HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-12-19-SC-minLSC Meeting Minutes 12/19/2014 1
LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Friday, December 19, 2014
Lexington Town Office Building, Selectmen’s Meeting Room
1625 Massachusetts Avenue
PRESENT: Chair Margaret Coppe, School Committee Members Jessie Steigerwald,
Judith Crocker, Alessandro Alessandrini, William Hurley, Student Representative Abigail
Schwartz
The minutes were taken by Christine Ashness, Recording Secretary
The meeting convened at 4:03pm
Call to order and welcome: Chair Margaret Coppe called the meeting to order, and introduced
committee members.
Selection of Final Superintendent Candidate:
Margaret Coppe: Tonight we are voting on the new superintendent. It has been a long and
vigorous process. She introduced John Connolly, Stephen Dlott and Gary Burton from Hazard,
Young, Attea & Associates who conducted the search. The three finalists for superintendent
were Mr. Kaine Osburn, Dr. George Entwistle and Dr. Mary C zajkowski. She appreciates all the
time everyone has given to this search and gave special thanks to the eleven members of the
search committee. She also thanked Alessandro Alessandrini and Jessie Steigerwald for chairing
on the search committee.
She explained that each school committee member will give their preference, and if they have a
consensus, will vote. If there is not a consensus, members will discuss strengths and concerns.
She also informed people that the Elementary World Language report would not be on tonight’s
agenda. It will be in January. And the Update on Ad Hoc Master Plan Committee agenda item
does not have any action required so it was removed from tonight’s agenda.
Each member stated his or her choice for superintendent. There was a consensus and each of
them picked Dr. Mary Czajkowski.
MOTION to offer Dr. Mary Czajkowski the position of Superintendent of Lexington Public
Schools. (Coppe, Steigerwald)
The motion was approved 5-0.
Margaret Coppe offered her congratulations to Dr. Czajkowski and read a statement.
The committee recessed at 4:20pm to call Dr. Czajkowski and offer her the superintendent’s
position.
The committee reconvened at 4:50pm.
LSC Meeting Minutes 12/19/2014 2
School Committee Discussion of SMMA Proposed Elementary and Middle School Master
Plan Options:
Judith Crocker: SMAA has requested long-term evaluation criteria from the School Committee
in order to define its scope. The school committee had a discussion on December 16 and
believes that maintaining class size, grade equity, parity across schools and maintaining
specialist space are priorities. There were many options/possibilities. The charge of the
committee is to pare down SMMA’s expansive list of building capacity options and make it
realistic.
The selections made do not mean they are the final decision. The committee looked at various
grade configurations and decided to stay with the status quo. The selections:
• Brick & Mortar – Fiske, Harrington, Diamond:
• Pre-fabricated modulars – Clarke, Diamond, Bridge Bowman
• LHS – Needs HVAC system (on the capital list for the school committee)
• Estabrook and Central Office: Decided it is not feasible to expand either.
• Hastings: Disappointed we did not get a positive response on the SOI submitted to the
Massachusetts School Board Assistance to finance a rebuild. They have asked the architect
for a cost estimate.
• Pre K: Looked at various configurations and decided to stay at the Harrington but change
its location in that building for more space and a stand alone wing. Convert old space to
Kindergarten or general education classroom. Add a row of general education classrooms
or a gym with brick and mortar to right size the building.
• Bridge, Bowman, Harrington and Fiske all need to be right sized.
This is a 5-year plan. Phase 3 of the report will include information on the high school, but not
costs.
Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock Street: She asked if the plans are still on the table for rebuilding
Hastings. She urges they continue to advocate for it.
The committee answered yes, but they need a better idea of what it will cost.
Margaret Coppe: They’d like to schedule a site visit to Barnstable possibly for next week on
Monday or Tuesday with two school committee members, maybe a couple of members of the
superintendent’s search committee, and an administrator. Judith Crocker and Jessie Steigerwald
volunteered to go.
MOTION to go into Executive Session under exemption 2 to discuss negotiation strategies
with non-union personnel, Dr. Mary Czajkowski, for a superintendent’s contract beginning
July 1 2015, not to return to open session. An open session would have a detrimental effect on
our bargaining position. (Hurley, Alessandrini)
The Motion was approved by a roll call vote.
Judith Crocker: AYE
LSC Meeting Minutes 12/19/2014 3
Jessie Steigerwald: AYE
Alessandro Alessandrini: AYE
William Hurley: AYE
Margaret Coppe: AYE
The meeting was adjourned at 5:15pm.
Executive Session
Exemption 2 – To discuss strategy in preparation for contract negotiations with the incoming
Superintendent of Schools
Voted by the School Committee February 10, 2015