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LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, April 25, 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,
Margaret Coppe, 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 announced that the previously scheduled Town
Meeting session scheduled for this evening was cancelled by the Town Moderator.
Therefore, the School Committee will likely convene this meeting beyond 7:30 PM. The
Chair invited Public Comment.
Judy Crocker, 5 Currier Court, announced that the Haydenettes earned their third
consecutive World Bronze Medal at the 2012 ISU World Synchronized Skating
Championships last week in Gothenburg, Sweden.
II. Superintendent’s Announcements
Dr. Paul Ash had no announcements.
III. Members’ Reports/Members’ Concerns
Jessie Steigerwald announced that the next meeting of the Youth Services Council will
take place on May 2nd. Any student interested in becoming a member of the council
should contact Julie Fenn, K-12 Prevention Specialist, or Laurie Henry, Town of
Lexington Human Services Department Assistant Director of Youth Services.
IV. Agenda
1. Discussion of FY13 School Committee Goals
The Committee discussed School Committee Goals for the 2012-2013 academic year.
The Goals were focused around three primary areas: Operational Goals, High
Performance Team Development Goals for School Committee, and Goals to Support the
School System Goals (approved at the School Committee Meeting of February 14, 2012).
The Committee agreed to prioritize the above list and have another discussion at the next
School Committee meeting.
It was also noted that Dr. Ash became ill and had to leave the meeting early.
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2. Discussion of Wellman Report
The Committee requested guidance from Robert Fraser, School Committee Counsel from
Stoneman, Chandler, and Miller, LLP, on whether comments that staff provided to
Consultant Bruce Wellman were subject to production upon a public records request.
The Chair read an email sent to her and Dr. Ash from Mr. Fraser expressing his legal
opinion on the matter. Mr. Fraser was of the opinion that these statements should be
considered personnel records and therefore exempt from publication.
The Committee then continued their discussion about receiving the raw data that Dr. Ash
and Phyllis Neufeld, Lexington Education Association (LEA) President, had read. Some
members wanted to see all the data while other members were not comfortable seeing the
details and were not convinced that they should see the details because of the confidential
nature in which they were given. They debated whether to see summations or redacted
data and how much work and money that would cost. The Committee asked Ms. Neufeld
for her opinion on the matter. She stated that she felt that this was not a decision to be
made by one person, but rather by the Steering Committee that was put together for the
sole purpose of the Wellman Report.
The Chair invited Public input on the topic:
Steve Shulman, Second Grade Teacher at the Hastings Elementary School, shared it was
his impression that the Committee would see the raw data.
Kathleen Rowe, 85 Emerson Gardens Road, agreed with Mr. Shulman and shared that
she expected the Committee to see the data.
Kate Woodard, 15 Fulton Road, shared her opinion that the Committee should see the
data, especially since Dr. Ash had already seen it.
Katie O’Hare Gibson, Grade 1 Teacher at the Estabrook Elementary School and Bellevue
Terrace resident, shared her thoughts as a teacher and as someone who encouraged other
teachers and staff to participate in the process. It was never her understanding that her
thoughts as a teacher would be shared with Dr. Ash or the School Committee. Her
understanding was that the Steering Committee would see the information.
Harvy Simkovits, Angier Road, shared his thoughts on how the data should be handled.
Debbie Zilberman, 16 Parker Street, expressed concern about the next steps and believes
that the Committee should receive the data.
Judy Crocker, 5 Currier Court, shared her thoughts on supervision and evaluation and
that the Committee should review the report.
Phyllis Neufeld, LEA President, provided an update to the Committee on the work of the
Steering Committee after the release of the report following the staff meeting on March
12, 2012. She noted that Principals in each school have met with staff to discuss the
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information pertinent to their school contained in the Wellman report and work on
recommendations noted in Bruce Wellman’s report (and/or brainstormed by the
staff/faculty). She stated that some schools have already set up in-house steering
committees to begin to prioritize the recommendations.
Motion for the School Committee to receive redacted copy with respect to
personal or identifying data on which the Wellman Report was based
(Steigerwald, Alessandrini). The Motion failed (2-3) (Coppe, Stewart, and
Brodner opposed).
Motion that the School Committee receive the redacted data that the
Wellman Report was based on that relates to the superintendent’s
performance only. (Coppe, Brodner)
Following discussion on the above motion, a substitute motion was proposed.
Motion that the School Committee receives the redacted report that Paul Ash
has read (Alessandrini, Steigerwald). The Motion passed 3-1-1 (Brodner
opposing and Stewart abstaining).
Motion to Adjourn (Steigerwald, Alessandrini). The motion passed 5-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:19 p.m.
Documents: Meeting Agenda; Lexington School Committee Draft Goals 2011-2012; Email from
Robert Fraser to Paul Ash and Mary Ann Stewart dated April 15, 2012 re Legal Opinion re
Public Access to Employee Comments.
Voted by the School Committee June 12, 2012