1996-12-14 School Committee Minutes

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Reading Public Schools Reading, Massachusetts SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 14, 1996 CALL TO ORDER Chair Susan Cavicchi called the special session to order at 8:29 a.m. at Endicott College. All members were present. Superintendent Dr. Harry K. Harutunian and Associate Superintendent Dennis Richards were also present. ROLE OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE TO INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS Chair Cavicchi suggested the School Committee should avoid rudeness. Mr. Twomey believes the School Committee needs to work together as a team. Issues need to be discussed and resolved at the School Committee table. Ms. D'Antona referred to the Massachusetts School Committee Association Code of Ethics as a helpful guide for School Committee member behavior. Mr. Stohlman raised the example of the discussion of the capital plan. He indicated that the Code of Ethics is a tool to prevent School Committee members from disrupting votes once they are taken. He believes School Committee members should be able to have discussions with the public on issues before the School Committee. This, he believes, improves the decision making process. Mr. Cummings suggested we need to distinguish between the free flow of information and the intentional or unintentional disruption of School Committee decisions. Mr. Stohlman said it is important to have a minority report if there is a difference of opinion. Disagreement is a good thing because it tempers decisions. Being disagreeable is a bad thing. Mr. Cummings agreed but indicated that sometimes minority reports are given without the audience being clear that the comments are a minority opinion. Mr. Twomey indicated that a School Committee person's role changes from an advocate to a decision maker when the person become a School Committee member. Mr. Twomey asked members to consider how hard you want to push on one issue without consideration for the ramifications in other areas.