FINAL OS SC Mtg Minutes 2017-10-17.pdf

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ACTION 2017#71 Moved(Spalding) and seconded(Leone) To accept the donation of 5 (five)Lg. 49"HDTVs,as presented VOTE: 10 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 100% Weight needed: > 50.00% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 100% Final status of the vote: Unanimous 9. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS a. Enrollment Task Force In connection with Mr. Clement's presentation on Enrollment,Pam Nourse gave an update on the activities of the Enrollment Task Force, formed on 4.4.17. She explained that the members include herself,Dave Horton,Carrie Flood, and Jim Gammill, and that they met on 7.24.17(with Mr. Gammill absent)to gather ideas on enrollment strategies. She noted that they developed a list of tasks that School Committee members could take on to help increase enrollment from member towns. She explained that the ideas can be grouped into three categories: 1.)Getting to know your town, 2.)Working with the PTAs in your town, and 3.) Ensuring a Minuteman presence in your town. She elaborated on strategies for each. To get to know the town, one could understand the key town committees and the decision-making processes, set up a Minuteman subcommittee with representatives from those committees(Selectmen, School Committee,Finance Committee),and research and contact the Advisory Committee member to gauge their willingness to help with outreach. She suggested that inroads to the PTAs could be made by finding out who is the current president and reaching out to request an opportunity to present at a PTA meeting. Ensuring a Minuteman presence could begin with reviewing the town's website to ensure that Minuteman is prominent as an education option,and with coordinating a Minuteman presence at town events. She also noted that Mr. Clement expressed a willingness to be available to discuss strengths and challenges in each own regarding enrollment and access to students, parents,and staff,and that he offered to develop a set of talking points for School Committee members to use. A number of additional suggestions were made. The member from Dover commended Mr. Sharek for his PR work on behalf of Minuteman, and he suggested that that people sign on to Google Alerts to get notices about Minuteman. The member from Lancaster suggested that people publicize the services that are available at Minuteman. The member from Needham suggested that a carefully vetted, conservative, and honest list of the advantages of Minuteman, and why one should go here,be outlined as part of a"master list" of talking points being developed and that this could be used as a handout.He also suggested that what college means to parents be given consideration, and related points raised were the advantages of college clarity, status vs. choice, cost, and how a Minuteman education addresses these concerns. He also cautioned against being viewed by town PTAs as interfering. It was suggested that getting to parents before middle school was important, as was reaching the rising 6th graders. Dr. Bouquillon noted that this is part of the outreach to the Superintendents, as they must approve such efforts. The member from Concord noted that it is a legal requirement of sending districts to provide avenues for vocational schools. The member from Stow suggested that all previous nonsense about 6