GREENFIELD — A popular program up that adds 90 minutes to the school day, allowing Greenfield public schools to offer extra classes like robotics, art and physical education, remains a possibility for next year.
A special task force formed by the mayor decided on Tuesday to continue the Expanded Learning Time program. School officials have not yet decided on whether to apply for the state grant that supports the program.
“As a school committee we have the right and the responsibility to pay attention what’s happening in our district, but however, if there’s not a problem why would we create a problem?” said Adrian Nunez, member of the ELT task force and the finance and budget subcommittee chairwoman.
The grant is in question because the mayor has questioned if the program will put too great of a burden on the town’s budget, which is seeing several cuts for this coming year.
About 50 members of the community attended an hour-long public meeting where the task force made the decision at Newton Elementary.
The task force listened to parents and teachers’ beliefs that the program is vital to not only the students but the welfare of Greenfield.
Some people in attendance cited that the day can be long for some students as the most minor of concerns. Parents and teachers cited improvement in test scores, access to the arts and physical education and special programs like robotics and computer programming.
“If the ELT does dissolve, it would also dissolve my son’s opportunities,” said Andrew Vernon, a parent of two in the Greenfield public school system.
He raised a point that the committee members later referenced in their own comments — the economic benefits of the program to the town.
“Without this grant I would not have a mortgage on my home,” Vernon said.
Vernon and other parents noted that Amherst and Northampton realtors are looking into whether Expanded Learning Time continues because it could have ramifications on the real estate market in Greenfield.
Several other parents noted that the program was a major reason for their families to move to Greenfield.
“If we take away something like ELT, which is a big selling point for the Greenfield school system, that is going to have a negative impact on trying to attract new people to the area,” parent Caitlin von Schmidt said.
Many parents brought up the worries of families fleeing the school system like they did in 2007. Since then, they said Expanded Learning Time has helped elevate the school system. The worry is that to remove the program as a selling point would cause a domino effect of parents pulling students to schools outside the Greenfield public school system.
“We’re going to see kids leaving,” parent Erica Burns said. “It’s going to be 2007 all over again.”
If a student School Choices to a different public school, the school loses $5,000. If the school has a student choice in, then it gets $5,000.
There will be a public hearing at GCTV today at 6:30 p.m., when the school committee will first be presented the superintendent’s budget. A vote on the budget could be had at the meeting, but it is anticipated to take place on the next public hearing, Monday, March 13.
You can reach
Joshua Solomon at:
jsolomon@recorder.com