School Committee Minutes of November 18, 2008 |
| Posted: March 30, 2009, by Cathy Grant |
BELMONT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES Present: Mr. John Bowe, Chair
1. EXECUTIVE SESSION 1.1 None 2. OPENING BUSINESS 2.1 Call to Order At 7:34 p.m. Mr. Bowe called the meeting to order in the Music Room of the Wellington School. Dr. Aubin welcomed members of the BHS Student Advisory Council (Jang Yoon, Yong Yoon, Jayson Ito-Adler, Sharon Kelleher, and Josh Nelson) as well as Dr. Michael Harvey, Principal of Belmont High School, and Ms. Deb McDevitt, Student Council Advisor. Students reported on their goals and activities for 2008-2009. 2.2 Superintendent's Report Dr. Aubin thanked Amy Wagner, principal of Wellington School, for hosting the meeting. 2.3 Chairman's Report Mr. Bowe provided an update on the new Wellington School project. 2.4 Citizens' Concerns Kirsten Hashemi asked that the out-of-district placement process be bypassed for blended families. The School Committee will address this concern at its next meeting, December 9. 3. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None 4. MAJOR BUSINESS Ms. Janet Carey, principal of Winn Brook School, and Mr. Bruce MacDonald, principal of Butler School, provided the School Committee with an update on this year’s successful implementation of full day kindergarten. Ms. Rosemary Peterson provided the School Committee with an overview of the School Nursing program, its services to students, its professional development for staff, its efforts to promote healthy nutritional and lifestyle choices by students, and its goals for this year. 4.3 Superintendent Search Update Mr. Bowe inserted this item to update the School Committee on the Superintendent Search Process. Mr. Bowe announced that Future Management Systems has developed a leadership profile from the input provided by focus groups and from the online survey. Mr. Bowe announced the twelve members of the Search/Screening Committee. Mr. Bowe stated that the Search/Screening Committee will begin its work with a training session on November 19; this committee will recommend candidates for the School Committee to interview. Mr. Fitzpatrick presented the 2008 Testing Report, covering student performance on the SAT, ACT, AP, and MCAS testing. Results were very positive and will be carefully examined by principals, curriculum directors, and teachers to further improve programs. All schools made AYP. Dr. Missal presented the first quarter fiscal report showing a positive balance, but he reminded the School Committee that his report does not reflect recent increases in special education out-of-district placement costs. The next quarterly report in January will reflect those increases. 4.5 Consideration of Additional Revenue for FY09 Mr. Bowe asked for a sense of the committee to recommend that the Warrant Committee not spend the recently certified additional revenue for FY09 until the town and the school system have more information in January on state funding. 4.6 Budget Discussion Dr. Aubin asked the School Committee for direction on its budget priorities as she and the school administration seek to reconcile the budget gap between the BPS FY10 level-service budget and the Warrant Committee’s FY10 available funds revenue projections. 4.7 Second Reading of School Committee Policy – Exhibit C The School Committee postponed a vote on this item and will invite the Policy Subcommittee to the
6. OTHER BUSINESS
a. School Nurse Job Description – Exhibit D (removed) VOTED: unanimously to approve the revised consent agenda. 6.2 Personnel Items - Informational a. Instructional Assignments – Exhibit F 6.4 Approval of Minutes - None
7.1 Next Meeting Dates: December 9, 2008 - 7:30 p.m. 8. ENCLOSURES 8.1 October 2008 edition of The Beacon (electronic) At 10:34 p.m., on a motion offered by Ms. Graham and seconded by Ms. Gibson, it was VOTED: unanimously to adjourn the meeting. |