HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-01-31-SC-minSC Meeting 1/31/09 page # 1
LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Clarke Middle School Auditorium
17 Stedman Road
Present: Superintendent Paul Ash, School Committee Chair Helen Cohen, School Committee
Members Rod Cole, Margaret Coppe and Ravi Sakhuja. The minutes were taken by Leora Tec.
The meeting was convened at 9:10 a.m.
I. Call to Order and Welcome (Helen Cohen)
II. Public Comment
Sue Cusack (precinct 9): Spoke about the proposal to move the ILP program from Fiske to
Bridge and the decision making process regarding it.
Paul Ash: He will make a recommendation on Tuesday night to move the Avalon Hills children
over a two-year period to Bridge, instead of moving the ILP kids.
III. Superintendent’s Announcements
The superintendent discussed both federal and state budgets and their potential impacts on
Lexington’s budget.
He stated that we will assume the revenue figures on which this budget is built are the same.
Within weeks we should know the actual dollars and the impact on our budget.
If there is money coming back to us the Committee should decide what they would want to
bring back first.
IV. Discussion Item
1. Public Hearing on the FY10 Budget. The following citizens spoke and were responded to by
members of the Committee and Superintendent Paul Ash. (Please note that we regret any
errors in spelling of citizens’ names or in street names).
Jack Mroczkowski (resident for 30 years): Nothing wrong with cutting back in hard times.
Teachers can pay more of their health insurance and get smaller pensions.
Janet Ciampa: How do you decide which teachers or programs are going to be cut?
Mary Ann Stewart (precinct 1): Some questions regarding specifics in the budget book.
Ashley Waring (Hathaway Road): Question regarding staffing changes in the ABA
program at The Lexington Children’s Place.
SC Meeting 1/31/09 page # 2
Ilene Benghiat (Sunny Knoll Avenue): Question regarding hiring teachers at M5 vs. M6.
Jessie Steigerwald (Cedar St): We have consistency in the SSP personnel. We are getting
way more than we pay for. What is our vision for our IAs?
Katie Cutler (Kendall Road): How will full-day kindergarten play out for next year? Is
there any thinking outside the box in order to deal with budget? Please don’t redistrict too
often.
Dawn McKenna (Hancock Street):
Thanked the Superintendent for not cutting programs. Asked several questions and made
several recommendations that she submitted in written form to Dr. Ash and the Committee
for consideration.
Marcia Gens (Dane Road): Redistricting is not free.
Umesh Shelat (parent): We definitely should bring back foreign language in the elementary
schools.
Diane Biglow (precinct 8): Give PE credit for athletics. I would be very upset to lose SSPs
at Hastings.
The School Committee will vote the budget and the full-day kindergarten proposal and have
the election of officers on February 24th. They will also meet after the budget summit on the
25th.
V. Motion to adjourn (Sakhuja, Cole). The motion passed 5-0.