September 26, 2006
Wellesley Public Schools
School Committee Meeting - Tuesday, September 26, 2006
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.
PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Leave of Absence
Julie Crowley, 0.3FTE Preschool Occupational Therapist, leave of absence August 28 - December 1, 2006
Increase in Teaching Time
Sue Fine, Speech/Language Pathologist, 0.2FTE increase, from 0.5FTE to 0.7FTE, effective 09/25/2006
Elvira Fulchino, Occupational Therapist, 0.2FTE increase, from 0.7FTE to 0.9FTE, 08/28/2006 - 12/01/2006
Appendix A Appointments
Ken Johnson, Middle School Intramurals Coordinator, Group VA, Step 5
High School 2006-07 Appendix A Advisors
Academic Contests and Decathlon Patrick Gallagher
Anti Defamation Larry Fisher, Jennifer McGonagle
Auditorium Manager Philip Sequeira (announced 9/12/2006)
Newspaper (Bradford) Christine Kerr, Amanda Christy
Class of 2010 Carol Boswell, Toni Duval
Class of 2009 Leanne Drummond, Patrick Gallagher
Class of 2008 Larry Lovett, Deb Ward
Class of 2007 Matthew Boody, Kristen Roberts
Community Service Sandy Goldstein
Debate Team Stephen Plasko, Jess Hatch
Fine Arts Magazine David McCullough
French Club Jennifer McGonagle, Christine Laborde-Casterot
Gay/Straight Alliance Stephanie Bresnahan, Adam Cluff
German Club Nicole Wicht
Key Club John Fantini
Latin Club Paul Esposito
Math Team Larry Lovett
Moving Company Janet Yukna
National Honor Society Eva Adler, Michael Krieger
Pep Band Steven Scott
Photo Club Doug Johnson
Technical Director, Musical Philip Sequeira (announced 9/12/2006)
Choreographer, Musical Janet Yukna
Orchestra Director, Musical Steven Scott
Vocal Director, Musical Kevin McDonald
School Supplies Toni Duval
Science Olympiad Mike Krieger, Larry Lovett, Tap Van Geel
Senior Project Coordinator John Brown, Adrene Gorman
Spanish Club Luz Barrientos
Student Congress Mary Lynn
Treasurer of Student Funds Donald LaBorne, Doris Pennie
Yearbook - Financial Erika Vina
Yearbook - Production Erika Vina
Middle School 2006-07 Appendix A Advisors
Art Workshop Jill Goldman-Callahan
Bus Supervision - Morning Anne White
Bus Supervision - Afternoon Dave Snyder, Joseph Camozzi
Cafeteria Supervision Gene Varley, Bill Tracey
Card Club Adam Blumer
Chess Club Jonathan Rabinowitz
Community Service Rachel Blake, Molly Jacobson, Julie Scafati
Cooking Club Ilene Sharpe
Cosmetics Crafts Darcie Lenhardt, Rachel Blake
Drama Club Kara Sullivan
Environmental Club Ginny McNally
Latin Club Ariane McCoy
Le Cercle Francais Rebecca Blouwolff
Math Club Robert Dankner
Musical Kara Sullivan, Maria Olohan
Robotics Brian Kelly
School Supplies Julie Scafati
Student Government David Nichols, Kathleen Harris
The Spot Lynne Johnson
Yearbook - Photography Nora Curran, Molly Jacobson, Lindsay Ruscak
CONSENT AGENDA
Upon motion made by Ms. Littlefield, seconded by Ms. Allen, it was unanimously VOTED:
Minutes
To approve
minutes of Regular School Committee meeting dated September 12, 2006
Acceptance of Gifts
Contribution ($5,000) for the Hunnewell School Library, from Hunnewell PTO
Salary Lane Change
Master’s Plus 30
• Amie Ciluffo, effective September 8, 2006
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
As the first complete month of the new school year concludes, Dr. King reported that he has completed nearly one complete cycle of visits to each school. Two finalists have been identified for the newly combined facilities position.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE’S REPORT
Ms. Littlefield described the projects underway in the current phase of renovations at the middle school. The playing fields task force is pursuing plans to install an artificial surface on fields at Sprague. A proposal to do so is expected to be presented to Annual Town Meeting. The task force is also preparing to request use of any surplus contingency funds from the modular installation at Schofield for relocating ball fields at that site. The modular installations at Schofield and Fiske are proceeding on schedule. The land use task force investigating parcels of land adjacent to the high school will next meet September 27.
CITIZEN SPEAK
There were no citizens present who wished to speak.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Fitness and Health Curriculum Update
Director of Fitness and Health Joyce Tolken, joined by several members of the department, summarized the findings of the recently concluded two-year fitness and health comprehensive curriculum review. The review process, which was informed, in part, by surveys of parents about the current program, evaluated instruction in the variety of fitness courses district-wide, in the health curriculum, and in the adapted fitness and health program. It assessed the integrated use of technology to support instruction, and explored fitness testing issues. Included among the recommendations for change and improvement are initiatives to strengthen communication with parents, revise the elementary schedule, deepen professional development opportunities, augment the health curriculum, and explore the possibilities of melding the health curriculum within the family and consumer science department.
In follow up discussion school committee explored issues ranging from state mandates of instruction time for students, adapted physical education, initiatives to develop increased fitness in children and awareness of fitness issues through adolescence, school and wider community use of the high school fitness center.
ACTION ITEMS
2006-07 Academic Year Calendar -- Middle School
In anticipation of the significant disruption that will be imposed on the middle school within a short window of time that includes several holidays in order to move into the scheduled phase of construction for January 2007, Dr. King introduced a proposal to adjust start and end dates and times for the 2006-07 winter break, for the middle school only. The proposal calls for a mid-day dismissal on Friday, December 22, and for school to resume on Wednesday, January 3. Throughout the remainder of the district, students will attend school for a full day on Friday, December 22, and resume school on Tuesday, January 2.
Upon motion made by Ms. Jablonski, seconded by Ms. Allen, it was unanimously
VOTED: To amend the 2006-07 Academic Year Calendar for Wellesley Middle School only
to call for a half day dismissal for students on Friday, December 22. 2006, and
the resumption of school for students on Wednesday, January 3, 2007.
The motion CARRIED unanimously (5-0).
FY08 Budget Guidelines
Mr. Young summarized the past practice of the committee to establish budget guidelines in order to maintain current level of service, factor for enrollment, and, when anticipated, prepare for an override. In FY08 the Selectmen and Advisory have recommended that all town departments develop budgets in line with a recommended guideline to avoid an override scenario. The guideline for the schools is a 5.5% increase over FY07. The committee discussed general budget development philosophy in the light of recent committee actions and pressures extant upon the process due to the developing capital project requests for the elementary schools and the high school. Dr. King noted that developing a budget observant of the suggested guideline will illumine areas vulnerable to insufficient funding much earlier in the process than has been the case in recent years.
Upon motion made by Ms. Littlefield, seconded by Ms. Jablonski, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve budget guidelines for FY08 replicating the approved budget guidelines
for FY07 with one additional guideline statement: Develop a budget that meets
the recommended 5.5% increase guideline.
The motion CARRIED unanimously (5-0).
High School Project
Mr. Young announced that the school committee will hold a workshop meeting about the high school project on Wednesday, September 27, 2006, at 10:00 am in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room at Town Hall. The meeting will be video recorded.
CITIZEN SPEAK
MARLENE ALLEN, School Committee Member, Precinct E: With reference to the school committee’s split decision in June regarding compensation increases for the superintendent, principals and administrators, Ms. Allen noted “that the public has spoken in a very overwhelming way with a negative response and reaction about what we did,” and that, in her opinion, it has been awkward that the committee has not made any response. She asked the committee to pledge to develop a process for determining these salaries that is public and shared with the public before town meeting; also to determine such salaries for the upcoming year prior to town meeting so that people will have an understanding of what is included within the school department budget.
In acknowledging Ms. Allen’s comments, Mr. Young agreed that there is clearly room for change and improvements in the committee’s practice but that suggestions for change should be deferred until current practice has been thoroughly examined.
Ms. Allen proposed a motion:
that the school committee define and articulate to the public a full and complete
process to determine non union salaries and to vote specific salary increases prior to the Annual Town Meeting at which the budget is voted, subject to any ensuing override vote that might apply.
Ms. Littlefield seconded the motion.
In reacting to the motion, several discussion points emerged. • Decisions that have traditionally been made in June would be moved forward by several months to March. • The time frame for making decisions regarding salaries of non union employees follows completed collective bargaining. There was no collective bargaining underway last spring, given the current three-year agreement with the teachers. • The proposal would separate the traditional connectedness between annual performance reviews conducted at the end of the school year and compensation decisions based upon performance. • In presenting the budget to Town Meeting, the committee might consider defining a range and/or a cap for salary increases. • At present it is not yet clear whether by March of 2007 a successor superintendent will have been named for the 2007-08 academic year.
After first considering possibilities to amend the motion, the committee agreed by consensus that issues raised in its discussion warrant careful thought. In light of that consensus Ms. Allen withdrew the motion, tabling it for consideration at a subsequent meeting.
ANDY BODKIN, Precinct G: Parent of a child at Hunnewell School, Mr. Bodkin posed several questions to the committee about the physical plant of Hunnewell and plans to address identified needs at that facility.
ADJOURNMENT
The public session was adjourned at 9:25 pm
Executive Secretary
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