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This article is part of a series on proposed budget cuts.
The recent school district budget cuts are threatening guidance office secretary Anne Marie Sullivan, a fifteen-year veteran of the guidance office. Because Sullivan is a ten month employee, rather than a twelve month employee like coworker Ann Fratto, Sullivan would be cut under the Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposed by Superintendent Gary Burton. This will affect the way the guidance office functions, in particular how they handle the college application process.
“I want to stay here. Right here in this office, and doing what I do. I want to keep processing college applications. I hope things work out somehow,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan is in charge of all senior transcripts, first quarter grades, midterms, and college recommendations. She sends out over four thousand transcripts to colleges each year. Each transcript and college recommendation has to be downloaded individually.
Without Sullivan, this workload would be added to Fratto’s current responsibilities, which include being in charge of the graduation ceremonies, senior awards, and junior book awards, among other things.
“It’s a two person job,” Sullivan said.
In a letter to school administration, the school committee, and finance committee, guidance department head Marybeth Sacramone fought to keep Sullivan’s job. She seconded Sullivan’s argument, writing, “There is no possible way that our twelve-month secretary could handle any added responsibilities, especially one as vast and important as the college application process.”
“Counselors would need to spend more time in the first month of school making schedule changes, registering new students, helping ninth graders find their way,” Sacramone added. “Parents would not have the necessary communication from us over the summer to help their students make a smooth transition in the school year.”
“Ann Marie works magic with the students,” Sacramone said.
The Stabilization Program, designed to help student transition into the school environment after being away for a long period of time, is also being cut. This year is the program’s first.
In the same letter to the school administration and committees, Sacramone wrote, “Due to a dramatic increase over the past few years in the number of student hospitalized for serious mental health reasons, our program was created to better support these at-risk regular education students.”
This program was created to give students, “a careful and detailed transition back into school is [which is] extremely vital and necessary to a successful school experience and to feeling “normal.”
Without the program, said Sacramone, “The anxiety and stress of returning to school with no solid support system has led to an unsuccessful and extremely distressing experience.”
reader2011 • Dec 22, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Ms. Sullivan is always SO helpful whenever you're in there. They work so hard! Both of them are always working really hard, I never walk in there and see them just sitting around. Something is always happening. I don't see how they could function on just one secretary. Even though they're always really busy, they do their best to make sure you have materials and information that you need. They're also amazing in helping set up appointments with your guidance counselors! I'd be sad to see her go, and I think that it's a cut to a VITAL position.