School Committee Weighs Improved Arts Oversight

There are department chairs for English, history, science, foreign languages, and physical education, but when it comes to music and the visual arts, there is no department chair. The School Committee Tuesday night discussed changing that. 

"A lot of these people don't have anybody they can go to," said School Committeewoman Mary Ellen Winters. "We've been lacking for years, years ... and it is unfortunate." 

Winters' daughter, an EGHS graduate, now teaches music at Cole Middle School.

Right now, Supt. Victor Mercurio oversees the performing and visual arts departments. 

"It would be good to have someone who's able to have a larger vision," he said. In particular, he said, it would be nice to be able to give them the same sort of focused attention offered by Athletic Director Chris Cobain. 

Cobain holds an administrative position; School Committee members voiced support for something short of that, i.e. a department chair, for now.

Department chairs receive additional compensation for their role but also, in general, carry a lighter course load. Budget-wise, adding a department chair would be significantly easier than adding an administrator.

This was listed as a "discussion" on Tuesday night's agenda. Supt. Mercurio was asked to return to the School Committee with a proposal to add a department chair position.