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LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Lexington Town Office Building, Selectmen’s Meeting Room
1625 Massachusetts Avenue
Present: Dr. Paul Ash, Superintendent, Margaret Coppe, School Committee Chair;
Alessandro Alessandrini, Vice Chair; Members Bonnie Brodner and Mary Ann Stewart;
and Sam Alpert, Student Representative
Absent: Jessie Steigerwald
The Meeting Minutes were taken by Jean Curran, Recording Secretary
The Meeting convened at 7:30 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. Ash asked Carol Pilarski, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and
Professional Development to come to the microphone to answer questions about
professional development days and why they are scheduled during the school year and
not during the summer.
Ms. Pilarski responded that Professional Development days are scheduled during the
school year instead of prior to the opening of schools because (i) teachers and
administrators are focused on text, materials, syllabus and schedules being ready to go by
opening day; and (ii) the professional development day in November on even-numbered
years was agreed to by the School Committee at the request of the Board of Selectmen
and the Town Clerk as the schools are used as polling places.
Andre Radulescu-Banu, 86 Cedar Street stated that had no election taken place this year,
then we could have had 2 ½ days.
Carol Pilarski responded that historically, there has been one full day professional
development day and all the others have been half days. The full day was originally held
in October and now in November on even number years for election years. The reason
for the full day is because it provides teachers and administrators the ability to delve
more deeply into subjects and also because presenters are not always available for half
day sessions.
Dr. Ash announced two public hearings on the budget will be held (i) on Wednesday,
January 30, 2013 at the Harrington Elementary School at 7:30 p.m. for any resident of
Lexington to express their views; and (ii) on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at
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Battin Hall. A second series of public hearings will be held at the same dates and
locations on the criteria for the new evaluation standards for educators. The State requires
school committees hold public hearings on the criteria for the new evaluation process by
the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Dr. Ash announced
that collective bargaining will begin soon with the Lexington Education Association
(LEA) with the new evaluation process. This needs to be implemented by September,
2013 and the public needs time to comment on criteria. Within 24-48 hours the DESE
Evaluation will be placed on the LPS website. If someone wants to view the evaluation
before that time they can visit the DESE website at www.DOE.Mass.Edu for the
hundreds of pages of detail on this requirement. Dr. Ash then asked the Committee
which day to schedule public hearings on these criteria.
There were questions and comments from the Committee regarding the proposed dates,
public input, and recommendations on how the School Committee will augment the
DESE Evaluation with the LEA, and DESE requirements for public hearing.
Phyllis Neufeld, LEA President stated that she was unaware that a public hearing would
be held but she would attend and will put this in her minutes and notify the LEA that
there will be a public hearing on this issue.
There was further discussion by the Committee on which day and time would work best
for the LEA.
Dr. Ash stated that the reason to do this now is because we need to commence collective
bargaining on the new evaluation for September. The revision process could be a long
process and we have a state deadline to implement in the fall. Summer is not a good time
to engage in collective bargaining in order to implement by this by October 1st. Dr. Ash
stated that we will be commenting on criteria.
III. Members’ Reports / Members’ Concerns:
Mary Ann Stewart shared that she attended the Town Meeting Members Executive
Committee meeting last week and reported on enrollment facilities and the budget. There
were two points (i) a member had a question regarding the Special Town Meeting to be
held in the fall as suggested by Dr. Ash, and (ii) a member wanted to know if it would be
possible to hold the Special Town Meeting in the spring instead of the fall on the
modulars.
Dr. Ash responded that he will not be ready by the spring for a Special Town Meeting.
Linda Chase, Director of Student Services and Thomas Plati, Director of Education
Technology and Assessment are working on a report and that will not be ready until May
or June. We are certain of the need, but not the precise details at this point in time.
Ms. Stewart also questioned the need for an information session around the Common
Core State Standards and the impact on Lexington schools. The Town Meeting Members
Executive Committee reported that Town Meeting will begin on March 18th and
information sessions will be held on March 6th and 7th with a potential third meeting on
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March 14th. Ms. Stewart announced that there are no citizen articles this year. Ms.
Stewart then announced a bus tour for March 10th with a snow date for March 17th.
On the legislative side, she was at the State House today and the Act to Invest in our
Communities was filed which proposes an increase of the State Income Tax of $2 billion
dollars and a decrease in the state sales tax. This Friday is the deadline for all bills to be
filed.
After hearing about the professional learning in the district she wants to have a discussion
about returning voting for Precinct 1 and returning it back to the Harrington Elementary
School.
Margaret Coppe announced the 20/20 Vision Committee is releasing their community
wide survey on the values of Lexington next week. The survey will be on survey
monkey and interns have been hired to compile the results; this is an initiative to see what
is important to Lexington citizens and to be used as guidelines for elected committees to
use for their planning. Dr. Ash has agreed to send it out via Global Connect as soon as he
receives it from the Committee.
Ms. Coppe also shared that she went to the Permanent Building Committee (PBC)
meeting last week and had three items she wanted to pass along to the Committee. The
PBC are concerned about anything that would involve the buildings regarding safety
issues in the schools. There was nothing specific, but they were particularly interested in
the Estabrook Elementary School hardware and locks. Mr. Goddard said that retrofitting
schools will not be handled by the PBC, and they all agreed that the high school was
impossible to secure because of the physical layout.
There is a new team working at Bridge and Bowman Elementary Schools and the PBC
are much more optimistic about this team and not getting behind schedule. The latest
news on the Estabrook Elementary School is that it may come in earlier than anticipated
and is looking to be finished by January, 2014. The PBC are talking about having a
topping off ceremony, and that would involve having the final beam signed by the
students. The principal will be consulted about the date. Ms. Coppe is waiting to hear
from the Stress Reduction Committee about whether they want to come on January 30th
after their program that they have organized and she thought it would be good timing, but
if they cannot make it on that date, she offered them the February 12th meeting. She is
waiting to hear back from them.
Dr. Ash brought up that in his contract the Committee is to evaluate him in February.
Ms. Coppe would like to have a discussion with Ms. Stewart since she has kept up with
the new superintendent evaluation. Finally, she announced that we have had two
resignations from the Policy Subcommittee and she is looking for nominations from the
Committee.
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IV. Agenda:
1. Recommended FY 14 District Goals
Dr. Ash presented the FY 14 District Goals. His PowerPoint presentation to the
Committee included (i) curriculum and instruction; (ii) supervision and evaluation; (iii)
professional learning; (iv) student services; (v) technology; and (vi) facilities. There
were questions and comments from the Committee regarding modulars for the high
school, comprehensive guidance program and the meaning of prosocial and resiliency.
Margaret Coppe shared that Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (PARCC) is K-12, replacing the MCAS. It has not been determined if social
studies will be part of PARCC at the state level. She also shared that Mr. Harris sent out
a bulletin that all teachers will now have to be fingerprinted and asked Mr. Harris who
would be conducting the fingerprinting and whether there are budgetary constraints.
Robert Harris, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources stated that the new law
requires Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) reports for every person who is
on staff in the Lexington Public Schools (LPS) system, not just teachers but all staff,
teachers, volunteers and contractors. The CORI report only shows the State of
Massachusetts, but a check on the Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) for Level 3
sex offenders is also performed. All of these inquiries are on a three year renewal basis.
For new employees, the fingerprinting needs to be done by 2013-2014; for all existing
employees 2015-2016. The fingerprinting will be reviewed by Massachusetts State
Police Department and they will look at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
database. He anticipates getting more information on that process and there is a cost
range $35-55 for one set of fingerprints. That cost is borne by the employee or applicant.
The cost could be sizable for a school district or municipality.
Phyllis Neufeld, President, LEA stated that it is her understanding as part of the new law
that there is an initiative to bargain over that fee and the Committee will hear from LEA
on this issue.
Linda Chase, Director of Student Services explained that prosocial behavior has two
parts: (i) responding to inappropriate behavior and coming up with responses to that
behavior; and (ii) noticing kids being good and setting up appropriate expectations for
students in school and celebrating when things run well and students meet expectations;
incentives are built in. Prosocial behavior teaches students how to cope, to navigate
conflict, to persevere through controversy, and to develop strategies to self-cope.
Alessandro Alessandrini questioned whether what Mrs. Chase was talking about, also
included being late to either school or class. He asked Sam Alpert if he would share his
experience.
Sam Alpert shared his knowledge on the policy on tardiness. His understanding of
current rules state that tardiness in class can bring down your grade by 10% and three
tardies may equal the equivalent of one unexcused absence .If you go over five
unexcused absences you can go appeal. Tardy plays a great deal in student stress. The
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Committee had further discussion regarding the Tardy Policy with respect to student
stress and anxiety and whether there is a need to revisit this policy.
The Committee also discussed the Draft FY14 District goals and agreed to modify the
first goal under Student Services to read: Implement clear and transparent criteria for
eligibility and service delivery in collaboration with families so that special education
students are appropriately identified and receive services commensurate with their level
of disability(ies).
Carol Pilarski commented that the English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum is being
finalized so products and strategies can get out to teachers. Social Studies is in the
second year of its curriculum review and will be finished in the third year. Guidance
review will begin next year.
Thomas Plati commented on the technology curriculum review and stated that last year
there was a plan which has the action steps in several years, which includes curriculum,
professional development, hardware and personnel. A particular the goal for 2013-2014
is to articulate technology for grades 1-8 with an expectation of using technology at a
grade level and in middle school in academic areas.
Alessandro Alessandrini asked Mr. Plati to expand on what he meant by using software
for writing.
Thomas Plati responded that it is more how we coach, how teachers coach and act as
coaches to students and how it is used to improve editing, composition language and
looking at social web 2.0 skills such blogs and online discussions and having kids
participate in these online blogs. There is a noticeable improvement in their writing and
they have found that students write more and frequently the quiet students participate
more actively and very positively.
Bonnie Brodner inquired if there is a shift to creating programs.
Mary Ann Stewart shared that she and Dr. Ash began a conversation on how to integrate
the arts within various curricula and across curricula. There should be some
understanding where natural gateways within the curriculum foster some cross curricula
collaboration. She is thrilled to hear that arts, foreign language and guidance are on the
docket soon.
Dr. Ash responded that is the vision, and lay out for the Committee that a number of
years ago a five year plan was planned, but the state changed the testing schedule for
MCAS which impacted the curriculum. What is clear to him is if we are going to be a
high performing district we will need to review our curriculum on a periodic basis
because as the world changes we must too. A way to embed that into our schools is to
insist that the superintendent always have a district goal on revising and extending
improving our curriculum instruction and inside that goal focus on high priority areas and
then fund it. The district goal should never go away.
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2. School Committee Discussion of FY14 Budget
Margaret Coppe stated that we received earlier this week the answers of those questions
from last week’s meeting and any new items to discuss. If Dr. Ash has any updates for
the budget.
Dr. Ash stated that you have all the responses to your questions and he is happy to
respond to any questions.
Alessandro Alessandrini thanked Mary Ellen Dunn for putting this together. He had
questions regarding the Director of Special Education and whether we expect to have a
goal for FY 14 and it was mentioned that there are two sources that fund the special
education position by having half through the operating budget and the other half through
the 240 grant.
Mary Ellen Dunn responded the overview of the 240 grant and the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal grant and is in the grant section of the
budget book. This is an entitlement grant that we receive every year; the funds are
determined through a variety of different sources and provide services to our special
education population and our low income population as well. There is a five year history,
two actual and three projected years. This grant is contingent upon federal funds and so
long as funds continue this grant will continue. With respect to the long term plans for
funding the position of Director of Special Education she deferred to Dr. Ash.
Dr. Ash responded that even under a sequestration scenario, this position will be funded.
If there are large cuts in the IDEA grant which has been around since the 1970s he
promised the Committee that there will always be a Director of Special Education. There
is federal money which allows you to charge positions to the grant but cannot charge new
positions to grant.
Alessandro Alessandrini wanted to know what kind of bus capacity is anticipated and
will all busses be at capacity as more and more people take advantage of the reduced
fees?
Mary Ellen Dunn responded that in the transportation section under Tab 3000 Section,
and on page 5 of this section there is a chart showing ridership and population. There was
a 40% increase in bus ridership with the decreased fee; and there was an increase in high
school ridership due to the partnership with Lexpress and the flex pass. The middle
school population is growing so that this year’s planning will be around the number of
busses needed at the middle school. Ms. Dunn then shared that the School Safety Study
Committee has submitted a recommendation to Dr. Ash regarding bus signup deadlines
and she will need to review that and bring it back to the Committee shortly.
The Committee also discussed the German program and minimum enrollment
requirement policy. Class size policies from Brookline and Wellesley have been looked
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at. Other questions included the line item for custodian for PTA so that their fundraising
events do not have to go to pay for a custodian.
Dr. Ash responded to a question about the losses stemming from the failed 2006 override.
He said that the vast majority of those items have been restored and they have been
steadily restoring the remaining items. Dr. Ash provided detail information on the list.
Bonnie Brodner questioned whether speech pathologists will have to split their time at
Fiske since K-5 services are increasing at Bowman?
Linda Chase responded that their goal is to minimize travel, but that is not always
possible. The person may stay at Bowman and not travel but this will depend on the
student population being served.
Bonnie Brodner had a question under the Recommended Budget Tab, page 12, regarding
the $134,000 for K-5 SSPs and wanted to know if training is included in that amount or is
that included in Professional Development?
Carol Pilarski stated that Professional Development is separate from the SSP training and
is just for FTEs. That is the salary.
Bonnie Brodner had a question on page 14, at the Diamond Middle School, regarding the
Mandarin enrollment and whether 29 students was an unacceptable number.
Bonnie Brodner questioned page 19, health service and small equipment.
Mary Ellen Dunn responded that we have had for a couple of years floating nurses that
split their time across schools and Lead Nurse Jill Gasperini has requested a floating
nurse due to the needs in different schools. Ms. Dunn stated that this is not an
uncommon placement and this staff person would be in addition to the full time nurses in
each school.
Alessandro Alessandrini had comments regarding labs and how important they are. He
shared how he had gone to his son’s fifth grade class and presented to the class and he
ended by isolating the DNA of the teacher and every child in the classroom ran to see the
DNA and was very excited. The importance of labs opening the eyes of children who
may not be in AP courses is very important.
The Chair announced that the budget hearing will be on January 30th and the community
may make comments.
3. Vote to Accept a $250 Donation to the Nick Barnett Science Olympiad Team
Motion to Accept with Gratitude, a $250 Donation to the Nick Barnett
Science Olympiad Team (Alessandrini, Stewart) The Motion was Approved
(4-0) Steigerwald Absent
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4. Vote to Approve and Release School Committee Executive Session Minutes
of August 14, 2012
Motion to Approve and Release School Committee Executive Session
Minutes of August 14, 2012 (Stewart, Brodner) The Motion was Approved
(4-0) Steigerwald Absent
The Chair reminded everyone that the Summit Meeting is at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow at the
Hadley building. The next School Committee meeting is January 30th at Harrington
School and she also reminded everyone that this Sunday, January 20th at Cary Hall there
will be a Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration with a parade beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the
Green.
Motion to Adjourn (Brodner, Stewart) The Motion was Approved (4-0)
Steigerwald Absent
Meeting Adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Documents: Meeting Agenda; Draft FY 14 District Goals; Lexington Public Schools 2014
Superintendent’s Recommended Budget; Lexington Public Schools Recommended FY District
Goals PowerPoint Presentation; Letter from Daniel Mehr, LHS Class of 2003 to Dr. Paul Ash
dated December 20, 2012 re a $250 Donation to the Nick Burnett/Lexington Science Olympiad
Team
Voted by the School Committee March 12, 2013