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On the Road to Restructuring

Teaches' morale is low. Parents are upset. But CRLS Principal Paula M. Evans hangs on.

Some newer teachers say they like the changes, but many long-time teachers say they feel overwhelmed by the redesign and under-appreciated by Evans.

Morale began sinking about five or six years ago when city leaders first began talk of restructuring the high school--long before Evans proposed her redesign plan.

Some of the most critical voices come from teachers nearing the ends of their careers. As many as one-third of CRLS' teachers could retire in the next several years, says Roger O'Sullivan, president of the Cambridge Teachers Association.

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O'Sullivan says teachers will be retiring in large numbers throughout Cambridge, but some veteran teachers says bad feelings over redesign are pushing up their retirement plans.

'The Long Haul'

A few minutes before 8 a.m. on a windy October morning, Evans stands on the sidewalk as young men and women converge on CRLS. She greets many students by name and tells them they've got just a couple of minutes to get to homeroom on time.

Not all high school principals get to school at 7:15 a.m. and leave 10 or 11 hours later.

"Well, I do," she says briskly.

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