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Home My WebLink About1989-06-05 School Committee MinutesREADING SCHOOL COMMITTEE Reading, Massachusetts SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING REGULAR SESSION MINUTES CALL TO ORDER June 5, 1989 Chairman George Shannon called the regular meeting of the Reading School Committee to order at 7:35 p.m. in the Superintendent's Conference Room. All members were present with the exception of Student Representative Matt McGee. Also present were Superinten- dent Robert J. Munnelly, Assistant Superintendents Lynn M. Bak and Ronald A. Winslow, and a reporter from the Chronicle. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Barbara Philbrick moved to approve the minutes from the May 22, 1989 meeting. Margaret Cowell seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. BILLS AND PAYROLLS BILLS: June 12, 1989 - General Expense - $55,455.35 PAYROLLS: May 18, 1989 - Teachers - $380,899.13 June 1, 1989 - Teachers - $389,991.61 May 5, 1989 - Weekly - $ 52,124.09 May 12, 1989 - Weekly - $ 61,626.64 May 19, 1989 - Weekly - $ 53,005.01 May 26, 1989 - Weekly - $ 53,284.10 June 2, 1989 - Weekly - $ 51,505.57 CITIZEN'S INPUT There being no citizen's input, we proceeded. SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS Dr. Jack Delaney introduced staff members from the Coolidge Middle School; Bill Carne and Kathy Jacobitz, who provided the School Committee with a final report on their experiences over the last REGULAR SESSION MINUTES 2 JUNE 5, 1989 two years with the Boston University Project that the Reading Public School became involved with through an National Science Foundation Grant. Their project was to work with staff from the University and develop a model teacher training program for middle school science. Grant money also provided an additional teacher so both Bill and Kathy could share one teaching assignment, purchase new equipment and work on developing a mentor program for middle school science programs. Both Bill and Kathy thanked the School Committee for their support. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY SUMMER GEOGRAPHY INSTITUTE Dr. Munnelly congratulated Barbara McLean, Library Media Specialist at Eaton School, for being selected to participate in the fourth National Geographic Society Summer In- stitute to be held in Washington, D.C. from July 6 through August 3rd, 1989. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM Also recognized for outstanding achievement was Timothy Griffith, a member of Reading Memorial High School's Senior Class, who has been accepted into "Intern 189 ", the Smithsonian Institute Summer Internship Program for Graduating Students. Tim is one of 40 students selected to participate in a program to which more than 2,000 seniors applied. Congratulations from the Administration and the School Committee to Tim and to the staff for its role in teaching and guiding him. CORRESPONDENCE TO THE CHRONICLE Dr. Munnelly shared the correspondence from Judi Mclsaac, President, Birch Meadow PTO, who wrote in support of the Reading Aides as they negotiate the terms of their contract. PRINCIPALS' CONFERENCE Dr. Munnelly also noted that Principals Don Farnham, Jack Delaney and Paul Guerrette recently made presentations at the State Prin- cipals' Conference held in Cape Cape. Al Lahood, who is President -elect of the Principals' Association, also represented Reading. SUNDAY WALK- A -THON Dr. Munnelly advised the School Committee that he recently approved the Sunday Walk -a -thon for students for the New England Memorial Hospital. REGULAR SESSION MINUTES 3 JUNE 5, 1989 OLD BUSINESS Dr. Munnelly noted that Town Meeting voted our budget, but it was $48,000 less than we requested. Discussion followed with School Committee members suggesting that they review the budget and at the next meeting, June 19th, hear recommendations for decisions. PREPARATION FOR EVALUATION OF SUPERINTENDENT Dr. Munnelly will prepare a written report of his goal activity and will have a progress statement ready by the next meeting, June 19th. NEW BUSINESS CHAPTER I PROPOSAL FOR 1989 -90 Dr. Munnelly indicated that the Chapter I program budget for FY90 has been cut 20% by the State. In light of these budget restraints, a modified Chapter I proposal was recommended for the next school year. Carol Lyons moved to approve the Chapter I proposed plan for state approval. Barbara Philbrick seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. SELECTION OF ARCHITECT FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECTS Elementary School Building Needs Committee Chairman Don Farnham and members Martha Pressey and Roger Stansted submitted a report on the Designer Selection Procedure for the elementary schools. Three designer /architects were recommended by the Committee: The Design Partnership of Cambridge; Knight, Bagge and Anderson, Inc.; and The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc. Stan Nissen moved to adopt the Building Committee recommendations as described in B3b, to start with first choice and if necessary with other choices contingent on fee. Barbara Philbrick seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. HIGH SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION UPDATE Dr. Piechota shared plans for consolidating Reading Memorial High School's functions in the 1952 wing of the school. The High School will vacate the FOCUS area, and the four classrooms on the next floor. The Foreign Language Department will be relocated to the old REAP area, and a new location for REAP will be provided next to the Lecture Hall. If approved, these rooms can be a "permanent" home for REAP since there is direct access to these rooms from the outside of the school. Keeping Foreign Language REGULAR SESSION MINUTES 4 JUNE 5, 1989 classrooms in one section will make a change in the Social Studies and English classrooms. One Social Studies class will be in a regular classroom space in the Business Department area. Other classrooms in the business area are equipped with business machines and will remain dedicated as business classrooms. 00, "$ R.E.A.P. LEASE Under the proposed plan, REAP will be relocated to the area next to the Lecture Hall, under the High School's consolidation plan. REAP would need to get the Office for Children approval of this area. Discussion followed regarding renegotiation for a 3 -year lease with REAP and the dollar rate per square foot. Carol Perlitz, President of the Board of REAP shared information to be considered regarding footage requirements for students. George Shannon requested more information from Robin D'Antona, Director of REAP, at the School Committee's next meeting. COOLIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL GYMNASIUM FLOOR REPLACEMENT On the recommendation of Assistant Superintendent Ron Winslow: Stan Nissen moved to award the gymnasium floor replacement at Coolidge Middle School to Floors Inc. of New England for the amount of $20,102. Barbara Philbrick seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. REMODELING GUIDANCE AREA AT READING MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL Assistant Superintendent Ron for rebid of the remodeling Committee agreed. INFORMATION AND PROPOSALS SPECIAL EDUCATION BRIEFING Winslow recommended that we go out of the Guidance Area at RMHS. The Alex Alexanian shared information regarding the five year plan for the Reading Public Schools Integrated Educational Approach for all special needs students. Pat Robinson and Sandra Trainor also contributed information regarding pre school projects, transportation program, and mainstreaming. Other Task Force Members sharing information were Charlotte Harlan, Melanie Kelley and Joan Coco. PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS On the recommendation of the Administration: Barbara Philbrick moved to approve Robert J. Mooney as a Reading Memorial High School Math replacement for Mr. Finigan, at a rate of B +15, Contract #2, effective school year 1989 -90; Marie E. REGULAR SESSION MINUTES 5 JUNE 5, 1989 Tomasello as a Coolidge Middle School Math teacher, at a rate of B -2, Contract #2; and Susan C. Hennessy as a Half- time Spanish teacher at Reading Memorial High School, at a rate of M -5 pro - rated Margaret Cowell seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. RESIGNATIONS On the recommendation of the Administration: Margaret Cowell moved to accept the resignation, with regret, of Linda W Dumais, grade three teacher at the Barrows School. rit,411...,.4,.6 ..,,...,.,Aoa }ho M^*;r%n Tho vn+-a mac iinanimni1G_ ADJOURNMENT At 10.30 p m Stan Nissen made a motion to adjourn to Executive Session to address negotiating issues. The motion was seconded by Carol Lyons All of the following members voted in the affirmative: Stan Nissen Barbara Philbrick George Shannon Carol Lyons Mary Williams Margaret Cowell Respectfully Submitted Robert J. Munnelly, Ed. D. Superintendent Of Schools Secretary To The School Committee