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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-06-15 School Committee MinutesReading School Committee Reading, Massachusetts y f Lam. 1 Y E D Iti CLERK i",L DING, mAss. 1004 SEP 22 A 11: 29 Informational Abutter's Meeting_ June 15, 2004 Chair McFadden called the School Committee to order because they had a quorum in the Reading Memorial High School Lecture Hall. Present were Mr. Carpenter, Mr. McFadden, Ms. Webb and Mr. Dahl. Also present were Superintendent Schettini and Associate Superintendent Richards. Superintendent Schettini introduced Mr. Scott Dunlap from AD, Mr. David Capaldo from the Design Partnership of Cambridge and Mr. Stephen Shaunessey from AD. Mr. Shaunessey is the on-site person for the high school project. Mr. Capaldo gave an overview of the first construction phase, which will take place during the first year. Phase II deals with the renovation of the Science Wing and the Superintendent's Office. The project is expected to last for thirty-seven months. Ms. Webb asked if there is access to the back parking lot. The one abutter will have access only. A citizen asked if the construction vehicle access would be from Oakland Road. Mr. Hechenbleikner stated construction vehicle would access in and out from Oakland Road only. A citizen asked the hours of construction. Mr. Hechenbleikner stated the normal hours of construction are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to Noon and no Sundays. A citizen asked if there is proposed parking on the street. Mr. Hechenbleikner stated there would be some street parking on Oakland Road and Longfellow Road. The gate before the RISE entrance will be locked. The parking on Oakland Road cannot interfere with the drop off and pick up of the Coolidge Middle School Students. A citizen asked where the construction workers would park. He was told inside the fence. A citizen suggested that a crossing guard be placed at Hartshorn Road and John Carver Road. Mr. Hechenbleikner stated it was not in the budget but that he would look into it. A citizen asked if the construction site would be accessed through imagination Station. Mr. Capaldo stated that was never a possibility. Informational Abutter's Meeting June 15, 2004 Mr. Capaldo stated the drainage on the entire site would be dramatically different than it is now. There was discussion about drainage. There was discussion regarding parking and parking spaces. There will be 573 parking spaces. Currently we about 300 parking space. There was discussion regarding stop signs and do not enter signs. A citizen asked if Oakland Road could handle diagonal parking on both sides. Mr. Hechenbleikner stated that it could possibly handle it on one side, but he did not know how safe it would be. Mr. Hechenbleikner stated that the parking is not etched in stone. A citizen asked why the construction trailers could not be moved closer so that students could cut through. Mr. Capaldo stated there was no other place to put them. Mr. McFadden asked when the construction would begin. He was told June 24,2004. A citizen asked if the students would be able to hear the teachers with the noise. He was told they would. Mr. Finigan stated that the architect and the contractor have been very responsive to educational issues. A citizen asked if there would be blasting. Mr. Capaldo stated there would be blasting. ADJOURN _Ms Webb made a motion to adjourn to change locations to the Superintendent's Conference Room Mr. Dahl seconded the motion the vote was 4-0. Mr. Carpenter, Mr. McFadden, Ms. Webb and Mr. Dahl CALL TO ORDER Mr. McFadden called the regular School Committee meeting back to order at 7:35 p.m. in the Superintendent's Conference Room. Present were Mr. Carpenter, Mr. McFadden, Ms. Webb and Mr. Dahl. Also present were Superintendent Schettini and Associate Superintendent Richards. CITIZEN'S INPUT There was none. Regular Session -3- June 15, 2004 GIFTS Superintendent Schettini stated Mr. Jim Claroni; a Barrow's parent coordinated a generous donation of paper and school supplies from the United Way in Merrimack Valley. Mr. Joe Miara donated his time and the use of one of his truck to deliver the school supplies. Mr. Dahl moved to accept the gift co-ordinated by Mr. Claroni as spelled out in the Superintendent's memorandum dated June 15, 2004. Ms. Webb seconded the motion The vote was 4-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr. McFadden, Ms. Webb and Mr. Dahl REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT Superintendent Schettini introduced High School Principal Joseph Finigan and Assistant Principal, Gary Hart. Chair McFadden welcomed them and stated that the high school was in good hands. He thanked them for their service to Reading. Superintendent Schettini stated the next School Committee meeting was July 8th, 2004. The FinCom was meeting on June 30th to discuss year-end issues. Superintendent Schettini introduced Catherine Cook, Director of Food Service. Ms. Cook will be retiring some time this summer. She has been in Reading twenty-six years. She will help us with the transition of the new Director. He thanked her for her service. He complimented her. Chair McFadden stated there have not been any Food Service issues that required the School Committees attention. Mr. Dahl thanked her for all her years of service. Mr. Carpenter stated she was very talented especially with the budget. Ms. Webb thanked her for everything. She stated all the mentioned accolades were well deserved. Mr. Schettini and Mrs. Cook made a short presentation on the need to increase school lunch and milk prices. Regular Session _ 4- June 15, 2004 Ms Webb made a motion to increase the price of school lunch from $1.75 to $2.00 starting with the 2004-2005 school year and the price of milk will be increase to fifty cents as outlined in the memo to the Superintendent dated May 27, 2004. Mr. Carpenter seconded the motion. The vote wa s 4-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr. McFadden, Ms. Webb and Mr. Dahl OLD BUSINESS Scott Dunlap from AD gave an update on the building projects. Mr. Dunlap stated that the new elementary school is ahead of schedule. The Contractor could turn over the academic area and the gym as early as August 4, 2004. The official pre-construction meeting for the Barrow's project will be on June 18th at 12 Noon. July 8a' will be the abutter's meeting at the Barrow's school at 6:00 p.m. in the school cafeteria. The Reading Memorial High School construction project is underway. Mr. McFadden asked if the practice fields at the high school could be used into October. Mr. Dunlap told him no, the space has been turned over to the contractor. Ms. Webb asked the percentage completion for the new school. She was told 78%. Superintendent Schettini stated he had been working on the finalization of the FY04 Budget. He stated that because of the hard work to obtain circuit breaker money for Special Education and they decreased the number of outside placements, there are funds to address district wide issues. He stated he would like to make some transfers. Mr. Dahl made a motion that the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) be transferred from the School Department's Special Needs Budget to the Reading Memorial High School Construction and Renovation Proiect. Ms. Webb seconded the motion The vote was 4-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden and Ms. Webb Mr. Carpenter made a motion that the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) be transferred from the School Department's Special Needs Budget to the Alice M Barrows Elementary School Construction and Renovation Protect. Ms Webb seconded the motion The vote was 4-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden and Ms. Webb Regular Session _ -5- June 15, 2004 Ms Webb made a motion that the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,0 be transferred from the School Department's Regular Day Budget to the Elementary School Construction Proiect at Sunset Rock. Mr. Carpenter seconded the motion The vote was 4-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr Dahl, Mr. McFadden and Ms. Webb Mr. Carpenter made a motion that the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) be transferred from the School Department's Regular Day Budget to the School Department's Building Maintenance Budget Mr. Dahl seconded the motion. The vote was 4-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden and Ms. Webb ADJOURN Mr. Dahl moved to adiourn Mr. Carpenter seconded the motion. The vote was 4-0. Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mr. McFadden and Ms. Webb su Patrick Achettini Jr. ~kl Superinte dent of Schools