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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-01-08 School Committee MinutesREADING PUBLIC SCHOOLS Reading, Massachusetts REGULAR SESSION MINUTES 8 JANUARY 1990 CALL TO ORDER Chairman Stan Nissen called the regular meeting of the Reading School Committee to order at 7:30 p.m. in the cafetorium of the J. Warren Killam School. All members were present. Also present were Superintendent Dr. Robert J. Munnelly, Assistant Superintendent Lynn M. Bak, Business Manager Warren Hopkins, many members of the Reading community, and a reporter from the Reading Chronicle. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Barbara Philbrick moved to approve the minutes of both the December 11, 1989, and December 18, 1989 meetings. Margaret Cowell seconded the motion. The motion carried 5 -0 -1. Carol Lyons abstained from voting as she did not attend the meeting on December 18, 1989. BILLS AND PAYROLLS The warrants for Bills and Payrolls were as follows: BILLS January 2, 1990 January 8, 1990 PAYROLLS December 29, January 5, January 11, CITIZEN'S INPUT 1989 1990 1990 General Expenses General Expenses Weekly Weekly Teachers $ 79,736.39 $ 64,307.08 $ 54,331,55 $ 40,196.57 $416,657.06 Kendra Cooper requested that the minutes of the December 4th meeting regarding her comments under "Citizen's Input" be changed. Chairman Nissen thanked Mrs. Cooper for her comments, but explained that the Minutes had been approved by the School Committee and her concerns would be taken under advisement for a future meeting. REGULAR SESSION MINUTES -2- 8 JANUARY 1990 BUDGET FY 1991 Dr. Munnelly noted that there have been a number of changes since the last School Committee meeting on December 18, 1989. The budget deliberations at the previous meeting were carried out with the expectation of a SEEM reduction of $48,000 if the tuition plan was accepted. SEEM did not approve the plan and consequently we must put back into the budget the amount of reduction.and the cost the program itself. Also, Stoneham is dropping out of the SEEM program and-we must pick up under the SEEM sharing ratio one teacher and one aide costing $40,000. A typographical error of $105,000 in the Athletic Program Salaries needed correction. The Maintenance -of- Quality Budget has been revised to account for these changes and the Deep Cut budget has also been adjusted. Pensions, Workmens' Compensation, and debt figures have been recalculated by the Town Manager; the school's share of the new amount is $300,000. These changes have resulted in $194,000 being able to be put back into the Deep Cut budget. COWELL ANNOUNCEMENT Margaret Cowell requested permission of Chairman Nissen to address the Committee and the assembled members of the community. Permission was granted and Mrs. Cowell announced that she did not plan to be a candidate for reelection to the School Committee in the upcoming election in March. Family and job commitments just at present have made this decision necessary. Chairman Nissen told Mrs. Cowell she would be missed as a member of the School Committee. SUPERINTENDENT'S SIX MONTH REPORT ON GOALS Dr. Munnelly reviewed the progress he has made on the goals he established for the 1989 -90 year. The goal report was part of a written report. The Governor's veto and the 1.7 million shortfall have necesssitated the preparation of multiple budgets. During the last few months, five budgets have been presented to the community. They have been shared openly, and the input of the citizenry has been considered in the many deliberations that have ensued. Dr. Munnelly reported good progress on three of the goals, and no progress on the long range goal. He informed the Committee that Ron Winslow's replacement process has worked well and a smooth transition has been made. REGULAR SESSION MINUTES -3- 8 JANUARY 1990 Chairman Nissen announced that if the evaluations forms were received from the School Committee members in a timely manner, evaluation of the Superintendent would take place at the next meeting. At 8 :00 the School Committee meeting recessed for the Bud et Hearing on a motion by Margaret Cowell and seconded by George Shannon. There was no opposition. An OPEN HEARING consisting of over one hundred members of the Reading Community and lasting ninety minutes was held. The School Committee meeting reconvened at 9:35. Chairman Stan Nissen announced that $194,000 is currently available to restore to the Deep Cut budget and currently, state aid remains level. He explained that state aid is not necessarily a given. A motion was made by George Shannon to restore $174,000 to the Deep Cut budget: 1 elementary teacher for Barrows $28,000 2 middle school reading teachers 64,000 1 high school reading teacher 32,000 1 nurse 20,000 1 home economics teacher 30,000 The motion was seconded by Barbara Philbrick. It passed unanimously. Carol Lyons moved to restore the varsity golf team to the Deep Cut budget in the amount of $4,100. The motion was seconded by Barbara Philbrick. Discussion followed. Mary Williams made a motion to amend the main motion - to reduce the dollar amount to zero and reinstate the golf program as originally moved. George Shannon seconded the motion. The vote carried on a vote of 5 in favor, 1 opposed. Chairman Nissen asked for a vote on the main motion: To restore the golf program, but not increase the athletic budget. The vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed, and 2 abstentions. The motion carried. REGULAR SESSION MINUTES -4- 8 JANUARY 1990 The next position under discussion to be put back was the position of the half -time Data Processing Director. A motion to reinstate the position of the half -time Data Processing Director - $20,000 to the Deep Cut budget was made by Marqaret Cowell. Mary Williams seconded. During the discussion that followed, Dr. Piechota stressed the importance of this position; that it was a very sensitive job and necessary that it be administered properly as attendance, grades, grade point averages, scheduling, and warning notices are all a part of data processing. To rely on staff members necessitates a loss of teaching time or assistant principal time. Chairman Nissen called for a vote to reinstate the position of half -time Data Processing Director. The motion carried with a vote of 5 in favor and 1 opposed. The postion was reinstated. At this point in the meeting, the amount of $194,000 had been restored to the Deep Cut budget. Chairman Nissen informed the Committee that they now had $212,500 remaining in the Put Back #1 budget and could add $238,000 - $234,000 worth of recommendations. The recommended items are taken from Put Back #2 as they are considered to have a higher priority than those in Put Back #3. Carol Lyons moved to add the following Put Back 2 items to Put Back 1 in the amount of $234,000: elementary aides English teacher business teacher elementary per pupil supplies confidential secretary secondary school per pupil supplies 1 custodian physical education teacher home economics teacher 1/2 time special needs secretary The motion was seconded by Barbara Philbrick. $16,000 34,000 34,000 40,000 20,000 25,000 25,000 28,000 4,000 8,000 Mary Williams asked to amend the motion on the floor to include the following changes: reduce elementary per pupil supplies to $25,000 from the original allocation • reduce secondary per pupil supplies to $15,000 • add one custodian at $25,000 Barbara Philbrick seconded the amended motion. REGULAR SESSION MINUTES -5- 8 JANUARY 1990 During the discussion that followed, it was suggested to change the per pupil reductions - to reduce elementary supplies to $27,000 and reduce secondary supplies to $17,000. Following discussion, Chairman Nissen asked for those in favor of the amended motion which calls for adjustment to the list of items in the main motion by reductions of elementary per pupil supplies to $27,00, secondary per pupil supplies to $17,000, and to restore an additional custodian to Put Back #1. The motion carried by a vote of 4 in favor, 2 opposed. The Committee voted on the main motion to restore $238,000 to Put Back #1 with modifications in the amendments and changes as described earlier. The vote on the main motion was 5 in favor, 1 opposed. The motion carried. Chairman Nissen mentioned to the Committee that the difference between the Deep Cut and Maintenance of Quality budgets is now 1.5 million. He explained that any items not in Put Back 1 or Put Back 2 now remain in Put Back 3. The Committee must now restore $166,000 to Put Back 2 from Put Back 3. George Shannon made a motion to add the following from Putback 3 to Putback 2 at an amount of $166,000: secondary per pupil 3 custodians freshman sports negotiations counsel 2/5 high school math intramurals costs $35,000 75,000 25,000 (reduced $4,000) 6,000 position 14,000 11,000 Carol Lyons seconded the motion. The vote carried on a vote of 5 in favor, 1 opposed. Chairman Nissen informed with the Committee that any items not included in Put Back 1 or in Put Back 2 or the Deep Cut budget fall into Put Back 3. If the Town of Reading votes in favor of a 2.5 million override, our budget would be fully restored to Maintenance of Quality level. A motion that the Committee accept the Deep Cut budget, modifications, putbacks and the Maintenance of Quality budget as they now stand was made by Carol Lyons. George Shannon seconded her motion. The vote was unanimous. PERSONNEL On the recommendation of the Administration: George Shannon moved to accept the resignation of Sally Stembridge, teacher of English at Reading Memorial High School, for the purpose of retirement, effective at the end of the first semester, January 26, 1990. Barbara Philbrick seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. REGULAR SESSION MINUTES -6- 8 JANUARY 1990 ADJOURNMENT As there was no further business to discuss, George Shannon moved to adjourn the meeting. There were no objections and the meeting was adjourned at 10:55 p.m. READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS Reading, Massachusetts SCHOOL COMMITTEE HEARING FOR FY 1991 BUDGET BUDGET HEARING 8 JANUARY 1990 CALL TO ORDER The Budget .Hearing was held in the cafetorium of the J. Warren Killam School on January 8, 1990 at 8:00 p.m. Present to hear citizen views were all members of the School Committee, Superintendent Robert J. Munnelly, Assistant Superintendent Lynn M. Bak, Business Manager Warren Hopkins, over one hundred members of the Reading community, and a reporter from the Reading Chronicle. The purpose of the Hearing, open to all residents of the Town of Reading, was to present the budget approved by the School Committee to the public for their comments and input. Referring to the printed budget booklet available to the audience, Chairman Stan Nissen noted that because of the Governor's veto and i the 1.7 million shortfall, it was necessary for the School Committee to prepare five budgets for consideration for FY 1991. The first budget was a Maintenance -of- Quality budget. The second was a Deep Cut budget based on the money available to the School Department. Three Put Back recommendations were also presented to be used if funds become available to the School Committee to add items eliminated by the Deep Cut budget. A Capital Projects budget outlining asbestos control, the roof at Killam, track renovation at the high school, and high school boiler replacement will become special article items at the Spring Town Meeting. While the Hearing was in progress, there were many comments, questioning of priorities, and suggestions from the assembled members of the community. Several people asked questions regarding busing and athletic user fees. The public strongly supported the athletic program, extracurricular activities, maintaining teaching staff and class size, and continuing to maintain the quality of education that the School Department has been able to provide for the children of Reading. Opinions and concerns were shared with the School Committee. Members of the student body from Reading Memorial High School were present with many positive suggestions. Chairman Stan Nissen explained to the community that changes in priorities in the budget can be made when deemed appropriate. BUDGET HEARING -2 8 JANUARY 1990 A statement was made that academics must take the highest priority and the basic educational package must be maintained. The focus is where and how to get the money to provide adequate funding we need to maintain our current educational program. Several citizens spoke of interest in the possibility of an override of Proposition 2 1/2 by asking the Selectmen to put the override question on the ballot to gain sufficient funds to maintain a Maintenance of Quality budget. Many of the people at the Hearing indicated they would actively support a campaign and would organize to accomplish this. Comments were made that the School Committee had presented a budget to the Town that was thoughtful and well planned. The Committee was thanked for the work they had undertaken. The Budget Hearing was adjourned at 9:30.