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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFINAL OS Minutes 12.18.12.pdf Final Approved 1.22.13 MINUTES MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING DECEMBER 18,2012 6 00 PM PAUL REVERE ROOM,MINUTEMAN HIGH SCHOOL Present. Alice DeLuca,Chair(Stow) Kemon Taschioglou(Lincoln) Jeff Stulin,Vice-Chair(Needham) Dore Hunter(Acton) Came Flood, Secretary(Concord)(arrived at 6 20 pm) Jack Weis(Belmont) Cheryl Mahoney(Boxborough)(left at 11 30 pm) Mary Ellen Castagno(Wayland) Bella Wong(Weston) David Horton(Lexington) David Maniarrez(Sudbury)(arrived at 8 42 pm) Daniel Mazzola(Lancaster) David O'Connor(Bolton) Don Rober(Carlisle)(left at 7 25 pm) Solomon Rubin,Student Representative Absent- Laura Morrissette(Arlington) Ford Spalding(Dover) Others Present: Ed Bouquillon,Ernie Houle,Elizabeth Rozan,Eugene DiPaolo,Diane Dempsey, Sheila Nagel, Tracey Sierra,Kevin Lynn,Kevin Mahoney,William Blake,additional people did not sign in 1 CALL TO ORDER. OPEN SESSION The Chair introduced the new member from Lancaster,Daniel Mazzola,and noted that the absence of Ms Morrissette was due to her being on the Today Show and winning 1st prize for her gingerbread house The Chair then asked for a moment of silence to acknowledge the difficult time in Newtown,Connecticut after the unspeakable violence experienced there,and to affirm the common interest in protecting and nurturing children 2. PUBLIC COMMENT The Chair reminded people that anyone wishing to speak during Public Comment is invited to do so for up to 3 minutes,and asked that they state their name and town/affiliation Steve Cattagan,parent of a student from Tewksbury,spoke to thank the School Committee and members of the staff for the very positive experience his child has had at Minuteman He noted that his son was welcomed,got help and that it meant the world to him and his family 3. STUDENT REPORT,Solomon Rubin On behalf of the students,Mr Solomon extended a thanks to the School Committee for all their hard work He underscored his sentiment that Minuteman is a spectacular school He gave an update on student achievement in Fall sports and music,reported on recent activities of the Student Council,the Junior students' visit to the JFK Library,sponsored by the MPA,and noted improvements in the School Lunch program He extended well-wishes for a happy holiday Given that Ms Flood was arriving late,the Chair took the next item out of order 4. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT,Dr.Bouqutllon,Superintendent a. Draft Goals of the Superintendent The Superintendent noted that his draft goals were compatible with the School Committee goals,appearing later in the agenda,and invited members to send him comments on the goals by email,as the goals are still under development b. Update on Faculty Senate The Superintendent gave a summary of recent activities of the Faculty Senate,noting that while it has been challenging to schedule,it has been positive experience to explore the details of the Tell Mass Survey and to begin to address the concerns that include scheduling,common planning time,and conduct management He noted that the group will continue to meet,and that there are no budgetary implications to the work they are doing c. Update on NEASC Warning Status The Superintendent reported that in their annual site visit,NEASC put Minuteman on warning status based on the single standard of the facilities He noted that he is confident that accreditation status will be retained,but the issues need to be addressed 5. SEARCH SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT, Carrie Flood Arnvmg at 6 20 pm,Ms Flood noted that at the meeting in November,she gave a summary report on the process used to select a candidate,and that the School Committee voted to support Kevin Mahoney's appointment to the newly created position In presenting the proposed contract for his employment,she explained that the total value of the package is lower than at the start of negotiations She stressed that there is no buyback for sick or vacation time, but that sick days may be accumulated and a starting balance of 60 days has been negotiated She also noted that he will be giving up$10K from stepping down as District Treasurer A fixed travel allowance and employer contribution to annuity,which appeared in an earlier version of the contract, have been eliminated She noted that any consulting work Mr Mahoney takes on may not detract from his job performance,and personal days can not be used for this purpose She noted that the Search Subcommittee is recommending the contract to the School Committee for approval She extended thanks to the Superintendent and Chair for their assistance in the process, and asked the Chair of the Finance Subcommittee to explain the details of the compensation package The Chair of the Finance Subcommittee noted that the Finance Subcommittee voted to move forward with the contract,but there were reservations related to budget impact,but that these reservations do not reflect any lack of confidence in either Kevin Mahoney or Kris Luoto He highlighted the$154K salary,with a review in July of 2014 He reiterated the vacation and sick leave considerations, and that qualified expenses will be reimbursed He noted that concerns raised during the Finance Subcommittee discussion included the high cost of running the Business Office,and the impact of having two people with high abilities,and whether this is the right balance He noted also that building a staff with skill and expertise in financial matters will be important for grant work,budget work,and demand for other reports and analysis from the Business Office The Subcommittee discussed the expectation of exemplary service for the money in terms of timely reports,better communication with member towns,overall professional oversight in financial matters,and more internal ability for complex analysis It was noted that the position was posted without an expected salary range,and that in taking over this position Mr Mahoney is making a lateral move in support of the professional challenges the position affords him It was also noted that the position offers a way to even out the growing demands on the Superintendent's office Questions were raised about whether a larger pool of candidates would have been attracted with the salary posted, the package of vacation and sick leave accumulation,the expectations related to the dual report nature of the position,that the School Committee could ask for a physical,and would be asked to pay for it,and whether the certifications required are current Privacy laws,the wait list for MCPPO certification,the attractiveness of the title and role of the position,frame of reference for this level of position,the hope for more extensive review of line items in the budget process, the need for this level of talent to provide more thorough town reports,being willing to pay for high caliber staff,candidate prior earnings,appreciation for the process,variability in administrative contracts,and longevity considerations were discussed A motion was made(Horton)and seconded(Hunter)to approve the contract for the Assistant Superintendent for Finance A request was made(Castagno)and seconded(Weis)for a roll call vote Concern was raised about setting a precedent,as roll call voting was not standard operation for the School Committee The following vote was taken ACTION 2012#207 Moved(Castagno)and seconded(Weis) To take a roll call vote on the motion related to the approving the contract for the Assistant Superintendent for Finance Vote. 4 in favor,8 against,1 abstention(with 13 members present). The motion for a roll call vote did not carry. ACTION 2012#208 Moved(Horton)and seconded(Hunter) To approve the contract for the Assistant Superintendent for Finance Vote 11 for,2 opposed(with 13 members present) The new Assistant Superintendent for Finance expressed his view that this was a thorough and fair process,he understands the issues,and looks forward to joining the organization in a few weeks 6 BUILDING REPORT,Dr Bouquillon for Ford Spalding In Mr Spalding's absence,the Superintendent gave the report that MSBA approved the District's selection of Skanska as the OPM on December 5,2012 That weekly OPM meetings have been arranged,that the Building Committee met on December 17 to review the MSBA process,that there is a schedule and process for Designer Selection,and that a Designer Selection Subcommittee was established were discussed Additionally,it was noted that a Building Project website is being established to facilitate communication with stakeholders in each of the 16 member districts 7 BUDGET REPORT,Jeff Stulin a Discussion on Preliminary FY 14 Budget Status It was noted that the Finance Subcommittee is in the middle of the process,reviewing the philosophy,the level of service,enrollment,and the revenue plan They have scheduled another meeting for Thursday January 3 One of the major issues is whether to create a stabilization fund as a proactive measure to deal with the roof For the benefit of new members,the condition of the roof was explained It was also noted that the Superintendent will speak with town managers soon about the idea of the stabilization fund Questions arose about whether there is any student learning opportunity available for maintaining the roof It was noted that while students often are engaged in maintenance activities,coordinated by the Facilities Manager,it is not appropriate to put them on the roof b Discussion on Capital Requirements The estimate of Capital Requirements was noted,with clarification on pricing In the absence of a reliable estimate of current building value,regulatory thresholds for upgrading the entire building,updating to meet standards,school safety,and differentiating levels of work are uncertain 8 POLICY REPORT, Cheryl Mahoney a. General Report The Policy Subcommittee Chair gave a report of business taken up by the subcommittee at their last meeting on 12 13 12 The 1St reading of Policies AC and ACA are being presented for a vote tonight The 2nd reading of Policy BE(SC Meetings and OML)and a draft of the Ethics Policy(BCA)will be brought forth in January The minutes policy will be discussed at a future subcommittee meeting The Public Participation Policy was viewed as sufficient, and is at the back table for meeting attendees Research is underway regarding the term limit language in the By Laws policy b. Vote to approve 1st Reading Policy AC and ACA Confirmation that there is a Title IX Compliance Officer in place,approved through the Student Handbook process, was given It was also explained that these policies mirror the MASC recommendations The following vote was then taken ACTION 2012#209 Moved(Horton)and seconded(Flood) To approve Policies AC(Non Discrimination) and ACA(Non Discrimination on the Basis of Gender)for 1St reading Vote. Unanimous(with 12 members present,Mr.Rober having left the meeting) c. Discussion on Term Limits The history of this issue was brought forth The research done from the MASC website was noted,other towns practices were mentioned,and the need to refresh and to engage other skills and points of view was raised It was suggested that having language that allows flexibility was important The need to have this resolved for the July School Committee election was noted One member voiced that while he had at one time thought term limits were important,he has changed his mind It was pointed out that the Policy Subcommittee always welcomes feedback on policy issues,and that everyone's voice is important is this bylaw While some comments on this have come in, others are welcome 9. SCHOOL COMMITTEE BUSINESS a Follow up fromll 13 12 Report on meeting with Belmont regarding their 9 17 12 letter The Chair read a summation of the meeting with the Belmont representatives She noted that Henry Hall,who joined her,was the first Chair of the Minuteman School Committee,and a former moderator with the Town of Belmont Mr McLaughlin concurred that the summary represented a fair assessment of the meeting b. School Committee's Draft SMART Goals 2012-13 It was moved(Stuhn)and seconded(Flood)to approve the Smart Goals 2012-13 as presented A member expressed his discomfort with the words"reduce reliance"in the first goal under Budget-Operating A history of the way in which tuition is used was offered,and the following amendment was presented ACTION 2012#210 Moved(Weis)and seconded(Castagno) To replace the first goal under Budget Operating with the following Ensure that the revenue plan's reliance on out-of-district tuitions is grounded in reasonable assumptions about projected out-of-district enrollment and is appropriately mindful of the timing of those tuition payments Vote• 4 in favor,8 opposed,with 12 members present (This motion did not pass) The lack of specificity,the boundaries for achievability,the importance of the terms reasonable and appropriate,the need to differentiate goals,the importance of not relying on current year tuition,the possible use of this as a management parameter,and how to achieve it were discussed Another amendment was offered, listing a new goal as follows ACTION 2012#211 Moved(Castagno)and seconded(Weis) To add the following goal Enrollment Increase member town enrollment in the class of 2016 by 5% Vote- Unanimous,with 12 members present ACTION 2012#212 Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Flood) To approve the Smart Goals 2012-13 as amended Vote: Unanimous,with 12 members present The amended goals can be found as Attachment A c.Subcommittee Assignments Amendments to the Subcommittee Assignments list were offered and the following votes were taken ACTION 2012#213 Moved(Stulm)and seconded(Mahoney) To appoint David Horton as Chair of Supenntendent Negotiations and Evaluation,Attorney Contract Review Vote. Unanimous,with 12 members present ACTION 2012#214 Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Mahoney) To appoint Bella Wong as a member of the Policy Subcommittee Vote. Unanimous,with 12 members present ACTION 2012#215 Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Flood) To appoint David O'Connor as a member of the Capital Planning Advisory to the Finance Subcommittee Vote. Unanimous,with 12 members present The amended list of Subcommittee Assignments can be found as Attachment B d. Review of Open Session Minutes from 11.13.12 and 11.27.12 Carrie Flood,Secretary 11 13 12 The minutes of 11 13 12 were presented An amendment was offered and the following vote was taken ACTION 2012#216 Moved(Weis)and seconded(Castagno) To amend the last two sentences of pg 71 of the packet,6th paragraph as follows He emphasized that Belmont feels the original approval on the Feasibility Study was conditioned on no money being spent on the Feasibility Study until all towns had approved the school sizing Belmont's current position is to spend that portion of the Feasibility Study funds necessary to answer the strategic sizing question, but to not spend time and money on schematic design until the sizing has been approved by the member towns It is Belmont's contention that to amend the terms of the June 2010 vote will require a new vote to be taken by the School Committee Vote• Unanimous,with 12 members present Additional typo amendments were offered on pages 63 and 66,and the following vote was taken ACTION 2012#217 Moved(Horton)and seconded(Stulin) To amend the typos on pages 63 and 66 as noted Vote- Unanimous,with 12 members present ACTION 2012#218 Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Hunter) To approve the minutes of 11 13 12 as amended Vote- 11 for,with 1 abstention,with 12 members present A suggestion was offered that future minutes encapsulate the discussion and not identify individual speakers 11 27 12 An alignment issue was noted on the first page of these minutes,and the following vote was taken ACTION 2012#219 Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Mahoney) To approve the minutes of 11 27 12 as presented Vote: 11 for,with 1 abstention,with 12 members present 10. NEW BUSINESS Ms Castagno raised her concern that in another meeting,the issue of teacher morale and potential hostile work environment was brought to the School Committee's attention Emphasizing that she has a zero tolerance for bullying,she asked that this be put on the agenda for a future meeting so that it may be discussed fully Another speaker noted the recent creation of the Faculty Senate as a forum to address such issues,but Ms Castagno noted that she was not comfortable with the Supenntendent addressing this through the Faculty Senate,but that addressing this issue is critical to the education of children How faculty in another district have dealt with difficult issues was shared The importance of putting the concerns in some context and discussing them as a group was noted The following vote was then taken ACTION 2012#220 Moved(Castagno)and seconded(Weis) To add the issue of teacher morale and potential hostile work environment to a future agenda for discussion Vote. 11 for,with 1 opposed,with 12 members present The Chair asked that any ideas on this be submitted to her 11. POSSIBLE EXECUTIVE SESSION The need for an Executive Session was explained A member who had just arrived(13 members present) expressed that he thought the issues with regard to Exemption#1 should be discussed in Open Session The following vote was taken by roll call vote of the members present ACTION 2012#221 Moved(Stulm)and seconded(Hunter) To enter Executive Session,with Dr Bouquillon,Mr Houle,Ms Rozan,and Mr Tobin invited to remain for items a and b ,with others invited in for item c,and not to return to open session a Pursuant to Purpose 3 (MGL c 30A,s 21 (a)(3))to follow up on grievances filed pursuant to the Committee's collective bargaining agreement with the Minuteman Faculty Association when an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the Committee,and b Pursuant to Purpose 3 (MGL c 30A,s 21 (a)(3))to discuss strategy with respect to the Committee's collective bargaining agreement with the Minuteman Faculty Association when an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the Committee,and c Pursuant to Purpose 1 (MGL c 30A,s 21 (a)(1)),to follow up on progress related to considering complaints or charges against a public officer,employee,staff member,or individual,and d Pursuant to MGL c 30A,s 22(f)to review,amend,finalize,and approve minutes from Executive Session of the Committee held on 10 16 12, 10 23 12, 11 13 12,and 11 27 12,and to determine whether continued non-disclosure of such minutes is appropriate O'Connor yes Taschioglou yes Wong yes Hunter yes Manjarrez no Weis yes Mahoney yes Castagno no DeLuca yes Horton yes Stulin yes Mazzola yes Flood yes Vote: 11 in favor,with 2 opposed 12. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at the end of Executive Session at 11 35 PM Respectfully submitted, Elizabeth Rozan Carrie Flood District School Committee Assistant Secretary ATTACHMENTS To 12 18 12 Minutes A Approved School Committee Smart Goals 2012-13 B Amended List of School Committee Subcommittees and Liaisons 2012-13