LAWRENCE — Nearing the end of a year of extraordinary turmoil in Lawrence public schools, acting Superintendent Mary Lou Bergeron last night stressed the positives while setting the agenda for a more successful future.
In a State of the Schools address to about 100 parents and teachers at the South Lawrence East School, she stuck to the academics and did not mention the criminal investigation into suspended Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy and other embarrassing incidents.
In her presentation, Bergeron stressed the importance of "addressing school climate issues through positive behavioral support systems and educational programs."
Bergeron said there has been a 2 percent decrease in the dropout rate so far this year over last year and increases since 2004 in proficiency and advance scores in the English language arts part of the MCAS tests.
She said students have been showing gains in math scores, but "we're struggling in math and that's an area that we want to improve on."
She said the number of students held back in 2008-2009 was 178, down from 221 last year, 194 in 2006-2007 and 286 in 2005-2006.
Out-of-school suspensions decreased to 1,583 from 1,941 in 2007-2008, she said.
In setting initiatives for 2009-2010, Bergeron stressed among other things:
Use of mathematics across the curriculum
Ensuring consistent implementation of all curriculum programs across all grades and schools. There are almost 12,500 students in Lawrence public schools.
Greater parent and community engagement.
"We need the help and support of the parents and the community," Bergeron said. "We can't do it alone. You can't do it alone. We have to come together so our children can get the best education possible."
As for improving math skills, she said the subject can be integrated into other course work.
For example, art students can use geometric shapes while working on projects; in addition to conducting an experiment in science, students can make a chart of it. Even in gym classes, students can learn math by counting the number of times they dribble the ball and setting it on a charter using a measuring tape to find the distance they'd run.
"Math does play a role in everyday life," Bergeron said.
Karen Roque and her husband, Martin Romero, attended the meeting with their three daughters.
"It was very informative because it shows that she wants to improve the school," Romero said. "I'm glad because they are putting more attention on the system so our children can do better." Their daughter, Claudia Quintanilla, is a third-grader at Wetherbee School.
Bridget Lipski, president of the parent-teacher association at South Lawrence East, supported Bergeron in that there should be more parental involvement in the schools.
"It's extremely important for parents to come to the meetings so they know what and how their children are doing," Lipski said. "Education doesn't stop at 2 o'clock. Parents have to be educators, too."
Frank McLaughlin, president of the Lawrence Teachers' Union, also wants to see more parents take an interest in their children's education.
"It's always a good idea to bring everybody together. The only way we can help is through conversation. She is 100 percent right and I give her credit for that," said McLaughlin, a teacher for 30 years.
Bergeron has been acting superintendent for about three months. Laboy, 58, was suspended indefinitely in late June after the Essex district attorney's office launched a criminal probe of alleged financial wrongdoing. He was initially placed on paid administrative leave, but has been using accrued vacation pay since August.
State and local police raided Laboy's downtown office and Methuen home seeking evidence as part of the investigation.
Mark Rivera, the former special assistant to Laboy, was forced to resign earlier this year after it was revealed he used school computer software to check the criminal and financial backgrounds of people who had nothing to do with the school system.
Other problems this year included obstruction of justice charges brought against three Lawrence High School safety officers during an investigation of student drinking in the school, and the revelation that Oliver School Principal Beth Gannon wrote a steamy romance novel and allegedly promoted it on school time. She is now on indefinite medical leave.
