HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-12-18 School Committee MinutesREADING SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Reading, Massachusetts
Regular Session December 18, 1997
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Twomey called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. at the
Superintendent's Conference Room. Present were School Committee
Members Cavicchi, D'Antona, Stohlman and Twomey. Also present
were Superintendent Harutunian, Associate Superintendent Richards
and Student Representative Heather Shannon.
PRESENTATION FY99 BUDGET
Dr. Harutunian gave a complete presentation of the
Superintendent's Recommended Budget.
The FY99 Budget reflects the following:
• School Committee Goals (Fall 1997)
• Known increases in utilities and insurance
• The mandated Educational Reform Act of 1993
• An inflationary rate increase
• Enrollment increases
• The increased enrollment of Parker Middle School due to an
adjustment in district lines
• Realistic funding for students with Special Needs
Guidelines in developing the FY99 budget:
• When possible maintain reasonable pupil /teacher ratio in
accordance with educational research (grades K -2 at or below
mid - twenties, grades 3 -5 mid - twenties) as it applies to the
Reading Public School System.
• Redistrict elementary students to fully utilize space in the
other schools.
• Provide equal educational opportunities for all students K-
12.
Regular Session -2- December 18 1997
• Maintain the middle school
• Maintain a reasonable level
programs.
• Fund curriculum initiatives
proceed with predictability
• Implement the third year of
redistrict the Coolidge and
philosophy and structure
of support service in all
to allow textbook adoptions to
a three year program to
Parker Middle School.
School Budget by Program FY99
Proposed
FY -1999
Administration 742,493
Regular Day 15,292,748
Special Needs 4,802,560
Other School Services 591,512
Custodial /Maintenance 2.101,444
Totals
23,544,479
Increase
FY -1999
6.55%
10.530
13.700
4.01%
8.75%
10.690
Allocation of Line Item Budget by Program FY99
Proposed
FY -1999
Administration 742,493
Regular Day 15,292,748
Special Needs 4,802,560
Other School Services 605,234
Custodial /Maintenance 2,101,444
of Total
Budget
3.20
65.0%
20.4%
2.60
9%
0
Totals 23,544.479 100.0%
Regular Session -3- December 18, 1997
Ms. Williams arrived at 7:50 p.m.
PERSONNEL OVERVIEW
Reading Memorial High School
1.0 World Language Teacher
1.0 Art /Music Teacher
0.5 School Secretary
2.5 Full -time equivalent RMHS staff = $81,000
Parker Middle School
1.0 Mathematics Teacher
1.0 Social Studies Teacher
0.5 School Psychologist
Coolidge and Parker Middle Schools
2.75 World Language Teacher
2.00 Technology Educational Assistants
4.65 Full time equivalent both Middle Schools staff total =
$201,070
Elementary Schools
2.0 Elementary Instructional Specialists, K -2
8.0 Elementary Regular Classroom Education Assistants
1.0 K -5 District Elementary Science Educational Assistant
2.0 Technology Educational Assistant
13.0 Full time equivalent elementary school staff = $175,820
Special Education
1.0 Language /Learning Disabilities Teacher
1.0 Early Childhood Teacher for PDD program
6.8 Special Education Educational Assistants
8.8 Full time equivalent Special Education staff total = $158,000
Building Maintenance
1.0 Custodians
1.0 Full time equivalent Building Maintenance staff total =
$25,000
Regular Session -4- December 18 1997
District Wide Technology
1.0 Head of Technical Services to maintain the networking and _
repair of computers in the schools
1.0 Full time equivalent District Wide Technology Staff total =
$40,000
Other School Services
1.0 School Nurse
1.0 Full time equivalent Other School Service staff = $23,000
CURRICULUM INITIATIVES
• Curriculum Frameworks (Mathematics, Science & World
Languages)
• Purchase of New Textbooks & Instructional Materials
• Teacher (TAP)&: Administrator Assessment Programs
• Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System - Spring 1998
Student Assessment
• Curriculum Articulation
Dr. Harutunian then thanked staff, including Associate
Superintendent Richards, Town Accountant Foley, Town Treasurer
Klepesis, building principals and all staff who put time and
energy into the budget this year.
Chair Twomey thanked Dr. Harutunian
informed the audience that this was
budget and that all items will be g,
during the January Budget meetings.
discussion up to questions from the
audience.
for the presentation and
just an overview of the
Dne over in great detail
He then opened the
School Committee and the
Ms. Cavicchi asked whether the request for new teachers at Parker
Middle School were for an additional team and, if so, why no
English teacher was requested.
Dr. Harutunian advised that the new teachers were for an
additional team and that staff was moved so that an additional
English teacher would not be needed. Dr. Harutunian advised that
he would go into greater detail on thiq issue at a future budget
meeting.
Regular Session -5- December 18 1997
Ms. Cavicchi then asked if the art /music teacher at the high
school was for music education and not chorus or band.
Dr. Harutunian advised that the highest number of requests for
courses at the high school that could not be honored were in
foreign language, art and music.
Mr. Stohlman asked whether this budget would include any
recommendations from the enrollment committee. He stated that
Birch Meadow parents want to know if the kindergarten students
would be attending Birch Meadow in the fall.
Dr. Harutunian advised that he did not expect recommendations
from the enrollment committee until January 26th. He also stated
that presently all 50 kindergartners can return to Birch Meadow.
Ms. D'Antona stated that she would like to see what the fiscal
impact would be if there was a change in policy on class size.
Ms. D'Antona asked whether offering additional foreign languages
has been looked into.
Dr. Harutunian advised that Russian had been tried and there is
some interest in German and Japanese.
Ms. D'Antona asked about additional psychologists or guidance
counselors at the high school.
Dr. Harutunian advised that he did not receive a request for
additional guidance counselors from the high school. He advised
that the head of guidance has picked up.more students and that
has lessened the number of students that each counselor is
responsible for.
Chair Twomey requested that all School Committee members and
board liaisons go through the budget document in detail and
forward any comments or questions to the Superintendent by
December 29th.
Regular Session -6- December 18 1997
Selectman Hines asked if copies of the budget went to the full
board or just the Chairman and liaisons.
Dr. Harutunian advised that he would send copies to all members
of all the Boards.
ADJOURN
At 8:24 p.m. Ms. Cavicchi made a motion to adjourn into executive
session for the purpose of discussing strategy with respect to
collective bargaining for union and non -union personnel and the
possible sale or lease of real estate. Ms. D'Antona seconded the
motion. The vote was 5 -0 Ms. Cavicchi, Ms. D'Antona, Mr.
Stohlman, Mr. Twomey and Ms. Williams.
Respectfully submitted,
Harry Harutunian, Ph. D.
Superintendent of Schools