1999-03-24 School Committee Minutes

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Regular School Committee Meeting Page 2 March 24, 1999 The committee members continued to express their concern. The Superintendent said the program has outlived its shelf life, and that an evolution has taken place. Ms. Cavicchi said she was comfortable with what she heard from the Superintendent. Mr. Twomey expressed his concern about the elimination of instructional specialists. He asked if the educational assistant positions could be reduced. Dr. Harutunian explained that he felt strongly in favor of the instructional specialist's positions especially in math and science. But, after a meeting with the principals about educational assistants and their duties, he and the principals did not feel this was an area to reduce. It was apparent that safety and contractual issues would not be met. The committee continued to discuss the educational assistant positions with the Superintendent. Dr. Harutunian explained that elementary school class size has increased but the educational assistant positions have not even though he has made several attempts in the past three years to increase these positions. The Superintendent said the current budget is very lean and one area that has not been touched is the curriculum initiatives. He said with approximately 4,200 students and 500 teachers every position was looked at during this budget process. They started with the FY98 and the balance of the FY 99 budgets. Mr. Dahl said regarding the Project Achieve Program, he was encouraged to see a program eliminated because it was no longer needed. Ms. Williams said in the 1980's an instrumental music program was phased out in the elementary schools, she would not like to see the same mistake happen again with Project Achieve. Dr. Harutunian and Chair Robin D'Antona said they spoke to a state representative regarding how much money would be distributed across the state to school districts. Neither felt the distribution would be a significant amount. With relation to the budget, the Superintendent suggested working with the budget they have now, it is uncertain what will be received from the state. Ms. Williams asked how many teachers district -wide would be retiring. The Superintendent said eight. She asked about the possible elimination of the 6`h grade middle school foreign language teacher and move that position to the high school. She expressed her concern about tenth graders not passing MCAS and the possibility of parents suing the school. Ms. Williams said we owe it to the high school students to give them their best shot. Dr. Harutunian explained the students from Reading are going to better colleges than ever before. He discussed the MCAS improvements in relation to the state. He said MCAS is a K- 12 issue not a fourth, eighth or tenth grade issue. The Superintendent said if the middle school foreign language position was eliminated, the results would not be good. He said Reading is one of the few districts that mandate middle school foreign language and that is a good thing. Mr. Twomey said he was in agreement about the elimination of Project Achieve but expressed his concern about the elimination of the instructional specialists at the high school. He asked for information from the administration, which the Superintendent said he already had and would give to Mr. Twomey. Mr. Keigley responded to Ms. Williams statement about the elimination of the music program in the 80's. He stressed how important it is to start children at an early age in music. At age eight, they will achieve more in one year than at age 17 or 18. He also said he was in agreement the Superintendent about the budget reductions. Mr. Dahl said foreign languages should also be introduced at an early age. The Superintendent said this is true with computers as well.