November 8, 2005

Wellesley Public Schools
School Committee Meeting - Tuesday, November 8, 2005
Wellesley High School Library

The meeting was called to order by the Chairman at 7:32 pm. Ms. Littlefield, Ms. Jablonski, Mr. Murphy, and Ms. Newman were present. Also present were Dr. King and Ms. Wong. Representing the Student Advisory Committee was Ryan Speers. Ms. Sereiko was absent.

PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Increase in Teaching Time
Harriet Freedman, Speech/Language Pathologist, 0.1FTE decrease, from 0.7FTE to 0.8FTE, effective August 31, 2005
Leave of Absence
Elisa L. Buchsbaum, Preschool Special Educator, 1.0FTE leave, February 5 - June 30, 2006.
Jessica R. Downey, Middle School Assistant Principal, 1.0FTE leave, April 24 - June 30, 2006.
Stacey Piwinski, Elementary Art Teacher, 1.0FTE leave, November 21 - December 9, 2005.
Appendix A Appointments
Marshall Cannell, Web Master for Performing Arts Department
Laurie Peckins, Julie Verret, Henry Platt, Performing Arts Departmental Assistant (shared stipend)

CONSENT AGENDA
Upon motion made by Mr. Murphy, seconded by Ms. Littlefield, it was unanimously VOTED:
Minutes
To approve minutes of Regular School Committee Meeting dated October 25, 2005
Acceptance of Gifts
Contribution ($1,960) for Middle School Library Books from Wellesley Middle School parents
Contribution ($4,900) for Wellesley METCO Program WINGS transportation from Wellesley METCO Committee
Contribution ($570.10) for Memory Disk - Flash Keys for high school teachers, from Wellesley High School PTSO
Canon AE-1 camera with zoom lens (approximate value $1,200) for high school classroom use, from Janice Demetrius
Contribution ($1,132.82) for three video cameras with cases, for use in the high school, from WHS PTSO

RECOGNITIONS
Winners of the Wellesley Education Foundation Bee: Wellesley High School Junior Spellers • Charlotte Bergin, • Andrew Mayersohn, and • Mari Oye

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
K-12 Director of Fitness and Health Joyce Tolken escorted several parents and students on the first of two planned orientation visits to Thompson Island Saturday, November 5. The fifth grade environmental education unit has been relocated to the Thompson Island facility, effective this school year. FY07 operating budget development work is underway. Department heads and K-12 directors have been consulting with central office administrators about budget requests. Dr. King met recently with the high school guidance department for a conversation about the impact, as that department experiences it, of budget reductions that have been made over the past few years. A survey instrument was developed to elicit additional responses from students and teachers.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE’S REPORT
The World of Wellesley diversity festival on October 30 was a success, offering an educational afternoon of fun, food, and cultures. Thanks to Richard S. McGhee for his tireless work to develop awareness and appreciation of the cultural variety that exists in Wellesley. The middle school project is progressing well. While the School Committee team performed well in the WEF Bee, there was generally great excitement that the members of the winning team this year were high school students. Thanks to WEF for its work to organize and develop the Bee, its major annual fund raiser. The continuing schedule of community forums about the proposed high school project are being well received. School committee is represented on a town committee studying ways to effect health care cost savings. At a recent Upham PTO meeting, where much discussion focused on the development of the FY07 operating budget, attendees learned much about how the town’s budget process unfolds. The Facilities Advisory Committee is continuing its work to evaluate the options for addressing building needs at the high school. Work is continuing on the modular installation at Fiske for the preschool. A January opening is expected. A traffic study for the neighbors in the Fiske area to evaluate the impact of the new preschool is expected soon.

STUDENT CONGRESS REPORT
Student Congress is continuing efforts to find solutions for overcrowding. The fall musical, “Children of Eden,” will be in production November 10 - 12, 2005.

CITIZEN SPEAK
Nicola Pugliese, Precinct C: Ms. Pugliese expressed appreciation to the school committee for its commitment to service in the town. She requested that funding be added to address overcrowding in elementary schools. The October enrollment report indicates that eleven classrooms are beyond guideline. Her son is in a class numbering 24 kindergarten students.

Trina Foster, Fiske: Ms. Foster asked the school committee to approve the proposed capital budget request in its entirety. Fiske School is in critical need of classroom space, and modulars will allow the school to retain its library and regain its designated space for art and music. Ms. Foster urged school committee to support routine maintenance. In the past several years routine maintenance of roofs, windows, etc., has been eliminated from capital request lists. A combination of wind and rain at Fiske assures window leaks into the classrooms, with resultant wet materials, flooring, etc. The PTO cannot fund improved lighting in the Fiske school hallways because of asbestos. Children deserve a safe and secure environment, but it is not so. Routine maintenance should happen “as a matter of fact.”

DISCUSSION ITEMS
Special Education Director of Student Services Dorsey Yearley reported. System-wide the overall census of students receiving special education remains consistently 14 - 15%. However, the continued influx of preschool students with frank disabilities is pressuring programming and staffing at the elementary level as preschool students age up. Out of district tuition placements for students with significant emotional issues are rising, a trend that exists currently in comparable communities also. Space shortages at the middle school and high school impair the system’s capacity to develop more in-house programs. The schools are working with The Human Relations Service on a grant-funded program to support students who are returning to school after hospitalization for reasons such as emotional issues.

High School Project Financing Options Town of Wellesley Executive Director Hans Larsen provided a preliminary review of financial implications of the renovations/construction alternatives which are being considered for Wellesley High School. Charts projecting the tax impact on a median Wellesley home during the period FY07 through FY15 displayed variances according to a level payment schedule or a level principal schedule, and with or without 40% School Building Assistance reimbursement.

ACTION ITEM
FY07 Capital Budget Ms. Littlefield presented the sub committee’s report and recommendations. The School Committee’s posture on capital is to communicate with the Town about big issues/large capital items that will require attention in the immediate near future. This year the focus is on elementary schools and the high school. With awareness of capital issues throughout the town, the committee will examine urgent FY07 school capital needs in conjunction with developing its five year plan. Ms. Littlefield explained the sub committee’s rationale for recommending several exclusions from the original list to reduce the FY07 capital request from $5,454,313 to $1,172,039. These exclusions include $470,002 for major items at the high school, which could be folded into a high school project; $1,483,832 for roof, windows, ceiling and boiler issues at Fiske and Hardy, which will be addressed within the pending SMMA study; $19,365 for technology; and reductions of line items totaling $152,300, which are considered priority 2 or 3 within the entire list.

The sub committee recommended separating the request for $2,156,775 to purchase seven modular classrooms from the capital budget altogether, to request approval at Annual Town Meeting for this item as a stand alone motion. School committee also agreed to communicate to the Town the original FY07 capital request, as it was developed by school administrators.

The Committee will prepare a contingency for covering the high school capital expenses that were recommended for exclusion as it builds the five year capital plan.

Upon motion made by Ms. Littlefield, seconded by Mr. Murphy, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve a capital budget request for FY07 in the amount of $1,172,039

The motion CARRIED (4 - 0)

Upon motion made by Ms. Littlefield, seconded by Ms. Newman, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve funding in the amount of $2,156,775 for puchase of seven modular classrooms, three to be installed at Fiske, and four to be installed at Schofield.

The motion CARRIED (4 - 0)

CITIZEN SPEAK
Elaine Gillim, Precinct F: Ms. Gillim expressed disappointment with the outcome of the school committee’s actions. She is concerned about the continued practice of pushing out maintenance items. She asked to know what has been identified as urgent items in the elementary facilities report, which has yet to be released, and how those items relate to the $400,000 approved for elementary capital needs within the vote this evening. She lamented the lack of line items in the capital budget and asked what would happen at Hunnewell.

Susan Ryan, Fiske: Ms. Ryan thanked the school committee for retaining modular classrooms in its budget request and for moving towards “more transparency.” Many people do not know about the “deplorable” conditions that exist in schools. With the decision to defer maintenance for another year, she inquired when these things might be fixed. If funding for modular classrooms is approved by Town Meeting, she inquired when these classrooms would be installed.
Ms. Jablonski noted that the school committee’s intent is to have modular classrooms installed for the opening of school in 2006.

Annie Cohen, Precinct F: Disagreeing that this should be a “bridge year,” Ms. Cohen observed that there is a relevant report from SMMA about the elementary facilities, which may highlight critical needs, but which the public has not yet had a chance to see. She expressed disappointment that the FY07 capital budget was approved before the information in that report was “digested.”
Ms. Wong noted that critical needs cited in the SMMA report were incorporated into the capital budget.

ANNOUNCEMENT -- The next School Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 29, 2005.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 pm.

Executive Secretary