REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF THE STOUGHTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE Regular meeting of the Stoughton School Committee, held on Tuesday,, at 7:00 p.m., in the Television Studio, Stoughton High School, 232 Pearl Street, Stoughton, Massachusetts. PRESENT: Molly Cochran, Chair; Katie Pina-Enokian, Vice Chair; Anita Hill; Sandra Groppi; Joseph McDonough ALSO PRESENT ADMINISTRATION: Dr. Marguerite Rizzi, Superintendent; Jonathan D. Ford, Deputy Superintendent ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Maureen Anderson, Stoughton Teachers Association Representative; Deborah Crawford, Recording Secretary; members of the press and public Pledge of Allegiance MEETING TO ORDER: Chair Cochran opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. 1. Public Comment none at this time. 2. MA Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence Jai el Toussaint. The award was presented to Jai el who will be attending Boston University. 3. Stoughton High School Representative Alex Sotto advised that they were getting ready for the end of the school year. They are working on the year book. Their last day of school is May 24 th. 4. Lead and Copper Update Joel Harding Mr. Harding provided an update on the recent water testing results and based on those results, the plans of action that they have been following thru with. They have added hand washing sinks, filters, replaced out the plumbing, flushing, etc. All the food prep sinks in all schools are being flushed and cleaned. Over the past April vacation, they flushed the all buildings. They have added hand washing only signs so the students don t drink from the fountains. He is staying in touch with the state as well as local companies to keep on top of this situation. They do know it s an inside the building problem. They have had problems at the Dawe School because the line runs over ledge and the line has broken or split causing issues. 5. Digital Report Cards Jamie Hulbig, STEM Curriculum Administrative Supervisor PK-5; Ryan McGee, Technology Director; Diane Dolan, Data Management Ms. Hulbig explained that they have asked for input from parents on the new report cards and based on that feedback they created this new style report card. She provided a handout 1
Elementary Report Card Revisions (Grades 1-5), Stoughton Public Schools, December 2017, Report Card sample and a copy of the Stoughton Public Schools Grading Scale: Grades 1-5. She explained that the goals of the revised report cards is to provide direct feedback regarding the progress students are making toward the year end standards that have been established by the Mass Curriculum Frameworks at each grade level. She explained the process: -Parent/Guardian Survey (Spring 2017) -Educator Team Meetings to Draft Report Cards (September 2017) -District Administration and Elementary Principals Feedback Sessions (September-October 2017) -Elementary Educators Surveyed for Feedback (October 2017) -Revisions made based on data gathered (November 2017) -Electronic Development thru Technology Dept. (November 2017) Ms. Dolan explained that after all the research was completed, she was then given the task to bring the idea to fruition. She noted that the report card has the key on the first page, the town seal, and a template that was informative and user friendly. Mr. McGee advised that they implemented software that would send the report card thru email. The great thing was that the email looked exactly like the actual paper format. He explained that the two methods of electronic delivery were thru the Power School Parent Portal or an email link sent to an active email account. Ms. Dolan noted that currently all the schools are using the digital report card. They have received positive feedback from parents. She also explained that the grade scale was no longer using the 1,2,3,4 grading scale. There will be a grading scale on the report card for parent reference. Chair Cochran asked about the report card requirement to be signed by parents. Mr. McGee stated that when the email is opened it is noted with the date and time. Currently, they are not requiring signatures from parents. Perhaps in the future, if this is needed. Dr. Rizzi noted that the report card is for the parent so they can be aware of how their child is doing in school. It was a great process of starting with the input from the parents and then moving forward from there. by Ms. Hill to take Items 7, 10 and 11 out of order by Ms. Groppi 6. Substitute Teacher Rate Brian Smith, Business Manager Mr. Smith noted that they have planned on the increase to the substitute teacher rate of pay. He would recommend increasing from $75 to 80 per day effective immediately. 2
Rate by Ms. Hill to move the recommendation of increasing the Substitute Teacher from $75 to $80 per day 7. Quarterly Financial Report Brian Smith, Business Manager Mr. Smith provided a handout Stoughton Public Schools Budget Report FY18 as of 3/31/2018 8. FY19 Budget & Articles Dr. Rizzi noted that they were now waiting for the last phase of the budget. This Committee voted on the budget, which then went to the Board of Selectmen and after much discussion, the budget was approved and went before the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee has unanimously voted in favor of our budget which will now go before Town Meeting with a joint recommendation. 9. Policy Information Session Jonathan Ford a) School Committee Policy IJND Access to Digital Resources b) School Committee Policy IJNDA Acceptable Use Policy c) School Committee Policy IJNDB Empowered Digital Use Policy d) School Committee Policy IJNDC Internet Publication Policy e) School Committee Policy IJNDD Electronic Communications & Social Media Use Policy f) School Committee Policy GBEBA Maintaining Professional Boundaries Mr. Ford explained that the working group has been reviewing the policies and tonight there are six policies that they have reviewed, revised and are offering them to the Committee for review and ultimately vote to adopt. The Committee is receiving these policies tonight for review and then at the next meeting the policies can be discussed, changed if need be and then at the third meeting the Committee will vote to adopt. Mr. Ford further noted that the documents were sent to the Committee in a word format and if there are any changes that the Committee would like to make, please do and then return them to Mr. Ford and he will incorporate into an amended version to be provided to the Committee at the next meeting for further discussion. 10. Superintendent Formative Evaluation Dr. Rizzi explained the Stoughton Public Schools, Superintendent s Mid-Cycle Formative Assessment Report dated April 3, 2018 and provided an overview the goals. 3
Ms. Groppi asked about the survey results of the survey that was noted in the Professional Practice Goal that went out last year. Dr. Rizzi explained that the survey has been completed and she will present the results for discussion. as by Ms. Pina-Enokian to accept the Superintendent Formative Evaluation report presented 11. School Committee Reorganization Since there was no change in the Committee due to recent voting, it was the consensus of the Committee to table this matter until the June meeting. by Ms. Pina-Enokian to move the School Committee Reorganization to the June meeting after graduation 12. Old Business a. Various Meeting Reports Dr. Rizzi noted that the Committee received the White Paper information regarding the summer reading program as done by Scholastic that was discussed at the last meeting. This was for informational purposes only. Just some light reading for the Committee. Ms. Pina-Enokian noted that they had a Building Committee and there will be something coming before the School Committee regarding the pros/cons of solar panels as it potentially involves financial issues. Ms. Hill also noted that she attended a PAC meeting. They have hopefully hired a new Executive Director who will start in November. 13. Other Matters Ms. Groppi congratulated Chair Cochran on her recent reelection. Dr. Rizzi provided an overview of the Southeast School Nurse Newsletter featuring our own, Sally Borges. It outlines her presentation of Effective Early Primary Prevention for Rx Drug Abuse, which was well received at the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. 4
Ashley Goldstein has been asked to participate in the DESE ELA Frameworks Grades 4-12 Integrated Literacy Learning. She will be playing a role in the two instructional sessions on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at Bridgewater State University s English Language Arts Collaborative. Chair Cochran also noted that she sent a letter to the BOS re: the voting places and she is waiting for a response. 14. Financial Warrants THE COMMITTEE SIGNED SAME List of Documents: 1. Elementary Report Card Revisions (Grades 1-5), Stoughton Public Schools, December 2017 2. Stoughton Public Schools Grading Scale: Grades 1-5 information sheet 3. Sample of the new report card 4. Stoughton Public Schools Budget Report FY18 as of 3/31/2018 5. Copies of School Committee Policy IJND Access to Digital Resources; IJNDA Acceptable Use Policy; IJNDB Empowered Digital Use Policy; IJNDC Internet Publication Policy; IJNDD Electronic Communications & Social Media Use Policy; GBEBA Maintaining Professional Boundaries 6. Stoughton Public Schools, Superintendent s Mid-Cycle Formative Assessment Report, dated April 3, 2018 7. Copy of Southeast School Nurse Newsletter, April 2018 8. Scholastic White Paper Empowering Students and Families to address Summer Reading Loss in Greenville, SC and Stoughton, MA 2017 15. Executive Session At 8:22 p.m. Ms. Hill made the motion, and it was seconded by Ms. Pina-Enokian to convene in Executive Session for the purpose of an Update on Union Grievances, Stoughton Teachers Association Negotiation Strategy. A unanimous roll call vote was taken. The meeting will not reconvene in open session and will adjourn from Executive Session at the conclusion of the above stated business. Minutes of the Executive Session are separate in accordance and compliance with Ch. 303 of the Acts of 1975 which permits the votes and proceedings in Executive Session may be kept private as long as privacy will serve the purpose for which the Executive Session was called. NEXT MEETING: Next Regular Meeting May 8, 2018 at 7 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Deborah Crawford, Recording Secretary Approved as amended May 8, 2018 5