Carver Public Schools
Carver, Massachusetts
School Committee Regular Meeting
Monday, January 14, 2008
Minutes
Members Present: Kay Spencer, Chair
Mary Kaminski, Vice Chair
Al Spicer
Randy Webster
Also Present: Elizabeth Sorrell, Superintendent
Matthew Gillis, Director of Business & Finance
Laura Tilton, Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Technology
Absent: Barry Struski
Kay Spencer called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
I. Comments from General Public
None.
II. Comments from EAPC - Connie Koffman and Mike Riordan addressed the committee. Mr. Riordan reported on the letter sent to the teachers regarding the upcoming budget season and the potential of a reduction in force. He wanted to insure the committee that they would
have the full support of the EAPC to work through the budget. He also reported he feared there is a political climate coming that will not be friendly to education. An ex-gubernatorial candidate, Carla Powell, has an initiative that she has successfully gathered 100,000 signatures to eliminate the state income tax in Massachusetts. This would be very enticing for many people, especially people on a fixed income; however, it would eliminate approximately 11 million dollars from the state budget which Mike strongly believed would result in budget cuts out of educational support. There would be some very difficult local decisions to be made if this initiative went forward.
III. Voice of Democracy State Finalist – Jessica Knuth, CHS junior, was
recognized for receiving a 3rd place finish at the state level in the Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Competition. This competition is sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and is open to all students in grades 9-12 and students compete at the local, district, state and national levels by writing and recording a 3-5 minute speech on a theme. This year’s theme was “My Role in Honoring American’s Veterans”. Jessica finished 1st place at the local and district level. She will earn a state scholarship for $1000 and local scholarships for $250-$500.
Congratulations were extended from the Committee.
IV. Updates from Student Advisory Council and Captain’s Council
No representatives in attendance.
V. Approval of Minutes - Motion by Mary Kaminski to approve executive session minutes of December 8, 2007 and regular session meeting minutes of December 10, 2007. Second by Al Spicer, All in favor. One absentee.
VI. Communications - A letter of request from Dr. John McEwan, Superintendent of Whitman-Hanson Public Schools was read asking for our support for his district to join the Pilgrim Area Collaborative. At the PAC Board of Directors meeting on Jan. 3, 2008, it was voted to approve Whitman-Hanson’s request and gain the approval of all member School Committees as stated in the Collaborative Agreement. The Carver School Committee was in unanimous agreement to vote
for Whitman-Hanson Regional School district to join Pilgrim Area Collaborative.
VII. Reports from the Superintendent
A. Enrollment/Class Size - Monthly enrollment report and also a comparison from last year to this year was distributed. The loss of 30 students from same time previous year was noted.
B. Migration – data from each school for students both enrolling and withdrawing for the month of December was distributed. A total of 15 students withdrew or enrolled throughout the district in this month.
C. Vocational Enrollment – Grade 9-12 enrollment at Old Colony Vocational Technical School was reported at 96 and one (1) student at Norfolk County Agricultural School.
D. Personnel – Letter of retirement was accepted from Kathleen Devlin-Reed, teacher at Governor John Carver Elementary School effective August 7, 2008. The Committee wished her best wishes in her retirement.
E. NESDEC Enrollment Projections–(revised12/6/07) - The Birth to Kindergarten registration percent has steadily declined. In 2002, 140% of all births enrolled in Kindergarten. In 2003, only 99% of all births enrolled in Kindergarten. In 2004 and 2005 112% and 115% of all births enrolled in Kindergarten. In 2006 and 2007 the % of births who enrolled in Kindergarten dropped to 90% and 89%. The NESDEC report asserts that the lower percentages are the trend and not the higher percentages. They also note the out migration in grade 9 which we know is largely due to the enrollment in vocational schools. The 15% out migration at 12th grade
shows the trend we have been observing in the total in and out migration. Randy suggested if we had a better break- out of the demographics from the town clerk from census reports for age concentrations of families, it might give us a better idea from these external factors by age cohorts.
F. School Building Authority Updates – On January 18, 2007, Liz Sorrell, Superintendent, Matthew Gillis, Chief Operations & Financial Officer, Mary Kaminski, Al Spicer and Randy Webster, School Committee members, Rick LaFond, Town Administrator, Ron Clarke, Chair of Capital Outlay Committee and Dick Ward, Selectmen will attend a meeting by invitation to the School Building Authority. At this meeting, the participants will have an opportunity to be introduced to
the process and ask questions. The first plan of attack will be to convince the SBA that the primary and elementary buildings should be considered as one school project. A proposal was not submitted on the basis of overcrowding but rather that our current space does not meet our educational needs and also the age of the building.
G. Time Task Force - A task force was formed to investigate the possibility of having simultaneous start and stop times for the Primary and Elementary Schools starting in the fall of 2008. Mary Beth Rodman, Chair of the Time Task Force was in attendance to address the Committee as well as members Mary Ross and Deira Murray, Kindergarten, Michelle D. Taylor grade 1, Paula Foley grade 2 and Kerry Champignie, grade 4. The task force met during the previous two months and was composed of 20 people from both schools including educators, parents, finance department, and the YMCA before and after programs. Parents were surveyed both on-line and through a paper survey. A Public Open Forum was held on the evening of November 28th to share the data plus a fact sheet was sent to
parents. Among the concerns for the younger children were the ability for them to remain focused and attentive with the lateness of their day and it was felt it was educationally unsound. The consensus from the task force after all information was compiled was to recommend to synchronize the start and end times of the Erwin K. Washburn Primary and the Governor John Carver Elementary Schools effective the Fall of 2008 to a proposed 8:30-2:45.
The School Committee thanked the task force for their work and had some questions. They asked about the transportation issues and Matt Gillis answered that budgetarily it will decrease some bus driver’s hours and we will have to go to capital outlay to purchase an additional bus. A concern as to whether we would be able to continue a “late bus” was mentioned. Mary Kaminski had asked why we had split the hours previously and it was remembered it was done to accommodate some changes at the high school some years ago. No lunch problems will be seen as a result of the change. The School Committee was in
favor of changing the school hours.
H. FY’09 Budget – The Superintendent gave a presentation for the FY’09 budget process to date including the current status of entitlement grants and enrichment grants. She reviewed the facts and the unknowns that are presenting a challenge in the budget process. There is no question that cuts to the budget will be necessary, however the administrators and school committee are committed to preserving all core subject classes; allied arts classes continue to be valued and to not re-instate or increase user fees. After an initial look at the budget,
it is likely there will be a reduction in force for our teaching staff. Because we do not know our total revenue at this time, updates will be brought to the committee in February. The school department continues to meet and work cooperatively with the town hall to prepare the budget documents. There will be a budget hearing with school committee/public, selectman and then to town meeting in May.
IX Recommendations from the Superintendent
None
VIII. Reports from the School Committee
None
XI. Executive Session
Kay Spencer asked for a motion to go into Executive Session, not to return to Regular Session for the purpose of discussing personnel issues. Mary Kaminksi made the motion, Al Spencer second. All in favor by role call.
Meeting adjourned: 8:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted by: Annmarie G. Metrano, Recording Secretary
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