HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-11-21 School Committee Minutes r, 4 ° . Town of Reading
ti, Meeting Minutes
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
School Committee
Date: 2015-11-21 Time: 8:00 AM
Building: School - Memorial High Location: Superintendent Conference Room
Address: 82 Oakland Road
Purpose: Open Session Session: General Session
Attendees: Members - Present:
Chuck Robinson, Jeanne Borawski, Gary Nihan, Linda Snow Dockser, Elaine
Webb &Julie Joyce
Members - Not Present:
Student Representatives Gillies & Nazzaro, Craig Martin, Assistant
Superintendent, Martha Sybert, Director of Finance
Others Present:
John Doherty, Superintendent, Dorothy Presser, MASC
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Linda Engelson on behalf of the Chair
Topics of Discussion:
Call to Order
Chair Robinson called the School Committee to order at 8:07 a.m.
1. Recommended Procedure
B. New Business
School Committee Goals
• Dorothy Presser gave a brief overview of School Committee goals and mentioned
that the Reading Public School goals are already very aligned to the School
Committee direction,mission, and vision.
• Mrs. Borawski felt that the School Committee should focus on the current five
goals of the School District and not create additional goals. The role of the
School Committee should be to support those goals.
• Other School Committee members agreed. Mr. Nihan asked if we should be
focusing on a process down the road for future School Committees.
• Dorothy Presser stated that the handbook would provide that guidance.
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Sustaining Progress
• Dorothy Presser talked about how having operating protocols, regular self-
evaluations, multi-year goals, new member orientations, committee handbooks,
and communicating and engaging the community in the core work of the
Committee is important to sustain progress.
• The School Committee Handbook is necessary to sustain progress. They must
align with existing governance policies (Section B).
• Mrs. Webb discussed how a handbook could have a two sentence description for
each policy to help Committee members understand the what and why of the
policy. Mr.Nihan suggested that there needs to be a process to meet with the new
member and have a formal mentorship with the new member.
• Mrs. Joyce supported the notion of having a handbook with the process of
reaching out to the new member.
• Mr. Robinson discussed the importance of a mentor to support a new member and
to have a retreat shortly after the election.
Review of Public Participation Policy
• Mrs. Borawski reviewed with the Committee the revisions to Policy BEDH,
Public Participation at School Committee Meetings.
• Some suggestions were made,which will be included as part of the first reading
of the policy at the December 7th School Committee meeting.
• It is suggested to put the guidelines for public comment on the back of the agenda.
Reading School Committee Brochure
• Changes were made to the brochure. Linda Snow Dockser volunteered to create a
draft, send it out the Committee. Each Committee member will then send
individual feedback to Linda.
School Committee Handbook
• Dorothy Presser passed out samples of School Committee handbooks (Berlin Ct.,
Framingham, MA. and Randolph, MA.). The Committee reached a consensus
that the Randolph example best exemplified the format that they would like to
pursue for a Reading School Committee Handbook.
• Dorothy will get the Randolph template. Julie Joyce and Gary Nihan will be the
group that will receive the feedback from the Randolph template for the
Committee. The anticipated date of completion is June 1st. School Committee
should get feedback to Julie and Gary by April 1st
C. Adjournment
Mrs. Borawski moved, seconded by Mr. Nihan,to adjourn. The motion
carried 6-0.
The meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.
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NOTE: The minutes reflect the order as stated in the posted meeting agenda not the
order they occurred during the meeting.
J.It"F. Doherty, Ed.D.
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