Looks like we’re moving
quickly from fall to winter. We’ve already eaten our turkey - which tasted
especially good this year with the Red Raiders’ win over the Wakefield
Warriors! Playing a little catch-up, so here’s the scoop from the November 14th
meeting; check the minutes for the official version, but here are the
highlights from my perspective. (Remember – the page numbers in red are those associated with documents from the 11/14
agenda packet in the IQM2 portal on the School Committee page of our web site.)
Announcements of the
Superintendent
Supt. Taymore reviewed her
final 100-day plan (pp. 3-4), focusing on her four
main objectives (Improve Teaching Effectiveness Through Better Use of Student
Data; Evaluating Teacher Performance; Common Core Implementation; and Communication
and Discourse). * She reviewed her process and
timeline for the MHS Principal Search (p. 5),
proposed a School Committee – Superintendent retreat (p.
6), and offered an update on the MHS NEASC process and progress (p. 7). * Commenting on decisions regarding next year’s
school calendar, Supt. Taymore indicated that she is working in partnership
with our union to address the challenges presented by mid-week winter holidays
and time needed to adequately prepare for the next phase of the Educator
Evaluation tool.
Announcements of the
School Committee Chair
Ms. Thorp has reviewed
agendas from 2012 and used them to prepare a draft rolling agenda for 2013 (pp. 8-10). * We
discussed the fact that the Committee will be moving to entirely electronic
documents by our first meeting in December. (All packet documents will be
available to the community on Mondays from now on, but since we are going
paperless there won’t be printed copies in the Alderman’s Chambers any more.
You can access them on-line from your wireless device or bring printed copies
from home.) * Our School Committee recording
secretary, Ms. Carol Rogers, will be leaving in late November, and Supt.
Taymore’s assistant, Mrs. Diane Hogan, will be taking over. * We discussed Victorian Fair expenses and a small expense
reimbursement for Committee members (p. 11). * Ms. Thorp indicated that she and Supt. Taymore were
working well together and for that reason, she would ask the Committee for
consideration regarding retaining her Committee Chair seat for the coming year.
(An initial vote will be taken at the December meeting.)
Consent Agenda
We ultimately approved the
Minutes of 10/23; the Monthly Budget Summary (pp. 12-17);
the Monthly Maintenance Report (pp. 18-36); the
Personnel Report (p. 37); a second vote on the
By-Laws Amendment (p. 38); and the Warrants (pp. 39-114).
Policy and Planning
School Improvement Plans
were presented by Hoover Roosevelt (pp. 161-176)
Principals. * Mr. Lehman offered an update
on the 2012 School Committee (p. 177) and
presented a proposal for Policy #6208: Committee/Superintendent Relationship (pp. 178-179), discussion on which was postponed until
11/27.
Finance and Facilities
Supt. Taymore announced a
pilot program to be implemented at MVMMS with respect to realizing cost
off-sets to electricity expenses (pp. 180-209).
The program was researched and evaluated by Energy Efficiency Manager Martha
Grover and will be overseen by Facilities Manager Max French, DPW Business
Manager Ann Waitt, and DPW Director John Scenna. *
Supt. Taymore indicated that this year’s budget process will identify each
school as a cost center in order to reflect building-based needs more clearly.
It will be a level-service budget focused on being educationally appropriate
for students.
Collectively we think of
this season as one of giving, and our schools are always grateful for all that
you give to our children………..
