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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFINAL Approved Minutes 9.13.11.pdf 13) MINUTEMAN A REVOLUTION IN LEARNING FINAL MINUTES Approved October 18,2011 MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13,2011 AT 6 30 PM TRAINING ROOM,MINUTEMAN HIGH SCHOOL, 758 MARRETT RD ,LEXINGTON,MA School Committee Members Present Alice DeLuca Stow (Chair) Ford Spalding Dover (Vice Chair) David Horton Lexington (Secretary) Dore Hunter Acton Laura Mornssette Arlington Jack Weis Belmont (arrived at approximately 7 00 PM) Cheryl Mahoney Boxborough Manellen Perugini Carlisle (left at approximately 10.05 PM) David Bearg Concord John McGanty Lancaster Kemon Taschioglou Lincoln (arrived at approximately 7 00 PM) Jeffrey Stulin Needham David Manjarrez Sudbury Mary Ellen Castagno Wayland Not Present Hannes Klein Bolton John Blyzinskyj Weston Staff Present Dr Edward Bouquillon Superintendent Grace Brueckner Special Assistant Elizabeth Rozan School Committee Administrative Assistant Camie Lamica Director,Business&Operations Kevin Lynn Director of Special Education Alan Taupier Director of Information Technology(IT) John Pelletier IT Support Specialist Bill Blake Director of Curriculum, Instruction&Assessment Kris Luoto Assistant Business Manager Others Present Ed Deluca,Melody Orfei I. CALL TO ORDER The Chair,Ms Deluca, called the meeting to order at 6 30 PM She extended appreciation to the staff for their efforts in getting the Trades Hall operational for the start of the school year She expressed appreciation to Dr Bouquillon for his thoughtful comments on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 in his"Dr B's STAY CONNECTED Newsletter" She also called attention to the news articles sent in the packet II. TRADES HALL DISCUSSION AND TOUR Dr Bouquillon led the tour of the newly renovated Trades Hall, explained the short timeline, and highlighted key aspects of the carpentry, electrical wiring,HVAC, and plumbing program areas 758 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA 02421 T 781 861 6500 I F 781 863 1747 I TDD 781 861 2922 I minuteman org Serving Acton Arlington Belmont Bolton Boxborough Carlisle Concord Dover Lancaster Lexington Lincoln, Needham,Stow Sudbury, Wayland and Weston III. PUBLIC COMMENT The Chair resumed the meeting,recognizing David Maniarrez,who explained that he had brought his own recording device There was no Public Comment IV. CHAIR'S REPORT: Alice DeLuca, Chair a. Synopsis of School Committee Membership The Chair gave a brief summary of her report on School Committee members' backgrounds that inform their decision-making and board service for Minuteman The report can be found as Attachment A b Welcome to the new School Committee Administrative Assistant The Chair extended a welcome to Elizabeth Rozan, as the new School Committee Administrative Assistant She highlighted Ms Rozan's experience and clarified that she works part-time,reports to the Superintendent, and will take action based on direction from the Supenntendent and the Officers of the School Committee,not from individual members She noted that Ms Rozan will be copied on all communications to/from the School Committee and will be keeping track of correspondence She also extended appreciation to Grace Brueckner for her assistance during the transition to fill this role Ms Rozan thanked Ms DeLuca and expressed that she looks forward to collaborating with the Minuteman District School Committee. In response to Mr. Maniarrez's inquiry, Dr. Bouquillon explained that he will conduct her performance evaluation,will solicit comments in the appropriate manner to be worked out, and that he welcomes suggestions from the entire School Committee For clarification,the Chair explained that giving reports to the School Committee is not part of Ms Rozan's responsibilities c. Subcommittee and Liaison Assignments The Chair referred to the list of Subcommittee and Liaison Assignments,dated September 6,2011, along with the background survey information on subcommittees in other districts Mr Spalding made a motion and Mr Stulin seconded it, as follows Motion: To accept the Subcommittee and Liaison Assignments as proposed Concerns raised included addressing the unique needs of Minuteman, the process of how subcommittee members were selected, and telephone communication relative to assignments An additional concern was the absence of a subcommittee related to Curriculum and Educational programs Ms Castagno moved an amendment to the main motion and Mr Weis seconded it, as follows Amendment to the Main Motion. To add a Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment(CIA) Subcommittee to the list Comments expressed related to the need for a strategic policy on adding and dropping program areas, the absence of vocational schools in the survey,that such a subcommittee did exist in the past,that the related issues are complex and require input from the entire School Committee,and that in a business model, departments are closed,revisited, and opened as resources dictate The Chair explained that the lack of vocational schools in the survey was due to their lack of response Dr Bouquillon explained that there would be details on the educational program review in an upcoming meeting There was additional discussion about the difficulty members have committing to serve on subcommittees,being able to serve where they feel most interested or capable, and the need to delegate large issues to smaller groups for efficiency A vote was taken to continue the discussion Page 2 of 11 ACTION 11-12 01 On a motion of Mr Weis and seconded by Mr Spalding,the School Committee VOTED(8 in favor, 5 opposed,with 1 abstention)to continue the discussion The motion passed. The discussion continued to include the issues of micromanagement,the scope of the subject matter, the need for a mission statement,the idea of a trial basis, and conflict of interest in Minuteman parents serving on the subcommittee Some agreement was expressed for a mission statement to be considered The Committee then voted on the amendment to the main motion, as follows Amendment to the Main Motion. ACTION 11-12 02 On a motion of Ms Castagno and seconded by Mr Weis,the School Committee VOTED(5 in favor, 7 opposed,with 2 abstentions)to add a Curriculum,Instruction, and Assessment (CIA) Subcommittee to the list The motion did not pass. Ms Castagno made a second amendment to the main motion, as follows Second Amendment to the Main Motion: To form a Curriculum,Instruction,and Assessment(CIA) Subcommittee on a trial basis,to report back with a well-defined mission statement The Chair pointed out the importance of working in support of the school's Professional Learning Community agenda,which implies a collaborative approach to working with the administration and staff Given this reminder,Ms Mornssette suggested a rewording of the Second Amendment, as follows Reworded Second Amendment to the Main Motion. To form an Ad Hoc Committee, comprised of the Superintendent or his designee, 2 School Committee members(specifically David Manjarrez and Manellen Perugini) charged with creating a proposal for a well-defined mission statement to bring to the School Committee relative to forming a Curriculum, Instruction,and Assessment(CIA) Subcommittee This rewording was moved by Mr Stulin and seconded by Ms Manjarrez Mr Mani arrez asked for clarification about the time frame for review of this mission statement, and suggested narrowing it down to the November School Committee Meeting. Ms.DeLuca suggested 10 days before the November School Committee meeting so that members would have time to read it Ms Perugini pointed out that she is happy to work with the Superintendent, as well as Mr Blake and Ms Roche as people key to this process Dr Bouquillon stated that he would bring this Ad Hoc Committee to the Leadership Team for discussion Ms Castagno recommended that this be added to the action item tracking detail ACTION 11-12 03 On a motion of Mr Stulin and seconded by Mr Mani arrez,the School Committee VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to move the question ACTION 11-12 04 On a motion of Ms Mornssette and seconded by Ms Castagno,the School Committee VOTED(13 in favor,with 1 opposed)to form an Ad Hoc Committee, comprised of the Superintendent or his designee,2 School Committee members (specifically David Manjarrez and Manellen Perugini),charged with creating a Page 3 of 11 proposal for a well-defined mission statement relative to forming a School Committee Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment(CIA) Subcommittee, and to bnng this proposed mission statement to the School Committee 10 days before the November 15, 2011 School Committee Meeting The motion passed. The School Committee then resumed discussion on the main motion,restated below Main Motion: To accept the Subcommittee and Liaison Assignments as proposed. Concern was raised with the assignment process Ms Perugini made a motion to add Ms Castagno to the Negotiations Subcommittee This motion was seconded by Mr Mani arrez ACTION 11-12 05 On a motion of Mr Stulm and seconded by Mr Hunter,the School Committee VOTED(11 in favor, 1 opposed,with 2 abstentions)to move Ms Perugim's motion ACTION 11-12 06 On a motion of Ms. Perugini and seconded by Mr.Manjarrez,the School Committee VOTED (3 in favor, 10 opposed,with 1 abstention)to add Ms Castagno to the Negotiations Subcommittee The motion did not pass. Comments were raised that there is an implied obligation that School Committee members serve on subcommittees and that everyone should serve and apply skills and resources as needed, even if it is not a first choice. Ms. Castagno noted that she understands her colleagues' comments, she reiterated that she would like to serve on the Negotiations Subcommittee, and she will be a willing observer at its meetings The Committee then took a vote on the main motion as follows Main Motion ACTION 11-12 07 On a motion of Mr Spalding and seconded by Mr Stulm,the School Committee VOTED(10 for,2 opposed,with 2 abstentions)to accept the Subcommittee and Liaison Assignments as proposed, as shown in Attachment B The motion passed. V. ADMINISTRATION REPORT: Ed Bouquillon, Superintendent a. Report on School Opening Dr Bouquillon reported on Opening Day,noting that there were fewer scheduling issues than in past years He reported on the activities of various sports teams and noted that there are 189 student athletes this year He noted that Back to School Night is scheduled for September 20th and briefly explained the program for that evening He reported that there is good news on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System(MCAS)front,in terms of Adequate Yearly Progress(AYP), although the actual details of the report are not yet forthcoming He noted that the Legislative Breakfast is scheduled for October 7, and that a"Hold the Date"was sent to the School Committee He is pleased that some legislators,including Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Joanne F Goldstein,will be in attendance The topics of mutual concern,which have been under discussion for 6 months in his leadership role as Vice President of the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators(MAVA),include MSBA reimbursement level and a capital pipeline for work force development MAVA will be drafting language to address the concerns and membership will vote in October In response to Mr Manjarrez's Page 4 of 11 inquines,he clarified that none of the football team members are women and that of the 204 incoming freshman, 55%are from member towns Mr Manjarrez also inquired about whether this Legislative Breakfast will be posted as an Open Meeting and whether or not it will be recorded The Chair noted that it will be posted,but that no audio/visual recording of the meeting is planned When Mr Mani arrez expressed some concerns about this, the Chair asked Mr Mani arrez to clarify the requirement if she is incorrect in her assumption that it is not necessary VI. SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM UPDATE. Kevin Lynn Kevin Lynn,Director of Special Education,presented an update of Minuteman's Special Education (SPED) services He stressed the focus on minimizing the impact of student disability,the use of the modified full inclusion model, skill development, and self-advocacy With regard to assistive technology,he noted that he visited a number of student learning centers in the area He reviewed the percentage of students with Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs)by grade,the post graduation plans, and participation in extra-curricular activities He noted that last month,Minuteman received notice from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education(DESE)that as a result of the school's students'performance on MCAS,Minuteman's subgroup of"Special Education"achieved Level One status(has met all requirements related to Adequate Yearly Progress) He emphasized that students are succeeding and the staff is phenomenal. His full report can be found as Attachment C. In response to questions raised,Mr Lynn explained that last year,47%of students were on an IEP, but that this year's numbers are not yet clear,that English as a Second Language(ESL) students are not considered SPED students,unless there are learning issues or neurological problems, and that according to law, a student at age 14 must be included in IEP meetings,but that this doesn't always happen across the board. From his perspective,these meetings are geared toward respect and involvement. Mr. Lynn affirmed the perception of a migration out of SPED services over the years at Minuteman,noting that as students gain skills to compensate for their disabilities,they don't need IEPs to achieve access to academic programs He clarified that there are in-class teacher aides available for support and emphasized that the Guidance Department focuses on submitting applications and paperwork for post-high school activities,while the Special Education Services department focuses on making sure the students know what tools are available, so they do not feel abandoned as they head out into the world at age 18 He also explained some detail on the transition from IEPs to 504s,noting that this occurs through evaluation, the Special Education Services department encourages students to continue to allow parental involvement in the process Mr Lynn confirmed that there is a liaison person on staff,Beth Lembo,who functions as a support person who visits the students in the shops as part of fulfilling the IEP requirements. Ms Castagno presented a Summer 2011 Newshne article related to Massachusetts legislation and the duties of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council(SEPAC), as shown in Attachment D She expressed an interest in having SEPAC perform its duty of advising the School Committee on matters that pertain to the education and safety of students with disabilities Minuteman's membership in the Massachusetts Association of Special Education Parent Advisory Councils(MassPAC)was discussed, and Mr Lynn noted that in tight budgetary times,he is inclined to spend money that supports the students Ms Castagno noted that SEPAC is a parents' advisory and that parents are part of this support of students She then made a motion,which was seconded by Ms Perugmi, as noted below Motion To require updates from SEPAC to Minuteman, as stated in the law Page 5 of 11 As this is an administrative matter at the Chair's discretion,Mr Horton suggested Dr Bouquillon work with Mr Lynn to bring SEPAC reports before the School Committee Ms Castagno expressed appreciation for Mr Horton's intent and she withdrew her motion.Ms. DeLuca noted that people do care about this issue and she hopes to continue along in this vein of discussion in the future Mr Manjarrez asked for an explanation of why Minuteman has the highest percentage of SPED students Mr Lynn could not explain it Mr Manjarrez then asked about admitting SPED students Dr Bouquillon explained that the Admissions Policy requires that SPED status is not a part of the application process. As a civil rights issue,the status becomes known only after the application is processed. VII SUBCOMMITTEE/TASK FORCE REPORTS a. Finance Subcommittee: Jeff Stuhn Mr Stulin pointed out that the just-considered list of Subcommittees and Liaisons includes major changes in duties for the Finance,Budget, and Warrant Review Subcommittee This Subcommittee will take an active role in the budgetary process, develop a recommendation on the budget,and formally present this recommendation to the full School Committee Meetmgs towards this end will begin in December 1. P-Card Program Camie Lamica gave an update on the P-Card(Procurement Card)Program explaining it is the direction some municipalities and regional distracts are moving toward to increase efficiencies in dealing with small expenditures She explained it as a sort of credit card system, and that it would be tied to department budgets,with dollar limits Details of the P-Card Program are shown in Attachment E In response to questions about controls,bonding, charge to departments, and how banks would make money on this program, Ms. Lamica explained the process in more detail. Mr.Weis suggested a proactive approach of checking with the school district's auditors before implementation to address any concerns they may have about the control mechanisms Ms Lamica agreed to do this ACTION 11-12 08 On a motion of Mr Stulin and seconded by Mr Hunter,the School Committee VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to approve the use of the P-Card Program on a trial basis 2 Payment of Unencumbered Invoices Ms Lamica presented the request to pay 4 unencumbered invoices from 2011 out of the 2012 budget In response to Ms. Mahoney's inquiry,Ms. Lanuca explained that incorrect channels and miscommunication were the reasons for these oversights and she is working to ensure that this will be avoided in future ACTION 11-12 09 On a motion of Mr Hunter and seconded by Mr Weis,the School Committee VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to approve the payment of 4 unencumbered 2011 invoices from the 2012 budget funds as follows C&W Transportation April athletic transportation trips $3,716 50 C&W Transportation April field trips $ 900 00 Simplex&Grinnell Elevator repair $1,352 00 Alert Now FY 2011 annual service contract $2,250 00 TOTAL $8,218 50 Page 6 of 11 3 Out-of-District Tuition Presentation Mr Mani arrez explained that he was not prepared to give his presentation at this time, given that he had just received some information on this matter from Dr Bouquillon earlier in the day. Mr Manjarrez will be sending a complete list of requests to Dr Bouquillon and would like to move his presentation to the October meeting He asked that his e-mail correspondence of 9/13/11 titled Tuition Concerns be included with the record of this meeting Ms DeLuca emphasized that his e-mail, found as Attachment F,is his personal statement,not reflective of the School Committee as a whole She commended the administrators as top-notch, and noted that ongoing requests for information can be demanding on their already stretched schedule b. Policy Task Force Ms DeLuca introduced Ms Mahoney as the new chair of the Policy Subcommittee Ms Mahoney noted that these policies would be considered First Readings, and explained that Policy BEDG(SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES)is a proposed new version that incorporates changes in the Open Meeting Law, and includes material regarding Executive Sessions A motion was made by Mr Hunter and seconded by Mr Stulin as follows. Motion To accept the First Reading of the proposed Policy BEDG(SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES) There was discussion on School Committee minutes as a transcript/summary,the need to present a balanced view of key points in discussions, inclusion of reference to Mass General Laws, older minutes, release of Executive Session minutes, addenda, and handouts Ms Mahoney agreed to clarify these questions before a vote would be taken on this policy ACTION 11-12 10 On a motion of Mr Stulin and seconded by Ms Morrissette,the School Committee VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to table the vote on the First Reading of Policy BEDG, (SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES) Ms Mahoney clarified that she will be communicating by e-mail to the School Committee,Ms Rozan, and the school archives address(sc@mmuteman.org) with regard to these policies as they are developed and as she requests comment There was some discussion about the Video Recording of School Committee Meetings Policy Draft, First Reading, as well The length of time necessary to keep records,the paper vs video/audio format,the difficulty considering this policy without the minutes policy in place,the time and resources needed to fulfill requests, and availability of information were issues raised ACTION 11-12 11 On a motion of Mr Stulin and seconded by Mr Hunter,the School Committee VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to table further discussion on this Reading of Video Recording of School Committee Meetings until the issues on minutes are resolved VIII. SPECIAL REPORT Report on August 30,2011 meeting in Carlisle: School Committee Members The Chair introduced this item by referring to the August 31, 2011 Carlisle Mosquito article"FinCom discusses school building projects, looks ahead to FY 13,"by Cecile Sandwen(Attachment G) She explained that the article makes reference to a meeting of a small number of member communities to be held on August Page 7 of 11 30th Ms DeLuca asked anyone who attended the August 30`h meeting in Carlisle to come forward to share the information on this meeting, as the entire Minuteman School Committee was not invited Mr Weis noted that he attended as representative from Belmont He explained the meeting was not intended to be secretive It was originated by elected officials—Boards of Selectmen,Town Managers, and Finance Committee members of a few towns,not by Minuteman School Committee members—who came together as a group to share concerns and get support for a statement of principles providing that any changes to the existing Minuteman Agreement be supported by all member communities He noted that it didn't occur to him to include the entire Minuteman School Committee The group that met is working on summarizing what was discussed and areas of agreement,with the intention of sending the summary in letter format to all communities He explained that his understanding is that various committees are reviewing the letter to see if it reflects the spirit of the meeting and it will be forthcoming A discussion ensued raising the issues of exclusion, lack of collaboration,town concerns with the project, support for the project, and extending courtesy invitations Ms Perugmi asked that the record reflect that she had distributed a letter from the Chair of the Carlisle Board of Selectman at the June 14 School Committee meeting and the officers recommended to the Superintendent that he respond to the letter Dr Bouquillon addressed the characterization that he was not doing anything in response to that letter,noting it was incorrect He explained that as a direct result of the letter from Carlisle on June 14,2011,he organized a Town Managers Meeting. The Boards of Selectmen were given a time line of events in his response to the letter Mr Weis summarized his view that there are two major concerns 1 ) the Plan B changes to capital allocation,which is difficult to pass in some communities,and 2) the size and scope of the design facility as it relates to non-member tuition students Ms Mahoney addressed the communication problem by asking Mr Weis if Belmont's Town Manager is participating in this charrette Mr Weis noted that he viewed the meeting as an information exchange and can't defend an article in a newspaper of a town he does not live in When asked again about Belmont's Town Manager's participation,he confirmed that he had been invited to the meeting and attended Mr Spalding gave an update of a Concord Board of Selectmen meeting he attended with Mr Bearg He reiterated the inclusionary measures to date, and summarized a few points 1 ) The 16 communities must be aligned to amend the Capital Allocation Formula 2) The Educational Plan must be reviewed (Mr Spalding suggested another enrollment analysis with an independent body,being mindful of MSBA guidelines.) 3 ) There must be some consensus on the future balance between the out-of-district students and in-district students (State legislation may address this financial concern, and plans for the October 7th Legislative Breakfast are underway) 4) Cost shanng must be clear,as it is about money 5 ) The timetable for the Feasibility Study may extend the project out 10 years and community interest must be maintained 6) Communication is an important issue He noted that in Concord he heard comments about School Committee member training that were unsettling In response to Mr Horton's inquiry about minutes being available,Mr Weis reiterated that the forthcoming letter is intended as an accurate reflection of the meeting and will be sent to the Administration and School Committee members Mr Manjarrez emphasized that without data, it is difficult for him to make decisions As a representative of the Town of Sudbury,he feels he is being forced to be a"conscience"for Page 8 of 11 the Committee and that when asking for information,he is viewed as an obstructionist All towns want the school project to be reviewed and costs to be fair Ms DeLuca noted the hour, and the following vote was taken ACTION 11-12 12 On a motion of Mr Stulm and seconded by Mr Hunter,the School Committee VOTED(11 in favor, 3 opposed)to continue the meeting past 10 00 PM The motion passed. Mr Stulin stated that holding the August 30th meeting without full inclusion of the School Committee was in error,as it encouraged distrust, and he wondered if the meeting was in any way useful He explained that historically,there have been many complaints against the school, some legitimate and others specific to individual member towns He emphasized the importance of having discussion,and to remember that the primary function is the education of students He noted that all towns have not been involved yet, and, at the moment, it remains business as usual• infighting among the School Committee members He also expressed concern with the cost of delaying the project Mr Hunter stood up and expressed his strong support of the project,the effect of the meeting on communication,and stated there are 5 or 6 towns that do not want the project for financial reasons and are attempting to defeat efforts Ms Perugini clarified that the forthcoming letter is intended to be truly representative of the meeting, three communities signed off on the letter summarizing the meeting already, and others will by the end of the week She asked that when the letter is received,the Superintendent and Chair of the School Committee please forward it to all School Committee members. She disagreed that money was the main issue. Mr Spalding encouraged the 16 School Committee members to come up with a solution to move this forward One solution is that MAVA is looking at legislation,perhaps the state can increase the formula for this project, estimated at$95M He felt the School Committee owes it to the kids and the teachers to consider that the longer the delay,the greater the cost Others agreed that the students are the primary concern In response to Mr Maniarrez's statement that without data and debate,there is distrust,the Chair asked if he felt debate was restricted thus far during this meeting He noted that debate was not restricted and that he is elated that there seems to be movement towards solutions Frustration was expressed that people who attended the meeting didn't speak up and extend the invitation to the entire group, as pertinent information could have been provided Mr McGarity summarized that contention is not helpful when cooperation is needed He expressed that the School Committee owes it to each other, as the fate of the school is in the balance, and asked whether the Committee wants to supervise its destruction or move towards its construction IX. ADJOURNMENT Ms DeLuca called attention to the lateness of the hour and asked for input on how to proceed ACTION 11-12 13 On a motion of Mr Spalding and seconded by Mr Mani arrez,the School Committee VOTED (13 in favor, 1 opposed)to adjourn the meeting at 10 20 PM The motion passed. Page 9 of 11 The Chair noted that the remaining agenda items will be rescheduled for the next meeting Respectfully submitted, Elizabeth Rozan, School Committee Administrative Assistant David Horton, Secretary Page 10 of 11 MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13,2011 AT 6 30 PM ATTACHMENTS TO THE MINUTES A Ms DeLuca's Sept 13,2011 summary. The School Committee—an album B List of proposed Subcommittees and Liaisons dated Sept 6,2011 C Mr Lynn's presentation D Summer 2011 Newshne article. "MassPAC• A Seat at the Table,"by Leslie M Leslie E P-Card Overview F E-mail from Mr Manjarrez, Sept 13, 2011 Tuition Concerns G Aug 31,2011 Carlisle Mosquito article "FinCom discusses school building projects, looks ahead to FY13,"by Cecile Sandwen Page 11 of 11