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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-04-09-SC-min Lexington School Committee Minutes - April 9, 1967 Page 1 A meeting of the Lexington School Committee was held on Thursday, April 9, 1987 at 6:00 p.m. in the Lexington High School Student Library. Present were: Koplow, Leader, Newman, Wik, Clough and Student Representative Ted Chuang. Also present were Pierson, Zimmerman, Maclnnes and Barnes. • Student Christa Johanson expressed students' concerns about course PUBLIC PARTICIPA- reductions at the High School especially as they effected Foreign TION Languages, Japanese and Chinese. Kirsten Evans, a student at Lexington High School, said one possible solution was to raise class sizes in some of the more inten- sive courses and aides be hired to perform extra duties which could alleviate duties for teachers. Janet Doherty expressed concern that there would be no Russian elective this year. Student Representative Ted Chuang said the general student sentiment was not to cancel classes. He said students did not understand budget constraints and hoped that the School Com- mittee would look at other options. Bill Welch, Town Meeting member, expressed concern that there was not sufficient information in the Town/School Budget Information Booklet for some Towm Meeting members. He suggested that some of the concerns of Town Meeting members might be alleviated if additional information were provided. ACT Committee representatives requested that-there be continued support for the ACT program at a level of $12,000. Alan Lazarus, parent and Science Task Force member, spoke in sup- port of the elementary Science Program and Summer Workshops. He said it was important that science be given equal parity with other sub- jects in the elementary program. Dan McCabe, Town Meeting member, expressed concern that there was excessive administration especially at the central office level. He suggested that the School Committee focus on improving teacher morale. At this point, Mr. Clough interjected that some things which occurred in the last seven to eight years in Lexington Public Schools seemed to be very, very positive and enriching. He said it was fash- ionable to reduce the administration in these times but there had to be certain functions carried on regardless of how many students were enrolled in the system. He felt that the Central Office and adminis- trative System was efficient and productive. He noted that the School Administration and the School Committee had reduced administrative positions over the past years. Jay Ritter suggested there be no curriculum cuts approved by the School Committee in order to accommodate the all-morning kindergarten especially if Foreign Language was one of the items to be cut. Paul Foley speaking on behalf of the principals, said that they Lexington School Committee Minutes - April 9, 1987 Face 2 • recommended the all-morning kindergarten but could only support the program if it were delayed for one year and if the buildings were ready by August 15. Dr. Pierson said that in the discussion there were three important REDUCTION LIST questions: I. Do we reduce one or two programs? 2. Do we reduce a number of programs from the list? 3. Do we search for raise ways to the money and eliminate the need to reduce items 1 and 2? Mr. Newman said he did not like user fees because they had to be USER FEES implemented across the board and they discouraged participation especially fnr those families with less financial theyCia comfort. He noted also encouraged extra paper work and generated little money. In summary, he said the issue did not fall within. the policy procedures of the School Committee since it would require three readings and if that were true, the School Committee would not be able to handle this issue until mid-May. Mrs. Leader said she philosopicasly agreed with Mr. Newman but felt it was necessary to provide income without cutting into programs. She agreed that if user fees were implemented, there would be a good reason to include a waiver section. She said her position was not to cut educational programs but the user fee was an appropriate way out of the dilemma. Mrs. Wik said the School Committee should look at user fees even though they were not a priority item with her. She said to identify a student as having a lack of money to participate in a program was a poor position for the School Committee or Administration to promul- gate. Ted Chuang said he agreed with Mr. Newman. He said some programs may not survive if fees were charged. Mrs. Koplow said she agreed • with the others but was somewhat ambivalent. She said it was im- portant to try to avoid identifying persons especially if they were in financial difficulty. She said even though there were small num- bers of people, the effect on programs was cumulative. Mr. Clough said he would support user fees versus cutting programs since the School Committee had now entered into a trade-off relation- ship. He said he did not feel the experience would demonstrate that user fees discouraged participation. He noted that approximately $30,000 would be obtained through user fees. It was agreed that the School Committee should consider user fees as a topic for further dis- cussion. The School Committee reviewed other possible reductions and REDUCTION OPTIONS options. Mrs. Wik proposed: 1. Increase of rental fees; 2. Increase gate receipts; 3. Increase transportation fees (replace the mileage limits and charge more for bus passes) ; 4. Holding filling of the position of Science Program Manager for one year; 5. Reducing the fifth housemaster as well as the secretarial help. Mrs. Koplow said items she considered were: (1) Leasing cars and u . Lexington School Committee Minutes - April 9. 1987 Page 3 drivers for special education; 2. Reducing housemasters; S. Holding the Science Program Manager for one year; 4. Reducing the maintenance program. Mr. Clough said items that he would recommend for reduction were: 1. One housemaster; 2. Position of Program Manager in S^ip^ -e and re- view other ways of dealing with the coordination of the science pro- gram; 3. increase number of courses department heads teach. Mr. Newman said that ha felt that most of the items he could not agree upon. He felt that last year the School Committee had rejected the issue of reducing a housemaster and that a thorough review needed to be undertaken before = position should be reduced at last minute. Mrs. Leader said that she agreed with holding the filling of the K-9 Program Manager position, the reduction of an additional house- master and increasing teaching responsibilities for department heads. Dr. Pierson noted that the new science program manager had been developing for six or seven months a program and a report would be given in May. He encouraged the School Committee to remain open minded on the issue until the report had been given. He said it would be a mistake to set back the program symbolically and in a real way since the public and staff indicated science was a major priority. Ted Chuang suggested that they might adding substitutes to the list of possible reductions. Dr. Pierson reviewed alternatives for all-morning kindergarten. BUDGET REDUCTIONS He said it was important for the School Committee to complete past obligations before adding new ones and that new programs needed to be hospitable for action prior to implementation and should be available in all the schools. He added that the recommendations may not be ready by 9/1/87. Crowded conditions might exist at Bridge and Bowman and the libraries would be under construction in three schools. There were addtional reasons for the School Committee to consider not im- plementing the all morning kindergarten program next year. Mr. Newman said he agreed. He felt the transition would not be a smooth program. In addition, there were other commitments that. needed to be completed. He said one additional year of delay would seem best for all. Mrs. Leader and Mrs. Wik said ever since the discussion of redis- tricting, they felt the Superintendent's statement that there would be room even if there were no redistricting was important to remem'_.er. They noted that they felt it Was the appropriate time to implement the all-morning kindergarten. Mrs. Koplow said if the schools were not completed in time, contingency plans could be made by the buildings. Dr. Pierson said that in November he did say he supported all-morning kindergarten without any redistricting because other factors were all equal at that time. However, he had never said that the program would be implemented at the price of other programs which he felt the School Lexington School Committee Minutes - April 9, 1987 Page 4 Committee was now considering. He felt that the K program should stand alone. At this point a vote was called for on the all morning kinder- garten program. It was VOTED: to implement the all-morning kindergarten school g en in the year 1987-8E. Yes, Leader; Yes, Wik; Yes, Koplow; Yes, Clough; No, Newman It was VOTED: to adjourn at 11 : 42 p.m. (Newman, Koulow, Unanimous) Respectf lly submitted, Gam' m chard H. Barnes Rernra=ng Eytetary APPROVED: October 20, 1987