Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-01-14 School Committee MinutesReading School Committee Reading, Massachusetts Regular Session January 14, 2003 CALL TO ORDER Chair Griset called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Superintendent's Conference Room. Present were School Committee members Cavicchi, Dahl, Griset, Russo and Twomey. Also present were Superintendent Harutunian and Associate Superintendent Richards. Mr. McFadden arrived during executive session. EXECUTIVE SESSION Ms. Cavicchi moved to enter into executive session for the purpose of conducting strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with the Teachers' Association, Secretaries & Clerks, Custodial Maintenance Workers, Cafeteria Employees, Educational Assistants, Nurses and Administrators, Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, High School Principal, Coolidge Principal, Parker Principal, Barrows Principal, Birch Meadow Principal, Eaton Principal, Killam Principal, two high school assistant principals, Coolidge and Parker assistant principals, Directors of Special Education, Food Service, Athletics, Nurses, Facilities, Assistant Director of Facilities, Secretary to the Superintendent, Administrative Assistant to Finance, Administrative Assistant to Personnel, Administrative Assistant to Curriculum and Administrative Assistant Central Office and to discuss the sale or lease of real estate to return to regular session at approximately 7:30 p.m. Mr. Twomey seconded the motion. The vote was 5 -0 Ms. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Mr. Griset, Mr. Russo and Mr. Twomey. CALL BACK TO ORDER At 7:30 p.m. Chair Griset called the meeting back to order. All School Committee Members were present. Also present were Finance Committee Members Martin, McDonald and Epstein, Town Accountant Richard Foley and Student Representative Hanin. Chair Griset stated that the School Committee and the members of the Finance Committee present would discuss the proposed reductions, additional reduction or the reprioritization of the reductions and then open the meeting up to the public for input on the recommended reductions. Mr. Twomey asked when the impact /justification statements would be available. Dr. Harutunian advised that draft impact statements would be available by the end of the week. Regular Session 2 January 14, 2003 CITIZENS' INPUT Mr. Ryan stated he received a call today from Dr. Harutunian expressing concern that he was gathering signatures last evening in the high school in violation of a policy that prohibits political activity in school buildings. Mr. Ryan distributed the following questions to the School Committee regarding political activity on school property. 1. What is the policy fo the School Committee regarding political activities on school property? 2. Will certain organizations; Pride, COWS, PEP, etc., be allowed to solicit in the school buildings? 3. Will any bans on soliciting apply to PTO groups who want to send home fliers with the children? 4. Will these groups have to stand outside the buildings and hand the fliers to the children to take home? If so, will others with different views by allowed to do the same? Mr. Griset thanked Mr. Ryan for this comments. He stated that the Committee will look into his questions and get back to him. Mr. Ryan stressed that he will abide by whatever the policy is he just wants to be sure that the policy applies to everyone and there is a level playing field. Dr. Harutunian stated that it is not a School Committee policy but that past practice is that any situation that whatever is done for one group will be done for another in order to keep a level playing field. Mrs. Phillips asked Mr. Twomey if the School Building Committee would be having any more meetings. Mr. Twomey stated that no meetings are scheduled at the present time. Mrs. Phillips asked when the educational specifications would be available for the public. Dr. Harutunian advised that the Committee received the draft educational specifications today and they would be available to the public tomorrow. Mrs. Phillips asked when Town Meeting voted to transfer any incomplete work from the School Building Committee to the School Committee. Regular Session 3 January 14, 2003 Chair Griset advised that once Town Meeting approved the project it transferred to the School Committee. Finance Committee Chair Cathy Martin distributed a chart on recent proposition 2 1/2 overrides and outlined the different types of overrides available to communities. Mr. Griset acknowledged that people in the room where having a difficult time hearing speakers and asked that Dr. Harutunian get pricing information on installing an amplification system in the School Committee room. FY04 BUDGET Dr. Harutunian introduced the budget parent groups. Mr. McFadden asked if the revenues for items BL, BM and BN are low. Dr. Harutunian stated that he had not yet met with the ad hoc Committee on all day kindergarten and that he stated last week that the number is low intentionally until he has an opportunity to meet with the ad hoc Committee and finalize numbers. Mr. Dahl moved to request the Superintendent bring forward a proposal to implement all day kindergarten for FY04. Mr. McFadden seconded the motion. The vote was 6 -0 Ms. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Mr. Griset, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Russo and Mr. Twomey. Mr. McFadden asked if the Superintendent had received a letter from the Boosters promising an additional $5,000. Dr. Harutunian advised that he had not received a letter but had received a verbal commitment from the Athletic Director. Mr. McFadden stated that the user fee revenue seemed low. Dr. Harutunian stated that with the increase in user fees they expect to see participation drop from 800 students to about 500 students. Mr. McFadden asked for clarification on the revolving account and whether there had to be a balance kept on the books. Mr. Foley stated that he would provide a history of the balances in the revolving accounts and a history of the way money from the revolving account had been spent. Regular Session 4 January 14, 2003 Mr. McDonald, Ms. Martin and Ms. Epstein agreed that the Finance Committee does not have a policy on how much money must be left in the revolving account. They stated that the Committee should be cautious on the timing of emptying the revolving accounts. Mr. Dahl asked for more detail on how the remaining mentor program funds would be spent. Mr. Dahl asked that special education transportation costs be looked at. He asked that re- bidding the contract be discussed to see if a savings could be Mr. Dahl asked that removing the unanticipated special education students from the budget be discussed. Mr. Dahl asked that private special education schools be approached and informed that we will not pay any tuition increase. Mr. Dahl asked that a flat user fee should be charged and then a surcharge for the more expensive sports be charged. Mr. Dahl asked that the elimination of crowd monitors be reviewed. Mr. Dahl asked that custodial maintenance be reviewed further. Mr. Twomey stated that since he does not yet have the impact statements from the administration that he his comments would be more general. He asked that the administration review impacting non -core areas rather than core areas first. He asked that the percentage of the reductions be spread evenly throughout the budget areas and that regular day not take a larger portion of the reductions than the remaining areas. Mr. Dahl asked if the federal government's extension of unemployment benefits would impact Reading. Mr. Foley advised that he would get back to Mr. Dahl with an answer. Mr. Twomey discussed the delta of the savings on eliminating a position and the cost of eliminating positions. He stated that it is important that the public understanding that there is a savings and a cost to eliminating a position. Mr. Russo asked if assistant principals could teach some classes. Dr. Harutunian advised that the administrative council had a discussion on that but the overwhelming concern is the discipline issue at the middle schools and the high school. Regular Session 5 January 14, 2003 Mr. Russo asked that eliminating professional development because of a lack of state funding be further discussed. Ms. Cavicchi asked Chair Griset when the list would be prioritized. Chair Griset stated that he anticipates at the next meeting some prioritization will occur. Ms. Epstein questioned the substitute teacher account and how that cost could be lowered. Dr. Harutunian advised that in 2000 the district could not get substitute teachers and since we have contracted with OPIS most classrooms have substitute teachers when needed. Mr. McFadden asked about school choice in the upper grades. Dr. Harutunian stated that experience shows it is difficult to bring students in to the district at upper grades. Student representative Hanin stated that once one guidance counselor is eliminated a second one might as well be eliminated also because the elimination of one counselor would eliminate the full assistance given to students applying to college. Mr. Russo asked if there was a way to spend less on substitutes or eliminate substitutes. Dr. Harutunian stated that substitutes are needed and that they are the lowest paid employees. Chair Griset stated that he wanted to look into the replacement textbook account, what is included in that line item, what percentage is workbooks and consumables and he would like information on average class size after reductions, A member of the audience asked why there are two supervisors for 26 custodians, why there are two clerical for the maintenance department and why the courier position was being eliminated instead of the higher paying assistant director position. Dr. Harutunian reviewed the responsibilities of the director and assistant director. He explained that the assistant director would be doing mail delivery as part of his every day rounds to the schools. He stated that if he did not have two supervisory positions he would be unable to continue to maintain the town's buildings. He stated that the Peat Marwick report called the two supervisors. Ms. Cooper stated that the Superintendent should look into consolidating the two supervisory positions. Regular Session 6 January 14, 2003 Ms. Cooper stated that RCTV spent $3,000 on the microphone system in the School Committee room and the microphones are still in the ceiling so the audience can be heard. Elaine Webb asked for information on elementary class sizes after the lay offs. Dr. Harutunian stated that on average it would be 32 but could be 30 to 35. Elaine Webb asked if that number of children could physically fit in one room and whether it was a violation with police or fire. Dr. Harutunian advised that he would check. A member of the audience asked what was included in the awards lines for $6,600 and why those could not be eliminated. She also asked why the advertising budget did not decrease since there would be no new hires. Dr. Harutunian explained what was included in the awards lines and he advised that there may be a need for some advertising due to specialty teaching positions. Ms. Webb asked if it was possible to have special education students picked up in a central location to save on transportation costs. Dr. Harutunian advised that every special education student receives the minimal transportation allowed. Mrs. Phillips asked about the vacation buy back and merit items on page 14 of the budget. She asked why that was not on the cut list. Dr. Harutunian advised that vacation buy back was a contractual item. Mr. Russo stated that he admired the enthusiasm of the supports of the elementary school and high school project at last night's town meeting. He suggested that those in the community thank the 80% of the people living in town who do not have children in the schools for their support of the schools. At 10:45 p.m. the Committee took a short recess. At 10:47 p.m. Chair Griset called the meeting back to order. Regular Session 7 January 14, 2003 AWARD OF COMPUTER REPAIR CONTRACT Mr. McFadden moved to authorize the Superintendent to enter into a contract with Lam Bear Technologies to provide computer repair /network services as outlined. Mr. Russo seconded the motion. The vote was 6 -0 Ms. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Mr. Griset, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Russo and Mr. Twomey. ANNUAL PUPIL FINANCIAL REPORT Mr. McFadden moved to allow the Chairman to enter into the Annual Pupil and Financial Report Agreement as per the memorandum of January 9, 2003. Mr. Dahl seconded the motion. The vote was 6 -0 Ms. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Mr. Griset, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Russo and Mr. Twomey voted yes. RMLD The Committee discussed contacting RMLD to request that they provide the Reading schools and town with a discount on utility charges. After discussion, it was the consensus of the Committee that Dr. Harutunian survey other municipal light departments regarding discounts provided to schools and towns and report back to the Committee. ADJOURN At 11:00 p.m. Mr. Russo moved to adiourn. Ms. Cavicchi seconded the motion. The vote was 6 -0 Ms. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Mr. Griset, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Russo and Mr. Twomey. Respectfully submitted, 0 V (��- Harry K. Harutunian, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools