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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-02-10-SC-minLSC Meeting Minutes 2.10.16 – Approved by LSC on 3.8.16 1 LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, February 10, 2016 Hadley Public Services Building, Room 221 201 Bedford Street Present: Chair Jessie Steigerwald, Vice Chair William Hurley, Margaret Coppe, Alessandro Alessandrini, Judy Crocker, Superintendent Dr.Czajkowski Absent: Student Representative Abigail Schwartz Others Present: Colby Brunt (School Committee Attorney from Stoneman, Chandler and Miller), Pat Goddard (Director of Facilities), Ian Dailey (Interim Director of Finance and Operations), Laura Lasa (Principal Lexington High School), Anna Monaco (Principal Clarke), Anne Carothers (Principal Diamond) Minutes were taken by Ana Paula McDonough, Executive Assistant to the School Committee. The meeting convened at 6:00 p.m. Call to Order and Welcome: Chair Jessie Steigerwald called the meeting to order, and introduced committee members. There were many community members in attendance with concerns about the recent announcement about the cancellation of the upcoming field trips to Costa Rica. Steigerwald noted that she would open the meeting first with an announcement from the Superintendent regarding the trip cancellation and that she would then take public comments. Superintendent’s Announcements: Dr. Czajkowski shared that she had made the decision to cancel the upcoming Lexington High School and Clarke Middle School field trips to Costa Rica after learning about the Zika virus. She had conferred with the school principals and the Director of the Board of Health in reaching a decision. Parents had been notified. Dr. Czajkowski also read from the Policy IJOA “Field Trips” and under III. Application C. Authorization 4. Cancellation: “The Superintendent has the authority to cancel any field trips up until the time of departure for any reason. In such event, school officials will make a reasonable effort to obtain a refund of monies paid by students and parents. However, such refunds are not guaranteed.” Dr. Czajkowski noted that staff had contacted the airline and trip coordinator and had information that would allow families to reach their own decisions if they wished to pursue the trip privately, but that it would not be a school trip. Public Comment: Several community members asked questions and shared frustration about the cancellation. LSC Meeting Minutes 2.10.16 – Approved by LSC on 3.8.16 2 All speakers were asked to sign in with their name and address, but not all did. This record of public speakers is based on a review of the videotape, but the addresses are not all known. Parents with questions included: Christian Mandl, 27 Freemont Street: Feels the concern is not about students and the basis for the decision was not represented correctly. Alice Meade, 86 Meriam Street: Is this a done deal? Delta flight renewable. Tour Company will provide reimbursement for those who request it. Alice Meade, 86 Meriam Street: Could teachers who are not pregnant volunteer to be chaperones? Colby Brunt: A woman’s status with pregnancy is protected status so LPS can’t make inquiries to any staff. Decision has been made to cancel the Lexington Public School sponsored trip. Bagavan Sundaram, 40 Ivan Street: We can still go downstairs and discuss a non sponsored trip Susan Wilner, 4 Bicentennial Drive: If students go, and miss school, will these be excused absences. What would happen now? Ms. Brunt: Hears Ms. Lasa saying she will honor this. It is a school decision. Ms. Monaco: Would also honor it, though it is a different trip and there are more days missed. Susan Wilner, 40 Ivan Street: Can others volunteer as chaperones? Ms. Brunt: CDC did issue a warning relating to people of childbearing ages. Talks about women and men. There are many unknowns here. The trip is not going forward. Jacqueline Fiore, 73 Laconia Street: Asking about middle school trip and whether staff could opt to go on a private trip? Would they be able to be excused from work? Ms. Brunt: An employer can’t ask employees to go on the trip. We are looking at CDC. Mr. Mandl, 27 Freemont Street: CDC did not issue warning about students and feels it is not honest to say the CDC issued a warning that affects our students. After additional information was shared by Ms. Brunt and Dr. Czajkowski, Steigerwald announced that she had located another room in the building where people could relocate, and that Ms. Brunt and the school principals were available to continue the conversation about how logistics could be managed if individual families decided to go on a private trip. Dr. Czajkowski noted that students could have the trip; it just could not be school-sponsored. LSC Meeting Minutes 2.10.16 – Approved by LSC on 3.8.16 3 Ms. Mandl, 27 Freemont Street: Feels the cancellation is not about the students and that should be clear. Bagavan Sundaram, 40 Ivan Street: Is next step that we can still discuss possibility of going on the trip. There were no other public comments or Superintendent announcements. School Committee Member Announcements: None Agenda: A.1 - Multiple Schools Capital Projects Update Presenter: Pat Goddard Summary: Update on Middle School Projects including PEER Review, site design, and upcoming Traffic Safety Group meetings. Steigerwald noted that they would be joined by the Selectmen at 7:00 p.m. and then relocate to the Summit. As the discussion of the Costa Rica trips had extended, each item would be short to be prepared to discuss capital projects with the Selectmen at 7:00 p.m. a) Middle Schools - Peer Review Process Findings Pat Goddard reviewed the Peer Review findings. There were two potential areas where some savings could potentially be realized while still achieving programmatic goals, however, he recommended not proceeding with either of these options at this time as the original design was advantageous to students and educational programming. There were questions and comments from members. b) Middle Schools - Traffic Safety Group Participation Mr. Goddard reviewed materials in the packet related to traffic and the middle school plans. He reviewed prior meetings and talked about the way decisions were made. Mr. Goddard noted that there were some outstanding issues that would be decided at a future date. Steigerwald asked for clarification around timing and whether there was opportunity for input from School Committee members on any remaining aspects of the traffic plans, and if so, when that time would be appropriate. Ms. Crocker asked for follow-up to questions she had posed in December at the 12/22 PBC meeting and also in January and also noted questions posed by Safe Routes to School on October 9th did not make the minutes. Mr. Goddard wondered how Safe Routes to School had jurisdiction or a charge on school property. Steigerwald asked if the follow-up questions could be answered outside the meeting in the interest of time. Mr. Hurley suggested Mr. Goddard, Ms. Carothers meet with Safe Routes to help explain the decisions. Dr. Czajkowski asked Ms. Carothers to meet with Ms. Crocker and this was agreed to. LSC Meeting Minutes 2.10.16 – Approved by LSC on 3.8.16 4 c) Discussion of Capital Schools Projects Mr. Goddard and Dr. Czajkowski provided a short read-through of the slides in the presentation they planned to make later in the evening for the Summit. A.2 – Student Assignment Committee Presenter: Dr. Czajkowski and members of the Student Assignment Committee The Student Assignment Committee is made up of School Committee Members, School Administrators, elementary school parents, and elementary PTA and Site Council members. To date, the Committee has met on the following dates: June 30, 2015; July 22, 2015; October 15, 2015; October 28, 2015; January 11, 2016; and February 3, 2016. Dr. Czajkowski read a letter that Carol Pilarski would send all in-coming Kindergarten parents to make sure they were aware of the upcoming redistricting. As the redistricting boundaries are not yet known, all incoming Kindergarten parents will receive this information as soon as possible so they will understand. Mark Maguire, member of the Student Assignment Committee, provided the School Committee with an update. Alison Stevens, member of the Student Assignment Committee, provided additional information and encouraged the community to be supportive of Dr. Czajkowski’s interest in finding flexible ways to manage enrollment at the elementary schools. Dr. Czajkowski spoke about the possibility of buffer zones and also noted that it is important to understand that all Lexington schools are excellent. If there was no additional space at one school, it might be appropriate to assign a student to a different school. A.3 – Update on the Permanent Building Committee Appointments Presenter: Jessie Steigerwald Steigerwald noted that Mr. Valente and the Permanent Building Committee had determined that the modulars do not require oversight by the Permanent Building Committee, as their individual project expense does not meet the $3 million threshold. As previously discussed, there would no longer be a need to seek applicants to represent these projects. However, Hastings would require two appointments. Members agreed to revise their invitation for interested parties. At 7:00 p.m. the Board of Selectmen joined the School Committee. Joining the meeting: Joe Pato, Suzie Barry, Peter Kelley, Norman Cohen LSC Meeting Minutes 2.10.16 – Approved by LSC on 3.8.16 5 Steigerwald summarized the topics discussed earlier in the meeting. Dr. Czajkowski provided updates on the capital projects and noted she would present in greater detail at the Summit. Mr. Pato asked members for input about the proposed upcoming Debt-Exclusion vote. Members shared their views. Members agreed they would prefer it if all middle school capital work at Diamond and Clarke, including the HVAC work at Diamond, were all bundled as one question. The proposed work represents the School Department and School Committee’s agreed upon solution to provide appropriate educational spaces for middle school students currently enrolled and those we anticipate enrolling. If the projects were presented separately, and one school project was approved and a second project failed, there would not be sufficient space system-wide. Members considered the design funds for the elementary level projects and modulars. There was no conclusion or preferred suggestion at this time. Members agreed they would prefer to ask for support for the Lexington High School HVAC design funds and project funds at one time, and anticipated it would be in a year. At 7:28 Steigerwald called a recess for the School Committee to relocate downstairs to participate in the Summit. At 7:35 p.m. Steigerwald ended recess and the Committee participated in the Summit. Official minutes for the Summit were taken by the Selectmen and are in a separate document. 9:10 p.m. Adjourn: On a motion made by Steigerwald and seconded by Coppe the School Committee voted unanimously to adjourn at 9:10 pm. Materials: Agenda; A.1-Multiple Schools Capital Projects Update; A.2-Student Assignment Committee; A.3-Update on the Permanent Building Committee Appointments Additional materials distributed at the meeting: February 10, 2016 Letter from Dr. Czajkowski to Parents and Guardians February 9, 2016 Memo from Gerard F. Cody, Health Director to Dr. Czajkowski February 10, 2016 Letter from Carol Pilarski to Parents and Guardians of In-coming Kindergarten Students School Committee Policy File EEAC “Traffic Safety and Mitigation” Place on Consent Agenda for SC Approval 3.8.16 Voted Approved by the School Committee 3.8.16