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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Comm Minutes 1/25/2011MANSFIELD SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Michael Trowbridge, Chairman f G C E I V E D Frank Del Vecchio, ViceChaTj hli ` C' 'CE Lisa Losiewicz Jean Miller i0ii Fi? 6 U 2 2l Jim Perry h,< L t ; -�. 7:00 PM Open Session Adiourn to EXECUTIVE SESSION - 7:01 PM - Superintendent's Office Adiourn to OPEN SESSION - 7:30 PM - Room 3 A & B 7:01 PM EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA 1.) Collective Bargaining Strategy / Update/ Non Union Personnel & Administrative Contracts Food Service, Little Hornet Daycare, MEA, Para Prof., SPED Drivers 7:30 PM OPEN SESSION AGENDA 7:30 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 7:35 7:40 SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT 1.) Personnel 8:00 APPROVAL OF WARRANTS 8:05 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1.) Executive Session Minutes of December 14, 2010 Enc. 2.) School Committee Minutes of December 14, 2010 Enc. 8:10 OLD BUSINESS 1.) Full Day Kindergarten Piloting Update Enc. 2.) FY'12 Budget Update if any 8:30 NEW BUSINESS 1.) Secretary & Clerks - Ratification 2.) Building & Grounds Ratification 3.) Elementary Mathematics • Performance Review / Restructuring Program Enc. 4.) Field Trip Approval if any CITIZENS COMMENTS 9:00 SCHOOL COMMITTEE NEW BUSINESS OTHER Mansfield School Committee Meeting Minutes for Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Town Hall, Room 3B & C An Open Meeting of the Mansfield School Committee was held at the Town Hall on Tuesday, January 25, 2011. A motion to open the Open Meeting was made by Mr. Michael Trowbridge, 2nd by, Mr. Jim Perry with a roll call vote and called to order at 7:00 PM by Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge. After returning from Executive Session the Open Session meeting was reopened and called to order by Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge at 7:40 PM. Motion U.C. 5 - 0 Members Present — roll call vote to open meeting'. Mr. Michael Trowbridge, Chairman; yes Mr. Frank DelVecchio, Vice Chairman; yes Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, yes Mrs. Jean Miller, yes Mr. Jim Perry yes Also Present: Mrs. Brenda Hodges, Superintendent of Schools Mr. Edward Vozzella, Director of Finance ( CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT: APPROVAL OF WARRANTS Warrants were approved. Motion to approve by Mrs. Jean Miller, 2 "d by Mr. Frank DelVecchio. Motion U. C. 5 - 0 APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Executive Minutes for December 14, 2010 were approved. Motioned by Mrs. Jean Miller, 2nd by Mr. Frank DelVecchio. Motion U.C. 5 — 0. The School Committee Minutes of December 14, 2010 were approved. Motioned by Mr. Frank DelVecchio, 2 "d by Mr. Jim Perry i Motion U.C. 5 - 0 SCM 1 -25 -11 Paee 2 OLD BUSINESS Full day Kindergarten: Mrs. Kate Kristenson and Ms. Joanne Jordan presented information to the School Committee regarding the All Day Kindergarten Program they would like to pilot and the survey taken at registration with the rough number of the people interested in this all day program. There were 252 children registered for next year. The pre registration numbers are as follows: 103- yes, they would like a full day, 28 - NO - 21- not sure, and 100 gave no answer in the questionnaire. The Committee was informed that there would be two classes of the full day pilot program and that a lottery system would be used to determine who would be able to participate in the program. The basis for wanting the program is to use this opportunity as a feeder program during the restructuring phase at the Robinson Elementary. This program would be self supported, but the down side would be the loss of the Little Hornet Daycare because we would need the room used by them to hold the all day program. The tuition charged would be within the same being charged in the area for similar kindergarten programs. Mrs. Losiewicz noted her only reservation was that she supported the new program and the great benefits that go along with it by getting the kids as to where they need to be educationally but also supports the day care for the children and would not want to reduce the Little Hornets. Mrs. Hodges did remark that there really would not be any other area in the district to be able to house both programs and the Robinson was becoming even more cramped as it was. Mrs. Miller agreed with Mrs. Losiewicz and realizes that this would be a self supported program, but wanted to know if by eliminating the Little Hornet Program this would be awash with the kindergarten vs. the Little Hornet's. Strictly, fiscally, would this be a loss of revenue? Mrs. Hodges informed the Committee that the Little Hornets does not make money. Mrs. Jean Miller's concern was if it would end up costing us money for the kindergarten, but Mrs. Hodges reassured the Committee that the program would be self sufficient. The tuition charged would pay for the teaching staff, we are not looking to make money on it. Mr. Trowbridge noted that we were looking at what was most educationally better for the children, daycare or kindergarten. Mr. Perry brought up the question about expanding the kindergarten, into where? If we could move forward and do this and still only have the 2 classes and never be able to include anyone else by always using the lottery system, Mr. Perry would have some concerns about that. Mr. DelVecchio agreed with Mr. Perry that this is a trial or pilot program but at one point will it become a concern that it moves into a full day and then where do we put them? Do we charge everyone for a half day? Mrs. Hodges acknowledged that everyone would pay for a half day because we are required to provide a half day kindergarten for all children. Mr. Trowbridge did state everyone would end up wanting the full day and not being able to do it unless the state mandated it. Mrs. Hodges explained that we are space challenged as well as putting a plan together that shows that we are moving forward in the restructuring process so that all children achieve success. This is one of the pieces of that program, it's really about the educational component and moving forward. Mrs. Miller noted that if this is part of the restructuring, will we be targeting certain children who are not achieving will you then be seeking out the children that are not doing as well? Mr. Perry also mentioned that once these children go into first grade, the ones that had the full day may very well have an advantage over the ones that did not and begin achievement gap. SCM Page 3 Fv'12 Budget Update Mr. Edward Vozzella reported that there was no change or update in the budget numbers thus far. The Governor will release his budget later. The DESE will be releasing the Net School Spending monies soon. There will be a small group of us meeting in February to go over these numbers. Secretary & Clerks — Ratification Mrs. Hodges was pleased to announce that the Secretary & Clerks have ratified their new contract. The School Committee voted to accept the terms of their new contract. Motioned by Mr. Frank DelVecchio and 2 "d by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz. Motion U. C. 5 - 0 Building & Grounds Ratification Mrs. Hodges was pleased to announce that the Building & Grounds Union have also ratified their new contract. School Committee Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge, thanked both the Secretary & Clerks and the Building & Clerks Unions for a very smooth process. They worked with us with the health care portion and agreed to go to the Value Plan with the town, which will save the town significant money. It was a very good process and thank you to them for their understanding. Motioned by Mr. Jim Perry and 2 "d by Mrs. Jean Miller. Motion U. C. 5 - 0 Elementary Mathematics Jordan Jackson Co- Principals, Ms Teresa Murphy and Mrs. Kathy Podesky, presented a power point overview of the new Elementary Math Program that will encompass the review of student performance and the restructuring program for the new Elementary Mathematics. Committee member, Mrs. Jean Miller, was very happy to see how comprehensive this process is and Mrs. Hodges commended the administrators on the work they have already done as well as the teachers for all the work that this process has required and how much more work it will entail. Many thanks for all your hard work. Field trip The MHS Robotics Team is currently scheduled to compete at Boston University from April 7- April 9, 2011, with the fees being met from Raytheon contributions. The parents will serve as mentors /transportation on a daily basis. Currently, the Robotics Team is on wait list status for the National Championships in St. Louis from April 28 through April 30, 2011. The team is looking for approval for this trip in the event their status changes from wait list to competitive status. All funding has been raised through soliciting local industries/businesses with the Mansfield Electric covering the fees for St. Louis if our status should change. SCM Page 4 Motioned by Mrs. Jean Miller and 2 "a by Mr. Jim Perry. Motion U. C. 5 - 0 CITIZENS COMMENTS Antonia Blinn asked if the system had become eligible for the RTTT yet and wanted to know what the cost for the math program was going to be and how we planned to pay for it. Superintendent Hodges replied that the program would be expensive but there were many ways to pay for the program, such as through a piloting program or paying over time. Ms. Blinn asked for a rough number for the range of a math program in which Mrs. Hodges replied a K — 5`h grade Math Program would fall between $350,000 to $400,000 in cost, but she does not anticipate the cost being that high. Ms. Blinn asked about what stage the restructuring was in and how it was going. Mrs. Hodges explained that we had submitted the plan to the DESE in October and it was a public document and she believed that it was on the website. Ms. Pam Coyle was pleased to hear that teachers professional Development can be seen on the web and asked if the School Committee meetings could be carried live on the web, to which Mr. Trowbridge said no, it is on cable. SCHOOL COMMITTEE NEW BUSINESS Mr. Trowbridge mentioned that there could be another snow day approaching. The DOE had sent out a memo stating that the DOE will not be forgiving any snow days and that if you need more days you had better work them out. Our last day is scheduled for June 27 "i. If we should have more than three more snow days we would have to come together with our associations and work out when we would make up those days either on Saturdays or vacations days. The State Department recommends that we look at vacations time first then Saturday's. Mr. Trowbridge asked Mrs. Hodges to be proactive and look at the calendar. OTHER Motion to adjourn Motion was made to adjourn the School Committee Meeting of January 25, 2011 at 8:55 PM for the purpose of adjourning and going back into Executive Session for discussion regarding Collective Bargaining Strategy / update with Food service, Little Hornet's Daycare, MEA, Para's and SPED Drivers. Motion to close by Mr. Frank DelVecchio, 2 "d by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz. Roll call vote to close: Michael Trowbridge, yes: Jim Perry, yes; Frank DelVecchio, yes: Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, yes, Mrs. Jean Miller, yes. Motion U.C. 5 - 0 Respectfully submitted, Mary O. Jackson Secretary to the Superintendent & School Committee