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Home My WebLink About1989-10-16 School Committee MinutesREADING PUBLIC SCHOOLS Reading, Massachusetts School Committee Meeting Regular Session Minutes October 16, 1989 CALL TO ORDER Chairman Stan Nissen called the regular meeting of the Reading School Committee to order at 7:05 p.m., in the Superintendent's Conference Room at 62 Oakland Road. All members of the School Committee were present; except Carol Lyons. Also present were Superintendent Robert J. Munnelly, FinCom Member Nick Agneta; a reporter from the Chronicle and members of the community. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Barbara Philbrick moved to approve the minutes from the October 2, 1989 meeting. Stan Nissen noted that a correction in the Adjourn- ment motion should be seconded by George Shannon and not Margaret Cowell. George Shannon seconded the motion. The vote was unani- mous. BILLS AND PAYROLLS PAYROLLS October 19, 1989 - Teachers - $396,989.48 October 13, 1989 - Weekly - $ 49,289.00 October 20, 1989 - Weekly - $ 53,100.58 CITIZEN'S INPUT There was no Citizen's Input. SCHOOL COMMITTEE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE Chair Stan Nissen introduced the 1989 -90 School Committee Student Representative Tom Fuller, to the other committee members and community audience. The School Committee and Administration wel- comed Tom to the committee. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Dr. Munnelly congratulated the fifteen students of the quarter for their achievements and contributions at Reading Memorial High School. The students selected by faculty for recognition in the first quarter are: Adam DeAngelis English Award Kristin Brady and Social Studies Award Susan Coco Luke McPherson Mathematics Award Regular Session Minutes 2 October 16, 1989 Students of the quarter continued: Gregg Moore Peter McGillicuddy Susan Budden Todd Ferrazzani Tara Breau Keith Curtis Amy Nelson Rene Bergeron Annette Dauphinee Amy Harootian Kerri Moneypenny Science Award Foreign Language Award Business Award Technology Education Award Art Award Athletics Award Physical Education Award Music Award Service Award Leadership Award Principal's Award The School Committee extended their congratulations also. 17TCTrMPQ PENSION REFORM Dr. Munnelly introduced our visitors of the evening, Town Treasur- er Beth Klepeis and Town Accountant Richard Foley. Beth Klepeis shared the enclosed information regarding the two options of the Pension Reform Bill, Chapter 697. Stan Nissen suggested that the School Committee will further re- view and discuss the options and advise Ms. Klepeis and Mr. Foley which option they will support for Town Meeting in November. DRUG FREE SCHOOL ZONE ACT Other visitors introduced by Dr. Munnelly were Jane Fiore, our Abuse Prevention Educator, and Drug Task Force Representative Lt. Bob Silva. Ms. Fiore briefed the School Committee on the new Drug Free Zone Act and demonstrated the signs that the administration is recommending to be placed at the following locations: 1) to include the whole of Birch Meadow as a Drug Free Zone; posting signs at Birch Meadow Drive and John Carver Road, and on Main Street near Birch Meadow Drive. 2) to include our other secondary school by positioning the sign on Temple Street near the entrance to Parker. Lt. Silva shared the mandated punishments for anyone caught selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a Drug Free Zone. George Shannon moved on the recommendation of the administration to approve both school areas as Drug Free Target Zones. Barbara Philbrick seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. The Committee thanked Ms. Fiore and Lt. Silva for sharing this in- formation and the Reading Police Department for their recent pre- sentation to the high school students regarding substance abuse and the newly passed state laws on this issue. Regular Session Minutes 3 October 16, 1989 OLD BUSINESS SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE REPORT Dr. Munnelly invited Principal Donald Farnham of the Joshua Eaton Elementary School to share with the committee and community the enclosed report figures from the Design Partnership of Cambridge for the Birch Meadow and Eaton Elementary Schools. The cost differences between the two versions of the combined projects is only $533,800, 10 percent of the total full project cost of $5.4 million. The estimated scaled -down project cost is $4.8 million. The School Committee discussed figures and the topics to be presented at the November Town Meeting. Due to the steady in- crease in the elementary student size, Mr. Farnham stressed the need for space and teachers in the primary and elementary areas. Stan Nissen suggested further review of the full project and the bare project cost estimates for both schools so the committee can make a motion at the October 23rd meeting. Some of the suggestions made by School Committee members to the School Building Committee for a clear understanding of the impor- tance of this renovation project for citizens and Town Meeting were: .to send out material /brochures, .to present a slide show, photos, or video to parent groups, .to access Channel 3 for further input, .to simplify terms of major items, .to present the layouts from Design Partnership .to have the work that is being presented large and visable at Town Meeting, .to ask the Chronicle to include black and white photos of current space problem situtions in an article, and .to include a Chalkboard column in the local papers on this project. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. INFORMATION AND PROPOSALS OCTOBER lst ENROLLMENT REPORTS Dr. Munnelly shared the enclosed enrollment sheet figures, noting that there was no decline or loss of enrollment between grade 8 and grade 9. Stating that we never reached the predicted figure that would drop us below 1,000 students and it looks now that we may not dip below 1,000. New projections for staffing purposes for the next couple of years need to be studied. Regular Session Minutes 4 October 16, 1989 Dr. Piechota also noted that the 11% decrease over the past ten years did not take place this year; meaning an increase of 25 students. NON - SMOKING POLICY Dr. Piechota shared the proposal submitted to him from Assistant Principal Robert Quinn regarding a change in wording for the smoking policy: .that students caught smoking for the first time should be offered the option of In- School - Suspension or an opportunity to try and stop smoking. The philosophy being that the pro- gram be voluntary rather than the mandated as written in our handbook. Barbara Philbrick moved that the administration bring a change in the writing of the policy regarding Policy on'Smoking before the School Committee. George Shannon seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous, four to zero in the absence of Margaret Cowell. OTHER Dr. Munnelly shared other enclosed information: • Open House at the DeCordova Museum, Sunday, October 29th from 2 to 4 - a special reception for the Reading Community. • The Student Advisory Council Members for 1989 -90. • The 5th Annual Teacher Sharing Conference, which included several teachers from the Reading Public School Community. ADJOURNMENT At 9:20 p.m. Chairman Stan Nissen requested a motion to adjourn. George Shannon made the motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Mary Williams. The vote was unanimous, four to zero in the absence of Margaret Cowell. Respectfully Submitted Robert I Munnelly, Ed. D. ��.jperintendent Of Schools V To The School Committee