May 22, 2007

Wellesley Public Schools
School Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Wellesley High School Library

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

WORLD OF WELLESLEY RECOGNITIONS
Dr. King welcomed Richard S. McGhee and several members of the World of Wellesley Board of Directors. The fifth grade essay assignment is part of the core curriculum. Student essays about multiculturalism and diversity are evaluated by faculty of the Wellesley Public Schools and the World of Wellesley board.

The following students received certificates of achievement for their compositions • Brigham Blake • Lukas Gnirke • Amanda Pasko • Alexander Vasconcelles • Niki Bramley • Annie McCauley • Elizabeth Kennedy • Elizabeth Young • Elizabeth Gilbert • David Markey • Samuel Bae • Paige McAvinn • Matthew Johnson • Olivia Treves

Dr. King thanked KC Kato for coordinating the essay project and student recognition.

PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed Night High School Football Game
Mr. Young opened the floor to citizen comment regarding a proposal to host a night high school football game on Friday, September 14. There were no citizens present who wished to speak. Mr. Young closed the public hearing.

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

VOTED: To support the request of the high school athletic director to host a night football game Friday, September 14, 2007, under the same conditions that applied for a night football game in September 2006, and to apply to the Natural Resources Commission for a site permit.

The motion CARRIED Unanimously (5 - 0)

PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Retirements
Beth McGinty, Preschool Special Educator, effective June 30, 2007
Resignations
Kristen Birnbaum, Elementary Teacher on leave of absence, effective June 30, 2007
Carolyn Collins, Elementary Teacher, effective August 31, 2007
Michael Milofsky, Elementary Teacher, effective June 30, 2007
Kristen Partello, Elementary Teacher, effective June 30, 2007
Lauren Tallevi, High School Social Studies Teacher, effective June 30, 2007

Appointments (effective August 27, 2007)
Sarah Chessman, 1.0FTE Middle School Librarian, Step M+30-3
Ann Cole, 1.0FTE Middle School Special Educator, Step M-5
Luke Day, 1.0FTE High School English Teacher, Step M+30-11

Reduction in Teaching Time
Mary Gaynor, Speech and Language Pathologist, from 0.7FTE to 0.6FTE, effective 2007-08 school year

Leave of Absence
Molly Gilmartin, Elementary Teacher, 1.0FTE leave of absence May 21 - June 30, 2007
Stacy Lake, Elementary Teacher, 1.0FTE leave of absence, 2007-08 school year
Karen Lindquist, 0.5FTE Elementary Teacher, 0.5FTE leave of absence September 19 - December 14, 2007

Stipended Appointments
Karen Bognanni, Photocopier Paper Monitor (20% shared stipend)
Chuck Bognanni, Photocopier Paper Monitor (80% shared stipend)

CONSENT AGENDA
Upon motion made by Ms. Littlefield, seconded by Ms. Newman, it was unanimously VOTED:
Minutes
To approve minutes of Regular School Committee Meetings dated April 4 and May 8, 2007
Acceptance of Gifts
To accept
• Contribution ($50) for Sprague Library in honor of Ellen Cunniff, from Anonymous
• Contribution ($195) for Wellesley METCO Program -- 2007 WINGS Program, from various donors
• Contribution ($100) to purchase music for Grade 8 Song Sisters, from League of Women Voters, Wellesley
• Contribution ($900) for high school library, from Wellesley High School PTSO
• Contribution ($147.07) for DVD player for Bridge Program at Wellesley High School from WHS PTSO
• Contribution ($400) registration for 8 teachers at Suicide Prevention Conference, from WHS PTSO
• Boston Grand Piano (value $19,540) for Wellesley Middle School auditorium, from Wellesley PoPS
• Kurzweil Performance Piano for Sprague music faculty, from Wellesley PoPS
• Laminator (value $2,300) for Preschool faculty use from PAWS PTO
• Keypad security system (value $370) for Preschool, from Dalia and Ramzi Nuwayhid, Wellesley
Salary Lane Change
Adam Diliberto, Master’s, effective 2007-08 school year
Ilene Sharpe, Master’s Plus 30, effective May 15, 2007

RECOGNITIONS
Ellen Cunniff, late principal of Sprague School. A painting by students at Hunnewell School, where Ellen was principal 1992-2002, which has hung in the Sprague School office, will be hung in the new Central Office suite in the middle school. At the funeral on May 18, Dr. King delivered the eulogy.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE’S REPORT
The report covered continuing outreach regarding the developing high school project; acknowledgement of the voters’ approval of the debt exemption questions on May 15 and a recognition that many citizens promoted this cause in a well organized fact based campaign within the community; a progress report on the middle school renovations; the new initiative of TEC to employ a lobbyist at the state house. School committee will receive a complete recap of the middle school project at its next meeting.

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

DISCUSSION ITEMS
Sprague Field Remediation Carl Fleischer, of the Playing Fields Task Force, discussed options with the committee regarding the next steps for developing a remediation of Sprague playing fields to comply with the DEP deadline of June 2009. The committee discussed forming a fully representative task force of the school committee, with representation from the Board of Health, Selectmen, School Committee, and PFTF, but as a first step the committee agreed to sponsor a well publicized meeting to attract comments and input from all interested and involved parties including neighbors, athletic organizations, Sprague School PTO, town meeting members. The committee established June 11 for this listening forum, which Chris Guiffre will moderate.

Special Education Programs Update Student Services Director Dorsey Yearley, joined by Elementary Special Education Department Head Lizabeth Brown, reported on the PSP and ISP at Schofield, recently established programs which increase the capacity of the district to serve students who otherwise would require out-of-district placement.

Future Agendas School Committee considered open ended agenda items for future consideration including site maintenance and the fostering of increased public understanding of budget process and development.

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

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

VOTED: To go into Executive Session for purposes of collective bargaining, with no intent to return to public session.

Ms. Allen, aye; Mr. Guiffre, aye; Ms. Littlefield, aye; Ms. Newman, aye; Mr. Young, aye.

The public session was adjourned at 9:15 pm

Executive Secretary