Action in Brief

4-24-06 School Committee Meeting

 

  • The Committee conducted courtesy interviews for the new incoming high school principals:  Jennifer Price, Newton North High School, and Brian Salzer, Newton South High School.

 

  • The following votes were taken by the Committee:

 

To appoint Dr. Brenda Keegan, current Interim Principal of Newton South High School, to the position of Assistant Superintendent of Schools effective 7/1/06

 

To accept a grant totaling $23,633 (Community Preservation Act – CPA – Williams Elementary School)

 

To set the last day of school as 6/22 (1/2 day) for students and 6/23 for staff

 

To approve the following FY07 Capital Improvement Program projects totaling $1,850,00:

 

            Heating Systems:  Horace Mann Boiler Replacement & Design

            Window and Door Systems:  Zervas

            Mason-Rice Accessibility

            Heating Systems:  Memorial-Spaulding Boiler Replacement

            & Design

            Window and Door Systems:  Mason-Rice

            Generator Replacement:  Education Center

            Underwood Masonry Repairs

 

·        Sandy Stapcynski, President of Human Resources Services, Inc., the consultant hired by the Committee for the Compensation and Classification Study of non-aligned employees, gave her presentation of the study.  The Committee asked questions and decided that the Management Study Subcommittee would remain in place to develop

recommendations for policy discussions around this study, as well as the one conducted by Gibson Consulting Group’s Study on Management Structure.

 

·        The Committee took up the issue of the 2007/2008 school calendar earlier than usual since there has been an expressed desire for some time to look at the possibility of beginning school earlier so that it can end sooner in June.  The Committee reviewed two options.  Option A is the traditional calendar that has teachers starting on Tuesday, September 4th and students starting on Thursday, September 6th, with the last day for students being Wednesday, June 25th and for staff Thursday, June 26th (includes five snow days).  Option B has teachers starting on Wednesday, August 29th and students starting on Tuesday, September 4th, with the last day for students being Monday, June 23rd and for staff Tuesday, June 24th.  The Committee is soliciting input from both parents and staff on the calendar.

 

·        The Committee heard an update from the Public Engagement Subcommittee on the work that has been accomplished under this goal this past year, including special forums, web survey, Actions in Brief of meetings posted on website, community budget mailing, management studies, and school/PTO visits.  The Committee discussed options for posting packet materials for School Committee meetings on the website on the day of the meeting and also possibilities for changing the public comment segment of School Committee meetings.  No conclusions were drawn on these matters.