Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-01-08-SC-PMRS-min 2015-01-08-SC-PMRS-MIN Minutes Approved à February 10, 2015 LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEEÈS POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE MINUTES Thursday, January 8, 2015 12:00 a.m. LOCATION: Central Office, Lower Level Room 4A. MINUTES In attendance : Jim Hardy, Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Jessie Steigerwald and Judy Crocker. 12:29 p.m. Jessie Steigerwald called the meeting to order at 9:50 a.m. Minutes were taken by Jessie Steigerwald. Approved minutes from December 3 and December 5, 2014. Duxbury policy on gift giving can be useful reference IB good IC / ICA School Year / School Calendar ID - Students who arrive early from Boston arrive by bus and the policy covers early arrivals not early dismissal Note: check with Barbara Nobles to make sure this works for students who are residing in Boston Students not admitted inside building until 15 minutes prior to start of school day. The policy captures the concern that it must be clear to the community that there should be no expectation of supervision before school begins. IE Organization of Instruction Delete * as the policy captures our configuration IGA Curriculum development We undertake 3 year reviews. Jim: LHS SBSC might look at course of study when principal sees need to add a particular program. IGB Support Services Program Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction 1 Discussed IHA last meeting IHA Basic Instructional Program Sandro wanted to add: ÅAcademic standards will be developed for CORE subjects of Mathematics, Science, Technology, History, and Social Science, English, Foreign Language and the Arts.Æ Jim Hardy: Why this grouping? Social Science? Are there subjects missing? Health? Is this tied to Common Core? Jessie & Judy: Will follow up with Sandro. Class Size Policy / Guidelines These are currently in teacher contract but not in a policy. Concerns have been expressed about putting them in a policy, but Jim Hardy notes that the contract language must be followed à as would a policy. Jim Hardy: Will find appropriate coding for this and suggests including as policy. Section IIB is appropriate location. Jim Hardy: Question in new IIB #4 à ÅSchedule will be done by School Council.Æ Is that true? IHAE PHYSICAL EDUCATION Judy Crocker: How is this monitored? Jim Hardy: Policy strives to attempt to provide for all students, but probably impossible to schedule all high school students in PE in all quarters all four years. IHAI Occupational Education New for LHS IHAM Health Education Health here is in 6, 8 and 9 (check with Carol P.) IHAM-R à Exemption IHAMA 2 IHAMB à Covers e-cigarettes under tobacco IHB à Special Instructional Programs and (Check if there is an appendix request for this¼) IHBA à Programs for Students with Disabilities No change IHBAA Observations Jim: Relatively new policy and is required Judy: #12 à change Åat the same timeÆ to ÅsimultaneouslyÆ change Åalso willÆ to Åwill alsoÈ Jessie: If a parent would like to observe their child and their child is not being evaluated for Special Education services, how is that best handled? Jim: Parents can make a request to observe. Policy is not required. IHBD à Compensatory Education (Title I) No change IHBEA à English Language Learners No change IHBF à Homebound Instruction Students were enrolled in your school à and canÈt come in Ådue to physical injury, medical situation, or a severe emotional problem.Æ Home bound instruction could include tutoring or on-line educational support, etc. IHBG à Consideration of Home Schooling Requests Under MGL c. 76 Section 1 Lex version IHBG à Home Schooling MASC policy is prefered as School Committee has not been approving Home Schooling as a practice SC could allow a home-school student to take some classes in LPS. Question: Do LHS students have ability to take some IHBGA à Delete as not legal IHBH à Alternative School Programs 3 Jessie to go ask Minuteman Tech and Dr. Ash and David Horton about whether this would include Minuteman Tech à EDCO? Jim: Could be school within a school à very structured day and located within specific space. More likely for students who have behavioral challenges. IHCA à Summer Schools Note: programs require approval by the School Committee IHCFA à Extended Day Programs Policy Need update information from Paul th II Application 4 paragraph, ÅReceipts from rental fees associated with Extended Day Programs will be used in a manner to be determined by the School Committee upon recommendation of the Superintendent.Æ IIB Class Size Policy / Guidelines These are currently in teacher contract but not in a policy. Concerns have been expressed about putting them in a policy, but Jim Hardy notes that the contract language must be followed à as would a policy. Jim Hardy: Will find appropriate coding for this and suggests including as policy. Section IIB is appropriate location. Jim Hardy: Question in new IIB #4 à ÅSchedule will be done by School Council.Æ Is that true? IJ à Instructional Materials IJ-R Reconsideration of Instructional Resources IJJ à Textbook Selection and Adoption IJK à Supplementary Materials Selection and Adoption Delete - redundant IJL à Library Materials Selection and Adoption IJLA à Library Resources 4 IJM à Special Interest Materials Selection and Adoption Jim: It is okay to weed out the library and make room for new items. Sandro requested we change ÅunattractiveÆ to Ådated, worn or tatteredÆ IJM à delete à redundant IJND à Curriculum and Instruction Access to Electronic Media Jim strongly recommends adding this one Jessie: Ask Paul and Margaret to ask Tom for comments IJNDB à We just did in 2010 IJNDB à delete the one page template IJNDB-E-1 Guidelines is a form à delete from Policy Manual à belongs in the handbook¼ IJNDB-E-2 Guideline is a form à delete from Policy Manual IJNDB à E à Form not necessary in manual IJNDB-R Add if Tech staff feels our five page policy does not cover. Look at #9 = 15 days We are changing to 30 days. We do not want anything on this list that we do not actually do. IJNDC à Jim recommends that we adopt this. Jessie: Ask Dr. Ash to check with Tom. IJOA FIELD TRIPS We discussed at last meeting. We still need to figure out this one. We added chaperone disclosures as E. 5 Keep Lexington 4-page version But add the JJH cross-references Delete IJOA MASC version Delete IJOA-1 MASC version IJOA FIELD TRIPS May need to add swimming pool language here as well. IJOB Community Resource Persons/Speakers IJOC School Volunteers Volunteers must observe confidentiality Judy & Jessie will work more. IK Student Progress Reports to Parents/Guardians rd 3 paragraph à add Åparents will be notified in a timely fashionÆ IKB à Homework Jessie & Judy will review IKE à Promotion and Retention IKEB à Awarding of High School Credit to Eighth Graders Delete IKF à Graduation Requirements Jessie will ask Paul to ask Laura Add MASC requirements Add Community Service requirements IL à Evaluation of Instructional Programs Add ILD à Educational Research in the Lexington Public Schools Change Ådirected to the Assistant Superintendent for Planning and BusinesÆ to Ådirected to the Superintedent or DesigneeÆ 6 ILD-R Recommend delete. IMA à Teaching Activities / Presentations To promote the dignity of all individuals, staff shall be culturally aware, sensitive to different viewpoints and backgrounds, and shall guard against bias. IMB à Teaching About Controversial Issues/Controversial Speakers Colleagues à check to see if you want to keep this à it is covered above. IMD à School Ceremonies and Observances Colleagues à please note the third paragraph. IMDC à Religion In The Lexington Public Schools Delete (see IMD instead) IMG à Animals in Schools Policy Passed 2011 Judy: Properties shared with recreational uses after school. Recommend changing to next MASC version IMG à Animals in Schools à MASC version Change ÅNo animals shall be brought to school without prior permission of the building Principal.Æ to ÅNo animal shall be brought onto Lexington Public School property without prior permission of a building Principal.Æ From last meeting¼ 1.Section J: Students 7 Jim Hardy, our consultant from Massachusetts Association of School Committees, sent th Section J to us on November 26. This is our first discussion of policies included in Section J. This is a lengthy section and we will begin with a discussion of process and timing. Dr. Ash has been sent Section J and will review policies with appropriate staff members to include their comments. That discussion will take place at a future meeting. JB EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES (MASC) Picking MASC version. Judy Crocker: We are covered with staff language in earlier section, using MASC version focuses on students. Jim Hardy: Adding Åhomeless statusÆ after national origin. JBA STUDENT-TO-STUDENT HARASSMENT Add Lexington in first sentence. Flag: admin. guidelines for this should be in the appendix section. Question for Paul/ Jennifer Wolfrum: what is the current harassment language that students might be using when they respond to YBRSurvey and report harassment? JC ATTENDANCE AREAS Judy: Add current district map to appendix with date? Jim Hardy: Maps are too small when you shrink to 8.5 x 11Æ Judy: Is this where we add information about core values in assigning attendance? Add to MASC JC: core values around assigning attendance areas à will send JCA ASSIGNMENT OF STUDENTS TO SCHOOLS JECC à JudyÈs policy¼ JJCF STUDENT ACTIVITIES. Judy Crocker à We are reviewing school building procedures to share new Estabrook space with town. Where will this be? 8 JCAC STUDENT TRANSFER POLICY JGS Recommend delete unless Dr. Ash request keeping it JF à School Admissions Change ÅguardianshipÆ to ÅguardianÆ JFAB à Non-Resident Students Delete JFABB à Delete JFABC à Admission of Transfer Students MASC version recognizes all students which is our preference JFABD à Homelessness Policy Prefer Lexington. But change Title ÅHomeless Students: Enrollment Rights and ServicesÆ JFABD à Delete MASC policy - keep the title JFBB à Delete à not our practice JFBB-1 This is LexingtonÈs policy. JH à Send updated Lexington Absence / Attendance to Jim JHD JIB à Up to five à this is the statutory language. Advised to have up to five students to allow student voices at the table. Students can rotate, or all attend. There would be a chair of that committee. We now have a rep, not a committee. We can comply with state regulation by expanding to five members that would allow the five to select their own Chair. JIC à Conduct and Disclipline Policy Delete Lexington version from 1994 9 JIC à Recommend MASC version as it includes Six pages which meets all statutory requirements à The version sent to us by Stoneman Chandler and Miller does not include all required elements. The updated July 2014 version is longer, but MASC believes we are required to have all elements and we recommend adopting MASCÈs version We added three small edits. A period at end of sentence. A parenthetical on page six (second paragraph at end, add DESE in parenthesis). JICA à Student Dress Code Recommend new policy JICC à Student Conduct on School Bus Add new paragraph two. ÅTo ride the bus, students and their parent/guardians must acknowledge receipt of all school bus rules, and agree in writing using the provided form, to follow the published rules.Æ JICE à Student Publications Judy Crocker referred to the December 2014 LHS Musket and asked whether the MusketÈs language works. Jessie: Alert LHS / Musket to please update language. New: Superintendent will establish guidelines JICF à Gang Activity / Secret Societies Adopt JICFA Keep JICFA-E Delete LEx JICFA à E Keep MASC JICFB Bullying Prevention Jessie: Note to request an annual update on bullying JICG à Tobacco Use By Students Adopt JICH à Drug and Alcohol Policy 10 Leave LHS handbook as is. Adopt MASC JICH à as town-wide version JIE à Pregnant Students Adopt JIH Searches and Interrogations Adopt MASC JII Student Complaints and Grievances Adopt MASC Note that Stoneman Chandler & Miller deleted a sentence à but MASC notes that this sentence aligns with JII and provides necessary guidance for any appeal. JJ à Co-Curricular and Extracurricular Activities Will pick up here¼ JK à Student Conduct Reviewed with Jim to keep the ch. 222 policies aligned. rdth Join 3 and 4 paragraphs together. Åto adopt written policies ¼ consistent with the lawÆ Jim recommends delete the word ÅtheÆ as there are multiple laws relating to conduct and we are not trying to refer to one specific law or regulation. K & L After we update à then we allow time for full SC to catch up on the sections. We can work on any outstanding policies. Meeting was adjourned at 3:10 p.m. 11