HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-02-25-SC-min LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Lexington Town Office Building
Selectmen's Meeting Room
1625 Massachusetts Avenue
CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME: 6:55 p.m.
Chair Eileen Jay welcomed and introduced committee members
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT
Eileen Jay, Chairperson
Kate Colburn, Vice-Chairperson (6:57)
Kathleen Lenihan, Clerk (left at 9:20 pm)
Deepika Sawhney
Scott Bokun
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Sara Mei - Not present
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT
Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent
Mr. David Coehlo, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations
Dr. Maureen Kavanaugh, Director of Planning &Assessments
The minutes were taken by Kristen Cronin, Executive Assistant to the School Committee and
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent.
At 6:55 p.m. in open session, the Chair moved that the Committee vote to go into Executive Session
under Exemption 3: To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open
meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body and
the chair so declares. Further,to adjourn and continue into open session-seconded by Ms. Sawhney.
Roll Call Vote-Scott Bokun-AYE; Kathleen Lenihan -AYE: Deepika Sawhney-AYE; Eileen Jay-AYE
Ms. Jay moved to go out of executive session and return to open session, seconded by Ms. Lenihan at
7:03 p.m.
Ms. Jay noted members are already in session due to an Executive Session earlier in the
evening.
When Ms. Jay asked if anyone in the audience would be recording, Tony Lou said he would be
taking notes at tonight's meeting for his Boy Scout Communication Merit Badge.
Ms. Jay noted that tonight was Ms. Colburn's last School Committee meeting as she has decided
not to run for re-election. Committee members had kind words of farewell to Ms. Colburn.
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The Harrington Hawks sang the new core value song "We All Belong" written and led by Ms.
Angela Carpenter, K-5 General Music, 5th Grade Chorus.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS& LIAISON REPORTS:
Mr. Bokun announced the date for the public open house at the new Hasting Elementary School
building on March 22nd from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Ms. Sawhney provided a brief update on the CIT (Community Inclusion Team) meeting that Mr.
Cole and Ms. Sugita are co-chairing. She reported that the team will be doing site visits to learn
about best practices that are currently happening in our district, as well as in other districts.
Ms. Sawhney congratulated Clarke and Diamond Middle School students who attended the
Regional Science Bowl for Middle School at MIT. Clarke Team 2 will be attending the Nationals
and Clarke Team 1 placed second. Diamond 2 placed 4th. All Lexington teams placed in the top
8.
Dr. Hackett read a report on behalf of the School Committee student representative, Sara Mei.
Ms. Mei congratulated all of the Hastings students, faculty, and everyone involved for the
opening of the new Hastings school.
Ms. Mei noted that last week the School Committee discussed increases in disciplinary behavior
at LHS. At their meetings, the LHS Student-Faculty Senate different ways that the student body
could help each other to decrease the amount of disciplinary action needed to be taken by staff:
➢ Dr. Stephens brought up an idea of having specific students trained in peer
mediation as a possible solution
➢ The equity audit was also discussed last week and we talked about implicit bias
for different racial groups and different learners
➢ Mental Health Day has been renamed by the LHS Administration to "Caring for
Yourself and Others Day." This is a schoolwide event to take place during the
I-Blocks on Thursday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 27. These two I-Blocks
will be dedicated to activities that help students unwind and focus on themselves
and their needs
In closing, Ms. Mei noted that she was disappointed to report that the Senate would not be
making the course advice trip to Diamond that was originally planned on the 25th and 27th.
The counseling department at LHS never responded to emails during the time frame that was
needed so the trip to Diamond was called off. However, Ms. Mei reported that a compromise
was made to have a student session during the 9th grade information night where students
would be able to ask 12 or so peer mentors about their advice.
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Congratulations & Celebrations:
Dr. Hackett extended her congratulations to Ms. Audra Alexandra and her sixth graders on the
successful completion of their "Africa Project Based Learning" unit! For the second year in a
row, Dr. Hackett had the pleasure of serving as a "World Bank Judge," along with a small team of
Clarke educators. The students competed in teams to secure funding for the construction of a
new highway system they designed for southern Africa. Students were highly engaged in the
project, and they made several interdisciplinary connections and incorporated their
understanding of history, geography, politics, economics, and more.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT:
Dr. Hackett reported on the following items:
SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATES:
Redistricting Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Dr. Hackett said that a communication will be disseminated next week to all parents of students
who receive special education services and who will be attending a new school due to
redistricting. Meetings between the sending and receiving Evaluation Team Supervisors will
begin March 6, 2020. The IEPs of our students will be reviewed carefully, ensuring that proper
supports are in place and that the transition is smooth.
The State's 2020 Special Education Review of Lexington Public Schools
Dr. Hackett noted that every six years, public school districts in Massachusetts undergo a
comprehensive state review. The review used to be called "Coordinated Program Review," and
it is now called "Tiered Focus Monitoring." On March 9, 2020, the Tiered Focus Monitoring
Parent Orientation will be held. Onsite review and interviews will be held on Monday, April 6th
and Tuesday, April 7th. Moses Nduati, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
(DESE) Chairperson will lead the review.
Understanding our Differences Elementary Curriculum
Understanding Our Differences is an "interactive disability awareness curriculum" that "teaches
elementary school children to develop understanding and respect for fellow students and
others with physical, sensory or developmental disabilities." In partnership with the Special
Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC), we purchased the Understanding Our
Differences curriculum materials last year. Parents lead the sessions and supervise the learning
stations. Each unit concludes with a guest speaker who offers a first-person perspective on a
particular disability. Understanding Our Differences is a curriculum that strengthens our parent
partnerships and brings to life for Lexington students our "We All Belong" core value.
SUPERINTENDENT'S MID-CYCLE REVIEW:
Dr. Hacket reported on the Superintendent/School Committee goals that were developed a
year-and-a-half ago. She noted that while there is always more to do, many of the district-wide
challenges have been tackled and have continued to make steady progress.
Complete copy of the Su erintendent°s Re art
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CONSENT AGENDA: LIST ITEMS
1. Acceptance of Donations/Gifts
a. Approval of Fidelity Charitable Donation in the amount of$11,500.00 to
Lexington High School Performing Arts Department
2. Payroll and Accounts Payable Warrant Approval
a. August 30, 2019 -Accounts Payable Reconciliation the amount of$257.98
b. January 31, 2020 -Accounts Payable in the amount of$1,255,889.99
c. January 31, 2020 - Payroll in the amount of$3,993,568.46
3. Approval of School Committee Minutes
a. January 21, 2020
Ms. Colburn moved to accept the consent agenda items from February 25, 2020 as noted in
the School Committee agenda packet, seconded by Ms. Colburn (Approved 5-0)
COMMUNITY SPEAK
Mona Roy, Burtwell Road: On behalf of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC),
Ms. Roy thankrf Ms. Colburn for her dedicated service as one of the SEPAC liaisons from the
School Committee.
Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock St: Ms. McKenna invited the School Committee, the
Superintendent, staff and the community to an "Election Night Party" at the Depot from 7:30 -
10:00 p.m., for anyone who wants to be with other people to see the election results. Food is
provided,just asking for help with setup and clean up.
Ms. McKenna gave thanks to the Superintendent. Ms. McKenna noted that after the Antony
trip in September, they are ready to do the artwork that needs to be done on the stone in
Antony Park, and they wanted the schools to be represented because the school/student
exchange is one of the founding groups that started the Antony relationship.
Lastly, Ms. McKenna commented on the consent agenda. She noted that the consent agenda
items are not listed on the front page of the meeting agenda, and listing the specific items is a
requirement. She would appreciate having it listed on the front page.
NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Vote on LEA, Unit D Contract
The School Committee was asked to vote on the negotiated LEA Unit D contract that had been
ratified by the unit membership.
Ms. Lenihan moved that the School Committee approve the LEA Unit D Contract, seconded by
Ms. Sawhney(Approved 5-0)
School Committee Reorganization Proposal
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Ms. Jay discussed the reorganization proposal for the School Committee. She noted that in
recent years typically the reorganization would happen right after the election in March. It was
proposed to follow suit with the Select Board and wait to reorganize until after Town Meeting is
finished. The rationale would be to avoid requiring that a brand-new chair conduct business on
behalf of the School Committee at Town Meeting and allow the current chair to perform those
duties. It also gives any newly-elected members some time to adjust and work with other
committee members before voting on chair and vice-chair. All members agreed to wait until
after Town Meeting ends. Reorganization of the committee will be put on the May 12th agenda.
PRESENTATION
Ms. Jay commented that Ms. Colburn was the impetus behind forming the School Master
Planning Advisory Committee which started looking at enrollment and capacity issues in order
to develop a long-range master plan for school facilities. She noted that even though there is
still more work to be done, tonight's presentation is an update to take stock of what's been
going on with the master planning effort and to hear from those involved.
Dr. Hackett provided a brief update on the 10 Year Master Plan. She noted that a
year-and-a-half ago, the School Committee undertook a comprehensive master planning
process, developing a Master Planning Advisory Committee to enlist the expertise of several
community partners. She explained that tonight's presentation is a "compendium" of ideas
about "why are we talking about a new high school, enrollment trends, etc." Dr. Hackett noted
that tonight's document is more of a planning document.
Ms. Colburn commented that this has been a long process because there were many
"unknowns." The Advisory Committee started in October of 2018, and in October of 2019, LPS
had received some very positive signals from the MSBA (Massachusetts School Building
Authority) about the high school. Given that the high school is one of the main features of the
master plan, the group thought that it made sense pause and wait to hear about the results of
MSBA's decision on the high school in December 2019, rather than pushing forward and
completing a plan when it was unknown what news from the MSBA would be. After getting
those results, the committee agreed to pick the planning process back up at this time of year.
Ms. Colburn emphasized that the Master Planning Committee is not disbanded and it has not
finished its work. This has just been a pause period while waiting for the news.
Mr. Mike Cronin, Director of Facilities, provided a brief update from the facilities side of the
Capital Plan. He noted that the/Department of Facilities currently has a 5-year Capital Plan;
however, it is not a "robust" version of what a Capital Plan should be. It was decided to go
forward with a 20-year Capital Plan. The Facilities Department has hired an architectural firm
and an engineering firm to come in and assess all buildings systems (flooring, roof, ceilings) to
find out what we need to replace and when. In addition, Mr. Cronin noted that they are
planning on some money associated with bulk replacement of systems in the out years which
will be a large financial obligation.
Mr. Cronin said the 20-year Capital Plan will help to identify and smooth the curve so it's nice
and linear (i.e. prioritize and understand what systems, sort by building, product type or by
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dollars). Secondly, Mr. Cronin pointed out that at the Annual Town Meeting this year, there is an
article for a Master Plan for the Town of Lexington.
In closing, Mr. Cronin remarked that at last year's Town Meeting, the Town Meeting members
voted to approve a Sustainability Director. He reported that the third round of interviews has
been completed and the town is in final negotiations with a particular individual.
Ms. Donna DiNisco, architect consultant to the Master Planning Advisory Committee, provided a
brief update on the work of the committee. Since the information has not been fully vetted by
the Advisory Committee, the presentation tonight would not include any recommendations or
solutions. Ms. DiNisco reviewed the Advisory Committee Charge:
• Develop and recommend a 5-10 year capital plan for school facilities including:
o Analyze enrollment forecasts
o Assess current capacity at existing facilities
o Identify options to align future enrollment with facilities while maintaining
educational requirements
o Assist in developing recommendations to address capacity, including cost and
timelines
Ms. DiNisco went on to review the enrollment projections for elementary, middle school, and
high school; facility capacities (class size policy, program & equity, district-wide SPED Programs).
She noted there was sufficient elementary school capacity to accommodate anticipated
enrollment through 2028-29; middle schools are slightly over capacity to accommodate
anticipated enrollment through 2028-29; high school will be over capacity and need space to
accommodate current and anticipated enrollment through 2028-29.
Dr. Kavanaugh continued the presentation with a description of how all of the information and
findings will be summarized. She asserted that the planning process cannot stop after the
committee's initial work is completed. When designing the documents that will summarize the
findings and observations, the committee needs to think about how to set up a sustainable
process that will support ongoing review and ongoing adjustments. Dr. Kavanaugh continued to
give a brief summary of the master plan report.
Dr. Hackett commented on the strategy portion of the report for the high school. She noted
there are three sections to the table: (1) Enrollment- "Higher than Anticipated"; (2) Enrollment
- "As Anticipated"; and (3) Enrollment - "Lower than Anticipated" with an attempt to prioritize
according to those three scenarios. Dr. Hackett noticed that in every single scenario, the plan
for the high school involves either building a new school or renovating. The same approach of
outlining plans for three different scenarios will be used for the middle schools and for
elementary schools. Once this piece is completed, the Master Planning Committee will meet to
discuss and see if the committee is in agreement with the master plan.
Dr. Hackett anticipated that the compendium will be a great road map and decision-making
guide moving forward. It will be a place, along with the 10-year master plan, where people can
see all of the information, and know the history.
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Mr. Bokun suggested that once there is a more definitive report on the master plan, it should be
shared with the public.
Ms. Sawhney wanted to know what the plan would be if MSBA denied the high school funding.
What would the game plan be then? Dr. Hackett assured her that a strategy is incorporated in
the Master Plan. She reported that the Committee does not want to spend money on
permanent structures while awaiting a new or renovated building. She reported that the next
SOI for the high school will be submitted to the MSBA on April 8th and we will know by
December 2020 if Lexington has been approved or not.
Ms. Jay asked what the plan was for keeping systems, such as HVAC, in place and operational
from now until there is a new building. Mr. Cronin said that the high school is part of the
20-year capital plan. He reassured the committee that all systems have been assessed so that
they will not be caught off guard. If an emergency procurement needs to be made to keep the
high school running with heat, they will be sure to do so.
Dr. Hackett asked Mr. Cronin if there would be a list of needs and systems throughout the town
so that we will more readily know what we can and can't do. She commented that the reality is
that we are not going to be able to fund every system and structure, no community can. If
there is a prioritization process, then we can all work together to figure out who has the
greatest need and when. Hopefully, having a fair process that includes the schools is a realistic
approach for what we're facing, because just putting it on paper doesn't mean that the dollars
follow. Mr. Cronin explained that all the infrastructure needs will be assessed in order to make
the decisions. Priorities will include health, safety, and educational content. All those will be
part of the factors considered.
Dr. Hackett asked Mr. Cronin if the work on the school side is integrated with what's going to
happen on the municipal side and what is the process by which it will occur? Mr. Cronin said
that the Select Board would have input on the process, but commented that the model used for
the school master plan is terrific, so he thinks that a similar structure could be used moving
forward. The intent is to have a product that is very similar, and the model used here tonight is
very easily transferable to the municipal facilities planning effort.
Dr. Hackett noted that the School Master Planning Advisory Committee had participants from
the municipal side on the schools development, which was very useful because they bring a
different perspective and have a different perspective on town-wide needs. If there's some way
the school side could also have representation to better understand the municipal side, that
would go a long way.
COMMUNITY SPEAKS:
None
New and Unfinished Business Continued: Policy IJOA- Field Trips & Policy KCD -
Fundraising/Contributions
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Ms. Lenihan gave a brief history on why the field trip/international field trip policy is being
revised. Ms. Jay read through each section and highlighted where the edits were made.
Ms. Colburn thanked the Policy Subcommittee members and LPS administrators for the work
they have done. She commented that International Field Trips can be complicated and the
School Committee wants to be sure the trips are equitable and fair. We want students to have
great experiences, but do not want the trips to be outrageous (cost wise). Ms. Colburn really
appreciates the work that has been done to establish a pre-approval process for field trips, so
that issues or problems with a planned trip can be vetted first and they don't come before the
School Committee late in the process for a yes or no vote.
Ms. Sawhney wondered how travel involving the debate team at the high school would work.
Dr. Hackett said that it is the same process for debate teams, the changes being made are
putting communication structures in place. Ms. Sawhney asked what policy was in place for
after-school clubs. Dr. Hackett said that they would ask permission of the building school
principal for the trip. Ms. Sawhney asked to see the cost for some of the international trips
including the cost for the substitute teachers that are hired as well as the expenses for
every-day field trips. Dr. Hackett informed Ms. Sawhney that it could be factored in. She
commented that one of the things that makes Lexington so unique and special is that we have
lots of opportunities for people. She would like to not have that taken away and would like to
see more children have access to those opportunities.
Mr. Bokun questioned the word "reasonable" accommodations on the first page, second
paragraph. Ms. Jay noted the word "reasonable" already existed in the policy.
Ms. Jay wanted clarification on trips taken by students in a club or after-school activity. If a club
goes on a trip, whether teachers go along or not, and it's associated with a club that's in the
school, is it subject to this policy? Dr. Hackett thought that it depends whether or not it is a
school-sponsored trip. Ms. Jay suggested revisiting the definition of co-curricular trips.
Ms. Jay suggested including policy language for repeated trips, i.e. recurring trips that are the
same year after year.
Ms. Jay suggested in Section B1 to move the sentence: "It is our intention to provide equitable
opportunities to all students, therefore,field trips that are as close to home as possible are
strongly encouraged" to section C as a possible new third paragraph. Dr. Hackett suggested
keeping the equitable portion of the sentence and include it in the International portion of the
policy. Members agreed to remove the "close to home as possible"from the sentence.
Ms. Jay reviewed edits for Policy KCD - Fundraising/Contributions.
Ms. Sawhney expressed concerns that the PTO/PTA and parents would stop giving to schools.
Ms. Colburn was concerned about the conflict of interest involved when large donations are
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made. Dr. Hackett noted she has heard concerns with that very thing and thinks it is a good idea
to include it somewhere, not sure where, but she does agree.
Bridge School Accelerated Repair Project:
Dr. Hackett provided a brief update on the Statement of Interest (SOI) submission for the Bridge
School Accelerated Repair project for repairs to the roof. The SOI was submitted on Friday,
February 14, 2020. Dr. Hackett reported that the initial application was handled by the Director
of Public Facilities and staff, they had initiated the process and we hadn't closed the loop with
the school. She requested that moving forward the school department should be aware when
projects being submitted are talked about publicly. It's important that the schools are involved
in the process. Dr. Hackett also noted that in the instructions for the SOI, if you had a roof that
was less than 25 years old, you should not apply. Hopefully they will still consider Bridge, even
though it is a 20-year-old roof.
Dr. Hackett reported that the submission for the SOI (Statement of Interest) for the high school
is ready to go and will be voted on at the next meeting on March 10, 2020.
FY20 Second Quarter Report:
Mr. Coehlo, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations, reviewed the FY 2020 Second
Quarter Year End Financial Report. Mr. Coehlo reported that the School Department, at the end
of the second quarter of the school year, currently projects a surplus of$1,138,973.00 from the
approved Fiscal Year 2020 Budget. This represents a surplus of approximately 1.0% of the total
School Department budget. $664,569 of the total surplus is from the Salary & Wages portion of
the budget, while $474,404 results from the expense portion of the budget.
Mr. Coehlo noted that based on the information through the first quarter of FY20, Lexington will
successfully manage within the current appropriation. A significant portion of the projected
end-of-year surplus comes from the fact that spending for out-of-district placements is
remaining under budget. Lexington has planned appropriately for this volatile account, which
can experience significant spikes between years. The fiscal pattern for FY 2020 has resulted in a
stable and favorable outcome, which along with the projected salary surplus, should yield an
overall budget surplus for the year-end.
Mr. Coehlo told members that there were no transfer requests to be voted on at this time.
Ms. Colburn made note of an upcoming citizen's article for Town Meeting regarding legal
services which proposes to bring legal services in house. She noted how well the school has
done in the last couple of years with regard to keeping the legal budget down, which argues
against the strategy. Ms. Colburn thought that the School Committee may want to take a
position on that article during Town Meeting.
Mr. Bokun asked if anyone could provide an update on the hammer throw field construction.
Mr. Coehlo said that he has been in communication with the Recreation Director and she is
looking at what it would cost to add that feature. It would basically involve taking a portion of
the football practice field, and lining it and creating the protective cages that are necessary for
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throwing events. He reported that it would be approximately$44,000.00 to put the hammer
throw piece together, which consists of a protective cage and pad for the student athletes to
launch the hammer throw from. The issue now is timing, as it's not conducive to breaking
ground during winter months. They are looking at what it would cost and what it would entail,
what are all of the particulars before moving forward, as well as the timing it would take to be
installed.
Dr. Hackett reiterated that when this issue was brought up last year, and students and
individuals were advocating for the hammer throw, she feels the administration communicated
that they would figure out how to make it happen. Dr. Hackett noted there is not a lot of excess
money right now but administration gave the impression that it was going to occur. Working
with the recreation department to figure that part out in order to deliver on a promise that was
made, the administration feels a sense of obligation to find out the details of this issue.
Mr. Coehlo could provide an update on the shot put and hammer after working with the
recreation department.
Vote to Approve the Waldorf School of Lexington as an alternative to public schools in
Lexington:
Dr. Hackett read a memo on behalf of Dr. Lyons. Dr. Lyons visited the Waldorf School in
Lexington in accordance with the DESE requirements to meet acceptable standards as an
alternative to public schooling. Dr. Lyons feeling is that the school and program overall did meet
the requirements. The recommendation being made is to approve the Waldorf School of
Lexington as an alternative to public schools in Lexington.
Mr. Bokun moved that the Waldorf School in Lexington, a private school, serving students
from PK-8, located at 739 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, Massachusetts be granted
approval as an alternative to public schools in Lexington -seconded by Ms. Sawheny
(Approved 4-0)
Discussion and Vote on Amendments to Superintendent Contract:
Ms. Jay noted that whenever there is a contract to be negotiated between the School
Committee and the Superintendent of Schools, there needs to be a vote during a public meeting
to approve the contract. Under the Open Meeting Law, discussions related to negotiations can
occur during an Executive Session; however, the vote needs to be done during an open meeting.
Tonight's vote is on the superintendent's contract that was discussed in June 2019. Two
Executive Sessions were held on June 4th and June 11 to review proposed terms of the contract.
At the end of the June 11th Executive Session, School Committee members gave the Chair
authority to negotiate with the Superintendent, which is standard procedure.
Ms. Jay reviewed some of the changes for the proposed contract:
• Term of agreement July 1, 2019 -June 30, 2023
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• Provision to not renew contract to be in writing from the School Committee to the
Superintendent no later than October 1, 2022
• Compensation annual salary bi-weekly and equal installments as follows:
o July 1, 2019 -June 30, 2020: $262,500.00
o July 1, 2020 -June 30, 2021: $275,625.00
o July 1, 2021 -June 30, 2022: $281,138.00
o July 1, 2022 -June 30, 2023: $286,760.00
• Vacation days
o Change sell back of vacation days from 5 days to 10 days
• Provide superintendent $5,000 a year for in-district travel expenses. Out-of-district
travel expenses will be reimbursed at the effective IRS rates
Ms. Colburn commented that while this particular housekeeping item has been delayed, she
feels the case is made even more strongly now for the increase in salary that was agreed upon
when negotiating the contract. The superintendent is really a treasure for our school district
and yes, she is well compensated and she really should be. The numbers are well-deserved and
a very good investment in tax payer money considering the return our community is receiving
and excellent services for our students.
Mr. Bokun echoed Ms. Colburn's comments.
Ms. Colburn moved that the School Committee approve the Superintendent's contract for the
period of July 1, 2019-June 30, 2023 and that this contract take effect retroactively to July 1,
2019;seconded by Ms Sawhney(Approved 4-0)
COMMUNITY SPEAKS:
NONE
Ms. Colburn made a motion to adjourn at 10:10 p.m., seconded by Ms. Sawhney(Approved
4-0)
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