HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-04-07 School Committee MinutesREADING SCHOOL COMMITTEE i";GEI ED
TO W,11 _ CLERK
Reading, Massachusetts RE-ADING, MASS.
Regular Session 7flin sE i t .Aori1.7. 2004
Chair Dahl called the regular session to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Superintendent's
Conference Room. Present were Mr. Spadafora, Mr. Carpenter, Ms. Webb, Mrs. Gibbs
and Mr. Dahl. Mr. McFadden was not present. Also present were Superintendent
Schettini, Associate Superintendent Richards and Student Representative Joseph
Kwiatek.
Chair Dahl mentioned the passing of Bill Hughes from the Reading Municipal Light
Department. He stated that Mr. Hughes had served the Town of Reading well. He
suggested everyone take a moment to reflect.
Chair Dahl congratulated Mr. & Mrs. McFadden on the arrival of their new baby girl.
ROUTINE MATTERS
BILLS AND PAYROLLS
Bills and Payrolls were circulated for signature.
GIFTS
There were no gifts to report.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
Superintendent Schettini stated that the Reading Memorial High Baseball Team was
going on their annual field trip to Cooperstown, New York.
He went on to say there were three finalists from Reading in the National History Day
Competition. Shannon O'Leary came in second place for her Individual Exhibit entitled
Crisis at Central, Encounter in Little Rock: The Desegregation of Central High School.
Andrea Lopez and Chris Angelini came in first place for their Group Exhibit entitled Ed
Sullivan's Really Big Show: America Encounters Cultural Exchange Through the
Exploration of Entertainment.
Coming in first place and receiving the National Archives Award for best use of primary
sources in a group documentary were Rebecca Burns, Genevieve Charest, Valerie
Koenig, Sydney McGrane and Ellen Vickery for their Group Documentary entitled
Silenced: The Story of Sudanese Slavery.
Regular Session -2- April 7, 2004
Chair Dahl commented that the National History Day exhibits were excellent. He
suggested that the documentary be aired at a June School Committee Meeting.
Superintendent Schettini stated that Associate Superintendent Richards was instrumental
in the development and publication of Learning Communities, an issue of the
Massachusetts Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Newsletter,
MASCD Focus.
LIASION REPORTS
Mr. Spadafora stated the Town Counsel Review had interviewed the firms Koppleman
and Paige as well as the current firm, Brackett and Lucas. The Selectmen decided to
retain Brackett and Lucas as Town Counsel.
Chair Dahl stated the plans for the formal ground breaking on May 1, 2004 are moving
ahead.
Ms Webb stated the Suburban Coalition annual breakfast will be held on April 13, 2004
at the State House. A Day on the Hill will be on April 27, 2004 from 9:00 to 3:00.
OLD BUSINESS
Ms. Webb stated the New School Naming Sub Committee has met over the past three
weeks. There have been articles in the Chronicle. There has been excellent participation.
We did not think we could reduce the list of twenty-seven names down to a short list of
four names.
Mr. Spadafora suggested they should have toured the new school before coming up with
the four names.
Ms. Webb stated the Sub Committee would like to come and present the names to the
School Committee. She read the list of twenty-seven names from a newspaper article.
The four names were Wood End School, Horace Greeley Wadlin School, John Brooks
School and the Hope School.
Chair Dahl stated the School Committee toured the new school. He stated the school was
a spectacular project and the New School Naming Sub Committee would be on the May
10 School Committee Meeting Agenda.
There was discussion concerning the transportation of Barrows School children to the
new school for the September of 2004.
Regular Session -3- April 7, 2004
Mr. Spadafora moved to enter into an agreement with North Suburban
Transportation to provide transportation of Barrows students to and from the new
school as outlined in the Superintendent's memorandum dated April 2, 2004. Mr.
Carpenter seconded the motion The vote was 5-0. Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mrs.
Gibbs, Ms. Webb and Mr. Spadafora.
The discussion shifted to Electrical Maintenance and Upkeep Services.
Mr. Spadafora moved to authorize the Superintendent to enter into an agreement
with Lantern Light and Electric for the Electrical Maintenance and Upkeep services
as outlined in the Superintendent's memorandum dated March 31, 2004. Mrs.
Gibbs seconded the motion The vote was 5-0. Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mrs.
Gibbs, Ms. Webb and Mr. Spadafora.
NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Spadafora moved to accept the Superintendent's recommendation to set June
17, 2004 as the official last day of school for the 2003-2004 school year. Ms. Webb
seconded the motion The vote was 5-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mrs. Gibbs, Ms.
Webb and Mr. Spadafora
The Superintendent acknowledged the Parker Middle School artwork.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mr. Spadafora moved to approve the minutes of February 26, 2004. Ms. Webb
seconded the motion The vote was 5-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mrs. Gibbs, Ms.
Webb and Mr. Spadafora
Mr. Spadafora moved to approve the minutes of March 25, 2004. Mrs. Gibbs
seconded the motion The vote was 5-0 Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Dahl, Mrs. Gibbs, Ms.
Webb and Mr. Spadafora
ADJOURN
Mr. Spadafora moved to adiourn at 8.30 p.m. Ms Webb seconded the motion. The
vote was 5-0. Mr. Carpenter. Mr. Dahl. Mrs. Gibbs, Ms. Webb and Mr. Spadafora
Patrick A. Sclfettini, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools