CHICOPEE – Arts and music opportunities for students and funding for full time vice principals in elementary schools were the center of discussion at the Chicopee School Committee meeting on Oct. 2.

Both discussions were brought forth by Committee member Mary Beth Costello. While it was not noted which schools were currently sharing vice principals, Costello did mention she wanted to see full-time vice principals in both Streiber and Bowie Elementary Schools.

Costello first broached the topic of reinstating full time vice principals in schools by notifying her fellow committee members that she’d received concerns from many parents in the district.

She said, “I’ve received numerous people come to me with their concern that as parents they feel that it would be appropriate to have their own vice principal.” She continued that while it made sense to share a vice principal when “money is extremely tight,” now that money wasn’t as much of a concern as it used to be, she felt “this should be a priority to get a full time vice principal in both Bowie and Streiber.”

She cited several benefits that would come with each school having their own vice principal including, “a better work environment” and “a better education environment.” Many committee members echoed the sentiment that they thought full-time principals were a good idea. Superintendent Richard Rege also mentioned when two principals submitted their requests for additional funding, both had a full time vice principals on their lists.

Committee member Sandra Peret agreed the reinstatement of full time vice principals in the schools made sense. “I’m glad we’re going to discuss that because it would seem that both schools with both their enrollment are going to need two people that can manage what’s happening in the building with the students, with the other professionals that are in the building.” Peret added, “It’s hard to do things when you have a full time principal and a part-time person going from building to building. So it makes logical, educational sense, but it makes sense to discuss it further.”

The committee decided to send the topic to the finance subcommittee. This, committee member Donald Lamonthe said was, “to see when and if this is doable.” He said, ”More or less, we gotta make sure the money is there.”

The second topic of significance discussed during the meeting, also introduced by Costello, was an update on the status of art classes within the elementary schools for students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade.

Once again, Costello said she’d been approached by concerned constituents that felt that art was a valuable part of a child’s education. “There’s a feeling that art is extremely important for all young students. Everything you see is art, everything is art,” Costello said. “So exposing young children to art in every school is a benefit to their education and to the education process as a whole.”

Rege said at this point all schools are either offering art, music, or a STEAM classroom as an elective. He said “There’s a hybrid of things going on depending on the schools.”

He also added that the district negotiated with the teacher’s union that they “agreed that with schools that did not have one or the other, that they would offer after school clubs for art and/or music.”

He affirmed that this was the plan for music and arts programs, and that the district had budgeted $45,000 to be used towards the programs.

“...We budgeted $45,000 for that, our budget is sitting there. It can be used for stipending the teachers, paying for buses, paying for supplies, etc. And actually the elementary principals are meeting this coming Tuesday to discuss a uniform way of doing this,” Rege said.

However, after school programs in Chicopee often don’t start until late in October because “we want the kids to be totally focused on schoolwork and homework, then we start our after school clubs because they’re really acclimated to the school workday,” Rege said.

Again, Rege confirmed that the programs would be offered in an after school setting beginning at the beginning of November at the very latest.