Williamstown Elementary School Committee  WES Library Open Session Williamstown, MA September 28, 2016 

7:00 PM  

Agenda  

I. Call to Order II. Approval of Minutes­August 29, 2016 Vote III. Public Comment IV. Subcommittee Reports 

a. Building Renewal i. Building Upgrade and Repair Request totalling $16,849.64 Vote 

b. Finance c. Other subcommittee/working­group updates 

V. 2016 Accountability Data (PARCC) Results VI. Discussion of School Committee Goals VII. Superintendent’s Report 

a. Strategic Plan Update VIII. Assistant Superintendent’s Report 

a. Summer Programming Update b. Special Ed./ELL/Title 1 Update c. Grants 

IX. Principal’s Report a. Start of School Year 

X. Other Business a. Mount Greylock Ground Breaking October 7 @ 12:30 PM 

XI. Upcoming Meetings: a. October 26, 2016 at 7 PM b. November 30, 2016 at 7 PM 

 

WES School Committee Meeting

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Date: August 29, 2016Start: 7:32pm Adjourn: 8:29pm

In Attendance: Committee Members Joe Bergeron Dan Caplinger Joe Johnson Catherine Keating

Absent John Skavlem

Also Present Joelle Brookner, Principal Doug Dias, Superintendent Elea Kaatz, Assistant Principal Nancy Rauscher, Business Director

I. The meeting was called to order by D. Caplinger at 7:32pm.

II. Minutes for Approvala. August 11, 2016

DISCUSSION: Amend to remove C. Keating from the vote to adjourn asshe was not present.MOTION to approve the amended minutes by J. Johnson, SECONDED byC. KeatingVOTE: Aye 4 – Nay 0. Motion Passes.

III. Public CommentSam Crane, Williamstown, MA: Statement issued in May 2016 on bestpractices for inclusion, Crane quotes the statement citing a 1:1 ratio as idealfor inclusion. Crane suggests that the 1:1 ratio is not ideal and offersmaterials suggesting a different ratio. Crane a question: is theredocumentation or research supporting 1:1 ratio as the ideal? Crane willsubmit his statement for the minutes.

Steve Miller, Williamstown, MA: Requests more SC discussion aroundpriorities and structure / process for determining those priorities. Millersubmits his statement for the minutes.

D. Caplinger suggests that he needs more time to research and respond to S.Crane comment and that S. Miller’s questions and concerns will be addressedin due time with new framework and structure being put into place.

IV. Approval of FY 17 Master Calendar

WES School Committee Meeting

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D. Dias presents constraints introduced by building project, cable scheduling and new finance subcommittee. Dias suggests fourth Wed of each month as the new typical scheduling of WES SC meeting. D. Caplinger continues discussion and cites the importance of notifying public of change to the typical WES SC meeting schedule so that they are aware of the change and can plan accordingly if they wish to attend. J. Bergeron and D. Caplinger indicate need for disseminating the master calendar and anticipated agenda items to the public. D. Dias indicates that both will be posted to the Tri-District web site. D. Caplinger suggests SU71 budget should come in, determined, well ahead of WES budget approvals so that WES SC meetings can take that into account. MOTION to approve FY 17 Master Calendar by J. Bergeron, SECONDED by J. Johnson VOTE: Aye 4 – Nay 0. Motion Passes.

V. Summer Update a. Staffing / FTEs

D. Dias introduces current staffing list and a comparison of 2016-2017 FTE chart to prior years. D. Dias says school’s boilers are good to go. J. Brookner indicates 46 K students in 4 classes. All School Choice slots that were open are filled (they are a part of the 46). There are around 15 new students across the school from families moving into town, though none of those people moving in to town are K students. J. Brookner: new teachers and staff are -- 0.8 art position filled by Emily Beaulieu; 0.4 speech and language pathologist Reiko Hatakeyama; 0.5 Side by Side teacher Erin Holland; School Nurse Kathy Hynes; Erin Jennings hired for K-2 SPED position vacated by move of Greta Noyes to 2nd Grade; Jim O’Brien as supervisor of building and grounds; and presents bios for each. D. Dias and J. Brookner recap new staff welcome activities and orientation efforts that are underway.

WES School Committee Meeting

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C. Keating asks and J. Brookner answers that school intends to hire for newly created Math Support position for an October 1st start date.

b. Principal’s Report J. Brookner thanks teachers and staff for dedication over the summer to the school. Building repairs are complete -- roofing, kitchen damage, upgrades to emergency systems in the school, PA speakers installed including outdoors, emergency button in office to activate lockdown, liner for chimney in boiler room, accessible ramp on older kids’ playground has arrived and will be installed, classroom moves and cleaning. Thanks the Buildings and Grounds professionals for their contributions and dedication. J. Brookner reminds of general school and Side by Side start dates and times that are on public calendar.

VI. Policy Updates (Second Read) a. GBEC – Drug Free Workplace b. IHAMB – Teaching About Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs c. JICH – Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use by Students d. JLCD – Administering Medicines to Students D. Caplinger requests any additional feedback on policies and notes that all of them are required in some form. C. Keating asks question about IHAMB as to SC’s role in approving “curriculum, instructional materials and outcomes used in this program.” J. Brookner and D. Caplinger respond indicating that SC will take role in reviewing and approving curriculum in this kind of special situation. D. Caplinger cites importance of SC regularly reviewing and approving policy documents and updating as needed. C. Keating cites concern with SC approving curriculum. D. Dias and J. Brookner support notion that SC will be brief enough to approve and that the practice is a common and best practice.

WES School Committee Meeting

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Fern Murtagh, Williamstown, MA: Some Second Step program details are available online.

J. Brookner indicates all of the general Second Step information is availableonline and a good resource for all.

GBEC: MOTION to approve by C. Keating, SECONDED by J. Johnson, VOTE: Aye 4 – Nay 0. Motion Passes.

IHAMB: MOTION to approve by J. Bergeron, SECONDED by C. Keating, VOTE: Aye 4 – Nay 0. Motion Passes.

JICH: MOTION to approve by J. Johnson, SECONDED by C. Keating, VOTE: Aye 4 – Nay 0. Motion Passes.

JLCD: MOTION to approve by J. Bergeron, SECONDED by J. Johnson, DISCUSSION: C. Keating asks question about Naloxone training for staff outside of nurse. D. Dias indicates it will come to school first and additional training could be available, nothing specific planned yet. VOTE: Aye 4 – Nay 0. Motion Passes.

VII. Other Businessa. Other business not reasonably anticipated by the chair within 48 hrs of

meetingVIII. Upcoming Meetings (proposed)

a. Wed, September 28, 2016 7:00pm – School Committeeb. Wed, October 26, 2016 7:00pm – School Committee

IX. Motion to AdjournMOTION to adjourn by C. Keating, SECONDED by J. Johnson.ROLL CALL VOTE: Caplinger – Aye, Johnson – Aye, Keating – Aye, Bergeron –Aye. Motion Passes.

Meeting adjourned at 8:29pm

Respectfully Submitted, Joseph Bergeron, Secretary

Vendor Items Invoice AmountGable Electric Emergency Lighting Upgrade $4,849.34Gable Electric Emergency Lighting Upgrade $5,334.30CW Construction Roof Repairs 0186-17 $2,150.00Lee Audio & Security Outside/Aud Sound System $1,023.00Lee Audio & Security Outside/Aud Sound System $742.00Gable Electric Kitchen Repair $1,475.00Jesse Wirtes Heating System Consult 115-01267 $1,276.00

Total $16,849.64

On 9/21/16 the above amounts were recommended for School Committee approval by the Building Renewal Fund Subcommittee.

Agenda Item V Explanation 

Many School Committees draft goals for themselves as a way to help maintain focus or advance/support school improvements. Some school committees do not have their own goals, and rely on the district or school improvement plans to fulfill that purpose.  

This may be a new concept for the committee, so to help foster conversation, attached are several examples of school committee goals. Their inclusion is not an endorsement.  

Also, as part of the packet, included is a guide from MASC on School Committee Self­Evaluation. This may be a starting point for development of a goal, or inform the committee if goals, in fact, are necessary.  

Attached are: Duxbury SC Goals Barnstable SC Goals and Objectives Newton SC Goals MASC Self Evaluation