Regular Meeting of the AMHERST School Committee

Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 7:00 p.m.

Middle School Library

 

Present:            Andy Churchill, Chair                              Jere Hochman, Superintendent

                        Elaine Brighty                                          Allison Curphy, AEF Board Member

                        Kathleen Anderson (arrived at 7:20)        Karen Dimock, AEF Board Member

                        Chrystel Romero (arrived at 7:37)            Jan Klausner-Wise, AEF Board Member

                                                                                       Wendy Kohler, Exec. Dir. of Prog. Development

                                                                                       Jeff Comenitz, Director of Information Systems

                                                                                       Paul Wiley, CF Principal

                                                                                       Nick Yaffe, MM Principal

                                                                                       John Keins, MM Teacher

                                                                                       Tracy Hightower, MM SIP

                                                                                       Liz Melitillo, MM SIP

                                                                                       Megan Rosa, MM SIP

                                                                                       Press

                                                                                       Public

                                                                                       Debbie Westmoreland, Recorder

                         

Absent:             Sonia Correa-Pope

 

1.  Welcome                                                                                        7:03 p.m. (A & B); 7:20 (B)

A. & B.  Call to Order/Agenda Review—Mr. Churchill called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. He then reviewed the agenda and welcomed everyone to the meeting.  He noted that no votes can be taken unless at least one more committee member arrives because the meeting is being opened without quorum.  When Ms. Anderson arrived at 7:20 p.m., quorum was reached.

C.   Minutes—Ms. Brighty made a motion to approve the minutes of September 18, 2007.  Ms. Anderson seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

2.  Announcements and Public Comments                                        None

There were no announcement or public comments.

 

3.  Superintendent’s Update                                                              7:13 p.m.

Dr. Hochman noted that for the past three years, Amherst JCPC has been discussing purchasing modular classrooms for Marks Meadow School and asked Ms. Brighty to report on the most recent JCPC meeting.  Ms. Brighty reported that at their meeting last week, JCPC voted to take the request to allocate funds for the modular to the upcoming Town Meeting for approval.  Dr. Hochman noted that he is working with Joyce Hatch, UMass Vice-Chancellor for Finance, and Ron Bohonwicz is working with Jim Cahill, UMass Facilities Director, to get approval to put the modulars on the UMass campus grounds and to determine placement.   Dr. Hochman noted that adding the modular as planned will bring two additional classrooms to Marks Meadow, for a total of 12.  

 

Dr. Hochman reported that the Budget Coordinating Group has met three times to begin coordinating the budget process for all town departments.  There is a meeting tomorrow to begin aligning the departments’ budget calendars.  Dr. Hochman also noted that the Regional School Committee has formed a sub-committee to look at the Regional Agreement, specifically at funding for elementary transportation and the E & D cap.  The next meeting of that group is on November 8 at Shutesbury Elementary.

 

4.  Unfinished/Continuing Business                                                  None

 

5.  New Business                                                                                7:06 p.m. (A) 8:04 p.m. (B)

A.  Accept AEF Gift—Mr. Churchill welcomed members of the Amherst Education Foundation.  AEF board members Jan Klausner-Wise, Allison Curphy, and Karen Dimock presented a donation of $41,000 raised by the community in support of the Amherst and Regional Public Schools.  Ms. Klausner-Wise noted that more than 50% of the total was donated by community members who have no children in the schools or whose children graduated from the Amherst schools.  Mr. Churchill expressed the extreme gratitude of the School Committee and the Amherst Schools for the generous gift, noting that it will be used to purchase materials that will go directly into the hands of students.  He also noted that, while this is a wonderful gift on the part of the community, the need to raise these funds is symptomatic of the budget issues facing the schools.  Ms. Klausner-Wise noted that the AEF Trivia Bee will take place this Thursday night at 6:45 in the High School auditorium, and all funds raised will be donated to the schools.  She encouraged everyone to attend.  Dr. Hochman thanked Wendy Kohler and the principals for working as the liaison with AEF to make this happen. When quorum was reached at 7:20, Mr. Churchill asked for a vote to accept the AEF donation.  Ms. Anderson made a motion to accept the donation of $41,000 from the Amherst Education Foundation.  Ms. Brighty seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

B.  Demographic Review

Dr. Hochman briefly updated the School Committee on the planned work of the Schools Organization Committee.  He reviewed the charge to the committee and distributed a packet of information that included a list of faculty and community members who have expressed interest in serving on the committee.  Dr. Hochman also distributed to School Committee members copies of the final NESDEC Demographic report.  He noted that there are additional copies of the report for review by members of the public in the Superintendent’s Office.  Dr. Hochman then introduced Jeff Comenitz, Information Systems Director, who made a presentation of the state-wide Data Warehouse that has just been brought online after three years of development.  Mr. Comenitz demonstrated several types of reports that can be generated through the warehouse, including both pre-developed, statewide reports and in-house reports.  Mr. Churchill thanked Mr. Comenitz for the informative presentation. Dr. Hochman noted that the data warehouse will allow us to access local curriculum and assessments to monitor progress, not just the state MCAS assessment.  The warehouse will also provide the data necessary to do inquiry in action research projects at the building and district level. 

 

6.  Reports                                                                                          7:22 p.m.

A.  Marks Meadow School Improvement Plan—Principal Nick Yaffe introduced members of the Marks Meadow School Improvement Council who were in attendance: John Keins, teacher; Tracy Hightower, parent; Liz Melitillo, parent; and Megan Rosa, parent.  Mr. Yaffe gave a general overview of the demographics of students and philosophy at Marks Meadow.  He then introduced John Keins, Marks Meadow Language Arts Teacher, who reported on language arts instruction at Marks Meadow.  Mr. Yaffe noted that Marks Meadow is working to develop consistency in instructional practice K-6 and in breaking down any barriers between the work of ELL, literacy, classroom and other teachers.  Tracy Hightower reported on the School/Family connection at Marks Meadow.  Ms. Hightower noted that a goal for the Parent-Guardian Group at Marks Meadow is to find ways to ensure some level of participation in the schools from 100% of the parents and guardians.  Mr. Yaffe reported on the Belonging and Caring goal at Marks Meadow, noting a commitment to developing a disruption-free environment and to confronting and eliminating teasing in the school.  He then reported on the Social Justice and Anti-Bias Curriculum goal at Marks Meadow.  He noted that staff development has been done specifically around issues of class and race, as well as gay and lesbian anti-bias.  Mr. Yaffe concluded his presentation with an update on the building and space issues at Marks Meadow, including a report on the two mixed-grade classrooms (grades 1 and 2 in one; grades 3 and 4 in one).  Mr. Churchill asked if there will still need to be one mixed-grade class at Marks Meadow if only 2 modular classrooms are added.  Mr. Yaffe said that will probably be the only way to make it work with only 12 classrooms.  Ms. Anderson asked what the acronym SIOP stands for.  Mr. Yaffe noted that it stands for Sheltered Immersion Operational Protocol and is a way of ensuring best practices of instruction for students who are English Language Learners.  Mr. Churchill noted that the School Committee needs to look hard at whether we need to add two or four modular classrooms, understanding that there is a financial component to be considered.  After further brief discussion about the modular, Ms. Brighty made a motion to accept the Marks Meadow School Improvement Plan.  Ms. Anderson seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

7.  School Committee Planning                                                          8:54 p.m.

A.  Sub-Committee Reports—Mr. Churchill reported that Vladimir Morales has resigned as the School Committee representative to the ACTV Board. He asked if Ms. Anderson is still interested in serving in that role.  Ms. Anderson said she will serve as the representative. 

B.  Calendar Review

C.  Items for Upcoming Meetings—Wildwood school improvement plan; MCAS/AYP update; Budget

 

8.  Adjournment                                                                                  8:57 p.m.

Ms. Brighty made a motion to adjourn at 8:57 p.m.  Ms. Anderson seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

                                                                        Debbie Westmoreland

 

Approved on 11/13/07