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2003-01-15BEVERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS January 15, 2003 A regular meeting of the Beverly School Committee was held on Wednesday, January 15, 2003, at the City Council Chambers, Beverly City Hall, Beverly, MA. Members Present: Ms. Bell, Ms. Brusil, Ms. Coburn, Mayor Crean, Ms. Cronin, Ms. Norris and Mr. Tallo. Administrators in Attendance: William Lupini, Superintendent of Schools; James Hayes, Assistant Superintendent; Greg Zammuto, Business Manager. President Coburn called the meeting to order at 7 PM. Mayor Crean led the Pledge of Allegiance. RECOGNITION - SUCH OTHER MATTERS (KUDOS, CONGRATULATIONS) Superintendent Lupini and President Coburn introduced and recognized several persons. Mr. Bill Foye, Principal of Beverly High School recognized Jessica Davidson and Jennifer Holak as recipients of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS) Certificates of Academic Excellence for the 2002-2003 school year. Jessica and Jennifer were recognized based on their academic rank in the current senior class. Zoe Beaudoin and Katie Fish, fourth grade students at Hannah Elementary School, were recognized for winning prizes in the recent Junior Achievement Christmas Card Contest. Bob Dunn, Academic Division Leader for English, Social Studies and World Languages at Beverly High School, was recognized for recently completing all requirements to achieve National Board for Professional Teacher Standards status. Bob joins Betty Taylor and Lara Collins, also teachers at Beverly High School, as Beverly teachers who have met this high standard. A brief recess was declared at 7:15 p.m. The Committee reconvened at 7:20 p.m. CITIZEN INPUT Peter Gentile spoke to the Committee regarding his concerns about building issues at the McKay School building. Dr. Lupini stated the School Department would follow the Department of Public Health guidelines and recommendations on mold remediation. He will report back to the committee regarding test results and progress on necessary remediation. Ms. Coburn asked Mr. Gentile if he was satisfied that the testing done was adequate, and Mr. Gentile stated that he felt it seemed like a very legitimate test. Regular Meeting January 15, 2003 Page (2) Bob Stoneham addressed the Committee regarding middle schoolredistricting. Mr. Stoneham, a Hannah parent who supports redistricting, stated he felt it important to keep the elementary schools together and would like to see implementation next fall. Nancy Levin also spoke in support of redistricting, and voiced her support for action at this meeting. She expressed her concern regarding the impact on the students when their school population is split, and expressed her hopes the Committee will apply the lessons learned during elementary redistricting. If not passed, she suggested all schools should be split between both middle schools. COMMUNICATIONS Members noted receipt of communications addressing the following topics: · McKay Elementary School, referred to Dr. Lupini Request for further testing o Request for more communication o Request of results from Massachusetts Department of Public Health o Meeting with parents on December 31, 2002 resulted in the following concerns o expressed § Health concerns associated with the mold levels found within the building § Need and desire for a short term action plan to aggressively pursue steps to investigate health concerns raised and to provide opportunities for further analysis of the results by the MDPH Action plan was developed on January 3, 2003 and carried o ththth out on January 4, 5 and 6 Request for fair test including sealing the building 48 hours o prior to testing, which was completed on January 6th Additional need for further communication from the o principal and the administration th § PTO meeting was held January 7 where the MDPH responded to parent concerns § Communications were received requesting that recommendations come directly from the Department of Health after they have interpreted results § Similar parent meeting will be held once Department of Health analysis has been completed · Middle School redistricting Parent dismayed about recent newspaper comments expressed hopes these o sentiments will not effect students Parent in support of moving forward with the decision o Concerns with lack of timely information o Concerns about reconsideration of Option 1 o Support of Option 2 o Request for a delay of the decision in order to provide time for Centerville parents o to interpret the impact of the change of options Concern that with Option 2 some of the original goals of redistricting were o weakened Regular Meeting January 15, 2003 Page (3) · Beverly High School Receipt of letter asking not to go forward with project o Concern about City Council’s lack of support of schematic design and high school o building appropriation Lack of progress moving forward with NEASC recommendations o Concern about accreditation downgrade o Support of Proposition 2 ½ override o Positive comments regarding Dr. Lupini’s letter to parents describing the merits of o the high school REPORT FROM STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE Laura Cancellieri reported the student council has addressed the following issues · A fundraising campaign is currently underway · Guest speakers have been invited to a Speakers Series scheduled to be held in February through the end of the school year · By-laws are nearly complete and will be approved at the next student council meeting · A Day of Respect is planned which will include activities and guest speakers · Ski trip currently is in the planning stages; students will meet with administration once further details become available RECORDS OF MEETINGS It was moved by Ms. Bell and seconded by Ms. Cronin to approve the records of the regular meeting held November 13, 2002, as presented. It was moved by Ms. Coburn that the report of the Standing Committee on Secondary Facilities be amended to reflect that Dr. Lupini would meet with Building Commission members and Mr. Phil Poinelli of SMMA to “discuss with SMMA the issue of schematic design and what the cost for an analysis of what it would take to bring Beverly High School up to NEASC standards”. Unanimously approved as amended. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Overnight Field Trip Mr. Aucone spoke to the committee about an overnight field trip for Briscoe eighth grade students to Mount Washington, New Hampshire from June 16 – 18, 2003. He explained this is the second year this trip has been planned. A variety of activities have been organized including a hike, a gondola ride, and an evening cruise aboard M/S Mount Washington. Three teachers and other chaperones will attend, and a number of security measures will be taken to ensure student safety. It was moved by Ms. Brusil and seconded by Ms. Bell to approve the field trip as presented. So voted. North Shore Regional School Committee Appointment Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Finance & Facilities, it was moved by Ms. Brusil and seconded by Ms. Norris to appoint Mr. Dean Porteous, 140 Rantoul Street, as Beverly’s Representative to the North Shore Regional Vocation School Committee for a three-year term beginning on January 9, 2003. So voted. Ms. Norris will send a letter to express the Committee’s gratitude to Mr. Paul MacDonald, former representative, and to invite him to the February 12th School Committee meeting. Regular Meeting January 15, 2003 Page (4) District Policy Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction & Student Life, the following policies (Section J: Students) were submitted for a second reading by the School Committee: * Attendance * School Admissions * Admission of Exchange Students * Student Rights and Responsibilities * Student Due Process Rights Changes were discussed. It was moved by Ms. Noris and seconded by Ms. Bell to approve the policies as amended. So voted. Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Finance & Facilities, the following policies (Section F: Facilities Development) were submitted for a second reading by the School Committee: * Facilities Development Goals * Enrollment Projections * Closing Schools * Site Acquisition Procedure Changes were discussed. It was moved by Ms. Norris and seconded by Ms. Bell to approve the policies as amended. So voted. The Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction & Student Life recommended the following policies (Section J: Students) for a first reading by the School Committee. This initial reading required no formal action. Committee members asked questions and proposed changes to the policies, which will be made prior to the second reading at the February meeting and will require a formal vote of the Committee. The following policies were considered as part of this section: * Student Citizenship * Tobacco Use by Students * Physical Restraint It was moved by Ms. Cronin and seconded by Ms. Bell to submit these policies as amended for a second reading at the February 12, 2003 meeting. So voted The Standing Committee on Finance & Facilities recommended the following policies (Section D: Fiscal Management) for a first reading by the School Committee. This initial reading required no formal action. Committee members asked questions and proposed changes to the policies, which will be made prior to the second reading at the February meeting and will require a formal vote of the Committee. The following policies were considered as part of this section: * Accounting system * Sales Calls and Demonstrations * Payment Procedures * Expense Authorization and Reimbursement * Cash in School Buildings Regular Meeting January 15, 2003 Page (5) Middle School Redistricting The Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction & Student Life recommended that the School Committee adopt the following middle school redistricting plan for implementation, beginning with the sixth grade, during the 2003-2004 school year: Briscoe Middle School: Students from Hannah Elementary School, Cove Elementary School and North Beverly Elementary School. Memorial Middle School: Students from Ayers Ryal Side Elementary School, Centerville Elementary School and McKeown Elementary School. After considerable discussion addressing concerns of equal enrollments, small class sizes and geographic integrity, a motion was made by Ms. Norris and seconded by Ms. Bell to accept the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction & Student Life. So voted Information Items Special Education Funding (Residential Programs) Dr. Lupini distributed a memo from the Commissioner of Education, David Driscoll, informing local school districts that the state will be unable to pay its share of the cost for st special education students in out-of-district residential placements from April 1 through the end of the current school year. Currently, local districts and the state share the costs of out- of-district residential placements on a 50/50 basis. If this decision is permitted to stand, it will require that Beverly find at least $75,000 in additional funding in FY03. Centerville at McKay Following is a chronology of steps taken with respect to the current situation at the Centerville at McKay school: · Gordon Mycology conducted carpet, air and surface testing on Monday, January 6, 2003 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. · Representatives from the Department of Public Health, including Suzanne Condon, met with Centerville parents at a PTO meeting on Tuesday, January 7, 2003, to discuss testing procedures, their role in the process, and the safety of the school. · Administration has provided staff and student absenteeism information, as well as data regarding student visits to the nurse, to the Department of Public Health for analysis as part of their investigation. · Another meeting with parents will be held as soon as testing data and remediation recommendations are available. Administration expects that representatives from both DPH and Gordon Mycology will participate in that meeting. Dr. Lupini informed the committee that administration is currently developing a contingency plan in the event it becomes necessary to move students from the building. Individual requests are being addressed as they are received. Naming of an Area after an Individual The administration supports the request from Mr. Tom Kokos, Principal of North Beverly Elementary School, to name the reading area in the North Beverly Media Center after Joey Scotti, a former student at North Beverly. This item will be referred to the Standing Regular Meeting January 15, 2003 Page (6) Committee on Finance for their January meeting and, if recommended, to the full School Committee in February. German Trip Update The German Exchange Trip, which was originally scheduled from February 14, 2003, through March 1, 2003, has been changed to Sunday, February 16, 2003, through Monday, March 3, 2003, due to carrier availability. This will necessitate having students miss one (1) additional day of school. In addition, students will spend the final three days of the trip in Berlin, rather than spending the entire trip in Nuremberg. Mr. Guy has arranged for hotel reservations and evening security procedures. State Budget Funding Dr. Lupini informed the committee that Governor Romney’s proposed cuts in funding for schools would result in an additional $350,000 in cuts from our FY03 budget, and this cut would effect staff. The Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities will discuss further at their meeting scheduled for January 28, 2003. COMMITTEE REPORTS AND UPDATE ON SCHOOL COMMITTEE GOALS Standing Committee on Secondary Facilities School Committee Goal I - Develop Plan to Improve Beverly High School Facility The next meeting, scheduled for January 30, 2003, has been cancelled. Discussion of the last City Council meeting followed, and the members expressed the need for a joint meeting involving the School Committee, City Council and Building Commission to discuss the high school facility and accreditation. Members felt such a meeting will allow the city to move forward and show some progress in addressing the concerns of NEASC. Although the Finance sub-committee of the City Council has discussed the appropriation of funds to address building needs, the full City Council has not yet met to discuss this issue. Mr. Tallo asked Ms. Coburn and Mr. Guanci to arrange for a joint meeting. Ms. Cronin suggested three specific topics should be placed on the agenda for discussion. Ms. Coburn asked members to forward suggestions for discussion to her. Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction and Student Life School Committee Goal II - Promote Beverly High School The Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction and Student Life met on January 6, 2003. Committee members discussed and voted to forward their recommendation of Option 2 for middle school redistricting to the full committee for their approval. Also discussed, was the use of bicycles and scooters on school property within parameters set by the administration. Following considerable discussion, a vote was taken that resulted in five members voting in favor and five opposed. The motion failed. Committee members also reviewed policies, which were forwarded to the full committee this evening for a first reading. The next meeting of the Standing Committee on Curriculum, Instruction and Student Life is scheduled for February 3, 2003. Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities School Committee Goal V - Update District Policy Manual The Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities met on December 17, 2002. The committee interviewed Mr. Dean Porteous, and a vote was taken to recommend to the full committee that Regular Meeting January 15, 2003 Page (7) Mr. Porteous be appointed as Beverly’s representative on the North Shore Regional Vocational School Committee. FY03 and FY04 budgets were discussed, as was the Mayor’s proposed budget cut for FY03. Ms. Cronin and Dr. Lupini will review suggestions for FY04 budget cuts. Policies were also discussed and have been forwarded to the full committee for a first reading at this evening’s meeting. The next meeting of Finance and Facilities will be held on Tuesday, January 28, 2003. Subcommittee on Negotiations School Committee Goal IV - Review Process and Documentation for Superintendent's Evaluation Ms. Bell mentioned that the Subcommittee on Negotiations would meet on Thursday, January 16, 2003, to discuss strategy. AFSCME has requested to begin the bargaining process, and tentative dates are being explored. The teachers’ union has not yet submitted their request to begin negotiations. School Committee Goal III - Develop a Strategic Plan for the Beverly Public Schools Dr. Lupini informed the committee that the money proposed for the Strategic Plan will be part of an FY03 budget cut. Mayor Crean informed the committee that the Centerville Fire Station is under a purchase agreement for $240,000. Additionally, a number of people have recently expressed their interest in the Ryal Side station. It was moved by Ms. Bell, and seconded by Mayor Crean to adjourn. So voted. The meeting adjourned at 9 PM. Janet Norris Secretary