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These minutes as fetched from the district site on 2009-08-31 11:26 PM:

WESTBOROUGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE

WESTBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS

MINUTES

Wednesday April 8, 2009

The Westborough School Committee meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Chairman, Craig Harris. Committee members present included Mr. Bruce Tretter, Mr. Stephen Doret, Mrs. Ilyse Levine-Kanji and Mrs. Karen Henderson. Administrators present included Assistant Superintendent Mrs. Marianne O’Connor, Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Daniel Hendricks; Student Representative, Katherine McManus; Principals, John Smith, Pattie Berkey, Reene Hatherley, Jeffrey Slomski; Director of Technology, Kathy Martin; Finance Committee liaison, Cliff Watts.

The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

MINUTES

Upon a motion by Mr. Tretter and a second by Mrs. Henderson, the Committee voted 5-0 to approve the minutes of April 1, 2009.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT AND HIGHLIGHTS

Mrs. O’Connor introduced Leah Garber who will be recognized by the Girls Scouts of America on May 3 for having achieved the Girl Scout Gold Award. Leah provided recycling education for adults and children and performed hands-on projects in town.

New Fales School principal, Maryann Stannard, was introduced to the community. Her appointment is effective July 1. Mrs. Stannard is currently a second grade teacher at the Hastings School and has her Certification of Administration from Anna Maria College. Mr. John Mendes was also introduced. Mr. Mendes will become principal of the Armstrong School July 1. He is presently a principal in Leominster, MA, and was also a second grade teacher earlier in his career.

Mrs. O’Connor reminded the public her office should be contacted by April 10 if applying for financial aid for the kindergarten program. She also noted the Fales district kindergarten children will be placed all in one classroom at the Armstrong School.

COMMITTEE REQUESTS AND REPORTS

Katherine stated the quarter grades close on Monday. Students will be leaving for the Quest program after spring break. Some seniors have applied and been accepted into the program that allows them to work as interns in professions of particular interest to them. Colleen Debish is the coordinator.

Mr. Tretter reported the Board of Selectmen has chosen Jim Molloy as its next town manager, effective July 1. Earth Day is April 25. Participants will be meeting at 6:30 and 9:00 a.m. to help clean up areas of town.

Mrs. Levine-Kanji noted it is the first night of Passover and apologized for the oversight when scheduling this meeting. Mrs. Henderson added that April 10 has been rescheduled as a half day of school.

Mr. Harris attended the Safety Committee meeting. He feels there are many things in place to assure us of the safety of the students and staff.

CITIZENS REQUESTS AND REPORTS

Sally Lampi expressed concern with the decision to reduce a PDD teacher at the Mill Pond School and the ability to serve those students in the regular classroom.

REPORTS

CLASS SIZES/ENROLLMENT

Mr. Hendricks reported class size in the schools is between 15 and 22 with the exception of the Gibbons Middle School, where the numbers are 22 to 24. That area will be watched for increases over the summer. Numbers will be known in the foreign language area after the Mill Pond students go through the enrollment process.

School Committee Meeting 2.

April 8, 2009

Mrs. Henderson felt the numbers reflect the Committee’s priority of placing budget money in the classrooms.

Principal, John Smith, stated the high school numbers are driven by student selection. Some courses will not run because of under-enrollment. The Core offerings are in good shape; electives will be determined after Gibbons students sign-up. There will also be some combining of 9^th and 10^th grade students, and 11^th and 12^th grade students in the Wellness program. Mandarin is doing extremely well and a Mandarin II class will be offered for 22 students.

FEES

Mr. Hendricks reported the Superintendent recommends establishing sub committees to review the Activity Fee structure and transportation bid, and to report back to the Committee next year. The administration feels the fee structure has been inconsistent.

Mr. Doret stated he has made two proposals in terms of the Activity Fee structure. One is to raise the $175 fee to $185 per family, capped; second, a flat fee of $133 each student who participates in music, athletics or activities. The amount raised will cover the negotiated increase in stipends and thus the public cannot accuse the Committee of subsidizing the increase through the main budget. The Committee will then not be faced with eliminating or reducing music, athletic programs or cut a teacher. Activities are an important part of the educational structure and provide an educational value to the school system. This sends a strong statement of how valuable the program is.

The Committee discussed the matter of financial aid and who and how a student seeks help. Mr. Harris did not feel it should be tied to the lunch aid.

MOTION

Mrs. Henderson made a motion to support Mr. Doret’s increase of the Activity Fee to $185 and to direct the administration to establish a sub committee to discuss and advise the School Committee of an Activity Fee going forward for next year. Mr. Harris seconded the motion. The motion would establish a $185 family cap at the High School and $135 cap at the Middle School.

Mr. Tretter would like to see a significant proposal towards fairness.

MOTION

Mr. Doret made a motion to establish a flat fee of $133. for activities. Mr. Tretter seconded the motion.

The Committee voted 2-3 on Mr. Doret’s motion with Mr. Doret and Mr. Tretter voting for the motion and Mr. Harris, Mrs. Levine-Kanji, Mrs. Henderson voting in the negative.

AMENDMENT

Mr. Harris offered an amendment to Mrs. Henderson’s motion that the sub committee look at fees and the School Committee will develop a hardship policy. Mrs. Henderson accepted the amendment. The Committee voted 4-1 on the amendment with Mr. Tretter voting in the negative.

The Committee then voted 4-1 on Mrs. Henderson’s motion with Mr. Tretter voting in the negative.

MOTION

Mrs. Henderson made a motion to create a sub committee for transportation to investigate all issues, including the methodology of reducing transportation costs, maintaining current service, or impact of changing current services. The Committee voted 5-0 in favor of the motion.

It was reported a state Legislator of this district, Carolyn Dykema, has filed a bill to do away with the two mile state busing regulation. The result would be a district would not have to bus any students.

School Committee Meeting 3.

April 3, 2009

BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS

Mr. Hendricks reviewed the rankings of the district in national magazines and reviewed the number of students and staff. Westborough has 3553 students, including a 25% minority population and 340 teachers. He pointed out the

major increases facing the district, including electricity which has increased 50%, and noted the request of the Town Manager was that the Budget not increase more than $500,000 over FY09. The federal stimulus package (ARRA) allowed for the restoration of some of the proposed major reductions. The district appears to be scheduled to receive an additional $15,000 in pre-school special education, IDEA Aid, $407,000; $200,000 in Circuit Breaker funds; Chapter 70, $557,220. Funding will be allocated as grants. The district is saving $771,900 in staffing reductions, a total of 18.2 FTE. Five of these positions will move to programs at the Collaborative. The Salary budget shows an increase of 2.77%; Expenses, -4.7%; for a total increase of 1.32%. The total budget figure is $38,255,528.

The Committee discussed the possibility of not receiving stimulus funds and the effects it would have on the district.

Mrs. Levine-Kanji made a concerted plea for the restoration of a PDD Special Education teacher at the Mill Pond School citing an increase in class size and resource room staffing numbers. Mrs. O’Connor assured Mrs. Levine-Kanji that all IEP’s have had an extensive review and the administration is confident of its recommendation. Mr. Tretter added the Committee will continue to monitor all numbers until the Town Meeting, May 16. Mr. Doret added, if adjustments need to be made, the administration will bring them forward to the School Committee. It has the obligation to inform the School Committee if something needs fixing. Mrs. Henderson was not sure that would be the first position she would restore if given the opportunity.

Mrs. Hatherley stated she feels the district has the capacity to take care of these children. The matter will be watched over the summer and any changes that need to be made in that area or any other area will be brought forward.

MOTION

Mrs. Levine-Kanji made a motion to reinstate the Mill Pond PDD teacher and to find another way to save $50,000 in the budget. Mrs. Henderson seconded the motion.

Mr. Doret stated he trusts the administration’s recommendation and that it will do what is in the best interest of the students. If the position is restored, it then forces the system to react and someone else will be cut. He will support Mrs. Levine-Kanji if it becomes necessary to restore the position and he requests the administration inform the Committee if it becomes an issue.

The Committee voted 1-4 against the motion with Mrs. Levine-Kanji voting for it.

Mr. Harris opened a discussion on the reduction of a nurse’s position. The administration has recommended a .3 reduction at the high school. Mr. Harris suggested the position should be reduced completely, leaving a 1.0 position at the high school and using the $48,000 as a reserve in the tight budget for any emergency position. The position was originally funded under a health grant that the district no longer receives.

Head nurse, Cyndy Janik reviewed the case load of the nurses and the high school in particular. Principal, John Smith stated he can support the .3 reduction, but not reducing the entire position. The .5 position is within the legal limits. Mr. Doret preferred not to take away services until the Committee has to.

Mr. Harris expressed his concern about the financial situation next year. He felt the Committee should be pro active and appoint a sub committee to start looking at the entire budget situation for next year.

MOTION

Mr. Tretter made a motion to adopt the School Committee’s Operating Budget for FY10 of $38,255,528. Mrs. Henderson seconded the motion. The Committee voted 5-0 in favor.

School Committee Meeting 4.

April 8, 2009

The administration was asked to take another look at further reductions that could be made, not in the personnel area. Members also asked for a priority order of reductions and a spread sheet of budget details indicating where funds were reduced and where funding was added, showing the percentage of change and the percentage of the budget area it affects.

Mr. Tretter requested a priority order list of restored positions.

The Committee signed bills.

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Upon a motion by Mr. Tretter, seconded by Mrs. Levine-Kanji, at 8:35 p.m. the Committee voted unanimously to adjourn.

Respectfully submitted

Karen Henderson

Secretary

These minutes are as recorded by the secretary to the school committee and do not become an official part of the record until so noted in a subsequent record.