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Home My Public Portal AboutBrewster School Committee -- 2017-12-21 Minutes Brewster School Committee 11A Thursday, December 21 , 2017 , .A . , Brewster Town Hall VIA k•: 11 ,A', Present for the Committee : David Telman, Robert Miller, Jessica Larsen, Claire Gradone, Marie Enochty (6 : 37 p .m.) Present for the Administration: Thomas Conrad, Keith Gauley, Giovanna Venditti, Joanna Hughes, Patty Allen Call to Order Chair Telman called the meeting to order at 6 : 00 p .m . Citizens Sneak None PRIORITY BUSINESS Administrators ' Reports Principal' s Report Principals ' reports were included in the packet. There were no questions . Mr. Gauley' s report was included in the packet. If members have questions, send him an email . Superintendent's Report Superintendent Conrad reported he was working on numerous budgets . The HR Coordinator is working toward having some people at the Central Office trained for fingerprinting for our employees . This is a huge initiative as new hires must travel to Hingham or Pocasset to get this done as well as pay a fee . He reported that the IB Program had its final visit to the High School and there are no recommendations in their exit survey. They gave Nauset many commendations . The District should know in a couple of months if we have been accepted into the program . He will be visiting the Woodrow Wilson School in Framingham that is an elementary 1B school . In the afternoon he will visit the Barbieri School to visit their Spanish Immersion Program . He attended the Lexington Presentation at the MASC conference and is researching homework as one of his goals , He indicated that the last District policy was 1980 and there is no policy presently but there are numerous versions of a homework policy in student handbooks . On the professional development day, he will sit with teachers and look at the issues around homework. He would like to involve the community in the homework discussion and stated that the social emotional well-being plays into this as well . He reported that the first educational seminar, Education in Tibet, was a big success . Coordinated Program Review Dr. Caretti reviewed the Coordinated Program Review with the Committee . Members of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education come to the District and go through the files, interview parents and teachers . They are looking to see if we are compliant with the law for Special Education Civil Rights and English Language Learners . She stated the report was outstanding and thanked the Eddy and Stony Brook staff. A corrective action was needed in the civil rights piece by adding the word "homeless" to our civil rights statement and to the handbooks . They will also be doing a self-assessment that will be a survey to parents of 5r'' grade students and teachers to ensure everyone has equal access to all programs . This will then be submitted to the DESE . FY18 Budget Giovanna Venditti, Director of Finance and Operations, reviewed the expenditure report for Stony Brook Elementary School indicating a balance of $258, 154 . She reviewed accounts with substantial fluctuation . She also reviewed the expenditure report for Eddy Elementary indicating a balance of $ 12, 179 . She reviewed the various line items noting variances . She will check on the inspection cost and who inspected the playground . Brewster School Committee Minutes - December 22, 2017 [ 1 ] FY19 Budget Principals gave a brief overview of their FYI budgets highlighting 2-3 of the major items for discussion . At the January meeting these will be discussed further. The Superintendent indicated the goal is to keep a robust and outstanding program in place . He also indicated that personnel costs make up a majority of the budget with staff receiving a 2 . 5 % COLA, some receive step increases and some teachers have lane changes . Principal Hughes highlighted the following in her budget: 7002 — Increase 10-month secretary to a 12-month secretary 7007 — New program in place for Nurses — Snap Health 7010 — would like to add an additional %2 time position for reading intervention Reduce 1 Educational Assistant by . 5 7026 — Additional resources 7095 — Out of District — Cape Cod Collaborative — student moving from Stony Brook to Eddy Principal Allen highlighted the following in her budget: Principal Allen indicated that this budget will enable Stony Brook to maintain the rigor of the program, is reflective of the School Improvement Plan focus and includes social emotional learning program . They continue to maintain and improve the ELA program . 5007 — Contracted services, non-instructional technology 5012 — Salary Instructional Coordinators — Add a 51h position having an SEL Coordinator 5015 — Salary Educational Assistants — redirected how educational assistants are being used for reading interventions, they have moved back into the classroom into a workshop model and are utilizing the reading interventionist. Confident that an Educational Assistant can be reduced by one . 5021 — Texts/Software/Media — wonders supplemental materials 5022 — Other Instructional materials — Commitment to Library - need books at younger level . The age of the collect is late 1990 ' s . 5044 — Contracted Services Custodial — increase — added single stream recycling program 5068 — SN Supplies Instructional Technology — incoming Kindergarten student requires an 1Pad 5092 — Out of District Transportation — student moving to Eddy 5097 — Out of District Tuition — Student moving to Eddy Stony Brook Elementary School budget coming in at -0 .46% . The Town of Brewster has not sent official budget guidelines but the Superintendent anticipates a budget at 2 . 5 % With both schools combined, the budget increase is 2 . 62% . He also mentioned that with the transportation savings, there could be an additional $30 , 000 . With that savings the budget would be at 2 .22% . Ms . Enochty requested information on the Nauset District Kindergarten curriculum and if it is consistent across the District. The Superintendent reported that the Joint School Committee presentation on bus transportation was very well received and all the boards voted in favor of the proposal to move to the Cape Cod Collaborative for bus transportation . Brewster did not have a quorum, so a vote is needed . Motion : On a motion by Jessica Larsen, seconded by Claire Gradone, it was voted unanimously yeas to authorize the Superintendent or his designee to apply for and pursue us service through the Cape Cod Collaborative for 2018 -2019 and subsequent school years . Members thanked the Transportation Subcommittee and Claire Gradone for all their efforts . Reports and Information Preschool Enrollment — Included in the packet. Cape Cod Collaborative — Jessica Larsen reported that they are still interviewing for the Director of Way Point. She also reported that the Collaborative had their first Charter School placement. Brewster School Committee Minutes - December 22 , 2017 [2 ] School Councils — Bob Miller reported that Dr. Connie Hebert made a presentation to the school council about how they are adjusting the reading program for our children. He suggested that she come to a School Committee meeting in the future . Claire Gradone reported that the council is discussing and updating the vision and mission statement and will spend time on the 5 year plan going forward . PTO — No meeting Policy Subcommittee — No report Transportation Subcommittee — No report Substance Abuse Subcommittee — Jessica Larsen reported the subcommittee is moving forward on the survey for elementary school students . Approval of Minutes On a motion by Jessica Larsen seconded by Claire Gradone, it was voted unanimously to approve the minutes of November 16, 2017 . On a motion by Claire Gradone, seconded by Jessica Larsen, it was voted unanimously to approve the executive session minutes of November 16, 2017 . Adjournment On a motion by Jessica Larsen, seconded by Claire Gradone, it was voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 6 : 56 p .m. I eluded in the pacW. Administrators ' reports, expenditure report; CPR budget documents and Minutes. Brewster School Committee Minutes - December 22 , 2017 [3 ]