HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-01-12-SC-min
LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Cary Hall Auditorium
1605 Massachusetts Avenue
Present: Superintendent Paul Ash, School Committee Chair Tom Diaz, School Committee
Members Helen Cohen, Margaret Coppe, Tom Griffiths and Ravi Sakhuja. The minutes
were taken by Leora Tec.
The meeting was convened at 10:10 a.m.
I.Call to Order and Welcome (Tom Diaz)
Mr. Diaz announced the upcoming School Committee meetings.
II. Public Comment
Jill Gaspirini (Nurse Leader): Ms. Gasperini discussed a grant that will end at the end of
the school year.
Phyllis Neufeld (LEA president):Ms. Neufeld requested an additional public meeting in
case there is an at-risk list.
Jerry Lacey: Mr. Lacey congratulated the school administration and School Committee on
the SAT results and said the stock market has gone down and we need to consider that
when we think about a possible override.
III. Members Reports/Concerns:
Helen Cohen: I chaperoned the middle school field trip to Nashoba last Thursday on the
bus. It was wonderful.
Tom Griffiths: I’ve had several meetings on school capital that have been great.
All the major seats in Lexington are uncontested. Rod Cole will replace me on the School
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Committee on March 4.
Tom Diaz: I left a handout for my colleagues on the Lexington Forum for Youth on Feb
nd
2. A panel of experts will discuss the challenges of adolescence.
Motion to support the Lexington Forum for Youth (Griffiths, Cohen). The motion
passed 5-0.
SC Meeting 1/12/08 page # 1
IV. Discussion:School Committee Short- and Long-Range Goals
Each Committee member shared his or her short and long-term goals for the school system.
Dr. Ash commented on what he had heard from the Committee and described the intention
behind his use of the phrase, “a world class education.” He added to what the Committee
members said by saying that engineering technology is missing from our science
curriculum. The United States needs engineers. This needs to be added K-12.
A short discussion of fiscal issues ensued, i.e., where the money will come from. We may
get an increase in Chapter 70 aid but it will be well after we have voted the budget. The
Town’s stabilization fund has over five million dollars in it; perhaps we should scale back
our deposits to that fund.
th
One more meeting for a daytime public hearing: January 24 at 10 a.m. hopefully at
Cary Hall.
V. Motion to Adjourn(Cohen, Griffiths). The motion passed 5-0.
The next meeting of the School Committee is scheduled for Monday, January 14, 2008, at 5:00
p.m. at Cary Hall Auditorium, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue.
SC Meeting 1/12/08 page # 2