2007-06-04 School Committee Minutes

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RECEIVED T6W CLERK n t IG, Mira. . Reading Public Schools Reading, Massachusetts P 27 32 Regular Session June 4 2007 Call to Order Chair Webb called the regular session to order at 6:35 p.m. in the School Committee Conference Room at Reading Memorial High School. Present were Ms. Webb, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Caruso, Mr. Michaud, Mr. Robinson, Superintendent Patrick Schettini, Jr., Assistant Superintendent John Doherty, Director of Human Resources and Finance Mary DeLai. Ms. Webb read the mission statement for the Reading Public Schools. Superintendent Schettini gave a clarification regarding last meeting's vote on extraordinary services pay and on setting of administrators FY08 compensation amounts. Bills and Payrolls Bills and payrolls were circulated Citizens' Input Debbie Haggerty, Wood End parent, commented on class size at elementary level and desire to put limit on class size for K-2 levels. Ms. Haggerty encouraged Committee to review research, to make commitment to limit class size at all levels K-12, and to make class size a budget priority now and in the future. Annette Douglas, Wood End parent, echoed the sentiment that low class size K-2 is paramount. She presented comparable data from Killam and Eaton and questioned the decision at Wood End. She commented on the need to count the ILP students in the totals given that the goal of the ILP students is 60% participation. Jenny Yamane, Wood End parent, provided additional commentary on the impact she believes the higher class size at first grade at Wood End would have. Gail Donovan, Wood End parent of twins, expressed concern about their only being two classrooms and the hope that next year would not be repeated. Tina Brzezenski, Wood End parent, discussed differences between her two children - one who attended private school with smaller class sizes and the other attending Wood End -