HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-10-29-MMHS-min
Date and Time: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 | 4:30 pm
Minuteman High School | Training Room, 2N11
Meeting Minutes for School Council Meeting
1.Ernie Houle, Principal - Present2.DeAnne Dupont, Parent - Present3.Mary Polito, Parent -Absent
4.Dottie Vacca, Parent-Present 5.Charles Valera, Guest6.Eileen Roddy, Teacher - Absent
7.Anthony Wilbur, Teacher-Present 8.Michaela Ganimian, Student, Absent9.Kaleena Gulledge, Student, Absent
10.Tristin O’Connor, Student, Present 11.Donna Heisler, Recorder 12.
Agenda:
Action/Who/When:
Subject:
By Ernie Houle at 4:38 PM.
Meeting called to order
DeAnne made a motion to approve the minutes from the last meeting, Dottie Vacca
Approval of May 14, 2013
seconded the motion. Motion passed with Tristin O’Connor and Mary Polito abstaining.
Minutes
Subject: New BusinessAction/Who/When:
Introductions and Meeting Members introduced themselves and their role on the School Council. Mr. Houle asked the
Norms/Review Role of School Council their thoughts on maintaining the makeup of the School Council: three parents;
Council | Ernie Houle three teachers; three students; a representative from business and industry; and one or two
alumni. Discussion: Charles Valera questioned whether it might be more difficult to achieve
a quorum with an expanded School Council membership. Dottie Vacca and Mary Polito
agreed that it might be difficult for the Business/Alumni members to make a 4:30pm
meeting. Mr. Houle stated that we moved to a 4:30 pm timeslot to help accommodate the
student representatives that would be able to take the late bus home. Mr. Houle suggested
that we try this membership and timeslot that we can make adjustments if need be. DeAnne
made a motion to approve and Anthony Wilbur seconded it. Motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Houle reviewed the role of the School Council at Minuteman.
We will review and comment upon the preparation of the Minuteman annual budget.
1.
We will review and comment upon the annual publication of the Minuteman Student
2.
Handbook.
We will assess the needs of the Minuteman community through analysis of the input of
3.
parents, staff, and students.
We will use of knowledge of the needs of Minuteman to review the annual School
4.
Improvement Plan (SIP) and monitor progress through regular updates and staff
presentations.
He also explained that there is a co-chair position, but did state that a meeting could not be
held without the Principal in attendance.
Subject: New BusinessAction/Who/When:
General Update on the opening This year started off well, with far fewer nutritional issues. There is an approximate 31%
of School | Ernie Houle increase in the freshman class over the last 3-4 years. Mr. Houle commented that the
reading scores for the incoming freshman class were higher than in the recent past. Tristin
O’Connor said that this seems to be a good group of freshman. We have had an increase in
the number of students participating in student activities and sports. Minuteman has 16
new staff members, which included an additional school psychologist with a total of four
new Special Education staff members.
Subject: New BusinessAction/Who/When:
Review/Discuss the School Mr. Houle stated that the current School Improvement Plan Executive Summary makes it
Improvement Plan | Ernie Houle difficult to track changes so we are looking for a more streamlined, easier to read model.
We are hoping to get a draft to the School Council sooner this year to allow for sufficient
time for review. Minuteman is preparing a 5 Year Data Plan that we are hoping can be rolled
into the School Improvement Plan.
Subject: New BusinessAction/Who/When:
Future Meeting Dates Mr. Houle suggested the following meeting dates and topics for the remainder of the year.
December 10, 2013 | Preliminary Budget
Ja nuary 7, 2014 | Final Budget, School Improvement Plan
March 25, 2014 | School Improvement Plan and Student Handbook Review (items to be
considered this year to include: medicinal marijuana, a possible challenge of the hat rule,
and a requirement that students wear school IDs at all times in the building)
May 13, 2014 (if needed)
Subject: Comments Action/Who/When:
Dottie Vacca felt that the Back to School Night was very confusing and that there seemed to
be a lot of idle time built into the evening’s schedule. There was an hour to visit shops but
only 6 or 7 minutes to visit Academic classrooms. There seemed to be the same issue with
Parent/Teacher Conferences, that only a small percentage of parents were able to schedule
actual appointments with teachers and that it was not sufficiently communicated that there
was an alternative solution of making an appointment on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 2:30
– 3:30pm. And again, only a 6 or 7 minute window for an conference appointment. Tony
Wilbur commented that teachers do feel the same frustration. Mr. Houle explained that the
limited time is due to a collective bargaining issue where the time teachers are required to
participate was shortened from 3 hours to 2 hours in the last Teacher’s Contract. He stated
that the contract is being renegotiated now and he hopes that they can reach an agreement
to lengthen the time teachers participate in Back to School Night and Parent Teacher
Conferences to 3 hours again.
Adjournment: Action/Who/When:
Motion to adjourn by Dottie Vacca. Motion seconded by DeAnne Dupont.
Meeting adjourned at 6:00 pm.
NEXT SCHOOL COUNCIL
December 10, 2013 | 4:30 pm – Training Room 2N11
MEETING:
Name of Recorder: Donna Heisler