Loading...
1999-02-08BEVERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS February 8, 1999 A regular meeting oftbe Beverly School Committee was held on Monday, February 8, 1999 in the Beverly High School Library, Beverly, MA. Members Present: Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Brusil, Mrs. Frutiger, Mrs. Goodenough, Mr. McHugh, Mayor Scanlon and Mr. Cahill. Members Absent: None Also in Attendance: William Lupini, Superintendent of Schools, Keith Manville, Assistant Superintendent, and Judy Mulligan, School Business Manager. President Bill Cahill called the meeting to order at 7:06 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mrs. Frutiger. RECOGNITION AND PRESENTATIONS Members reported on the following notable events: · Memorial Middle School presentation of "Fiddler on the Roof" · McKeown School Presidents Day Assembly to be held February 11 · Tour of Ayers School construction site January 30. · Superintendent Bill Lupini and President Bill Cahill recognized Lisa Andruszkiewicz, Beverly High School senior, for receipt of the "Good Sportsmanship Scholarship" Award ($3000) on January 21, 1999 at the Fleet Center in Boston. · Superintendent Lupini and President Bill Cahill recognized Victoria Lee and Erica Mayer, Beverly High School seniors, chosen to display art work at the Wang Theater as part of the Arts by Kids program. Teachers Debra Gracyzk and Paula Borsetti were also recognized. · Mr. Lupini recognized Tom Tanous, Beverly High School Assistant Principal, and Rodhey Maxner, Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, who will be retiring in February. He thanked both gentlemen for numerous years of outstanding service to the public schools and the City of Beverly. High School teacher Robert Bisceglia has been named interim assistant principal to replace Mr. Tanous, and negotiations for a successor to Mr. Maxner are in process. February 8, 1999 Page 2 · McKeown and Ayers Ryal Side Elementary Schools have been included in Cummings Properties 1999 local neighborhood scholarship program. Letters of appreciation have been sent to Cummings Properties for the $10,000 scholarship to be shared among the top ten seniors who completed their elementary school studies at these schools. A brief recess was declared at 7:15 PM. The Committee reconvened at 7:20 PM. · It was moved by Mrs. Goodenough and seconded to approve the records of the regular meeting held January 11, 1999, as presented, with the notation that Assistant Superintendent Judy DeLucia was in attendance; Business Manager Judy Mulligan was not in attendance. The records were unanimously approved. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORT There was no student representative present at the meeting. COMMUNICATIONS Mrs. Brusil received communications regarding possible grade configurations in grades 5-8. Mayor Scanlon announced he is pursuing an agreement with Beverly Hospital to provide excess capacity steam heat to Beverly High School in lieu of purchasing new boilers for the facility. Mayor Scanlon received a request from the Veterans Administration to place a granite stone plaque at the McKeown Elementary school flagpole area in honor of Armand, Steven, and Peter Fortunato, local residents who are veterans and long-time employees of the City of Beverly. · It was moved by Mrs. Goodenough and seconded that the Beverly School Committee announce its intent to place a memorial plaque in front of the flagpole at McKeown Elementary School in honor of the Fortunato brothers, action to be taken at the regular meeting in April. Unanimously voted. Mr. Cahill presented a request from the Centerville PTO to name the technology room at Centerville School hi memory of Philip P. Pascucci, a Centerville resident. Family memorial donations have been used to fund the tech center and the request is to transfer the name of the Philip P. Pascucci Tech Center to the new school after the remodeling project is completed. · It was moved by Mrs. Goodenough and seconded that the Beverly School Committee announce its intent to name the Centerville School Technology/Media Center in memory of Philip Pascucci, action to be taken at the regular meeting in April. Unanimously voted. Regular Meeting February 8, 1999 Page 3 Mr. Cahill attended a meeting of the Suburban Coalition at Cutler School in Hamilton last month. He urged members to consider joining the Coalition of school committees and town councils, a $100 per year membership fee. Materials on the Coalition will be reviewed by members and action will be taken at the next regular meeting. A Joint Meeting of the Beverly School Committee and the Beverly City Council will be held on Monday, March 29, 1999 at 7:00 PM in the Beverly High School Library. The Annual Report of the North Shore Regional Vocational School District has been received. Copies will be mailed to all members. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS · Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Life, it was moved by Mrs. Frutiger and seconded to accept the School Improvement Plan for Ayers Ryal Side Elementary School, as presented. Unanimously voted. · Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Life, it was moved by Mrs. Frutiger and seconded to accept the School Improvement Plan for Cove Elementary School, as presented. Unanimously voted. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Building Issues The J Wing East Corridor at Beverly High School opened on February 8, 1999. The contract for garaventa (handicapped accessible) lifts at Beverly High School has been awarded, installation of the lifts to be completed during April vacation. Superintendent Lupini and Mayor ScanIon met to work toward both short-term and long- term solutions to major building issues at Briscoe Middie School. Mayor ScanIon met with the Joint Committee on Secondary Facilities last week. Remodeling work at Ayers Ryal Side School continues on schedule. City officials were given a tour of the facility on January 30. The proposed schedule for bidding and construction of Hannah and Cove School projects has been established. School Committee Retreat The Retreat will be held on Friday, March 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM and Saturday, March 13 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM at Birchmont, Endicott College. February 8, 1999 Page 4 Elementary Open Enrollment Policy · It was moved by Mrs. Goodenough and seconded to extend the current Open Enrollment policy one year, with a review date in June, 2000. Unanimously voted. Test Dates Test dates for the 1999 administration of the MCAS will be April 26-30, (MCAS English Language Arts - Long Composition) and May 17-28, (Grades Four, Eight and Ten (English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science & Technology, History/Social Science). Grade Three Iowa Reading tests will be administered April 12-16, 1999. Underperforming schools will be notified by the State Department of Education, part of the proposed accountability system, and districts will have specific improvement targets to meet every two years in four different categories. Beverly Education Foundation Cove School representatives Anna Green and Doug Walker, and Betsy Frattaroli, Principal, Cove Elementary School, joined the Committee to present information on the Beverly Education Foundation, formerly the Cove School Endowment. Susan Foster, Director of Institutional Development, and Superintendent Lupini have met with Cove School representatives to broaden the scope and name of the group to include all Beverly Schools. The Foundation Board of Directors will include one school site council member from each school, with Ms. Foster and Mr. Lupini as non-voting members. Task Force on Violence Superintendent Lupini announced the Mayor' s Office has set aside March 21-27 as Rights, Respect, and Responsibilities Week. Superintendent Goals Update and Mid-Year Evaluation Committee members presented individual comments regarding the Superintendent's performance and attainment of goals. Unanimous approval and satisfaction was voiced by each member, noting achievement and accomplishments in many programs and initiatives throughout the district. COMMITTEE REPORTS Joint Secondary Facilities Committee Mrs. Brush reported on a meeting held January 21, 1999. It has been determined that state reimbursement may be available for renovations at Briscoe Middie School, and that Briscoe will be the first renovation project when a secondary plan is put in place. Discussion regarding possible grade reconfigurations at the middle school level has raised concern and comments from community members. Future meetings of the Joint Secondary Facilities Committee have been suspended until a study and review of the existing grade configurations can be completed. Mr. Cahill suggested that a committee be appointed, comprised of the Superintendent, two parents, two teachers, and the three Regular Meeting February 8, 1999 Page 5 secondary building principals, to study existing grade configurations, look at educational ramifications, and report back in six months, · It was moved by Mrs. Goodenough and seconded to appoint a study committee to review middle school configurations, the charge of the committee to be approved at the regular school committee meeting in March. Unanimously voted. Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities Mr. Bjork reported on a meeting held January 25, 1999. No action is necessary at this time. The date of the next meeting has not been determined. Standing Committee an Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Life Mrs. Frutiger reported on a meeting held February 2, 1999. The next meeting will be held at 7:00 PM, Monday, March 1, 1999. Subcommittee on Negotiations Them was no report. Executive Session · It was moved by Mrs. Goodenough and seconded to go into Executive Session to consider negotiations with non-union personnel, take whatever action necessary, and not return to Open Session. A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following: Mr. McHugh, Mayor Scanlon, Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Brusil, Mrs. Frutiger, Mrs. Goodenough and Mr. Cahill. NO: None Unanimously voted. · It was moved by Mrs. Goodenough and seconded to go into Executive Session to consider 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: Mayor Scanlon, Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Brusil, Mrs. Frutiger, Mrs. Goodenough, Mr. McHugh and Mr. Cahill. NO: None Unanimously voted. Regular Meeting February 8, 1999 Page 6 · It was moved by Mrs. Goodenough and seconded to go imo Executive Session to receive a report on pending litigation in the Thomas Durkin case, take whatever action necessary, and not return to Open Session. A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following: YES: Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Brusil, Mrs. Frutiger, Mrs. Goodenough, Mr. McHugh, Mayor Scanlon and Mr. Cahill. NO: None Unanimously voted. The Committee recessed at 8:40 PM. The Committee went into Executive Session at 8:45 PM. Elizabeth Frutiger Secretary