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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976-06-01-MMTECH-min.pdf Y 176 MINUTES OF THE MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE June 1, 1976 at the Minuteman School 4 PRESENT Bilodeau, Cormier, Courtright, Cron, Hall, Heinrich, Kelsey, Merluzzo, Smith, Wales, Zeoli V ABSENT Shimkus STAFF Included Fitzgerald, Ricciuti, Whitney, DellaPenna, Hayward, Wallace, Lydiard wirt VISITORS Included Mr Isenberg of the Parents Organization, Sam Maddox of the Minute Man, Bill Churchill of the Carlisle Mosquito, students Ron Guarnieri and Brett Tutein, a number of parents and others The meeting was called to order by Chairman Cron at 7 40 p m REPORT ON POLICE SCIENCE This report was delayed until a future meeting EQUIPMENT BIDS At the request of Dr Fitzgerald, Dr Ricciuti discussed with the committee the samples of chairs, tablet arm chairs and tables which were on display He stated that consideration was being given to three basic criteria in connection with the purchase of this equipment durability, transportability, and flexibility The type of furniture being recommended was quite different from that already in use in the school and in response to a question from the committee as to the reason for this, the reply was that the furniture being recommended was 1 less easily vandalized, and 2 more appropriate for shop related classroom uses than that currently being used in the school The type of furniture being proposed also offers the possibility of alternative classroom configurations It was also explained that the new furniture would be used mostly in the shop areas on the trades hall level and that the present furniture there would be moved upstairs so that similar furniture would bekept together throughout the building In reply to a question concerning why approximately 100 tablet chairs, 200 stock chairs and 100 tables needed to be purchased, Dr Ricciuti cited the increase in enrollment in September 1976 and again in September 1977 and said that the present furniture purchasing was to accomodate this anticipated growth over the next two years Dr Fitzgerald added that at the present time chairs have had to be removed from many of the carrels in the IRC and pressed into service in the classrooms He also pointed out that classrooms in the shop areas were not equipped with furniture in the initial furnishing of the school He said he would not guarantee that this would be the last timq this type of equipment would have to be purchased since this would depend on the final number of studentsenrglled in the school 177 PROPOSED REVISION OF 1976-77 BUDGET Dr Fitzgerald presented the committee with his proposed revisions of the 1976-77 budget He noted several changes which needed to be made in the figures presented Ori page 50 of the booklet, item 2 should read $4,533; on page 21, the bottom figure should be $4,150; and on pages 10, item 5 should be $100 He proposed that in its review of this budget the committee make suggestions in terms of programs, not in terms of numbers Under the new program budget format the computer can put together the total cost of each program area, including teachers salaries so it now will be possible for the committee . to view costs program by program Dr Fitzgerald then went over the management pan whih was printed on page 1 of the budget document He explained that to bring the budget into balance it had been necessary to eliminate the following new positions which he feels are extremely important mnd would like to see restored through the use of revenue ands received from tuition students These positions are one guidance teacher, a second school nurse, one technology teacher, one health teacher, one media. aide and one principal's office secretary Late bus service also had to be eliminated from the 1976-77 budget, but Dr Fitzgerald expressed the hope that this, too, might he restored through the use of revenue funds a'. °-i Mr Merluzzo stated his feelings that if the superintendent considers the new positions mentioned above and the late buses essential to the operation of the school, they should be restored to the Budget Dr Fitzgerald said he felt on the basis of the number of applications by tuition students already received that this would be possible if he received a commitment from the committee that the tuition money from these students be plowed back into programs for the school There was general agreement by the committee that this would be done Dr Fitzgerald said he hopes to offer a management plan a the next meeting to cover the establishment of special funds for building iiiprovement (space allocation, elimination o noise problems, stair carpeting problems, etc ) , a computer survey (computer services which can be provided by the school to district towns) , and for other items which extend beyond the budget year and are not involved in the operating budget He said he will also propose the hiring of an inventory- receiving officer whose salary would be paid for the first year out of the capital budget and the following years from the operating budget This individual's duties would include taking the inventory that exists and keeping it up to date, moving equipment in, keeping track of it and making sure it gets to the right place This person would also take over control of the use of school facilities 1 178 Dr Fitzgerald also called the committee's attention to his proposal that revenue moneys be placed in Curriculum and Instruction and Teacher Salary Reserve accounts In addition, ° he explained that each manager cut his or her own budget during the tatest budgeting process and is expected to stay within that budget However, managers do have the authority to transfer funds within their total without administrative approval (except in specified areas) Also, managers have no authority to eliminate programs or to make changes in salaries in connection with their budgets ATHLETIC BUDGET Dr Fitzgerald also presented the committee with a breakdown of the $40,000 athletic budget for 1976-77 sport by sport and stated that all sports at M nuteman are open to both sexes except basketball which has two teams, one for boys and one for girls GIRLS' ADVISOR Mr Courtright stated that he has received calls from six girls asking if Minuteman could have a girls' advisor who might understand the girls' point of view He said he has visited other school systems which had a girls' advisor to whom girls could go to discuss any problem Dr Fitzgerald replied that Minuteman has one female ;guidance counselor now and hopes to have more next year He said that between three and four new guidance counselors will be hired for next year and an attempt will be made to even up the male-female counselor ratio He went on say that an increase in female and minority group staff members will definately be sought in the forthcoming hiring process Mrs Smith agreed with Mr Courtright that girls need someone on the administrative staff to whom they can relate and that both girls and boys need to see women as well as men in areas of responsibility in the school Dr Fitzgerald agreed that this should be the general direction towards which the school is working HIRING OF NEW PERSONNEL Concerning the new teachers who will be hired to give shop- related instruction in the areas of math and science, Dr Fitzgerald said that the school is seeking vocationally certified people with strong backgrounds in math and science who will spend part of their time in the classroom and part of their time in the shops MINIMUM Concerning minimum graduation requirements which have been GRADUATION established, Dr Fitzgerald said that these should not be REQUIREMENTS considered an accurate reflection of the average student program and he predicted that they will be exceeded by many students COMPUTER SURVEY It was MOVED by Mrs Wales and SECONDED, that consideration of the computer survey proposal be tabled VOTED UNANIMOUSLY 179 i SCHOOL CALENDAR It was MOVED by Mrs Wales and SECQNDED, That the school calendar for 1976-77 be accepted as proposed by the superintendent VOTED UNANIMOUSLY OTHER REPORTS The superintendent called the committee's attention to, the current student status report, a proposal for a federal grant from the distributive education sta'ff and an adult education survey and proposal for 1976-77 ADULT EDUCATION Concerning Adult Education, Dr Fitzgerald said he will ,not be proposing a completely self-supporting 'program, since.,he feels some budget support will be needed in areas such as administration and supplies k CONTINUED CAREER EXPLORATION Dr Fitzgerald gave the committee copies of a letter he had written to a parent :who was ;Unhappy that tenth grade students will no longer be expiioring 4 career areas but will be expected to concentrate on one career cluster In the letter Dr FitzgeraI stated that in cases where a student has advanced schooling interests which lower concern for employment skills at the point of high school graduation, some cross-cluster sLudy may be arranged within the limits of normal scheduling capabilities Also, cross-cluster study will be arranged for students interested in ,occupations that can benefit from such cross-cluster learning STUDENT ACTIVITIES Dr Fitzgerald also announced that the Minuteman's entry in a Sports Car Club of America race held in NH over Memorial Day weekend had won second' place Seven Minuteman students under the supervision of Auto Mechanics instructor Paul Delaney served as pit crew for the car The superintendent also reminded the committee that the students will be presenting the school's first musical "Oliver" on June 10, 11 and 12 in the cafeteria as a dinner theatre with a meal prepared and served by the culinary arts students REPORT ON MCVTE MEETING Mrs Smith reported that she attended the meeting of the Massachusetts Council of Vocational Technical Educators at which Senate Bill 272 was discussed (a bill which would set up a separate, autonomous board to deal with vocational education in Massachusetts) The' committee still feels it does not wish to take any position regarding this bill Mrs Wales recommended that committee members all get copies of "Commonwealth", a newsletter published by the State Department of Education which details the goals for occupational education (including vocational-technical education) which have been adopted by the State Board of 'Education 180 STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE Mrs Wales requested that the student advisory committee be invited to attend the next committee meeting LINCOLN FIRE TRUCK Mrs Wales also commented on the beautiful job the Auto Body students had done refinishing one of the Lincoln fire engines She suggested that Minuteman students be invited to ride on the fire engine in Lincoln's 4th of July parade SENATE BILL Mr Hall reported that Senate Bill 1353 (the amendment to 1353 the open meeting law) which the committee voted to support ° at its last meeting came to the floor and was amended to reinsert the phrase, "other than professional competence in the case of initial hiring " RESIGNATION Chairman Cron read his letter of resignation from the committee as of June 16, 1976 for professional reasons He annow ced that h Lill be replaced by Dr Lawrence Ovian of Fitchburg State College, a Sudbury resident with six years of school committee experience there Dr Fitzgerald thanked Mr Cron for his years of service on the district planning board and school committee and expressed regret at losing his membership on the committee TREASURER'S REPORT The treasurer, Mr Lombardo, reported a balance in the Operating and Payroll Account of $4,412 08 and in the Site and Construction Account of $2,905 07 MINUTES It was MOVED by Mrs Wales and SECONDED to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of May 18, 1976 VOTED UNANIMOUSLY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE James Isenberg called the committee's attention to the sports banquet scheduled for Friday, June 4 and a Parent Organization meeting which will be held on June 8 A question was asked concerning the school policy mentioned in the Minuteman Tech Report which requires that students make up work or receive an "incomplete" if they are absent from class five or more days in a marking period for any reason Dr Fitzgerald explained that in the case of a student who was absent due to illness, the teacher is expected to take the initiative in helping the student make up the work However, in the case of a student cutting classes, the burden is on the student to work with the teacher in making up the work 4 r Vii. 181 F. Student Ron Guarnieri asked if some money would be allotted to the dramatics program for next year Dr Fitzgerald replied that support is already being given to the program and this would continue,, howeveri no budget has been proposed by the Communications/Human Relations Department He expressed the hope that income from the production of "Oliver" would help provide funds for the program At 10 54 p.m. it was MOVED to adjourn to executive session 4 VOTED UNANIMOUSLY by a roll call vote a Respectfully esyypec/ntfully/submitted, ell aild Beverly Ay Lydiarhl Recording Secretary pro7te(m q/ Approved ( '3jn ( ?( [ca. Ruth W Wales, Secretary .Ylb � d 6 4