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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-02-14-SC-min Page 34 February 14, 1978 A meeting of the Lexington School Committee was held February 14, 1978 at 8:00 p.m. , at the School Administration Building. Present were Gaudet, Swanson, Brown, Hoffman, Michelman. Also present were Lawson, Maclnnes, Monderer, Pierson, Barnes and student representative Miller. Dr. Hoffman said letters had been sent out by the principals of SCHOOL CLOSING Hastings and Fiske Schools to the parents of sixth grade students in POLICY the former Hancock School district, and some clarification was needed CLARIFICATION regarding the school closing policy. He suggested clarification of jun- ior high school assignments and procedures for transfers. He suggested the administration make clear the policy and make the policy information more accessible. Dr. Lawson noted the policy had been made available via the newspaper, the school information centers, Cary Library and the branch library. He said the present school committee transfer policy would cover all transfer requests. Dr. Hoffman said he did not question the accuracy of the access to the policy but felt clarification was need- ed for parents in the Hastings and Fiske districts. The three junior high school principals discussed the projected JUNIOR HIGH 1978-79 staffing for each of their schools. Mr. Terry began the discus- STAFFING sion and noted it would be necessary to make some changes in the elec- tive system next year at Muzzey due to the fact that the enrollment pro- jections for Muzzey resulted in a loss of staff. He also questioned the validity of enrollment projections as produced by the Department of Re- search and Planning. At this point, Mr. Barnes was requested to review the enrollment projections for the Muzzey Junior High School and the method used to obtain them. Mr. Barnes reviewed the process and the figures. Dr. Hoffman noted that his main concern was with the program, and asked each principal to comment on the impact of the 1978-79 budget on their programs. Mr. Hibbard, Principal, Clarke Junior High School, in- dicated no difference in the program next year. He felt the proposed staffing level would be appropriate to maintain the level of electives. Mr. Sullivan, Principal of Diamond Junior High School said the projected staffing would not affect the program. Mr. Terry reiterated his comments that the Muzzey program would require some changes. Mr. Terry added he could preserve the present program if he could add one teacher for every fifteen students entered above the 1978-79 projection. He said he could then offer an equitable program and preserve the ninth grade elective system due to the present composition and skills of the staff. It was agreed that present staff ratios would be kept in effect. Dr. Lawson noted, in another year the Muzzey population was projected for further decrease, and speculated at what point Muzzey would be unable to have a comparable program with less than the present staff. Mr. Mi- chelman said if a time should come when a school' s enrollment had dropped so far that it could not support a full program without disproportionate staffing ratios consideration would be in order about continuing to oper- ate the school. Mrs. Swanson asked why Muzzey was the most expensive school to maintain, since the school committee had agreed to maintain the same staffing levels. Dr. Lawson responded that the senior staff, administrative team personnel and plant were the reasons for the high per pupil expenditure. Page 35 February 14, 1978 Dr. Hoffman suggested that as an annual procedure each principal be asked to submit a two or three paragraph statement which outlined the impact of the proposed budget upon the school. This would permit the school committee to receive an overview of the ramifications of the proposed budget. In summary, Dr. Lawson noted that enrollment projections would be recalculated on the basis of May 1 enrollments. He felt this would al- low an update of the trend of enrollment as well as assist in the need for staffing for the 1978-79 school year. Dr. Lawson disseminated the budget summary comparison for the '77- BUDGET 1978-79 '78 and '78-'79 school years. He noted that at this point the budget figure was $15,561,413, or a difference of minus $184,832 (-1.2%). A discussion was held on the pre-school census information and the pro- CENSUS INFORMA- jected enrollments for kindergarten next year in the Lexington schools. TION & K STAFF- The school department's projection was 281 students, and the pre-school ING census information noted an entry class of 283. After the discussion of distribution of students based upon both sources of information it was decided that a reduction of a half kindergarten teacher would be appropriate. It was then moved by Mr. Michelman, and seconded by Mr. Hoffman to authorize the Superintendent of Schools for the purpose of preparing a school budget to the town to proceed with a budget in the total of $15,546,887 (excluding school crossing guards, possible salary improve- ments) and to further work on the budget between now and Town Meeting which may lead to increases or decreases. Mr. Brown suggested that the motion be amended to include that this budget reflected a decrease of $155,000 as a result of the School Committee's decision to close Parker School. The amendment was seconded by Mrs. Gaudet. Mr. Michelman said that the school committee had no way of being certain that the budget was $155,000 lower than it would have been had Parker not been closed. He said he would guess that the budget was sub- stantially lower due to closing Parker but part of the savings might have taken the form of ability to budget for worthwhile items that might other- wise have been forgone or postponed. Mrs. Gaudet said she disagreed with the remark, and felt that the school committee had saved an actual $155,000 by closing Parker,.and there were no items in the budget that she voted for that she would not have voted for, if Parker School had remained open. At this point Dr. Hoffman offered an amendment to Mr. Brown's last segment of his motion: to request the superintendent to make it clear that the budget reflected savings in staff salaries, maintenance costs and equipment purchases directly attributable to the closing of Parker School in the amount of approximately $155,000. Mr. Brown said that he would withdraw the second part of his motion and vote in favor of the amendment. Mr. Michelman said that he could support this amendment also. Mrs. Swanson said she wished to have the record show that she dis- agreed with Mr. Michelman's comments that if Parker had stayed open she would not have approved some other education program items contained in the budget. She said she felt she only voted for programs that were substantiated by need. Mr. Michelman said that his final comment on the matter was that he saw no way of being sure that no judgments could have been made differently if Parker had stayed open. Page 36 February 14, 1978 A vote was called on the amendment. (Hoffman, Brown, Unanimous) A vote was called on the motion, "To authorize the superintendent of schools for the purpose of presenting the school budget to the Town, to proceed on the basis of a budget figure of $15,546,887 (excluding pos- sible salary guide improvements currently under negotiation and school crossing guards to be transferred from the selectmen's budget) , to fur- ther work on the budget between now and town meeting which may lead to increases or decreases in the budget, and to request the superintendent to make it clear that the budget reflected a savings in the staff sal- aries, maintenance cost and equipment purchases directly attributable to the closing of Parker School in the amount of approximately $155,000." Mrs. Swanson asked the School Committee for authorization to send a letter to the Department of Public Works and the Board of Selectmen commending them for the excellent job during the snow emergency. It was the consensus of the committee that Mrs. Swanson express the school committee's gratitude. It was VOTED: to go into executive session at 9:56 p.m. to discuss the character and reputation of one or more individuals. The chairman announced that the school committee would not be coming out of executive session. (Michelman, yes; Brown, yes; Gaudet, yes; Hoffman, yes; Swanson, yes) . Respectfully submitted, / ; Richard H. Barnes /k - Recording Secretary