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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-01-07 School Committee MinutesREADING SCHOOL COMMITTEE Reading, Massachusetts REGULAR SESSION January 7, 1999 CALL TO ORDER Chair D'Antona called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Superintendent's Conference Room. Present was School Committee members Cavicchi, Dahl, D'Antona, Stohlman and Twomey. Also present were Superintendent Harutunian, Associate Superintendent Richards, Town Accountant Foley, Finance Director Klepeis, FinCom member Kurker, School Building Committee member Graham and Sid Bowen from Flansburgh & Associates. Chair D'Antona requested that the Budget Parents stand and introduce themselves. BILLS & PAYROLL There were no bills or payroll. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Superintendent Harutunian stated that there would be a Public Budget Hearing on January 20, 199 at 7:30 at the Reading Memorial High School Lecture Hall. All interested parties were invited to attend. Later the same evening, Strekalovsky & Hoit will give a presentation on the High School Feasibility Study. NEW BUSINESS CAPITAL PLAN Dr. Harutunian requested that Mrs. Klepeis, Finance Director, join them at the table to discuss the FY00 Capital Plan. Mrs. D'Antona stated that the audience members should feel free to ask questions at any time. Dr. Harutunian explained that the FY00 Capital includes such projects as the Barrows renovation, Dividence Road School and the renovations to Killam. He asked that the School Committee move the FY00 Capital Plan forward. He recommended that the two Portable Classrooms be taken out and that we operate with 87 classrooms instead of 89. This would be a savings of $ 250,000 for the year. He said that he had received word via a letter, that St. Athanasius would not break ground until April Mrs. Klepeis explained that the FY00 Capital Plan is not finished yet. The School Department works closely with the Town Manager and the Finance Director. Ultimately, the Town Manager has the final say in the Capital Plan. Regular Session - 2 - January 7,1999 Mr. Stohlman asked how this plan differed from other plans. Superintendent Harutunian explained that it included Killam, Barrows and no portables. Mr. Stohlman agreed that we should get rid of the portables. Mr. Dahl asked how the base cost of the Ulam Project was arrived at. Dr. Harutunian responded that it was an architectural figure received from Earl R. Flansburgh & Associates, Inc. Mrs. D'Antona stated that school bonded projects were at a 6 % rate of interest. Mr. Twomey said that 6% was high. We have an excellent bond rating and the actual rate would probably be less. Mr. Twomey moved to recommend the January 5, 1999 Capital Plan directing the Superintendent to deliver it to the Town Manager. Mrs. Caviechi seconded the motion The vote was 4 -0. Mr. Stohlman abstained. (Mrs. Williams was not present. GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION AND LAND SURVEY Dr. Harutunian invited Mr. Sid Bowen from Earl R. Flansburgh & Associates and School Building Committee member, Mr. Russell Graham to the table. He explained the time constraints on the Dividence Road Building Project. The SBAB dead line is March 1, 1999 instead of June 1, 1999. In the planning of a project the Architect takes into consideration the school needs. However, there are two things that are not known at this time at Dividence Road. The boundaries of the land are not known and we do not know the topographical composition of the land. A Geotechnical Study and a land survey would solve these two problems. Dr. Harutunian checked with Town Counsel and was advised that it was legal to do this before the January Election. Mr. Bowen stated that The Topographical survey would show them how to deal with the land so there will be no future conflict because the land composition does not change. Mr. Stohlman stated that whatever the Town decided to do with the land, this survey would still need to be done. Mr. Dahl asked if the money would be SBAB reimbursable at a later date. Dr. Harutunian stated that it would. Mr. Twomey agrees with the need and rational. The Town Engineer did not have the information on the boundaries. Mrs Caviechi moved to recommend Dr. Harutunian's proposal to transfer funds up to S 18,500 from the Maintenance Budget to have the land survey and Geotech Survey performed Mr. Twomey seconded the motion. The vote was 5 -0. Regular Session -3- January 7, 1999 SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET FY00 Dr. Harutunian handed out a Curriculum Initiative Proposal. (Regular Day- Hand out #1) He reviewed the proposal. He made reference to the bottom of the proposal to R & D Language Arts and History/Social Studies. We are finishing the third year of a three -year cycle in Mathematics Initiatives. The next concentration will be a three -year rotation in Language Arts. The reason for the concentration in one subject area at a time is that the teachers need time to process one area at a time. Dr. Harutunian and Mr. Richards both feel very comfortable with the way things are progressing. Mr. Stohlman asked how Curriculum Initiatives differ from plain old curriculum. Dr. Harutunian explained that with the new Initiative all of the curriculum pieces are purchased together across town and all the pieces are the same. For example, the old way, a Principal may purchase a textbook. Another may purchase the textbook and the workbook. The third might purchase the text, the workbook, the journal and the CD- ROM. With the new Curriculum Initiative, it will be determined district wide what will be purchased and every student will receive the same items across town. The Principals will now only be purchasing replacement texts. Any savings from doing this are put back into other areas of the budget. Mr. Stohlman asked if there was money in the Curriculum Initiatives for gifted and talented items. Dr. Harutunian stated that there are funds in the R & D line and in Professional Development but the programs have not been developed yet. The Instructional Specialists will be working with the University of Connecticut to develop such programs. Mr. Stohlman asked when they would hear of any results. Dr. Harutunian explained that we were behind in Language Arts and that is where the concentration was going to be. The program has to be developed. It can not be bought. Mr. Twomey had a concern about the language on Page 6 of the FY00 Budget. He wanted to make sure that all grades would benefit from Curriculum Initiatives. The bottom paragraph on Page 6. will now read: It is also important to note that the Recommended Budget covers the cost of $ 250,000 for Curriculum Initiatives in Science Math, and World Languages. Curriculum Initiative includes the costs of12iloting and strategic programs in K -5 and 9 -12 English language arts and social studies Mr. Twomey stated that there was more information on the hand out then on the blue sheets and that Curriculum Initiatives appear only once in the budget. Dr. Harutunian stated there is also information in the yellow pages of the budget. Mr. Twomey suggested that a footnote would make it easier to follow. Karen Epstein, Budget Parent, stated that she was glad that the Language Arts weakness was identified. She wanted to know what was going to be done. Dr. Harutunian explained that by using the Curriculum Frameworks we have identified what every student should know. Now we have to find a program to give to the teachers to Re %ular Session -4- January 7, 1999 accomplish this. We now know what every child should know through introduction, reinforcement and mastery of skills. Mr. Dahl stated that the curriculum presentations are very interesting. It is good to hear all the things that the teachers and specialists are doing. Dr. Harutunian brought everyone's attention to Page 54. Form B. He explained that the Principal's line for FY99 was under funded. One Administrator's salary was incorrect thus throwing the whole line off. He explained that the salary line is a snapshot of all the administrators salaries say for the first week in November. If there is not a contract, the School Committee gives the Town Accountant and the salaries are figured. The retirements and the new hires usually balance out. On the Educational Assistant line there was a mistake on the FTE's. FY99 the FTE was 28.8. It should have been 27.5. FY00 should be 29.3. These changes will be reflected in the final budget copy. The Educational Assistant specialists (Tech Ed & Science) are being hired at a higher rate due to position. The clerical line was slightly higher due to overtime. Since the Elementary School Secretaries do not work in the summer or school vacations, sometimes there is still a lot of unfinished work. At times, overtime is the only way the work gets finished. There had been a prior question on Sick Leave Buy Back. (Regular Day Handout #2). The Sick Leave Buy Back policy is spelled out on Page 27 of the Reading Teachers Contract. (Regular Day Hand Out #3) Dr. Harutunian reviewed the Staffing Requests. It was mentioned that Project Achieve could possibly be dissolved. The staff members would be used in a different way. (Regular Day Hand Out #4) Dr. Harutunian explained what effect the staffing has on class size. Mrs. D'Antona asked if the six students that agreed to go from Coolidge to Parker are included in the numbers on the handout. That information has to be clarified for her. Page 54. The Superintendent explained that the Director of Technology position moved from Administration on Page 51 to Page 54. The listing of positions went from Administration to Regular Day where it should be. Instructional Specialists Job Description (Regular Day Hand Out # 5) — Dr. Harutunian reviewed handout #5. Dr. Harutunian was asking to add two Elementary Instructional Specialists. Mr. Twomey asked about certification. Teachers new to the profession need a master's degree. Regular Session - 5 - January 7, 1999 (Regular Day Hand Out #6) Network Administrator Job Description was handed out. Currently, there are two Tech Ed. Assistants. Dr. Harutunian would like to add two more. He would also like to add a Science half person to the FY00 budget. Reading Memorial High School needs another Secretary. Mr. Stohlman asked what the overtime was at RMHS. Dr. Harutunian responded that he did not have the figure but that he would get it. Karen Epstein asked about the credentials of the Instructional Specialist. There was a question regarding Graduation Expenses. Dr. Harutunian explained that Graduation Expenses were comprised of Diplomas, covers for the diplomas, flowers, police detail, chair rental and custodial overtime. Dr. Harutunian gave a run down of what was in the General Supply Account on Page 55. It is made up of student supplies, paper, pencils, pens etc. Mr. Twomey suggested that all SPED items be in the SPED Budget. He went on to say that The Project Achieve lines should be moved. Chair D'Antona asked if there were any more questions. There were no more questions. ADJOURN Mrs. Cavicchi moved to adiourn. Mr. Twomev seconded the motion The vote was 5 4. Mrs. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Mrs. D'Antona, Mr. Stohlman, Mr. Twomey espectfull submitted, Harr K. Harutunian,Fh.D. Sunerintendent of Schools