October 24, 2006

Wellesley Public Schools
School Committee Meeting - Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Wellesley High School Library

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

RECOGNITIONS
Recipients of the 2006 Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence, Wellesley High School students, class of 2007, • Mari Oye and • Ryan Speers.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Dr. King announced the appointment of John Donahue as Director of Facilities and Grounds for the Town of Wellesley succeeding Dana Cotto, whose retirement from the schools will be effective October 31. The new position covers all town departments, including responsibility for all aspects of school building operations and maintenance and liaison work with the Permanent Building Committee. Dr. King continues his regular schedule of visits to schools. He addressed the Sprague PTO recently and met with all PTO presidents last week. Construction of the modular classrooms at Schofield is progressing well. Dr. King has been invited to speak at a special event in Cambridge on November 3 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Harvard Principal’s Center.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE’S REPORT
The middle school project is on schedule. Work is proceeding on fields at Sprague. WEF launched a community fund challenge initiative on October 19. Proponents of preserving the historic portion of the Wellesley High School building sponsored a tour for interested citizens on October 21. Occupancy of the modular classrooms at Schofield will occur in phases, while at Fiske art and music will move straightforward into the modular classrooms. Mr. Young reported that he had followed up in private conversation with a speaker who had addressed the school committee on October 17 with concerns about sensitivity to diversity within the high school community based upon an experience some fifteen years earlier. Mr. Young stated the school committee’s supportiveness of retaining the 1938 portion of the high school as it endeavors to reach consensus on the development of the high school renovations project. The land use task force in conjunction with the high school project is completing its work and has identified a parcel that is currently under control of the Selectmen. In behalf of Student Congress , Ryan Speers reported that the students are discussing and will soon vote their position on the high school GPA and grade weighting report.

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

DISCUSSION ITEMS
Administrative Salaries
Ms. Allen acknowledged that given the absence of one member of the committee this evening, discussion of this item should be deferred.

High School Project Ms. Wong presented a brief overview of four conceptual drawings for renovations and expansion of Wellesley High School, which had been delivered by the architect earlier today. Presentations in detail of these concepts will be made to the high school community and to the larger community soon. A community forum will take place on Monday, November 6, at which audience participation will be encouraged.

Superintendent Search The committee welcomed Jackie Roy, of JA Roy Associates, appointed last week to consult with the committee on the superintendent search. Ms. Roy outlined the process she plans, which will include significant intake from conversations with individual and stakeholder groups in the community, scheduled for October 31/November 1, and culminating with a community-wide forum in the evening of November 1 at the Sprague School library. The process will continue with aggressive advertising, networking among her base of contacts, development of a brochure describing the opportunity, and appointment of a screening committee to assist in evaluating candidates. The anticipated timeline calls for applications to be submitted by January 12, 2007, and for the naming of a new superintendent by late February/early March.

ACTION ITEMS
Wellesley High School NEASC Mission Statement
In conjunction with the self study phase of the NEASC accreditation process underway at the high school, school committee discussed a proposed mission statement developed by the high school faculty.

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

VOTED: To accept the mission statement developed by Wellesley High School faculty in conjunction with the ongoing NEASC self study, as presented.
The motion CARRIED unanimously (4-0).

FY08 Capital Budget
Ms. Wong reviewed the proposed FY08 capital budget request, which reflects in part a consideration of the recent elementary schools master study. Short term capital needs identified in the FY08 capital request address enrollment growth and program space inadequacies, while other line items designate significant needs especially at Fiske and the replacement of the Hardy School boiler. Concurrent with the capital budget development process underway now, Ms. Wong reported that the selectmen are considering alternate funding for some of the town’s capital needs, possibly through a debt exclusion. Ms. Littlefield and Ms. Newman reported the results of their sub committee review of this budget request.

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

VOTED: To approve a School Department FY08 capital budget request in the amount of $1,914,119.
The motion CARRIED unanimously (4 - 0).

The committee further discussed the significant infrastructure issues cited for Fiske School and concluded that a wise course of action would call for addressing these co-dependent projects as one unit. The committee further agreed that the significant cost impact of such a project might better be funded outside the regular capital process, as is being considered by the selectmen. School committee acknowledged that although the selectmen’s decision- making is in a preliminary phase, it is reasonable to anticipate that there will be a proposal for an alternate funding mechanism for town capital, and that if a proposal is developed, school committee would request inclusion of the itemized Fiske infrastructure capital needs within it. School committee agreed, pending resolution of an alternate funding mechanism, that there should be provision in the FY08 capital budget for design funds for Fiske, estimated to be $350,353.

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

VOTED: To maintain within the FY08 and FY09 capital budgets funding requests (unspecified dollar amounts) for • Fiske ceiling • Fiske windows • Fiske sprinklers • Fiske roof •Fiske flooringand •Design Funds for Fiske renovations
The motion CARRIED unanimously (4 - 0)
CITIZEN SPEAK
There were no citizens present who wished to speak.

ADJOURNMENT
The public session was adjourned at 9:43 pm

Executive Secretary