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Home My WebLink About2007-07-12 School Committee MinutesL :EKED Reading Public Schools TOWN CLERK Reading, Massachusetts READING. tI k"iS, Regular Session ILQo1 ttG 1(julAlt:2557 Call to Order Chair Gibbs called the regular session to order at 7:30 p.m. in the School Committee Conference Room at Reading Memorial High School. Present were Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Michaud, Ms. Webb, Mr. Caruso, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Caruso, Mr. Robinson, Superintendent Patrick Schettini, Jr., and Director of Human Resources and Finance Mary DeLai. Mrs. Gibbs read the mission statement for the Reading Public Schools. Bills and Payrolls Bills and payrolls were circulated. Citizens, Input No citizens input. Gifts No gifts Personnel There were no personnel issues to be discussed. Old Business FY07 BUDGET Ms. DeLai reviewed the budget analysis for the FY07 budget as of June 30, 2007 and presented the budget deficits and requested transfers to balance the FY07 budget. Mr. Michaud moved to authorize the transfer of funds in accordance with the memorandum from the Superintendent and Director of Human Resources and Finance dated July 12, 2007. Seconded by Mr. Caruso. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0. r+ f j Regular Session 2 July 12, 2007 ,f FY08 BUDGET Ms. DeLai updated the committee on the Special Education reimbursement program. Mr. Robinson asked if this was the first year we have had a surplus. Ms. DeLai stated that we have shown a surplus in the Special Education Revenue Fund, the regulation was recently clarified to allow for carry-over. Superintendent Schettini clarified how the unanticipated special education costs were determined. Ms. DeLai updated the committee on the FY08 budget. ELEMENTARY ENROLLMENT Kelly Bacon who has a child in a first grade class of 24 at Barrows presented questions about the decision to use the last available classroom at Barrows for a full day kindergarten and the distribution of educational assistants in the first grade classrooms at Wood End and Barrows. Kent Hattery who has a first grade child at Wood End presented questions as to why there are larger class sizes in K-2 versus Grades 3-5 and what is the Superintendent and Committee's position on class size. Karen Janowski gave comments regarding the impact of the high class size at Wood End on special education students and inclusion. Terry Teixiera gave comments regarding the increase in the size of the ILP Program at Wood End with no corresponding increase in the number of teachers and that the addition of a regular day teacher could positively impact that program. Superintendent Schettini gave a presentation on the history of class size in the Reading School District and discussed the FY08 budget development process which included as a priority two additional elementary teachers to address class size but for which funding was not provided and additional needs which were not able to be addressed in the final approved FY08 budget. The Superintendent recommended using any funding that might be made available to him to address this issue through adding a 0.5 teacher at Wood End and at Barrows and using a team teaching model based on student to teacher ratio to deliver the necessary services to ensure success of students in the classroom. Regular Session 3 July 12, 2007 - Mr. Schettini also suggested giving the parents the option of transferring their children from Wood End and Barrows to Killam or Eaton. There was a discussion regarding potential funding for the two recommended 0.5 teaching positions and the impact that might have on other areas of the budget and other needs of the district. There was additional discussion regarding the addition of 1.0 teacher at both Wood End and Barrows and a discussion of adding 1.0 teacher at Wood End and 0.5 at Barrows. There was also a suggestion to add the 1.0 teacher at Wood End and invite 9 families from Barrows and 3 families from Birch Meadow to have their children attend Wood End as a town-wide balancing approach. Karen Powers provided comment to support the proposal to invite Barrows and Wood End parents to send their children to Killam or Eaton. Bill Brown noted that the Committee and parents need to understand that there is another side to town government and there are many other departments in the town that are in need of additional funds as well. Tina Brzezenski expressed appreciation for the amount of thought that has gone into trying to solve this problem and presented her concern that the number at Wood End have increased since the last time this issue was discussed given that we are only 1/3'd of the way through the summer and this could increase even more. Mrs. Verrier suggested that a teacher be moved from Joshua Eaton 3rd grade given the Committee's stated commitment to low class sizes in grades K-2 and also questioned how team teaching would work. Mr. Schettini cited numerous examples of the variety of ways that the team teaching model would be employed. Mr. McFadden moved to direct the Superintendent to hire an additional 1.5 FTE teachers to address the issue of first grade class size across the district. Seconded by Mr. Robinson. The vote of 3-3., the motion did not pass. Mr. Michaud moved to support the Superintendents plan to add two 0.5 FTE teachers to address the issue of first grade class size across the district. Seconded by Ms. Webb. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0. Mr. McFadden requested. an analysis of full day kindergarten revenues and expenses for the next School Committee meetings. Mr. Caruso requested that there be more conversation at a future meeting about the Committee's position regarding full day kindergarten. Regular Session 4 July 12, 2007 RMHS BUILDING PROJECT Mr. Scott Dunlap provided an update on the RMHS School Building Project. Design Partnership inspected the building during the week of July 2nd and found that approximately $500,000 of punch list work has been completed. AD is currently holding $2.3 million for punch list items, incomplete site work, and retainage. At this point, the project is estimated to be approximately 95% complete. Mr. Dunlap reviewed the recent decisions and votes of the Committee regarding the rejection of the track repair and field lighting installation bids, the direction to TLT to proceed with track repairs, and the direction to DPC to draft a Change Order to TLT for installation of the field lighting. Mr. Dunlap reviewed the timelines and schedules provided by TLT for the field light installation and the track repair under several different phasing scenarios. Based on discussions at a meeting of July 11"' and the meeting with the Conservation Commission on that same day, several recommendations were made including executing a change order with TLT and proceeding with necessary submittals, approvals, and installations for the field lighting and that work on the track be postponed until after the lighting is installed. Mr. McFadden asked about the length of time shown in TLT's schedule for drilling the holes and asked to where they were digging. Mr. Michaud moved to authorize the Superintendent to approve Change Order #053 in the amount of $221,436 to provide all remaining work required to install the stadium liLyhts Seconded by Mr. Caruso. Motion passed by a vote of 5-0-1 with Mr. McFadden abstaining. Mr. Dunlap then reviewed the project budget and the estimated remaining expenditures. New Business AWARD OF CONTRACT Mr. Schettini presented the Committee with information on the process used to solicit a local bank to engage in a partnership with Reading Public Schools to locate a School Branch Bank at Reading Memorial High School and his recommendation that the contract be awarded to Reading Co-Operative Bank, the vendor submitting the winning proposal. Regular Session 5 July 12, 2007 Mr. Michaud moved to authorize the Superintendent to enter into an agreement with the Reading Cooperative Bank to establish a School Bank Branch at Reading Memorial High School as outlined in the Superintendent's memo dated July 12, 2007. Seconded by Mr. Robinson. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0. Reports of Chairman, Liaisons & Superintendent Mr. Schettini and Ms. DeLai informed the Committee that the District was terminating its contract for cleaning services at Reading Memorial High School. Approval of Minutes Mr. Michaud moved to approve the minutes of the School Committee Regular Session of May 21, 2007 Seconded by Mr. Caruso. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0. Mr. Michaud moved to approve the minutes of the School Committee Regular Session of May 29, 2007 Seconded by Mr. McFadden. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0. Mr. Michaud moved to approve the minutes of the School Committee Regular Session of June 4, 2007 Seconded by Mr. Caruso. Correction noted by Mrs. Gibbs on the second to last page of the minutes, first paragraph, last sentence, changing Ms. Gibbs to Ms. Webb. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0. Mr. Michaud moved to approve the minutes of the School Committee Regular Session of June 18, 2007 Seconded by Mr. Caruso. Motion passed by.a vote of 6-0. Adjourn Mr. Michaud moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Mr. Caruso. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0. Superintendent of Schools