By John Kerrigan
Family and consumer science class eliminated at Harwood.
Honors classes phasing out.
Many members of the community, me included, were disappointed to learn that family and consumer sciences (home economics) will be eliminated. Harwood removed industrial arts classes several years ago. I spent 38 years teaching science at Harwood. I noticed that once students were bitten by one part of the curriculum it sparked enthusiasm in other areas of learning. For example, a student that gets excited about a science project may perform better in English class.
Harwood’s co-curricular program has tremendous variety. In the article Advancing Education at Harwood, board members point to the fact that there are 53 sports teams and 25 clubs. Harwood arguably has the most varied co-curricular program of any Vermont high school, public or private. I’m confused as to why that same variety is not offered in the academic program.
Adding to the decrease in student academic opportunities is the move to a seven-block schedule which further limits student choices. The administration has done this despite the fact that student leaders strongly advocated a return to the eight- block schedule. Harwood administrators use the phrases “multiple pathways” and “student voice” often but ironically eliminate them when it is convenient.
Many of our local building trades workers first were bitten by their early experiences in the Harwood industrial arts program. Industrial arts is now gone. Expensive, state-of-the-art equipment is collecting dust. Harwood administrators tell us that the equipment is being utilized by the new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program. Ask students if they have been allowed access to the industrial arts equipment! The local demand for plumbers, carpenters and electricians increases every year. This demand is far greater than our local demand for STEM engineers or rocket scientists. Ask anyone who has recently tried to hire a plumber for an emergency repair. Yes, students interested in these areas can attend Barre vocational on Harwood’s dime. But why should they have to spend an extra 1 1/2 hours each day being transported to the Barre Vocational Center. Being a craftsperson is as honorable as someone with a Ph.D. Let’s bring industrial arts classes back to Harwood.
Eliminating the home economics program also makes no sense. Sewing, cooking, balancing a checkbook and parenting skills may no longer be taught at home but are still valuable and all students should have the opportunity to learn them.
We need shop and family consumer science classes to develop all sides of our students: designing, selecting materials understanding tools and using them.
Cutting industrial arts, home economics and moving from an eight-block to seven-block schedule are cost-saving measures. These subjects are not required by the state education department. Art, music and co-curricular sports are not required subjects. Are these areas the next to be cut by the Harwood administration? Our students have fewer opportunities to pursue their passions.
According to the article Advancing Education at Harwood, Harwood administrators tell us that the individual needs of students are being met by dual enrollment, Personalized Learning Plans, Flexible Pathways and online learning. In the article, Harwood administrators give us the impression that these programs are unique to Harwood. Any student in Vermont, including, home-schooled students, has access to these programs. I agree that these programs provide specific advantages to some students. However, the majority of my students were not intrinsically motivated enough to pursue them. They needed strong and creative teachers and direct involvement in a variety of classes to elicit that “aha” moment.
Harwood is not following its own mission statement:
"It is the mission of Harwood Union High School to provide an educational and creative environment in which every person is valued as an individual, challenged as a learner and inspired to contribute to a democratic society. As a professional learning organization of all academic departments, we are prepared to work together in order to provide a unique and personalized learning experience for all students.”
If you look at the Harwood directory, there are three positions that deal with vocational education and employment: cooperative vocational education teacher, employment transition specialist and employment specialist. Although vocational programs such as industrial arts and family and consumer sciences have been cut, these positions still remain fully funded by our taxpayers.
Cutting administrative expenses would reduce the overall budget without impacting student learning. When I started at Harwood in 1977, there were two full-time administrators and 900-plus students. Today there are 700 students. However there are four administrative leaders: two co-principals, a director of student management (plus two assistants to the student management coordinator) and a director of student services. In 1977, one of the two administrators did all of the student discipline. There are currently six individuals doing the work that was previously done by two. The administrators of 1977 supervised 22 percent more students! Yes, the world is a different place than it was then. We did not have the federal and state mandates that we have today. Someone to direct student services is needed. But Harwood is top heavy. The number of administrators is increasing while programs are being eliminated and the number of students and classroom teachers are decreasing.
There also seems to be an overlapping of supervisory areas. Harwood has a director of facilities and a superintendent of maintenance and grounds. Is this a cost-effective arrangement? In the past, these positions were combined.
In the article Advancing Education at Harwood, it is stated that “The 2016-17 budget includes reductions in staff, bringing staffing levels to its lowest level in about a decade.” Why then has the administrative staff increased to the highest level ever seen at Harwood? There is over a 200 percent increase in administrative positions and a 22 percent decrease in the number of students they administer.
Harwood students have lost family consumer sciences and industrial arts and have fewer choices in their day due to a move to the seven-block schedule. Student voice for change has not been acted upon. Students currently travel away from school to seek the same learning opportunities previously available at Harwood. The elimination of honors classes (which was vigorously protested by parents and students in 2014) will begin the 2016-17 school year. Block scheduling will be also be implemented next year. This will further limit student choice. Faculty and staff morale is the lowest it has ever been. Don’t worry though, there is at least one thing of which students and teachers can be sure: There will be plenty of administrators around to encourage them to follow all the rules.
As a former educator, coach, Harwood faculty member, and commencement speaker to the Class of 2015, I am extremely disappointed for the students of Harwood. They deserve better.
Kerrigan lives in Duxbury and is a retired science teacher.
