Superintendent Submits Outline Of Cambridge School Plans

Cambridge Superintendent of Schools William Lannon last night pledged that his staff would strive to coordinate citywide educational planning and racial balance programs, as well as work to involve parents in more of the school system;s decisions.

Lannon outlined his plans in a 102-page document, "Areas of Concern, 1979-1980-1981," presented to the school committee in an informal meeting last night.

The document, which details "goals" and "tasks" for the school's administrative staff, "shows a commitment to expanding community development in decision-making," school committee member Glenn Koocher '72 said after the meeting.

The report recommends hiring a parent coordinator in each of the city's 14 elementary schools, and establishing a parent center where "information about the schools and the alternatives" will be available.

"Superintendent Lannon has also made the commitment to provide leadership in the area of racial balance for the schools," Koocher said, adding that in the past the administration has tended to stay in the background of the racial balance controversy.

Cambridge faces redistricting and possible busing of school students within the next five years in order to meet state desegregation guidelines.

Don't Shoot Me

Some of the audience at last night's meeting condemned the report for paying scanty attention to curriculum. "The most outstanding feature of this report is that it only has two specific suggestions for curriculum changes at the secondary level," Arthur Lipkin, a teacher at Cambridge's Rindge and Latin School said. "We still have to address the issue of excellence in academics," he added.