OPEN SESSION
SHARON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
School Committee Meeting
Administration Building
One School Street
Sharon, MA 02067
Present: Mr.
Glenn Allen, Mr. Mitchell Blaustein, Ms. Linda Callan, Mr. Donald Gilligan,
Mr. Sam Liao and Ms.
Alison Rutley
Also Present: Dr. Barbara Dunham, Dr. Judy Levin-Charns, Janine
Roberto, Unified Arts teacher at Sharon High School, Mrs. Wendy Rutkowsky from
Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School and members of the community
Mr. Liao called the
meeting to order at 8:10 p.m.
ADMINISTRATIVE/REGULAR
ITEMS
Correspondence
Mr. Allen summarized a
letter received from a lawyer representing YCN Transportation Company, in which
they protested the decision of CHARMS Collaborative to engage the services of
the TLC Transportation Company to transport out-of-district special education
students. No action was required by the School Committee regarding this
correspondence.
Approve Minutes
Minutes from the
Executive and Open Session meeting of March 26, 2008 were submitted to the
Committee via e-mail for corrections/review. Mr. Liao asked for a motion to
approve the minutes as revised and submitted.
MOTION: (Allen/Rutley) Moved to approve the Executive and
Open Session minutes from the meeting of March 26, 2008 as revised and
submitted to the Committee on 4/9/08.
Vote was five in the affirmative. Mr. Gilligan abstained.
Announcements
Dr. Dunham made the
following announcements:
- Congratulations to Leah
Zuroff, gr. 9 and Erica Beach, gr. 10 who will represent Sharon High School at
the Central Massachusetts Regional Student Advisory Council during the
2008-2009 school year.
- At 8:30 p.m. this
evening, Jean Beebe and Yafei Hu, SHS teachers who are accompanying our
students in China, planned a video-telephone
conference with the School Committee. Unfortunately, there was a technical
difficulty, which prohibited the successful call from China.
- Congratulations to the
following students who won the Massachusetts Science Poetry Contest:
Cory
Nierman – ÒNatureÓ (2nd place Original); ÒWeatherÓ (3rd
place Humorous)
Sophie
Boxerman – ÒLightningÓ (2nd place Expressive)
Samantha
Marglous – ÒMatterÓ (1st place Long)
Emma
Singer – ÒUntitledÓ (1st place Humorous)
Olivia
Bobek – ÒOnce Upon a Positive & NegativeÓ (Honorable Mention Humorous)
Zoe
Federman – ÒYou Are My FriendÓ (1st place Long)
Ms.
MyersonÕs fifth grade class – The Water Cycle (1st place
Cooperative)
- Alternative School fund
raising on-line auction will be from April 5th through April 30th.
The public is encouraged to visit www.alternativeauction.cmarket.com
to view items and to place a bid.
- Dr. Dunham stated in
her role as Superintendent of Schools, she would be engaging the community in
dialogue via a survey as a way of moving forward with the entire community. The
survey will be posted on the web in the near future.
Student Representative
Ashley Dewji, student
representative, reported on recent happenings at Sharon High School:
- SHS held an assembly in
honor of Martin Luther King.
- SHS Library will have
an exhibit entitled, ÒSilhouetteÓ, sponsored by the SharonÕs Chapter of SADD.
The exhibit is to heighten public awareness of domestic violence.
- SHS dodge ball
tournament for all grades is underway.
- SHS spring sports are
underway.
- SHS will be hosting the
SEMSBA Music Festival this year.
- Congratulations to SHS
Math Team for winning a medal in recent competition.
- Senior Class recently
voted on speakers for graduation: The Salutatorian (not yet named) will be the
speaker at Class Night and the Valedictorian (not yet named) will speak at
graduation. As part of the ballot, the class voted that the winner of a speech-
writing contest would speak at graduation as well.
SUPERINTENDENTÕS ITEMS
Vote Budget Transfer
Dr. Dunham outlined the
March 28th memo from Susan Owen, Business Manager, requesting a
transfer of funds from Assets – Transportation Account to be appropriated
as follows:
$12,000 to Maintenance
& Operations Boil/Heat East account – A boiler failed leaving 6
classrooms without heat. Equipment is not under warranty. Emergency repair
caused the account to go over budget.
$5,000 to Home/Hospital
Tutors account – We are now tutoring a child from February 2008 through
June 2008.
$20,000 to DW Library
Supplies/Materials account – To provide seed money to the High School
library to fund print materials for the collection as recommended in the NEASC
report.
Prior to the vote there
was a discussion on the transfer request. Dr. Dunham clarified that the Transportation
Account is not the Òpay as you goÓ revolving account but a line item in the
general budget. The transportation account in the general budget is for
transporting students who live over two miles and the School Department must by
law supply transportation. By using fewer buses to transport these students, a
savings to date has accrued.
MOTION: (Allen/Rutley) Moved to approve the transfer of a
total of $37,000 from the Assets – Transportation Account to: $12,000 to
Maintenance/Operations Boil/Heat East account; $5,000 to Home/Hospital Tutors
account; $20,000 to DW Library Supplies/Materials account as
outlined/recommended by Dr. Dunham. Vote was six in the affirmative.
Vote Out-of-State
Field Trip – Providence, R.I.
Dr. Dunham asked the
Committee to approve the out-of-state field trip as requested by Tricia
Terrell, grade 7 teacher at Sharon Middle School to Roger Williams Park Zoo in
Rhode Island. The trip will be part of the science curriculum on endangered
species and animal studies.
MOTION: (Gilligan/Callan) Moved to approve the field trip
to Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island on May 29, 2008 as
recommended by Dr. Dunham. Vote was six in the affirmative.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Out-of-Country Trip:
Italy & Greece
Dr. Dunham opened the
discussion by reviewing the letter of request for a trip to Italy and Greece
submitted by Janine Roberto, Unified Arts teacher at Sharon High School. Ms.
Roberto and Mrs. Wendy Rutkowsky from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School
were in attendance in order to answer any questions the Committee might have
regarding the proposed trip. The trip would be a joint effort for SHS students
and Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School students. It would be an eight-day
educational trip to Italy and Greece during the spring break of next year
(April 16-23, 2009).
After discussing/vetting
the proposed trip, the School Committee was prepared to take a vote, which
would authorize Ms. Roberto to move forward with preliminary plans for the
trip. When more concrete travel plans have been formulated, Ms. Roberto will
update the Committee with the proposed itinerary. This eveningÕs vote is for
preliminary plans only.
MOTION: (Blaustein/Callan) Moved to approve the draft
proposal for an eight-day educational art trip to Italy and Greece from April
16-23, 2009 as outlined in the March 12th letter to Dr. Dunham from
Janine Roberto, Unified Arts teacher at Sharon High School. Vote was six in
the affirmative.
CHARMS Transportation
Agreement
Dr. Dunham reviewed the
April 2nd letter from the CHARMS Collaborative officials, which
outlined/explained the procedure for price solicitation of vendors for
transporting CHARMS students. No action was required by the School Committee on
this agenda item.
Update Recreation
Committee
Mr. Blaustein updated the
Committee on school related discussions at recent Recreation Committee
meetings:
- The DPW reported that,
to date, the school fields are in good shape, particularly the field at East
Elementary School.
- The Rec. Committee is
considering placing a capital request for 2009-2010 for field maintenance.
- The Summer Community
Education Program will reimburse $360 to the Rec. Department for their
lifeguard at Lake Massapoag, which will insure the safety of children who are
enrolled in the School DepartmentÕs summer program.
- The Rec. Department
will let the High School Office know when the rec. department has scheduled the use of school fields, thus avoiding
conflicting schedules.
Student Government
Elections Policy – Sharon High School
Dr. Dunham reviewed the
updated memorandum (April 7th), which outlined the proposed language
changes to School Committee Policy (JIBA) regarding Student Government. The
proposed draft policy pertains to Sharon Middle School and Sharon High School
and has language, which references elections to Student Council, Regional
Student Advisory Council, Class Officers, and Student Advisory Committee. Mr.
Liao asked the Committee to review the memorandum, forward concerns and/or
questions to Dr. Dunham during the week, with the intent of voting approval at
the April 30th meeting.
Discuss Participation
in School Choice – 2008-2009
Dr. Dunham distributed
comparison enrollment figures for FY 08 and FY 09 for the purpose of discussing
the School Choice Program. After a lengthy discussion, it was the consensus of
the Committee, that considering the possibility of new enrollments generated by
families moving into Avalon Bay, and other new constructions throughout the
town, that it would not be feasible to participate in the School Choice Program
for the 2008-2009 school year.
MOTION: (Blausten/Rutley) Moved that the Sharon Public
Schools not participate in the School Choice Program for the upcoming 2008-2009
school year. Vote was six in the affirmative.
As a result of the school
choice dialogue and at the request of Mr. Allen, Dr. Dunham will endeavor to
provide realistic estimates of the potential growth for the Town of Sharon.
OTHER BUSINESS
Dr. Dunham distributed
for Committee review draft proposal #2 of the district-wide ÒOÓ Tolerance
Student Suspension Policy. The changes in wording suggested by the Committee
from the previous meeting have been incorporated in proposal #2. Mr. Liao asked
the Committee to review this current proposal and provide Dr. Dunham with feedback
for changes. A vote on the Policy will be a future agenda item.
Dr. Dunham distributed a
policy from another school system (Palmer, MA), which addresses breathalyzer
testing for students at school functions. There was a vote by the School
Committee in a previous year to allow breathalyzer testing at proms as a pilot
program. However, there has not been a vote by the Committee to institute
breathalyzer testing as part of permanent School Committee Policy. There was a
brief discussion, with input from Ashley Dewji, on the most effective way of
administering the testing as well as the most effective punishment for students
who fail the breathalyzer (in-house suspension, out-of-school suspension,
etc.). Further discussion on the Policy will be a future agenda item.
Dr. Dunham informed the
Committee that the School Department anticipates a Medicaid reimbursement of
approximately $200,000, which would go to the TownÕs general fund and that the federal moratorium on Medicaid reimbursements to
the towns will end June 30, 2008. This would mean a loss to Sharon of
approximately $97,000 if the moratorium is not extended.
Mr. Blaustein expressed
his displeasure at the sporadic coverage of School Committee meetings by local
reporters. Mr. Liao has a scheduled meeting with the Sharon Advocate regarding another issues; however, he will convey
the CommitteeÕs desire to have more consistent coverage of meetings.
Mr. Liao reminded the
Committee that the ÒDay on the HillÓ is scheduled for April 29th.
Mr. Allen and Mr. Liao plan to attend.
Mr. Allen noted an email
received from the CPA Committee (Community Preservation Act), which outlined
the parameters for receiving funding for community preservation projects.
According to the criteria, it would be unlikely that the School DepartmentÕs
future projects would meet the qualifications for funding.
There was no further
business to come before the Committee at this time.
Mr. Liao asked for a
motion to adjourn Open Session.
MOTION: (Rutley/Gilligan) Moved to adjourn Open Session. Vote
was six in the affirmative.
Open Session was
adjourned at 10:03 p.m.
Submitted on behalf of
the School Committee by: Helen Campanario, Recording Secretary to the
School Committee