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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-02-23 Coolidge School Council MinutesA. W. Coolidge Middle School School Council Minutes Tuesday, February 23, 1999 Members Present Walter Begonis chair Diane Blume John Doherty Ann Fisher Mary Ann Kozlowski Chris Moulton Marie Pink secretary Meeting called to order 5pm. Minutes from January 26, 1999 approved. Principals Report Building Project Update During February vacation tile and mastic was removed from six classrooms including the resource room. The steel also arrived and is 90% erected. The roofing is expected to be completed next week if the weather holds. The gym continues to be demolished and reconfigured. The elevator pit leading to the library and locker room has been completed. The mezzanine floor has been poured. During a staff meeting this week room assignments for the fall will be handed out. FY-00 Budget Update Reading has achieved the foundation level for spending resulting in a significant decrease in the funding we have received for the past four years. The town, as well as the school committee, had assumed Reading would receive the same amount as previous years and built these moneys into the budget. As a result the town manager has cut the school department budget by one million dollars. If this does not change it will result in layoffs throughout the system and cutbacks on curriculum initiatives. A budget council meeting is scheduled for tomorrow night and all are encouraged to attend. Assistant Principal Screening Committee An ad will appear in the Boston Globe for the next two Sundays for this position. Joe Finigan will be the facilitator for the screening committee. The screening committee will be made up of the following individuals: Ann Fisher, Renee Kannapell, Mary Ann Kozlowski, Dick Morrison, Ellen Svenson, Marie Tomasello, and Kim Vassilev. The deadline for applications is March 12, 1999. Joe will be in touch with committee members very soon to have the initial meeting. School Performance Checklist-Report of Progress The parent questionnaire was given out at the PTO recently, it will be given out again at the next meeting, as well as at the open house. Several A. W. Coolidge Middle School School Council Minutes Tuesday, February 23, 1999 t A have already been returned. The staff questionnaire is being done in groups and should be completed soon. Diane and Marie presented a rough draft of the student questionnaire. This will be revised and filled out by student groups during physical education class. The results of a questionnaire' given to a group of seventh grade students by an Intern at Coolidge was distributed to the council. The council was impressed by the data collected. Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Process In previous years the state of MA did not take this prestigious award seriously, sending out the applications in late August early September although it needed to be completed by October. Two years ago Coolidge applied for this award and although they left the state highly rated no site visit resulted from the application. The application did however result in the awareness of what areas needed improvement. Coolidge will apply again next October for this award. The applications have already been received. Craig Martin has already attended a technical assistance meeting and brought back sample applications of blue ribbon schools. John has put together a ten member committee to accomplish two tasks, a) apply for the blue ribbon award b) build a core of individuals to lead us towards our goal of becoming an outstanding middle school. The first meeting of the committee will be on the March early release day. Prior to this date members are asked to read the award winning application to determine what Coolidge does not have or do that it should. The members will ultimately return to smaller groups of teachers and parents with two specific questions from the application to answer in a rough draft. School Improvement Plan-Begin to Determine Direction The council was unanimous in their decision to hold off working on the school improvement plan. Budget decisions, as well as questionnaires will determine the councils direction. The new improvement plan needs to reflect the strategic planning goals developed by the town. Coolidge also need to develop a new school brochure in coordination with the new building. Next meeting scheduled for March 10, 1999 at 4pm in the Coolidge Library Media Center.