Minutes
Quincy, Massachusetts – September 14, 2016
Special Meeting of the Quincy School Committee
Special Meeting
A special meeting of the Quincy School Committee was held on Wednesday,
September 14, 2016 at the Coddington Building at 5:00 pm. The Superintendent
called the roll and present were: Mrs. Kathryn Hubley, Ms. Barbara Isola,
Mrs. Emily Lebo, Mrs. Anne Mahoney, and Mr. Paul Bregoli, Vice Chair.
Vice-Chair
Presiding
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Also present were: Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Secretary; Ms. Laura Owens, Clerk;
Ms. Sarah Anderson, Ms. Rita Bailey, Ms. Roberta DiTullio, Mr. Michael Draicchio,
Ms. Beth Hallett, Mr. James Mullaney, Deputy Superintendent Kevin Mulvey,
Mrs. Maura Papile, Mrs. Erin Perkins, Ms. Madeline Roy, Mr. Keith Segalla,
Mr. Kevin Segalla; and Quincy Parent Advisory Council to Special Education
Board members Ms. Debby Nabstedt and Ms. Cassandra Beck.
Mr. DeAmicis and Mayor Koch were absent.
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Vice-Chair Bregoli welcomed everyone to the Special School Committee meeting
and reviewed the meeting purpose. Dr. DeCristofaro then introduced the new
Superintendent’s Leadership Team members introduced Ms. Sarah Anderson,
Coordinator of Middle & High School Special Education and Ms. Roberta DiTullio,
Coordinator of Literacy and Title I.
District Improvement. Plan 2016-2017
Dr. DeCristofaro then spoke about the District Improvement Plan for 2016-2017
reviewing the Design Elements and Frameworks, which document the Key
Questions and Indicators, Benchmarks, Sources of Evidence, and Teams responsible
for achieving those benchmarks. Dr. DeCristofaro shared the Team Organization
for 2016-2017, aligned to the six standards: Leadership, Governance, and
Communication; Curriculum & Instruction; Assessment & Program Evaluation;
Human Resource Management; Access, Participation, and Student Support;
Financial Asset Management Effectiveness & Efficiency. The District Improvement
Plan provides School Committee connections to each of the components, primarily
the School and Program Improvement Plans.
The School Committee goal setting process encompasses a review of items
currently in Subcommittee and goals and action steps with proposed additional
action steps. Dr. DeCristofaro noted that there are many initiatives underway,
managed by the members of the Superintendent’s Leadership Team and these will
be reviewed at Subcommittee meetings over the course of the year.
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District Improvement Plan ~ School Committee
Connections
The School Committee and Superintendent and Leadership Team members
then split up into Subcommittee groups to discuss their goals and to review the
items on the Agenda for each Subcommittee.
After meeting in Subcommittee groups, the School Committee reconvened at
5:50 to share their discussions.
Each Subcommittee had the opportunity to propose additions and changes to
their goals and to set meeting dates. For the Budget and Finance Subcommittee,
their goal and purpose will remain as presented. Mrs. Lebo removed the item
pertaining to the FY2016 appropriation from Subcommittee as the funding has
been expended.
For the Facilities and Security Subcommittee, Mrs. Hubley accepted the proposed
action step related to monitoring MSBA Accelerated Repair Program projects
and added an update on Playground equipment and safety fiber upgrades and
monitoring the construction of the new Sterling Middle School to the items in
Subcommittee.
For the Health, Transportation and Safety, in Mr. DeAmicis’s absence, Mrs. Lebo
accepted the proposed action step related to monitoring initiatives and removed
Traffic Concerns at North Quincy High School (road construction complete); CPR
Certification (Grade 8 program now in its third year); and Solar Arrays
(installations complete). Agenda items for upcoming subcommittee meetings
will focus on Program Improvement Plans (October); updates on Farm to School,
Substance Abuse Awareness, and Diversity & Respect (February); and updates
on the Learn to Swim, Health & Wellness Symposium, PBIS, and Peer Mentoring
in May. Food Services Director Sara Dufour will also be asked to present on
Food Services initiatives at the February meeting.
For the Policy Subcommittee, Mr. Bregoli accepted the proposed new action step
related to updating the Policy Handbook and the 2016-2017 School Year and
School Committee calendars (completed); Open Enrollment (updated
information to families provided through regular website posts); and Weather
Cancellation Schoolwork (posted on the QPS website). The remaining items will
be retained.
Mrs. Mahoney presented for Special Education and requested to remove the
substitute information item as this has now been addressed through Aspen. The
suggested action steps relating to monitoring initiatives and planning for Parent
Academy events were approved, along with the proposed meeting dates of
October 26, 2016; January 18, 2017; March 22, 2017; and May 24, 2017. Agenda
items for Special Education Subcommittee meetings for the year were planned:
October Special Education PIP, Rights & Responsibilitues, Legal status of QPAC
January: Guided Math and Close Reading Inititatives (video for Channel 22)
March: CARES/TLC Curriculum; (video for Channel 22);
May: Transition
QPAC is planning to host events such as Sensory Night, Wahlburgers,
Gingerbread Decorating. For Parent Academies, proposed topics include Social
Emotional issues, a Resource Fair, and Dyslexia awareness.
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Ms. Isola reported that the Teaching and Learning Subcommittee agreed to the
proposed action step regarding monitoring specific initiatives at the
subcommittee meetings held on the last Monday of the month beginning in
January. There are a five Teaching & Learning meetings scheduled for October
and November focused on SIP and PIP revie. Ms. Isola removed the item about
the Resolution on Student Assessment as this was completed last year.
The Athletics Subcommittee was established last winter, but no members have
been named and no items referred to this Subcommittee to date.
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Adjournment
On a motion by Ms. Isola, seconded by Mrs. Hubley, the Special School
Committee Meeting was adjourned at 6:15 pm. The ayes have it.