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1998-03-09BEVERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS March 9, 1998 A regular meeting of the Beverly School Committee was held on Monday, March 9, 1998 in the Beverly High School Library, Beverly, MA. Members Present: Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Brusil, Mr. Cahill, Mrs. Frutiger, Mr. McHugh, Mayor Scanion and Mrs. Goodenough. Members Absent: None Also in Attendance: William Lupini, Superintendent of Schools, and Keith Manville, Assistant Superintendent of Schools. and Judy Mulligan, Business Manager. Mrs. Goodenough called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mr. Cahill. RECOGNITION Paul DeLucca, BHS senior who recently scored 1600 on the SAT, was recognized by Superintendent Lupini for outstanding academic achievement. Gina Marciano, BHS senior who recently was awarded a $2000 statewide TALL (Teen Anti-Drug Lifetime Leadership) scholarship, was not able to be in attendance, but was recognized for her achievement. Recognition by School Committee members and Administration included: - Excellent Citywide Strings Concert - BHS Jazz Ensemble's receipt of gold and silver awards in district and state competition - School Committee participation in reading programs in elementary schools - Excellent Presidents Day presentation at McKay Elementary School - Visit to math class at North Beverly Elementary School - Bob Lucien, Memorial Middle School teacher, recently appointed to the Community Development Council in Melrose. - Thomas McAuliffe contribution toward renovating BHS tennis courts. - Lew Lattanzi contribution of computer monitor, keyboard and printer to BHS. - David Zwicker contribution of scanner, laserwriter and monitor to BHS. Regular Meeting March 9, 1998 Page 2 STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE'S REPORT There was no report; student representative was not in attendance at the meeting. APPROVAL OF RECORDS · It was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to approve the records of the regular meeting held February 9, 1998, as presented. The motion was amended as follows: 1) on page 4, paragraph 2 under "Transportation", include the schedule for reduced fee bus passes for secondary schools in the records.. 2) on page 7, "Subcommittee on Negotiations" report, change wording to "a meeting will be held" February 10, 1998. The records of the February 9, 1998 regular meeting, as amended, were unanimously approved. COMMUNICATIONS Mrs. Brusil volunteered to serve as legislative liaison to the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. Copies of the 1998 Selected General Laws will be mailed to members and the Superintendent. Additional copies may be purchased. Discussion was held on a letter from Mayor William ScanIon requesting reconsideration of the list of school building projects approved by SBAB, as funding approval is occurring faster than anticipated. Upon approval, project construction must be completed in twelve months or lose reimbursement eligibility. If the last two projects were pulled from the current list and reinserted in May, 1998, there would be no impact on time or schedule and no risk in later approval by SBAB. This would allow more Iogistical and financial control of the building projects. · Upon the recommendation of the Administration, it was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded that the Beverly School Committee approve the request of Mayor ScanIon to withdraw two elementary school building projects (Centerville and North Beverly ) from the School Building Assistance Board list for resubmission in May, 1998. Unanimously voted. The Joint City Council and School Committee meeting will be held following the Public Hearing on the School Department Budget on Monday, April 27, 1998. The Hearing will be held at the Beverly High School Auditorium at 6:30 PM. The Joint Meeting will be held in the Beverly High School Library at 7:30 PM, or immediately following the public hearing on the budget. A First Reading was held on Policy Manual Section II - School Committee Operations -C Meetings - 3 Procedures - c Rules of Order to reflect the City Charter reduction in number of school committee members from9 to 7, and the Regular Meeting March 9, 1998 Page 3 requisite two-thirds vote of the full membership on major decisions. The "Rules of Order" section contains the following statement: "All motions brought before the Committee pertaining to certification of the annual budget, contracts resulting from negotiations with collective bargaining units, and additions in personnel that were not part of the previous year's budget must have the approval of six (6) members." This policy statement and other phases currently in the policy manual (requiring a two-thirds vote of the Committee) will be amended to "five (5)" members, two-thirds of the committee of seven (7) members. A Second Reading on the proposed change will be held at the next regular meeting. SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION Mr. Lupini presented a revised rating scale on the Performance Appraisal form. Members agreed to change the wording under G. Superintendent Goals to "has facilitated" in the text portion, and to change the rating scale to reflect degrees of accomplishment. Mr. Lupini stated he would try to incorporate the inclusion of random stakeholders in the evaluation process this year, but will implement that component next year. Evaluation forms will be mailed to School Committee members in mid-April and due back to Liz Frutiger, School Committee Secretary, by the end of April. · It was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded that the Beverly School Committee adopt the Superintendent Evaluation Process and the Superintendent's Performance Appraisal form, as presented, with the suggested change(s). Unanimously voted. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Staffing Discussion was held on procedures used when there is need for the Superintendent to fill temporary positions, prior to School Committee notification and approval. Mr. Lupini will present more specifics on funding of ESP positions from "savings in other budget lines" at the next Finance subcommittee meeting. · It was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to approve the following three requests of the Administration: 1) the creation of a full-time ESP position for the computer lab at Briscoe Middle School for the remainder of the 1997-1998 school year, 2) the creation of one special education ESP position for a kindergarten student at Patten School, retroactive to March 2, 1998, and 3) the creation of one special education ESP position for a grade one student at McKay Elementary School. Unanimously voted. Policy Manual Revision · It was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to approve the contract proposal from NESDEC (New England School Development Council) to complete policy Regular Meeting March 9, 1998 Page 4 revision work (with the editing function omitted) at a cost of $7,000.00, with the provision that revisions be submitted on disk. Unanimously voted. Building Projects Superintendent Lupini presented written updates on school building projects. The McKeown Elementary School is expected to be completed in mid-June. Superintendent Lupini requested a brief recess at 7:58 PM. The meeting was reconvened at 8:04 PM. Staffing · Upon the recommendation of the Administration, it was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to approve the creation of an "Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education" position, beginning in July, 1998, at a salary of $75,000 per year. Discussion on the motion included the need for a majority vote, six (6) votes in the current policy manual, to create a new position. ° It was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to Suspend the Rules of the School Committee with respect to approval of new positions. A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following: YES: Mr. McHugh, Mayor ScanIon, Mrs. Brusil, Mr. Cahill and Mrs. Frutiger NO: Mr. Bjork and Mrs. Goodenough. Motion approved. A roll call vote on the motion on the table was requested, which resulted in the following: YES: Mayor ScanIon, Mrs. Brusil, Mr. Cahill, Mrs. Frutiger and Mr. McHugh NO: Mr. Bjork and Mrs. Goodenough. Motion approved. ° Upon the recommendation of the Administration, it was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to approve the creation of a "Grant Coordinator/Director of Institutional Development" position, beginning in May, 1998, at a yearly salary of $50,000, pending a job description. Regular Meeting March 9, 1998 Page 5 A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following: YES: Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Brusil, Mr. Cahill, Mrs. Frutiger, Mr. McHugh, Mayor ScanIon and Mrs. Goodenough NO: None Unanimously voted. COMMITTEE REPORTS Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities Mr. Bjork, Chair, reported a meeting was held February 23, 1998. The next meeting will be held Monday, March 23, 1998 at 7:00 PM in the School Committee Room. · Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities, it was moved by Mr. Bjork and seconded that the transportation requirements of the Washington-Beadle closing plan be deemed to have been fulfilled when both the renovated Ayers and Hannah schools come on line. Unanimously voted. Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction and Student Life Mrs. Frutiger, Chair, reported a meeting was held March 2, 1998. Dr. Manville stated the Department of Education ruled that students are eligible to vote on student issues, as there is no age requirement. · Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Life, it was moved by Mrs. Frutiger and seconded to adopt the revised policy, BDE- Subcommittee and Standing Committees of the School Committee relative to student voting on student life issues only, with noted changes, this being a Second Reading. Additional wording in the policy will read: "Voting members of standing committees shall include: ..... 3) three students on the Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction and Student Life (who vote on student life issues only). Determination of student life issues (only) to be made by the standing committee chair and Superintendent." Unanimously voted. Subcommittee on Negotiations Mr. Cahill, Chair, reported an initial meeting with representatives for the Beverly Teachers Association was held March 5, 1998. Future meeting dates with the BTA include March 17, March 31, and April 28, 1998 at 6:00 PM. Dates for AFSCME negotiations are pending. Regular Meeting March 9, 1998 Page 6 · It was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to go into Executive Session to consider a grievance from the Beverly Teachers Association, take whatever action necessary, and not return to Open Session. A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following: YES: Mrs. Brusil, Mr. Cahill, Mrs. Frutiger, Mr. McHugh, Mayor ScanIon, Mr. Bjork and Mrs. Goodenough. NO: None Unanimously voted. · It was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to go into Executive Session to consider strategies for negotiations with union personnel, take whatever action necessary, and not return to Open Session. A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following: YES: Mr. Cahill, Mrs. Frutiger, Mr. McHugh, Mayor ScanIon, Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Brusil and Mrs. Goodenough. NO: None Unanimously voted. · It was moved by Mr. Cahill and seconded to go into Executive Session to consider pending litigation relative to Cheryl Norton, take whatever action necessary, and not return to Open Session. A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following: YES: Mrs. Frutiger, Mr. McHugh, Mayor ScanIon, Mr. Bjork. Mrs. Brusil, Mr. Cahill and Mrs. Goodenough. NO: None Unanimously voted. The Committee recessed at 8:45 PM. The Committee went into Executive Session at 9:00 PM. Elizabeth Frutiger Secretary