The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1975-08-19-MMTECH-min.pdf (11 ) dy' MINUTES OF THE MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE AUGUST 19, 1975 PRESENT Mssrs Bilodeau, Courtright, Cormier, Cron, Hall , Heinrich, Kelsey, Merluzzo, Zeoli , Mrs Smith, Mrs Wales, Mr Lombardo ABSENT Mr Banfield STAFF Dr Ricciuti , Dr Resnick, Mssrs Marotta, Whitney, Gibson, Rittenburg, Mayer, Hayward, lannarelli , Curt, Delaney, Chasen, Ms Stille, Ms Lidback, Ms DellaPenna VISITORS Mr Donoghue, State Director Occupational Education for Special Needs; Mr Woodruff, former Asst to the Supt -Dir ; Mr Finnegan, Mass Bus !C , members of the Belmont Association for Retarded Citizens, and of the Minuteman Parents Organization; many visiting parents and one student PRESS Minuteman Publications, South Middlesex News The meeting was called to order by Chairman Cron at 8 10 p m. MATH' Mr Chasen presented the Math Curriculum as currently designed CURRICULUM to meet this year's needs and eventually the needs of Grades 9 through 12 An open discussion followed One committee member saw the curriculum as not innovative enough Staff members explained that last year's emphasis on individualization (9th grade students could choose between 13 courses) resulted in confusion, loss of both direction and challenge This more traditional approach still allows students a choice of three or four courses at any given point, and does not freeeze him into a track Mr Whitney stated that "we want to take each student as far in math as we possibly can." Dr Resnick said the minimum requirement would be a certain level of competence in "survival math" as needed in everyday living, while the maximum offered would prepare a student for M I T MANAGEMENT Mr Whitney presented some examples of faculty evaluation under BY the,MBO system, and explained its advantages making available OBJECTIVES the resources of the entire faculty to achieve specific objectives OVERVIEW in one department; providing a continuous baseline for evaluating past and proposed program changes, both in academic and budgetary terms As Mr Merluzzo noted, "we can say these dollars brought these results " The system also makes it easier to incorporate a new teacher into the mainstream of activity REPORT In addition to filling the three current vacancies, Dr Ricciuti OF recommended creation of five new positions With the help of the SPECIAL Ways and Means Committee, he had found it possible to reallocate NEEDS funds for this purpose, without increasing the total budget This could be done by shifting approximately $65,000 from AND overbudgeted accounts and funds budgeted for outside services that will not be needed with an expanded Special Needs staff BUDGET REALLOCATION SEP 5 19Th (13) l /4 004ir REPORT OF With a student body twice last year's, 22 buses are needed, ACTING and 7 late buses are requested Copies of the propsed bus SUPERINTENDENT- schedules were distributed Committee members were asked DIRECTOR by Chairman Cron to please study the schedule for their towns and give any suggestions or corrections to Mr Marotta The administration seeks to provide a bus seat for every student, and most buses will be filled to capacity Having seperate buses for each town will save time; after the first week, no run should generally be longer than 50 minutes Mr Merluzzo noted that the bus contract had not been changed, increasing the price to cover safety features now required by state law The contract should be studied to clarify coverage on the added buses It was MOVED by Mr Hall , SECONDED by Mr Zeoli , that the bus contract be expanded from 11 to 22 buses, and that the decision regarding late buses be delayed until contracting and funding issues are resolved VOTED UNANIMOUSLY Dr Ricciuti announced the rescinding of Mr Robert Ryan's appointment as Staff Machine Shop Instructor MATH The list of test books for 9th and 10th grade math was presented TEXT and discussed briefly It was MOVED by Mr Hall , SECONDED by BOOKS Mr Merluzzo, that the math text books be approved as presented 1 Denholm, Richard A et al Elementary Algebra, Part 1 Houghton Mifflin Company, 1973 120 copies 2 Dolciani , Mary et al Modern Algebra Structure & Method, Book 1 Houghton Mifflin Company, 1973 58 copies 3 Jacobs, Russell Introductory Algebra 1 , Second Edition Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, Inc 33 copies 4 Nichols, et al Holt Algebra 1 Holt Reinhart & Winston Inc 1974 140 copies VOTED 9 in favor, 2 abstaining for reasons previously stated and recorded in the minutes of June 3, 1975, p 119 (15) cfr 41004 SUPERINTENDENT Mr Hall reported that the search for a Superintendent- SEARCH Director is accelerating, with ads going into the Globe and N Y Times, notices In professional publications, and other contacts Several applications and resumes are in hand already; none, however, have come from within the school Chairman Cron reiterated his request for criteria input from faculty and administration Recommendations from the parents organization are also welcome Mr Hall expects the new superintendent to be hired by January 1 MINUTES It was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY that the minutes of the August 5 APPROVED regular meeting be approved TREASURER' S Mr Lombardo reported the balance in the Regular Budget REPORT Account (Operating and Payroll ) as $139,094 82, and in the Site and Construction Accodnt, $126, 107 95 Also, $95, 120 80 in interest on Certificates if Deposit had accumulated through August 13 Mr Hall MOVED, Mrs Wales SECONDED, and it was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY, on the treasurer's recommendation, that the sum of $95, 120 80 in accrued interest be transferred to the Construction Account Also on Mr Lombardo' s recommendation, Mr Hall MOVED, and Mr Zeoli SECONDED, and it was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY, that the District Treasurer be authorized, under the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 71 , Section 16 (g) , as amended by Chapter 134 of 1972, and with the approval of the chairman of the district committee, to borrow money in anticipation of revenue for the fiscal year beginning July 1 , 1975 , and to issue a note or notes therefore,payable within one year Chairman Cron requested that the Treasurer prepare an estimate of the 5000 account for budget purposes OTHER BUSINESS PARENT Mr Courtright reported phone calls from many concerned COMMUNICATION parents who had wanted to speak at the August 5 meeting but had no chance because of time Mr Cron noted that parents wishing a hearing on specific topics may request time earlier in the agenda, if the request is made a week in advance. Otherwise, general questions and discussion must come at the end of meetings SUGGESTIONS were made that extra copies of the agenda be run off at the beginning of each meeting for all visitors; also that a microphone be made available for the chairman so that visitors could follow the course of the meeting METCO Mr Merluzzo reported that the state has not yet replied to our request for Metco funds The students involved have already been informed that they have places at Minuteman if the funding comes through Mr Cron requested that Dr Ricciuti keep in constant touch with the situation STUDENT A draft of the Student Handbook has been submitted for policy HANDBOOK review The three committee members who had so far read it raised serious questions regarding policies, legal issues, length, tone, use of names, conflicting rules , and philosophy