HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-10-25-SC-min
LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Cary Hall Auditorium
1605 Massachusetts Avenue
Present: Dr. Paul B. Ash, Superintendent; Mary Ann Stewart, School Committee Chair;
Alessandro Alessandrini, Vice-Chair; School Committee Members Bonnie Brodner, Margaret
Coppe, Jessie Steigerwald, and Noah Coolidge, Student Representative.
The minutes were taken by Jean Curran.
7:33 PM The Chair called the meeting to order and invited Public Comment.
7:34 PM Gretchen Reisig, Co-President, Estabrook PTA addressed the Committee
regarding new construction and safety issues at the Estabrook School. Ms. Reisig
also presented written comments signed by Estabrook School PTA Co-Presidents
Gretchen Reisig and Betsy Sarles, Co-Chair of Estabrook Site Council, Margaret
Counts-Klebe, and Estabrook Site Council members Susan Bottan and Hemina
KrishnaBachia.
7:37 PM Superintendent’s Announcements
Dr. Ash presented the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents
Award to three Lexington High School seniors, Jonah Bader, Luke Johnson and
Lauren Yates. He congratulated each senior for their educational excellence,
leadership and dedication to their school and community.
Dr. Ash introduced Patrick Goddard, Director of Public Facilities, who presented
the new three-year national gas contract. The new rate will see a savings of
approximately $864,000 over the next three years or about $288,000 each year.
7:48 PM Members’ Reports/Member’s Concerns
Jessie Steigerwald reported that Stewart Kennedy, Chair of the Conservation
Committee, shared details with her about their $24,000 grant to improve the
Estabrook School boardwalk in the Paint Mine Conservation area behind the
school. Coach Bill Babcock rounded up 70 Cross Country team members from
LHS who helped carry in the materials needed for the project and worked to
rebuild the boardwalk.
Noah Coolidge stated that it was great to give back to the community and the
LHS Cross Country team won the Cross Country Middlesex League meet.
Mary Ann Stewart thanked the Hastings PTA Arts Created Together (ACT)
Committee Chair Jane Hundley, who is also LPS K-5 Social Studies Curriculum
Coordinator, and Hastings PTA Co-Presidents Becky Barrentine and Lisa
Mazerall for their invitation to the School Committee to attend the Destination
Asia! Family Night on Monday, October 24, 2011 at the Hastings School. Three
parent volunteers Jayshree Bala Rajamani, Dr. Cheryl Knott, and Helen Zhu, with
assistance from her son David Sun (a Hastings student) also offered diverse
presentations on arts, culture, and wildlife of Asia.
Ms. Stewart asked Dr. Ash to extend invitations to PTA Presidents and all Site
Council Co-Chairs to the annual School Committee meeting to be held in Boston
on November 22, 2011.
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Ms. Stewart announced there would be a School Committee Public Hearing
concerning the new Estabrook School building to be held on November 15th,
2011; location to be determined.
Margaret Coppe inquired about the upcoming meeting on November 15th and why
the Conservation Commission was on the list.
7:54 PM Agenda Items
Diamond Middle School Field Trip to Quebec City, Canada, May 30 through
June 1, 2012
Diamond Middle School Principal, Anne Carothers and Joan Yarmovsky, French
Teacher at Diamond presented their proposal for the Diamond Middle School
Field Trip to Quebec, Canada in May, 2012. There were questions and comments
from the Committee.
Motion to approve Diamond Middle School Field Trip to Quebec, Canada on
May 30th through June 1, 2012 (Brodner, Alessandrini). The Motion passed 5-0.
8:00 PM Update on the Study to Improve Professional Relationships
Bruce Wellman, Consultant with MiraVia, LLC presented an update on
improving professional relationships. It was noted that a shift in the timeline for
the data collection process was needed in order to communicate results with staff
and faculty across the district. The Committee will be presented with the outcome
in February instead of November. Phyllis Neufeld, President of the Lexington
Education Association and a member of the Steering Committee, shared her views
on the current process. There were questions and comments from the Committee.
Motion to suggest to the Steering Committee to expand their data collection
process by inviting participation of all former Lexington principals in the last
10 years (Steigerwald, Coppe). Motion approved 5-0.
8:22 PM Update on the Estabrook School Building Project
Donna DiNisco, Vice President, and Leno Filippi, Architect and Planner, of
DiNisco Design Partnership/Boston presented an update on the Estabrook School
Building Project. Their presentation showed their work addressing the required
number of MSBA educational spaces, the educational programs, meetings to date,
current conceptual options (including construction road access options), and an
update on timeline of the process. There were questions and comments from the
Committee.
9:00 PM Recommended FY2013 Capital Budget
Dr. Ash announced that Thomas Plati, Director of Educational Technology and
Assessment, was unable to attend this meeting, but will be available at the next
meeting to show a video highlighting technology being used in the classroom and
then take questions from the Committee.
Mary Ellen Dunn, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Business, and Patrick
Goddard presented the school capital requests for FY 2013-2017, which included
school department programs, public facilities programs, and town programs
benefiting schools.
Dr. Ash recommended, on behalf of Thomas Plati, to have all classrooms outfitted
with interactive White Boards.
William Hurley, Representative from the Capital Expenditures Committee had
comments and questions for the School Committee.
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There were questions and comments from the Committee.
9:51 PM First Reading of Use of Drugs and Alcohol on School Property Policy
Margaret Coppe, Chair of the School Committee Policy Subcommittee, presented
a First Reading of the Use of Drugs and Alcohol on School Property Policy. Jill
Gasperini, LPS School Health Coordinator, addressed the Committee on the use
or restriction of caffeine beverages. There were questions and comments from the
Committee.
Motion to approve First Reading and move to Second Reading of the Use of
Drugs and Alcohol on School Property Policy (Alessandrini, Brodner). The
Motion passed 5-0.
First Reading of Copyrightable/Copyrighted Material Policy
As advised by School Committee counsel, Margaret Coppe proposed that the
Committee postpone the First Reading of this policy. Noah Coolidge suggested
that the Subcommittee address student copyrighted materials.
Motion to postpone First Reading of the Copyrightable/Copyrighted
Material Policy (Alessandrini, Steigerwald). The Motion passed 5-0.
Second Reading of Security Camera Policy
Margaret Coppe presented the second draft of the Policy noting changes from the
First Reading. There were questions and comments from the Committee.
Motion to approve Second Reading and move to Third Reading (Brodner,
Alessandrini). The Motion passed 5-0.
Second Reading of Life Threatening Allergies Policy
Margaret Coppe presented and identified several corrections. There were
questions and comments from the Committee. Jill Gasperini raised issues to the
current reading. Dawn McKenna, Precinct 6 presented her views on this policy.
Motion to move to a Third Reading pending conversation with
administration, staff and others (Steigerwald, Alessandrini).
Motion passed 4-1 (Brodner)
School Committee Minutes of October 11, 2011
Motion to approve the School Committee Minutes of the meeting dated
October 11, 2011 (Coppe, Brodner). The Motion passed 5-0.
Motion to Adjourn the School Committee Meeting (Coppe, Steigerwald).
The Motion passed 5-0.
The meeting adjourned at 10:26 PM.
Documents: Meeting Agenda, Letter to School Committee from Gretchen Reisig (Co-President,
Estabrook PTA), Betsy Sarles (Co-President of Estabrook PTA), Margaret Counts-Klebe (Co-
Chair, Estabrook Site Council), and Estabrook Site Council members Susan Bottan and Hemina
KrishnaBachia, Diamond Middle School Field Trip Request and backup materials, MiraVia
Timeline and Action Steps, DiNisco Design Meeting Agenda and materials, LPS FY2013-2017
Capital Improvement Requests, Capital Improvement Projects and PowerPoint Presentation,
Use of Drugs and Alcohol Draft Policy Revision, Use of Drugs and Alcohol Current Policy,
Security Cameral Policy (Second Reading), Life Threatening Allergies Policy (Second Reading),
and October 11, 2011, School Committee minutes.
Voted by the School Committee November 8, 2011