HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-14-LHS-minI 'log �V
�Lexington High School
t' 251 Waltham Street ❖ Lexington,, Massachusetts 02421
Andrew Stephens, Ed.D.
Principal 781- 861-2320, x69103
Twitter: @LexingtonHSMa astephens@lexingtonma.org
FAX: 781-861-2440
January 2019
To: The Lexington High School Site Council
From: Andrew Stephens
Re: January 14 Meeting
LHS School Site Council Meeting met on Monday January 14, 2019 from 6:15-7:45 PM in Room 505D in
the World Language Building.
Present: Andrew Stephens, Suzanne Lau, Shiv Chandra, Kate Vogelzang, Bryce Spalding, Katie Cutler, Liz
Curtin, Erin Barrett, Cathy Swan, Nancy Shepard, Angela Chang, Katelyn Riley, Khoi Le and Sheera
Knecht.
Absent: Leslie Zales and Ed Li.
Guest: Christina Lin (Parent).
I. Approved the December 2018 meeting minutes
II. Announcements/updates
a. Budget (Preliminary) items that were approved for inclusion:
o Additional Full Time Employee's (FTE's) for LHS approved in the preliminary budget
include 1.0 school nurse, 1.0 counselor, 0.2 Performing Arts, 5.5 teachers.
o Additional 20 days in the summer approved for counselors.
o Additional campus monitor.
o School Resource Officer (SRO, grades K-12) returned in November after an absence due to
shortage of staff in the Lexington Police department.
o Biology lab equipment, supplies and fixtures were approved for the newly converted Biology
laboratory.
o LHS stage lights and new microphone system (to meet new FCC regulations) .
o LHS MIDI lab — including piano and keyboard to encourage music composition and allow
LHS to offer music classes to non -musicians.
b. Strategic Planning Process (District)
o Kicked off last week with school administrators and will continue to include staff, students,
parents and community at each school.
o Brainstorming exercise to identify "Keep, Lose, Dream and Re -think" items at each school.
o Will continue through the end of the school year.
o Goal to have a system -wide strategic plan in August 2019.
o LHS would like to include "Vision of the Graduate" in this plan and identify measurable
skills as a student progresses from K to grade 12.
c. Schedule Announcement
o Principal Stephens has announced the new schedule today to the faculty and will announce
tomorrow to the students and parents by email.
o Reasons for a schedule change include frequent transitions contributing to the frenetic pace at
LHS, current block length is considered short, would like to increase time -on -learning.
o Schedule change will be revisited in 3 years and is considered interim/transitional.
o Based on feedback from meetings and survey (about 220 staff, 1000+ student and 700+ parent
responses), considering both first and second choice preferences, Principal Stephens has
chosen the RED schedule starting in Fall 2019.
o RED is a 6 -day schedule with 8 to 18 minute longer blocks.
o Addresses the Monday Holiday issue (many missed Mondays)
o I block will be scheduled for late morning (or after lunch when late start is implemented in
2020), and not at the end of the school day.
o Implementation details to be worked out for snow days (return to scheduled day), Professional
Development days (every class meets or longer blocks).
o Staff would like a revision of the Homework policy with consideration for when the holidays
fall and seeking a better balance between fall and spring.
III. Update/discussion: Physical Education changes for 2019-2020 School Year
a. Physical Education department has just completed a program review and is changing PE offerings
from quarters to semesters.
b. Level of offerings need to align with national standards.
c. State requirements for PE do not allow team sports participation to substitute for PE (this has been in
effect for many years).
d. Classes by semester reduces the schedule changes that are occurring on a quarterly basis and is
especially beneficial for providing services to students on educational plans.
e. Make-up gym classes can be done on a semester basis (gym absences must be made up starting wtoih
the third missed class).
f. Multiple activities will be offered in a semester PE class to encourage breadth of and exposure to new
activities.
IV. Discussion: LHS 10 Year Enrollment forecast &planning process
a. Master Planning Group
o Projected enrollment could grow from 2200 currently to exceed 2600 students in 5 to 6 years.
o This is a persuasive motivation for building a new high school.
o The process to apply for MSBA state funding could start when construction of Hastings
elementary school is completed in about 2 years.
o Process to build a new high school could take 6 years.
o Projected growth could make LHS grow from the 7th largest high school in the state to the
4th largest.
b. Brainstorming activity
o Will need ideas for short term (accommodating students in current campus) and long term
(build a new high school).
V. Adj ournment 7:45
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Andrew Stephens —Principal