abington, massachusetts january 5, 2010 regular meeting i

• Abington, Massachusetts January 5, 2010 Regular Meeting

I. CALL OF MEETING

A Regular Meeting of the School Committee was held TO ORDER AND FLAG

this evening in the Cotter Room at the Abington

SALUTE

Town Hall.

Present: Ms. Brenda Pignone, Chairman; Mrs. Patricia Vantine, Vice-Chairman; Mr. Wayne Rogiers and Mr. James West, Members. Absent: Mr. Russell FitzGerald, Secretary. Also in attendance were Mr. Peter G. Schafer, Superintendent of Schools; Ms. Felicia Moschella, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance; Dr. Dympna Thomas, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services; and Mrs. Theresa Minnehan, Executive Secretary.

II. HEARING OF VISITORS

Mrs. Patricia Vantine announced that she will be stepping down from the Abington School Committee for both personal and professional reasons this spring. She still has one year left to her term for those interested in the open position. Mrs. Pignone thanked Mrs. Vantine for nine years of service and told the audience that Mrs. Vantine worked very hard on this committee and to fill her seat will be difficult. Mr. Schafer, Superintendent of Schools, also thanked Mrs. Vantine and stated that there isn't one time that a decision has gone through this board that she did not make on behalf of the children.

III. READING AND APPROVAL OF RECORDS

A. December 1, 2009.

VOTED:

on motion of Mrs. Patricia Vantine (Mr. James West) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to approve the minutes of December 1, 2009 as presented.

IV. COMMUNICATIONS

None.

V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

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• None.

Minutes, January 5, 2010 .

VI. REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

A. Personnel Administration - Informational

1. The Superintendent has accepted the resignation of Mr. Michael DelGrosso as a social studies teacher and athletic director within the Abington Public Schools for the purpose of retirement effective June 30, 2010.

2. The Superintendent has accepted the resignation of Ms. Monica Hynes as a mathematics teacher within the Abington Public Schools effective November 30, 2009.

3. On the recommendation of Ms. Teresa Sullivan, Principal of Abington High School, the Superintendent has approved the appointment of Mr. W. Chris Kane as a mathematics teacher at Abington High School effective January 4, 2010 and continuing for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year.

4. On the recommendations of Ms. Teresa Sullivan, Principal of Abington High School, and Mr. Michael DelGrosso, Athletic Director, the Superintendent has approved the appointment of the following volunteer coaches for the 2009-2010 school year:

• Kathleen Daley — Girls' Basketball • Christopher Madden — Boys' Basketball • Thomas Rogers — Hockey • James Smith — Boys' Basketball

5. On the recommendation of Ms. Teresa Sullivan, Principal of Abington High School, the Superintendent has approved the appointments of Ms. Nicole LoPorto and Ms. Katelyn Naujalis as winter guard instructors for the 2009-2010 school year.

B. Other Matters

1. Information of School Choice for Grade 9 Students for the 2010-2011.

Mr. Schafer defined for the audience and school committee members what school choice is and that school choice allows parents to send their children to school in communities other than the city or town in which they reside. Tuition is paid by the sending district to the receiving district. Districts may elect not to enroll school choice students if no space is available.

Mr. Schafer also informed the community that the Abington School Committee has in thigh past opted out of school choice due to lack of space in Abington schools and limitations becauseW of financial support. Mr. Schafer did, however, ask the committee to consider receiving out of

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district students for grade 9 only for the 2010-2011 school year. Mr. Schafer also mentioned that the school committee can determine the number of seats available to out of district students and that allowing ten students would generate approximately $50,000 to the FY-2011 budget. Students would have to provide their own transportation to and from Abington High School.

Mr. Schafer asked the committee to seek input from the community and to consider this request at a future meeting.

2. Request from Dori Jamieson, Interim Town Manager, to Designate a Representative from the School Committee to serve on the Town of Abington DPW Committee.

VOTED: on motion of Mr. Wayne Rogiers (Mr. James West) the members of the Abington School Committee unanimously voted to appoint Mr. Russell FitzGerald, School Committee Member, in addition to Ms. Felicia Moschella, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance, to serve as liaisons on the Town of Abington DPW • Committee.

4. Request from the High School Cheerleaders for Approval of A Field Trip to the National Competitions in Orlando, Florida from March 25, 2010 through March 29, 2010.

VOTED: on motion of Mrs. Patricia Vantine (Mr. James West ) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to approve the High School Cheerleaders field trip to the National Cheer Competition in Orlando, Florida, from Thursday, March 25, 2010 through Monday, March 29, 2010.

5. Presentation and Public Hearing on FY-2011 Preliminary Budget Proposal.

PUBLIC HEARING ON FY-2009 PRELIMINARY SCHOOL BUDGET PROPOSAL

At 7:30 p.m. the members of the Abington School Committee entered into the Public Hearing on the FY-2011 Preliminary School Budget Proposal.


VOTED: on motion of Mrs. Patricia Vantine (Mr. James West) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to adjourn the regular school committee meeting to enter the public hearing on the FY-2011 preliminary budget proposal.

Mr. Schafer presented the members of the School Committee with the FY-2011 Preliminary School Budget Proposal. The Preliminary Budget Proposal approximately 12.3 percent over the FY-10 School Department's Final Budget. Mr. Schafer discussed the outlined areas of increase in the preliminary budget proposal.

VOTED: on motion of Mrs. Patricia Vantine (Mr. James West) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to refer the FY-2011 Preliminary School Budget Proposal to the Business and Finance Subcommittee.

Due to the fact that the warrant for the April Town Meeting has not been opened, the members of the Abington School Committee withheld from voting on a proposed FY-2011 budget figure to submit for the Annual Town Meeting Warrant. This will be discussed and voted at a future meeting.

VOTED: on motion of Mrs. Patricia Vantine (Mr. Wayne Rogiers) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to submit for the Annual Town Meeting Warrant a proposed figure of $7,000.°° as the amount requested for student transportation services to Abington students attending out-of-district vocational schools as non-resident students for the 2010-2011 school year. The School Committee or their designees shall be authorized to expend from this fund, or act on anything relative thereto.

VOTED: on motion of Mr. James West (Mr. Wayne Rogiers) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to submit for the Annual Town Meeting Warrant an article seeking the

Minutes, January 5, 2010 • .

authority granted under MGL Chapter 44, Section 53E1/2 to continue a revolving fund for the purpose of providing a pre-school and full-day kindergarten instruction to be funded by tuition collection. No more than $150,000. 00 shall be expended from this fund during the Fiscal Year 2011. The School Committee or their designees shall be authorized to expend from this fund, or act on anything relative thereto.

VOTED: on motion of Mrs. Patricia Vantine (Mr. Wayne Rogiers) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to submit for the Annual Town Meeting Warrant an article to continue a revolving account in accordance with MGL Chapter 44, Section 53E1/2. Said account to be funded by the fines levied against Abington businesses which violate state or local tobacco control laws, by-laws and regulations, to be expended by the Abington School Department, to fund the smoking prevention program, not to exceed $8,000.°° for the ensuing fiscal year; or take any other action relative thereto.

Mr. Schafer thanked the members of the administrative team for their support in preparing this budget document.

VOTED: on motion of Mrs. Patricia Vantine (Mr. James West) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to adjourn the public hearing on the FY-2011 preliminary budget proposal and re-enter the regular meeting.

C. Dates to Remember

1. Mon., January 11 — Greenwave Boosters' Meeting @ AHS @ 7 p.m. 2. Tues., January 12 — Abington Music Parents' Meeting @ AHS @ 7 p.m.


3. Mon., January 18 — Martin Luther King Day — All School Offices and Buildings Closed 4. Tues., January 26 — Regular School Committee Meeting @ 7 p.m. 5. Wed., February 3 — Inservice/Early Release Day 6. Sat., February 6 — Business and Finance Subcommittee Meeting @ ECC @ 8 a.m. 7. Mon., February 15 — Friday, February 19 — Winter Vacation 8. Mon., February 15 — President's Day — All School Offices and Buildings Closed

VII. REPORT OF SUBCOMMITTEES

None.

VIII. REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES

None.

IX. REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS AND FINANCE

A. Acceptance of Donation from Jeffrey Coombs Memorial Foundation.

VOTED: on motion of Mr. Wayne Rogiers (Mrs. Patricia Vantine) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to accept the donation of $5,000.°° from the Jeffrey Coombs Memorial Foundation as presented.

B. Acceptance of Donation of $550.°° from the Frolio Middle School PTO to fund the Frolio Middle School Peer Leaders Program.

VOTED: on motion of Mr. James West (Mrs. Patricia Vantine) the members of the Abington School Committee unanimously voted to accept the donation of $550.°° from the Frolio Middle School PTO to fund the Frolio Middle School Peer Leaders Program as presented.

C. MSBA Statement of Interest Status.

Ms. Moschella was present this evening to update the committee on the statements of interest that were submitted recently. She stated that given the budget situation we are in


it is difficult to talk about the building of a new middle school but Abington needs to keep their eye on the prize for the future when we are out of this budget crisis. Statements of interest and explanations have been submitted and this keeps us in the queue. Information on forming a building committee for a new middle school will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead.

D. Information on South Shore Purchasing Collaborative.

Ms. Moschella presented to the Abington School Committee information on the South Shore Purchasing Collaborative for custodial supplies and that being a part of this collaborative will enable Abington to purchase in large quantities resulting in savings on items such as paper towels, sanitizer, ice melt, to name a few.

X. PRINCIPAL REPORTS

A. Ms. Teresa Sullivan — Abington High School

1. Presentation of M.A.S.S. Certificate of Academic Excellence to Emily Welch.

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Mr. Schafer, on behalf of Ms. Sullivan, Principal of Abington High School, was pleased

to give a profile on Emily Welch's academic success at Abington High School deserving of the certificated of academic excellence from the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. Mr. Schafer also highlighted Emily's co-curricular activities while a student at Abington High School.

VOIED: on motion of Mr. James West (Mrs. Patricia Vantine) the members of the Abington School Committee unanimously voted to send Emily Welch a letter of congratulations and acknowledging the M.A.S.S. certificate of academic excellence.

B. Mrs. Ann Harper — Early Childhood Center

1. Proposed Change to Kindergarten Schedule for the 2010-2011 SY.

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Mrs. Harper, Principal of the Early Childhood Center, was present this evening to recommend beginning in the 2010-2011 school year that Abington not switch kindergarten sessions at mid year. Mrs. Harper indicated that continuing interest from families completing the ECC School Improvement Plan surveys has given her reason to come this evening with the request. The reason for the request is that switching sessions disrupts the daily schedule when the change is made mid year. She also stated that the selection would be based on geographical location within the Town of Abington of the student's home address. She also stated that in order to maintain an equal number of instructional hours, she recommended that the PM session at the ECC be extended by up to 10 minutes per day. The hours would be 12:25 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Mr. Schafer asked the school committee members to seek input from the community and to take action on this request at the meeting on January 26, 2010.

C. Mrs. Amy Scolaro — Woodsdale Elementary School

1. Revised School Improvement Plan for 2009-2010 SY.

Mrs. Scolaro was present this evening to discuss the revised school improvement plan for the 2009-2010 school year. The revisions are a result of the MCAS scores indicating that the special education and low income population at the Woodsdale • Elementary School did not meet its own target for improvement. As shown on district and school AYP reports, a snapshot of the years between 2001 and 2009; a finding of "Yes" or "No" in a given year tells if the school or district made AYP that year. Schools and districts that do not make AYP for two or more consecutive years in the aggregate or for a student group in ETA or mathematics must follow a course of action to improve school performance. A school or district's "Accountability Status" defines that course of action.

VOTED: on motion of Mr. Wayne Rogiers (Mrs. Patricia Vantine) the members of the Abington School Committee unanimously voted to accept the revised Woodsdale Elementary School's school improvement plan as presented.

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XI. NEW BUSINESS AND ESTABLISHING OF NEXT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING DATES

January 26, 2010 @ 7:00 p.m. February 6, 2010 @ 8:00 a.m.

February 23, 2010 @ 7:00 p.m. •

Brenda L. Pignone, Chairman


VOTED: on motion of Mr. James West (Mrs. Patricia Vantine) the members of the Abington School Committee unanimously voted to establish Tuesday, January 26, 2010 as the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Abington School Committee.

XII. APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS

VOTED: on motion of Mr. Wayne Rogiers (Mr. James West) the members of the School Committee unanimously voted to approve all accounts as presented.

XIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION- by roll call vote for the purpose of considering collective and non-collective bargaining strategies and not to return to public session.

Yes: Mr. West Mrs. Vantine Mr. Rogiers Ms. Pignone

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abington, massachusetts january 5, 2010 regular meeting i

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