Representatives from the Jaffrey-Rindge School District want to work with the town of Jaffrey to reimplement the recently defunct extended day program.
School Board chair Laurel McKenzie approached the Select Board on Monday, asking if the town would be willing to continue the program through the recreation department. No decision was made by the Select Board during the meeting.
“We should ask [Recreation Director Renee Sangermano] if this is something she has time to coordinate,” said Selectman James “Cush” Moore.
For the past five years, the extended day program had been a school district initiative, funded through state funds and accessible to all elementary and middle school students. The program offered homework and social support to students before and after school, among other things.
The district voted not to continue the program in Jaffrey after a second grant application was denied. Rindge Memorial School’s program will continue, as the program became self-sufficient during the five year grant cycle.
Using Rindge’s program as a model, McKenzie asked if the town would be willing to take on the responsibilities of coordinating the program for Jaffrey Grade School. The district would allow the program to be run in the grade school, if that is what the town wanted.
“It wouldn’t be morally correct for a cooperative school district to manage and fund a program for one town but not the other,” said McKenzie. “This needs to be a partnership between the district and the town.”
McKenzie said that if the town followed Rindge’s lead and implemented a fee structure, the program could be funded without any taxpayer burden. McKenzie’s proposal would have the program housed at the Jaffrey Grade School, but managed and staffed by Jaffrey’s Recreation Department.
Town Manager Dave Caron said he had spoken to Sangermano, who said that the ramp up time for the 2016-17 school year would be tight. Caron said that he and Sangermano felt that if the town took over the program, Humiston Field would be a more appropriate location to house it.
Caron also said that the town would be responsible for maintaining curriculum for the program, should the board elect vote in favor of the proposal.