HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09-09-SC-minSC Meeting 9/9/08 page # 1
LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Harrington School
328 Lowell Street
Present: Superintendent Paul Ash, School Committee Chair Helen Cohen, School Committee
members Rod Cole, Margaret Coppe, Tom Diaz, Ravi Sakhuja and student representative
Gloria Park. The minutes were taken by Leora Tec.
I. Call to Order (First Floor Conference Room #170) at 7:00 p.m.
II. Executive Session (First Floor Conference Room #170):
III. Return to Public Session and Welcome (Cafetorium) 7:37
IV. Superintendent’s Announcements
The schools had a smooth opening K-8. Actually K-12, besides the flood.
V. Members’ Reports / Members’ Concerns
Helen Cohen: Thank you on behalf of the School Committee to all the people who worked in
the schools over the summer.
VI. Discussion Items
1. Update on Full-Day Kindergarten: by Carol Pilarski. Mary Yardley, kindergarten teacher,
also spoke.
2. 2008 Enrollment Numbers – Projected vs. Actual. Presented by Paul Ash. Discussion
included population of Avalon Bay.
3. 2008-2009 School Committee Meeting Calendar and Possible Agenda Items were presented
by Paul Ash and School Committee members, and discussed.
4. Facilities Department Report
a. LHS Flood Update: Presented by Patrick Goddard, Director of Public Facilities for the
Town of Lexington. Repairs and measures for future flood prevention are moving ahead.
The Committee thanked Pat Goddard and his department, especially Sean Newell, for all
that they had done.
SC Meeting 9/9/08 page # 2
b. Estabrook Project: Oil Tank removal, asbestos abatement and boiler replacement.
Presented by Patrick Goddard. Ammar Dieb, President of Universal Environmental
Consultants, Gerry Cody, the Lexington’s Health Director, and representatives from
Haley & Aldrich spoke. Chief Bill Middlemiss of the Fire Department presented the
Department’s approval of the project. There were questions and discussion from the
School Committee and the audience, including the Estabrook PTA president and many
Estabrook parents concerned with safety issues.
The consensus was to delay this project until this summer.
5. FY10 Budget Calendar: This item was postponed.
VII. Action Items
1. Vote to Approve Lexington High School Trip to Antony, France, presented by Marie
Murphy, Lexington High School Foreign Language Department Head and two French
teachers.
Motion to approve Lexington High School trip to Antony, France (Diaz, Cole). The
motion passed 5-0.
Dawn McKenna: There will be an upcoming 10th year reunion of the program between
Antony and Lexington.
2. Vote to Appoint Voting Delegate to MASC Annual Business Meeting
Motion to appoint Helen Cohen as voting delegate to the MASC Annual business
meeting (Diaz, Coppe). The motion passed 5-0.
Motion to appoint Ravi Sakhuja as an alternate delegate to the MASC Annual Business
Meeting (Diaz, Copppe). The motion passed 5-0.
3. Vote to Take a Position on State Ballot Question #1 (repeal of State income tax)
Motion to oppose State Ballot Question #1 (repeal of State income tax) and to
authorize Helen Cohen to make a statement on the School Committee’s behalf in
opposition (Diaz, Cole). The motion passed 5-0.
VIII. Motion to adjourn (Diaz, Coppe). The motion passed 5-0.