NORTH KINGSTOWN SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Wednesday, March 12, 2003

6:00 PM Executive Session for a Level III Grievance Hearing

Pursuant to RIGL 42-46-4 and 42-46-5 (1) and (2)

7:00 PM Worksession

Central Administration Building 100 Fairway Drive, North Kingstown

“Challenging Student Excellence”

Minutes

I. Pledge of Allegiance

II. Call to Order: Roll Call: The meeting was called to order at 7:08 PM.

Present: Chairperson Don DeFedele, Vice Chairperson Denise Coppa, Lynne Haft, Barry Martasian, Bill Mudge, Kevin Mulvey, Patricia Watkins and Jamestown Representative, Cathy Kaiser.

Administration Present: James M. Halley, Ed.D, Superintendent of Schools, Barbara A. Fitzsimmons, Ed.D., Curriculum Director, and William J. Daly, Director of Human Resources

Absent: Daniel J. McGregor, Ph.D., Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Joseph Quinn, Director of Administrative Services

III. Presentation Timothy Belt: Exploring Japan: A Teacher’s Perspective – Mr. Belt’s slide presentation of his three week trip to Japan was well received by the School Committee and the audience alike. His beautiful photographs and information about the country and culture were both entertaining and enlightening.

IV. Open Forum

· Vic Fasolino of the North Kingstown Taxpayers Organization had a few suggestions regarding the budget process that he shared with the School Committee.

V. Routine Items

A. Calendar – Dr. Halley reviewed the calendar for the next two weeks with the school committee.

· There has been a request to switch the April 23, 2003 School Committee Business Meeting with the April 21, 2003 Town Council Budget Hearing held in the High School Auditorium.

B. Personnel Items - none

C. Bids and Awards – none

VI. New Business

A. Middle School String Program – Denise Coppa/Pat Watkins motioned to establish a School Committee subcommittee made up of parents and teachers with a School Committee liaison to investigate the issue of incorporating strings into the middle school academic day. Dr. Halley would develop the charge for the subcommittee, and the School Committee would advertise for members for the subcommittee. Pat Watkins suggested that the Grants Coordinator look into the possibility of grant money being available for the program. The vote on this motion was 7/0.

B. Request a Report from the Asset Management Commission Liaison – Bill Mudge/Denise Coppa motioned to request a presentation from Eric Seabury the School committee Liaison to the Asset Management Commission. Pat Watkins mentioned that the School Committee had the right to request a report from him at any time. Lynne Haft stated that it might be helpful if Committee members emailed their questions to Mr. Seabury to Dr. Halley. The vote on this motion was 7/0.

C. Role of the School Committee in a Decentralized Decision Making Organization – This item was moved to the KeyWorks meeting of March 19, 2003 on a motion by Pat Watkins/Denise Coppa with a vote of 7/0.

D. Request to Name Main Gymnasium after Lenore Cranston – Discussion took place after a motion to consider the topic was made by Pat Watkins/Lynne Haft. Ms. Cranston’s nephew, Tim Cranston spoke eloquently of his aunt’s long career as an athletic educator in the North Kingstown School Dept. and read a letter from Al Southwick, Director of Recreation for the Town of North Kingstown (Appendix A). This request was then sent to the March 26, 2003 School Committee Business Meeting for a vote.

E. New School Calendar for year 2003-04 – Approved with a motion by Denise Coppa/Pat Watkins and a vote of 7/0.

A 10 minute break was taken at 8:30 pm, cc: 1:21:34. The meeting resumed at approximately 8:40.

F. High School Block Scheduling – A presentation was made by High School Principal Gerald Foley on this topic which covered the need for a schedule that allows:

· Fewer transitions and disruptions, more concentrated focus on teaching and learning, and more personalization

· Current Schedule Concerns for Students: instruction is fragmented during the single 45-minute period, students are “juggling around” too many subjects at one time, students do not focus in on less than six subjects daily, allows for only one extended lab period per day, is confusing for students

· New Schedule Advantages: increase instructional time by reducing number of class transitions, teachers able to focus attention on fewer subjects per day; manage instructional time more effectively, opportunity for teachers to have common planning time, allows teachers to personalize instruction working with smaller numbers of students each day, encourages academic teaming, co-teaching, and interdisciplinary instruction students have more time to understand challenging academic material and devote more time to “hands on” material, students are encouraged to be in attendance, students have fewer homework assignments to juggle each evening

· No action was required by the School Committee on this topic; however they were appreciative of Mr. Foley’s time in presenting this information to them.

G. Policies - none

VII. Unfinished Business

A. 2002-03 School Budget

· Pat Watkins would like a report from Joe Quinn regarding the affect the snowstorms have had on existing budgeted utilities.

· Bill Mudge motioned that Medicaid funds cannot be expended without permission of the School Committee. This motion did not receive a second.

· Bill Mudge motioned that he would like an independent audit of the Medicaid Budget and Expenditures. This motion did not receive a second.

B. 2003-04 School Budget

· Bill Mudge motioned that he would like the Superintendent to provide the School Committee with an additional Budget which would show the cost involved in reopening Fishing Cove as a Kindergarten center. This motion did not receive a second.

C. 2002-03 School Department Goals and Objectives - none

D. 2003-04 School Department Goals and Objectives - None at present as currently the School Committee is committed to KeyWorks meetings for their Professional Development. The next KeyWorks meeting is scheduled for March 19, 2003 at 6:30 pm in the Central Administration Building.

E. School Modernization Advisory Committee – Per Kevin Mulvey a there is a request from a member of this advisory committee to put the advisory committee’s final report on the NKSD website. Dr. Halley will look into this for the School Committee.

F. Elementary K-5 Organization Advisory Committee – Don DeFedele suggested that the School Committee develop its own survey to give to the SACs regarding reconfiguration. A motion by Denise Coppa/Pat Watkins was made stating that the School Committee would develop a community survey in relation to the Seven K-5 School recommendation for the 2003-2004 school year. Barry Martasian initiated discussion regarding circulation of the survey. School Committee members will agree on details of this survey at the Business Meeting of March 26, 2003. Vote on the motion 7/0.

VIII. Correspondence and Good News

· Barry Martasian: letters, emails regarding Middle School String Program, tax increases for retirees.

· Pat Watkins: notification that SELAC still needs voting member, Bus contract Negotiations soon beginning, complaint from residents regarding fence at DES, letters regarding full day Kindergarten, list of SALT visits for this year, letter from Paul Fogarty outlining his request for a 5% increase in State Aid; and she would like to congratulate the Boys Basketball Team for making it to the finals.

· Bill Mudge: emails from Mt. View parents

· Lynne Haft: notification from math department chair that a 1999 graduate passed away last week.

· Denise Coppa: emails regarding class rank and GPA at High School

· Don DeFedele: the same emails regarding class rank and GPA at the High School, and responses from Gerry Foley, email regarding a student involved in an automobile accident on March 8, 2003. The student is still in critical condition in the hospital. Received word regarding a music student who obtained regional honors. She will be receiving recognition from the School Committee at the Business Meeting on March 26, 2003. A memo (Appendix B) from Sue Osberg, Mathematics Department Chair, congratulating students for their outstanding performance in the American Mathematics Competitions.

IX. Comments

· Bill Mudge would like the following placed on upcoming agendas:

a) Reading Enrichment Program for the 4^th Grade – April 15, 2003

b) High School Graduation Colors – March 26, 2003

· Lynne Haft would like the Policy Subcommittee to consider a policy for Grievance Procedures.

· Kevin Mulvey reported on a hearing that he was at at the State House regarding bills submitted by Jamestown legislative representatives. He is concerned about how much authority the legislative liaison to the School Committee should have in speaking for the School Committee. He would like the other committee members input. Also, while with Pat Watkins at WMS PTO meeting the hot topic was overcrowding. He motioned, with Pat Watkins’ second, to place on an upcoming agenda enrollment issues at the middle schools. The vote on this motion was 7/0.

· Denise Coppa would like to revisit the Program of Studies where the credits for elective classes are no longer being counted towards a High School student’s class rank. This can be placed on the April Worksession agenda.

X. A motion to adjourn to Executive Session pursuant to RIGL 42-46-4 and 42-46-5 (1) and (2) for Personnel issues*, negotiations, discussion and Home Schooling Requests was made by Kevin Mulvey/Pat Watkins at 11:24 pm, clock counter 4:40:46. A vote yielded unanimous approval. The school committee will return to open session following the executive session; however, no business will be conducted. *At the election of the employee, the personnel matter may be heard in public.

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________________

Konnie M. Mazur

School Committee Secretary