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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFINAL SC Mtg Minutes 2017-7-11.pdf FINAL Approved 9.19.17 OPEN SESSION MINUTES MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING JULY 11,2017 6:30 PM PAUL REVERE ROOM, MINUTEMAN HIGH SCHOOL Present: Absent: Jeff Stulin, Chair(Needham) David O'Connor(Bolton) Carrie Flood,Vice-Chair(Concord) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster) Dave Horton, Secretary(Lexington) Alice DeLuca(Stow) Ford Spalding(Dover) Pam Nourse(Acton) Sue Sheffler(Arlington) Jim Gammill(Belmont) Weighted Vote: Weighted Vote present at start of meeting: 83.60% Others Present: Ed Bouquillon,Kevin Mahoney, George Clement,Elizabeth Rozan 1. CALL TO ORDER: OPEN SESSION The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM,with a quorum of members present. 2. CHAIR'S REPORT,Jeff Stulin a. Revisions to the Weighted Voting Chart The Chair noted that the revised Weighted Voting Chart was included in the packet. b. Reappointments The Chair acknowledged the reappointments of three members, from Lexington, Stow,and Arlington, and extended thanks and congratulations to them. 3. PUBLIC COMMENT There was no Public Comment. 4. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT a. Performance Review and FY 18 Salary Recommendation for Kevin Mahoney The Superintendent referenced the materials included in the packet addressing Mr. Mahoney's performance. He noted that this includes comments from members of the Finance Subcommittee. He expressed his appreciation for Mr. Mahoney's exemplary performance, and commended his work to put the District in a solid financial position,in spite of all the work that was never anticipated when he came on board. The member from Stow added that her Town Manager and Board of Selectmen have great praise as well. The following vote was then taken: 1 ACTION 2017#46 Moved(DeLuca) and seconded(Flood) Consistent with Section 7B of his contract,to approve the recommendation of the Superintendent to increase Assistant Superintendent Kevin Mahoney's FY 18 salary by 2%, as presented VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous Mr.Mahoney expressed his appreciation. b. Update on Academy Model Development: Summer Work Proposals The Superintendent reported that he put out a request for Summer Work Proposals from staff related to the Academy Model and school goals. He received back 20 proposals totaling$66,000, and was able to approve 12 of them. He pointed out that staff are engaged, and 1/3 of them are working all summer on many relevant and exciting projects. He expressed that he is pleased to see this going in the right direction. The member from Dover noted that he was surprised to see so many faculty members on campus when he was here earlier today, and without the students. The Chair offered his perspective as a public school teacher that he has seen environments where there are many demands, and many projects that have no merit, creating much frustration for teachers. Here he sees that the Academy Model is supported by all parts of the organization,teachers are given planning time and conference time, and teachers are volunteering to be engaged. He commended the reality that the building project is matching an educational model,and expressed his opinion that this is evolution,not revolution. 5. PRINCIPAL'S REPORT, George Clement for Jack Dillon a. Update on SkillsUSA Conference Mr. Clement reported that 12 students were sent to the National Skills conference in St. Louis, and 6 came home with medals. He explained that Minuteman students earned the second highest total medals for MA, and the most gold,and that Minuteman became legendary at the conference,winning the most gold medals of any similar size school in the country. He outlined participants and details on their projects as follows: Community Action Project: Gold Medal,Brian Courtney and Colin Kelly,both seniors, from West Roxbury and Sudbury respectively. Their project was about how to inform the public about invasive species. Because they displayed great polish,they also ended up hosting an impromptu session fielding questions from fans who wanted to know their process and presentation preparation. Employment Application Process: Gold,Erin Noel, a junior from Medford. She prepared a resume, portfolio,and cover letter and then completed a mock interview as if she were applying for job in environmental science. Related Technical Math: Gold, Sean Datar, senior from Acton. Students need to solve math word problems that could occur in any career pathway. Last year,he took bronze and worked hard to get the Gold. 2 Web Design: Bronze,Adam Powell and Ethan Francis-Wright both juniors from Arlington. Teams must design a web page on the spot, and must overcome some surprise or handicap. This year's surprise task required them to make the web page accessible to people with disabilities. They plan to get gold next year. He also noted that the other two students competed in Career Pathways Project in Environmental Science and Biotechnology finishing 8th, and 10th respectively. Mr. Clement extended a special thanks to faculty Cliff Keirstead,Deb Eichhorst,Terry Regan,Pat Rafter, and Larry Lambert for their tireless work supporting our kids through the Ski11sUSA journey. The Superintendent added that these winners are the best in the USA and qualified for the international competition,which occurs every other year. 6. SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE REPORT,Ford Spalding a. School Building Committee Update Mr. Spalding called attention to the updated schedule of meetings at the table(Attachment A) and summarized recent activities in permitting,ground breaking, and commencement of construction. He noted that the 60%construction documents were submitted to MSBA earlier in the day, and with that the costs are on target. He reported on the tree work being done, and acknowledged the enthusiasm of all involved. He noted that the Town of Lincoln does not wish to be an impediment to the process. The Chair inquired if there were any areas that were not going smoothly, and Mr. Spalding explained that they are not yet sure that there will be sufficient funds for the fields. The Superintendent added that there is work underway in the form of conversations with State Senator Jamie Eldridge and the law firm of Goulston and Storrs relating to public-private partnerships,which would require that special legislation be filed on behalf of the District. He anticipates that this will be discussed further with the School Committee in the late fall, as the picture becomes clearer. He emphasized two criteria for partnership: mission compatibility and campus centricity. Mr. Spalding also urged that members visit the website(http://minuteman.org/domain/81)for updates, announcements,neighborhood notifications,and photos of the process. b. Update on School Building Committee Membership Mr. Spalding explained that his goal has been to have representation from all member towns on the School Building Committee (Attachment B). Toward that end,he requested that the Board of Selectmen from the Town of Lancaster choose a nominee, and they nominated Town Manager Orlando Pacheco to serve. He noted that he is familiar with Mr. Pacheco and welcomes his participation. ACTION 2017#47 Moved(DeLuca) and seconded(Horton) To approve the recommendation of the Town of Lancaster's Board of Selectmen to appoint Town Administrator Orlando Pacheco as a member of the School Building Committee VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous 3 7. ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT,Kevin Mahoney a. FY 18 Budget Update Mr.Mahoney explained the details related to the need to amend the FY 18 Budget due to the lower than projected prior year tuition. He reviewed the material in the packet,and noted that he was proposing reducing the current budget(v. 3) from$19,449,466 to a revised amount of$18,999,479,representing a reduction of 3.69%compared to the FY 17 budget. He emphasized that this amendment budget will not change the FY 18 member assessments. He explained that on the revenue side,this budget will use an additional $95,000 of certified E&D and reflects a slight increase in Ch. 70 state aid. He noted salary cost reductions and other budget cuts as well. In response to questions,he noted that this has no impact for the "Cherry Sheets"of the towns, and that he is planning for the trend of the slow decline in the out-of-district tuition as enrollment of in-district students grows. He also noted that to amend the budget,a 2/3 weighted vote is required. The following vote was then taken: ACTION 2017#48 Moved(DeLuca) and seconded(Sheffler) To amend the FY 18 Budget, from$19,449,466 to a revised total budget amount of$18,999,479, as presented VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >66.67% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous b. Disposal of Surplus Property Mr. Mahoney referenced materials at the table(Attachment C) listing furniture,equipment, and other property owned by the District that is no longer used due to damage,obsolescence,or replacement. He also noted that 3 vehicles received as corporate donations are also considered surplus. The following vote was then taken: ACTION 2017#49 Moved(DeLuca)and seconded(Spalding) To authorize the disposal of surplus property, as presented VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous c.Bid Results Mr.Mahoney also referred to material at the table(Attachment D)related to the RFP process for Financial Advisory Services,needed for the construction phase of the building project. He explained the differences between an RFP and an invitation to bid,the technical proposals received, and the price proposals of the two qualified firms. He explained that based on conclusions of the technical review and price proposals,the District will award the contract to UniBank Fiscal Advisory Services. He noted they are familiar with 4 Minuteman, as they were engaged during the feasibility study stage of the building project. No vote was necessary, as this was an informational item. Details can be found as Attachment D. Items d,e,and f. Mr.Mahoney explained that possible votes were listed on the agenda for an FY 17 Budget Transfer, an FY 18 Budget Transfer,and an Authorization to Transfer from the Stabilization Fund,but that no action is needed,which in his opinion is a good thing. 8. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS a. Superintendent Negotiation and Evaluation Subcommittee(SN&ES),Dave Horton 1. Superintendent End of Cycle Evaluation and Recommendation Mr. Horton explained that other members of the Subcommittee are Jennifer Leone and Dave O'Connor. They met and reviewed the School Committee member comments, and recommended the following: • that the Superintendent present a draft of his FY 18 goals to the School Committee at its meeting on September 19,2017 • that the Superintendent continue the practice of identifying in School Committee agendas the goals to which his updates and progress reports are related • that the Superintendent continue the practice of providing the School Committee with an Executive Summary of Progress towards Goals, as they found the one he provided to the School Committee in this latest process to be extremely useful. Additionally,he explained that as a result of the goals having been met or exceeded, and both the quality and the range of the work,the Subcommittee is recommending the maximum allowable increase,per his contract. The Vice Chair noted that as she read through the comments herself,it was clear that the goals were met or exceeded, and that there was a sense of completion or a standard of performance that included bringing in more people to gain a wider buy-in. She was very impressed,and thought it was good year. The following vote was then taken: ACTION 2017#50 Moved(Horton) and seconded(Spalding) Consistent with Amendment A of his contract, dated 12.13.16,to approve the recommendation of the SN&ES to increase the Superintendent's salary by 2%for FY 18,representing an increase of$3,864.00,for a total salary of$197,066.00 VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80 Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous The Superintendent expressed his appreciation. 5 b. Special Policy Task Force: Review of Policies,Alice DeLuca 1.D policies 2"d reading 1. VOTE: To approve Draft New Policy DCB (Debt Management)for 2"dreading, as presented 2. VOTE: To approve Draft New Policy DFG(Investment Policy) for 2"d reading, as presented 3. VOTE: To approve Draft New Policy DFH(Cash Reserves) for 2nd reading, as presented 4. VOTE: To approve Draft Revision of Policy DIBB (Stabilization Fund) for 2'reading, as presented 5. VOTE: To approve Draft Revision of Policy DJ(Purchasing)for 2nd reading, as presented 6. VOTE: To approve Draft Revision of Policy DJE(Bidding Requirements)for 2'reading, as presented 7. VOTE: To approve Draft Revision of Policy DKAB (Warrant Signatures)for 2nd reading, as presented 8. VOTE: To approve Draft Revision of Policy DN(School Properties Disposal) for 2"dreading, as presented It was suggested that having heard no comments on any of these policies, one vote be taken to approve them all for 2nd reading. There was no objection, and the following vote was taken: ACTION 2017#51 Moved(DeLuca) and seconded(Spalding) To approve D Policies listed as items 1-8 for 2nd reading, as presented VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous 2.MASC Policy Review Ms. DeLuca explained that she read the material thoroughly from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC)and thought there was nothing major in the suggested changes, and that they are mainly housekeeping word or legal reference changes. She encouraged expediting the process so that the Policy Manual be kept up to date. All changes will be included in the packet as informational or to discuss as necessary. With the agreement of the Committee,the following vote was taken: 6 ACTION 2017#52 Moved(Spalding)and seconded(Sheffler) To authorize the Policy Task Force to review the policies included in the MASC Policy Newsletter, June 2017,make the recommended housekeeping changes, and to bring any that are controversial to the School Committee for consideration VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous The Chair extended appreciation for Ms. DeLuca's efforts to keep this process focused and moving forward. 9. SECRETARY'S REPORT,Dave Horton Having heard no comments on the draft minutes,the following vote was taken: ACTION 2017#53 Moved(Horton) and seconded(Spalding) To approve the draft minutes of 6.13.17, as presented VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: 6 in favor,2 abstentions(Stow and Acton) Final percentage results of vote: 66.83% Final status of the vote: Passed 10. COMMENTS FROM THE OUTGOING CHAIR Jeff Stulin offered comments in three areas,as he prepared to pass the reins to the next chair. First,he noted that there are things he thinks about every week related to various emails he receives. He knows it takes a lot to run the school,there are many ongoing tasks and issues that arise. He underscored the need to maintain the good ground gained,particularly as the building project moves forward. Particularly,he thinks about the building project, enrollment, and campus opportunities, and will continue to raise concerns. Second,he encouraged involvement of all the School Committee members. With fewer people at the table, it is easier to reach consensus and get a quorum,but there are fewer people to do the work involved. The workload of distraction has diminished,but there is still a lot of work to do. He shared his perspective that it is always about the students. Third,he took the opportunity to extend thanks to a number of people including: • the staff and teachers who are not present at this meeting, for their fabulous work over the years, and more recent work developing the Academy Model; 7 • Alice DeLuca and Ford Spalding for their initial dedication to the MSBA project process, despite the chaos of complicated deadlines,resistance, and outrageous strategies to stop the efforts. They set the tone of professionalism and positive attitude,which helped to win the favor of MSBA; • Kevin Mahoney for building solid foundations in transparent financial oversight and increased credibility,moving the District out of the Stone Age into the modern era via his reputation,integrity and code of conduct; • Elizabeth Rozan for keeping him sane,taking care of the myriad details, and making sure he and others do what they need to do to keep the flow moving in the right direction; • Ed Bouquillon for his oversight and effectiveness,bearing up under what he had to go through, which included hate mail and accusations,to keep the vision alive. There would be no project without him, and for Ed's stubborn adherence to goals,he is grateful; • Dave Horton and Carrie Flood,who have been pleasant,reliable, and delightful to share the Officers table with, and • all the School Committee members for their work over the last year to make the building project a reality. He expressed that it took courage and that he appreciates all of their support. 11. REORGANIZATION/ELECTION OF OFFICERS a. Process The School Committee took the following vote for the reorganization to occur: ACTION 2017#54 Moved(Flood) and seconded(DeLuca) To allow the Superintendent to preside temporarily VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous b. Nomination for Chair The temporary Chair opened the floor for nominations for the office of Chair. There were two nominations: Jeff Stulin nominated Dave Horton,and this was seconded by Carrie Flood; Ford nominated Sue Sheffler, and this was seconded by Jeff Stulin. Asked if they would be willing to serve,both Ms. Sheffler and Mr. Horton responded in the affirmative. Not expecting there to be two candidates for this Office,the Committee members asked a few specific questions relating to the greatest interest of the District,the role of the School Committee representative vis- a-vis the Chair's position, advocating for the school and for CTE,encouraging agreements with non- member towns, and level of commitment if not voted into the Chair position. Each candidate answered thoughtfully. After discussion, Ms. Sheffler withdrew her name for the office of Chair and the following vote was taken: 8 ACTION 2017#55 Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Flood) To appoint Dave Horton as Chair for 2017-18 VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous c. Nomination for Vice-Chair The newly appointed Chair then asked for nominations for the position of Vice-Chair. Mr. Spalding nominated Sue Sheffler, and this was seconded by Ms. Flood. Ms. Sheffler affirmed her willingness to serve in this capacity. There were no questions, and the following vote was taken: ACTION 2017#56 Moved(Spalding)and seconded(Flood) To appoint Sue Sheffler as Vice-Chair for 2017-18 VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous d. Nomination for Secretary The Chair asked for nominations for the position of Secretary. Ms. DeLuca nominated Pam Nourse, and this was seconded by Mr. Stulin. After an explanation of the duties and the time commitment,Ms.Nourse expressed her willingness to serve, and the following vote was taken: ACTION 2017#57 Moved(DeLuca) and seconded(Stulin) To appoint Pam Nourse as Secretary for 2017-18 VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous 9 12. ADJOURNMENT ACTION 2017#58 Moved(Spalding)and seconded(DeLuca) To adjourn the meeting at 8:20 PM VOTE: 8 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present: 83.60% Weight needed: >41.80% Names of towns opposing or abstaining: none Final percentage results of vote: 83.60% Final status of the vote: Unanimous Respectfully submitted, Elizabeth Rozan Dave Horton District Assistant Secretary Attachments to the Minutes of 7.11.17 A. Updated Schedule of Building Project Related Meetings B. SBC Membership List C. List of Surplus Property for Disposal D. Contract Award: Financial Advisory Services 10