HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-03-20-SC-min
LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Cary Hall Auditorium
1605 Massachusetts Avenue
Present: Superintendent Paul Ash, School Committee Chair Tom Diaz, School Committee
Members: Helen Cohen, Margaret Coppe, Tom Griffiths, Ravi Sakhuja and student
representative Toni Maeck. Minutes taken by Leora Tec.
The meeting was convened at 7:47 p.m.
I.Call to Order and Welcome (Tom Diaz)
II. Public Comment
Kevin Johnson (17 year Lexington resident and parent): LHS homework assignments
should be posted online. This would help students on IEPs and all students. It is already
done at Clarke.
Nancy Rogier: (read Donna Nickerson’s statement: She is a psychiatrist who works with
adolescents and a parent as well). The changes proposed by Kevin Johnson are beneficial
for all students. They would provide better access for all students to the curriculum, SPED
teachers would be able to work more efficiently and parents would know what the
assignments are supposed to be. Children with dysgraphia would not suffer when they sat
down to study.
III.Superintendent’s Report:
st
A. In the Math Counts Competition Clarke came in 1 in the state and Diamond came in
th
second. Carl Leon will be going on to the Nationals in May. Josh Frost, 7 grade
teacher at Clarke will be coaching the team that will go on to Nationals.
B. Diamond students joined the Science Olympiad and won 17 medals. Outstanding
teachers helped the students succeed.
IV. Members’ Reports / Members’ Concerns:
Helen Cohen: Thanks to LEF for Educated Tastes; it was a wonderful occasion. And
th
thanks to LEF for all the work they do for the schools. Sunday April 29 at 11:00 a.m.,
before the school fair, is the official Fiske opening.
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V. Discussion Items:
1.Public Hearing on the FY08 Budget
Jessie Steigerwald: This Saturday at the high school is the Odyssey of the Mind
competition.
Sara Harari/Lars ____: Spoke in support of the German program.
Patrick Mehr: This past Saturday 18 LHS students came in fourth in the science
Olympiad in Framingham and received first place and honorable mention.
Christine Mathews _____: I heard you say moving elementary librarians from the at-
risk list means moving teachers to the at-risk, please consider LEA options of small
reductions in building administrators.
Vito La Mura (LEA president): At-risk used to mean subject to negotiations. Risk
should be distributed equally including building administrators.
2.FY08 Budget
Many aspects of the budget were discussed.
Motion to add the essential supplemental budget into the budget (Griffiths,
Cohen).The motion passed 5-0.
The Committee unanimously agreed to protect Assistant to the Superintendent Carole
Pilarski’s position.
The Committee says it is fine to put .4 FTE at risk for social studies without specifying
a particular subject.
Assistant Superintendent of Finance and OperationsMary Ellen Dunn: The
School Committee has added $988,761K to the base budget
The Committee will vote the budget tomorrow.
VI. Motion to adjourn(Griffiths, Coppe). The motion passed 5-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:10 am.
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