MARBLEHEAD — If you'd gone to last week's School Committee meeting, you'd have heard optimistic reports from the principals at the various elementary schools.
The presentations came with phrases like "common formative assessments ... core and intercore teams ... instructional focus ... colleagual dialogue ... responsive classroom ... interviewing variables."
Understandably, if you watched on television, you were looking for the English translation at the bottom of the screen. Is each of these phrases just another rubric in the wall between educators and the public they serve?
School Committee Chairman Dick Nohelty doesn't think so. He did concede that in the beginning he didn't understand these terms either. "The superintendent (Paul Dulac) gave us a cheat sheet," he explained.
Yet, board members get up to speed and soon understand most of the mysterious incantations of the education professionals. Nohelty defends their use, pointing out that sessions run more quickly and smoothly as a result.
"It's the vernacular of the educators," he said. "Every profession has its own jargon. ... The teachers, when they speak amongst themselves, they do use jargon."
Dulac could not be reached for comment yesterday. "He's in professional development all day," Nohelty explained, "learning these words."
Walls will tumble down
An effort to save something of Glover School has fallen to economics, says School Committee member Patricia Blackmer. Preservation-minded officials had wanted to retain three of the 1916 building's brick-veneered, wood-frame walls. The extra cost — from $500,000 to $700,000.
"For the nostalgic value, it made more sense to look at what was more cost-effective," Blackmer said.
The whole project is estimated at nearly $30 million. The state's School Building Authority heard the plan this week and consequently Blackmer is optimistic that it will approve co-paying 40 percent of the bill.
One thing Blackmer expects to see preserved is the name, which honors the town's Revolutionary War hero Gen. John Glover. "I see no reason why we wouldn't continue to call it the Glover School."
The 'A' word
Police Sgt. Marion Keating will have a pre-hearing on her appeal before the state Civil Service Commission on March 23, according to her lawyer, Stephen Pfaff. She is appealing her 50-day suspension for, according to the town, joking that a fellow officer had carnal intentions toward an assistant district attorney and then lying about it.
Keating has denied making the statement.
High hopes
Is there a GOP height requirement? Congressional candidate Bill Hudak, appearing before the Marblehead Republican Town Committee last week, is 6-foot-4. Candidate for governor Charlie Baker of Swampscott is a few inches taller than that. And new U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is also over 6 feet and a would-be basketball opponent for a reasonably tall Democrat, President Barack Obama.
A Dent in the Senate?
That's Republican Christopher Dent, who is also tall and also appeared at the recent meeting of the Marblehead Town Committee to promote his campaign to unseat veteran legislator Tommy McGee. Dent is a former U.S. Marine and a native of Nahant.
If at first you don't succeed ...
GOP town committee official Sharon Randall, who ran against then-state Rep. Doug Petersen in 2004, was asked about any new plans to seek office. "You never know," she said, eyes twinkling.
Oops
School Committee member Amy Drinker has not yet decided on her future. She wants to give careful consideration to a run for re-election before she decides whether to do it or not. An earlier item here was mistaken regarding her future plans. Stay tuned.
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