear whether this process has been audited by the state and whether Metco Inc. provides preferential referral to affiliated individuals.

METCO Inc. as operating agency without competitive bid
METCO Inc. has been written into the legislation to operate the METCO program without a competitive bid process. Moreover, METCO Inc. was established to advocate for African-American students, but is expected to operate the METCO program for the benefit of all Boston minority students.

Organizational Transparency
METCO Inc. forced the resignation of its 43 year executive director, Jean McGuire, in September 2016. The METCO Board described this as simply a retirement agreement, while Mrs. McGuire later told the Boston Globe she was forced to resign due to "age discrimination."[24]

Financial Accountability
Local METCO directors use discretion to apply public funds to pay for snacks and party goods[25] rather than educational services. Wayland's METCO director was called to task for using her own credit card to pay for such purchases and then reimburse herself from a private account without flowing funds through the Wayland treasurer.[26]"

So the whole house of cards collapses if the parents of a White or Asian student sues!

Nah, more like "sweetness is a virtue and you lost your virtue long ago". If Winthrop Mom could just call me a racist and get it over with. Of course I know hate has no home at the Winthrop, the 2 signs out front let me know. Perhaps not all at the Winthrop feel the way their den mom does, but as long as all have the same thoughts and feelings as this mother does then I guess they can sleep better at night knowing how virtuous they are. Yup, Axl Rose is right, again.

Agreed with Junk. It seems wrong that parents were not given the choice of the preschool. I am sure a lot of these parents did their due diligence and toured all the schools taking time out of their day, only to find out a school was assigned without their knowledge or consideration. I didn't hear that the ecc was know a kindergarten.

I'll say it, RACIST JUNKIE. Quoting Guns and Roses. What losers.

Junk you related to David Dukes?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dukes

Thank you all for calling me a racist. I knew it wouldn't be long, especially considering I said nothing racist. Just questioning something relating to metco makes someone a racist now, ok I get it. Unfortunately your white guilt extends to your driveway only. Trying to shut someone up by calling them a racist is reserved for the lowest of liberals. But I know your ilk, see it all the time, good luck with your future virtue signaling. It seems to be working well.

DICTIONARY
rac·ist
noun
1. a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.
"Junk's comments have led to her being called a racist"
synonyms: racial bigot, racialist, xenophobe, chauvinist, supremacist.

DICTIONARY
junk

noun
1. rubbish, gargage, odd
2. informal, uninformed
3. Heroin, drug used by racist .

1. discard or abandon unceremoniously.
"junk the rest" LIKE YOUR POSTS
synonyms:throw away/out, discard, get rid of, dispose of, scrap, toss out, piece of feces.

When you can't make a point, you cry racism, understood.

I am a Melrose resident. My children attend various levels of school here in Melrose. I am black. I don't necessarily think junk made a racist comment. I will say I believe certain remarks junk wrote are appauling. I believe this person is selfish as well like her child is more important than others, black or white.

Selfish, are you serious? I was told 80% would get their first choice, almost all would get 1st or 2nd choice, very few would get their 3rd choice. Guess what, I got none of those. I got a preschool. That makes me selfish?? Nice try pal.

Franklin was built as an elementary and stayed that way for years. Yes preschool is their now but the keyword is school. I understand you buy in a neighborhood and it would be nice to attend that school, make neighboorhood school friends. Under this absurd administration you'll never get that. We have a flourishing city, time to get our schools back and functioning. It's only going to get worse. There, I defend your reasoning but suggest you rethink how you word your posts. Someone asks you a question you jump all over them. I don't know where you lived before but if you are going to reside in an upscale neighboorhood and city you should cut the Roseanne Connor trailer trash mouth. You sound uncooth. Calling yourself Junk suits your posts. I'll bet dollars to donuts you won't be able to resist trashing me.

Trailer trash? Ok. Who sounds uncooth now? The ECC was not given as a choice to those unfortunate enough to be assigned there. This was a fly by night alternative which no consideration was given to any parent. We were given 5 school choices, none of which was the ECC. No prior notice from the administration or any kind of reassurance for the 1st grade. Perhaps I can look forward to the next 6 years at a preschool.

There are valid points being raised by Junk.

Questions for the school committee / administration: When was the most recent look at district lines completed for the elementary schools? It goes all the way back to 1997 when the city had 7 neighborhood schools. Since that time, the City has taken two schools off line as elementary buildings (Ripley 2003, Beebe, 2004). Yet no adjustment to the neighborhood boundaries has been made. The documents are on file available to the public at the Melrose Public Library and also in Central Administration.

The neighborhoods with the biggest share of the burden from this organizational failure to do the work include areas in the old Ripley and Beebe neighborhoods. The way the assignment process is written now, families in these areas do not live close enough to either the Roosevelt or the Lincoln (for residents of the old Beebe area) as well as families that live by the old Ripley school, not close enough to Hoover or Lincoln, face the unfortunate reality of not having a neighborhood school in a neighborhood school system.

Therefore, a disproportionate number of families in these areas either opt out and send their kids to the Charter School, St. Mary's or other parochial, or drive across town every day to have their child fill an "empty seat" in a school that others in the city get to call their neighborhood school. Admittedly, it is a first world problem. But if the city were honest, they would pull the numbers...how many families get their 3rd choice placement, or are placed in a school that is not their choice at all? Plot the addresses on a map. Where do these families live? And what can be done to address the inequity? The answer is straight forward. Shift the boundary lines for the incoming Kindergarten class for however elementary schools remain. Then, prioritize Kindergarten placement if a sibling is already enrolled in an elementary building. 15 years after the Ripley closed as an elementary school and this is still not done?

And then of course, there is the space crunch...pretending that the city did not know we had large numbers in this incoming Kindergarten class before they chose to proceed with the temporary classrooms is also a sham. The city has the software to plot the kids by birthdate and address. The administration and school committee and city planner must do the work.

They should put music/art back to classrooms and free up these large spaces so they can add more classes! Huge library space and the kids use if for 1/2 hour ONCE a week. Time for a book to be read by a parent and chaos trying to get them to listen. Waste of good space Is art in a cart that bad ? Don’t you think giving our residents a better chance of staying with their choice School makes more sense 🤔

"I don't know where you lived before but if you are going to reside in an upscale neighborhood and city you should cut the Roseanne Connor trailer trash mouth."

"upscale neighborhood"? Ha! Thanks for my laugh of the day.

I am a teacher in a different town, and have been teaching a long time. I can tell you that every system (even the ones that are seemingly "upscale" and idyllic) has its problems. But, as a resident with neighbors working in the system, as well as sending their kids to school here, I can tell you that I have never seen anything like this place. It is one of the most dysfunctional school systems I have ever seen. The decisions that get made by the administration here are seemingly the most ill-conceived, thoughtless, and divisive. There is not even a mouthpiece for the system who is well-regarded and/or well-spoken (CT's speaking skills are an embarrassment). Most school systems have that, at least. I am not well-versed on what is happening with the kindergarten classes, but it sounds like it was handled par for the course in our "upscale neighborhood" of Melrose.

I really dodged a bullet in sending my kids to private school (as many city officials and public school teachers do!)

Most of the children come back to the MPS when they want more social activities.

Jesus, these people are too dumb to mock you properly! "David Dukes"? "Guns and Roses"?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Duke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns_N%27_Roses

There is a simple solution to this problem. Eliminate full day Kindergarten. Its not required by the State, it costs the City a fortune because they don't charge for it, and if the City went back to 1/2 day it would free up all the classroom space needed for the "bubble" we keep hearing about. All the kids could go to their neighborhood schools under this scenario. Two much time and consternation has been spent on a "nice to have" freebie that at the end of the day only serves to make the recipients of this gift aggravated and angry...while the high school gets its budget slashed year in and year out. Priorites are backwards and need to be fixed.

"it costs the City a fortune because they don't charge for it"

In your ignorance you have neglected the fact that the district gets reimbursed in Chapt 70 funds by the state because it has full-day K, and those funds would be lost if it went back to half-day.

What are you talking about? The Franklin has an "all purpose room" just like the Winthrop, Hoover, Beebe, Horace Mann (and maybe Ripley?). They were designed this way in order to maximize use of the space. Why have a huge room that is only used for 2 hours a day when you can use it for many things instead? The Franklin has (or had) a full kitchen right off the all purpose room that they used to prepare meals in when I attended the YMCA before/after school program there. I did half-day kindergarten.

Reading just recently passed an override and they charge for full day Kindergarten with 1/2 day options. We have full day K but the paraprofessionals were cut because of chapter 70. The city now pays for the paras in Kindergarten. They were supposed to share but don’t think they had to.

Wonder no more. Taymoe, Farell, and Adams will take the lowest salary for the kindergarten issue. The schools are so under staffed at all elementary schools. The elementary schools are also violating all IEP's.