HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-10-28-Hastings-minMinutes
Site Council — Maria Hastings Elementary
Members Present: Dan Strollo, Miranda Clarke, Lisa
Meeting
Clough, Sheila Kaspik, Debbie Krasnow, Patty
McLaughlin, Jane Kalinski, Louise Lipsitz, and Anne
Knight
Date
Monday, October 28, 2013
Time
7:45 am — 8:30 am
Library, Maria Hastings Elementary, 7 Crosby Road,
Location
Lexington, MA
1. Welcome and introductions
Minutes from 9/16/13 approved
2. Feedback from Site Councils training (9/17/13 --
Purpose of Councils)
• Highlights shared — documents mailed to
members at home; can seem daunting, follow
open meeting laws, different than PTA which
fundraises and has money to allocate. Site
Agenda
council has a political voice. Purpose laid out
in 1993 Ed Reform Law.
• Need a mechanism for collecting topic items
for council to consider (rather than just
parents, teachers or other community
members knowing individual site council
members). On Town Website — members'
email is posted. Louise will look into creating
a group email. Louise can include summary of
meeting discussion and invitation for input in
Parent Bulletin and Faculty notes.
3. Budget process
• Per pupil allocation based on October 1
enrollment (approximately $25,000) to buy
supplies; text books are bought at the
department level. SPED, ELL, Special Areas have
own budget. Have right to make capital requests
- -- white boards, flooring, carpeting, etc. Can
make supplemental requests. Superintendent
always carries unallocated funds to allow for
some flexibility. Dr. Ash asked principals to
consider district wide goals. May bring on a
district wide data analyst that would help think
about how to distribute data
• Facility safety — every space in every building
would have a functioning cylinder to allow door
to be locked from inside.
• All employees also have swipe cards to get in
• Cameras inside and outside of buildings,
approximately 36 at Hastings; run all the time but
not being monitored all the time; shades in first
floor windows. Always continued work around
security.
• As special education programs and cohorts have
changed, needs have grown at the high school
level which are both fiscally and educationally
sound.
4. Facility (renovation /rebuilding) update
• Capital item in the 2015 budget -- 1.1 million
dollars allocated for feasibility study
• 2017 fiscal budget 40 million dollar line item
• Louise will work with architect and director of
facilities to create
5. Hastings School Improvement Plan update:
Goal 2 — Social /Emotional instruction
• LEF substantially increased the School and
Community Grant increased from $2500 to
$7000 for each school. (No guarantee of the
amount next year.) Use these funds in a way that
has the broadest implication for the school.
• Considering hosting a series of afternoon and /or
evening speakers (possibly partnering with
Harrington) to address the following possible
topics: 1. high stress life of families (busy
schedules, overbooked); 2. social /emotional
growth (bullying, resiliency) and 3. Addressing
needs of kids who are easily distracted in our
media culture /information bombardment and
have difficulty distinguishing between fantasy
and reality.
• How can we get the maximum attendance — have
posted online or community television? Having
consistent meetings across time will promote
parental involvement.
• Have childcare provided maybe by high school
students (doing community hours) and so that
the children can be learning about the same topic
as parents. Child interest might promote parent
interest. During Book Fair week might be a time
to think about being unplugged. Connecting to
sports brings in lots of people.
6. Adjournment