NEWTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING – SEPTEMBER 25, 2000

EDUCATION CENTER, FRAZIER ROOM, 7:30 P.M.

 

 

PRESENT:    Chairperson Verne Vance, Vice-Chairperson Anne Borg, Susan Albright, Rodney Barker, Susan Heyman, Anne Larner, Nancy Levine, Andris Vizulis, Mayor David Cohen, James Tierney, student representative – Newton North High School, Solomon Israel, student representative – Newton South High School

 

 

OPEN SESSION

 

At 6:30 p.m., it was announced that the Committee would entertain a motion to convene in executive session.

 

MOTION:    It was moved, by roll call vote, to convene in executive session for the purpose of conducting strategy sessions

in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel

and to discuss matters related to collective bargaining.  If passed, the Committee will reconvene in open session at

7:30 p.m.

 

                                                                        (Vizulis - Levine)

 

                              8 – 0 – 1

 

            Absent for vote:  Mayor Cohen

           

 

ROLL CALL VOTE BY WARD:

 

Ward I, “yes” (Vizulis); Ward II, "yes" (Albright); Ward III, "yes" (Larner); Ward IV, "yes", (Levine); Ward V, "yes" (Heyman); Ward VI, “yes” (Barker); Ward VII, "yes" (Vance); Ward VIII, “yes”, (Borg); Mayor David Cohen, absent for vote

 

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

Chairperson Verne Vance called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.

 

Mayor Cohen reported on a legal opinion rendered by the City Solicitor regarding the Open Meeting Law.  A question arose regarding the use of a public building by the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Council.  The City Solicitor has ruled, and the Office of Campaign Finance agrees, that the PTO Council’s use of the building is permissible, as long as buildings are made available to private groups

 

 

on an equal basis.  The Use of School Building policy is applied equally to all groups.  The second question had to do with political fundraising on school property.  The statute states that fundraising is not allowed in a municipal building and there is no allegation or indication that this occurred at the 9/18/00 meeting in question.  With regard to fundraising on public grounds vs. in the actual buildings, the City Solicitor has indicated that this is not prohibited.  While this allegation has not been substantiated or verified, this would not be a violation of the law. 

 

PUBLIC DISCUSSION

 

Adam Maleson, 336A Lexington St., Auburndale, spoke of the character and integrity of elected officials.

 

 

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES’ DISCUSSSION

 

Verne Vance welcomed James Tierney, student representative from Newton North, who was not present for introductions at the last meeting. 

 

 

RECOGNITIONS

 

The following recognitions were acknowledged:

 

            Penny Benjamin, 3rd grade teacher, Cabot Elementary School, for

            being chosen as one of 33 teachers, of the 70,000 nominated, to

            be honored in Disney’s American Teacher Awards.

 

The Automotive Technology Program  and the Auto Body  & Collision Repair Program, for receiving national program

certification status from the National Automotive Technicians

Education Foundation, Inc.

 

            National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists:

 

                        Newton North                                   Newton South

                        Jeffrey Arbeit                                   Ilya Abyzov

                        Benjamin Elias                                  David Durschlag

                        Arianna Kelly                                    Sarah Fine

                        Dror Ladin                                         Carl Gold

                        Andrea Letvin                                   Timmy Ho

                        Sarah Lewis                                       Emily Honig

                        Jamay Liu                                          Katherine Murphy

Michael Lu                                         Tam Ngo

                       

 

 

Elizabeth Magruder                         Rui Nie

                        Douglas Norton                                 Vivek Rao

                        Lindsey Palmer                                Alissa Rothchild

                        David Ritt

                        Joel Rosen

                        Eliza Rosenbaum

                        Leela Sarathy

                        Benjaminn Wiegner

 

 

APPROVAL OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

 

Discussion was held about the new truncated format of the minutes and the desire to provide some more detail, but not the extent of past practice.

 

A correction was noted to the executive session minutes: Andy Vizulis was present and Rodney Barker was absent.

 

MOTION:    It was moved to approve the School Committee

regular and executive session meeting minutes

                                    of 9/11/00, as amended.

 

                                                                        (Levine – Albright)

 

                                                                             unanimous

 

 

SUPERINTENDENT’S PERSONNEL REPORT

 

Roberta “Bobbie” Dollase, Director of Human Resources, updated the Committee on staffing.  They still have some openings for aide and Instructional Support Staff (ISS) positions. 

 

Andy Vizulis asked if there has been much response to the Human Resources’ web page.

 

Bobbie Dollase stated that there has been some activity as a result of the web page.  In next year’s recruiting efforts, they also will be exploring other avenues on the Internet where they can post listings.  For example, Education Week is offering six months free posting on their new web site after the first of the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUPPORT SERVICES STATUS REPORT

 

Michael Pierce, Manager of Support Services, thanked everyone who was involved in getting the summer projects completed in a timely manner.  He also noted that the Angier Elementary School roof was completed.

 

Rodney Barker asked about the Newton South High School science labs, Bigelow Middle School steps, and custodial overtime.

 

Michael Pierce responded that the outstanding items in the science labs have been brought to the attention of the Building Department and they are still attempting to resolve these issues.  In terms of the Bigelow steps, the item is on the Capital Improvement Plan list and is an extensive and costly project.  Finally, with regard to custodial overtime, a great deal of that cost had to do with the cleaning of Bowen and Carr.  He will attempt to recoup some of that cost through the Building Department. 

 

 

DISCUSSION ITEMS

 

UPDATE ON STATUS OF HIGH SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS & MATERIALS

 

James Marini, Assistant Superintendent for High Schools & Operations, Sandy Guryan, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Finance & Planning, and Carolyn Wyatt, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, presented the report, which attempts to compare Newton’s spending in this area with seven other similar communities.  The research indicates that Newton is spending considerably less in this area.  The second part of the report deals with the several year plan of additional expenditures to address this issue and how that money was spent.  The third piece is an inventory of classroom materials.  The final section deals with curriculum cycles and associated appropriations. 

 

Anne Larner commented that in reviewing the FY98 Department of Education’s per pupil expenditure figures for these communities, Newton is second in spending.  This indicates that Newton has made some different choices in terms of allocating funds rather spending less money.

 

Sandy Guryan agreed that they spend as much, if not more, than other districts per pupil.  However, the largest portion is spent on staff, which impacts class size, program, and teacher load.  What is left over is a minimal amount and they are only spending approximately 1 and 1/2 – 2% of the budget on instructional materials. 

 

 

 

 

 

Susie Heyman commented that the per pupil expenditure allocation may have worked in past, but does not seem to make sense anymore.


Sandy Guryan responded that the concept can work but the level of allocation for what they are expecting principals to do with it is simply too low.  In another mid-sized district in which she was employed, the budget was driven more by program.  Instruction monies were given to coordinators and department heads, who then funneled it back into the buildings.  There is no right or wrong way and each method has pros and cons. 

 

Superintendent Jeff Young noted that the way Newton now addresses the issue is through school-based management, but without sufficient tools.  The alternative would be to funnel funds through programs and let coordinators and department heads work with staff on spending.  However, this can produce “turf wars” and pulls power away from principals in running their buildings.  Both methods have difficult trade-offs.

 

Carolyn Wyatt mentioned that the curriculum revision cycles tie into the funding as well, because in years when they are earmarking a specific curriculum area, an infusion of funds is provided for that subject.

 

Susie Heyman believes they need to work on a plan that deals with both building-based management and program needs because they are not exclusive of one another.  Recreating the textbook supplement as part of the regular budget may be one option, as well as pulling out equipment maintenance and other items from the per pupil allocation.

 

Discussion was had around the issue of the prices of textbooks, particularly at the high school level, and the cost for disposable materials in the earlier grades, as well as the fact that costs increase much quicker than the inflation factor. 

 

Jennifer Huntington, Principal of Newton North High School, Thomas Gwinn, Science Department Chair at Newton North High School, Jim McLaren, Science Department Chair at Newton South High School, and Brenda Keegan, English Department Chair at Newton North High School, talked about how the insufficient amount of money impacts their schools and programs.  Funding is not adequate for textbooks, consumables, or lab materials, and the allocation has to also cover items such as postage, paper, maintenance of copiers, etc.  Outdated textbooks have to be supplemented with current newspapers and magazines for information on the latest advancements in a subject.  It is a constant battle of replacement of materials and often the only way they are ever able to purchase new and different materials is through grant funding.  Also, purchasing the cheapest edition of paperbacks can mean eliminating the richer language of the fuller version, which does have an impact on the program.

 

 

Jeff Young talked about the fact that there is no great constituency for materials, so that when budget cuts are forced it is often these areas that suffer at the expense of staffing. 

 

Anne Larner added that it is easier to cut an elusive per pupil expenditure rather than a specific program.  The Committee will need to discuss this in context with their budget guidelines. 

 

Rodney Barker expressed confusion about the comment regarding the majority of the money being spent on staffing patterns.  He cannot believe that Newton’s staffing patterns are that much better than the comparable communities in the report.  He hopes they can do some further research.

 

Susie Heyman noted that often decisions are made in isolation and they do not have the full understanding of the tradeoffs.  The Committee has made positive strides in class size and other areas, but may need to make some adjustments now that they have a clearer picture. 

 

 

DISCUSSION OF FUNDING FOR EDUCATION REFORM

 

Jeff Young provided an overview of the draft position paper from the Association of School Superintendents on Massachusetts School Finance.  He mentioned that Massachusetts is ranked 44th out of 50 states for state financial support for education, while personal income is ranked 4th in the nation.  While Ed Reform has improved the playing field and helped some less affluent communities, clearly Newton has not made the kind of gains that they would like.  They stand significantly above the foundation budget and, as a result, only 1/8 of their budget is funded by the State. 

 

Sandy Guryan talked about how the formula provides resources to the most needy  districts, which was the initial purpose of Ed Reform.  The per pupil increase from the State has been helpful to Newton, but predictability and timeliness in funding from the State would be very beneficial in allowing them to analyze revenues and forecast resources.

 

Jeff Young added that the theory of Ed Reform was that communities like Newton would be able to utilize the annual per pupil increment to implement Time and Learning mandates and education reform efforts, but in reality the funding only serves to stabilize costs. 

 

Verne Vance mentioned that school expenses are paid for by  property taxes, which are held in check by Proposition 2 1/2.  Therefore, they do not have the ability to access the wealth available in the community to support the schools.

 

 

Susie Heyman mentioned that additional funding for areas in special education (SPED), as outlined in the report, would be key areas in which Newton could advocate.  Each community is struggling and fighting for similar things and

tradeoffs are being made.  Funding must be maintained for the less economically powerful communities, while increasing the size of the overall pie.

 

Anne Larner expressed concern about some of the items listed in the report, such as full-day kindergarten, lowering class size, expanding early education, etc. Minimum  aid communities like Newton would not receive any assistance to deal with these increasing mandates, because it would be channeled through the foundation budget.  This sets increased expectations without sufficient resources. 

 

 

APPOINTMENT OF BUDGET GUIDELINES SUBCOMMITTEE & INITIAL DISCUSSION OF FY02 BUDGET GUIDELINES

 

Rodney Barker, Susan Heyman and Nancy Levine will serve on the Budget Guidelines Subcommittee.

 

Jeff Young stated that the administration is researching past budgets to determine the areas that have been continually responsible for producing deficits,

in the hopes that they can be funded at more appropriate levels.

 

Initial discussion was had around some possible topics for the budget guidelines.  The high school textbooks and materials were mentioned, as was consumables at the lower grades.  A request was made for research on comparable communities around funding for the performing arts, as well as an appeal for a reserve contingency for unexpected costs that arise during the year. 

 

 

ACTION ITEMS

 

APPROVAL OF 2000-2001 PROPOSED SCHOOL COMMITTEE DOCKET ITEMS

 

Discussion occurred around the various meetings where the Committee would discuss a class size policy.  It was determined not to set a specific date for a vote on this topic until they see where these discussions lead and so that they can receive sufficient input from the community.  It was then decided to change the date for the final vote on the budget guidelines, in order to include any policy issues that might arise out of the class size discussions.  A timeframe for discussions around the issue of redistricting, while not specifically appearing on the calendar, will be forthcoming. 

 

            MOTION:    It was moved to approve the 2000-2001 Proposed

                                    School Committee Docket Items, as amended.

 

                                                                        (Larner – Borg)

                       

                                                                             8 – 0 – 1

 

                                                            Absent for vote:  Mayor Cohen

 

 

VOTE ON 2000-2001 SYSTEMWIDE GOALS

 

Some minor changes were made to the wording of the systemwide goals.  The last sentence in the first paragraph reads...”The standards-based curriculum we advocate balances the ideal of individual, professional decision-making by classroom teachers, with agreements among teachers about the sequencing and coherence of subject matter.”  The first sentence in the second paragraph of the Respect for Human Differences Mission Statement reads...”to encourage the broadest understanding and acceptance of human differences (including differences in socio-economic class, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, language, learning styles, special needs, physical appearance, sexual orientation, etc.) while affirming fundamental similarities of the human community.”

 

            MOTION:    It was moved to approve the 2000-2001 Systemwide

                                    Goals, as amended.

 

                                                                                    (Larner – Heyman)

 

                                                                                                8 – 0 – 1

 

                                                                              Absent for vote:  Mayor Cohen

 

 

VOTE TO APPOINT A DELEGATE & ALTERNATE FOR MASC/MASS CONFERENCE

 

MOTION:    It was moved to appoint Rodney Barker, as

delegate, and Nancy Levine, as alternate, to

                                    the Massachusetts Association of School

                                    Committees/Massachusetts Association of

                                    School Superintendents (MASC/MASS)

                                    annual conference.

 

                                                                        (Heyman – Borg)

 

                                                                              8 – 0 – 1

 

                                                            Absent for vote:  Mayor Cohen

 

 

 

VOTE TO ACCEPT GRANTS

 

MOTION:    It was moved to accept the new grants

totaling $4,319,923, as outlined in

(Attachment G).

 

                                    (Larner – Vizulis)

 

                                            8 – 0 – 1

 

                        Absent for vote:  Mayor Cohen

 

 

VOTE TO APPROVE DONATIONS

 

            MOTION:    It was moved to accept the donation of a

camera and equipment for Newton North

High School’s sports broadcasting program.

 

                                    (Larner – Heyman)

 

                                            8 – 0 – 1

 

                        Absent for vote:  Mayor Cohen

 

 

REAPPOINTMENT TO NEWTON COMMUNITY EDUCATION COMMISSION

 

            MOTION:    It was moved to reappoint Linda Casey as a

representative to the Newton Community

Education Commission (July 1, 2000 –

June 30, 2002).       

 

                                    (Albright – Borg)

 

                                          8 – 0 – 1

 

                        Absent for vote:  Mayor Cohen

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

Andy Vizulis announced that the Newton Public Schools now has an official web site and that people can access it through www.newtonpublicschools.com.  This is

 

 

a work in progress, but there is a sufficient enough framework that documents can now be incorporated and with little oversight from a webmaster.  This work was done without any financial support from taxpayers. 

 

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

 

There were no members of the public who wished to address the Committee at this time.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:07 p.m.