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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-02-10-SC-min Page 42 February 10, 1975 The regular meeting of the Lexington School Committee came to order 1 at 7:30 p. m. at Jonas Clarke Jr. High School. Present were Messrs. Currier, Potberg, Wadsworth, Mesdames Berchtold, Davison, and Swanson. Also present were Messrs. Barnes, Maclnnes, Spiris, Dr. Monderer, Dr. Fobert and Mrs. Cummings. John Devereaux asked for the latest version of the rules and regulations for the Lexington School Committee. He displayed a copy dated 1964 and was told by Dr. Fobert that this set of rules is still being used although certain policies have been changed. Mr. Devereaux will be provided with the latest updated version tomorrow. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Georgia Glick of NOW, speaking for equal opportunities in sports girls and boys, read a prepared statement on the subject. She referred to a NOW memorandum dated December 2, 1974. She requested that inter-scholastic funding for girls' soccer be provided in the new budget and that money also be provided in the budget for intra-mural soccer for girls at the Jr. High level. Barbara D ugherty of the Parker PTA said that a questionnaire was sent to parents asking for their opinions regarding the architect's building study. Seventy-one percent of the returns have been tabulated and the results will be forwarded to the committee. She said the majority of the parents would like to meet with the school committee to discuss the study further. James Long asked why the figures on resident blacks, orientals and those with Spanish surnames were included with the 240 METCO students attending the schools in town. He was told that this would be explained later in the evening when METCO was discussed. The minutes of February 3, 1975 were discussed and it was MINUTES 2/3/75 VOTED: To accept these minutes as amended. (Rotberg, Davison, Unanimous) Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, it was VOTED: To accept the Schedule of Payments as presented. (Swanson, Wadsworth, Unanimous) SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS Page 43 February 10, 197 Personal Services February 7, 1975 Non-Certificated Payroll #16NC $62,294. 79 Expenses (1974 Carryover) February 6, 1975 Bill Schedule 96119E 157.46 Expenses. (1975)- February 6, 1975 Bill Schedules 9699E 64,817.01 96100E 3,845.41 96101E 680.03 16102E 6,571.60 Out of State Travel February 6, 1975 Bill Schedule #20 50.00 Adult Education February 6, 1975 Bill Schedule #4 93.00 SPECIAL PROGRAMS (Non-Lexington Funds) Title III - Learning Disabilities Training Film Project February 7, 1975 Non-Certificated Payroll #16NC 321.75 February 6, 1975 Bill Schedule #77 360.79 LAB Pre-Vocational Life Care Program February 7, 1975 Non-Certificated Payroll #11NC 1,047. 78 Title III Administrative Grant February 7, 1975 Non-Certificated Payroll #16NC 171.92 METCO February 6, 1975 Bill Schedule #10 216.00 Autistic Program (Arlington) February 7, 1975 Non-Certificated Payroll #8 146.40 Multi-Handicapped (Burlington) February 7, 1975 Non-Certificated Payroll #11 216.00 February 6, 1975 Bill Schedule #7 61.01 Page LL{. February 10, 1975 Dr. Fobert announced that a scholarship fund has been established VERNON C. PAG] honoring the memory of Vernon C. Page, former school committeeman. Messrs. Levi Burnell, Neil Cronin and Albert Hruby of the Vernon C. PageMEMO C FUNL Memorial Fund, Inc. were present to discuss the Fund and hear Dr. Fobert INC. read the following resolution. "WHEREAS Vernon C. Page, a resident of the Town of Lexington for three-quarters of a century, dedicated himself to a better community for all; and WHEREAS Vernon C. Page, elected to four terms on the Lexington School Committee and appointed a Lexington representative to the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School planning committee, worked arduously so that our youth would be assured a practical and balanced education; and WHEREAS his goal of the choice of a vocational, technical education became a reality this year with the opening of the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School; THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Lexington School Committee that a Vernon C. Page Memorial Fund, Inc. , be endorsed as a worthy scholarship program for Lexington graduates of the school who are continuing their education in the trades, and that the citizens be urged to support this community project. " Mr. Hruby said a group of interested citizens thought it would be appropriate to establish the scholarship fund and have hopes of raising $25, 000. The school committee was then asked to adopt the resolution. After due consideration, and upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, it was VOTED: To adopt the resolution establishing the Vernon C. Page, Memorial Fund, Inc. as stated above. (Swanson, Davison, Unanimous) The Financial Statement was examined by the school committee briefly. FINANCIAL STATEMENT Mrs. Berchtold reviewed the history of the building survey telling the audience of the efforts by the school committee to include community involve- ment in the plan. Mrs. Swanson said she met with some parents recently at a meeting and some of them felt that the school committee would make a BUILDING decision to accept or reject the report. She said she has never felt this way. SURVEY The decision will be whether or not we are to close any schools and then we will proceed to make other decisions. Each building will be considered separately. Mrs. Davison said we should clarify how we are going to make the decisions. She did not want to see any closings without a commitment to renovate the other schools. Page 45 February 10, 197 Mr. Rosane, the architect, proceeded to review portions of the survey for k those in the audience. He repeated the information which was given at a previous meeting. The audience had the opportunity to question Mr. Rosane regarding many aspects of his report. BUILDING SURVEY Mrs. Davison introduced a proposal to set up a steering committee of eight people to study the educational program in the Lexington Public Schools. She suggested that citizens chosen should have expertise in the field of education and program evaluation. EDUCATIONAL Mrs. Swanson said she hoped the committee would tell us what PROGRAM programs are good and should be maintained and what improvements can beSTUDY made. She wanted to be sure that this would be the understanding before she agreed to such a committee. Mr. .Wadsworth said he was in favor of the proposal. Mrs. Berchtold questioned whether all people on the committee should have "expertise in the field". She felt we should have a slightly larger group - some with expertise and others without. After the committee discussed the wording of the proposal and agreed upon the number of appointees a vote was called. It was agreed to appoint a 10 person committee to study the educational programs in the Lexington Public Schools. (Davison, Swanson, Unanimous) Mr. Lord was present to discuss the Physical Education Program in the schools. He explained the difference between intramural and interscholastic PHYSICAL sports and listed all the sports open to girls and boys at the different levels. DUCATION He said everyeffort is beingmade to expand the girls' programs in then d P P g ee e areas. Asked about soccer for girls in Jr. High School, he said he hopes toTHLETICS provide the opportunity for them as their interest increases but there is no money in the program at present. A program is planned but it will not be as intensive as that on the interscholastic level. Regarding the 7th grade girls' basketball teams, Mr. Lord said that the sports, according to season, will be adjusted so they won't be so stereotyped. He is planning now to split the seasons so boys and girls basketball will be held at different times of the year. Other communities have agreed to experiment with the same plan next year. The discussion turned to the difference in costs ` for boys and girls. Athena Theodore read a prepared statement on the subject. She noted that there is a $27 cost differential for participating students. She suggested that we think about eliminating the expensive sports and integrating others. She proposed that an affirmative action plan be instituted in addition to the sports program itself. Mr. Berchtold suggested that Mr. Lord could take some of these recommendations under consideration when reviewing his Five Year Plan. Page 46 February 10, 197 Mrs. Berchtold opened the discussion on METCCby reading a statement on policy in "Images" relative to the history of METCO. It stated that METCO would not be used to avoid the racial imblanace problems in Boston. Dr. Fobert told those present that last Spring the school committee reached the goal set in 1968 to place 240 METCO student in the Lexington Public Schools. He said the committee can now consider setting a new goal which provides for a ratio between the enrollment of resident and non- resident minority students to the total school enrollment in grades 1-12. The Federal Government uses 9. 4% as the ratio of resident and non-resident minority school population in the standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) for the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area. Dr. Fobert asked that we consider adding an additional 154 students over the next three years. He said that our enrollment projections, even with the additional METCO pupils, have consistently exceeded the actual enrollments. The actual recommendations were as follows: 1. The school committee should approve a three year plan to meet in 1977-78 the 9. 4% ratio resident, non-resident minority student enrollment to total enrollment grades 1-12 (approximately 50 students per year for three years). 2. The school committee should set the tuition rate for all METCO pupils in September 1975 based on 75-76 rates. 3. The Superintendent should be authorized to add about 50 METCO students in 1975-76 at the elementary level on a space available basis. 4. The Superintendent should be instructed to prepare a METCO budget for the State Department of Education which includes costs for tuition, transportation and other services. The discussion which followed covered the new tuition rates, the hiring of additional black teachers, class size,distribution of METCO students, and a comparison of our policy with other towns. Mrs. Swanson felt we should stay at the 240 figure now that the goal has been reached. She said many people who are opposed to the plan have children who are not being serviced. She questioned the feasibility of adding 154 students while trying to keep class size down. Dr. Fobert said if we are not serving our students as well as we are serving METCO students, it is our fault and not the fault of the METCO program and we should look into it. Dr. Fobert discussed reasons for hiring additional staff saying that the extra support will be needed and that it is important for the black students to have more role models in the schools. Mrs. Swanson disagreed with the statement and said she hoped black teachers would be hired for white students and white teachers for black students. Page 47 February 10,19 Mr. Wadsworth compared our METCO enrollment with those in surrounding towns. He said he did not like to see the school committee acting like a charitable trust, adding that we have fulfilled our obligations. He added that if we are to go ahead with this plan, the citizens should have a chance to METCO vote on it. He didn't feel the program should be increased without some (continued) feeling as to how the citizens felt about it. Dr. Fobert said that legally the school committee has to make the decision. Mrs. Berchtold said Dr. Fobert's figures were, in a sense, arbitrary and felt that 50 additional students per year was too high. She suggested that the goal could be reached over a four or five year period. Members of the audience were allowed to voice their opinions on the proposal. Mr. Kent, Mrs. Trudeau and Mrs. Eccleston, along with other citizens, spoke in favor of Dr. Fobert's plan. Mr. Michelson offered some concerns in relation to the proposed tuition hike. He hoped that Dr. Fobert would be careful to see that any METCO tuition increase is justified and would reflect our true operating costs. He said it would be unconscionable for Lexington to derive a profit from the program. Another citizen opposed the METCO ex- pansion because she felt Lexington children were not getting needed attention. Dr. Fobert said the decisions in terms of our needs are not part of the budget for METCO students. The last citizen to be heard supported the proposal and ( said that a citizen referendum would constitute our "passing the buck" on this matter. He urged the school committee to vote tonight and added that if projections are correct, by 1980, we should fill 2500 seats with METCO students. Mrs. Davison made a MOTION, which was seconded by Mr. Rotberg., to approve the Superintendent's recommendations as stated above. Mrs. Berchtold MOVED to amend the proposal stating that 50 students per year was too high and recommended that we add 30 in September 1975, make the decisions on the buildings and then review the program next year. This was not seconded. A vote was called on Mrs. Davison's MOTION. Davison, Rotberg, YES, Wadsworth, Swanson NO, Berchtold ABSTAIN. Mrs. Swanson proposed we make a study to see how METCO costs are determined. Mr. Rotberg made a MOTION, which was seconded by Mrs. Davison, that the school committee approve a four year plan to follow the language stated in Point No_. 1 in the Superintendent's proposal adding 40 students per year for four years, that tuition rates be set at approximately $1200, $1400 and $1700 with actual tuition rates being set at another time; that the Superintendent prepare a METCO budget as stated in Point No. 4 of the proposal. A vote was called (Rotberg, Davison, Berchtold YES, Swanson, Wadsworth NO. Dr. Fobert will present the METCO budget and class distributuion to the . school committee in May. Page 48 February 10,197 Mrs. Berchtold explained that the projected cost of $126, 000 for increased bus service was based on the present contract. Twelve additional buses would have to be purchased by C & W and the new estimate would be approximately $175, 000. The question is whether we could take on the added program under the present contract. During the last month, discussions were held between the officilas of C & W Transportation and Mr. Cohen, the Town Counsel. It was determined that under the circumstances, it might be difficult to impose this policy change on the bus company while holding them to their bid price. It was felt the only practical alternative was to put the proposal out to bid as a separate contract. This would have certain disadvantages in case a bus company other than C & W should win the contract with the possibility that two companies would be servicing the town. SEGO NDARY BUSING Mr. Rotberg made a MOTION, which was seconded by Mrs. Davison, that the school committee go on record as being in favor of busing elementary students at one mile and secondary students at 1 1/2 miles from their schools and that busing begin at the end of the three year contract. Mrs. Davison wished to change the policy to become effective in 1977 but Mrs. Berchtold said this option was not before us. Mrs. Swanson said the school committee serving at that time should make the decision, not us. After further discussion, Mr. Rotberg withdrew his MOTION. Ephraim Weiss spoke in favor of the proposal saying the cost to the taxpayers for tickets has been outrageous. He urged the school committee to vote to extend the service tonight. He stated that he intends to bring the matter before Town Meeting. Mr. Rotberg made a MOTION which was seconded by Mrs. Davison, to change busing policy at the secondary level from 2 to 1 1/2 miles. Mr. Wadsworth suggested that we seek the advice of Town Counsel and explore the logistics of what this change would actaally entail. He then made a MOTION which was seconded by Mrs. Swanson, to TABLE Mr. Rotberg's MOTION to change the bus policy at the secondary level from 2 to 1 1/2 miles. A vote was called. Wadsworth, Swanson, Berchtold, YES, Davison, Rotberg, NO. Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, it was VOTED: To accept Personnel Changes as presented. (certificated) NEW BUSINES; PERSONNEL CHANGES Page 49 February 10, ' ` It was VOTED: To adjourn the meeting at 12 30 a. m. (Swanson, Wadsworth, Unanimous) No executive Session was held. Respectful).}f submitted, Lli Isabelletb. Gummi hgs Recording Secretary