HomeMy WebLinkAboutSC September 17 2013 OS.pdf FINAL
Approved 10 8 13
OPEN SESSION MINUTES
MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 17,2013 6 00 PM
PAUL REVERE ROOM,MINUTEMAN HIGH SCHOOL
Present.
Alice DeLuca,Chair(Stow) Kemon Taschioglou(Lincoln)
Jeff Stulin,Vice-Chair(Needham) Jack Weis(Belmont)(arrived 6 50 pm)
Carrie Flood, Secretary(Concord) Mary Ellen Castagno(Wayland)(left at 10 18 pm)
Ford Spalding(Dover) David Horton(Lexington)
Cheryl Mahoney(Boxborough) Dan Mazzola(Lancaster)
Judy Taylor(Carlisle) Doug Gillespie(Weston)
Dave Manjarrez(Sudbury) (arrived 6:40 pm)
David O'Connor(Bolton)
Nancy Banks(Acton)(arrived 6.03 pm)
Absent: Laura Morrissette(Arlington)
Others Present: Ed Bouquillon,Kevin Mahoney,Ernie Houle,Elizabeth Rozan,Deanne Dupont,Steve Hemman,
John Pelletier, Sheila Nagle,Marc Fillipmo,Nancy Pierce,Annamaria Schrimpf,John Donato,Jack Dillon,
Margorie Daggett
1. CALL TO ORDER: OPEN SESSION
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6 00 PM
2. SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER ISSUES
The Chair referred to the two member issues as noted.
a.D. Manjarrez: 8.30.13 Request to Rescind a letter dated 5.23.13 and sent to various recipients by vote of
the School Committee
A motion was made(Spalding)and seconded(Taschioglou)not to rescind the letter The Chair explained the
details,and noted that related materials were at the table It was suggested that the item be tabled until later,when
perhaps the member would arrive, in case he was stuck in traffic The following vote was then taken
ACTION 2013#119
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Castagno)
To table the member issues items
Vote. 10 in favor, 1 opposed,1 abstention
b D Manjarrez• 8 30 13 Public Records Request for Superintendent Emails
The Chair explained that this item would also be taken up later,that Item#3 was a timed item,and that the business
on the agenda would be taken out of order.
3 SECRETARY'S REPORT
a Action taken on 9.3.13 regarding review and release of Executive Session Minutes
The Secretary explained that during its Executive Session on 9 3 13,and acting on the advice of counsel,the
Committee took a roll call vote that resulted in the following
1 to release the minutes of executive sessions held on 10/16/12(Session 1), 10/23/12,and 3/12/13 without
redaction,
2. to release the minutes of executive sessions held on 8/27/12,9/5/12,9/18/12,9/27/12, 10/3/12, 10/16/12
(Session 2), 12/18/12, 1/8/13,2/5/13,2/12/13,3/5/13,and 3/26/13 with redactions as advised,and
3. not to release the minutes of executive sessions held on 11/13/12 and 11/27/12,as release of those minutes
would defeat the respective purposes for which the executive sessions were called
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b. Approval of Past Minutes
A motion was made(Stulin)and seconded(Mahoney)to approve the Open Session minutes of 9 3 13 as presented
A clarifying amendment was offered(Mahoney)and seconded(Banks)to page 45, line 3,and the following vote
was taken.
ACTION 2013#120
Moved(Mahoney)and seconded(Banks)
To amend page 45,line 3 of the 9 3 13 Open Session Minutes as noted
Vote: 11 in favor,2 abstentions
An additional minor editorial suggestion was made and accepted without vote. A second amendment was offered
(Castagno)and seconded(Stulin)to page 47, line 25,and the following vote was taken.
ACTION 2013#121
Moved(Castagno)and seconded(Stulin)
To amend page 47, line 25 of the 9 3 13 Open Session Minutes as noted
Vote. 11 in favor, 2 abstentions
A vote on the main motion was then taken as follows
ACTION 2013#122
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Mahoney)
To approve the Open Session minutes of 9 3 13 as amended
Vote: 11 in favor, 2 abstentions
4 SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
a Policy Subcommittee
l Policy DIBA(Student Activity Accounts): 15`Reading
The outgoing Chair of the Policy Subcommittee explained the review process used with this policy,noting that the
Policy Subcommittee had suggested clarifying language for the benefit of non-accounting people The Assistant
Superintendent for Finance noted that this draft represents input from the Policy Subcommittee and the Finance
Subcommittee The changes are consistent with the recommendations of the outside auditing firm,and streamline
student activity accounts,eliminate the need for 2 separate checking accounts,and run the activity through the
General Ledger The following vote was then taken
ACTION 2013#123
Moved(Mahoney)and seconded(Spalding)
To approve the Draft Policy DIBA as presented for 151 Reading
Vote. Unanimous
This will be presented for 2nd Reading at the next meeting
2. Guidelines for School Committee Requests for Information and Public Records Requests Form.
2"d Reading
[At 6.40 pm, Mr.Manjarrez arrived]
It was moved(Mahoney)and seconded(Spalding)to approve this draft for 2nd Reading A member commented that
requests should not be unreasonably denied,as it is not good practice to withhold information from the School
Committee who are interested in monitoring their budgetary responsibility The process for making requests,the
protocol for School Committee members receiving direct complaints from people who might not want to be public
with it,the need for clear avenues for School Committee members to get information,the need for a timeframe in
the guidelines,that a School Committee member should never be forced to go to Public Records Division,and
cautions against unnecessary denial of information were discussed.To the concern over the layers that may appear
as roadblocks for School Committee members who want information,the past year was cited as being onerous for
the Administration to turn around multiple requests for information in short order,as such requests often require
much more than a simple piece of paper It was emphasized that responding to requests often costs time and money,
and that some School Committee member requests appear unreasonable Outlining a time frame,and having a
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report on the requests and their associated costs would be helpful One member noted that the reasons that these
guidelines were suggested in the first place was a defensive measure to head off unreasonable behavior Another
member disagreed,offering that it was an attempt to manage the volume and scope of requests It was agreed that
these guidelines were not yet ready for a 2"d Reading,and the following vote was taken
ACTION 2013#124
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Flood)
To table this item and defer it to the newly constituted Policy Subcommittee for another review
Vote. 13 in favor, 1 abstention
[Mr Manjarrez arrived and noted that he was recording the meeting,the Chair asked if anyone else was recording,
and hearing no affirmation,the meeting continued]
5. POSSIBLE EXECUTIVE SESSION
a Follow up from 7.9.13 and 9.3.13: Email Security Report,Annamaria Schrimpf,Director of Education
Technology
The Chair reported that upon consideration,the Superintendent advised that there was no need for an Executive
Session to discuss security A motion was made(Mahoney)and seconded(Banks)to accept the 8.26.13 Report to
the Minuteman School Committee from the Director of Education Technology as presented,and the discussion was
held in Open Session The Superintendent noted that some questions were received in advance,and he received
confirmation from the member that his questions had been answered adequately The member concerned with the
security issues asked for more information on the consultant report from a few years ago The Superintendent noted
that this was a WISP report,presented in 2011 and paid for in 2012 To her question of whether the School
Committee can get a copy of it,Ms Schrimpf referred to the confidentiality statement on the front of the Report
The Superintendent offered that she could come and review it in the school office.
The member noted that the recent report notes that no email accounts were accessed"at that time" She wondered
about before the timeframe specified,and who would authorize it Ms Schrimpf noted her desire to be respectful,
but that she did not design the system,and is not yet as intimate with how it works as she would like to be She
stressed her interest in being at an"enterprise"level with it,but that this must be done strategically There are many
elements that go into designing a secure,effective system,and there has been a lack of funding and limited
documentation over the years which has made it difficult to understand completely how the system has evolved to
this point,but for practical reasons,the auditing function,which might provide answers is not"on"
The member asked who has the authority and ability to open emails, Ms Schrimpf noted that she can,and two of
her staff members can also do so now Prior to her arrival,she does not know who had access The member
stressed that a School Committee member is a person of authority in the District,and that she sees accessing her
emails as disrespectful It was clarified that the auditing logs are not turned on because they require resources that
are not readily available Ms Schrimpf acknowledged that protocols need to be improved,and present procedures
are not adequate The member who had provided questions reviewed some of them,and emphasized his interest in
notifying the School Committee member if the account is opened A recent cheating episode at Harvard was raised
again as an example of not being informed Another member asked for clarification on who has the authority to
open an account,noting that an employer would have anticipated authority Ms Schrimpf explained that in the case
of a Public Records Requests,the Superintendent would have the authority,and he would direct her Permissions,
as currently configured,are allowed to her and her staff members.
A member pointed out that when establishing a Minuteman email account, members must sign an Acceptable Use
form Such emails are public,and should not be relied upon as private Another member suggested that a system
be created that ensures that emails of board members should not be subject to perusal by anyone In response to
another question of what could trigger the action to open an account to read emails,Ms. Schrimpf clarified that it
could be a Public Records Request,or concerns about safety,violation of law,or impropriety.
Ms Schrimpf noted that from her professional point of view,she is obligated to get the system up to where it needs
to be,and she approaches this with the utmost integrity She is unable to verify the current detail that was
questioned,but she answered the inquiry to the best of her ability The Chair extended thanks for Ms. Schrimpf's
efforts The following vote was then taken
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ACTION 2013#125
Moved(Mahoney)and seconded(Banks)
To accept the 8 26 13 Report to the Minuteman School Committee from the Director of Educational
Technology
Vote: 13 in favor, 1 opposed, 1 abstention
The member who initiated the concern referred to the July 11,2013 email from her Board of Selectmen,and
reminded the Chair that the Board of Selectmen is anticipating a response
6. SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER ISSUES
a. D.Manjarrez. 8.30.13 Request to Rescind 5 23.13 Letter
With Mr.Manjarrez's arrival,the following vote was taken
ACTION 2013#126
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Flood)
To take this item from the table
Vote. 14 in favor, 1 abstentions
The main motion was reiterated Not to rescind the letter,moved(Spalding)and seconded(Taschioglou)
The Vice Chair expressed his opinion that the report is correct as it stands He reviewed the history of what
prompted the letter of 5 23.13,namely that an independent analysis was sent out via email by a School Committee
member to a potpourri of people, making a number of assertions about the Minuteman budget,without discussing it
first with the Finance Subcommittee When one official who received the email brought it to the attention of the
auditor,concerns were raised,which the Vice Chair felt warranted an official response In answer to a question,the
Vice Chair explained that the auditors had reviewed and were comfortable with the response,but did not sign it He
also explained that the Finance Sucommittee had talked about whether it would come from the auditors,but noted
that the School committee was more appropriate,making reference to the auditors Thus the letter was presented in
draft to the full School Committee and sent upon its approval The member making the request to rescind noted that
the material had been sent to the Vice Chair,and that he had replied that he didn't understand Another member
urged that the subject stay on track with the motion on the table The requester asked if the Superintendent,the Vice
Chair,and the Assistant Supermtendent stand by the content of the letter as written and if it was irrefutable The Vice
Chair noted that he was not prepared to answer that The Superintendent responded that he thought the 5.23 13
letter was completely appropriate
A member pointed out that usually an appeal or recision of a decision is reserved for new information that comes to
light for the body to consider,and if not,the decision stands A member of the Finance Subcommittee noted that the
purpose of the response letter was to correct misinformation and misunderstanding,as a lack of response might have
been construed as agreement The following vote was then taken
ACTION 2013#127
Moved(Spalding)and seconded(Taschioglou)
To not approve the request to rescind the 5 23 13 School Committee Decision relative to Mr Manjarrez's
4 4 13 analysis and comments
Vote. 11 in favor, 1 opposed,3 abstentions
The request to rescmd,therefore, was denied
b. D.Manjarrez: 8.30.13 Public Records Request for Superintendent Emails
The Chair pointed out this second request in the 8 30 13 email from Mr Manjarrez The requester asked why it was
on the public agenda,and the Chair responded that she had consulted with the Public Records Division as to whether
this could come before the School Committee so the group as a body could consider how they wished to address the
issue,and received confirmation that this was within the protocol She then explained the practicalities of the
request,and pointed out the time and effort that would be required to fulfill it A member wondered if the Town of
Sudbury supports this request He suggested inviting their Board of Selectmen to a meeting to discuss why this
request is being made Another member expressed her opinion that that was a fallacious argument,and that citizens,
and employers are entitled to this information. The requester suggested that the material could be segregated and
put on a disk, and that he could come to the school to view it The Chair reminded him that he does not have any
greater access than anyone else would have The Secretary pointed out that he is not the"employer" The School
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Committee as a body employs the Superintendent,the Assistant Superintendent,and the Treasurer His request is
being made as a private individual,not as an employer.
A member noted that the School Committee is obligated to generate a cost estimate in response to the request,and
the cost is to be covered by the requester A member noted that as public records,emails could be forwarded,and
would not have to be redacted
Another member expressed her opinion that she believes the request is punitive in nature,and designed to create a
great deal of pain She urged that this practice has to stop,as it is"mucking up"the ability to run the district She
urged that the request be denied outright,and let the Public Records Division make the determination,with a cost
estimate to then follow She also noted that no electronic documents should be forwarded,as that is a violation of
Open Meeting Law The time involved,and the costs were discussed,and it was noted again that the cost of
fulfilling a public records request can be passed on to the requester
The requester again noted his opinion that the emails could simply be segregated,put on a disk,and he could come
in to view them,which would reduce costs He expressed his view that privacy and confidentiality is not required,
and this"falderal" is unnecessary,since he wants to look at the emails He stressed that these are public records,
and he should have the ability to have access to them A member offered her opinion that making this request a
public records request obfuscates his position as a School committee member,and that he is mixing up viewing
them as a member of the Executive body,vs as a private citizen
A member asked what the risk would be if the School Committee as a body disregarded the request Another
member responded that there was the danger of being found in violation of the Public Records law He pointed out
that there are costs,and since there is no cadre of underutilized staff at Minuteman,he suggested utilizing
professionally competent people He also noted the difference between an estimate and a binding quote. Another
member agreed that getting an outside group to deal with this request would be the right approach The requester
suggested that the request not be ignored,as the records could be subject to subpoena
A motion was made(Stulin)and seconded(Weis)to direct the Superintendent to develop a detailed cost estimate
for review at a future meeting
An amendment was offered(Spalding)and seconded(Flood)to invite the Sudbury Board of Selectmen andTown
Manager to the next discussion of this item.
A friendly amendment was offered(Mahoney)and seconded(Stulin) to the amendment to include the Town
Moderator,and this was accepted
The requester voiced his opinion that it was foolish to invite all these people,but he will give the estimate to them
and ask if they will pay it
ACTION 2013#128
Moved(Banks)and seconded(Stulin)
To move the question and end debate
Vote: 13 in favor,2 opposed
ACTION 2013#129
Moved(Banks)and seconded(Stulin)
To accept the amendments as presented
Vote: 11 in favor,4 opposed
When debate continued,the motion was made to move the question
ACTION 2013#130
Moved(Banks)and seconded(Mahoney)
To move the question and end debate
Vote. 13 in favor,2 opposed
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ACTION 2013#131
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Weis)
To direct the Superintendent to develop a detailed cost estimate relative to Mr Manjarrez's 8 30 13 Public
Records Request,and to invite the Sudbury Board of Selectmen,Town Administrator,and Town
Moderator to the next discussion of this item.
Vote: 13 for,2 abstentions
7. CHAIR'S REPORT
a. Subcommittee Assignments
The Chair presented the draft Subcommittee Assignments,and pointed out that Negotiations is one subcommittee
that is different this year. A motion was made(Stulin)and seconded(Horton)to accept the list of Subcommittee
Assignments as presented A member expressed her concern that negotiating with the MFA is an essential function
and there should be School Committee representation,not just administration on this subcommittee. The Chair
offered a historical perspective that School Committee representation has only recently been added A member
pointed out that in some communities School Committees take the lead on negotiations A member who had been
on a previous team gave his perspective that it is important to get to know the faculty,to spend time with them,to
build understanding He noted that when he served in that role,there was never a bad meeting A few members
offered to help out It was pointed out that listening skills and time are required,as there might have been close to
30 meetings, and they usually are held around 3 00 pm Group size for efficiency and the importance of sticking
with the process from begmmng to end were noted The Superintendent suggested discussing it later in the meeting
A member suggested,given the small size of the Communication Subcommittee, that perhaps it could be organized
as a Task Force for more flexibility Another member pointed out that Attorney Contract Review is not really a
subcommittee These suggestions were accepted as friendly amendments It was suggested that the amended list be
considered,but with MFA Negotiations Subcommittee held until later A motion was then made to move the
question and end debate
ACTION 2013#132
Moved(Spalding)and seconded(Banks)
To move the question and end debate
Vote: 14 in favor, 1 abstention
ACTION 2013#133
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Horton)
To accept the list of 2013-14 Subcommittee Assignments as written and amended, with the exception of
the MFA Negotiations Subcommittee,which will be addressed later
Vote: 13 in favor, 1 opposed,and 1 abstention
8. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no Public Comment
9. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
a. MIAA Cooperative Wrestling Program
The Superintendent briefly explained this opportunity with the Town of Bedford,MA. A motion was made
(Spalding)and seconded(Banks)to support this program
General information was presented by the Assistant Principal for Education Services and the Athletic Director How
the co-op was initiated and the MIAA policy around co-ops was explained,the financial contribution from Bedford,
transportation,coaching,student discipline, insurance,and benefits to Minuteman were discussed.A number of
questions were raised and answered,and members expressed appreciation for the complete explanation of how this
kind of partnership can maximize resources and present side benefits The importance of the no fees/no cut policy
that allows students to participate on a team was also noted The following vote was taken
ACTION 2013#134
Moved(Spalding)and seconded(Banks)
To support the cooperative wrestling program with Bedford High School
Vote: Unanimous
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The Assistant Principal stressed the high level of athletic programs at a high level of integrity He noted the
potential for other partnerships for other sports. A member referred to a newspaper section from the MetroWest
Daily News,and wondered why Minuteman is not covered in this publication The Athletic Director agreed to
follow up with them,as he is in touch with other newspapers in District communities Another member suggested
signing up for daily list serves that provide scores of games the next day
b. Opening Week
The Superintendent gave some highlights related to the opening week of school.
c. Governor's Visit
The Superintendent gave brief slide show of the Governor's visit to Minuteman's Biotech and the Trades Hall area
He noted that for security reasons,he was asked not to inform the public,but that the officers and a few town
managers were invited He commended the Officers for their work getting the issues in front of the Governor He
noted that the Governor had recently gone to Worcester and wanted to see Minuteman
It was noted that there is often more traction with DESE after a visit
d. Federal and State Mandated Testing
The Superintendent gave a brief summary of some of the required testing for students. Whether there are tests
specific to vocational schools,movement to consolidate the tests,and the RETEL for teachers dealing with English
Language Learners were discussed
e. NEASC 5 Year Review
The Superintendent reminded the Committee of the importance of this review,as Minuteman is on"Warning Status"
at the present time due to physical conditions of the school building
f Letter to the Commissioner of Education
The Superintendent referred to the draft letter to the Commissioner regarding non-member tuition It was moved
(Spalding)and seconded(Stulm)to authorize the Chair and Superintendent to send the letter on the School
Committee's behalf A member noted that he received this letter the day before he met with his Selectmen,and they
wondered if he had written it,as it addressed many of his ongoing concerns He expressed thanks for writing a
convincing letter. The Vice Chair pointed out that the letter is consistent with the findings of the Marginal Cost
Task Force The difference between marginal and average costs was discussed,as was the idea of going to boards
of selectmen in the towns and educating the elected officials with the talking points that have emerged from the
Legislative Working Group A motion was made (Spalding)and seconded(Banks)to move the question
ACTION 2013#135
Moved(Spalding)and seconded(Banks)
To move the question and end debate
Vote• 11 in favor, 3 opposed, 1 abstention
ACTION 2013#136
Moved (Spalding)and seconded(Stulm)
To authorize the Chair and Superintendent to send the letter on the School Committee's behalf
Vote: 14 in favor, 1 opposed
g. Overnight Field Trip
The Superintendent explained the details of this trip,and noted that it complies with all School Committee policies
for overnight field trips The following vote was then taken
ACTION 2013#137
Moved(Spalding)and seconded(Stulin)
To approve the Skills USA trip to the Fall Leadership Conference in Marlborough,MA November 24-
26,2013 as presented
Vote: Unanimous
Reference was made to the updated calendar that had been included as informational in the School Committee
packet. The Principal described the few minor changes that had been made to the calendar,since the School
Committee originally approved it on January 8,2013,and confirmed that the School Committee had at that time
approved the graduation date.
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10. BUILDING PROJECT UPDATES
a. School Building Committee
The Chair of the School Building Committee gave an update of the process so far,noting that we are in Module 3
(Feasibility Study)and on November 4 he will present to the MSBA the preliminary Design Program which will
outline the plans for the MSBA enrollments for 435 and 800 students He noted that the scope of work that must be
completed has been circulated He noted that all information provided to the Building Committee is on the website,
and he invited people to sign up for the hstserve at the site to receive current information He noted that the
Building Committee has received the current Education Plan building layout and very preliminary building layouts
for 435 and 800 students,including renovation and new construction. Square foot calculations of costs for all
options have also been presented at a high level estimate,and are a long way from reality The Education Plan Task
Force will report to the School Building Committee on September 30,and the School Committee vote to finalize the
Education Plan will be on the October 8 School Committee meeting agenda
He also noted that the School Committee has been invited to attend the August 26 and September 16 Building
Committee meetings,and there were few School Committee members in attendance. Additionally,Carlisle,
Sudbury,Wayland,and Weston are not represented on the Building Committee He expressed his opinion that this
is"shameful". The Wayland representative noted that there is a conflict with the time of the meetings and her
Board of Selectmen representative The representative from Sudbury noted that he will set up a meeting with him
and the Board of Selectmen The Chair of the School Building Committee noted that he will talk with any one of
them,as he would like to see all communities actively engaged
b. Regional Agreement Amendment Subcommittee(RAAS)
The Chair of this Subcommittee had presented a summary of amendments in the Draft Regional Agreement,the
draft Regional Agreement with changes,and clean copy dated 9 11 13 in advance of the meeting. Some members
expressed an appreciation for the summary,and others were curious about next steps. Many had questions about the
draft amendments,and wanted them clarified before giving the documents to the Board of Selectmen for
consideration.Others felt they wanted to provide their Boards with the documents right away to get the dialogue
going The time frame for consideration,how the agreement dovetails with the School Building Committee's
timeline, and whether the draft agreement would provide for a sustainable District were points raised The MARS
Consultant in the audience pointed out that the RAAS group will meet again on September 30,and that he feels this
is a good document,and that it is the result of many compromises
It was agreed that given the importance of this item,a special meeting would be held on October 1,2013 at 6.30 pm
Materials would be sent out electronically so that members could circulate to relevant town people to start the
dialogue Any questions should be forwarded to the Superintendent,with a CC to Ms Rozan,and Ms Flood
wouldcompile before October 1
c. Education Plan Task Force
The Chair of this Task Force summarized that they have met about 4 times since July,and have looked at questions
related to the Education Program Plan He explained that there has been good data to look at,and that they have an
ambitious agenda to meet the deadlines of the School Building Committee.
11. ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR FINANCE REPORT
a. Bid Results
There were no Bid Results to report on
b. FY 14 Budget Update
The Assistant Superintendent provided information related to staffing changes He indicated that after the school
year began,there was a need for 4 new positions Network Technical,School Psychologist,Assistant to the
Superintendent/District Communications Officer,and a SPED Paraprofessional. Questions were raised about
whether these positions were being raised for approval,and the Assistant Superintendent explained that this was
informational relative to tracking the FY 14 Budget,and has already been discussed with the Finance
Subcommittee.
c. Appointment of 2"d Management Trustee to the Mass Bay Health Care Trust
It was explained that there are two representatives from Labor and two from Management Kevin Mahoney and
Kris Luoto to represent Management,and due to Mr Luoto's resignation,another appomtee is necessary The
following vote was taken
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ACTION 2013#138
Moved(Spalding)and seconded(Banks)
To appoint HR Coordinator,Lynne Belmer,as 2nd Management Trustee to the Mass.Bay Health Care Trust
Vote. 13 for, 1 opposed, 1 abstention
12 SUBCOMMITEE REPORTS
a Informal Legislative Working Group
The Chair gave an update on activities with this group,in their efforts to focus on the passage of S228, in
preparation for the October 24 hearing Ms.Banks explained that the legislators need to hear from others in the
community and that more noise needs to be made. She explained that she devised some"Talking Pomts"which can
be used to support those making calls or writing letters. It was noted that long-winded explanations are not the
approach to take, rather quick sound bites that get the point across succinctly It was also explained that it's the
volume of calls and letters that matter
Thanks were extended for the efforts in putting together these Talking Points. A suggestion was made to get the
communication students involved and to let the issues go"viral" This would help to build school pride and
publicize the needs at Minuteman The need for numbers,the opportunities to attend legislative breakfasts or
library visits where there is more time to talk about the issues more in-depth were also suggested
ACTION 2013#139
Moved(Stuhn)and seconded(Weis)
To continue the meeting beyond 10.00 PM
Vote. 10 in favor,5 opposed
b. Superintendent Negotiation and Evaluation
a. 2013-14 Evaluation Process
Mr Horton described two sections of the Superintendent's contract--Section 1: Term of
Employment/Appointment, and Section 8 Evaluation He explained that to comply with Section 1,the School
Committee must decide by December 31,2013 whether to enter into negotiations with the Superitendent for a
successor agreement to his current contract By that date,the goal of the Subcommittee is to have a 360 evaluation
of the Superintendent completed to inform the School Committee's decision The Subcommittee will also provide
additional data and information to the School Committee to assist in that decision This goal is the Subcommittee's
first priority,but it will also focus on developing the FY 14 Superintendent evaluation process that is described in
Section 8
b. 2012-13 Evaluation Discussion
The Superintendent pointed out that the summary evaluations are now on the website The Chair of this
subcommittee explained that the goal in this round of evaluation was to reduce the number of "do not know"
responses,and feedback on whether this was accomplished or not would be helpful Evidence was provided on
successful meeting of goals,and efforts continue to improve the process Ms Castagno noted that it was required to
discuss the evaluation in Open Session,and it was agreed that this would be placed as an item on an upcoming
agenda
[Ms Castagno left the meeting at 10.18 pm.]
13 POSSIBLE EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 10 18 pm,the Chair described that there was a need for an Executive Session for the following purpose
Pursuant to MGL c 30A,s 21 (a)(3)to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the
Minuteman Faculty Association,as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the
School Committee,and the Chair so declares
A roll call vote was then taken,as follows
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ACTION 2013#140
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Taschioglou)
To enter into Executive Session for the purposes described,to allow Dr Bouquillon,Ms Rozan,Mr.
Houle,and Mr Mahoney to remain,and to possibly return to Open Session
Gillespie yes DeLuca yes
Mazzola yes Spalding yes
Horton yes Mahoney yes
Weis yes Taylor yes
Taschioglou yes Manjarrez yes
Flood yes O'Connor yes
Stulin yes Banks yes
Vote: Unanimous
14. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION
At 10.35 pm,the Committee returned to Open Session,and took the following vote relative to the MFA
Negotiations Subcommittee for the 2013-14 Subcommittee Assignments.
ACTION 2013#141
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Spalding)
To appoint Kevin Mahoney,Ernie Houle,and Lynne Belmer to the Negotiations Subcommittee,and
authorize them to represent the District and its Administration to negotiate a new 3 year contract with the
MFA,per the School Committee direction,and to report to the School Committee every 2 months The
School Committee will add one or two members later in the process
Vote. Unanimous
15. ADJOURNMENT
ACTION 2013#142
Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Mahoney)
To adjourn the meeting at 10 36 PM
Vote. Unanimous
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Rozan Carrie Flood
District School Committee Assistant Secretary
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