Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-04-23-SC-min SC 04/23/12 Page #1 LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, April 23, 2012 Cary Memorial Building, Estabrook Hall 1605 Massachusetts Avenue Present: Dr. Paul B. Ash, Superintendent; Mary Ann Stewart, School Committee Chair; Alessandro Alessandrini, Vice-Chair; School Committee Members Bonnie Brodner, and Jessie Steigerwald, and Noah Coolidge, Student Representative The minutes were taken by Jean Curran. The Meeting Convened at 6:30 p.m. I. Call to Order and Welcome The Chair called the meeting to order and invited Public Comment. There were no public comments. II. Superintendent’s Announcements Dr. Paul Ash announced that the final day of school for students is June 19th, which will be a half day for students and a full day for faculty. III. Members’ Reports/Members’ Concerns Bonnie Brodner announced that she was glad the Committee was able to fund the costs for attendance at the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Annual Conference held in Boston over the weekend. She felt it was a great event and well worth the time. Jessie Steigerwald agreed on what a great event the NSBA conference was and she learned a lot. She also shared her thoughts on having Committee office hours on a more formal basis. Mary Ann Stewart also agreed that the NSBA Conference was an excellent event and she took away a lot of positives from it. She was honored to present a workshop with Dr. Ash and Stephanie Hirsch, of Learning Forward, on Professional Development Standards, which was very well received. IV. Agenda 1. Second Quarterly Report, Transfer Votes, and Authorization to Use FY12 Funds Dr. Paul Ash addressed the Committee regarding the Second Quarterly Report. He had two recommendations to the Committee to transfer funds to pay for services the Committee has already approved in order to be compliance with the Committee’s policy on budget transfers. SC 04/23/12 Page #2 The first is to transfer $375,023 from Salary and Wage Line #10 School Aides to Line 7.1 Unit-C Instructional Assistants. The second, the District does not need to use the $138,000 LABBB credit as a funding source in the FY12 Budget. Dr. Ash is recommending the Committee retain the LABBB credits for use in a future fiscal year. There were questions and comments from the Committee, specifically on the LABBB credits. Motion to authorize the transfer of $375,023 from Salary and Wage Line #10 School Aides to Line 7.1 Unit-C Instructional Assistants (Stewart, Brodner). The Motion passed 4-0. Margaret Coppe was absent during the vote. Motion to rescind the authorization of $138,000 LABBB credit as a funding source for Fiscal Year 2013 (Stewart, Steigerwald). The Motion passed 4-0. Margaret Coppe was absent during the vote. At approximately 6:41 PM, Margaret Coppe joined the meeting. Dr. Ash then reported that there is expected to be a surplus in the Second Quarter Report due to conservative estimates in projecting the amount of students leaving to go out of district. He would like to return the money to a general fund, which will allow for the purchase of textbooks and other educational needs. He recommends the Committee allow the district to spend up to $400,000 to purchase more textbooks and materials for classrooms. There were questions and comments from the Committee before the vote. Motion that the School Committee authorize the transfer of up to $400,000 from the Special Education Tuition Line for the purchase of materials, equipment, and supplies to the appropriate educational expense lines. (Coppe, Brodner). The Motion passed 5-0. 2. Vote to Approve FY13 Transportation Fee Dr. Ash made two recommendations to the Committee to (i) approve the student transportation fee at $300 per pupil with a family cap at $750; and (ii) approve the increase in the student parking lot fee from $108 per semester to $150 per semester. Noah Coolidge raised the issue of offering time for students to comment on the rise in parking fees at the high school. The Committee agreed to hold a public hearing on May 8th regarding the parking fee increase at the High School before taking action. Mary Ellen Dunn, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Business, took questions from the Committee regarding the Flex Pass and ongoing negotiations with Lexpress to look at all ways to serve the needs of students and parents. Ms. Dunn also stated that the fee reduction for the school transportation fee came from the passage of Article 17 by Town Meeting funded through the School Budget. She stated there will be an early sign up SC 04/23/12 Page #3 incentive for an afterschool bus program which may deliver students to various after school programs in Lexington; anyone who signs up early for this program will be guaranteed a seat on the bus. Motion to set the FY13 bus fee at $300 for an individual and $750 for a family cap. (Steigerwald, Alessandrini). The Motion passed 5-0. 3. Vote to Approve School Committee Minutes of March 26, 2012 Motion to Approve School Committee Minutes of March 26, 2012. (Coppe, Steigerwald). The Motion passed 5-0. 4. Vote to Approve School Committee Minutes of March 28, 2012 There were minor changes suggested by the Committee. Motion to Approve School Committee Minutes, as amended. (Brodner, Alessandrini) The Motion passed 5-0. The Chair recessed the meeting at 7:17 PM; the School Committee remained in session and relocated to Cary Memorial Hall for the purpose of discussing Annual Town Meeting Articles. Documents: Meeting Agenda; Memorandum dated March 8, 2012 from Mary Ellen Dunn to Paul Ash re 2nd Quarter Report for the Period Ending December 31, 2011; Memorandum dated April 17, 2012 from Mary Ellen Dunn to Paul Ash re FY13 Transportation and Student Parking Fees; DRAFT School Committee Minutes of March 26, 2012 and March 28, 2012 Voted by the School Committee May 22, 2012