Natick Public Schools
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
September 15, 2008
The School Committee held a meeting on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the School Committee Room, Third Floor, Town Hall. Chairman Meyler called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Members Present: Karen Adelman Foster, Anne Blanchard, Dirk Coburn, Steve Meyler, Anne Zernicke
David Murphy arrived at 8:20 p.m.
Others Present: Peter Sanchioni Superintendent
Karen LeDuc Assistant Superintendent
William Hurley Director of Fiscal & Management Services
Sharon Reilly Recording Secretary
Corinne Worthington Student Representative
APPROVAL OF OUT OF STATE TRAVEL
Mr. Hughes requested the School Committee’s approval for the Natick High School Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams to travel to Warwick, RI to participate in the New Balance Ocean State Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, September 27, 2008. Mr. Coburn moved for approval of this trip. Ms. Adelman Foster seconded. It was unanimously approved.
REPORT FROM NHS A+ CERTIFICATION STUDENTS – NEF SUBMARINE GRANT
Mr. Doug Scott, A+ Certification Teacher at Natick High School, along with several students from his A+ Certification class, were present to share their experience this past June when they took their ROV submarine “Sea Moose” to Newfound Lake in New Hampshire to locate the remains of the steamship Stella-Marion which sank more than 90 years ago. They presented a short video of their experience finding the remains. School Committee members congratulated the students, Mr. Scott and thanked the Natick Education Foundation for funding this project.
INTERVIEW FOR SCHOOL COMMITTEE ATTORNEY
Dr. Sanchioni introduced Attorney Andrew Waugh, from the firm Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, who has put forth a proposal to provide professional legal counsel and representation to the Natick School Committee. Attorney Waugh provided the Committee with background information and responded to questions. Chairman Meyler indicated that a decision would not be made this evening. If School Committee members have any further questions for Attorney Waugh, please forward through Chairman Meyler. The School Committee will act on this matter at one of its next two meetings.
REQUEST TO REEVALUATE SCHOOL RENTAL POLICY
Mr. John Hamnett, Director of the Mass Bearcats, a Natick based Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) boys and girls basketball program came before the School Committee to request that this program come under the Group II rental rates for auditorium rentals (Non Profit Natick Community Groups, Organizations & Activities). They currently meet the criteria in the Group III category (All Other Groups, Organizations, and Activities) which has higher rental rates. Mr. Hamnett asserted that this is a Natick program and that they try to get as many Natick participants as possible. They also accept practice players into their program. He reported that their membership varies year to year, however, if you include the coaches who are from Natick into the numbers, they would meet the 50%
participation rate for the Group II rental rates. The Mass Bear Cats also provide scholarships to Natick High School students as well as other donations. School Committee members asked several questions of Mr. Hamnett. Members thanked Mr. Hamnett for all his work in providing this program to the youth in Natick and were very pleased to hear that they accept practice players into their program and suggested promoting this more. Ms.Chairman Meyler stated that the School Committee would consider this request and make a decision by its meeting of October 6.
UPDATE ON HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT
Dr. Sanchioni provided an update on the High School Building Project. He reported that a meeting was held last week with the MSBA. The choice for the OPM, RF Walsh, has been submitted to the MSBA for its approval. The next phase will be contract negotiation and selecting an architect. The educational programming process will be discussed at the meeting of October 6. The website for the high school building program is being designed and should be up and running in a couple of weeks.
UPDATE ON DISTRICT FEES
Dr. Sanchioni provided the School Committee with a one-page summary of the district fees which included bus fees, athletic fees, After School Activities Program fees, Early Riser fees, Pre-School fees and music lesson fees.
PROPOSED FY10 BUDGET CALENDAR
Dr. Sanchioni provided the School Committee with a proposed FY10 budget calendar. He expects that the School Committee will be receiving the FY10 budget by December 15th.
UPDATE ON WARRANT ARTICLES
Mr. Hurley discussed the October Town Meeting Warrant Article 12 which pertains to an increase in funding ($30,000) for the Feasibility Study (approved by Town Meeting in the amount of $250,000 this past Spring). Mr. Hurley provided backup information to the School Committee as to why the additional $30,000 is needed. He explained that as set forth in MGL, 963 CMR 200 by the Massachusetts School Building Authority, Natick Public Schools is required to designate a full-time employee of the school district as the Procurement Administrator (PA) for the High School building project. The School Committee appointed Mr. Graham to this role at its meeting of July 14, 2008. Mr. Hurley recommended that Mr. Graham be compensated for the time he devotes to this project, incremental to his normal workday. He has estimated the incremental hours required as PA over the life of the project to be approximately 600 hours over four years for a not to exceed cost of $30,000. Ms. Blanchard
requested that more language be added to the warrant article Standard Set of Questions explaining in more detail that the additional $30,000 is to cover the cost of the Procurement Administrator.
Dr. Sanchioni discussed the October Town Meeting Article 3 which pertains to funding for fuel escalation and special education transportation. He provided the School Committee with an analysis of the additional transportation costs. He explained that the request for funds to cover the estimated increase for fuel in the amount of $49,035 be held for further review in the Spring. The amount to go forward on the warrant for this October Town Meeting to cover the deficit would be in the amount of $200,988, which is comprised of the cost for an additional bus for the Cloverleaf apartments, an additional In-Town 7-D Van for Special Education and ELL students and additional out of town transportation for special education students. A request was made that more language be added to the warrant article
Standard Set of Questions explaining in more detail that the majority of these costs are mandated.
No further action was taken by the School Committee on these warrant articles. They will be reviewed again at a future meeting.
PUBLIC SPEAK
Chairman Meyler asked if anyone wished to come forward for Public Speak. Ms. Nanci Farquharson came forward and introduced herself and indicated that she will be forwarding her letter of intent in the next day or so to apply for the open position on the School Committee.
MEMBERS CONCERNS
Ms. Adelman Foster reported that a few people questioned her at Natick Days as to why the schools opened this year prior to Labor Day. She reviewed the meeting where the calendar was approved, and wanted to make public note of why the administration had recommended that school start before Labor Day: School must be in session for 180 days and it must end before June 30, the end of Natick’s fiscal year. A pre-Labor Day start minimizes the chance that the district might need to make up for snow days by cutting into April vacation.
Ms. Zernicke thanked Ms. Adelman Foster for all her work in setting up the table for Natick Days. Some of the things people commented on were to continue with public relations/communications, plan a welcome and meet Dr. Sanchioni. Ms. Zernicke requested that for future events, we provide information on pre-school programs, statistics to share with the community such as SAT, MCAS, AP scores, listings of colleges & universities which are students are accepted, etc.
Ms. Blanchard requested that given the growth going on in the community, discussions should take place on school capacity and redistricting. Mr. Meyler agrees that discussions on capacity need to take place, but doesn’t feel redistricting will solve the problems. Dr. Sanchioni will provide an enrollment update at the next meeting.
Ms. Blanchard congratulated Dennis Roche, Technology Director, on the rollout of the laptops for teachers.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Ms. Adelman Foster moved for approval of the minutes of August 25, 2008. Ms. Zernicke seconded. All in favor: Mr. Meyler, Ms. Foster, Ms. Zernicke, Mr. Coburn. Ms. Blanchard and Mr. Murphy abstained as they were absent from this meeting.
At 10:15 p.m. the Administration requested an Executive Session to discuss non-represented personnel in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 39, Section 23b of the Massachusetts General Laws. All members were in favor of entering into Executive Session.
At 11:09 p.m., the School Committee returned to open session and the meeting adjourned.
Peter Sanchioni, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Secretary to the School Committee
Attest:_____________________________ Sharon Reilly
Recording Secretary
| 
