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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-10-18 School Committee Minutesf~ ..1VQ !0 CLERK MASS. Reading School Committee Reading, Massachusetts Z004SEC ..1 All* 32 Regular Session October 18, 2004 CALL TO ORDER Chair McFadden called the regular session meeting to order at 7:30 p.m, in the Superintendent's Conference Room. Present were Mr. McFadden, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb. Mr. Carpenter arrived later. Also present were Superintendent Schettini, Associate Superintendent Richards, and Director of Human Resources and Finance Mary DeLai and student representative Bridget McMillan. BILLS AND PAYROLLS Bill and Payrolls were circulated for signature. CITIZEN'S INPUT Mr. Dahl, as a citizen, read a letter of support for Senator Tisei and Representative Brad Jones. GIFTS Mr. and Mrs. Michael Silvia donated $2,000 to the RMHS Girls Basketball program. Mrs. Gibbs move to accept the donation made by Mr. and Mrs. Silvia. The proper thank you letter will be sent. Mr. Spadafora seconded the motion. The vote was 6- 0. Mr. Carpenter, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb The Reading Public Library Foundation donated $100 to Reading Memorial High School in the name of Joseph Cain for Technology. Mrs. Gibbs move to accept a donation made to the Reading Memorial High School in the name of Joseph Cain by the Reading Public Library Foundation. The proper thank you letter will be sent. Mr. Spadafora seconded the motion. The vote was 6- 0. Mr. Carpenter. Mrs. Gibbs. Mr. Dahl. Mr. McFadden. Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb Superintendent Schettini introduced and welcomed the new student representative, Bridget McMillan. Bridget is a high honor roll student, a member of the National Honor Society, a Student Council member, member and secretary of the Drama Club. Regular Session -2- October 18, 2004 SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Superintendent Schettini stated that the Massachusetts Association of School Committees has voted to recognize Russell T. Graham as Community Leader for Public Education. CALENDAR Superintendent Schettini reminded the Committee there is a Financial Forum at Coolidge Middle School Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and there is a School Committee Executive Session on October 26, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. OLD BUSINESS Mr. Moscariello, Reading Memorial High School Baseball Coach, stated there had been no improvements to Morton Filed in over thirty years. Reading Memorial High School and Reading Babe Ruth Baseball jointly would like to enhance the baseball field at no cost to the Town or School Department. They would like to place a five-foot chain link fence around the entire outfield from left field out-of-play line to right field out-of-play line. The fence would make the field play like a real ball field. Mr. McFadden confirmed that Babe Ruth indeed had the necessary funds for the project. Mr. Dahl asked if it was safer to have a fence or safer without a fence. Mr. Moscariello ' stated it was safer to have a fence so those players are not running in the woods and into softball games. Mr. Spadafora made a motion to support the proposal to erect a permanent outfield fence on Morton Field as spelled out in the Superintendent's memorandum dated October 14, 2004. Mrs. Gibbs seconded the motion. The vote was 6-0. Mr. Carpenter, Mrs Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Soadafora and Ms. Webb Mr. Schettini gave an overview of the Field Trip Policy concerning student travel between twelve midnight and six a.m. He recommended the School Committee adopt the policy. Mrs Gibbs made a motion to accept Policy JJH, Late Night or Overnight Student Travel as stated in the Superintendent's memorandum dated October 13, 2004. Mrs. Webb seconded the motion. Mr. Carpenter stated that an "s" should be added to hour-of-service on page 2. Mr. Spadafora stated that he would like the policy to take effect as of October 18, 2004. Regular Session -3- October 18, 2004 Mr. Dahl made a motion to table Mrs Gibbs' motion Mr. Spadafora seconded the motion The vote was 6-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mrs Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb Mr. Dahl made a motion to waive previous policies or practices for two required reading before a policy change Mr. Spadafora seconded the motion. The vote was 6- 0 Mr. Carpenter, Mrs Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb Mr. Dahl made a motion to place, back on the table, Mrs. Gibbs' motion. Mr. Spadafora seconded the motion The vote was 6-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb Mrs Gibbs made a motion to accept Policy JJH, Late Night or Overnight Student Travel as stated in the Superintendent's memorandum dated October 13, 2004. Mrs Webb seconded the motion The vote was 6-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb Ms. Diane Blume from the Foreign Language Department at Reading Memorial High School gave an over view of a possible field trip to Costa Rica April 16-21, 2005. The trip would focus around the biological and ecological aspects of Costa Rica. She would prefer it to be a Spanish speaking trip. There was discussion regarding who would hold student passports. Mr. Spadafora made a motion to support the Costa Rica field trip proposal as stated in the October 13, 2004 Memorandum from the Superintendent. Mrs. Gibbs seconded the motion The vote was 6-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb Dennis Richards gave a presentation highlighting the Dashboard Project. He introduced Deb Gilberg, Susan Berardi and Jim Mulvey who have been working on the Dashboard Project with him. The purpose of the Dashboard Project is to provide accurate data to the public and the community. There was discussion concerning the FY06 Budget Planning Priorities. Superintendent Schettini gave an overview of Warrant Articles 3 and 5. Regular Session -4-_ October 18, 2004 Mrs Gibbs made a motion to support Warrant Articles 3 and 5 from the Fall 2004 Subseguuent Town Meeting Warrant in so far as they include the transfer of the following amounts from Free Cash to the school building proiects in the amounts of: Wood End School $100,000 Barrows School $200,000 RMHS $350,000 Mr. Spadafora seconded the motion. The vote was 6-0. Mr. Carpenter, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb Mr. Dahl made a motion to support a section of Warrant Article 16 Amendments to the Reading Home Rule Charter, specifically; the amendment entitled Section 7-10 Building Maintenance Budgets. Ms. Webb seconded the motion the vote was 0-6. Mr. Carpenter, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb voting against. ADJOURN Mr. Spadafora moved to adiourn at 10:40 p.m. Mrs. Gibbs seconded the motion. The vote was 6-0. Mr. Carpenter, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb Superintendent of Schools