Minutes
Quincy, Massachusetts - September 9, 2009
Regular Meeting of the Quincy School Committee
Regular Meeting
A regular meeting of the Quincy School Committee was held on Wednesday,
September 9, 2009 in the City Council Chambers, City Hall. Present were
Mrs. Anne Mahoney, Mr. Ron Mariano, Mrs. Elaine Dwyer, Mr. Nicholas Puleo
and Mr.Dave McCarthy, Vice Chairman.
Vice Chairman
Presiding
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The Superintendent called the roll and Mrs. Bragg and Mayor Koch were absent.
Also present were: Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Secretary; Mrs. Tefta Burrelli,
Clerk; Messrs. Mullaney, Murphy, O’Brien, Draicchio, Keith and Kevin Segalla,
Ms. Roberts, Todd, Tenaglia, Hughes, and Dr. Sylvia Pattavina. Ms. Tracey Christello,
Citywide and Mr. Paul Phillips, QEA. Quincy High Student Representative, Donna
Niosi, was present.
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Reg. Session. Min. Approved 6/10/2009
On a motion by Mrs. Dwyer, seconded by Mr. Puleo, the Committee approved
the regular session minutes for June 10, 2009. The ayes have it.
Mrs. Bragg arrives at 7:10 p.m.
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Supts. Report
The Superintendent welcomed everyone back to school and thanked all staff
that worked over the summer months to get the schools ready for the new
school year. On September 2 and 3rd a New Staff Orientation was held for
33 new staff members. This event was chaired by Kevin Mulvey and assisted
by Anne McCarthy.
Appointment
The Superintendent announced the appointment of Michael L. Jorgenson as
English Dept. Head at North Quincy High School.
Bain Report
The members received a copy of the Bain report. This program was requested
by the School Committee to assist the school system in establishing a pilot
program this year within our Language Developmental classes.
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Opportunities & Challenges Ad Hoc Committee
The Superintendent met with Mayor Koch and Dave McCarthy to review the
many challenges and opportunities facing the school system with regard to
facilities, enrollment trends, assignment of students, and future plans. They
reviewed a list of representatives for the Ad Hoc Committee.
Mr. McCarthy announced the proposed representatives. He said that there
probably would be some additions and deletions. He will come back to the
Committee at the next meeting to decide who the individuals will be. The
Mayor, Superintendent, and he looked at and included every component in
the school process. The Ad Hoc Committee will be looking into open enrollment. Mr. McCarthy asked the members to email him to discuss ideas.
Mr. Mariano requested that when selecting candidates, he hoped they gave
preference to Quincy residents.
Mrs. Bragg said she would like to see less professional staff. She sees administrators as presenters. She thought six professional staff was a high number.
Mr. McCarthy is considering doing this in two phases. The QEA can come
in and make comments. However, everything is still up in the air. He
will call a meeting some time in early October to solidify an agenda.
They also discussed having an outside facilitator to run the meeting
organizationally. Mrs. Bragg was concerned with the cost of a facilitator.
Mr. McCarthy will keep the Committee updated.
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Open Enrollment @ NQHS
On April 17, the Superintendent spoke to the Committee about his concern
with the increased enrollment at North Quincy High School. He placed a
freeze on any open enrollment requests after that date. Although it appears
that there is a slight enrollment increase in Quincy High and a decrease in
North Quincy High, he believes strongly that sustaining this freeze on open
enrollment at North is appropriate. He will keep the Committee abreast of
enrollment shifts during the year. October 1 is the official enrollment date.
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Partnership Initiatives
Keith Segalla gave an update on the Business Partnership activities. This
program continues to grow and flourish. There are now 82 business partners
that contribute to the schools. We welcomed back Stop & Shop who restored
their commitment.
Students at Snug Harbor, Marshall, Lincoln Hancock, 5th graders at Point
Webster, and Central Registration all received backpacks filled with supplies
contributed by the partners. Over 1,525 students receive these back packs.
Cradles to Crayons, Stonehill College, Harvard Pilgrim, Quincy Credit Union
all contributed.
The Community Partnership and Quincy Foundation for Excellence in Education
will award $20,000 in mini grant funds. All QPS professional staff have the
opportunity to apply for these funds.
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QHS Adams Hall Dedication
Quincy High School will be sponsoring a dedication of the large group in-
struction area in the Math, Science, and Technology Academy to the Adams
Family. The featured speaker will be Peter Boylston Adams. He will address
a leadership group of students and their teachers on September 15 at 9:30 a.m.
Coffee will be served at 9:00 a.m. in the President’s Café.
There was a successful Grade 5 orientation for students and parents at both
Sterling and Point Webster Middle Schools.
Budget Overview
Jim Mullaney gave a synopsis of where we were and what we are looking
at on the FY 2010 budget. He also reviewed the School Committee actions
taken to fund restorations. The total Budget is $89,330,061. Mrs. Mahoney
said she has received a lot of phone calls regarding the activity fees. She asked
for clarification and an update on this. The Superintendent said he met with
the high school principals twice over the last couple of weeks. They wanted
to know what are the most popular clubs that students enroll in and they came
up with the same groups. There are 16-20 clubs that are the most popular.
These groups will be paid through the approximate $22,000. If there are teachers
that want to begin a club, they would have to recruit. It would be pay–for-
participation rather than a fee for everyone.
Mr. Mariano charged the Superintendent with making whatever changes he
deems necessary to make this more appropriate and then the Committee will
come back and take a vote. Mrs. Dwyer asked that he include where he is
going to make up the difference.
Mrs. Mahoney asked that parents be informed of what clubs will and will not
be there. Checks are due in by October 1st.
Mrs. Bragg asked for a list of the 16-20 clubs and those that have been around
for three years.
Mr. McCarthy asked that the Superintendent clarify and come back to make
sure our budget numbers are correct.
Mr. Puelo asked if the fee was for all students regardless of participation.
If so, did they need to take a vote to suspend the collection of that fee and
institute a “pay a fee only if you are participating.”
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Open Forum
Ms. Lori Hagborg, Mr. David Francor, Ms. Christina Brown, Mr. Brian Joyce,
Annette Donahue, and Raymond Acaoili all asked the Committee to rethink
their decision and provide busing for the Bernazzani students. They stressed
that safety was a big issue. They were concerned with the busy streets,
homeless people who live in the woods, snow on the sidewalks in winter.
They suggested going back to 3-tier schedule and perhaps using one bus.
They want the Committee to relook at this because they feel it is not a safe
situation for the students.
Ms. Carol Dumas, QPAC, thanked Ms. Todd and the SPED staff for all their
support. They have a meeting scheduled for September 17, from 7:00 to
9:00 p.m. at Broad Meadows Middle School.
Tracey Christello thanked the School Department and School Committee
for the wonderful education her daughter received in Quincy. Her daughter
went off to college this year. She appreciated all that the School Committee
and staff does and she knows that they work for the best interest of the students.
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Bldgs.& Grounds
Mr. Kevin Murphy reported that over the summer, Maintenance moved students
out from the Children’s Development Ctr. Carpenters, electricians and painters
worked to convert open space at the Early Childhood Center into five classrooms.
They moved Grade 5 materials, furniture and equipment from Lincoln Hancock
to Sterling. A new access ramp was also built at Sterling.
Computer labs were constructed at Squantum, Montclair, Wollaston, Snug
Harbor. Atherton Hough is next. There was an additional lab made at Broad
Meadows.
Major repairs were made to the walkways at North Quincy and Snug Harbor.
Automatic soap dispensers were installed at every school and all broken
desk hinges, doors and locks have been repaired.
They installed shelving at Bernazzani, retiled a classroom at Parker and all
broken windows reported have been repaired or replaced.
Exhaust fans were rebuilt at Atlantic and Broad Meadows. Computer closets
in each school were upgraded. Electricians installed additional power and
electrical outlets in each computer closet.
Graffiti was cleaned in all schools.
Mrs. Dwyer asked that at the next meeting that they discuss what’s left on
the list of repairs requested in the School Improvement Plans.
Mr. Murphy will check into the light at Beechwood Knoll and change it to a
standard light.
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New QHS Building Committee Mrs. Dwyer Reports
Mrs. Dwyer reported that the Quincy High School Building Committee
met twice over the summer months. We are still behind by 31 days. Gilbane
is going to work 20 Saturdays to make up the time. They are trying to enclose
the building before the winter. The biggest delay came from the 20” sewer
main pipe on Woodward Ave that had to be moved. The pipe was too close
to the building. It is now 15-20’ behind the school. The cost to move the
pipe is $250,000 and $45,000 for engineering. This money comes out of
our contingency account.
A big problem now is cars coming down Saville. Drivers are not taking the
sharp right onto Faxon Ave, but are coming into our parking lot and cutting
through. The Building Committee is very concerned. Mr. Cunniff will speak
to the Traffic Engineer and come up with a proposal.
Mrs. Bragg asked if the school will be ready by September 2010. Mrs. Dwyer
answered that the gym and auditorium won’t be ready. The gym was originally
scheduled to be finished last. This will be all inside work. Quincy High can still
use the old auditorium if needed.
With regard to the two contingency funds – one is for the owner and then Gilbane
has one. We have $2.7 million left.
Mr. Puleo asked if we could recoup the costs for moving the pipe because the
pipe was not marked correctly in the plans. However, Mrs. Dwyer said it was
the City of Quincy’s plans. They were 10 years old and they were off by 4’.
Mayor arrives at 8:32 p.m.
Mr. McCarthy said he would like the Building Committee to talk to Gilbane
about their lock-up policy at the site. He has personally locked the site up.
He found five gates open. Also, the back gate on Russell Park by the tennis
course needs to be lowered. There is a lot of graffiti on the inside.
Mrs. Dwyer said they have Mr. McCarthy on the security camera and Gilbane
has instituted a procedure. There is now a board in the office and you can see
who is responsible to lock the gates.
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Central Bldg. Committee Mrs. Mahoney Reports
Mrs. Mahoney reported that negotiations are under way for the project manager.
A meeting has been scheduled for this Monday with the MSBA to discuss the
enrollment for the new school..
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Summer School
Janice Erler reported on the Summer School programs. Over 1,000 students
participated in Summer Scene and 175 QPS staff members participated.
Nine school buildings were opened during the summer. Facilitators, Allison
Miller reported on the Pre K -5, Amy Litchfield reported on the middle school
programs (Serve and Learn), and Jeff Bretch reported on the high school
programs. Quincy has received the 20th Century grant fund for after school
at $672,000.
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H1N1
Maura Tenaglia and Jane Kisielius reported on the anticipated H1N1 Flu
and the proposal for flu prevention and control. On Tuesday afternoons
school nurses, nurses from the public health department will assist in the
immunization of school aged children. Quincy will offer both the seasonal
flu shot and the H1N1 flu shots to middle and high school students as well
as staff.
They will establish school based flu clinics, dates and times. School nurses
will reinforce preventative measures within the schools through ongoing education,
active surveillance by school nurses, and dismissal of symptomatic students
and staff. Mrs. Kisieluis recognized Joanne Morrissey, Food Services Director,
and Kevin Segalla, Custodial Director. The schools will be kept clean and
hand sanitizers available in all school cafeterias.
The Department of Public Health will supply the vaccine for the regular flu
and we would have to supply the syringes, etc. For the H1N1, the Federal
Government will supply everything.
Students under nine would require two seasonal flu shots if they haven't had
a flu shot before. The School Department will not inoculate elementary students.
They would have to go to their own pediatrician. We will vaccinate staff as well.
Mrs. Bragg inquired about the cafeterias. Mrs. Morrissey answered that it
will be standard operational procedures in the cafeterias.
Mr. Drew Scheele, Public Health Director, said that the CDC is now recommend-
ed we encourage people to be vaccinated. They want cities and towns to get
involved. However, the shots are not mandatory.
Mr. Puleo inquired about the liability. Mr. Scheele answered that that was not a
problem. The nurses are covered under MGL.
Mrs. Mahoney asked that a notice and the letter be posted on the website.
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NQHS ROTC to Camp Edwards
On a motion by Mrs. Dwyer, seconded by Mayor Koch, the Committee approved
a trip for the North Quincy Jr. ROTC to travel to Camp Edwards, Mass Military
Reservation, Bourne, MA on September 23 to September 27, 2009 with the
stipulation that the names of students going on the trip be reviewed by the school
nurse. The ayes have it.
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Charter Schools
Under Additional Business, Mr. Puleo spoke to the article in the Quincy
Sun regarding a proposal for a Charter School. The Quincy Public Schools
received the information after the documents were put into the Department
of Elementary and Secondary Education. He explained how charter schools
work. This is a group of private individuals opening the school. There is
no oversight of the school or how they receive their money. They charge
Quincy Public Schools tuition for each of their students. The school operates
on city dollars without city oversight. The school will be open in 2010 for
88 students. The estimate would be $9,000 per student. A total of $792,000
would be charged to Quincy Public Schools. It would necessitate laying
off 60 additional teachers in Quincy.
There are a number of flaws in the proposal. It is a Mandarin-speaking
Chinese school. Looking at statistics, the biggest pupils of ELL in the
City are Cantonese. They would not be serviced in this school. The
second is Vietnamese. There are 2,644 students for whom English is not
their primary language. We have heard from a past principal. The best
place for these students is to be in an integrated school. We need to integrate
students for the best service. He asked that the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education be contacted to let them know our position.
Mrs. Bragg will be calling a Policy Subcommittee meeting to discuss
the Sped Observation Policy and the Physical Restraint Policy. She also
removed the Policy Manual from the Subcommittee.
Mrs. Bragg asked for clarification on the pay schedule being altered--how
that decision was made and why it was made. Mr. Mullaney answered that
teachers get paid the second Friday after they come back to school which
in this case is September 18th. We don’t prepay salaries.
Mrs. Bragg said she didn’t think that was fair. She asked that the Superintendent
start to look at the start of school year for the next year and come back with
a proposal and recommendation.
The Superintendent said they met with Paul Phillips and Ron Suga and they
were aware of the options. He never got a call from the QEA.
Mrs. Dwyer stated that they had tried to change the calendar and parents came
in droves to say they didn’t want to start before Labor Day.
School Calendar to Policy Subcommittee
Mrs. Bragg didn’t agree and moved the School Calendar into the Policy
Subcommittee.
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Communications/Busing
Mrs. Mahoney said she had received calls about the phones at Central not
working. She asked the Superintendent to check into that.
With regard to Open Forum, Mrs. Dwyer said it was unfortunate the schools
had to take an $8 million cut. We received Federal money to help offset that.
We tried to keep our class size at a reasonable number. We went back and
forth on the transportation/buses. She was concerned with students walking
from Whitwell to Bernazanni as those side walks are never plowed. She
asked the Superintendent to take one more look at that.
Mrs. Bragg said there are some sections in the City with too many busy streets
to cross. She would also like to take another look at Bernazzani.
The Mayor reminded the public that we are in a difficult economy. Tough
decisions have to be made. He is open to look at the busing, but we may be
facing additional cuts from the state.
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Mr. McCarthy recognized QPAC for putting the whole organization back
on track.
Mr. McCarthy recognized Tom Natola and John Campbell for building the
Viewing Classroom at Beechwood Knoll over the summer.
Furnace Brook Golf Course
The Committee asked the Superintendent to check with Mr. Timmins on a
request for a beverage cart at the Furnace Book Golf Course at the sixth hole.
Liquor cannot be served within 500’ of a school.
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Retirements
The Committee noted the following retirements:
Teachers: Anne McDonough, Judith O’Farrell, Psychologist, Margot Schmid
Paraprofessional: Christine Christopher, Janet Deorie
Café Manager: Eleanor Summering
Resignations
The Committee noted the following resignations:
Teachers: David Carroll, Ellizabeth DeSorgher, Alison LaBarge, Eric Skidmore, Douglas Wolfe
Paraprofessionals: Deborah Durkin Finn, Nancy Lesslie, Marisa Ngo, Claire Poles, Shannon Thompson
Leaves of Absence
The Committee noted the following leaves of absence
Teachers: Mark Connerty, Holly Davis, Nancy Duffy, Maria Weber'
Appointments
The Committee noted the following appointments:
Teachers: Margarita Barry, Louise Becam, Mary Bloomer, Kristina Coull, Kristen Dwyer, Jennifer Eddy, Amanda Errichiello, Luis Escobar, Jessica Falbo, Emily Foley, Suzanne Hajjar, Sheila Jafarzadeh, Lawrence Eric Johnson, Nicole Keiley, Jessica Lee, Rebecca Leuchte, Gracia Lukito, John Maattala, Rachel Matzdorff, James Miller, Alison Moreau, Anne North, Claire Poles, Mark Poli, Nicole Sykes
Literacy Specialist: Lynn Sullivan
Coordinator: Linda Stice
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Adjournment
On a motion by Mr. Puleo, seconded by Mrs. McCarthy, the Committee
adjourned for the evening at 10:21 p.m. There was no executive session.
The ayes have it.