HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-07-31-SC-min LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Monday,July 31,2017
Central Office Upper Level Conference Room
146 Maple Street, Lexington MA
Present:
Chair, Alessandro Alessandrini; Vice Chair, Eileen Jay; Jessie Steigerwald; Kate Colburn, Kathleen
Lenihan, Superintendent, Dr.Czajkowski;
The minutes were taken by Kristen Cronin, Executive Assistant to the School Committee and
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent
The meeting convened at 6:30 pm
Call to Order and Welcome:
Chair Alessandro Alessandrini called the meeting to order, and introduced committee members.
Public Comments:
Superintendent's Announcement:
Dr. Czajkowski congratulated Lexington High student, Catherine Wang, who received a Gold medal at
the 2017 International Biology Olympiad, held at the University of Warrick in the United Kingdom. This
Olympiad included 264 students from 68 different countries.
Dr. Czajkowski passed around pictures of Clarke and Diamond Middle School to members. Project at
both schools are moving on schedule. Principals Anna Monaco and Jen Turner will be sending out
communications to parents and staff explaining the traffic patterns which has been adjusted.
Dr. Czajkowski updated members on the LHS Security Assessment timeline. Dr. Czajkowski will submit a
final report to school committee when she receives a copy on August 11.
The High School Nurses office abatement work was completed on July 25. Electrical is close to
completion, as well as rough carpentry and air-conditioning units. Work at the high school is on track.
New Hire, Zachary Taylor, Second Shift Custodian at Central Administration Building.
School Committee Member Announcements:
Jessie Steigerwald: Addressed to the community that School Committee members have new email
accounts since LPS is switching over to Google. Would like to request Kristen Cronin to have new
business cards made for members. Jessie also suggested Kristen Cronin create a calendar in Google to
help keep track of all committees and subcommittee dates.
Jessie handed out an updated version of the Lexington Community Coalition Youth Initiative and
Support Map. She would like members to review the map and send feedback with suggestions to her by
August 5th in order to have a final version printed for schools in the fall. She thanked all of the
community groups that worked with the School Committee and Selectmen on the monthly welcome
coffees.
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Eileen Jay: Reminder that the Lexington Coalition as well as other co sponsors, including the Lexington
Public Schools, are sponsoring a summer reading book "How to Raise an Adult", by Julie Lythcott-Haims.
Upcoming dates in October for community discussions will be publicized.
Alessandro Alessandrini: Suzi Barry, Chair of Board of Selectmen, is requesting a meeting between BOS,
SC, PBC, and Sustainable Lexington to discuss Hastings Geothermal. Dates requested are the following:
August 15, 16, 17 meeting 8 am or 7 pm. Alessandro will send out a Doodle calendar with requested
dates and times.
Consent Agenda:
1. Vote to Approve School Committee Minutes from May 23, 2017
Vote to Approve School Committee Minutes from June 20, 2017
Motion to approve consent agenda item as amended(Alessandrini/Steigerwald)
The Motion was approved (5-0).
Agenda:
1. Discussion of Lexington High School Graduation Requirements and School Committee Role(10
minutes)
Jessie Steigerwald updated the committee on Lexington's graduation requirement and the
School Committee role.The current School Committee Policy Manual does not include a policy
about graduation requirements. Jessie reached out to Jim Hardy at the Massachusetts
Association of School Committees(MASC). He is the same person that guided us in revising the
Policy Manual. Mr. Hardy advised that whatever our graduation requirements are, there should
not be a need to makeindividual exceptions. We have learned that some exceptions have been
made and should learn where, perhaps,the existing requirements are not serving our students
or our mission.
There are two ways that School Committee can handle graduation requirements:
• Have a Policy (IKF): Have a policy and include in the policy manual. If put in the policy
manual, it must undergo the formal policy approval process for any change, even small
ones.
• In School Handbooks: If it is in the handbook, School Committee must stick to the annual
process of having the LPS Administration bring the entire handbook to the committee in a
timely fashion for approval.
The policy should reflect what the state requires, plus additional requirements that we believe
should be required from all students. It is not clear whether our requirements have been
formally reviewed since the 1990s. Since that time we have embraced a more inclusive
educational program. We also need to consider how we want medical absences-whether for
physical or mental health—to be handled. As we review and adopt a graudation requirement
policy it should reflect what we believe and staff believes that will serve our mission statement
for all students
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Motion to request Policy Subcommittee bring forward a draft Graduation Requirement Policy
for the full committee to review(Alessandrini/Steigerwald) Motion Approved 5-0
2. Vote to Appoint Kate Colburn and Kathleen Lenihan to the Planning Board's Comprehensive Plans
Committee (5 minutes)
Motion to Approve Kate Colburn and Kathleen Lenihan as the School Committee Representatives
to the Planning Board's Comprehensive Plans Committee(Jay/Alessandrini) Motion Approved 5-0
3. Vote to Appoint Sandra Trach as the Assistant Superintendent of Strategic Planning and
Operations of Lexington Public Schools from August 1, 2017—June 30,2020(10 minutes)
Committee members and Dr. Czajkowski discussed the position's scope,the duration of the porposed
contract, and the recommended candidate. Members proposed a compromise of a one-year contract as
an alternative to a 3-year contract. Members and Dr. Czajkowski discussed the pros and cons of this
alternative.
Motion to Appoint Sandra Trach as Assistant Superintendent of Strategic Planning and Operations
of the Lexington Public Schools,from August 1,2017—June 30,2018(Alessandrini/Colburn)
Motion approved 5-0
School Committee took a 5-minute break before rejoining for Executive Session
Meeting Materials:Agenda; A.1- None A.2-None A.3- Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment
System—Graduation Requirements(2) Lexington Program of Studies(3) Lexington Handbook 2016-
2017 (4) March 1996 School Committee Minutes Reflects presentation to School Committee regarding
graduation requirements. No vote is recorded. (5)Concord-Carlisle School Committee Policy IKF—
Graduation requirements(6)Cambridge School Committee Policy IKF—HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS(7) MCAS Policy Service Information
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