The Mattapoisett School Committee voted on Monday night to hold fewer meetings during the 2016-2017 school year.

The committee was responding to a proposal from school Business Administrator Patrick Spencer to reduce the number of yearly meetings by two – effectively changing the meeting schedule from every four weeks to every six weeks.

"We're trying to think about ways to be less taxing on the administrative team on the number of nights out, while still doing the work that needs to be done around the school district," Superintendent Doug White said.

He noted that the Rochester School Committee had already agreed to meet every six weeks, and scheduled certain meetings to take place before the Joint School Committee to further simplify schedules of administrators and committee members.

School Committee Chairman Jim Higgins called it a "great idea." With little discussion, the committee voted to adopt the schedule change. Also, the committee voted to move forward the meeting time from 7 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

In other news

Mattapoisett schools ended last fiscal year with $157,000 in surplus funds, reported Spencer. He noted that this funding will be returned to the town.

In her remarks, Principal Rose Bowman said that the school increased the number of kindergarten classes to four to meet student needs. Brown, along with other administrators and committee members, welcomed several new teachers to Center and Old Hammontown schools: Kately Twardzik (kindergarten); Mackenzie Martin (third grade); Jocelyn Hotte (fourth grade); Rachel Arruda (fifth grade); Diane Lizotte (reading teacher); Brittany Guertin (part-time health teacher); and Erin Barrows (librarian paraprofessional).

"We are honored and privileged to have these outstanding educators with us. Every day is better because of their presence," Bowman said.

Also at the meeting: Dr. Elise Frangos, Old Rochester assistant superintendent, said that more information soon will be available on new standards-based report cards for grades 1 through 6.

"It will really help parents know what standards the students are responsible for," she said.

Frangos said that a meeting in October will provide more details on these changes and how they will benefit students.

In addition, Superintendent White announced that the district has adopted new software, called AESOP, to facilitate scheduling for substitute teachers, paraprofessionals and nurses. Teachers can log into the system to notify administrators of planned vacations or days off. Substitutes then can access the program, via an app or online, to schedule themselves in for expected vacancies.

"Substitutes can control when and how they work, instead of waiting for a 5:30 a.m. phone call," White said. Administrators also have the ability to select a particular substitute before a slot is openly available. Although it's early in the year, White said the system has worked out well so far.