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LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Lexington Town Office Building, Selectmen’s Meeting Room
1625 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, and Jessie Steigerwald, and Noah Coolidge, Student
Representative; Mr. Robert Harris, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
The minutes were taken by Jean Curran.
I. The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Motion: I move to go into Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to coalition
bargaining related to collective bargaining and to reconvene in open session only to
adjourn. Further, that as Chair, I declare that an open meeting may have a detrimental
effect on the bargaining of the Town (Stewart, Coppe).
Roll Call Vote
Alessandro Alessandrini: aye;
Bonnie Brodner: aye;
Margaret Coppe: aye;
Jessie Steigerwald: aye;
Mary Ann Stewart: aye:
II. Executive Session (Selectmen’s Meeting Room)
III. Coming from Executive Session, the Chair called for a brief recess.
IV. The Chair reconvened the meeting and invited Public Comment
There were no public comments.
V. Superintendent’s Announcements:
Dr. Ash announced that he received notice from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
reporting that the PCB levels at the Estabrook Elementary School were below their
recommended guidelines. EPA has approved Lexington’s Operation and Maintenance Plan to
monitor the PCB levels at Estabrook and agreed to keep the school operational until December
31, 2014.
VI. Members’ Reports / Members’ Concerns:
Jessie Steigerwald attended the LHS fall production of Blue Lavender and thanked the staff who
put in so much time to make the play a success, including the play’s director, LHS drama
teacher Jillian Singer, and Andrea Stumpf, who served as the Technical Director. Ms.
Steigerwald also shared an update on a recent meeting she attended with Jane Hundley, the K –
5 Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator and Karen McCarthy, the K – 5 Science Curriculum
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Coordinator. Ms. Hundley and Ms. McCarthy helped put together a meeting with PTA
presidents and ACT Co-Chairs to share the academic work that is taking place in the schools
and which will take place next year during the town’s Tercentennial.
VII. Agenda Items
1. Lexington High School Field Trip to Panama City, Panama, April 12-April 19, 2012.
Lexington High School Spanish Teacher Mary Samii, Lexington High School Social
Studies Teacher Samuel Beh, and Bruno Costa, Co-Founder of the High School Spanish
Club, presented the proposal for the Lexington High School Field Trip to Panama City,
Panama in April, 2012. There were questions and comments from the Committee.
Motion to approve Lexington High School Field Trip to Panama City, Panama April
12 through April 19, 2012. (Brodner, Coppe). The Motion passed 5-0.
2. Lexington High School Field Trip to Golfito, Costa Rica, February 20-29, 2012.
Richard Oliveira Soens and Gavin Lewis, Co-Presidents of the Costa Rica Service Club
presented the proposal for the Lexington High School Field Trip to Golfito, Costa Rica,
February 20 through February 29, 2012. There were questions and comments from the
Committee.
Motion to Approve Lexington High School Community Service Field Trip to Golfito,
Costa Rica, February 20 through February 29, 2012. (Stewart, Alessandrini). The
Motion passed 5-0.
3. Update on the Estabrook School
a. Ken DiNisco, President | DiNisco Design, reviewed a PowerPoint Presentation which
consisted of three building design options being considered for the new Estabrook
School, the educational space program summary that MSBA is recommending, and
various design considerations for the entry area, library, cafeteria, gymnasium, outdoor
recreation entry, classrooms, locker areas and storage spaces. He commented on the
green initiative and how the building will be LEED Certified (Silver level). There were
questions and comments from the Committee.
Motion to request MSBA to Approve a New School. (Steigerwald, Alessandrini). The
Motion passed 5-0.
b. Discussion of Other Related Matters.
4. Judy Crocker, Chair of the Ad Hoc School Transportation and Safety Study Committee took
questions from the Committee regarding the Transportation Study Group Charge.
Motion to Approve School Transportation Study Group Charge and Membership.
(Stewart, Alessandrini). The Motion passed 5-0.
Motion to Nominate Jessie Steigerwald as a Liaison to the Ad Hoc Transportation
Committee. (Stewart, Alessandrini). The Motion passed 5-0.
5. Thomas Plati, Director of Educational Technology and Assessment, announced that
Lexington Resident Joe Pato has generously offered a $5,000 donation through Hewlett
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Packard’s (HP) Employee Donation Program. The HP Program matches three times the
amount donated for the purchase of HP equipment. Lexington Schools would become
eligible to receive $20,000 worth of HP equipment.
Motion to Accept a Donation of $5,000 (with gratitude) from Joe Pato for the Purchase
of $20,000 in HP Equipment through HP’s Employee Donation Program. (Steigerwald,
Brodner). The Motion passed 5-0.
6. Margaret Coppe, Chair of the School Committee Policy Subcommittee, presented the Third
Reading of the Life Threatening Allergies Policy noting changes from the Second Reading.
Jessie Steigerwald engaged discussion regarding wording of the policy. Dawn McKenna,
Precinct 6 presented her views on the wording. There were questions and comments from
the Committee.
Motion to Approve Third Reading of the Life Threatening Allergies Policies, as
amended. (Brodner, Alessandrini). The Motion passed 4-0 -1. Jessie Steigerwald
abstained.
7. Motion to approve the School Committee Minutes of the meeting dated November 8,
2011. (Coppe, Brodner). The Motion passed 5-0.
8. Motion to approve the School Committee Minutes of the meeting dated November 15,
2011. (Coppe, Alessandrini). The Motion passed 5-0.
9. Motion to Accept a $275 Donation to Lexington Children’s Place. (Steigerwald,
Alessandrini). The Motion passed 5-0
10. Motion to Accept a $500 Cash Award from the “You Can Do the Rubik’s Cube” New
England Team Tournament to the Clarke Middle School. (Steigerwald, Coppe). The
Motion passed 5-0.
11. Motion to Adjourn the School Committee Meeting (Brodner, Alessandrini). The Motion
passed 5-0.
The meeting adjourned at 9:58 PM.
Documents: Meeting Agenda; Lexington High School Field Trip Request Form, Proposed Travel
Plans and Authorization Forms for Panama City, Panama;, Lexington High School Field Trip
Request Form, Proposed Travel Plans and Authorization Forms for Golfito, Costa Rica; MSBA’s
Preferred Schematic Study and Report; Ad Hoc School Transportation and Safety Study Committee;
Technology Donation to School District; Lexington School Committee Policy on Life-Threatening
Allergy Policy; School Committee Draft Meeting Minutes of 11/8/2011, 11/15, 2011, and 11/22/2011;
Town of Lexington Schedule of Departmental Payments to Treasurer; and “You Can Do The Rubik’s
Cube” Team Tournament Flyer.
Voted by the School Committee December 20, 2011