| MSC Permanent Minutes September 27, 2010 |
| PERMANENT MINUTES MIDDLETON SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING FULLER MEADOW NATHAN MEDIA CENTER SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 The regular meeting of the Middleton School Committee was held on Thursday, September 27, 2010 in the Fuller Meadow Nathan Media Center, 143 South Main Street, Middleton, MA. Members Present: Teresa Buono, Chairperson, Tasha Cooper, Deirdre Donarumo, Maria Scarpa, and Mindy Wogan Others Present: Bernard F. Creeden, Superintendent; Betsy Boulanger and Diane Carreiro, Principals; Tricia Haines, Megan Johnson, Teachers; Michelle and Doug Whiffen, Parents; and Mary Farley, Recording Secretary The Chairperson called the meeting to order at 7:12 p.m. A. ROUTINES: 1. Pledge of Allegiance: Everyone present recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. Remarks from the Public: Michelle Whiffen stated she wanted to address the Committee about the new rules regarding Birthday celebrations. She read a letter of complaint from Patty Ann Bampos who also does not like the new rule but was unable to attend the meeting. M. Whiffen’s child has severe food allergies and she disagrees with the new rule. She feels it sets up a feeling of alienation and discrimination; and that things are not being done because of the “kids with food allergies.” M. Scarpa said the schools have done a really good job of taking care of the kids with food allergies. The Policy was finalized today and it will be put on the agenda for the next School Committee meeting. B. REPORTS: 1. Reports from Other Committees: • School Building Committee: T. Buono reported that the exterior of the new school building is being put in place. The next meeting is on Tuesday, October 18, at 7:30 p.m. This will be a Public Forum and is open to everyone. The anticipated opening of the new school is September 2011. • Howe-Manning Donate-A-Brick: M. Wogan reported on the Brick Fundraiser. There was not enough room for all the bricks that would be purchased so they have changed the location of where the bricks will be placed. The Middleton School Committee must decide the cost of the brick which may have to incorporate the cost of the change of location. It is anticipated they will sell 900 bricks. M. Wogan will be getting the cost of the bricks and change of location from K. DiNisco. A form will be put up on the website so it can be filled out online. Checks will be made payable to “Town of Middleton”. M. Wogan will have a flyer ready for the next meeting. 2. Report of the Building Principals: The Principals reviewed their written reports which were included in the packet. D. Carreiro reported that after the teacher attended the Thomas Guskey Professional Development training last spring, and after they read the book, they decided to make their Progress Reports a little more streamlined. The Committee came up with two drafts, one for Howe-Manning and one for Fuller Meadow. This was a concerted effort by the teachers from both schools. Keira Clemenzi took the lead on this. The Howe-Manning version is a divided into specific subjects because the children see different teachers for different subjects. D. Donarumo moved to accept the revised Progress Report forms. Second by M. Wogan. Motion carried 5-0-0. Fuller Meadow received a registered check from Target Corporation. These checks are dividends from purchases mad by parents. This happens a couple times each year, and it goes into the student activity fund. D. Donarumo moved to accept the donation from Target Corporation in the amount of $258.28. Second by T. Cooper. Motion carried 5-0-0. 3. Report of the Superintendent: Dr. Creeden reported that most of the items in the written report are somewhere else on the agenda. • Constant Contact is being used by three schools for distribution of the newsletters. The subscription rates vary on the size of the distribution list. It is less than $30 per month for both schools with archiving. M. Wogan moved to authorize the schools to engage in a subscription with Constant Contact. Second by M. Scarpa. Motion carried 5-0-0. 4. Report of the Director of Finance: Dr. Creeden explained the ARRA Grant and the Ed Jobs Grant. He would like to move the Grant funding into FY 2012. He will have more information on this later. C. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Policy Development- Bullying Prevention and Intervention: • T. Buono emailed the latest version of the Policy from the subcommittee. Included in the packet was the MASC Model Bullying Prevention Policy (JICFB and a Policy on Facebook and Social Networking Websites (IJNDD). Dr. Creeden modified the sample MASC policy to be a Middleton Policy statement. Dr. Creeden’s format is consistent with our Policy Book. What will go home to the parents will be more detailed. We must look at this again. The consequences must be consistent with the discipline policy Policy J – The subcommittee has worked on sexual harassment and harassment, but not hazing. T. Buono would like to have an umbrella policy that can go into the Policy Handbook. 2. If the Committee wants the policy to focus on bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and hazing? It will have to go back to the subcommittee if all four are going to be combined in one policy. We need to have a policy in place by December. It was asked if the Committee would like to do separate policies for now. Dr. Creeden wants to keep track of the report of incidents and will report to the committee on this on a monthly basis through his Superintendent’s Report. He may come back to the School Committee and tell them we need additional resources to keep track of everything. All Staff members know what they are supposed to do. Having an Adjustment Counselor in the building might be a second reporting source. Dr. Creeden will look at having people report to two people within the building. Incidents have been reported to Principals, but it is more of a disciplinary nature. It is not all bullying, but a matter of discipline. Principals are keeping track of all incidents. T. Buono will go back and revisit with the Subcommittee after the discussion. Right now we are focused on bullying and have the Principals report on what they are seeing. It may be good to have Stephanie Meghan come back and speak again. At 8:40 p.m. T. Cooper moved to take a formal 10 minute recess while they set up the projector for the power-point presentation. Second by M. Scarpa. Motion carried 5-0-0. T. Buono called the meeting back to order at 8:50 p.m. T. Buono presented the PowerPoint presentation she will show at the Safety Meeting on Wednesday. They will be talking about personal safety. Officer McParland is the D.A.R.E. Officer. He will bring this program into both schools - Grades K-6. T. Buono will welcome everybody to the first Safety Meeting. The goal is to keep the building safe. Elizabeth Englander from the MARC will be here on November 4 for a seminar on internet safety. Her graduate students are doing a program at Howe-Manning during the week of November 4. 2. MCAS 2010 and NCLB AYP Results Dissemination: The MCAS Results for individual students were placed in the mail one week ago Friday. Dr. Creeden explained the results and how to read what was sent. There is additional information on this the DESE website. AYP is based on the target of every school as being proficient by 2014. The performance level changes a little each year so the standards have to move forward. More detailed analysis will be given at a later date. 3. School Committee Annual Review: • District Goals 2010-2011: The Goals were sent electronically. If anyone has anything to add, they can contact Teresa. Regarding Goal #11, a Food Allergy Committee has not been established. We do have the Wellness Committee. This should be put in as an action item. The School Nutrition Law was implemented this summer. This will be provided to the Committee. T. Buono will include a piece about this. She will also include all the things we need to do about bullying prevention and intervention. 4. Correspondence: Requests for Home Schooling - E. Boulanger, Principal of Howe-Manning has reviewed and approved the curriculum for the homeschooling of Elizabeth Hoeman for school year 2010-2011 as a Grade 4 student. D. Carreiro, Principal of Fuller Meadow, has reviewed and approved the curriculum for school year 2010-2011 for Aaron Gil as a Grade 1 student and Vanessa Gil as a Grade 2 student. M. Scarpa moved to accept the home schooling requests for Elizabeth Hoeman, and the Gil Family for school year 2010-2011. Second by D. Donarumo. Motion carried 5-0-0. Dr. Creeden also received an email from Sarah George regarding voting at school in 2012. We will be three precincts at that time. She asked if the new gym floor at Howe-Manning will be able to support voting especially with the hardwood flooring. Dr. Creeden explained that there will be mat available to place over the wood floor which will protect it. He will work with S. George on this. 5. Other: M. Wogan explained the Holiday Hero program; donate a dollar or a toy for Toys for Tots benefit. She feels they are a good recipient. M. Wogan moved that the Committee accept Toys for Tots as the recipients of the HERO funding program. Second by T. Cooper. Motion carried 5-0-0. D. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. Dr. Creeden presented the contracts for Electrical, Plumbing and Carpentry services for the years 2010 through 2013 for Committee acceptance and signature. M. Scarpa moved to accept the contracts for Electrical, Plumbing and Carpentry services as presented. Second by M. Wogan. Motion carried 4-0-0. (T. Cooper left the meeting before the vote. 2. Approval of Minutes: M. Wogan moved to approve the Minutes of August 26, 2010 as amended. Second by M. Scarpa. Page 1, Item B., first bullet, first sentence, change the words “will be” to “was” and the word “next” to “last”. Page 2: Item C., fifth paragraph: change the word “late r” to “later”. Sixth paragraph, second sentence: change the word “is” to “it”. Seventh Paragraph: Add the word “Wellness” between the words “the Committee”. Same paragraph, third sentence, change the word “against” to “like”. Motion carried 3-0-1 (D. Donarumo abstained). 3. Approval of Bill and Payroll Warrants: D. Donarumo moved to accept the following Bill and Payroll Warrants. Second by M. Wogan. Bill Warrant #1109 dated 9/27/10 in the amount of $60,253.00 Bill Warrant #1109A dated 9/27/10 in the amount of $4,630.41 Bill Warrant #1109 Café dated 9/27/10 in the amount of $4,992.89 Motion carried 4-0-0. D. Donarumo moved to accept the following Bill and Payroll Warrants. Second by M. Wogan. Payroll Warrant dated 9/16/10 in the amount of $221,755.53 Payroll Warrant dated 9/30/10 in the amount of $255,207.33 Bill Warrant #1107 dated 9/7/10 in the amount of $32,970.03 Bill Warrant #1107B in the amount of $12,458.73 Bill Warrant #1108 in the amount of $54,328.90 Bill Warrant #1108A in the amount of $5,135.90 Bill Warrant #108 Café in the amount of $3,723.74 Motion carried 4-0-0. D. Donarumo moved to accept Bill Warrant #1107A in the amount of $1,701.16. Second by M. Wogan. Motion carried 3-0-1 (M. Wogan abstained). 3. PTO fundraiser Approval: Samantha Klipper sent a letter requesting that the PTO be allowed to add the Gertrude Hawk Chocolate Fundraiser to their calendar for 2010-2011. It was not listed on the original calendar. M. Scarpa moved to approve the PTO Gertrude Hawk Chocolate Fundraiser to their 2010-2011 calendar. Second by M. Wogan. Motion carried 4-0-0. 4. The next Middleton School Committee meeting will be held on Thursday, October 14, 2010. Dr. Creeden informed the Committee that there may be a change to the Preliminary Meeting Calendar for the next meeting. November 11 is Veteran’s Day. T. Buono reported that March 10 and 24, 2011 are the dates for the Town Omnibus Meetings. E. EXECUTIVE SESSION: M. Wogan moved to close the regular session and moved to Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with union personnel and negotiations with non-union personnel where an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining as declared by the Chair of the School Committee. Second by D. Donarumo. Motion carried 4-0-0 on a roll call vote (M. Scarpa – yes, M. Wogan – yes, D. Donarumo – yes, T. Buono – yes). F. ADJOURNMENT: At 10:20 p.m., the Committee returned from Executive Session on a 4-0-0 roll call vote for the purpose of adjournment only. M. Wogan moved to adjourn. Second by D. Donarumo. Motion carried 4-0-0. Respectfully submitted, Mary Farley Recording Secretary |