Marshfield Alternative School Still in Chaos, Parents Say

By Shamus McGillicuddy; SHAMUS McGILLICUDDY

The Patriot Ledger

MARSHFIELD – Parents of special-needs students say the alternative high school is still facing a crisis despite a plan to hire a director.

Many of the parents have protested changes made to the school’s disciplinary code, exclusion of their children from the mainstream high school and what they say is chaos in the classrooms. They say the school needs someone on site who is in charge.

At least 12 parents have filed a formal joint complaint with the state Department of Education detailing these charges.

Last week, all the students in the alternative school walked out of class after a student and an administrator got into a confrontation.

Parents met with the school committee and administrators last night to hear plans for improving the troubled school.

The alternative high school is located in a small schoolhouse on South River Street. Its mission is to educate students with learning disabilities and emotional and behavioral disorders.

Fourteen students are enrolled at the school, which is staffed by two teachers and two aides. It costs nearly $158,000 to operate.

High School Principal Robert Keuther, who is in charge of the alternative school, said the building needs “consistent leadership.”

“The students need to know who is in charge,” Keuther said. “It’s very difficult if I am two miles away. A behavioral episode will be over by the time I get there.”

Superintendent of Schools Middleton McGoodwin asked the school committee for permission to hire an alternative high school coordinator. The person also would be responsible for coordinating the school system’s overall behavioral program, McGoodwin said. But the person would be based in the alternative school and be responsible for the management of the school.

“It came as no surprise to hear that we would need a director (in the school),” McGoodwin said. “The concept of a director has been in the shadows, so to speak. That became even more apparent as the school year began.”

School committee members said they supported hiring a director for the school. The committee will vote on the matter on Tuesday.

In the meantime, Keuther has hired consultant Stephen Metcalf to manage the alternative school temporarily.

Parents were receptive to the plan, but said other changes are needed.

“I hope this resolves a lot of the problems, by having some sort of unity at the school,” parent Mary Picard said.

But Picard and other parents said the school must have two teachers certified in special education. Only one teacher, Mary Campbell, is certified.

Keuther said state regulations require only one special education teacher at the school.

Parent Clarke Phillips said that didn’t matter. He said the other teacher is not qualified to teach his son.

Phillips and other parents tried to discuss specific problems their children are having with that teacher.

School officials stopped them from speaking about these issues, saying such discussions must be held in a closed meeting. School committee Chairwoman Marti Morrison said parents should go to administrators with any specific problems.

“But we’ve had these problems for awhile,” Phillips said. “We’re not getting answers. Keuther doesn’t call me back.”

McGoodwin sought to assure parents that school officials will put the needs of their children first and he asked for their support.

“I wouldn’t be taking the alternative high school down a road I didn’t believe in,” McGoodwin said. “But we can’t do this alone. We need to go forward together.”

Shamus McGillicuddy may be reached at smcgillicuddy@ledger.com.