MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING –
PRESENT: Chairperson Anne Larner, Vice-Chairperson Susan
Albright, Gail Glick, Patricia Kellogg, Marc Laredo, Nancy Levine, Leslie
Schneider, Dori Zaleznik, Casey Lynch,
student representative -
ABSENT: Mayor David Cohen
OPEN SESSION
At
MOTION: It was
moved, by roll call vote, to convene in executive
session for the purpose of discussing issues
related to
administrative contracts. If passed, the Committee will reconvene in
open session at
(Levine - Glick)
8 - 0 - 1
Absent: Mayor Cohen
ROLL CALL VOTE BY WARD:
Ward I, "yes" (Glick); Ward II, "yes" (Albright);
Ward III, "yes" (Larner); Ward IV, "yes" (Levine); Ward V,
"yes" (Kellogg); Ward VI, "yes" (Schneider); Ward VII,
"yes" (
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Anne Larner
called the meeting to order at
PUBLIC COMMENT
Tyler Summers, junior at
Alison Kahn, sophomore at
Newton North, agrees with the previous speaker's comments. The passing time currently is unrealistic and
would only be exacerbated by the long hybrid model. Some students are unfairly penalized when
late for class. There is no standardized
bell between classes, making it even more difficult to judge time.
Martin Rotenberg, senior
at Newton North, is pleased to see the progress on the high school
project. Both hybrids have advantages
and disadvantages. The most important
aspect of the design is not the outside footprint, but the arrangement of
classrooms and inside spaces. Any new
wing has to account for passing time and congestion. He does not see how the vertical
Jodi Detjen and Mara
Neslick, Newton Highlands, raised the issue of the current bus policy not
allowing for students to ride home with others for play dates in the afternoon
and presented the Committee with a petition in this regard. While not an official school policy last
year, this practice was allowed and provided a valuable service. Now parents have to pick up students for play
dates, causing increased traffic at the school, and forcing them to take
younger children along for the ride.
They feel that they are paying a fee but getting less service. They
understand the Committee is taking up the issue of user fees at their November
School Committee meetings, but requested they address this matter quickly and
provide a temporary solution prior to a formal policy. Their immediate suggestion includes allowing
children to ride home on any afternoon buses.
For the long-term, they proposed four options: 1.) institute monthly play date passes,
consisting of several guest tickets; 2.) offer permanently free afternoon
riding; 3.) allow purchasing of guest tickets on an as-needed basis; 4.)
convert the annual pass system to tickets, at .50¢ per ride, with discounts for
families with more than two children.
Margery Wider, teacher at
Newton North, raised three points about the high school project. The first is a reminder not to forget the
importance of the air quality in the building, both in the new and renovated
spaces. Secondly, she stressed the
importance of small, quiet spaces, where teachers can meet and conference with
students. Finally, flexible space for
possible expansion of future populations is critical.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES'
DISCUSSION
Casey Lynch commented that
her bus driver is still not checking passes and the bus is so crowded that some
students are standing. She has heard
from other students that their buses are practically empty and wondered if
there might be a way to reassign the fleet.
Anne Larner stated that
the Transportation Dept. is constantly monitoring these situations and there is
an ongoing effort to address these issues.
She thanked Casey for this feedback, which the administration will
review.
David Wittenberg noted
that his bus is also overcrowded and he actually goes to a farther stop, in
order to ride a bus that has fewer students.
He also supports previous speakers' comments about offering passes for
elementary students to attend play dates in the afternoons.
RECOGNITIONS
Jeff Young congratulated
the cast and crew of Lucky Stiff -- directed by senior John Colby -- which he
had the pleasure of attending this past weekend at Newton South.
The following recognitions
were acknowledged:
Elena
Gonzales and Alain Manigat, who were chosen as two of 1,600 outstanding Black
American Semifinalists in the 2004 Achievement Program.
The
following Zervas classmates, led by student Tori Wilson, with assistance from
her teachers and family, who worked with their legislators in successfully
getting a bill passed designating September 11th as Unity Day, (an honor to all
victims and heroes of the tragedy and to promote
peace,
unity and social action):
Marissa
Apstein Mark Garrity
Hannah
Armstrong Zack Hausle
Sarah
Berman Gus Hergreuter
Misael
Bermudez Lucy Hicks
Eddie
Bernson Emily
Hoberman
Matthew
Breuer Rose Hopkins
Leah
Cepko Willia
Iacobucci
Jennifer
Chan Rebecca Kantar
Catherine
Coravos Alex Kent
Jessica
Duff Jonathan
Kolnik
Gabriel
Feldstein David Kreiger
Dan
Fellman
Melanie
Fineman Suzanne Lau
Hallie
Frank Ho Gun Lew
Scott
Lueders Rachel Maltz
Julia
Mandehr Avery Meyer
Abby
Needleman Thomas Niemeier
David
Paddock Julius Parker
Jeremy
Perlman Evan Phillipps
Matt
Rothendler Jonathan
Rothendler
Tessa
Ruben Alex Rubin
Latrisha
Searcy Daniel Singer
Renee
Smith Norris
Spence
Hillel
Todres Gemma Topaz
Alex
Voitkov Madison
Willert
Stacy
Yanofsky Nathan Yuhas
Jesse
Zorfas Steven
Astrachan
Niara
Ijezie Steven
Rodriquez
Philip
Rosenberg
The following
Alexis
Resnick Emma
Rosenfeld
Genevieve
Resnick Olivia Lynch
Melissa
Anderson Jennifer Liu
Lauren
Bass Emily Summit
Rebecca
Oran Alexis
APPROVAL OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
MOTION: It
was moved to approve the School Committee
special meeting minutes
of 7/29 and
and executive session
minutes of
(Albright
- Schneider)
8
- 0 - 1
Absent: Mayor Cohen
REPORTS
SUPERINTENDENT'S PERSONNEL
REPORT
There were no questions on
the report.
Heidi Black, Administrator
of High School Construction & Strategic Planning, and Nicholas Parnell, Building
Commissioner, presented their report and a slide show of the work to date at
Heidi Black reported that
the student center is nearly complete and should be ready by next week. The rooftop air-conditioning unit was installed
yesterday. The I-building (classroom
connector) should be ready by the end of this month. They are hoping that the
gym will be ready for the basketball season, which begins in early
December. Goodwin House is under
renovation and they anticipate moving into the new wing over the December
break. Furniture and technology
procurement is ongoing and will be delivered as needed for the turnover of the
buildings.
Nick Parnell showed an
aerial view of the project to date and discussed the layout. He talked about the materials being used on
the new buildings that link nicely into the existing structure. He showed some typical classrooms, with their
technology components. All the windows
are being re-glazed and the entry stairwell pieces that were done in 1960 will
be clad in the same type of aluminum panel that is being used in the gym. He noted that the construction qualifies as a
"green" school. He talked
about the backup generating system that will basically run the entire school in
case of an outage. He showed pictures of
the field house and various naturally lighted areas, as well as the facade of
the new building. He talked about the
move of the administration office to the main floor, for easy access, and the
breathtaking view through the student center/cafeteria all the way to the back
of the building. Large columns in the
student center are outfitted with electricity and Internet access and the tile
work is quite exquisite in the servery.
Leslie Schneider asked if
the cafeteria will be open for socializing or studying at other times of the
day.
Heidi Black stated that
this is exactly why they intentionally call it the student center rather than a
cafeteria. The plan is for it to be open
during the day for a variety of activities, as well as both after school and in
the evenings. The administration will
determine the specifics.
Leslie Schneider asked
about increasing the height of the railings over the atrium.
Nick Parnell replied that
they have added an additional one-foot railing to that area.
Dori Zaleznik asked about
passing time between classes.
Heidi Black responded that
without having all of the buildings open, it is difficult to ascertain passing
time with accuracy. However, at Newton
South there is the ability to go outside at certain points through the
breezeway. While she thinks five minutes
passing time is reasonable, it will have to be tested once Goodwin House is on
line.
David Wittenberg commented
that his history class is in the modular classroom, which is in the general
location of the new Goodwin House. To
walk from that area to the first new building takes quite a while and students
are often late.
Anne Larner noted that the
construction site poses obstacles, so hopefully passing time will shorten once
this is over.
Susan Albright suggested
physically measuring the space from the farthest points at Newton South and
comparing that to the plan for Newton North.
Marc Laredo believes they
can learn from South's project before beginning North's and asked if there were
any unforeseen problems in the course of the project to date.
Nick Parnell stated that
any job of this magnitude is going to have unforeseen conditions and one small
issue causes a ripple effect. The best
way to handle this is to address problems as soon as they arise and
cooperatively come up with the best solution as quickly as possible. The weekly construction meetings, which
includes all the various representatives, is instrumental in keeping things
running smoothly.
Anne Larner noted that one
issue of concern with the South project was failure to deliver items according
to schedule. This could be much more
problematic in the compact site at Newton North and could have more serious
consequences. It will be important to
carefully lay out the critical points in phasing and construction, as well as
contingency plans.
Marc Laredo asked about
future long-term maintenance plans.
Nick Parnell admitted that
they are concerned about the amount of square footage being added to the
buildings and the increased charter maintenance needs that will accompany that
space. The new facilities manager in his
department is working closely with her counterpart in the school department on
the new maintenance system, which will allow them to track work orders and expenses
in real time. This preventative
maintenance piece is what has been lacking and which everyone agrees is key.
Superintendent Jeffrey
Young thanked the project team for keeping the work on course. While there are always unexpected situations,
they have done a very good job of staying on track. He also wanted to thank Principal Michael
Welch for keeping the focus on the eventual outcome of a wonderful new
facility.
FYO4 BUDGET UPDATE
Jeff Young stated that
this is the first report of the new school year and, as a beginning target, projects
a year-end surplus of $45,000. The
report also indicates the projected further reduction in state aid, as well as
the transportation fees, which will be discussed in future meetings. To date they have collected $370,000 in fees,
which is one of the key ingredients to their being in a good financial
position. Finally, the report indicates
that they are watching the utility accounts very carefully.
Dori Zaleznik appreciates
the depth of these reports, which will help them as they move forward into
another difficult budget.
OPERATIONS STATUS REPORT
Jeff Young introduced Paul
Anastasia, Facilities Operations Manager.
He then highlighted some of the major pieces of the report. New custodial equipment has just been
purchased and is being distributed systemwide.
They are working on substituting many of the supplies with green
alternatives, in order to keep the buildings more environmentally sound. Carol Bock, Director of Capital Planning
& Operations, has been working on the $25,000 grant that will assist them
in this endeavor. Finally, in the area
of Food Services, they have eliminated the sale of candy in vending machines at
the school.
Susan Albright asked if
PTOs utilize the kitchens and how that works in light of public health
guidelines.
Michael Cronin, Chief of
Operations, responded that the PTOs have been trained and certified by the
Health Dept. on serving temperatures, sanitation, and cleaning practices.
David Wittenberg commented
that he does not see the point in eliminating candy products while continuing
the sale of chips and other non-healthy foods.
Mike Cronin stated that
this was a first step in trying to eliminate food with a USDA guideline of zero
nutritional value.
Casey Lynch believes that
they need to go farther than just eliminating junk food in the schools. A mandatory unit on nutrition in the physical
education curriculum might be one way of addressing the issue.
Jeff Young stated that
later in the year there is a Report on the Consolidation of the Physical
Education/Health & Wellness Programs and this would be a good topic for
that time.
Mike Cronin mentioned that
the Status Report also addresses the conversion from gas to oil in four of the
buildings. This will now allow them to
convert back and forth depending on the projections of heating costs, thereby
avoiding an over-expenditure in this area and hopefully realizing a savings.
Gail Glick asked if there
are costs involved in reverting from one process to another.
Mike Cronin stated that
there is some pipe changing and maintenance involved, but overall it allows for
a lot more flexibility. Unfortunately,
many of the buildings do not have gas, so those schools do not have the ability
to incorporate the dual system.
SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATE
Carol Daynard, Assistant
Superintendent for Pupil Services, spoke about the Circuit Breaker
legislation. The legislature
appropriated increased funding for special education to be based on a formula. In the past it was a 50/50 split between city
and state on residential placements and full funding by the school systems on
all other programs. Under the new law,
anything over $29,000 per student can be reimbursed up to 75%. The State apparently has been overwhelmed in
the number of submissions and, therefore, it is taking them quite some time to
calculate. While
Gail Glick asked about
this year's preschool referrals in comparison with last year.
Carol Daynard replied that
the numbers have increased significantly and were not anticipated in the
projections. These children were not identified
in any early intervention program.
Marc Laredo asked if
neighboring communities are seeing similar increases in the preschool
population.
Carol Daynard replied that
while she does not have specific statistics, other communities are seeing
similar increases. She will provide
backup data on this for the Committee.
Gail Glick asked about the
Applied Behavior Analysis Program.
Carol Daynard explained
that it is similar to the program at Countryside, but for younger students who
have been diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorders. It is a one-to-one program, with intensive
intervention on individual tasks. A
consultant is helping them train staff on its implementation.
EXIT INTERVIEW REPORT
Jeff Young noted that the
five-year analysis shows that the pattern of students leaving the system has
remained fairly stable.
Marc Laredo asked about
students who never enter the public schools.
Sandra Guryan, Assistant
Superintendent for Business, Finance & Planning, replied that this
statistic is provided in the Report on Private School Enrollment, which is
produced later in the year. That
percentage has remained consistent over time.
Susan Albright asked about
the jump in numbers at the high school.
Sandy Guryan replied that
every other year they conduct a survey on the reasons people leave the system
and this is not one of those years. They
have had a change in the way the State has asked them to count and in the timing
of reporting, so it is difficult to know if this jump is because they have
incorporated more than 12 months into their data.
Susan Albright asked if it
is an unusual number of students moving out of the country this year.
Sandy Guryan would need to
look back at previous years and will provide that information.
Nancy Levine asked about
the number of students returning from private schools.
Sandy Guryan will provide
that statistic as well.
Jeff Young commented that
there are a number of factors that contribute to students leaving the system,
but the statistic on which he focuses is the one where people make a conscious
decision to lave the system for private school, which has been fairly stable
over the past five years.
STAFFING RECONCILIATION REPORT
There were no questions on
the report.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
DISCUSSION ON UPDATED
Jeff Young reported on the
five areas where staff was asked to look at how the renovation project might
impact upon the daily life of students and staff: schedule, music/drama programs,
library/cafeteria, time sensitive, and general physical education/athletic
concerns.
schedule
Heidi Black raised the
issue of the current seven- vs. eight-block schedule. An eight-block schedule makes available
additional classroom space and provides more flexibility in scheduling. There would be no need for leasing modulars
or building additional classrooms. It
would mean that they could continue to schedule as if it were seven blocks,
with 85% utilization, or continue at the current 100% utilization with more
sections.
Jennifer Huntington spoke
of the downside of an eight-block schedule, which is that some students will
over-extend themselves and fill every block available, thereby negating the
freeing up of space. It would also
lengthen the school day, thereby impacting on after school activities and
increase the stress level that has already resulted from Time & Learning
regulations.
Anne Larner noted that
shortening the blocks and keeping the same length of the school day is one way
to address the issue, but this means a loss of instructional time, with
complicated implications.
Jennifer Huntington added
that the major impact would be on the science classes and labs, which have
already been constrained.
Marc Laredo stated that
the educational needs of students must take priority over utilization
concerns. It appears that the
eight-block schedule has too many problems and should no longer be
considered.
Dori Zaleznik agreed but
noted that the reason the schedule was initially raised had to do with issues
around phasing. This was an attempt to
address in advance any possible unexpected problems that may arise during the
course of renovations. Other
contingencies now must be explored and this has to become part of their
decision around the appropriate option.
Susan Albright asked how
long a temporary schedule would have to be in place should this be a route they
decide to pursue.
Heidi Black replied that
it would be at least a year and possibly more.
It would depend upon when the renovated building would be ready for
occupancy.
Susan Albright would
prefer not to take the eight-block schedule off the table until they know more
about all the options.
Marc Laredo would like to
see this used only as a last resort.
Nancy Levine has concerns
about using this as a fallback solution because that would not give sufficient
time to implement such a major change.
Shortening instructional time, particularly in courses such as Power
English and Math, which are critical for students' success on the Massachusetts
Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam, is not an acceptable solution.
Heidi Black stated that a
number of conversations would have to be had around acceptable instructional
time, requirements, etc.
Anne Larner noted that
this underscores the need for the design team to provide a more detailed
phasing outline, although realizing this is only the feasibility stage.
music/drama programs
Jennifer Huntington
reported on her discussions with the music and theater directors. It is their opinion that if the construction
company needed four vs. two months, they could move events to other spaces and
reschedule certain activities in May and June.
Five months would be stretching it and any more than that would be very
problematic.
Nancy Levine suggested
that if they have to extend the work to four months, that they consider June
through September, which are less busy times, as seniors are gone and fewer
plays occur.
Marc Laredo asked about
noise and safety issues with construction occurring while school is in
session.
Jennifer Huntington stated
that this is why they would not want to have the work occurring in April or
May, when MCAS exams are taking place.
Anne Larner added that it
was her understanding that the work in the Little Theater and the auditorium
would occur after the new wing was constructed and the population had moved, so
that they could seal off the areas. This
will have to be confirmed.
Jeff Young stated that the
safety issues will be addressed at another meeting, when Dick Amster, Turner
Construction, is present.
Dori Zaleznik needs to
hear how they will be able to offer students a full range of experiences and
how to compensate for what they might miss while being confined to a classroom
wing for a substantial portion of a year or two.
library/cafeteria
Jennifer Huntington noted
that careful attention needs to be paid to how they will service students from
these areas during construction, as they are integral components of the
school. They also need to attempt to
confine the renovations to two summer months, if at all possible.
Heidi Black talked about
living through the renovation of the library at Newton South a number of years
ago and moving into a smaller space, which was quite sufficient for a
year. However, the difference now is the
technology that is critical in how students utilize resources. They also need to examine how to provide
nutritional lunches when the cafeteria is off line. The team is cognizant of the importance of
these issues.
Nancy Levine mentioned
that the availability of technology in the classrooms, as well as the proximity
to the Newton Free Library, allays some of her fears.
Susan Albright agreed that
having the Newton Library so close is a plus, but noted that the school library
is an integral part of teaching. She
asked about the options for the cafeteria.
Heidi Black stated that
they have talked about various possibilities, such as not serving hot meals,
but rather utilizing the salad and deli bars, or bringing in prepared
food.
Jennifer Huntington noted
that North is used to prepare food for the elementary schools, so this needs to
be kept in mind when talking about the kitchen being offline.
time
sensitive
Jennifer Huntington
mentioned the need to schedule renovations around the important but predictable
times of the year -- i.e., during MCAS, advance placement (AP) tests, and final
exams. These are the times when the
building needs to be quiet.
Anne Larner noted that
another aspect around time sensitivity is in the construction schedule in terms
of summer work. There is an expectation
that certain things will be completed by September. Having contingencies in place will be
important. It would be good to have as
clear a picture as possible of these critical pieces.
general
physical education/athletic concerns
Jennifer Huntington talked
about the possibility of closing down fields as a result of construction and
having to work with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
(MIAA) to host more away games. However,
they may also be able to utilize other fields within Newton for home games.
Dori Zaleznik suggested
they book well in advance for any offsite
locations and build into the budget necessary transportation costs.
At this point the
Committee returned to their discussions about the criteria for evaluating the
projects and the guidelines that were provided to the design team.
Jeff Young began by
talking about the analysis he will prepare once the final feasibility report is
complete. He will analyze each of the
options developed by the design team in view of the educational goals, which is
what will drive the ultimate decision. He will get input from staff in outlining the
pros and cons of each option and will be prepared to provide an assessment that
will give the Committee a good tool to work with in weighing and analyzing the
various designs.
Anne Larner outlined the
key educational factors that have been raised to date: flexibility of learning space, issues around
circulation and travel patterns, a sense of community, placement of offices, and
various gathering spaces for students.
Dori Zaleznik believes the
flexibility aspect is crucial because no one can predict the educational needs
for the future.
Gail Glick noted that, as
part of that flexibility discussion, they will also need to discuss whether
there are any state regulations around classrooms being a specific square
footage in order to be reimbursed and other factors that might impinge upon
their ability to be flexible.
Susan Albright asked about
accommodations for small group instruction.
Jeff Young noted that
teacher workspace is one of the major concerns for staff. There have been discussions about retaining the
current "six-pack" model vs. utilizing something similar to the workstations
at South or a hybrid of the two. More
staff input is critical in this area.
Susan Albright does not
believe that either model is adequate for small group instruction, so she would
be interested in hearing more about a hybrid.
She then asked about any information the architects might have in terms
of passing time in high schools.
Carl Franceschi, DRA,
stated that this has become an issue since Education Reform and Time & Learning
regulations, which have shortened the interval of time between classes. Their experience in recent years has been in
more compact buildings because of the reduction in enrollment, but many systems
still mention this as an issue.
Jeff Young stated that
they should be able to estimate the travel time from one point of the building
to the other and if that time needs to be slightly adjusted they will somehow
make it work.
Susan Albright asked if
the administration would look into the comment made by a student earlier this
evening with regard to being penalized for being late for class.
Jeff Young replied in the
affirmative.
Leslie Schneider does not believe
they can make assumptions about class size if they want flexibility.
Anne Larner commented that
if they are building for a 40-year horizon, she feels they need to focus on a
preferable class size. If economics
forces them to raise class sizes in any given year, she sees that as a separate
issue.
Susan Albright asked about
the current regulations on the physical classroom space in terms of state
reimbursement.
Carl Franceschi replied
that the standard for secondary schools is 750-850 square feet. In their experience, 30 students can be
housed in the latter figure.
Leslie Schneider asked if
clustering spaces would be more expensive.
Carl Franceschi replied
that it would be slightly more expensive because it would require more ductwork,
piping for ventilation, and drainage systems for science labs. However, as a percentage of the total cost,
it is not that large.
Anne Larner moved the
conversation to the physical plant and outlined the key factors that have been
raised in this area: emphasis on natural
lighting, security, parking and its impact on the playing fields, and the value
of renovated vs. new space in terms of both useful life and impact on operating
costs.
Marc Laredo would like to
add to the list the issue of the facade as an appropriate entrance and its
impact on the neighborhood. He would
also like to get a better feel for the interior of the building.
Dori Zaleznik would prefer
to give the architects a sense of the overall design, with emphasize on their
desire for a distinct entrance, but does not want to get bogged down in
specifics, which are part of the design phase.
Marc Laredo does not
disagree, but believes they need to make a decision around where the front
entrance will be located.
DISCUSSION OF 2004-2005
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Jeff Young presented three
options for next year's calendar, since Labor Day is so late (9/6). Option #1 is the traditional calendar, having
students and teachers return after Labor Day (teachers on Tuesday, 9/7 and students
on Thursday, 9/9). If all five snow days
are used, the last day of school for students would be Wednesday, 6/29. Option #2 has teachers returning on Wednesday
and Thursday prior to Labor Day, with Friday off, and students returning on
Tuesday, 9/7. Factoring in the five snow
days, this would be a Monday, 6/27 ending of school for students. Option #3 calls for both students and staff
to return on the Wednesday before Labor Day, with school on Thursday and
Friday. Assuming the five snow days are
used, the last day would be Thursday, 6/23. They will be asking for input on the calendar
from the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and will discuss this further at the
next School Committee meeting.
APPOINTMENT OF BUDGT
GUIDELINES SUBCOMMITTEE AND INITIAL DISCUSSION OF FY05 BUDGET GUIDELINES
Anne Larner announced that
Patty Kellogg, Marc Laredo and Dori Zaleznik will serve on the Budget
Guidelines Subcommittee this year, with Dori acting as chairperson.
Dori Zaleznik began the
discussion by noting that, given the current economy and fiscal projections, it
is likely that they will be as constrained this year as was the case last
year. She would like to approach the
process in a similar manner -- by asking what they are getting from their
current programs and whether there is a way to provide the same services for
less money. She hopes they can continue
to focus on class size as their main priority and not have to make sacrifices
in that area. She would also like to
look at some of the ancillary services, as a means to potentially generate some
savings, rather than impacting the core curriculum. They have made some headway in the area of
maintenance and she would be looking to the Committee for further direction in
that area. She would like to review the
status of textbook purchases and whether they need to continue the same
expenditure. Finally, she would also
like to analyze some of the areas where modifications were made last year
before targeting specific areas for further change.
Nancy Levine would like to
review service delivery models, particularly in high school guidance. They have had discussions over the years
about optimal vs. current ratios. She
has seen firsthand what happens with high ratios in terms of college
applications, stress, etc. and how this added burden on staff impacts on
students who need access to their counselors in the earlier years. She would like to see if there is some way of
addressing this problem creatively without having to hire a great deal of additional
staff.
Susan Albright commented
that, if the Committee decides to eliminate or lower fees, they will have to
make up that shortfall. They also need
to address the issue of custodial overtime and whether it makes more sense to
hire additional staff to keep that line item down. This is particularly important as more space comes
on line.
Leslie Schneider commented
on the number of new approaches around professional development that seem to be
cost-effective and would like to review that area. She would also like to revisit the literacy
initiative. Finally, she mentioned the Circuit Breaker legislation as a
possibility for additional funding that could be helpful.
Anne Larner noted that the
Circuit Breaker legislation is going to require a far more sophisticated
financial analysis during this budget.
The Committee then
proceeded to have discussion around their approach to the guidelines. The difficult financial situation was
acknowledged, as was the importance of looking at programs from a value of
service point of view and clearly outlining their core criteria.
VOTE TO APPROVE GRANTS
MOTION: It was moved to accept the grants totaling
$1,317,833,
as outlined in Attachment I.
(Levine - Schneider)
8 -0 - 1
Absent: Mayor Cohen
Leslie Schneider would
appreciate some follow-up on how this grant funding will be used.
Jeff Young replied that it
is the No Child Left Behind program and they will be happy to prepare some
information for the Committee.
COMMUNICATIONS
Nancy Levine reminded the
Committee that there are a number of resolutions before the Massachusetts
Association of School Committees/Massachusetts Association of School
Superintendents (MASC/MASS) that will be voted on at t
the November 12th
conference. If the School Committee
wishes to weigh in on these and instruct her how to vote, they will need to
discuss this at the next meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mara Neslick asked the Committee
to consider an interim solution to the bus issues around play dates rather than
waiting for a full policy discussion in two months.
Jeff Young believes they
can bring some information to the next meeting around the impact of various
proposals, but this will need to be discussed with staff.
Dori Zaleznik suggested
that the User Fees Subcommittee work with staff and parents to further explore
these issues prior to the next meeting.
Anne Larner stated that
they will do their best to gather as much information as possible prior to the
next meeting. However, given other pressing
issues that also require staffs' time, she cannot guarantee a specific timeline
on this matter.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned
at 10:05 p.m.