August 25, 2008
Approval of Minutes
Natick Public Schools
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
July 14, 2008
The School Committee held a meeting on Monday, July 14, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the School Committee Room, Third Floor, Town Hall. Chairman Meyler called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.
Members Present: Karen Adelman Foster, Anne Blanchard, Dirk Coburn, Steve Meyler, Anne Zernicke
Members Absent David Murphy & Rick Wynn arrived at 8:00 p.m.
Others Present: Peter Sanchioni Superintendent
Karen LeDuc Assistant Superintendent
Sharon Reilly Recording Secretary
INTRODUCTION OF IAN KELLY, PRINICPAL OF BENNETT HEMENWAY SCHOOL
Dr. Sanchioni introduced Mr. Ian Kelly, newly appointed principal of the Bennett Hemenway School. Mr. Kelly provided a brief summary of his background and reported that he has been on board since July 1 getting to know the Bennett-Hemenway staff and community. He looks forward to working with the School Committee. The School Committee welcomed Mr. Kelly with a round of applause.
SUPERINTENDENT ENTRY PLAN
Dr. Sanchioni provided the School Committee with a detailed report on his entry plan. His plan is to hold interviews with various people and groups over the summer and will share the general results of these interviews with the School Committee in September.
APPROVAL OF SCHOOL LUNCH ITEMS
Mr. Bob Burr, Food Service Director, provided the School Committee with information pertaining to the FY08 ending balance of the Food Service revolving account which is estimated to be $80,066.10. He also discussed the proposed increase of $.25 for FY09 school lunch items. The question was raised as to what the balance of the revolving account should be which Mr. Burr indicated was 3 months of expenditures (approximately $180K). After discussing, Ms. Blanchard moved to approval the $.25 increase in the lunch prices as outlined effective with the 2008/2009 school year. Ms. Zernicke seconded. The motion carried by a vote of 5-0.
UPDATE ON HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE AND ACTIONS REQUIRED
Mr. Robert Graham, Director of Facilities, reported on the High School Building Committee meeting held last week. As a result of the meeting plans are proceeding with the procurement of an Owners Project Manager (OPM) for the Natick High School project under the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) regulations, pursuant to rule making authority conferred by M.G.L c. 70B. The superintendent requested that the School Committee approve the following:
1. Designate a full time employee of the school district as the Procurement Administrator to be responsible for the procurement of the Owners Project Manager (OPM) and to subsequently manage the OPM. This person must be Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official (MCPPO) certified in design and construction contracting. (Robert Graham)
2. Identify the Selection Sub-Committee for the OPM as follows:
A. Mr. John O’Neil – Managing Partner Development fir,
B. Mr. Joseph Naughton – Architect
C. Dr. Joseph Keefe – Former Superintendent who has been involved with many building projects
D. Mr. Mysore Ravindra – Principal in Engineering Firm
E. Mr. Robert Graham – Past Project Manager & Facility Services Director.
3. Confirm Selection Sub-Committee’s authorization to advertise the Request for Services (RFS).
Mr. Graham indicated that he would like to be considered for the position of Procurement Administrator. This position requires that the person be Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official (MDPPO) certified in design and construction. Mr. Graham is certified. Mr. Graham reviewed the schedule of upcoming meetings which the High School Building Committee will be having. Ms. Adelman Foster requested that information pertaining to the High School Building Committee meetings be posted on the website. He will also provide the members with a draft copy of the schedule.
Mr. Wynn moved for approval on items 1-3 listed above. Ms. Blanchard seconded. It was unanimously approved. The School Committee requested that updates on this project be provided periodically.
CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSION ON
TRANPSORTATION DEFICIT FOR FY2009 – WARRANT ARTICLE
Dr. Sanchioni provided the School Committee with information on a projected FY2009 deficit in the Transportation Account of $249,712. This figure is the sum of a projected deficit in regular transportation of $118,803 and a projected deficit of $130,909 in the special education transportation account.
The following factors are responsible for this situation:
· Regular transportation
§ The escalation of fuel costs and the importance of the fuel escalation clause in the contract with the vendor.
§ The cost of adding a bus to pick up students at the Cloverleaf Apartments and the Natick Collection Condominiums.
· Specialized Transportation (special education, ELL, 504, Homeless)
§ Contractual increases in the cost per mile for $1.92 to $2.00 per student per mile
§ Failure to build into the prospective FY09 budget an appropriate amount of funds to respond to both rising costs and increased demands
§ Increased third party payments to parents, payment to taxi and van vendors for the transportation of homeless children and 504 cases
§ Increase in ELL population that will require additional in-district specialized transportation.
Dr. Sanchioni recommends that the School Committee consider taking the following course of action in regard to this deficit:
That the Natick School Committee file a warrant article prior to Friday August 22d with the Town Administrator requesting a sum of money to pay for the extraordinary special education transportation costs for FY 2009. This action would permit the October Town Meeting to examine the merits of this article and potentially provide a supplemental source to answer the need.
The following draft article was reviewed.
Article
(School Committee)
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money in the amount of $250,000 for the purpose of supplementing the School Committee’s FY2009 transportation account to reduce the existing deficit created by contracted fuel escalation clauses and increasing demands for special education transportation; or otherwise act thereon.
A discussion continued and the consensus was to present the warrant article as written but to eliminate the dollar amount at this point in time.
Mr. Coburn moved for approval to submit the following article for the Fall Town Meeting.
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money to be determined for the purpose of supplementing the School Committee’s FY2009 transportation account to reduce the existing deficit created by contracted fuel escalation clauses and increasing demands for special education transportation; or otherwise act thereon.
Ms. Karen Adelman Foster seconded. It was unanimously approved.
ENROLLMENT UPDATE
Dr. Sanchioni provided the School Committee with an update on the elementary enrollment numbers. At this point in time, Dr. Sanchioni is recommending that the Brown School 2nd grade classrooms be reduced by 1 class and that one kindergarten class be added to the Bennett Hemenway School. He indicated that the current computer lab at the Bennett-Hemenway School will be configured to house the additional kindergarten classroom.
STAFFING UPDATE
Dr. Sanchioni provided the School Committee with an update on recently filled positions and the open positions. At this point in time, there are only a few unfilled positions.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of June 16, 2008 will be brought back for approval at a future meeting as Committee members offered a few amendments.
Mr. Wynn moved for approval of the minutes of June 18, 2008. Mr. Murphy seconded. They were approved by an affirmative vote of 6 members. Ms. Adelman Foster abstained as she was absent from this meeting.
Mr. Wynn moved for approval of the minutes of June 23, 2008. Ms. Blanchard seconded. They were approved by an affirmative vote of 6 members. Mr. Meyler abstained as he was absent from this meeting
Mr. Wynn moved for approval of the Executive Session minutes of June 18, 2008. Mr. Coburn made one change – change Ms. Coburn to Mr. Coburn. Ms. Zernicke seconded. They were approved by an affirmative vote of 6 members with the change. Ms. Adelman Foster abstained as she was absent from this meeting.
MEMBERS CONCERNS
The School Committee discussed the possibility of holding a retreat in August. The date of Tuesday, August 5, 2008 was agreed upon. The meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the training room.
Mr. Wynn reminded the Committee that at a previous meeting, the School Committee indicated that at its July 14 meeting the Committee would vote on the dollar amount of which the School Committee will return to the town as free cash. Dr. Sanchioni indicated that the numbers should be available this week and he will get a final number to the Committee.
At 9:05 p.m. Mr. Coburn moved to adjourn and to proceed to the Training Room, 3rd Floor Town Hall to hold a retreat. Mr. Wynn seconded. It was unanimously approved.
RETREAT
The School Committee held a retreat in the Training Room, 3rd Floor, Town Hall.
Members Present: Karen Adelman Foster, Anne Blanchard, Dirk Coburn, Steve Meyler, David Murphy, Rick Wynn, Anne Zernicke
Others Present: Peter Sanchioni Superintendent
Karen LeDuc Assistant Superintendent
A discussion was held on the School Committee’s performance over the past year. Improvements have been made in the area of public communication.
Challenges for the future include:
· Special Education
· High School Building Project
· Teacher Contracts
· Continuation of community engagement
Accomplishments include:
· Budget/Override
· Interim Superintendent
· Hiring New Superintendent
A request was made for the School Committee to receive the public and administrator feedback on the future needs of the high school education, RE: the forums which were held.
The School Committee unanimously voted its representation on the EAN negotiation team as follows: Steve Meyler, Dirk Coburn, and Anne Zernicke. Anne Blanchard will be the alternate.
At 11:02 p.m., Mr. Murphy moved to adjourn. Mr. Meyler seconded. It was unanimously approved.
Peter Sanchioni, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Secretary to the School Committee
Attest:_____________________________ Sharon Reilly
Recording Secretary
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