HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-11-17-SC-PMRS-minLexington School Committee's Policy Manual Subcommittee
November 17, 2015 at 10:30am
Upper Level Conference Room
Central Office, 146 Maple Street
Attendance: Subcommittee members Judy Crocker Chair, Margaret Coppe;
Superintendent Czajkowski; Director of Counseling Val Viscosi with Stacey Glickman
Ms. Crocker called the meeting to order at 10:38am.
1. Discussion with Dr. Czajkowski:
• Policy IKB Homework
Feedback on the current policy is being obtained from a) the
consulting firm Better Beginnings met with 100 educators on October
13 and b) principals who have met with school -based site counsels,
staff, and some secondary student surveys. The latter information is
due before December 23. The Superintendent will go through all
feedback, create a summary document, and review the findings with
the School Committee. Examples of discussions include meaningful
homework, its usefulness and what is its purpose.
• Graduation planning parent query - LHS has held its graduation on
the Sunday afternoon of June at the Tsongas Arena for more than two
decades. It is purposefully held in the afternoon in order to minimize
conflicts with any student or staff religious obligations.
• American Heart Association fundraising request
AHA Representative Mary Clark has been trying to start its Jump Rope
for Heart program in LPS for sometime. Then LHS Dean Cole has
informed her that the program runs against policy for fundraising
cannot occur during class time, whether or not the activity is
curriculum - based.
• Policy KCD Fundraising /Contributions and LHS Science Fair
A request for greater transparency in the budgeting of the annual
science fair was made, specifically the criteria for the awarding of
student prizes and the fair's overall budget.
• Student Athletics and Fundraising Policies - Mattress Sale
Taking class time to discuss fundraising goes against current policy.
Should the FOLMADS organizational website be on the LPS website?
• MASC Policy Updates
Forward to administration.
• Student Activity Accounts
The Massachusetts Association of School Business Officers (MASBO)
recommends that the School Committee review its Student Activity
Accounts once per year.
2. Discussion with Director of Counseling Val Viscoci:
There have been 13 suicide interventions to date. There is a uniform protocol
between the middle and high schools. The current focus is on prevention and
post prevention strategies; specifically, how to respond to death by suicide
for the high school and communication in a working group for the middle
schools.
A regulatory section from the protocol section of the current policy needs to
be created. It is important to differentiate purpose and scope of the policy
from administrative guidelines. Dr. Czajkowski would like community
counterparts involved in mental health to be to be contacted for their input.
Social media also needs to be added. Next steps include bringing working
draft to this committee followed by the full School Committee. At that point
in time, JLD Policy as currently written can be deleted.
3. Discussion of Policy Manual Section B:
• Policy BBBE Unexpired Term Fulfillment - add "state date" to the
expiration of the term language from the Attorney General's Office.
4. LPS Website - SC Policy layout:
Remove School -Based Site Councils minutes from page and add minutes from
2014 - present.
5. Review of minutes from October 8 - accepted as amended
6. Next meeting date - January 12, 2015 at 10:30am
The meeting adjourned at 10:30 am.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy Crocker