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Home My WebLink About2014-09-23-SC-minLSC Meeting 09-23-14 Page 1 LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE Tuesday, September 23, 2014 Jonas Clarke Middle School, Auditorium 17 Stedman Road Present: Dr. Paul B. Ash, Superintendent; Margaret Coppe, Chair; Alessandro Alessandrini, Jessie Steigerwald, Judy Crocker and Abigail Schwartz The Minutes were taken by Jean Curran, Recording Secretary The Meeting convened at 7:50 p.m. I. Call to Order and Welcome: The Chair called the meeting to order and invited public comments. There were no comments II. School Committee Member Announcements: There were no announcements by the Members. III. Agenda: 1. Update on Policy Manual Review Process Margaret Coppe shared that the only agenda item for tonight’s meeting is to review the Policy Manual Sections A and B. Jessie Steigerwald shared that she and Judy Crocker, Dr. Ash, along with Jim Hardy of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) have been reviewing all of the policies for Lexington Public Schools and hopes to pass all of the policies by the end of the school year. 2. Review and Approval in Form of Section A of Policy Manual: Foundations and Basic Commitments Ms. Crocker read the call letter and title for each policy and Ms. Steigerwald provided the explanation and took suggestions from the Committee. Section A of the Policy Manual included (i) AA – School District Legal Status (on website); (ii) AB – People and their School District; (iii) AC – Nondiscrimination – compliance officer is not named – it was suggested to have the language read the Compliance Officer contact information can be obtained through the superintendent; (iv) ACA – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex; (v) ACAB – Nondiscrimination ……; (vi) ACE – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap; (vii) AD – Mission Statement - this is a work in progress and next steps will pulled out for now and the four sections will then be distributed to the public; (viii) ADAA – Policy and Self Esteem- remove; (ix) ADB – Use of Drugs or Alcohol on School Premises; (x) ADC – Use of Tobacco on School Property – recommendation to use the MASC’s language and change title of policy to “Tobacco Products Prohibited on LSC Meeting 09-23-14 Page 2 School Premises; (xi) ADDA – CORI Policy; keeping CORI policy and adding the background check; (xii) ADDA-R – CORI Requirements; (xiii) ADDA-E-1 Information for the Process of Correcting a Criminal Record; (xiv) ADF – Wellness Policy; (xv) ADF-R- Wellness Policy Information Guidelines – will be back under an appendix and administrative directive and moving to new location; (xv) ADF – School Wellness Program; and (xvi) AE - Commitment to Accomplishments. The Committee had questions (i) what is the definition of School District Legal Status; (ii) who is the compliance officer; (iii) is the student handbook updated; (iv) why do we need a separate policy for sex discrimination; (v) who is the Title IX Compliance Officer; (vi) will the name of the sexual harassment Compliance Officer be included in the Student Handbook; (vii) no reference for the use of computers for students with handwriting disabilities; (viii) suggestion to clarify language with disability for using computers in classrooms to serve as an aid to that student; (ix) need language to be broad enough for the policy to be effective in the coming years; (x) doesn’t State law say that no smoking on school property and there is a difference between smoking and using tobacco products on school property by everyone and not just students and school personnel; (xi) how strictly does the High School want to enforcement smoking by students; (x) can high school students use peanut products during school hours; and (xi) are guidelines enforceable. 3. Review and Approval in Form of Section B of Policy Manual: Board Governance and Operations Ms. Steigerwald and Ms. Crocker reviewed Section B (i) BA - School Committee Operational Goals; (ii) BAA – Evaluation of School Committee; (iii) BB - School Committee Legal Status; (iv) BBA - School Committee Powers and Duties; (v) BAA – School Committee Powers and Duties – Lexington Version; (vi) BBAA - School Committee Member of Authority and Member Conduct; (vii) BBBA /BBBB - School Committee Qualification and Oath of Office; (viii) BBBC – School Committee Member Resignation; (ix) BBBE – Unexpired Term Fulfillment; (x) BCA – School Committee Member Ethics; (xi) BDA – School Committee Organizational Meeting; (xii) BDB – School Committee Officers; (xiii) BDC – Appointed Committee Officials; (xiv) BDD- School Committee Relationship; (xv) BDE -Subcommittees on the School Committee; (xvi) BDF - Advisory Committees to the School Committee; (xvii) BDFA – School Council’s Policy (to be pulled out and not discussed this evening); (xviii) BDFA – School Councils; (xix) BDFA-E-1 School Improvement Plan; (xx) BDFA-E-2 Submission and Approval of School Improvement Plan; (xxi) BDFA–E-3 School Conduct Business; (xxii) BDG – School Attorney; (xxiii) BE – School Committee Meetings; (xxiv) BEC – Executive Committee Sessions (to be checked with the lawyer); (xxv) BEDA – Notification of School Committee Meetings; (xxvi) BEDB – Agenda Format; (xxvii) BEDD – School Committee Rules of Order; (xxviii) BEDF – Voting; (xxix) BEDG Minutes; (xxx) BEDH – Public Participation at School Committee Meetings; (xxxi) BEDH-E-Guideline for Public Comment; (xxxii) BEE – Special Procedures for Conducting Hearings; (xxxiii) BG – School Committee Policy Development; (xxxiv) BGB – Policy Adoption; (xxxv) BGBA – Policy Implementation for Lexington Public Schools; (xxxvi) BGC Policy Revision and Review; (xxxvii) BCD – School Committee LSC Meeting 09-23-14 Page 3 Development of Regulations; (xxxviii) BGE – School Committee Policy Dissemination; (xxxix) BGF - Suspension of Policies; (xxxx) BHC – School Communication / Communication; (xxxxi) BHE – Use of Electronic Messaging by School Committee Members; (xxxxii) BIA – New School Committee Member Orientation; (xxxxiii) BIBA – School Committee Conferences and Workshops; (xxxxiv) BID – SC Member Compensation and Expenses; (xxxxv) BJ SC Legislative Program (being struck); and (xxxxvi) BK- School Committee Memberships. The Committee had questions (i) when Executive Sessions are posted does the name of the individual need to be posted; (ii) who needs to be fingerprinted; (iii) 2/3 Vote; (iv) can the chair remove an individual if they become so disruptive during the meeting; (v) public requests law have to be available within 10 days of the meeting – do we want to add that because of MGL; (vi) can comments be provided before an agenda item is discussed because; (vii) in case of emergencies, do we need so many votes to close meeting; (viii) how many votes would be needed to suspend a policy; and (ix) no member of a sitting member can collect compensation. Jessie pulled out sections AD, BBE, BDFA which will not be included in tonight’s motion Motion to Approve in Form Section A Foundation and Basic Commitments excluding AD - Mission Statement, and Section B Board Governance and Operations excluding BBBE - Vacancy, and BDFA – School Council (Steigerwald, Crocker) The Motion was Approved (4-0) 4. Review and Discussion of Individual Policies, Including Draft Non-Resident Policy 5. First Reading Ms. Steigerwald shared the draft update to the Policy on Non-Resident Students. She distributed a copy of the existing and new policies to each member which will be placed on the website tomorrow. This policy wants to make it clear that all students must be residents of Lexington to use the public schools. The current policy does allow for hardships but new language does not include but will work with DA on this. We are not a school choice community. If someone reveals that they have come to our schools, we can be reimbursed by the state. If this policy is violated, Lexington Public Schools will collect the cost of the tuition. The Committee engaged in discussion of the language of the proposed policy. Ms. Coppe asked about the language around permitting seniors to finish the year if their parents move out of district. The Non-Resident Policy will be brought back to the committee for a second reading. III. Superintendent’s Announcements: Dr. Ash announced that the School Planning Master Building Committee met this morning (9/23) and focused on what advice to give to the School Committee. There was discussion on the methodology of the Enrollment Working Group, but agreement that enrollment continues to go up. In the short term, should the recommendation go to the School Committee to request a Special Town Meeting in the fall, or should the Committee wait for Phase II and 2015 Annual Town Meeting. Questions that need to be LSC Meeting 09-23-14 Page 4 addressed are a) if the pre-school needs one more room, can space in the Central Office be found and the cost carried in the operating budget; b) if the entire pre-school moves to the Central Office, what are the costs and code issues; and c) if modulars are considered, which schools and what quality will they be A central question that needs addressing is dedicated art and music space. V. Adjourn: Margaret Coppe thanked all the members of the public elected officials and school committee members for attending the focus groups and appreciates people taking the time come to this meeting and special thanks to Miriam Sousa in helping Ms. Coppe set up the meetings. Ms. Coppe announced that the Lexington Education Foundation (LEF) Trivia Bee will be held on November 12 in the High School Auditorium Ms. Coppe also reminded everyone that the Superintendent Search Survey closes on Wednesday, September 25. Motion to Adjourn (Crocker, Alessandrini) The Motion was Approved (4-0) The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m. The next meeting of the School Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the Jonas Clarke Middle School Auditorium, 17 Stedman Road. Meeting Materials: Meeting Agenda Draft Policy Section A: Foundations and Basic Commitments Draft Policy Section B: Board Governance and Operations Draft Non-Resident Policy Voted by the School Committee December 16, 2014