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MANCHESTER
BOARD OF EDUCATION
REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 |
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I N U T E S
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7:30
p.m.
Lincoln Center |
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A. OPENING PRESENT: Edwards, Hackett, Huyler, Lok, O'Neill, Rizzo, Robinson, Thresher ABSENT: Holmes ALSO ABSENT: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Brett, Interim Business Manager Pinzone Mr. Robinson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Mr. Robinson led the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Robinson stated that Item C. 2005 Teacher of the Year would be moved on the agenda to appear before B. Public Comments, as a friendly amendment. Minutes
of September 13, 2004 MOTION: Hackett/Rizzo s.v. The Board of Education accepts the minutes of September 13, 2004. (6/0/1-Robinson) (O'Neill absent for the vote) B. 2005
TEACHER OF THE YEAR Mr. Robinson congratulated all of the recipients. C. PUBLIC
COMMENTS 2. Candy Hilton-Rang, 57 Princeton Street. She introduced fifth grade Bowers students in the audience. She explained the children are not just numbers, but individual students with special needs. She stated that the Board should not pit school against school, parent against parent, or child against child. She feels that moving teachers around to balance class size is treating schools like a corporation. She offered solutions to the problem: 1) Hire a long term substitute for an additional first grade at Waddell; due to time constraints, she offered more written solutions to the Board for them to consider, as well as a petition. 3. Chloe Walter & Bethany Rang (students) They are fifth grade students at Bowers Elementary School. The feel that it is very unfair to have their teacher taken away based on class sizes. They stated that although some people learn better in a small class, others learn better surrounded by friends and people they know. They feel that the Board is taking away small class size and learning experiences at Bowers. They are used to the teacher they have and asked the Board to reconsider their plan. 4. Tony Walter, 63 Delmont Street. He also spoke against the collapse of classes at Bowers School. He asked how reducing the class size at one school and increasing it at another one could be a solution to the problem. He feels the Board is creating a problem at one school that they are trying to eliminate at another. He stated that students at both schools do not deserve this type of treatment. The students are already a month into the curriculum and that it would probably take another month to adjust. He feels the collapse will affect the ability of 137 students and seven teachers. He stated the school is in transition with an interim principal and low CMT scores. He asked that the Board rethink its decision. He also asked the Board to consider hiring the interim principal, Mary Grande, as she has been as asset at Bowers. 5. Mykaela Adams, 61 Essex Street. She feels it is a sin for the first grade teachers to have so many students at Waddell in one classroom. She feels it would be sad if another teacher were not added because the classes are overfilled. She believes every child should learn and not be left behind. 6. Maureen Prouty/Stanley Prouty, 36 Durkin Street. She spoke for her son that attends Bowers School. She stated that this has been the happiest she has ever seen him with his present teacher. He is very upset that his teacher is leaving. She hopes that the Board can keep the current arrangement. Mr. Prouty added that his son is devastated at the suggestion that his teacher is leaving. 7. Suzanne Ransom, 16 Kane Road. She introduced a first grader at Waddell School. He came from a small kindergarten class of 14 and has had no preschool experience. In kindergarten, he began reading. She stated that she owes that to exceptional teaching and a very class size where a teacher had time for each individual child. She thanked the Board for giving them another first grade teacher at Waddell, as she feels it is very important. She also believes that every child in town deserves the same, no matter how many people have to be hired to have more teachers to make more classes smaller. 8. Donna Watson, 23 Bramblebush Road. She thanked the Board for the much-needed additional first grade teacher at Waddell School. She stated it is her nineteenth year teaching first grade, and over the years, she has continually seen evidence that smaller class sizes at the primary level builds student skills and fosters the confidence that is needed for future grades. She presently has a class of 25 with varied needs. With the additional teacher, she would be able to give children more individual attention. She feels that since there is no all day kindergarten and not a lot of preschool experiences, small class size is crucial to success in reading, math, creative writing and character education. She feels that small class sizes should be available to all children. 9. Lisa Pontacelli, 5 Hunter Road, She is the ESL tutor at Waddell School. This year, she has seven students in the first grade that will need her services. She asked the Board to consider how much they would learn in their regular classes with more individualized attention with a small class size. She thanked the Board for the extra teacher as she feels it will make a big difference. 10. Bonnie Schuetz, 12 Conway Road. She stated that she took the tour at Bennet Middle School on Saturday morning. She told the Board to fix Bennet, as a new school is not needed. She feels that Board and the teachers at Bennet are lying. She feels the school needs paint and maintenance. She asked the Board to fix Bennet and educate the students. 11. Milt Perlman, 3 Sanford Road. He congratulated the teacher who received the Teacher of the Year honor. He also thanked all the people for attending the meeting to discuss the problems that are never discussed at the Board. He feels that buildings are always discussed and not the human factor and education. He also took the tour of Bennet Middle School. He feels that any problems are not age-related, but related to poor maintenance. He told the Board to look across the street from Bennet at the renovated building that is the same age. He stated that a fire Marshall would go through the building to ensure safety. He does not believe the town needs a new middle school, but rather more discussions about the educational problems that exist. 12. Geoff King, 105 Lenox Street. His daughter is a fifth grade student at Bowers. He asked the Board to consider the emotional and educational disruption to the fifth grade students by collapsing students. He stated that the Bowers physical plant is a mess, which is also an educational disruption. There has been a high staff turnover, including the principal at Bowers. There have also been low mastery tests at the school, scoring below district average in all three areas. He feels that there has been poor communication among students, staff and parents on this subject. He feels that there is a real lack of creativity in dealing with this problem, as well as poor planning. He supports small class sizes and agrees that Waddell needs another teacher. He asked about funding for staff decisions and the involvement of the Board on this issue. 13. Sarah Edwards, 329 Kennedy Road. She understands the Board wants to help children and make school a better place to be. She cannot understand taking a teacher, who has bonded with her students in a Title I school, away from students. She feels first grade is an instrumental year in developing reading skills. She believes that all schools should have small class sizes, but is painfully aware that there is no money. Her daughter is currently doing extremely well in a small class, which will soon add additional students. She asked the Board how this would help students to be better readers. She wants Robertson and Waddell to have small class sizes, but she does not want it at the expense of Nathan Hale students. She hopes the Board will continue to keep the teacher at Nathan Hale. 14. Jennifer Ausdemore, 190 John Olds Drive. She is the PTA President of Robertson Elementary School. She was asked to speak on behalf of the first grade students. They currently have approximately 87 students in four first grade classes. If they received a new teacher for the first grade, the numbers would go under twenty and the students would be able to be taught in a smaller environment and be able to learn more. They are also a Title I school. She understands the feelings of Nathan Hale parents as well. She stated that there are also students at Robertson who do not speak English, which would benefit from smaller classes. She feels small class size is a Manchester problem and she hopes there will be a solution to solve everyone's problem. 15. Terry Werkhoven, 88 Santina Drive. He thanked the Bennet staff for the school tour that he took on Saturday. He stated they did not get into the power plant to see the electrical circuits. He believes that the block of stone that fell on the teacher's desk came from a closet wall in the next room over. He stated that it had nothing to do with the leaking roof. He feels that this information was misleading. With regards to the tile that fell in the stairwell, it has been a problem that has never been taken care of. He also stated that the ceiling or base coat is not make of asbestos, and it will not fall down. He feels what fell was not a heavy object but was powder. With regard to the building, he agrees that it needs a lot of repair, painting and maintenance as it had been neglected over the years. He is also concerned about the leak that occurred in the new roof and feels it should have been tested. 16. Jen Holbrook, 86 Spruce Street. She spoke on behalf of the Nathan Hale parents as PTA President, and she also has a second grade student. She stated the teacher has started out on a wonderful year that the children know her very well. She urged the Board to reconsider moving the teacher, as Nathan Hale needs her there. 17. Kim Chaudhary, 102 Glenwood Street. She is also a parent of a second grade student at Nathan Hale School. She has had four children in the system, and finds Nathan Hale to be an incredible, safe educational institution. She realizes there is a problem with Robertson School, but feels the move would cause another problem at Nathan Hale. She asked how she would explain it to her second grader who has already bonded with his teacher. She feels it is wrong to do this to children, and feels that there has to be another way. She urged the Board to reconsider. 18. Leslie Frey, 30 Florence Street. She thanked the Board for letting the public tour Bennet. She was happy to see all parents and students at the meeting, and she hopes they think ahead to the Bennet issue. She was disappointed on a few items on the tours, such as the need to show ID and prove residency. She believes the tour should be open to anyone. She also feels the tours were slightly biased, as they were geared toward showing the damages. She feels it would have been nice to see the pool and bowling alley. She also learned that a third of the Rec Building is used as office space for the Foods and Nutritional program, which could be used for classrooms. She feels the Cheney building was amazing with a woodworking room, art rooms, music rooms, and feels the building should not be torn down. She commented on the beautiful architecture of the building, as expects that additional tours will be offered throughout the next year so that many more people will be able to view the school to make a decision. 19. Kim Silvester, 13 Bilou Street. She has two children in Waddell School. She stated her son would be devastated if his teacher left; however, he would understand if it meant a solid foundation for younger students like he received in first grade. 20. Dorothy Brindamour, 6 Morse Road. She feels Bennet is beautiful. She pointed out the track that goes around the top of the gym, a pool, and beautiful brickwork. She feels that it is the way that is it because it was never taken care of correctly. She stated that if it is fixed up, it will cost as much as a new square building. She feels the new buildings are not as good as the old ones. She also suggested that the whole building does not have to be done at once. She feels that the town should get the State architect for advice of what should be done. She stated that it is in a neighborhood where the students walk to school. The neighborhood and the students like the school and it is convenient for them for after school activities. 21. Tom Stringfellow, 183 Hillstown Road. He hoped the Board would consider the plan made by Al Lutz regarding Bennet Middle School, regarding the Keeney Street area. He is concerned about the cemetery if it is built on Hillstown Road. Additionally, there is enough traffic there with MCC and MRA. He hopes that there could be newly hired teachers to have enough teachers for the class size. As a follow-up to 9/11, he presented a brochure regarding Homeland Security, which spells out what do to in times of emergency. It is also available at www.ready.gov. He stated there was an article in Education Digest that also spoke about what to do in case of emergency. Regarding Hispanic Heritage Month, he mentioned Spanish and African explorers. In the October 4 edition of the U.S. World News Report, there is a cover story on the modern life of the American Indian. On September 29, at MCC, there will be a forum dealing with race relations by Michael Fecarra of Equality for all Races. It will be the first of five forums. The second will be about academic achievement. 22. Eric Rustek, 34 Linden Street. His daughter is a fifth grade student at Bowers. He feels education is the most important thing for children, and does not believe the problem is being fixed by shuffling students around and making classes bigger. He feels the fix would make another problem elsewhere. He hopes a better resolution will be made. 23. Stephanie Knybel, 138 Bobby Lane. She corrected one of her public comments regarding CMTs. She did not receive results as her student took a practice CMT. She did ask for the scores and received a sheet of paper that listed the objectives and how he did. She understands there will be a different format next year. She is urging the off-year test scores be mailed home in first quarter report cards, as it is another way of getting parents involved. She took offense at a public comment that Bennet staff are lying about the building. She feels that teachers who work in the building all day know the issues. Additionally, the staff that gave the tours were volunteers on their own time. 24, Debbie Streeter, 25 Eastfield Street. She stated she was glad to see so many elementary parents at the meeting. She hopes they also listen to the Bennet issue for their future, and get involved. She heard that the tours had some visitors, but mostly the people who attend all the meetings. She feels that if the Board hears from the same people, they will think it is representative of the whole town. Regarding swing space, she stated that at least one class of children would spend their entire middle school experience in swing space. Additionally, she has heard several different theories on what should be done in order to fix Bennet. She questioned why Bennet is not allowed to have anything new. She feels that this is not an equitable thing to do. She believes that more is needed than a coat of paint to fix the problems. 25. Lisa Bramsky, 374 Hilliard Street. Her son is a first grade student at Waddell. He learned how to read in kindergarten. She thanked the Board for giving them another first grade teacher as her son is in a big class. She feels it is very important that the classes get shrunk, as all students need individual attention. She feels sorry for the Bowers fifth grade parents, but feels that the older children can adapt to the change better. 26. Kimberly Colletti, 31 Brookfield Street. As a parent and former student, it breaks her heart that the students are dealing with stresses of over-crowded classrooms or losing a teacher. Her son has gone from not liking school and no confidence to thriving in and enjoying a smaller classroom. She stated that her son is hurt and heartbroken like the rest of his class, and she would not like to see this happen. She would hate to see any student not feel like their special. 27. Pam Grimard, 109 Lockwood Street. She has two children in Waddell, and agrees that it is not fair to take teachers away from other students that are learning to put them in another school. Everyone has the issue of needing their students to be in smaller classrooms. She feels by taking from one school, it will hurt another school. She thanked the Board for the additional teacher, which will help her son, but she hopes that everyone can be made happy. 28. Rachel Spaho, 186 Birch Street. She was very emotional that about moving teachers as it does not make sense to take teachers from one classroom and move them to another. Mr. Robinson stated that there was an enrollment report to be given later in the meeting and asked if there was a desire by the Board to move the item up on the agenda. There was no desire to do so. D. CONSENT
CALENDAR 1) Personnel Action Appointments Karen Maxwell to be a Grade 3 Teacher at Bowers School. Ms. Maxwell received her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Hartford and resides in Hartford. Approved effective August 23, 2004 (BA Step 1, $37,528). Laura Rioux to be a .80 FTE Career Services Coordinator at Manchester High School. Ms. Rioux received her master's degree in School Counseling at Central Connecticut State University and resides in East Hampton. Approved effective August 23, 2004 (MA Step 4, $44,382, prorated to her FTE). Stefanie Sebastiao to be a Biology Teacher at Manchester High School. Ms. Sebastiao received her bachelor's degree in Biology at the University of Hartford and resides in West Hartford. Approved effective August 23, 2004 (BA Step 1, $37,528). Veronica Skerker to be a Biology/Chemistry Teacher at Manchester High School. Ms. Skerker received her master's degree in Biology at the University of Hartford and resides in West Hartford. Approved effective September 7, 2004 (MA+30, Step 13, $72,608, prorated to her date of hire), Resignations 2) Extended Field Trip Request 3) Permission
to Apply for Education Special Projects - $25,000 4) Appropriation
for Education Special Projects - $1,500,616 5) Approval of Transfer of Budget Funds Among Categories 6) Authorization of Signature Form Mr. Robinson asked for a motion on the Consent Calendar. MOTION: Hackett/Rizzo s.v. The Board of Education adopts the items listed on the Consent Calendar. (8/0/0) E. SUPERINTENDENT'S
REPORT Mr. Lewis introduced Mr. Samuelson. He stated that they were seeking the Board's support and participation in the Child Identification Program offered by the Free Masons of CT. The Child Identification Program provides parents with tooth print impressions, a still photo compatible with the Amber Alert System, fingerprints, and a 3-5 minute recorded video of the child. They hope to provide this to all of the children in the Manchester School System. They would provide it in 2005 to the students in first through fifth grade, and 2006 for the sixth through twelve grades. This would be provided free of charge in the schools on a Saturday. The organization staffs the event. This program started in New York in 1994, and moved to Massachusetts in 1996. They have done over 120,000 children. Manchester started two years ago and has done about 17,000 children in the State of Connecticut. They provide all of the identification material to the children; they do not retain any of it. They do not have a database or information file. This would be the single biggest undertaking at one time they have done so far. They would start the next day, if approved, with the logistics and mechanics of the program. The actual child identification would start in March, April and May in the schools. They seek the Board's support and involvement in this program. Mr. Edwards thanked them for their presentation. He confirmed that the video and materials would be kept by the parents. He asked what logistical support is needed from the Board, such as buildings or expenditures, such as overtime for custodians. He asked if there were other costs to be incurred. Mr. Lewis stated there were no costs. His organization provides the materials, the equipment, and the volunteers to staff the events. Not all schools would be done in one weekend; they would go from school to school. Mr. Edwards stated that it was a good program and he appreciated their efforts. Mrs. Lok thanked them for the presentation and offering this service to Manchester students. She asked if it was a voluntary program. Mr. Lewis answered that it was voluntary. They send permission slips home with the children, and when they come to the program, they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian with the slip. They do keep to permission slip to keep count of how many children they serve. Mrs. Lok asked if there was any price involved. Mr. Lewis stated there was no cost to the children or school board, other than to the custodian on Saturdays. He stated the Free Masons and the merchants of Manchester would provide all materials, equipment and volunteers. He quoted from the brochure what is provided. He stated the program would be continued and updated throughout the years. He explained that the Free Masons are much like the Shriners. Mrs. Lok asked if there was a recommendation from the Superintendent's office. Dr. Mistretta feels that it is a valuable service that would be very valuable to parents. They would be happy to support it through in kind services of custodial costs for Saturday building operation. Mrs. Lok asked if this item could be moved forward at this meeting. Mr. Robinson stated that it could be voted on at this meeting. Mrs. Hackett feels this is a wonderful idea, and feels any efforts are valuable. She was concerned about the parent's ability to update and feels they would have the opportunity to do this. She asked what the average participation rate is, and how many people follow through with updating. Mr. Lewis stated that is was their second year doing this program. He stated 280-300 out of 400 usually will participate if it is done in school which the students and parents are familiar with. They have five sets of equipment. These programs are open to anyone at any time, and no student is ever turned away. Babies to college students have participated in the program. Mrs. Hackett thanked them and believes it is a worthy idea. Mr. Rizzo feels that this is a wonderful program. He understands it is a free program, but wonders how the supplies are funded. Mr. Lewis stated that it is funded by the Free Masons of Connecticut, and that they would seek assistance from the businesses in the neighborhood. They would not solicit help for the Manchester School System, but rather to support the CT Free Masons in providing Child Identification to the school system. He stated is costs approximately $3.80 per child. If they do not get merchant donations, the Free Masons would fund the endeavor. Mr. Rizzo asked if they partner with the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Rizzo stated they partner with the dental association, Dr. Fish, as well as the Manchester Police Department for fingerprinting. The Masons provide the videotape and digital photographs. They would be happy to approach The Chamber for their support. They will use about six months to get their sponsors before the program begins. Mrs. Huyler echoed that it is a wonderful program. She feels that safety is priority one and that this is a great complimentary program. Mr. Edwards asked if there was an estimate of ongoing costs to the Board for this program. Dr. Mistretta asked Attorney Libby for the cost of a custodian for this program. Attorney Libby estimated that it would be approximately $150 to $200 per day, based on rate of pay and overtime costs. Mr. Lewis expanded that this would be about $1,600 to $2,000 for the entire district for a year, which would break down to about 60 cents per child. Mr. Lewis asked if it would be acceptable if a business chose to fund this cost every year. Dr. Mistretta stated that the school district would accept this donation, which would be placed into an approved budget line. Mr. Lewis stated that they would seek the support of a local business to fund this cost, along with some of the materials. He also stated that they would speak to all the local principals to get the mechanics of the program in order before approaching the local businesses. Mr. Samuelson stated that this is a unique opportunity for the community to be given and that it is desperately needed. He feels the community and school board could support the cost of custodians for this program to occur. Mr. Robinson thanked the gentlemen for this generous offer. MOTION: Lok/Hackett s.v. The Board of Education approves the item and endorses the Connecticut Free Masons to operate the CT Chip Program within our schools. (8/0/0) 2. Report
from John Foley-Interracial Council Mr. Foley stated that he was impressed by the parents coming out to the meeting, enthusiastic about their schools, education and how they wanted to preserve it. He spoke about social capital, debt and spending and how it related to recent incidents of violence in the community. He stated how the community and police department are working to support each other, which he states is the building of social capital. The Interracial Council had a series of Study Circles, with 44 participants, in May. At the end of the five-week program, the groups made recommendations to Manchester. The primary concern was to get Diane Kearney's budget to ensure that she is full-time as the Diversity Coordinator to address the issues of diversity in Town in cooperation with Kenya Rutland and Richard Blade. He stated that the minority population is 15% of the town, while it is 35-40% of the population of the schools. This means that there are a lot of young families moving in town coming from failing schools. He feels that an additional way to fund education needs to be found. Another recommendation of the Council is to recruit tutors and mentors in all of the schools. He stated that every school should have a tutoring system of some sort. Because of the diversity in the schools, the educators need to be sensitized and go through diversity training to become aware of the implications of different cultures. An additional message from Study Circles is that strong standards should be made and kept. The standards that are set should honor the students when they graduate. They would also like to promote an equity and diversity in honors and the Advanced Placement programs. This is difficult because many of the students of color come in under-prepared and are failing. The graduation standards have to be strong enough so that whey students graduate, they have a meaningful degree. They would like to encourage parents to get involved in the educational system. It is important to change the attitude in children and parents who come from failing schools that education is very important. They recommend diversity training for all employees, specifically for those in the education field, is needed and should be ongoing. He also stated that he met with Ms. Ouellette, Principal of Bennet Middle School, and referenced the upcoming referendum decision about funding a new school. He remarked about the similarities and differences between Illing and Bennet and noted that the schools would soon have to be redistricted to maintain racial balance. He is impressed about the quality of teaching he is seeing at Bennet based on the test scores that were higher than Illing's. He also gave an observation about Bennet and the quadrangle. He noted that students come there everyday to gather and play sports, as they see it as their neighborhood school. They come because it is a safe place to be and a place they know. He would like to see this consideration moved into the decision to remodel or rebuilt Bennet. Mr. Robinson thanked him for his report. 3. Enrollment
& Construction Update Attorney Libby distributed a handout showing the existing class sizes. It outlines the proposed shift by the administration of two teachers to two other schools: one fifth grade teacher moving from Bowers to a first grade in Waddell, bringing the fifth grade class size to 22 in each class, and the first grade class to 17, 18, 18, 18. There is also a shift of one teacher from a Nathan Hale second grade class to Robertson to address class size. This is the proposal from administration, and she noted that if the change is made for Nathan Hale, they are looking to provide an instructional para to the second grade, to assist the teachers in two classes. She also provided different options and the proposed cost of it. The costs ranged from $30,802 to $54,900, to $61,604, and $110,000. She also distributed the class size numbers at Manchester High School. There are 261 additional students at the high school with only an increase of three teachers in the non-special education areas. She provided specific information on teacher loads, particularly those over the recommended size according to the teacher contract. The class sizes are much larger this year than they have been in the past, meaning that many students cannot get into the classes they want. This year, there are 179 classes that are closed out that students cannot get into. There are 120 closed out courses that are in the major academic subjects. It is also important to note that in the NEASC assessment, one of the topics that the high school must report on by November 1 is to explain how the school plans to meet the educational needs of the students whose course requests went unfilled because of staff shortages. Any additional teachers hired would be at a cost of approximately $58,135, slightly higher than the elementary teachers. Mrs. Lok commented that she finds it interesting that this item, together with the public comments, is somewhat connected to the previous report from the Interracial Council. She feels the class size numbers have gotten the district into a situation where it pits one group against another. The facts that students were brought to the meeting to speak to the Board about whether or not the Board cared about them, and valued them, speaks to this. She stated the Board values all of the students and their relationships to their teachers. She feels that the public comments did not give the teachers their due. Teachers make it their number one priority to build bonds with students, even when they arrive mid-year. Additionally, the Board has always been able to keep class sizes in the younger grades at a reasonable size. First graders are learning to read, and that if a child does not learn to read, they will not be successful. She encouraged the Board to stick with the plan that the Superintendent has recommended to maintain smaller class sizes at the first grade level. This does not mean that the Board does not care about the older students. She believes this is a perfect example of making due with what the Board gets. She referred to the freeze on spending, and does not feel that more teachers should be hired because staff is being shifted to meet class size needs. She stated that the Board makes its decisions based on what is academically best for the students. She had sympathy for every parent; however, she feels that students would adjust. Most importantly, it is imperative to teach first graders to read and it is a fact that smaller class sizes make this more possible. Mr. Edwards stated that he had extremely strong feels about this particular issue, but will not participate in the discussion as his daughter, at Nathan Hale, will be directly affected by any decision. He commented that he takes all of Mrs. Lok's comments to heart, but she should know that not every second grader, in the classes that will be collapsed, knows how to read. Mr. Rizzo stated he listened intently to the parents that spoke and feels there is no way for the Board to decide for one side or another. He feels that as a Board member, it is his job to do what is best for the entire district, not any one particular group of children. He stated the class size charts were very helpful in his decision. He feels that there is wisdom in keeping the smaller class sizes in the younger grades. He noted that Waddell has the largest first and fifth grade classes in the district. Looking at the statistics, he believes Waddell is the most impacted by class sizes. He feels what the district should do is to hire two new teachers, but it is impossible because there is no money. He suggested hiring a paraprofessional, but stated that none of the stopgap measures do enough to solve the problem of large class sizes. Because there is no money for hiring, the teachers need to be moved around. He also supports the administration suggest to move the teachers. Mrs. Hackett stated that she is concerned about the 16 children at Bowers who will be collapsed into one of three existing class. She feels it is important that these children have the support and assistance to help with this transition. She asked what plans are in place to address this change. Dr. Mistretta stated that the fifth grade students have already been participating in joint activities in anticipation of the move. The students have been mixing together to form friendships and get acquainted with the other teachers. Mrs. Hackett requested, in terms of monitoring the academic performance during this time, that additional resources get applied to have periodic checks to ensure there are no performance issues. Dr. Mistretta stated that would get help of the support staff in the building. Mrs. Hackett asked if there could be more opportunity for parent conferencing, through any type of communication. She also questioned the high school numbers, and feels the situation looks very dire. She stated they have followed every recommendation received from NEASC, and the most significant one outstanding is to improve the physical plant of the high school and provide more space for students. She stated the priorities for adding new teachers are identified, and feels that if the addition is approved and built, many new teachers would have to be hired. She asked what plan and resources are available to help the overcrowding. Attorney Libby stated they have been concerned for a long time about the numbers in the high school classes. This year, there was almost a 3% increase in the number of students. The classes that were once 24 and 25 are now 27, 28 and as much as 30 students in a class. She asked Mr. Sierakowski where the teachers are needed most. He stated the first priority would be English and Social Studies, followed by Math and World Language. She asked if there was space to put new teachers, and he responded by moving study halls to the café and auditorium. Mr. Sierakowski feels that Attorney Libby outlined a specific example of what is at the high school. He stated that it is not only in the core academic areas, but all of the elective areas face similar issues. The only reason that these class sizes do not rise is because there is no more space in the labs. However, they do have enrollment to support it. The students handle the overcrowding with more grace than most adults would. He looks forward to the day when more courses can be offered and more teachers hired. He noted that if students can't get into classes, they end up in study halls. They try to keep study halls in classrooms rather than in larger spaces. Mr. Robinson asked how this situation ties in with NEASC and CAPT. Mr. Sierakowski stated that NEASC has been very specific in the recommendations for the November 1 report. This is to address the impact on student learning of the restrictions in space, class size and course offerings for students. Many students are not getting access to coursework. It is not really about the building, but students getting the adequate space and resources to achieve. Mrs. Hackett asked if there was any recommendation to hire any new teachers at the high school. Dr. Mistretta asked if teachers were to be hired, is there room in the high school to place them. Mr. Sierakowski stated there was not much room. It would mean moving study halls into large open areas like the auditorium and cafeteria. They would also have to look at using non-traditional teaching spaces, such as labs, for use for other type of instruction. There was a submission to the past Superintendent for additional staff, but did not receive any due to budget restrictions. Dr. Mistretta asked that Mr. Sierakowski work, before the next Board meeting, to show that there are actual spots for additional teachers to teach. That would also give the Board additional time to monitor what is happening with the budget. Mrs. Hackett stated that this plan is satisfactory, as she feels some sort of action should be taken. She looks forward to a report within a month's time. Mrs. O'Neill asked if any of the options for the elementary schools would be used. Dr. Mistretta stated that the recommendation from Central Office is option one, and it is how administration plans to proceed. Should the Board not want to pursue this, then there would have to be a motion for the Board to make a decision on another option. Mrs. Huyler asked how much money the Board has to spend. Dr. Mistretta stated that they currently have a projected three-quarter of a million dollar deficit, and are severely under-budgeted in Special Education transportation, Special Education tuition and several other lines, including utilities. A freeze was imposed two weeks ago. Now is the only opportunity to capture funds in the budget. Dr. Mistretta stated the last report is the construction update that the Board asked for. She distributed a list of the projects from the summer that had been discussed at the Buildings and Site Committee. She asked Mr. Epstein to deliver this report. She stated there were tours at Bennet Middle School the previous Saturday, and this evening. Approximately 50 people attended the tours. She stated that they would organize additional tours; however, they will not give individual and private tours. Instruction is being conducted in the school, and the administration has to attend meetings and work with parents; student needs have to be attended to. They will also be organizing tours at Manchester High School while the students are in the building, in hopes of people understanding the situation of overcrowding. Mr. Epstein stated that the roof at Bennet Middle School was caulked as a temporary measure. Since then, rainstorms have not been a factor. They are getting prices from mason contractors to come back before the winter to repoint the parapet walls. This would be presented at a joint meeting on the following night. The building would be sealed. They tried to replace a rain line, but could not find where the existing rain line left the building. It is a hard thing to find as it may disturb asbestos. He has been in touch with the Sewer Department to track the line coming into the building. They can then attempt to run a new line in the building and hook up to the street. They have been walking through the school on a weekly basis with the Fire Marshall, building official, Chuck Cadman, a member of the Health Department and a member of the school to identify any issues as a precautionary measure. A list is being developed and prioritized, and identified as safety issues. The only major item, the Fire Marshall is looking for a voice activated alarm system in the gym, which is a code compliant issue. They are working on this to be implemented within the next month. Regarding Buckley, the temporary roof is in place and there are no apparent roof leaks occurring there. Within the next two weeks, materials will arrive on site and construction will start. At Waddell and Bowers, lists were given to schools principals broken into three categories, code compliance; mechanical, plumbing, electrical upgrades; and facility upgrades. Dr. Mistretta will identify the necessary components for the projects Mrs. Hackett requested invitations are sent to at least the five feeder schools for the parents to come and tour Bennet. She said the invitation could be extended out to incorporate all of the elementary schools. Mrs. Lok referred to public comments made regarding the pool, track and bowling alley at Bennet Middle School. She asked him to elaborate on these facilities and provide a current status of them. Mr. Epstein stated that the running track exists and would not be something that is newly construction. Regarding the pool and the bowling alley, there are code compliance issues. The pool is drained and only has three sides accessible. The pool filter does not work and it is not a habitable space. It has been deactivated, the shower stalls need work and there are health issues. It is basically an abandoned basement. Dr. Mistretta added every time pipes are torn out, or any other major repair is done at Bennet, they risk coming into contact with asbestos. This creates a need for containment areas so that students will not have any exposure to asbestos. This is of great concern. Additionally, she commented that the idea of the ceiling tiles falling on July 19 was not caused by a leaky roof; she stated everyone who responded reported that it is a seriously failed roof. There are similar conditions on the Cone and Franklin roofs. She stated they were not able to patch the roof or they would have many more incidents. F. OLD
BUSINESS Mr. Robinson asked for a motion regarding the Preschool Resolution. MOTION: Hackett/Rizzo s.v. The Board of Education adopts the quality Preschool Programming Resolution as outlined in Item F1. (7/0/0 - Edwards absent for the vote) Mr. Rizzo believes that a quality preschool experience does prepare them for success in kindergarten, first grade and beyond. So many children do not get the opportunity based on affordability. There is a great problem, as they do not have the funds to do things now as they should be done. He believes that this needs to be funded properly and states there needs to be advocates for these programs. Mrs. Hackett feels the first step that needs to be taken is to support the infrastructure in Town that states to parents that every child should have an early educational opportunity. She also feels an outline should be given to parents that states what their children should do at every grade/age level, as a guide. 2. Technology
Plan V Mr. Robinson asked for a motion regarding the Technology Plan V. MOTION: Rizzo/Hackett s.v. The Board of Education adopts the Technology Plan V, as presented at the last Board meeting. (7/0/0 - Edwards absent for the vote) 3. Participation
in Efficiency Study Mr. Robinson stated that he sat at the meeting, and one conclusion that was drawn was this particular outfit had no experience in terms of analyzing educational entities. They did not find this to be the kind of level of experience that would necessarily contribute value to the Board. He stated he was open to suggestions, as this was the not group to undertake the task. Mrs. Lok she conveyed that the Board has an interest to do an efficiency study, and would be willing to consider one at some point as the budget gets tighter and tighter. She agrees that this particular company's expertise lies within municipalities. Mrs. Huyler stated that she trusted the other member's judgment on this issue. Mrs. Hackett believes the credentials of the group who will perform the study are important. She asked if this was off the table, or if the process would be extended to find another group whose credentials are better suited to the Board of Education. Additionally, she thought it would lower the cost for the Board of Directors. Mr. Robinson stated that the Board never shuts any doors in terms of improving efficiencies. They would entertain reviewing other vendors. MOTION: Lok/Hackett s.v. The Board of Education does not move forward with participation in the Board of Directors Efficiency Study. (7/0/0 - Edwards absent for the vote) Mr. Rizzo wanted to indicate that the Board is not happy with the vendor, but it interested in going forward with another vendor. AMENDMENT: Rizzo/Huyler s.v. At some future time, another vendor would be found that is acceptable to the Board of Education for participation in an efficiency study. (withdrawn) Mrs. Lok stated she would not support the amendment because she is not sure she would be willing to commit dedicating any funds towards an efficiency study. She believes the previous efficiency study still applies because the Board has not changed much. She asked that the minutes clearly indicate the Board's intent that they are open to an efficiency study, and that one was done long before the Town considered doing one. Mr. Rizzo stated the previous study was not really a comprehensive study, but an examination of administrators versus the per administrator cost, and not an overall view of the operation. Mr. Robinson asked that the amendment be withdrawn as the record speaks for itself. It was agreed to. Mrs. Hackett stated that the Board is down key staff members throughout the district. She does not believe this is the time for an efficiency study. The new people need to first get to know the operations of the district. She asked that the previous study be used as a foundational document for the next study. G. COMMITTEE
REPORTS H. COMMUNICATIONS Mrs. Huyler stated there has been a lot of communication with the Board on the referendum subjects. She stated that it is hard to respond to every communication, but assured the public that she does hear their comments. I. PUBLIC
COMMENTS 2. Milt Perlman, 3 Sanford Road, He agreed that without reading, students are not able to take more and achieve in more complex courses. He asked if students are being passed along who cannot read. He also stated that Manchester is 139th in median salaries and the poverty rate has increased. He stated there is no unlimited money to hire new teachers, as well as fund bonding projects. He feels the students in the high school don't care about overcrowding, but if the textbooks are obsolete. He would like to see how many classes of 30 there are, as well as how many classes of 10 there are. He has been reviewing the sustainability of communities, which are the practices of the Town which can be sustained by the community. Economic development is essential for this, and there is none in Manchester to support the increasing cost of the town government. He stated he agrees with Mr. Foley's views on Bennet, as the students love the school. J. ITEMS
FOR FUTURE AGENDAS MOTION: Lok/Huyler s.v. The Board of Education adjourned at 10:55 p.m. |
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