Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-19-SC-min LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE Tuesday,September 19,2017 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, Rosana Jiang(7:05) The minutes were taken by Kristen Cronin, Executive Assistant to the School Committee and Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent The meeting convened at 7pm Call to Order and Welcome: Chair, Alessandro Alessandrini called the meeting to order, and introduced committee members. Public Comments: Superintendent's Announcement: Superintendent, Mary Czajkowski informed members of the process for developing and defining an educational vision for a new high school. Dr. Czajkowski is proposing that the district work with consultant, Dr. Frank Locker, who will facilitate this discussion with multiple stakeholders. Dr. Frank Locker has extensive experience in long term future visioning; master planning, educational program development and collaborative concept design. Dr. Czajkowski read email responses to the community regarding the DACA letter that was sent to the community earlier last week. Dr. Czajkowski will be attending the RIDES Project on Saturday, September 23 along with Kelly Chase, Barbara Hamilton, Mary Anton and Caitlin Ahearn. RIDES—Reimagining Integration: Diverse and Equitable Schools, is a day long workshop to begin to build a community of practice focused on 4 desired outcomes for diverse and equitable schools at both the building and district level: 1. Academics: All students have strong academic preparation capitalizing on and connecting students of all backgrounds with high levels and knowledge of skills. 2. Belongingness: All students have a strong sense and appreciation of their own culture and heritage as well as those of their diverse classmates. 3. Commitment to dismantling racism and oppression: All students understand the role that institutional racism and other forms of oppression play in our society and have the skills,vision and courage to dismantle them. 4. Diversity: All students appreciate and value different approaches,thoughts and people and have friendships in collaborative working relationships with students and adults from different racial, and economic backgrounds. Superintendent will keep members up to date on this workshop. 1 LSC Meeting 9/19/17 School Committee Member Announcements: Kathleen Lenihan: Many parents and students will be happy to hear about visioning process of new Lexington High School. Members of School Committee attended the meeting on the new Hastings last week, great to see so many Hastings parents come out and ask really great questions. Kate Colburn: Attended the Hastings meeting as well and it became clear that if debt exclusion does get approved and we are building a new Hastings, there will be some sacrifices made by the Hastings families while the school is being built. We appreciate their sacrifices in advance and recognize it will be challenging. Kathleen Lenihan along with Kate attended a meeting to discuss the comprehensive plan on September 7t Appreciated the inclusion of the schools. Relationship between planning and enrollment growth have all of the issues weaved together. Looking forward to helping get the process started. Attended a space assessment working group meeting on Sept. 6th. Discussion included some of the issues at the High School. Need to assess elementary capacity; what it is now and what it will look like after new Hastings is built. Jessie Steigerwald: Jessie informed members that the reason the Human Services committee has not had a quorum for the past two years is because their meetings are on the same nights as School Committee meetings. The group is pulling together where mental health services stand and what should be done. Attended joint meeting with Mr.Alessandrini, Dr. Czajkowski,Town Manager, Carl Valente and Suzie Barry, Board of Selectmen, Doug Lucente and Charlotte Rogers with Human Services. Thank Mr.Alessandrini for encouraging BOS to meet in a joint setting. Resource coalition map is on the website on the main page of the Lexington public schools. The next welcome coffee will be on October 18 in the morning and 8:30-9:30 a.m. at the Community center and again in the evening 7:30—8:30 p.m. Community center. On November 15 there will be a morning coffee only as school committee members will be attending the High School Start Time Community Forum. Eileen Jay: Reminded members of the community the Diversity Task Force application is on the school/town website. The Diversity Task Force is a joint advisory task force with the town and schools. October book discussion announcement—"How to Raise an Adult" by Julie Lythcot-Hymes; Sunday October 15 in the afternoon, Monday October 23 in the evening and Thursday, October 26 in the morning. Alessandro Alessandrini: Announced to community regarding joint meeting with SC/BOS to have policy makers get together and address mental health on September 27, 2017. 2 LSC Meeting 9/19/17 Agenda. 1. LHS Security Upgrades Shawn Newell, Interim Director of Public Facilities and Chris Bouchard, LHS Facility Manager presented to the committee results from the LHS School Security Working Group and reviewed the findings from the LHS Security Assessment. In the spring of 2017, Lexington High School contracted with TBA Architects&Jensen Hughes to conduct a holistic security assessment with recommendations. As a result of their study it is highly recommended that door security/building perimeter and visitor management upgrades be implemented. If supported, a Capital request would be presented at the October 16, 2017 Special Town Meeting for design and engineering funds to enhance building perimeter security based on the recommendations from the security assessment. Dr. Czajkowski addressed to the community and committee members the importance of level of safety&security at the high school even though there is discussion of a new Lexington High School in the near future. Dr. Stephens, Principal at LHS and John Murray, Associate Principal discussed the options of the following alternatives presented: Alternative 1: Status quo Alternative 2: Measured changes Alternative 3: Cost Impact and questions about evacuation There was further discussion and questions among members, Dr. Stephens,John Murray, Dr. Czajkowski, and facilities in regards to the current security at Lexington High School and alternatives presented. All members are in support of Alternative 2. The School Committee recommends that Article 11 at Special Town Meeting 2017-3, request Design Funds for Lexington High School Security System,Alternative 2 in the amount of$31,000.00 (Alessandrini/Colburn) Motion Approved 5-0 2. YRBS Survey Results; Middle School and High School—1hr. 34 minutes Maureen Kavanaugh, Ph.D., Director of Planning and Assessment along with Dr. Bert Rothenbach, Research and Consulting, LLC reviewed highlights from the latest round of results from the 2017 Lexington Youth Risk Behavior Survey(YRBS). Committee members were provided with middle and high school executive summaries,which contain links to full item level results. Committee members had further discussion surrounding the results of stress around homework and concerns about suicide rate for middle school & high school students who have had thoughts of attempted suicide. School committee members will send further questions to Dr. Czajkowsi and Maureen Kavanaugh. 3 LSC Meeting 9/19/17 3. Dishwasher&Sink Update at Diamond, Clarke and Hastings Ian Dailey, Assistant Superintendent of Finance gave a brief overall follow up related to the food service perspective and the research Lin Jensen, along with the LPS Green Team have done on the topic of reusable trays/flatware in the schools as well as reviewed some of the goals, efforts and challenges the food service is facing. Further discussion and presentation was made at the meeting regarding specific impacts to the program if dishwashers and re-usable flatware/trays were a district-wide expectation going forward. We would need to monitor expenditure impacts; Hastings would require additional Capital investment of$60,000.00 and additional staffing; annual cost of replacement trays; operating cost would reduce time in between potential price increases. Lin Jensen provided data on global waste and solid waste from Scientific America. DiNisco is in the process of finalizing design development and coordinating all required piping, plumbing and ventilation and providing provision should school committee decide to install a dishwasher down the road. Donna DiNisco is recommending installing dishwasher now if that is the intent of school committee. Further discussion and questions continued between school committee members around Diamond and Clarke Middle Schools. Diamond Middle School, a study would need to be conducted by DiNisco Design to determine how a sink/dishwasher could be accommodated in the cafeteria area. If there were a desire to explore a dishwasher at Clarke Middle School, a study could be conducted there as well. This study would establish feasibility, cost and a timeline. Motion to approve that a dishwasher will be added to the Hastings elementary school kitchen design(Alessandrini/Lenihan)Motion approved 5-0 4. Discussion and Vote to Determine if Hastings Project should be Contingent upon the Debt Exclusions Alessandro Alessandrini led the discussion among members to decide if Hastings Project should be Contingent upon the debt exclusions. After a lengthy discussion, members all agreed Hastings Project should be "NOT" contingent upon the debt exclusion. Motion to Recommend the Hasting Project be "NOT"Contingent upon the Debt Exclusion (Alessandrini/Lenihan)motion approved 5-0 5. Discussion of ConCom to Plan 0 vs. Plan 1 of LCP Design Donna DiNisco of DiNisco Design gave a brief update from the Conservation Commission meeting on September 18 regarding the desired location and design for Lexington Children's Place. Ms. DiNisco presented and reviewed existing site plan, site master plan, and different site plan options. After further questions and deliberating, school committee members agreed to go with Option O.A/site plan Option O.A site plan—Adjusted location; Building out of wetland buffer zone; Future expansion partially in buffer zone; Preferred configuration; Addresses public safety requests; Limits site area for 4 LSC Meeting 9/19/17 Lexington Community Center expansion; Existing detention basin remains; Minimal ledge removal; Two-way access shifted to Scottish Rite lot. Does not meet every single need or request, but provides significant amount of flexibility on the site. Trying to maintain cost Move that school committee support option O.A for the Lexington Children's Place(LCP) (Steigerwald/Colburnn)Motion approved 5-0 6. Discussion of District Improvement Plan 2017-2018 Superintendent, Dr. Czajkowski reviewed a draft version of the District Improvement Plan for 2017- 2018 for school committee's input. Dr. Czajkowski will meet with K-12 Administrators next week to provide school committee's feedback, review and finalize the District Improvement Plan to be presented on October 3. If approved Dr. Czajkowski will align her goals based upon the final District Improvement Plan (DIP) and School Improvement Plan (SIP). School Committee is working to develop their goals and refine their goals once the District Improvement Plan has been completed. 7. Update on School start Time Survey Ian Dailey, Assistant Superintendent for Finance gave a brief review and update to members on the School Start Time Taskforce Meetings. Ian stressed to members and the community that this task force is looking at all start times at all grade levels in the district. Timeline & Parent/Community Participation: The K-12 parent survey will be email via ASPEN on September 20, 2017 through October 20, 2017. The goal is to receive as much feedback as possible. Staff and students survey will be distributed co-concurrently when parent surveys are underway. Community Forum will be held on November 15, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at Battin Hall. Open panel for questions during this time. Community members can also send feedback through Lexington Listens available 24/7 on the District Homepage. School committee had some questions concerning METCO families, Concord Carlisle piloting later start time, and the success of some districts with later start time while other districts have not been so successful. 8. Discussion of Payroll &AP Warrant Approval Process Ian Dailey, Assistant Superintendent of Finance reviewed a new law that was recently passed to allow School Committees to delegate one member to sign off on payroll and accounts payable warrants, (rather than requiring three members) and to delegate an alternate to sign both payroll and accounts payable warrants in their absence,with the full approval coming to the School Committee at a subsequent meeting. Members agreed the Chair of the Finance Sub-Committee,Jessie Steigerwald,would be the designated signer with Kate Colburn,the other member of the Finance Subcommittee, as the alternate in Jessie's absence. 5 LSC Meeting 9/19/17 8. FY17 4th Quarter Report Ian Dailey, Assistant Superintendent for Finance reviewed the final close out for fiscal year 2017 budget. FY17 operating budget closed with a surplus of$1,940,686.00 just under 2%of the general fund operating budget amount. Mr. Dailey gave a summary review of salaries and wages, expenses and summary of transfers. Detailed information of each can be found on the Lexington Public Schools website. 9. Providing School Committee Policies Online through Massachusetts Association of School Committees Members all in agreement to work with MASC to implement an online policy for$3,500.00 Motion to renew work with Policy Manual Subcommittee to(1)keep the current Policy Manual up to date and(2)provide online services with MASC that will make sure there is access to policies for all stakeholders. (Steigerwald/Jay) Motion Approved 5-0 10. Update on MASC Policy Feedback Feedback from MASC on policy-related issues, MASC policy training sessions, and obtaining input on potential new policies. School Committee will hold Public Hearings to discuss and receive feedback for new policies, such as homework and International field trips. Motion to adjourn. The Motion was approved 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 11:09 p.m. Meeting Materials:Agenda; A.1- 2017 YRBS Executive Summary— High School; 2017 YRBS—Executive Summary—Middle School A.2- LHS Security PowerPoint A.3- Policy DGA—Authorized Signatures A.4- Fourth Quarter Salaries and Wages Budget—Detail; Fourth Quarter Expenses Budget—Detail A.5-STM Draft Warrants A.6-2017-2018 District Improvement Plan 6 LSC Meeting 9/19/17