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SC Meeting 10/14/08 page # 1
LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Cary Hall Auditorium
1605 Massachusetts Avenue
Present: Superintendent Paul Ash, School Committee Chair Helen Cohen, School Committee
Members Rod Cole, Margaret Coppe, Ravi Sakhuja and Gloria Park. The minutes were taken
by Leora Tec.
I. Call to Order and Welcome (Helen Cohen) at 7:35 p.m.
II. Public Comment
Diane Biglow (Precinct 8, Hastings Site Council and PTA): Thank you from a bunch of us at
Hastings for bringing our principal, Louise Lipsitz into our lives.
Cindy Bond (Estabrook parent): I am representing parents who want to enroll our kids in a
half-day kindergarten in 2009.
III. Superintendent’s Announcements
1. Presentation of M.A.S.S. Academic Excellence Awards to High School Students. Awarded
by Dr. Ash to Emily Sillari, Ryan Casey and Nate Finch.
2. Recognition of Robin Tartaglia, Director of Community Education, for her many excellent
years of service. Presented by Carol Pilarski.
IV. Members’ Reports / Members’ Concerns
Helen Cohen: I attended an EDCO meeting. The issues we are dealing with are being dealt
with in many districts. We are lucky to have Dr. Ash. One of the attendees said that there has
been a shift in parents’ attitude from seeing the schools as preparing children for the world to
protecting children from the world.
V. Discussion Items
1. Dr. Ash announced that the regional Chartwell’s School Dining Services is awarding
Lexington Public Schools’ Foodservice Department with the Be-A-Star Regional Account of
the Year Award. The award was introduced by Mary Ellen Dunn, Assistant Superintendent
for Finance and Business, presented by Jack Jones, District Manager from Chartwells.
SC Meeting 10/14/08 page # 2
2. Annual School Improvement Plans were presented by the various principals.
There were questions from the Committee.
3. School Committee Goals
The Committee discussed the goals. They will vote at the next meeting.
VI. Action Items
1. Vote to Approve Clarke Middle School Field Trip to Mexico
2. Vote to Approve Clarke Middle School Field Trip to Canada
Motion to approve both applications as submitted [Mexico and Montreal trips] (Diaz,
Coppe). The motion passed 5-0.
3. Vote to Authorize Submission of DESE Transition to Full Day Kindergarten Grant to Include
Two Additional Classrooms in September of 2009. Dr. Ash introduced the issue.
Motion to authorize submission of DESE Transition to Full Day Kindergarten Grant to
include two additional classrooms in September of 2009 (Diaz, Coppe). The motion
passed 5-0.
4. Vote to Accept Superintendent’s Recommended 2008-2009 System Goals
Motion to accept the superintendent’s recommended 2008-2009 system goals (Diaz,
Cole). The motion passed 5-0. [These goals are available on the LPS website.]
5. Vote to Appoint School Committee Policy Subcommittee Members
Motion to appoint Margaret Coppe and Tom Diaz as School Committee Policy
Subcommittee members (Sakhuja, Cole). The motion passed 5-0.
6. Vote to allow Kendal Brown (grade 7) and Jordan Brown (grade 5) to complete the 2008-
2009 School Year in Lexington, without tuition, subject to the approval of the Belmont
School Committee.
Motion to allow Kendal Brown (grade 7) and Jordan Brown (grade 5) to complete the
2008-2009 school year in Lexington, without tuition, subject to the approval of the
Belmont School Committee (Diaz, Cole ). The motion passed 5-0.
VII. Motion to go into executive session for the purpose of reviewing executive session minutes,
not to return to public session (Coppe, Cole). Cohen-aye; Cole-aye; Coppe-aye; Diaz-aye
and Sakhuja-aye.