HomeMy WebLinkAboutMaster Plan Comm. 05/16/1996MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE MEETING J j1
MAY 16, 1996
Attendance: Peter DeTrolio, Shuan Burke, Donna Sennott, Emi1;416rdanq,,
Bill Madan, Kathleen Nash, Bernie Dolan, Tom McShane,
George Dainis, Jim Burke, Andrea Honda, Marydee Flynn, John Sulli—
van, Duane Frederick, Michael Trowbridge, Dr. Donald Nicoletti
Absent: Shirley Hanlon, Lionel Brooks, Ralph Penney, Tom French, Bill
Williams/Chris Marion
I. 7:30 p.m., Meeting called to order
II. Correspondence —letters from Mr. Madan, Dr. Nicoletti
III. Discussion of School Goals:
Focus of meeting was to discuss consensus goals to be incorporated into
the Master Plan. The School Committee members present (Nicoletti, Giordano,
Dainis, Trowbridge) stated a strategic plan was being put together, to be
available around October of t996, to attain vision of excellence. Community
opinion for the School Committee is garnered by parent focus groups. Some of
the school scholastic measurements: go to college, stay in college, drop —out
rate, State measurements, number of children taking advance placement for
college credits (>than average), 12th grade product shows excellence in school
system. Graduates of college accustomed to working in teams, businesses
looking at this. Also measurements lay people could use are the percentage of
kids taking non —trivial math in the middle school, the pre—school program, the
number of students going to a 4 year college consistently, the blue ribbon high
school. Dr. Nicoletti feels to look at one item, S.A.T. scores for example, is
not an indicator on the quality of the school system. He further stated that
in Mansfield, all students are encouraged to take the S.A.T.s, not just
college —bound students, which affects the over—all S.A.T. average for
Mansfield. The School Committee stated the schools would also like to fit into
the future of the Town i.e., supporting a strong downtown, staying at Memorial
Hall (administrative offices), supporting recreational, cultural, intergenera—
tional programs, maintaining current good relationship with the police and fire
department, and also by minimizing the need for public expenditure (Chapter 60
reduction of energy consumption). While some members of the Master Plan
Committee wanted concrete indicators of success, the School Committee cautioned
against one such indicator, instead encouraged success to be measured against a
broad range of indicators as noted above.
IV. Summary— as above, Master Plan to meet with School Committee for follow—
up June 16, 1996.
V. Public comment:
Mr. Gerald St. Hilaire: questioned the contribution to society children
graduated from Mansfield will make, and if that should be included as an
indicator of success.
Mrs. Margie McShane: Voiced concern regarding the acceptance of the
"average" when connected to national test results.
Mrs. Marianne Macdonald: verbalized displeasure that goals listed April
30th indicated train station, and any expansion, to be in downtown only,
felt Train Station Advisory Committee should contribute to goal setting.
Also stated concerning schools that she felt children are getting an ex—
cellent education, and is impressed with the high standards she sees in
her children's education.
Mr. Bill Madan: resigning as voting member of the Master Plan Committee
will remain as observer. (It had been researched into the Town Charter
that a member of the Board of Selectmen cannot be a voting member on any
other Town Board. Mr. Madan is Chairman of the Board of Selectmen).
VI. Meeting adjourned 9:17 p.m. (Dolan —Sullivan) unanimous
VII. Next meeting May 28, 1996 7:30 p.m..
Signature of Clerk
Date of Acceptance