January 2, 2007

Wellesley Public Schools
School Committee Meeting - Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Wellesley High School Library

The meeting was called to order by the Chairman at 7:30 pm. Mr. Young, Ms. Allen, Ms. Jablonski, Ms. Littlefield, and Ms. Newman were present. Also present were Dr. King and Ms. Wong. Representing the Student Congress were John McDermott and Ryan Speers.

PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Leave of Absence
Jane Lord, High School Family/Consumer Science Teacher, 0.1FTE leave of absence for the 2007-08 school year.

CONSENT AGENDA
Upon motion made by Ms. Littlefield, seconded by Ms. Jablonski, it was unanimously VOTED:

Acceptance of Gifts
To accept:
Contribution ($100) from Lueders Environmental,Inc.
Contribution (26,160) to purchase and mount 8 projection systems at Hunnewell School, from Hunnewell PTO
Contribution ($810) for clay equipment for high school art department, from Wellesley High School PTSO
Contribution ($1,200) for MP3 Players for struggling readers, from Wellesley High School PTSO
Contribution ($525) to purchase library books, gift to Grade 6, from Upham PTO through Middle School PTO

Salary Lane Change
Dan Rubin - Master’s Plus 30, effective December 18, 2006

CITIZEN SPEAK
There were no citizens present who wished to speak.

PUBLIC HEARING - FY08 BUDGET
There were no citizens present who wished to speak.

DISCUSSION ITEMS
Budget Sub Committee Reports: Elementary In behalf of the sub committee (Newman/Allen) Ms. Newman summarized its budget review on December 19, which thoroughly analyzed enrollment projections, anticipated class sizes and staffing. A proposed new program to deliver ELL services at two magnet schools (Fiske and Hardy) will require an increase of professional staff. The enrollment spike also impacts delivery of system-wide services including special education and rental space for WCCC. The level funded supplies budget is impacted by the additional enrollment, and parents are increasingly asked to provide basic supplies. The system continues to rely on fees for the grade five environmental education unit as well as private funding for updating and augmenting library collections and for funding professional development. Middle School In behalf of the sub committee (Young/Jablonski) Mr. Young summarized its budget review. The major driver of change is the anticipated increase in enrollment and concurrent need to augment professional staffing. A number of special education students, whose needs have been addressed by locally developed programs, will move into the middle school next year, and will necessitate adjustments in special education staffing at the middle school. The middle school budget calls for additional technology support. The size of the administrative team has not changed since the student body numbered 650 students, but it is anticipated that there will be more than 1,000 students at the middle school next year. The committee considered possible budgetary impact upon space to be re-occupied by central office personnel, should the middle school project be delayed. The committee discussed the impacts of an augmented sixth grade class across all staffing and its implication on the class size guideline.

ACTION ITEMS
Warrant Article Placeholders School committee revisited consideration of warrant article placeholder motions for Annual Town Meeting 2007. Acknowledging that there is a strong possibility the town will move forward with a debt exclusion to fund elementary renovations work,
1. Elementary School Stabilization
Upon motion made by Ms. Allen, seconded by Ms. Littlefield, it was unanimously

VOTED: To place an article on the Annual Town Meeting 2007 Warrant for debt exclusion to cover the five elementary school stabilization projects as outlined in the master study led by SMMA architects.
The motion CARRIED unanimously (5- 0)

2. High School Project
The committee discussed two issues: how best to accommodate the MSBA requirement to establish a broad based representative high school project building committee, and how this requirement impacts the town bylaws, through which the Permanent Building Committee holds project oversight authority.

Upon motion made by Ms. Littlefield, seconded by Ms. Allen, it was unanimously

VOTED: To withdraw the committee’s prior action, as approved on December 19, 2006: “To place an article on the Annual Town Meeting 2007 Warrant for the formation of a committee as defined in the MSBA regulations for a high school building project.”
The motion CARRIED unanimously (5- 0)

Upon motion made by Ms. Littlefield, seconded by Ms. Allen, it was unanimously

VOTED: To place an article on the Annual Town Meeting 2007 Warrant to establish in conjunction with the Board of Selectmen a high school building project committee.
The motion CARRIED unanimously (5- 0)

The committee discussed development of position papers regarding the high school project.

ADJOURNMENT
The public session was adjourned at 9:04 pm.

Executive Secretary