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Home My Public Portal AboutBrewster School Committee -- 2008-03-20 Minutes~DDDO D Brewster School Committee Minutes of March 20, 2008 p,~~ i "~ 200R ° Held at Eddy Elementary School Chair O'Reilly called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: For the Committee: Steve Jones, Marie Enochty, John O'Reilly, Jennifer Rabold, David Telman For the Administration: Michael Gradone, Gail Briere, Denise Fronius, Keith Gauley Others: Selectman Dyanne Cooney, parents, teachers, students, interested citizens AGENDA CHANGES - Chair O'Reilly indicated that "8. Consider Field Naming Request"will be considered immediately after Citizens Speak, and the audience will be recognized during this discussion. CITIZENS SPEAK - No one wished to address the Committee at this time. PRIORITY BUSINESS Consider Field Naming Reauest Superintendent Gradone began the discussion explaining there are altematives to naming the field after Garry Robbins which would honor him and recognize the many contributions Mr. Robbins has made to the students; his concern is setting the standard for naming public facilities. Some of the other alternatives could be a plaque on the fence behind home plate, Gany Robbins Day at a Whitecaps game with Mr. Robbins throwing out the first ball; scholarships for baseball camp in his name. The School Committee has never voted to name a facility after someone except for the naming of the Eddy Elementary School. Parent Mrs. Ladue presented two petitions signed by students at the Middle and High Schools in support of naming the field the Garry Robbins Field. Letters written by student Alec Milesky and Brewster Regional Little League Vice President Michael Ladue were given to the Chair to be read into the record. Ethan Ladue, 5th grade student, read his letter to the School Committee and gave a copy to the Chair. Copies of these letters will be attached to the official minutes. Principal Gauley suggested that since this effort was started by the students that they should be involved in deciding how Mr. Robbins could be recognized. Following more discussion, Jennifer Rabold moved to name the field the Garry Robbins Field. David Telman seconded the motion. Vote: 3 Aye, 2 Opposed (M. Enochty, S. Jones). Reconsider FY 09 Budget Assistant Superintendent Gail Briere reviewed the meeting with the Brewster Selectmen where they expressed their concerns over the budget and asked the Committee and Administration to look for ways to further reduce this budget by $92,000-95,000. The Administration met (principals, assistant superintendent, business manager, superintendent; director of student services was consulted before and after this Brewster School Committee Minutes -March 20. 2008 Pape 2 meeting). $19,035 can be reduced eliminating the health insurance premiums for two educational assistants whose positions were eliminated; in the Eddy and Stony Brook budgets, $8,300 in reductions were identified. The collective total is $27,335. Administration then had to look at staffing; class sizes and the lower projected case load for special education were reviewed and consolidation of special education at Eddy could stand the elimination of a 60% teaching position reducing special education teachers from 7.6 to 7.0. This reduction totals $53,029 ($38,683 salary and $14,346 health insurance benefits). This difficult recommendation totals $80,364; still $10,000- 15,000 short of the Selectmen's request. There was discussion on these recommendations and the difficult times the Town is facing; the fact that next year will most likely mean overrides in the district towns which could replenish what has been cut and cut again; will the Finance Committee support the schools if, in September, the needs of the students change (new IEP requirements for a student or a special needs student moves to the district) from what we are currently anticipating; the hope that these cuts will be enough. Supt. Gradone has spoken with Town Administrator Sumner and believes they will be appreciative of the Committee's efforts to meet their request. Dyanne Cooney said they are hopeful that come July there will be more money available than they have been told. Mr. Gradone indicated that the fiscal decisions being made (Elementary and Region) are not supportable in the long range; overrides will be necessary to restore fiscal balance. Jennifer Rabold said that everyone needs to be told now that the Town and the schools are in trouble. It was moved by Steve Jones to approve the budget reductions as indicated. The motion was seconded by Jennifer Rabold. Voted Unanimously. Whitecaps Reauest The Whitecaps have asked permission to do the same herbicide treatment as last year with the application of dithiopyr during the April vacation. It was moved by Steve Jones, seconded by David Telman and voted unanimously to give the Whitecaps. permission to have the staff of the golf course to apply dithiopyr early fn the April vacation. Voted Unanimously. Whitecaps President Claire Gradone asked permission to move the electrical outlet over to the right field area instead of by the playground so their concession stand can be relocated in the interests of safety issues with regards to foul balls. She said that netting most likely will be forthcoming. Mr. Telman suggested that the stand be situated so that the public will not have their backs to the field. Mrs. Gradone said they will do everything they can to be as safe as possible. Fencing may be demanded in the future. It was moved by Steve Jones to allow the Whitecaps to relocate the electrical outlet as requested. The motion was seconded by Marie Enochty. Voted Unanimously. Mr. Jones asked that the Whitecaps look at temporary netting. - Consider School Choice It was moved by Steve Jones, seconded by Marie Enochty and voted unanimously not to parficipafe in School Choice for 2008-09. Administrators' Reports Principal Fronius reported that kindergarten registrations for next year stands at 62; they had 98.2% attendance at parent conferences; the newsletter is now availabie electronically on the school's Web site; books have been donated to the libraries in memory of Alexander Haas by his mother; aRead-A-Thon fundraiser will replace cookie dough sales; and she acknowledged staff for the extras they do, and featured Donna Brewster School Committee Minutes -March 20 2008 Pa e 3 Drown (Cafeteria Manager) who knows each child's name, any allergies they may have, and the creative ways she presents the menu and the foods so the children try new things (i.e., heart beets -heart cut out of a beet). Principal Gauley was happy to deliver good news after having to talk of budgets. MCAS begins next week; Reed Jenkins qualified for the next level after taking the written test for the National Geography Bee and will go to the competition on April 4; the Eddy chorus has been invited to'sing at the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra's Pops Concert - congratulations to Stacie Ferris and the students; congratulations also to Paul Mullen with 70 students placing 1St 2"d and 3`d in the Jumping by the Bay Contest; he reviewed the progress being made on the School Improvement Plan; five teams will be participating on March 30 in Destination Imagination; and the spring concert is May 6. Mr. Gradone reported that the proposed article for Town Meetings to approve a Special Education Contingency Fund was withdrawn by Eastham; it is on Welffleet's warrant; Orleans couldn't fund it, and Brewster's Town Counsel said it is not legal and so it is off the warrant. REPORTS AND INFORMATION Cape Cod Collaborative - no report APPROVAL OF MINUTES It was moved by Marie Enochty and seconded by Jennifer Rabold to approve the minutes of February 28, 2008. Mr. Jones asked that the minutes be corrected on page 2 bottom of the page, last paragraph changing "Stony Brook" to "Eddy': Voted unanimously as corrected. ADJOURNMENT - It was moved, seconded and voted unanimously to adjourn, subject to paying bills, at 8:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, B.J. Newmier, Secretary Brewster School Committee s~: } ~ z- ~nr 80. t~~