HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-05-29 School Committee Minutes RECEIVED
TOWN CLERK
READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE READING. MASS.
Reading, Massachusetts INN AUG —1 P0 I I
Reeular session May 29 2002
CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Griset called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. in the Superintendent's
Conference Room. Present were School Committee Members Cavicchi, Griset,
McFadden and Russo. Mr. Dahl and Mr. Twomey arrived during executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Ms. Cavicchi moved to enter into executive session for the purpose of conductin
strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with the Teachers'Association
Secretaries & Clerks Nurses Custodial Maintenance Workers Cafeteria
Employees,and Educational Assistants to discuss pending litigation and to discuss
the deployment of security personnel or devices to return to regular seion at 6 00
p.m. Mr. Griset seconded the motion ss
The vote was 4 0 Ms Cavicchi io Griset.
Mr. McFadden and Mr. Russo
CALL BACK TO ORDER
At 6:05 p.m. Chair Twomey called the meeting back to order in the RMHS Lecture Hall.
All School Committee Members and Student Representative Wetzler were present.
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS
The School Committee distributed Excellence in Education Awards. Chair Twomey and
the Committee thanked the students for all their hard work that led to the
accomplishments acknowledged here this evening.
At 7:15 p.m. the Committee took at five minute break.
SCHOOL CHOICE
Dr. Harutunian recommended to the Committee that Reading not participate in school
choice because of district enrollment, class size and programmatic reasons.
I
Ms. Cavicchi moved pursuant to the provisions of GLc 76 & 12B the School
Committee of Reading, following public hearing hereby withdraw from its
obh ation to enroll non-resident students in the Reading Public Schools during the
July 1 2002 school yearfor the following reasons: Pro rammatic Reasons Class
Sizes and General District Enrollment. Mr. Griset seconded the motion. The vote
was 6.0 Ms. Cavicchi Mr. Dahl Mr. Griset, Mr. McFadden Mr. Russo and Mr.
Twomey.
Regular session 2 May 29 2002
CITIZENS INPUT
There was no citizen input.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
Dr. Harutunian advised that he and the Athletic Director are working with Pop Warner
football to resolve an issue over the use of the high school football field.
Dr. Hamtunian discussed Article 7 showing the transfer of funds for the FY02 budget
from April Town Meeting.
Dr. Harutunian advised that Town Manager researched Mr. Brown's issue on the use of
the Town Seal and the Town Manager advised that the use by the Technology Group was
appropriate.
Dr. Hamtunian advised that the hearing on the Plaintiffs' Motion for Judgment was held
this morning in Mola appeal.
Dr. Harutunian discussed the letter from Representative Jones regarding the FY03
Budget,
Dr. Hamtunian discussed the latest elementary enrollment and class size projection.
FY03 Budget
Dr. Hamtunian advised the Committee that he was recommending that item 14, speech
teacher, be removed from the reduction list and replaced with $40,000 in additional
special education tuition revenue.
Mr. Dahl moved to substitute line 14 elements s eech teacher on the reduction
list of March 4 2002 with $40,000 in additional revenue from the special education
tuition out account. Mr. Gnset seconded the motion. The vote was 6-0 Ms.
Cavicchi Mr. Dahl Mr. Griset Mr. McFadden Mr. Russo and Mr.Twomey.
Mr. Russo announced that on lune 61h he would be debating the pros and cons of MCAS
testing with students from Reading Memorial High School. He stated that he hoped this
would be the beginning of a debate club at RMHS.
Mr. Griset thanked Dr. Harutunian and Mr. Richards for their work to make the evening
run smoothly.
4
Reeular session 3 May 29 2002
EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 7:40 p.m. Mr. Dahl moved to enter into executive session for the purpose of
conducting strategy sessions or preparation for negotiations with the Teachers'
Association Secretaries & Clerks Nurses Custodial Maintenance Workers
Cafeteria Employees,and Educational Assistants to discuss pending litigation and
to discuss the deployment of security ersonnel or devices not to return to regular
session. Mr. Griset seconded the motion. The vote was 6-0 Ms. Cavicchi Mr. Dahl
Mr. Griset, Mr. McFadden and Mr. Russo and Mr. Twomey.
Respectfully submitted,
CA
k
Harry K. Harutunian,Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
4
i