HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-05-SC-min LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Tuesday,September 5, 2017
Town Hall,Selectmen's Meeting Room
1625 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA
Present:
Chair, Alessandro Alessandrini; Vice Chair, Eileen Jay; Jessie Steigerwald; Kate Colburn; Kathleen
Lenihan; Superintendent, Dr.Czajkowski; Student Representative, Rosanna Jiang
The minutes were taken by Kristen Cronin, Executive Assistant to the School Committee and
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent
The meeting convened at 7:06 p.m.
Call to Order and Welcome:
Chair, Alessandro Alessandrini called the meeting to order, and introduced committee members.
Public Comments:
Resident Cheryl Meadow-21 Lois Lane: Cheryl would like to propose that Lexington Public Schools
organize a relief effort for students who have been displaced due Hurricane Harvey. Cheryl would be
the lead organizer and liaison for whatever schools would like to participate.
Resident and recent employee Christine Zendeh-42 Baker Ave: Christine recently retired from
Estabrook Elementary as a school counselor for 18 years. Christine expressed concern for the way some
members of the school committee treated Sandra Trach during the July 31 School Committee meeting.
Resident Fay Backert-5 Wyman Road: Thanked School Committee members for the Diversity Task
Force Committee being put in place and happy to see it being acknowledged. Fay expressed concern
about the application process and feels we have a number of entities that represent diverse population
within Lexington already and not sure why we are not utilizing tools already in place to select members
for the Task Force.
Resident Valerie Overton-25 Emerson Gardens: Valerie also thanked the Town of Lexington for the
Diversity Task Force. Expressing concern over the application, she feels it is biased and constructed in a
way to advantage someone with a higher education. Valerie made the following suggestions: 1) Reach
out to other organizations in the town that deal with diversity on a regular basis 2) ask organizations,
schools, social workers and others in town to reach out to people who are less integrated 3) suggest
easier ways for people to express interest in joining the task force for example, ask two questions "Why
would you like to join the task force" and "How do you think you could help the task force make
Lexington a better place to live for all kinds of people?" and allow people to answer by email, paper and
so forth.
Resident Deb Zucker—119 Laconia Street: Deb Zucker echoed Fay Baker and Valerie Overton's
concerns about the Diversity Task Force Application.
Deb shared information from the Lexington Unites event held on August 20,2017 and formally
presented a Lexington Anti-bias petition signed by 63 people which requested specific action items for
the School Committee and administration to consider.
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Superintendent's Announcement:
Dr. Czajkowski welcomed staff and students to a new school year and notified the community on
upcoming events taking place within the next few weeks including a discussion about DACA. Dr.
Czajkowski expressed to the public that Lexington is an inclusive community, regardless of immigration
status.
School Committee Member Announcements:
School Committee members welcomed staff and students to a new school year and extended a
welcome to student representative Rosanna Jiang
Kate Colburn: Kate updated members on the Appropriation Committee Meeting on August 31.
Discussion involved the Debt Exclusion particularly with regard to Hastings. Four main issues are as
follows: 1) How many questions would be included on the debt exclusion? Hastings has to be a
separate question. 2)Town meeting appropriates funds for Hastings project, should they be contingent
on passage of the Debt Exclusion?lif Debt Exclusion fails could town still move forward with constructing
Hastings? 3) Remove purchases of LPS/Pelham from Debt Exclusion and fund with Capital stabilization
fund? 4)What should be included in the model, by what date should Capital stabilization fund be
depleted?
Jessie Steigerwald: Suggested School Committee Members attend an anti-bias workshop.
Jessie provided an update to members on a small group discussion regarding graduation ceremony
requirements with Superintendent, Dr. Czajkowki, Principal,Andrew Stephens and School Committee
member, Kathleen Lenihan. Jessie handed out a copy of State Law Chapter 7113, Section 16 regarding
Graduation Requirements and Graduation Participation by students who have not completed graduation
requirements.
Coalition Coffee will be held next Wednesday, September 13`". There is a morning option 8:30—9:30
and an evening option 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at Community Center.
Eileen Jay: Eileen Jay reminded the community of the summer reading "How to Raise an Adult" and
Community discussion dates for the book are as follows: Sunday, Oct. 15 -3:00-5:00 p.m., Monday, Oct.
23—7:00—9:00 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 26—9:00—11:00 a.m.
Alessandro Alessandrini: Expressed his thanks to Dr. Czajkowski for bringing up the DACA issue which
is currently in the news.
Consent Agenda:
1. Vote to Approve School Committee Minutes from August 22, 2017 as amended.
2. Vote to accept a donation of$1,000.00 from Heartland School Solutions for their"MySchoolBucks
Growth Grant". This donation is to be used to promote student participation in Lexington Public
Schools' Nutrition Program
3. Vote to Accept a donation from the Stop and Shop A+ Reward Program in the amount of$1,282.00
on behalf of the Hastings School.
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4. Vote to Accept a donation from the Stop and Shop A+ Rewards Program in the amount of$1,177.54
on behalf of Lexington High School.
Motion to approve consent agenda items 1-4.
The Motion was approved (5-0,Alessandrini/Lenihan).
Agenda:
1. Hastings Update from MSBA Board of Directors Meeting on August 23, 2017
Dr. Czajkowski thanked Principal, Louise Lipsitz, Director of Facilities, Pat Goddard, and Alessandro
Alessandrini for attending the August 23 MSBA Board of Directors meeting on behalf of Hastings
Elementary School. The MSBA Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve construction and
continue moving forward with the work at Hastings.
2. Hastings Value Engineering from Board of Selectmen Meeting Update on August 28,2017
Alessandro Alessandrini and Kate Colburn updated the committee on the Value Engineering of
Hastings from the Board of Selectmen meeting held on August 28, 2017 and reviewed the list where
Value Engineering was taken into consideration to help reduce/save costs with the Hastings Project.
3. LHS Space Study Update
Pat Goddard, provided a brief update to School Committee on the LHS Space Study
• High School Schedule Review: Principal Andrew Stephens will lead this project. The process
will take two years to be completed. Principal Stephens will meet with his Leadership Team
to develop project scope and sequence. The team will also evaluate if there is a need for
external resources
• High School Science Classroom Requirement: Science Department Head,Jackie Crowe,
updated the Science Classroom Requirements.
• Space Planning:Working with TBA Architects to make space for additional Science
Classrooms. Mr. Goddard presented Space Planning Option 1 slide and Space Planning
Option2 slide.
• Next Steps: Develop and present schedule review scope and sequence. Update projected
science classroom need after FY2018 enrollment forecast. Determine if FY2019 capital
request for modular design is needed.
Members will email Mr. Goddard and copy Dr. Czajkowski and Kristen,their questions that they
would like to have answered for the October presentation (10/12)
4. Enrollment Update District&School 2017
Maureen Kavanaugh, Director of Planning and Assessment provided a brief update on how
enrollments are progressing in FY2018 compared to FY2017.
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K-S enrollment has a 3% increase from 2017 with Estabrook experiencing the greatest increase with
574 students. Middle school enrollment is showing Clarke experiencing a higher increase of 40
students from September 1, 2016 with Diamond having an increase of 29 students. Lexington High
School at this time experienced a smaller increase of 11 students since September 1, 2016.
As a whole, enrollment is continuing to increase at all levels. Enrollment growth continues to vary at
by level by school. In general enrollment is increasing.
Members engaged in further discussion about incoming students and enrollment.
5. Dishwasher&Sink Update at Diamond & Hastings—Table until 9/19 meetimg—
6. Vote to Approve FY19 Budget Guidelines and Calendar
Ian Dailey, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Administration provided a draft copy of the FY19
Budget Guidelines, assembled in consultation with the School Committee's Finance Subcommittee.
On August 22, 2017,the proposed Guidelines and Calendar were presented and discussed with the
School Committee. The feedback received has been incorporated in the attached version for
approval.
Upon approval,these guidelines will formally begin the Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget development
process and will be disseminated on the Finance and Operations website and distributed accordingly.
Move that School Committee approve the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Guidelines.
(Steigerwald/Lenihan) Motion Approved 5-0
7. Special Town Meeting Articles
School Committee members voted to request Articles 2, and 3 of the Board of Selectmen for Special
Town Meeting.
a. Vote Article 2 Appropriate for Hastings School Construction (5-0)
b. Vote Article 3 Appropriate Design Funds for Lexington Children's Place/20 Pelham Road (5-0)
c. Vote Article 11 Appropriate for Lexington High School Security System Design—table till 9/19
Move that the School Committee recommend that Article 2 of Special Town Meeting request funds
in the amount of$63,059,418 for Hastings School Construction.
(Alessandrini/Colburn)Approved 5-0
Move that the School Committee recommends that Article 3 of Special Town Meeting request
Design funds for Lexington Children's Place/20 Pelham Road.
(Alessandrini/Lenihan)Approved 5-0
8. Discuss Appointment of School Committee Representatives to Policy Subcommittee and
Superintendent Working Groups. Continue discussion on 9/19
Alessandro Alessandrini led the discussion for three working groups: International Field Trips,
Graduation Requirements and Superintendent's working group for Religious Holidays.
After a lengthy discussion it was decided to continue this discussion at another School Committee
Meeting after hearing feedback from MASC on Religious Holidays. Jessie Steigerwald and Alessandro
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Alessandrini will work on International Field Trip working group. A workshop will be held in the next
few weeks on the Graduation Requirements.
Chair, Alessandro Alessandrini moved that school committee go into Executive Session under
Exemption 2—To Discuss Strategy with Respect to Contract Negotiations with the Superintendent of
Schools, and stated that it would be detrimental to the interests of the School Committee to remain
in public session ...:
9:30 p.m. Executive Session:
Exemption 2—To Discuss Strategy with Respect to Contract Negotiations with the
Superintendent of Schools.
The School Committee returned to Open Session at and immediately moved to adjourn...
Motion to adjourn.
The Motion was approved 5-0.
The meeting was adjourned at
Meeting Materials:Agenda; A.1-A.2-A.3-PowerPoint Presentation A.4-Enrollment Snapshop for FY18
by Grade; Enrollment Snapshot for FY18 by Team/Sections; Last Year's Enrollment Snapshot for FY17
by Grade; Last year's Enrollment Snapshot for FY17 by Team/Sections; Monthly Enrollment Summary
A.5-none A.6-Fy2018-19 Budget Guidelines; FY2018-19 Budget Calendar A.6—STM Draft Warrants
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