1976-01-05-SC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

CARY MEMORIAL LLI'SRARt Page 1 LEXINGTON, MASS. 02173 January 5, 1976 On Monday evening January 5, 1976 the Lexington School Committee held a meeting at the Jonas Clarke Junior High School. The meeting be- gan at 8:00 p.m. Those in attendance were Mesdames Swanson, Berchtold, Messrs. Brown, Rotberg, Wadsworth and student representative Alan Wachman. Also present were Messrs. Spiris, Maclnnes, Monderer, Barnes and Miss Quinn. Mr. David Westfall, 106 Kendall Road, expressed his concern about PUBLIC the possible closing of Munroe School, since some of the students would PARTICIPATION be reassigned to Franklin School. He stated that Franklin School, now, has several large classes and projections indicate increased enrollment. He requested the School Committee consider these conditions. Mr. William Paul, 2 Eustis Road, commented on a statement included in an article in the December 18, 1975 issue of the Lexington Minute-man, which quoted Mr. Spiris as saying that one of the drawbacks of a small school, such as Munroe, was the lack of flexibility. Mr. Paul requested Mr. Spiris to clarify the usage of the term, flexibility. He asked if the word was being used as an administrative term, or as an implication that all small schools are to be considered inflexible. Mr. Paul added that the example used in the Minute-man article stated that a Munroe School kindergarten enrollment of 21 would demonstrate inflexibility, yet identical enrollments in larger buildings were not referred to as hindering flexibility. Mr. Spiris explained that small numbers in a school provide for less flexibility. He added that he did not intend to state that Munroe was inflexible, except the small number of classes or students make any school less flexible for class arrangement and rearrangement. The minutes of December 1, 1975 were reviewed. It was MINUTES 12/1/75 VOTED: to accept the minutes of 12/1/75 as amended. (Brown, Berchtold, Unanimous) . The minutes of December 8, were discussed. The segment of the min- MINUTES utes pertaining to the special needs summer program policy was reviewed 12/8/75 by the town counsel as requested at a prior meeting. Mr. Spiris said he had received an opinion from Rhoda Snyder, legal counsel at the State Department, and the legal counsel for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. Both of these sources interpreted that point #F3 regarding the residential placement of a student was legal. Dr. Rotberg suggested that prior to voting the minutes, the town counsel should reply, since the counsel was not an advocate of the state department or school committee. He felt the town counsel would consider the best interests of the town. He emphasized the critical need for town counsel review due to the implications of the policy. Mr. Spiris agreed to have the town counsel respond to the school committee 's inquiries and suggested that any school committee member place his or her comments in writing to the superintendent. It was VOTED: to accept the minutes of December 8, 1975 as corrected. (Brown, Wadsworth, Unanimous)