HomeMy WebLinkAbout1959-10-26-CEC-min.pdf CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE MEETING
WITH SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
A joint meeting with the School Committee and Appropriations Committee was held
on Monday, October 26, 1959 Present for the School Committee were Donald Clark,
Chairman, Mildred Marek, Gordon Steele, Dan Fenn and Medill Bair, School Superin-
tendent C E C members present were Don Noyes, Chairman, Paul Palmer, Ronald
Woodberry and Kenneth Warden
A. School Salaries
Mr Clark started out with a discussion of the School Salary Program. The teachers'
salaries were raised very substantially two years ago, but the effect has- not been
uniform throughout all categories Lexington has been very effective in obtaining
new teachers who are fresh out of school and have been able to attract much better
candidates However, our salary scale has not been as effective in attracting
teachers in the middle ranges, such as those who have been teaching in the four-
to seven-year range Steps are being taken this year to adjust these categories
so that we will be able to attract more capable teachers in this middle range
Steps will be taken to equalize the increments in the first five steps This
change will cost the town $34,000 in fiscal 1960 and $102,000 in the following
year of full operation This will be an 8% increase over the 1959 salary cost
The estimatedr,cos't for the school system is $1,387,000 for 1959 and $1,628,000
for 1960 This latter figure includes full Diamond Junior High operations, all
the new people required, expansion of elementary French program, etc It does not
include the $102,000 The projected increase for all services is 23% this year
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Teachers' salaries make up 70% of School budget; therm combined with administration
make up 80%. Some of planned changes for next year are as follows
Administrative Salaries
1959 - $53,000
27 3% increase
1960 - $67,000
Principals
1959 - $ 90,000
35% increase
1960 - $122,000
These increases are brought about by putting principals and administrative staff
on a twelve-month basis and the creation of new post for Paul Pohler as director
of instruction Three new full-time secretaries are to be hired; two now, one later
Principals are expected to be on hand virtually any time town office building is
open and are being given greater responsibility
There will be an increase of one principal in elementary schools and two assistant
principals in senior high
Costs for School Operations are projected as follows
1959 - $1,744,000
24.4% increase
1960 - $2,169,000
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B Enrollment
A committee has been set up to project school enrollments and figures are supposed
to be available momentarily This committee is made up of Rosemary Fitzgerald,
Sanborn Brown, Keith Butlers, George Wadsworth, Richard Cromwell and Sam Snow,
the town planner Estimated town population in 1980 is 50,000 with 12,500 to
13,500 dwelling units
C Increments
In review of thirty suburban schools comparable to Lexington, we find the following
facts
1 We are in the first bracket with our starting salaries, actually sixth.
2 Average increment is lowest of the thirty We have 17 increments, the
average is 11.4 Average dollar increment is $211, Lexington is $154/year
One third of Lexington teachers have been here 10 years or more
D Organization
Superic}tendent
Director of Instruction` Director of Administrative Affairs
(Business operations, cafeteria, etc )
Principals
Job Descriptions have been developed for the directors and principals Since 1951
the school system has doubled and there has been an increase in nonteaching personnel
relative to the teachers Psychologist now on staff, etc
E Sites
Between now and 1977 it is expected that we will need six more elementary school
sites and two to three secondary sites The town dump may take care of one of
secondary school problems
F Miscellaneous
1 Driver training program needs another car and driver to meet needs
2 Advanced pupil program will not increase town cost materially
3 Some revovation jobs are coming up such as Fiske finish Muzzey, etc