New Hires Needed For New Graduation Requirements

The School Committe on Tuesday approved school administrators' plan to increase credits needed to graduate.

The new requirement increases from 100 to 120 the credits needed for graduation.

The requirement applies to incoming juniors and lower classes not this year's seniors.

The additional credits put Swampscott more in line with other schools and in line with what college admissions expect of high schools, said Interim Superintendent Garry Murphy.

To support the change the district will need to hire a fulltime math teacher and additional substitutes to oversee directed study periods in the coming year.

The hires will cost about $100,000, money that was not included in the 2013-14 budget.

The interim superintendent said he is confident he will be able to shift spending in the budget to meet the new 120 credit threshold.

The 120 credit requirement will not pose hardship to most students, said new Swampscott High Principal Ed Rozmiarek,

In the last school year, 92 percent of students took at least 120 credits, he said.

School Committe Chairman Rick Kraft wanted to know what it would take, in the future, to get all students to the full academic requirements.

High School Assistant Principal Lytania Mackey said it would require seven additional teachers.