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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-01-27 School Committee Minutes 169 READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS Reading, Massachusetts SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 27, 1986 Call to Order Chairman Allen called the regular meeting of the School Committee to order at 7:35 p.m. , on January 27, 1986, in the Central Office Confer- ence Room. All members were present, as were Superintendent Wells and Assistant Superintendents Munnelly and Winslow. There were 12 visitors, including Eaton School Principal Mr. Donald Farnham and members of his staff Ms. Barbara McLean, Media Specialist and Miss Jean Weatherbee, grade five teacher; Mrs. Eileen Woods from the Gifted and Talented program; Mrs. Miriam Barclay, Town historian and member of the Reading Antiquarian Society; Carol Lyons, Claire Ciampa, Sandra Sarcone; three students, Christine Jesser, Melanie Nissen and Michael Shannon; and a representative from the Daily Chronicle. Approval of Minutes of January 13 , 1986 On a motion by Mr. Coco, seconded by Mr. Shannon, the minutes of the School Committee meeting of January 13, 1986 were unanimously approved. Bills and Payrolls Warrants for bills and payrolls were approved as follows: Bills January 24, 1986 - General Expense - $97,589. 92 January 31 , 1986 - General Expense - $23,910.62 Payrolls January 23, 1986 - Teachers - $403 ,650.20 January 24, 1986 - Weekly - $29 ,403.47 Citizens' Input There was no citizens' input. School Highlights Dr. Wells welcomed Mrs. Miriam Barclay, "teacher without portfolio" who has been instructing our students for over 30 years about Reading' s history. . Mr. Farnham, Principal of Eaton School then intro- duced Mrs. Barclay who came to the Eaton School as a resource person. Jean Weatherbee explained how Mrs. Barclay involved the students in two Town projects so that they could see the changes that have taken 170 READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES JANUARY 27, 1986 place in the past 350 years. First project was done by the Gifted and Talented Students who put together a guidebook about the Town of Reading; the second project , part of the third grade curriculum, had to do with Colonial Reading, various landmarks and the role Reading played during the Revolutionary War. The children were dressed in period costumes they had made at home with their parents, depicting noteable people of that era. Barbara McLean explained the Reading Arts Lottery Grant which was used to produce a documentary video tape of Mrs. Barclay filmed on location at Eaton School and the Parker Tavern. These video tapes will be available to the Town. After some discussion, Chairman Allen thanked the teachers and Mrs. Barclay for coming to the meeting. Long-Term Substitute Teacher Policy - Second Vote Mr. Coco asked that the last sentence of the policy be cleared up. Dr. Munnelly clarified the policy by citing an incident that occurred in October of this school year. After some discussion, Chairman Allen offered a second review of the Long-Term Substitute Teacher Policy (B-2-a) to be brought up for a second vote. On a motion by Mr. Nissen, seconded by Mrs. Philbrick , the School Committee voted, on the recommendation of the administration, a second vote approval of Policy GCEA. Vote was 5-0. FY87 • Budget Review Two summary pages reflecting School Committee decisions of the previous week were handed out to the School Committee members. These summaries represent an increase of 5. 5%. The complete budget is being prepared for the Finance Committee prior to February 11 , 1986. Discussion followed regarding the budget. Committee member Coco feels very uncomfortable to pick things at random in the budget to delete. He said he did not see the need to prepare a list for Finance Commit- tee (FinCom) of items that could be cut. "We cannot cut anything and FinCom hasn' t asked us to as yet ," he said. Dr. Wells feels that the School Committee is convinced that they are presenting a very honest budget to the Finance Committee. "There is still six weeks to reflect on it if FinCom asks us to do so," he said. Committee Member Griset said that if we are presenting what we feel is a bottom-line defensible budget to FinCom, how can we then turn around and say, that if pressed to the wall , we' ll make more cuts. What we decided to do at last meeting was to go through and try to produce a list or group of areas that we feel , if pressed to make cuts, we might cut, and then demonstrate to FinCom the educational impact on the students in the Town of these cuts. "We need to demonstrate for them how severely further cuts will affect the system, " he said. 171 READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES JANUARY 27 , 1986 Mid-Year Review of Superintendent' s Goals and Objectives Dr. Wells shared with the Committee copies of his goals and objectives which he develops at the beginning of each year and which are the basis of his evaluation for the School Committee . This report tonight is of his mid-year progress. There are two goals ; one has to do with the declining enrollment problem that right now has gone through the elementary and middle school segment of our system. Dr. Wells referred the School Committee to Tables A and B of attachment B-3-a. Using the latest projections on these pages, Reading has attemped to develop a five-year staffing plan that should prove helpful in determining what curriculum revisions, or class-size policies the School Committee may wish to consider. Obviously, the size of the staff has considerable bearing on the number and type of classrooms that will be needed in five years . Recent School Committee policies requiring that certain courses be required for graduation, may also cause some distortion of the projections for 1990-1991. Discussion followed. The second goal has to do with Chapter 188 or the Educational Reform Act of 1985. This was passed very late in the summer and by September there were only one or two segments of that that the State Department of Education has rules and regulations for. Dr. Wells said that it is incumbent not only upon him as a Superintendent but upon the School Committee as well, to try to keep on top of it. The Superintendent said he will do his best to keep all informed. Goal #1 . Dr . Wells said we are talking with colleagues in North Reading , Wakefield and Lynnfield about collaborative efforts regarding feasibility of a two-way, interactive television instruction using cable television facilities. Each of the towns have different cable companies. However, Warner Cable of Wakefield and Continental Cable of Reading have agreed to install an intercommunity device that will allow Reading High and Wakefield High to initiate a two-way system that will allow programs to be initiated at either school and be received by the other. Present plans foresee this in workable order by the Spring Semester. By February, Dr. Wells stated , we are in hopes that we can initiate some non-credit elective courses that can be programmed at the end of the school day. This will permit the schools to work out some of the anticipated technical problems while training personnel in the use of the equipment. The Center for Field Services and Studies at the University of Lowell has been very helpful via modern technology to connect the towns together to offer courses, and they have assisted us in getting a grant .of $12,000 to defray these costs. Goal #2 . Dr. Munnelly reported on Chapter 188 which now mandates State-wide testing. Part 1 on basic skills will take place in the next academic year. It will be comparable to what we have been doing in many respects here in Reading , but it will be run by the State. 172 READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES JANUARY 27, 1986 The information report will be put out State-wide by the State and legislature will be looking for State-wide comparisons to be made. 1 The Massachusetts Educational Assessment Program will not identify students as the basic skills will do but will be an assessment of the progress of students in general, by school and by school system so that people in schools and school districts will have progress of students here and be able to compare students as a group with other communities. Students in grades 3, 7 and 11 will be tested in three areas this year; reading, math and science. The same test items are given to students the country over, therefore, comparisons will be made. The format of testing is so that Reading students and students in the State being tested at these grade levels will be the same students who are tested nationally under the National Assessment Program. The State testing will be done in March 1986. Two sheets were passed out giving examples of the testing done in the science area for the three grade levels. Following discussion on this, Dr. Wells handed out a mid-year evaluation form on the Superintendent' s progress. The intent is for the School Committee members to go through it individually in private to make some judgments in each of the items indicated. Chairman Allen asked to have it filled in and mailed to his home by February 6, so that at the next meeting, any comments that the members may wish to make may be done at that time. The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the School Committee will serve as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the sub- committee to review the evaluation sheets then meet with Superin tendent Wells. This committee needs to review the objectives from January 1985 to January 1986. Resignations Mr. Winslow read a letter from Ms. Marjory A. Gamblin who resigned her position as secretary to the Superintendent due to a conflict in her retirement. Mr. Coco moved , seconded by Mr. Shannon, and it was unanimously voted , on the recommendation of the Administration, to accept the resignation of Ms . Marjory A. Gamblin as Secretary to the Superintendent , effec- tive January 17, 1986. 173 READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES JANUARY 27 , 1986 Appointments Mr. Nissen moved, seconded by Mr. Shannon, and it was unanimously voted , on the recommendation of the Administration, that Mr. Paul Sherburne , 17 Merrimac Street , Woburn , Mass. , be appointed to the position of Custodian to be assigned to the Joshua Eaton School , effective immediately, on the 12:00 Noon to 8 :00 p.m. shift. Executive Session - Adjournment At 9 : 20 p. m. Mr. Nissen moved , seconded by Mrs. Philbrick that the Committee enter into executive session to discuss matters pertaining to bargaining and negotiations. The motion carried by unanimous roll call vote. The Committee remained in executive session until they adjourned by unanimous consent at 10:20 p. m. L€_pecifu1iy submitted, «Yc;r'c S. Fells, Secretary