March 7, 2016 A meeting of the Westfield School Committee was held on Monday, March 7, 2016 at 7:00 pm in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 59 Court Street. Members present by roll call: Mr. Bill Duval, Mr. Jeffrey Gosselin, Mrs. Diane Mayhew, Mr. Kevin J. Sullivan, Mrs. Cindy Sullivan, Mr. Ramon Diaz, and Chairman Sullivan. At 7:00 pm Chairman Sullivan called the meeting to order. 1. Pledge of Allegiance Chairman Sullivan asked if anyone was taping the meeting and if so, please state your name and address: no response 2. Public participation, excluding personnel Mrs. Melissa Rutowski, Miller Street Mrs. Rutowski, Special Education Parent Advisory Council member, was in attendance and provided an update. Mr. Ralph Figy, Brookline Avenue City Councilor Figy spoke about the change in voting locations. 3. South Middle School Presentation Members of the South Middle Student Council were in attendance. The presentation focused on the events/ideas put together during School Spirit Week. 4. News about Westfield Technical Academy from student representatives Students were in attendance and updated the committee. 5. Approval of School Committee meeting minutes: a. Mrs. Mayhew moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the special School Committee meeting of January 28, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. Mr. Duval abstained. b. Mrs. Mayhew moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the School Committee meeting of February 1, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. Mr. Duval abstained. c. Mrs. Mayhew moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the special School Committee meeting of February 16, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. Mr. Duval abstained. 6. Update on Superintendent Search Mr. Diaz reported that the Preliminary Screening Committee for the new Superintendent met last week to determine the number of candidates to invite for interviews. He stated that fifteen people applied for the position. Once the finalists have been contacted, their names will be made public, and dates will be set for interviews with the School Committee, which will also be made public.
7. Approval of the Westfield Public Schools 2016-2017 school year calendar Mrs. Mayhew moved, Mrs. Sullivan seconded to approve the Westfield Public Schools 2016-2017 school year calendar. All were in favor. Motion passes. 8. DESE Center for District & School Accountability Preliminary Report Dr. Scallion gave a preview of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) audit report for the schools, which will be made public later this month. She stated that overall the report is something that we should be proud of. 9. Approval of field trips: a. South Middle School, Washington, D.C, May 31-June 3, 2016 Mr. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the South Middle School trip for students to Washington, DC, May 31-June 3, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. b. Westfield High School, Italy, April 14-22, 2017 Mr. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the Westfield High School trip for students to Italy, April 14-22, 2017. All were in favor. Motion passes. c. Westfield High School, Spain, April 11-20, 2017 Mr. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the Westfield High School trip for students to Spain, April 11-20, 2017. All were in favor. Motion passes. d. Westfield High School, Hartford Art School, West Hartford, CT, March 11, 2016, Mr. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the Westfield High School field trip for students to the Hartford Art School located in West Hartford, Connecticut on March 11, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. e. Westfield High School, Medieval Times, Lyndhurst, New Jersey, and Cloisters Museum, New York City, April 12, 2016 Mrs. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the Westfield High School field trip for students to go to Medieval Times located in Lyndhurst, New Jersey and to Cloisters Museum located in New York City on April 12, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. f. Westfield Technical Academy, True Color National Diversity Conference, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, March 18-19, 2016 Mr. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the Westfield Technical Academy trip for students to attend the True Color National Diversity Conference held at the University of Connecticut located in Storrs, Connecticut, March 18-19, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. g. Westfield Technical Academy, Aero Gear Inc., Windsor, CT, April 15, 2016 Mr. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the Westfield Technical Academy field trip for students to go to Aero Gear Incorporated located in Windsor, Connecticut on April 15, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes.
10. Massachusetts School Building Authority Statement of Interest - WHS Mrs. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to resolved: having convened in an open meeting on March 7, 2016, prior to the closing date, the School Committee of the City of Westfield, Massachusetts, in accordance with its charter, by-laws, and ordinances, has voted to authorize the Superintendent to submit to the Massachusetts School Building Authority the Statement of Interest Form dated prior to April 8, 2016 for Westfield High School located at 177 Montgomery Road, Westfield, Massachusetts which describes and explains the following deficiencies and the priority category(s) for which an application may be submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in the future to address the priorities of preventing the loss of accreditation, and the replacement and addition to an obsolete building in order to provide for a full range of programs consistent with state and approved local requirements; and hereby further specifically acknowledges that by submitting this Statement of Interest Form, the Massachusetts School Building Authority in no way guarantees the acceptance or the approval of an application, the awarding of a grant or any other funding commitment from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, or commits the Westfield Public Schools to filing an application for funding with the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The following roll call vote was taken: Y N Mr. Gosselin Mrs. Mayhew Mrs. Sullivan Mr. Sullivan Mr. Duval Mr. Diaz Chairman Sullivan 7-0 motion passes Mrs. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to resolved: Having convened in an open meeting on March 7, 2016, prior to the closing date, the School Committee of the City of Westfield, Massachusetts, in accordance with its charter, by-laws, and ordinances, has voted to authorize the Superintendent to submit to the Massachusetts School Building Authority the Statement of Interest Form dated prior to April 8, 2016 for Westfield Technical Academy located at 33 Smith Avenue, Westfield, Massachusetts which describes and explains the following deficiencies and the priority category(s) for which an application may be submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in the future to address the priorities of preventing the loss of accreditation, and the replacement and addition to an obsolete building in order to provide for a full range of programs consistent with state and approved local requirements; and hereby further specifically acknowledges that by submitting this Statement of Interest Form, the Massachusetts School Building Authority in no way guarantees the acceptance or the approval of an application, the awarding of a grant or any other funding commitment from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, or commits the Westfield Public Schools to filing an application for funding with the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
The following roll call vote was taken: Y N Mrs. Sullivan Mr. Sullivan Mr. Duval Mr. Gosselin Mrs. Mayhew Mr. Diaz Chairman Sullivan 7-0 motion passes 11. Acceptance of Special Revenue Accounts, February 2016: Mrs. Mayhew moved, Mr. Sullivan seconded to accept the Special Revenue Accounts, February 2016, as presented. All were in favor. Motion passes. 12. First reading, by title only, of policy File: KHA Public Solicitations in the Schools: Mrs. Mayhew moved, Mr. Sullivan seconded a first reading, by title only, of policy File: KHA Public Solicitations in the Schools. All were in favor. Motion passes. 13. Approval of Community Christian School as a private school for the 2015-2016 school year: Mr. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve the Community Christian School as a private school for the 2015-2016 school year. All were in favor. Motion passes. 14. Superintendent Goals updated Mr. Sullivan moved, Mrs. Mayhew seconded to approve Dr. Scallion s updated goals, as presented. All were in favor. Motion passes. 15. Superintendent s Reports: a. Acceptance of gifts/donations: Mr. Gosselin moved, Mr. Sullivan seconded to accept the following gifts/donations: - Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center, donations totaling $31.00 to purchase library books, Daniel and Marisa Masciadrelli, $5.00, Alina Petrovych $16.00, Sarah Kotarski $10.00 cash, educational purposes, gift account - Abner Gibbs Elementary, Target Take Charge of Education, $32.06, - Munger Hill Elementary, Westfield Foundation Education Inc. $1,500.00, - Munger Hill Elementary, Target Take Charge of Education, $30.66, - Paper Mill Elementary, Martinez-Torres Family, $100.00, educational purposes, gift account - Paper Mill Elementary, Target Take Charge of Education, $58.11,
- South Middle, Walmart, various school supplies approximate value $1,850.00, student use b. School Choice Fund Expenditure Mrs. Sullivan moved, Mr. Diaz seconded to approve an expenditure of $20,000.00 from the School Choice Revolving Account for Westfield High School Library. c. Other The following roll call vote was taken: Y N Mr. Gosselin Mrs. Mayhew Mrs. Sullivan Mr. Sullivan Mr. Duval Mr. Diaz Chairman Sullivan 6-1 motion passes 16. Mayor s update: Mayor Sullivan provided an update. 17. Items for referral to subcommittees: none 18. Old business: Mrs. Mayhew and Mr. Duval thanked the nurses in the district for assisting with the updating of policies in Section J of the policy manual. 19. Subcommittee Reports/Recommendations a. Reports: none b. Minutes: (1) Mr. Sullivan moved, Mr. Gosselin seconded to approve the Instruction & Curriculum Subcommittee meeting minutes of February 1, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. (2) Mr. Sullivan moved, Mrs. Sullivan seconded to approve the Educational Planning & Technology Subcommittee meeting minutes of February 1, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. (3) Mrs. Mayhew moved, Mr. Duval seconded to approve the Human Resources & Policy Subcommittee meeting minutes of January 4, 2016. All were in favor. Motion passes. 21. Next regular School Committee meeting: March 21, 2016 22. Any other business that may properly come before the committee:
At 8:51 pm Mr. Diaz moved, Mr. Sullivan seconded to adjourn the meeting. All were in favor. Motion passes. Dr. Suzanne Scallion, Superintendent of Schools Clerk Westfield School Committee A true copy, Attest: Cindy Sullivan, Secretary Westfield School Committee CS/cm