 Peter so I will be running the meeting until he gets here. I would like to welcome the committee the superintendent and other administrators The Ea representative shaman foley at this time. I'd like to turn it over to mr. Schluckman Good evening. Thank you, mr. Chairman one of the Wonderful things about the Arlington public schools as we've developed a sister city relationship With the schools of Nagaoka Kewa came starting in 2004 when the official municipal visit came and We looked at it and said, you know, this would really be very meaningful if this were programmed and involved kids and My colleague on the school committee at the time Sue Schaeffler was really the engine on our side To to get this thing going so it's with great pleasure that I introduce Our former colleague former members Sue Schaeffler to talk about this year's visit in student exchange Thank you very much. Do I need to push this? You're on The sound system is improved dramatically. Yes. Yes, we were here last. I think the air has to this is good People out there and are watching on cable can actually see what's going on and hear us. It's amazing. That is revolutionary. Yes Well, we're delighted to have a chance to come and talk to you briefly today about what's going on with the sister cities And I want to put this in context especially for the school committee. I'll ask you a question first Do any of you know what the three largest economies in the world are today? US China Japan excellent US China Japan Notice Japan many people guess Germany is one of the top three. It's not it's Japan and of course China is a rising star By 2020 the projections are that out of the five top economies in the world Three will be emerging economies and only two will be currently developed economies. That would be United States and Japan We are going to be the only folks left in the top tier by 2020 that are currently top tier economies So that's an excellent reason to know a lot more about Japan. There's a lot of other wonderful reasons that you'll hear about But that's a big global perspective that I think is helpful So as you can see on the slides We Over the last nine years have done exchanges 10-day exchanges for over 300 students That's the students coming from Nagaoka Kio and the students going from Arlington over there In addition, we've had a 20 folks high school students and teach Japanese high school students come here and our teachers go there to teach for a year in the school systems and This is fairly extraordinary I think to have people actually go and be completely engaged Embedded in the economies for such a long period of time and that's been successful a challenge, but successful So the next few slides are about the trip that this Japanese students just made over here They come during their golden week vacation, which is a major holiday in Japan It happens to be when the cherry blossoms bloom basically the whole country takes vacation and that's when the students come here So we had five high school students and 16 medical middle school students which is the group we normally get and five teacher chaperones and The top picture you can see it's a little blurry But that's the group at their schools before they left with Justin Barassa and Justin is an Arlington high school teacher Who's been teaching over there for a couple of years now? So he was helping them with their English on the way over and the bottom two slides are Pictures of the shrines in Nagaoka Kio City This is the welcome The text is talking about It basically shows that as the students arrive we already hand them a homework assignment at the airport And it's to give them a chance to address questions in English Give them something to feel comfortable discussing with their host families. What are the questions is? What is your favorite sports team a? Lot of that is about breaking the ice so that the students become immediately somewhat comfortable in our language And that's the other pictures show one of one of the host families greeting some host students and Over on the right you can see what it looks like at the end of their day Their day coming over is something like 45 hours because of the length of the flight and the time change And we keep them up as long as we can so They can start fresh the next morning at Arlington high school They spend a full day at Arlington high school They go to different classes gym class and music class and English class They also perform at an assembly the students come prepared to do fairly professional almost dance performances a pop dance performance and a traditional Japanese dance performance and This year the assembly that was held last period. I guess of the day In low auditorium was great. It's very enthusiastic audience. It was it was a wonderful event and The students also make an elementary school visit and on that day they Goat this year. They went to Hardy school. They also Chair sort of an assembly over there where they perform and at the elementary schools They actually go into the classrooms. They went into the second and third grades, which are Hardy and Thompson classrooms this year and the visiting students teach origami and calligraphy and kendama and The photos here at the top you can see mr. Currow this Bodie and mr. Pierce singing with the students and Down the bottom picture is superintendent Bodie and our Japanese Visitor Singing practicing to sing Sakura together This is a few more pictures from Hardy Hardy school actually has a tory gate built on school grounds Which has been dedicated to the Japanese? Because of some of their problems that Fukushima explosions and things It's also a wonderful place for our Japanese folks to come and mingle with the Americans and Talk about some of those things on the right you see the students in the classroom and also below the Japanese students teaching They also go to the Odyssey middle school they spend an entire day there At the middle school they shadow students each individual Japanese visitor shadows an American student For the day so they get a real sense of what it's like to be in the classrooms Which are quite different from their school situations over there At the end of the day we have the cherry blossom festival the Sakura Festival there and that's the top is the students performing and the bottom is the Japanese leading the whole audience in a traditional Japanese dance and as you can see they're wearing their lovely kimonos At the end of the visit we always have a goodbye a farewell event and that's pictures from The event itself and at the bottom you can see we always have Japanese students cry Even after the eight days that they're here They really really love to come and they're very grateful for being hosted by families here and welcomed being welcomed into our community I wanted to also include a Look back this is from the first trip that Arlington took over there with students and I don't think you can see it too well on this slide But the top slide is they're welcome for us. The bottom is a closer view of what the Sign there it says and it actually says hell to Arlington and I don't in any way mean to make fun of them because of course our Signs are not in Japanese at all when they come what we're getting better actually we have one or two in Japanese now But it's just to illustrate The the hurdles there are because this is a very public event there They had 200 towns people come and all that and You can imagine the kind of errors we make over there the faux pas we make and it's really fascinating It's a great cultural learning experience for anybody adult or student to be part of this and to get over some of those hurdles and Finally, I really wanted to show you the girl in young woman in plaid in the middle there That's Becca Krantz her family has been hosting all nine years and She was a high school student when they first when we first started the program and she went to Japan on one of our early visits Went back and stayed with friends. She had made there at the time and in the fall She is going back for a full year to teach in the Nagao Kakyo school systems as an employee there for the year. So that In I mean, I'm just speechless her Japanese is fluent. She's incredibly excited to go Yeah, it's an amazing outcome of the program. I also wanted to say that We have Japanese students coming here for 11th grade a couple of year and the one who was here last year Kaoru Pizu Graduated at the very top of her university-bound class Even after spending a year here away from her Japanese teachers. So The kids who do this are pretty amazing and that's a wonderful segue to our student leaders for the July trip going to Nagao Kakyo this year Nick Strait and Fiona Mosley and they would like to say a few words Hi, I'm Nick Strait and I'm a freshman at AHS this year and I just want to say it's a really really great program I'm going over to Jill to Japan this July and I'm super super excited It's a great experience and when they come here, you can tell they love to be a part of this experience they're really grateful for it they love to experience the American culture and Surprisingly they actually do pick up English very fast and you can have conversations with them and then there's like so many differences in our country cultures, but they there's so many similarities to and One of the best things I think is to get them to try American food And they they really love the American candy and barbecue, too And so that when I over I want to try the Japanese food as well And my dad lived in Japan for a while and he says the food stalls are great So I would like to try those and then also I have hosted for the past two years And this is my first trip over to Japan So I get to see my friends I've made in the past here And I'm really excited and I think it's going to be a great a great thing And it's a great thing for Arlington have to have this program It's a great way to learn and experience different cultures, and I'm going to pass it on to Fiona now Hello, I'm Fiona Mosley, and I'm also a freshman at Hs And this is just a great opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture, and it's just very enriching and I'm very excited to go to Japan take part in the culture And I also hosted for the past two years, and I'm very excited to see my students My exchange student was actually in this slideshow. She was the one sobbing So we've been emailing back and forth for like the past week that she's been back in Japan We've already planned out what we're going to do together And I'm very grateful for the school committee and the Arlington community for this great opportunity Thank you At this time I'd like to just acknowledge the artwork around the room Miss Fitzgerald, if I could get you just to raise that over there Directly to my right right over here Pieces from fourth graders. They call cereal box package design Students discussed why packages we purchase make use of special design elements and that's such elements are planned by people called graphic designers Classes were then told they could they would be designing a package for fictitious cereal brand called Big B They were encouraged to invent mascots logos company names They were required to include pictures and lettering think about fonts colors placement and visual elements Moving down the wall the second part are also from fourth graders. This group is called analogous landscapes After discussing and exploring the style and techniques of Impressionist painting. They looked at Meadow of Your Vanny, I hope I pronounced it right by Claude Monet They were guided to notice the use of analogous colors colors next to one another on the color wheel students were instructed to Fix and modify their colors for their own paintings on the back wall From group of first graders understanding warm and cool colors Students discussed warm colors red yellow and orange and cool colors blue green and purple They saw how Jargero Keef's red hills with flowers used warm colors and Claude Monet's water lilies used the cool colors Students created their own oil pastel drawings using either warm or cool colors And moving just behind us over here on the left A group of second graders created paper pendants Students discussed why people wear jewelry Students learned that different cultures have varying styles and how they have changed over time Students were instructed to design and create their own pendants from paper and aluminum foil They also included additional Decorations with markers and pencils and our last piece right over here directly from my left From third graders monochromatic paintings about feelings Students viewed reproduction of Pablo Picasso's blue period and discussed the similarities They were quick to notice that blue was the dominant color and that the objects appeared very sad Subjects excuse me appeared very sad lonely and poor Students chose something which generated strong feelings for them to depict it in a monochromatic Painting in the color which would best communicate their feelings and their ideas We really appreciate the added color to it adds to this room. Thank you pair students at this time we will go into public participation and Our first person is Alicia Serafini Fine, mr. Sons from Sons from sorry Good evening everyone Lisa and I are here to really discuss our role and there's members of the a subcommittee Doesn't roll off the tongue exactly but it's the idea of it that would allow Arlington teaches the benefit to have their children attend the Arlington public schools and Before I you know we went into anything here. I just wanted to give a little background of What has been involved here? this actually came out of a contract agreement from two contracts ago and It was pretty much postponed into a subcommittee later on in the last contract And you know we've come a long way with this I mean it's been two years of meeting when we started we are in The depths of a recession going through some pretty tough contract negotiations We were dealing with you know huge issues such as health care reform GIC today I'm a few and you know, there's obviously sometimes tensions between the two sides and It's been really nice to be a part of a committee that has really come a long way The two sides have really worked very well together. I Really have been we've really enjoyed working with Rob Bill and Leba It's been a wonderful experience that we've consistently met over these two years always respected each other and It certainly has been something. I feel like we've made a lot of progress. We've worked very hard and Just want to show our appreciation for people being open to the idea in general at first Hand her over to Alicia here Thank you And again, my name is Alicia Seraphine and I am a visual arts teacher at the Odesson Middle School and I'm here tonight to speak about the benefits of passing a pilot program that would allow that would allow a Small number of teachers to enroll their children in the Arlington Public Schools based on space availability For the past few years, I've had the opportunity to be a member of the subcommittee that has discussed this topic The work and conversations surrounding this topic has gone through many phases in the end We reached a conclusion that felt set that we felt satisfied Both the needs of the teachers and the needs of the Arlington Public Schools Since having children of my own I have found opportunities in my town to help out on councils and organizations But my heart is here and my time is divided And I want to spend my time with these types of commitments here in Arlington I would be thrilled if my own child could reap the benefits of the hard work of both myself and the other teachers and members of the Arlington Public Schools Unfortunately right now living in Arlington is not an option for me With home prices as they are it is unrealistic to assume that teachers would be able to purchase something here The implementation of such a program would send a message not only to the families that would be involved but to all Arlington teachers and to the Arlington community in 2006 when I was pregnant with my daughter's offered a job in Brookline I Was offered a job that I'd be working four days a week as an art teacher And I would be making more money than I was making here full-time But the decision was simple. I would not leave Arlington The reason was because of the benefit that was made available to Arlington Public School teachers My three-month-old daughter would be able to go to the daycare in the same school that I taught in I'm so thankful to Arlington that I had the opportunity to have my daughter near me It made me happier made me more productive. I felt and still do feel that Arlington had my back and had the backs of my family This type of benefit isn't valuable and will help Arlington like so many other towns around us retain great teachers and recruit new ones The towns that allow this benefit are thriving and well-respected currently there are more than 20 other towns That offer this type of program in the vicinity towns like Somerville, Melrose, Belmont and Concord and all of their contract language Regarding this program there are compromises as there should be We have extensively researched their contract language and contacted lawyers about the validity of the language I'm here tonight to ask you to consider allowing our town to have a pilot program such as this Thank you. Thank you very much Mr. Tussoni Good evening. Thank you very much for allowing me to speak before you I'm Pasquale Tussoni the intern performing arts director in a town resident Although I'm blissfully past the age where I need to worry about where my children will go to school I'm here tonight to express and support the sentiments one of my staff members Tino D'Agostino who cannot be here I Believe a program whereby students of APS staff are allowed to attend our schools has been official for all students staff and the community I believe it will attract and help retain good young teachers and encourage them to invest in our community This is especially important given that most of our young teachers cannot afford to live in Arlington My not having been current as to the status of this initiative has allowed me in the last day or so to play Devil's advocate by asking many questions, which I am sure have been asked answered and discussed by teachers as well as school committee Chief among these are what is the cost of the town if approved with this program be permanent have issues of space been addressed The answers I have heard reassure me that all the precautions the Arlington schools need have been put in place Those of us who have been here many years realize that Arlington can be a wonderfully rewarding place to live and teach a Program such as this will make it even more so as an administrator I strongly believe that investing in the happiness and well-being of my staff has always paid me huge dividends That is why I urge the administration and school committee to rally behind this pilot program. We can assess it at the end of the first year In closing I would like to remind everyone that there is a past precedent for this program in Arlington Although it was probably not an official program in my if my memory serves me correctly in the mid 90s There was at least one teacher at the high school a Belmont resident whose child attended Arlington high school I do not know when or why the program was discontinued Again, thank you for your time, and I once again urge you to support this initiative. Good evening. Thank you At this time that ends the public participation Mr. Schlickman, do you have a motion that you want to put forward this time? Okay, I would move to Table the discussion on enrollment of out-of-district children of teachers in the Arlington public schools So we can take it up after mr. Pierce arrives second Is there any discussion at this time regarding that all those in favor of favor of tabling the discussion on the enrollment of district Out-of-district students say aye. All right all those opposed Just passed Thank you At this time, I would like to recognize Shannon Riley our student representative. She's a senior at Arlington high school She's a member of the student council National Honor Society and ice hockey. Thank you for coming you have a right to participate in any of the discussions At this time, I would Turn it over to dr. Bode for the purpose of discussing for first reading of the district goals Mr. Hainer This has been the process that we are in it for the people listening this evening Is an earlier process than we have engaged in in past years? our motivation for moving this to an earlier time in the in the Year in fact before next year Is motivated by the new educator evaluation system which will be necessary for teachers administrators alike to develop goals which are aligned not only with their district goals but their school improvement goals and Since there is a through line from district to school improvement. We need to move forward with the development of our district goals in order for the school councils at the all of the schools to be able to Been begin their work and complete it by the middle of July a middle of June So that's just a little bit of background why This discussion is occurring now rather than in the fall which has been past practice The development of these goals has actually been taking place over the last couple of months Actually beginning beginning of this year truly because the school committee worked on very hard to develop over-arching strategic goals for the Arlington public schools and With the idea that every year there would be action and specific actions specific goals to further those strategic goals as We come into this next year There are a number of major initiatives that the school system is is going to be addressing First among those the new educator evaluation system We have been in Preparation of that all year and we can talk more about that at an upcoming meeting though. You've already had some Some discussion of that at the table before now we also have the retail Courses that and professional development that needs to be implemented next year for Approximately 60 of our teachers We continue to want to narrow the achievement gap Our students in different subgroups and that remains an active Goal as we move forward in the years ahead We also have a number of other Goals which want to speak to tonight. So as we we've already begun this process In the last time we met we had a retreat to to start wordsmithing these talking about what you would like to see in terms of perspective and expressing the goals as well as as well as goals so I present to you tonight the the draft for of the district goals as a first read this evening and Look forward to your comments. I think one of the things that was addressed in these Had to do with how you put the goals in terms of the perspective They're either the students or the teacher in the wording of the goals The essence of the goals haven't changed in in goal one, but certainly the wording has been modified as we There has been some addition to the goals from the time that we met in the retreat and One of them I had said we were going to develop which was our work around the special education initiative next year In how we're restructuring delivery of services in the elementary school. So that's expressed in goal three Number three and then in addition to that if in goal four I've also included a goal Relative to the strat in school. We want to keep front and center though though the focus on moving forward with developing on equity plan so that the strat in elementary's physical condition is is comparable to our other elementary schools and And while it's not specifically the school committee goal It is something that we're moving forward with with the in partnership with the capital planning committee Which would be an engaging in a study next year of the the needs of Stratton in order for it to become as they said equitable to the other elementary schools So those the special education goal And the stratton goal are new additions from our retreat But otherwise the goals remain virtually the same but just with it with a different Worthing of them. So I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have about these. Okay But Does it any of the members have questions for dr. Bode regarding this dr. Ampe? So unfortunately, I was a name I was ill and unable to attend the first retreat So I don't know if there's backstory to when I'm going to bring up But because of that I kind of went through and was reviewing myself what the smart goals stand for because I couldn't remember very well and I looked at what the DESC about that the s is for specific and strategic m is measurable a is action oriented are as rigorous realistic and results and T is timed and tracked and when I look at what we have Compared to those Items to me it seems like a lot of the goals are mission missing a measurement and action results and tracking and I just don't was there discussion that that's going to be in a different level or I just I'm confused Okay, I would actually though. I don't know. Libo. Did you want to see some? I was going to also speak to the question We actually did spend a quite a bit of time talking about the language of the goal and then the indicators that go along with each goal and we did re-crafting of the goals to make sure that there was something specific and measurable in the goal and then the The indicators and I'm forgetting the correct word. Was it objects objectives? Associated with the goals then have the specific measurable steps that you're going to be looking at to achieve that goal So there is that level of breakdown, but it's not included in the actual overarching goal Okay, so this is not everything correct. It's not everything. In fact the Department of Education has Evolved in how they they suggest writing goals We have a general statement of a goal and in fact The one that I had given the the committee for the pilot sort of Demonstrates that where there's the goal which meets a lot of the criteria you were talking about but then there are actions that you take specific to in actualizing that goal and then what are the benchmarks or the evidence that you've actually achieved it and In past years we've we've in fact the committee likes this form format a lot We've put our goals into two different formats one is this which is just basically the goals we've We publish but then there's another More of a chart form where we have the goal The actions associated with that goal and what the evidence and then the last columnist comments on completion So I fully expect to take all of these and put them into that kind of format but right now what these what these goals give the School Councils and teachers as they think forward to next year sort of the framework the that were The direction that we're going in next year. What are the most important things that we want to emphasize? Okay, so so that I'm sorry So that helps I just wonder about the specificity and and you know went because there's differences in saying we're going to increase by 50 percent and if we really felt like we could do that for something that would be great versus 0.5 percent and So what did you folks decide I mean are we just approving this and then we'll see what else rolls out from it Well at this that this is the first reading So if any one of us had looking for something to change or get more information on this is the time to to seek it Go ahead. I Believe though that this would be an easier document to approve if we had the action document Next to it. So there was that Breakdown for what is actually included each area because then there's that clarity around what the specific indicators are You asking dr. Bodey to provide that I'm asking dr. Bodey to provide that for the second reading so that we can have that document to Further define the goals. Is that the consensus of the group? Mm-hmm? Mr. Thielman Okay, so tonight. This is a first reading and the next week is gay so Mike We have one third of teachers who have been identified by the department elementary and secondary equations requiring SCI endorsement will take the retail course during the 2013-14 school year I'm presuming the outcome is going to be they're going to be better able to teach ELL students That's correct. So is there any way to include somewhere in there? Something about improved instruction for ELL students Sure. I mean, I think that The goal of just taking the course I'm going to take in the course We can I think we can come up with a better, you know something's got to be different for the kids Something's got to be different for ELL students as a result of their taking this course. They're better We have an okay, so my follow-up is We have data on ELL students I'm sorry. We have we have data on ELL students. Oh, yes, so may I don't know how specific you can get but something that suggests improvement Learning I don't know. I don't know anything in my fingertips to Actually our ELL students do very well on the assessment we taken the course for It's required just because it's required. It's required, but it's also part of our corrective action plan We as you recall we just just because of The number of staff that we have and the number of students that are growing We have some students that are at a level one or level two are not getting the exact number of hours of instruction Every every week and our corrective action plan was to create more Sheltered immersion classrooms so that in some ways that there might be an improved way of doing it So they're not having a pull-out model all the time. So the this initiative by the state actually Overlaps quite well with what we want to do as a district and we had that discussion in terms of You know who would be the first to go we actually have about close to 300 maybe 280 teachers that Will need to have taken this course. It's a 45 45 hour graduate course in the next three years This will have financial implications for the district in FY 15 and 16 because the state's only going to pay for 180 of them So so maybe an outcome could be something to the effect of and I'm just wordsmithing up the top of my head to the effect of Yeah, I know what you're trying to get what is the what is going to be the effect on students? Yeah, as a result of this so that you know, but but you also want we can we can create a Baseline of this year now the tests just change the assessments just change Yeah, the assessment recently changed from MEPA and mellow to the access test So we're just and there is the state is going to give us something to supposedly allow us to translate and look at Last year's results under the MEPA mellow to the access for this year Which the results will be out shortly But the other thing is that most teachers will not finish the some teachers will finish the course halfway through the year and the Other group of teachers will finish the course at the end here So to set a goal for next year that we're going to see an increase in scores based on a course that teachers are just taking And just learning how to implement and the classroom. I think is quite aggressive. Well, what it yeah, I think you're right Could it be could it you know wordsmithing in the air is always dangerous But what could it be something the effect of as we plan FY 15? The number of pullouts will be reduced or the number of the number of an actuality that will be that's okay Then that's an outcome that the number of students will be fully integrated into the classroom will increase So that's a direct outcome of this project. You get to the spring of 2014 Yes, we're doing our planning for 2015 more kids are Integrated fully into that would be I would be very comfortable with that's actually a good outcome of that That's I'll work that into the language. That's good. Let's just let's you have something you want to add to it Or I want to give other people a first chance. I'll leave it was tapping me I was tapping just because I want to point out The two items mr. Filman asked for are already included in different goal areas and our discussion did talk about how Because these goals were so over arching they did implement in different ways. So we do have an achievement gap subgroup builds in already which ELL students are a subgroup that we've looked at and we did see gaps in last year at specific grade levels in Terms of their achievement from the presentation Miss Bruce says he did and then the other piece is under goal three number three You have the integration of general ed and special ed support team and you talk about the question models and that also Somewhat speaks to the ELL delivery model. So perhaps Parts of that are already there because of the specificity. Is that where you see it? Well, I see definitely the goal one number two as being What Miss Hindman is saying? I would say that goal three number three is Similar to what we want to write for ELL students. That's that deals specifically with special education But it would be along the same line because I think what's missing Yeah, and I think that we could I could sit with Carla Borsese who is the director of ELL and we could come up with a reduction in pullout. Yeah So I think that's that's the that's definitely that's definitely our goal. Good. They'll set on that one Mr. Schlickman, do you have anything? Yeah? I will say first of all that I Impressed by the school system and I think we do a lot of wonderful things and we do very well and in fact Extraordinary things in many areas That said there are a couple places where we have some weaknesses that we've needed to address and we talked about them last year I would feel more comfortable going through the goal district goal process if I had the Results of last year's goals in front of me so that we could use that as a benchmark but unfortunately several of those goals are MCAS based and Accountability measure based and we won't have that data till September and so here. We are in May trying to feel our way forward and the the new state Evaluation system is sort of putting us in this box But the two areas that I have concern for and I expressed last year One is the gap in achievement between High needs and in our general population and that has exposed itself in a couple of key places In in the new accountability system last year So in a parallel our annual measurable achievement objectives for 2012 We didn't hit them on the PPI for second for limited English proficient English language learners The other thing that has been a persistent area for basically as long as I've been on the committee is student achievement Coming into into the oddison and the growth numbers have been low and persistently low in grade six and so in terms of looking at measures of of progress and of meeting goals That when we wrote goal one last year we put in two very specific provisions of The annual PPI not the cumulative so we don't get wait wait wait schools down under past performance but an annual PPI of 75 which is meeting the target within the school which is necessary for a school to achieve level one status and For growth scores of 51 or greater, which is the PPI which is the target goal for for the PPI measure and Most schools and most places are meeting that and doing just fine But there are a couple of areas in a couple of places Where we've fallen short and maybe even consistently fallen short and I would really prefer to see those specific numbers Staying within the the goals moving forward until we've actually evidenced Meeting them in and I take it a little different view of this than most people Because I work with this on a regular basis I don't want easy goals that we're going to all achieve and celebrate because it's not really much of a celebration I would much rather be in a position or I have an ambitious goal that we may not make and possibly Won't make but can demonstrate real and meaningful progress towards and that would be cause or significant celebration the In accountability measure and accountability system is not a punishment tool and is not designed to Call people out when we fall short, but I think that it's really urgent for us to set high standards in it to Bring the entire system to where We know it can and should be this is a level one district There's such great teachers. There's such great things happening the numbers may not always reflect that but I think that Preserving the old language and goal to to me just feels important In goal one item two just this just feels important to me It really does because I want I want I want those high standards and I want that sense of urgency surrounding our high needs kids and moving the 6th grade the odd I'll ask again. Is that consensus with from the rest of the committee members on that as well? The stocks I just and I don't need to read all these but I I kind of wordsmith under goal to I was just Listening to the discussions that we were having last week around these I Changed them all to teachers will teachers will kindergarten students will And I can just give you those I don't need to read them But you know, I was trying to a lot along the same lines as you know What you've been hearing is just I have nothing the goals themselves are great But it was just kind of a you know, they will do this by doing that You know it's kind of the so I can just give you those But I think overall they're great Well actually attempted that with the administrative team and I said my email to all of you the other night the Good example of that is number three in goal one Tried the language of students will monitor their own progress, but the truth of the matter is it's well that may happen in some of the upper grades We're pointing out that really in first grade second way. That's not going to be the reality What we really want to have these district-turned measures for is for teachers to be able to monitor student progress so We've been We by doing that least in that particular goal We lost the intent of what we're trying to achieve But I'm open to any Additional wordsmithing to get to get at this. So give me your yeah, give it a roll Okay So anyone anyone else would like to add anything at this time I Have two things actually Goal three three sub sub part three the one about special education I Don't Understand as mr. Filman was saying How does that relate to students? How does that relate to what students will be experiencing? I'm I see it's Listing a whole bunch of different things that I know the special education department is planning But I just I don't see that it pulls it together and explains Why or how or what's you know, what's the benefit of this and I? don't have a suggestion for where for a new wording I just Couldn't wrap my head around Really, what's the aim here? If I mean just for clever you're looking for a connection for the student game I'm saying that I Don't understand how it's relating to student achievement To any issues in student achievement or or to any issues students are experiencing. I don't See that that tie-in and I think it would be helped by that Okay, so that was thing one and then thing two is Going off on a totally different note and but it's actually my biggest concern looking at this and my concern is that we have yet to address any long-range financial planning and I feel this is important because when we have Teachers or department heads come to us with new programs such as the foreign language initiative We don't know how much money we have this year or next year or the year after to supply this program or not We don't Know What Monies we have available going into the future for technology replacement and I just We've discussed this before mr. Thielman had had made a suggestion of doing something where we projected how many more teachers we have Or how many more teachers we can add to something we saw a little bit of that But it hasn't been followed up and it kind of never Really got fleshed out and I'm just concerned that this is a The schools are a multi-million dollar enterprise tens of millions of dollars and We need to know where what we're thinking in the future and My understanding is that if we want something done next year, this is the place we need to be doing it I Understand I'm one person on the committee But it's something I felt very strongly about for a long time And I'm bringing it up again because I still don't see it in the goals I don't have a suggestion for the language yet because I Some of it is what do people you know, what do people think do we want a three-year look do we want a five-year look? We just want kind of general numbers or maybe nobody else thinks this but it's I It's something I think we really need And it would change my decision-making on things potentially One wish to add to that I would just say I think everyone should This is a first reading and it's a kind of not a traditional first reading in the sense of a policy and It was put forward by the committee, but it's something put forward by the superintendent So I think if people have specific suggestions for The team just send an email to Kathy with all the ideas you want So I think if so I think that's all I think it just write whatever you think should be in there and send it So it's we don't I don't think we're not making your proposal that we have to kind of right amend We're making suggest we're having a conversation. We're giving the superintendent some ideas We can follow up with specifics And there could be a lot of back-and-forth between committee members in the superintendent until Next week for two weeks Following the precedent of the format she is Everyone said this a Would agree with the the last speaker Dr. Ampey, I think it's important to have that information and the other things that were said the other documents to make it a clear picture of the things Anything else at this time Well, it's a great point and but I'm not sure the direction you want to go with it. Maybe you can send me some language because Where we are as a district is that we are next year if we 14 will be the third year of the plan that we agreed to When when we the override was passed and we have we have had fidelity to that plan and in in doing so this committee's had discussions about trade-offs and In increasing the budget the town appropriation part by 3.5 percent and special ed by 7 percent We And you and you factor into that collective bargaining agreements, which by the way will be entering into another Contract in another year There's a lot of uncertainty as to what the next agreement will be will we continue the agreement we currently have I know that's going to be a discussion with the long-range planning committee We're going to be entering into contract negotiations with all of our unions in another year But we have had we have We have had fidelity as I said to the plan that we we promised to the voters in Arlington and As you know only too well there has been additional reserves that have been able to be Saved in order to potentially continue the plan Beyond the three years in fact the select been talked about anywhere from three to This plan going on for five to seven years. So if we were to assume That that was going to continue and we made some assumptions around collective bargaining What we are going to be working in in terms of the direction of this district is making decisions Within that framework So I'm not sure what you would like to have for a goal around this Is it is it a is it a planning goal? Is it a goal to work with town officials and Long-range planning committee on this. Is it to give you some financial models? I'm not really sure when I say when I hear about financial planning. What do you have in mind? it's a planning goal and potentially with Perhaps one or two models, you know, you make assumptions about if if Contracts are able to be settled at one level if contracts are settled at a different level. This is where we go You make assumption. We assume that the same revenues continue and just look if we and we make assumptions about growth and how many teachers we need to address that that grow and if We're partly we're just trying to see are we going positive or are we going to be running out of money? And when are we running out of money? It's just it's like the long-range financial plans, but for the school So you would like to have a planning goal But providing the committee with some scenarios. Yeah That's what you want. Oh There's one other thing and I will admit to my ignorance and financing stuff, but Right now we're dependent on the town to basically upfront money for the kindergarten each year And part of that agreement was that they would get the difference back on the Chapter 70. I'm simplifying it I would hope if we haven't been we need to start doing it setting money aside so we can become independent of the town so that that We eventually might be able to gain the whole aspect of that Chapter 70 We borrow the money every year Can correct we we don't borrow the money all the money comes into a big pop and Then it's all mushed together and it loses any semblance of being chapter 70 Okay, but the first year we did not have the $970,000 to up upfront the full-time kindergarten. So whatever words we want They increased our appropriation so they gave us the money They increased our appropriation by the $970,000 to offset the garden fees. Let me ask this question We in this whole What hole of they get the difference every year from now on the way the multi-year plan works is that if state revenues Fluctuate it has no impact on the amount of funds that flow through to us But my understanding was that if they gave us that money Whatever difference came back as a result of the our increased chapter 70 by having full-time students They would get I think you're thinking about it Too divisively, you know the amount of money the state that comes to the state from the state to the town Goes into a pot as Dr. Allison Ampey said We didn't ask for a loan. We simply told them that if we could be made whole with the $970,000 that we as a community stood to improve our situation by eliminating fees and by potentially Increasing our revenues from the state down the road Effectively passing the cost of the kindergarten fees back to the state. I and there was no deal about any differential Well, I understand that but as a result of having these children a hundred percent. I chapter 70 went up Beyond the costs of the full-time kindergarten Almost double, but there were other factors that increased chapter 70 in addition to the full-time kindergarten All I'm saying is that I would like us to get that extra piece of the pie somewhere down the line That's all Mr. Billman Now I'm catching up to it Chrissy's I think I am Do we have a long do we have a multi-year plan like a town has a multi-year plan not separate from the town? Have you have you? Thought about doing that. Sure. What's the hesitation to do that? It's not a hesitation It's simply a you know time on task. Okay time. Okay. Yeah. No, I think it's a great idea It's something I wanted to do for a long time. Okay, so we love that. That's a good goal Now So what's it what's it what's what's a good plan three five years? I don't I mean, I don't know You know that's something that I think that should probably be referred to the budget subcommittee and we should talk about what the parameters are You know, you can't run too many scenarios and that's you know when all of our multi-year plannings for the town That's what we said there and talk about what scenarios are in and what scenarios are out But as a baseline we're gonna have to decide and I think budget subcommittee is the place for what are the scenarios that? We want to play out that seem the most reasonable and then down there after we get a base plan Start fiddling with this variable or that very well, but I mean I'm I think this is something for budget subcommittee to Take to give me the guidance The goal is to develop a multi-year plan For the onion public schools multi a multi-year fiscal Financial financial long-range plan. Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah multi-year financial plan Yeah, it'll be it'll be different from the town Yeah, yeah, you know, it's gonna be quite different in some respects, but we definitely I mean we have to narrow down the number I think the first step for me to get my brain around it We need to narrow down we have to decide on a set of assumptions It's gonna be some kind of baseline to start and then start playing with the assumptions The baseline is the current our current situation. I mean this is so nothing changes Yeah, we continue the first plan you do is nothing changes and then contract increases are the same First the first the first plan everything is a set it's easy enough to do sure the scenarios become you know a conversation I don't know you want the budgets up but you guys can figure out okay? We're getting a little fuck Mr. Slickman I Hear the conversation and I'm trying to frame it in a way that sort of makes intuitive sense for Everybody at the table and my thinking is is that given the tight finances That we face on an annual basis I'll be it better than we were facing when I was on the committee in the previous decade We're making budget decisions annually so that when we prepare the fiscal 15 budget over the course of the next school committee year If we're adding something or deleting something or making some change to the budget The the question that's hanging over our head is sustainability is this something if we add something Next year. Is that something we're going to be able to maintain? Or is that going to come and whack us in two or three years? And I think that that's the sense of unease that school committee members have because it gets very painful to cut things Once you've established them and there's something of a reluctance to go and be aggressive in terms of instituting something that's important without having some faith that we're not just going to get Faced with Eliminating it or cutting it Drastically in a subsequent year So I think that that's sort of the flavor of the desire to have some sort of a projection that we could use Is a baseline to measure things as we're adding and subtracting from the budget next year I still would like to have the the Input of the budget subcommittee because you know in order to play with the variables in different scenarios We have to decide what are the breakout variables, you know, and I just sitting here right now thinking the obvious breakout variables are the different collective bargaining units special ed out of district costs transportation costs other special ed costs and Technology because that's the question that's sort of hanging over everybody's heads There may be other factors. I mean those are the ones that just immediately occur to me There may be other factors that we want to play with variables on as well And that's where I'd like the input. Oh, yeah, you shouldn't have to do this alone We need to be partners in that conversation and developing that okay You're comfortable with that is Thank you We all said on that one We we didn't answer your question actually Which was that the money you think the money I will wait you'll wait to look to the scenarios. Thank you Moving on to the monthly financial report miss Johnson Given we do have departments were asked to have all of their purchasing in by the 12th of April and we were able to process them in time for these monthly reports There are still the usual little dribs and drabs of things that oh whoops. I forgot to order paper and things like that But for the most part I think we have a pretty good picture of expenditures I met with Mark Miano the facilities manager to go over what he thinks the likely Cost will be between now in the close of the year given Many factors There is not going to be any anywhere near the kind of year-end savings in fact There's not going to be much in the way of year-end savings You know we will be able to buy a few things based on the way things shake out over the next month, but it's not It's not like it was the year before last year. We had extraordinarily light winter We had no snow whatsoever and neither of those things were true this year Any questions I I Appreciate that you gave us the list the last page, which is the revolving revenues That's nice to see I'm just wondering what the balances were at the start of the year for the accounts of what's a total balance in these accounts I don't have that information off the top of my head. Okay, so there is money in addition to this Okay Just one thing When you talk about extra money We had our list on the for the budget and stuff like that Will you be looking at that? What we didn't fund if there's any money left certainly and going from there first certainly I didn't know if there was anything else pending that Required great. Thank you Also, okay Update on Thompson The Thompson School Building Committee met This week. I don't Our owners project manager did not have the new updated Schedule, but we probably will have that next week and I will give you a copy But I thought what you would like to see and it's actually for those of you that Did not see these pictures and certainly for people who are watching some of the pictures of where we are now and and If we want we have been told The the last month in a project like this it starts really just going very quickly one of the discussions that was going on at the meeting was plantings and Grass and so that's that's All right I'm just gonna run through some of these pictures and I want to thank Karen for Doing this because she had to do some work to get it off of a different format so you get the curve is curving is starting and you can get those of the Light poles that have now been put in You can start to see the flooring And we had talked about before how colorful the flooring is going to be in the new school And I think you get start to get a sense of that and then you can see a little bit in the slide on the left What the tiles are like on the the hallways excuse me could I just the flooring in the classroom are they spongy or they just No regular tile. There are regular there are regular tile That the advantage of these tiles rather than Anything but a tile is that you can obviously pick up the the ones that have been damaged and replaced them We have an attic supply great He's starting to see a little bit more definition in the the front foyer And here you can see again the some of the colors that have been painted the trim of purple And you see the bright green and then the the tiling it is going to be a very colorful school So you can see the classroom wing One of the big changes that will happen toward the very end is there is a Sun a sun shield a sun shade is what they call it that will be of will be a horizontal shade that that is goes both stories and that won't be put on to the very end so it's one of those It's while it's very functional. It's also going to be quite an architectural detail, which I think is really going to pull the school together This is the gym Gymnasium ceiling and it's just been painted the last time some of some of us were in there It wasn't like this at all. So we've got some of the rooftop mechanical equipment and I Think pretty much in fact, I know all of the major equipment has now been delivered and and have if it's not been entirely installed it's it's in progress the pumps Not exactly what's usually on your tour All right, and then you have an approach an approach slab out of classroom door because we're Going to have classrooms on the first floor that can open out from the classroom and Obviously we need to move on on to something other than than grass So we have we're starting to get the kitchen Formulated with the topping slab I know it is you pop some of your thinking that we're only what two months away But but we've been told this is when it starts really changing. It's drastically by day by day All right, so you've got the curtain wall which is a curtain wall as a glass wall and We were so glad we were able when we're budgeting this project out to Get this case casement work. It really makes a big difference in the classrooms to have this shelving But it was one of the last add-ons we did All right, you start to get a sense of the colors in the room The it's only one wall in each of the classrooms. That's going to be brightly colored painted The other walls will be a neutral okay, so more the mechanicals and This is the Imported boulders Boulders for the kindergarten outdoor classrooms. Yes. Yes How far did they import him from I don't know he answered that so he gets the drinking fountains Again, you get a sense of what the tiling was going to look like in the hallways And there we have it Yes, so maybe we'll have one even from when we saw it Mr. Heynard yes, yes, you've on I just want to add that I just drove by there today and the trees have they've started putting the trees in which is really exciting So and I understand there's going to be classroom gardens as well Yes, there's going to be a well not a classroom, but a grade every grade is going to have a garden that they They have it'll be a raised bed Compete in self-proto seat chair Question is will they eat was from the garden Any questions or anything for anybody Thank You dr. Boyle Superintendent's report You saw the press release this week I am very pleased to announce that Christian D. Francisco Who was the fifth grade teacher at Hardy, but she's had other experiences Beside that teaching assignment will be the has been appointed To as the new principal at Hardy for next year as you all know Deb D'Amico will be retiring at the end of June So I know that this has been met with a lot of excitement and Happiness at Hardy both from teachers and parents alike It was a long process and I want to thank Rob He did yeoman's work this year and in really making sure all these these searches were Went on time. We were very inclusive process. We had a number of good candidates And it was a it was a it was a great process I think the only thing that we've talked about is how can we even make it tighter next year? Sometimes that becomes a challenge when you're you have a school vacation in front of you So I think you know some lessons we learned this year, which will have to implement next year as we Move forward at least we know with a down search and we'll have to do another director of special education search next year But we're very pleased and there'll be some opportunities. We go over the next month to to have those transitions Dr. Blake sure also in relating to that I Want to commend the search committee for the hearty and in addition to the search committee the Parents and teachers who were not on the search committee all had a chance to meet the finalists and There was very active participation among the parent community and the teachers at the school Who obviously have a very strong interest in who the next who the next principal would be? I want to commend. I'm sorry Dr. Tassone was not here because I wanted to commend him and the members of the performing arts department They had a spectacular pops concert this last weekend Truly one of their finest it was it was spellbinding and and it's It's it's due to certainly the the talent of our students, but that talent has been harnessed in a very very professional and Hot with very high levels of expectation about how they perform. I would say that anyone who listened to any of our high school Orchestras jazz bands concert bands would be It very impressed and I will also say that the Orchestra The oddest an orchestra performed at the cherry blossom and they did a fantastic job. It was Very well done. So congratulations to all of them And and I know that may is probably one of the busiest times of the year other than maybe September But I encourage anybody to try to see to hear the pops Though I was somebody today. I was meeting with said that One of the issues is being able to get a ticket. It's so popular and you know all the whole balcony is is filled So maybe someday we can persuade them to do an extra an extra evening The my April newsletter is out and Sent to all of you. It's for those of you that are watching. It's on the website. It was sent to all parents and everyone in the district, but I think one of the One of the Great things that house this is evolving and I and I do have some port and people helping me get the research some of the some of these Events and projects and awards that that we talk about is it gives the community an Insight into what's going on in the schools? Which I think that it's hard to get when you're you don't have children in the school And even when you have children in the school you focus you're focused on your own child's school And may not see the bigger picture. So we'll continue these and they seem to keep growing as them Working on the list today for May and the list is long so I Want to thank Debbie Botos and Julie Dunn and For their for their help in putting this together with me This week we had some bus challenges and I want to mainly because we've had a number of our buses that have been in the shop and Generally we have some kind of a spare bus to be able to cover us in these kinds of emergencies But we for the first time in a long time. We did not have that Early part of this week, and I just want to thank Fidelity House for helping us out for a couple days because it was absolutely God's end this This past week We we hosted a diversity coffee and thank you to there's three members of the school committee that came to the to this coffee Which is our outreach attempt to? for To attract People from diverse backgrounds to consider Applying for positions here in Arlington Rob, I'll let you talk a little bit about this if you want because you you were working very closely with the diversity committee on actually structuring this coffee and also The outreach that we did for the coffee as well as the job fair we had here at the school Thank you. Yes, we Attended several job fairs this the during the past few months at various Colleges, we also hosted a job fair fair here at Arlington High School We as the building hosted the fair it was actually sponsored by the Massachusetts Partnership for diversity and education of which we are a member of which there are several school districts in the region who are a member and those districts attended and candidates from diverse backgrounds were able to come to that job fair and meet representatives from many different school districts and give their resumes and About a week after that job fair. We hosted this coffee. We had done outreach already prior to the job fair reaching out to people who had attended previous coffees in last year and other candidates that I've met at other job fairs from diverse backgrounds and sent email invitations some of the members of the superintendent's Diversity Advisory Committee made phone calls to the candidates. There was outreach by that and by the members of the committee to to various Communities to invite people and we had a very good turnout at the coffee and we also Candidates that are interested in pursuing teaching Positions here in Arlington if we have openings. I also want to thank Several of our curriculum directors and principals attended and work and candidates were able to talk to them who actually would be doing the hiring been Who they'll be doing the interviewing of any? candidates when we have openings and they got a good insight into what people are looking for here in Arlington in terms of The candidates and the qualifications that they that we need to have So all in all it's a successful It was a successful event and we are continuing the outreach post the event to try to identify good candidates for open positions and communicate consistently with our curriculum directors and principals to To meet those candidates and the last thing I want to mention is News that we had we received this week about the ranking in US News and World Report for Arlington High School Arlington High School was ranked number 25 Which is actually up one from where they had been we had been ranked last year and to put this in perspective when they US News and World Report Did the ranking they looked at 21,000 35? schools in the United States and Arlington High School ranked 564 which puts them that's top 2.9 percent in Massachusetts they looked at 358 schools and that's putting Arlington High School in the top 6.9 percent so I think that this is a a strong reflection of what a great education students are receiving in the Arlington schools Because their success in Arlington High School begins a lot earlier than just the high school Begins in preschool kindergarten all the way up. So we have a a Incredible staff throughout the whole district and I and I bring this up because this was actually national teachers week Not the week, but there was a national teachers day on Tuesday, and I and I think that I Want to take this opportunity just to say how proud we are of the teachers and the students we have in this district They're really they're so dedicated talented In caring for their students and it shows and it shows all the time in terms of how well our students do and that Comes from the nurturing that the teachers Give them and in fact that they're also just very competent people too. So That's a reflection of the whole district and and we're very proud of that now, of course We would love to see ourselves even do better, and I think that that's What we continue to try to do So we have one of the teachers here tonight. So I want to thank Siobhan On behalf of all the teachers of the district Thank you Thank you I'm amazed with all the things that the teachers in the system do with what they What little they have to go with really appreciate it. Thank you Because you did remind me is talking about because one of the goals of the committee is to have cost effective education Our Per pupil cost is a thousand dollars less than the state average so we are doing very well with the money that the town gives us and You know, obviously we would love to have more but at the same at the same time. I think that we Make good use of what we have Thank you subcommittee and liaison reports policy and procedures we meet on Monday the 13th of May at 6 p.m 6 p.m. And we are discussing policy CBI of the superintendent evaluation budget We have not had a meeting obviously we need to have a meeting so that we can set the goal Around the money. I also want to mention that as budget chair And a member of the school committee. I'll be attending the MASC day on the hill on Tuesday the 21st Which is the Tuesday before our next meeting in support of any items that would help tharling to public schools So if anybody has anything or plans to attend, let me know I've set up meetings so far with three out of the four Maybe five people that I want to meet this so Looking forward to that I'm planning on attending so I had already told you that yeah, I hope to but I need to double check. Yeah, all right great Community relations nothing to report curriculum instruction and assessment accountability Nothing to report Facilities nothing to report legal services Nothing to report, but we'll be scheduling a meeting this week, but The chair I'd just like to mention that Two of us attended the recent edco round table on superintendent evaluation It was I found it very interesting What struck me was how many people were in attendance the room was packed the all but one member of the Conkin school committee were there and So it was that was entry last Friday the chair and I attended Massachusetts continuing legal education seminar an all-day program on school education Which was very interesting? The I also attended on Saturday MASC program on Parliament for your procedure I Asked mr. Steele to give you a copy. This is in your package of rules and just a side note one of the Things the the presenter Fascinating presenter to on a subject that I thought would have been very dull and boring Kept us all very riveted of our chairs indicated that a school committee chair It's recommended that they Do not participate in the actual discussion If they do it do it at the very end So the past chairs have done a exemplary job on that they also said that the chair should not Vote unless it has an impact and changing the vote That first part about not participating I shared with my wife and she said if you told the board that they probably would have elected You chair the first night Anyway moving on The consent agenda All items listed with an asterisk that considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the committee So request which event the item will be considered in its normal sequence. Does anybody wish to pull anything out of this? Yeah, I noticed an error in the Organizational minutes Yeah Okay, you want to I wasn't there for we need to pull April 11th out both of them Okay, so I will I will hold that Okay That's it for now. Okay approval of warrant number 13155 dated April 25th 2013 total warrant amount 623 thousand five hundred seventy seven dollars and ninety two cents Minutes for approval regular minutes Both minutes. Did you want pulled out? Yeah, both set. Okay And so April 25th 2013 to have a motion to approve so moved second Someone second it please. Thank you. All those in favor. Hi. Okay. Let's take a look at the organizational meeting minutes April 11 2013 Mr. Schlichman. I I did not make the motion Mr. Thielman's nomination as I was in the chair I believe Mr. Pierce did yes And I was not at that meeting so I Okay Did you get that correction miss Fitzgerald? So on the organizational meeting It was mr. Pierce who made the motion to recommend mr. Thielman to the state Still trying to understand That's why we did it when you weren't here, I don't think we did eat it. That's why you got it Okay Do we now to approve them as amended? Yes, so moved All those in favor approving the April 11th 2013 organizational meeting minutes as amended say I all those opposed Okay To abstentions And now we have the regular minutes of April 11 2013. Are there any amendments needed? Okay, all those in favor say aye aye all those opposed abstentions one secretaries report Correspondence for a school committee meeting on May 9th 2013. We received the following correspondence An invitation to the retirement party for Hardy principal Deb Demico on Monday, June 3rd from 6 to 9 p.m. At the Arlington Center for the arts a Copy of a letter to all school nurses to thank them for their service in honor of school nurse recognition day on May 8th this year That was from dr. Bodie email about school security an email about Arlington teachers being able to enroll their children in the Arlington Public Schools Architects field report on the Thompson School rebuild Draft of the minutes for school committee meetings on April 11th the organizational meeting on April 11th and the regular meeting on April 25th Letter from Judson Pierce to Sharon Grossman confirming and congratulating her on her appointment to the Human Rights Commission The commissioners weekly update from miss Mitchell Chester dated May 3rd 2013 Copy of a flyer and the letter that went home to all parents about the pilot of the after-school Spanish immersion program next year at Bracket and a copy of Judson's notes from the school committee retreat on April 13th 2013 That's it I Going a little off the script. I will entertain a motion for a recess until 830 Yeah, we can do the I understand Part of a conflict is because one member was not I'll entertain. I'll leave it to the board if the board wishes to go into executive session right now And then come back out for it to deal with the table motion. That's fine Go with the consensus Okay, I will entertain a motion to go into executive session with the intent to come out to deal with the table of motion I'll make the motion. Thank you, Paul I move that we go into executive session for the purpose of conducting strategy sessions in Preparation for negotiations with the Union and or non-union personnel or contract negotiations with Union and or non-Union In which if held in an open meeting may have a detrimental effect also To conduct strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation In which if held in an open meeting may have a detrimental effect Collective bargaining may also be conducted. We will return to open session to Discuss the Tabled item which is the discussion of enrollment of out of district children of teachers in the Arlington public schools And we anticipate that happening around 8 30 p.m Second. Thank you roll call vote, please Just go along with what Like the school committee is Back from executive session back in the regular session. Mr. Piss the chair is here I am now going to relinquish the chair back to the chair. Thank you very much I heard you were very good interim here, Mr. Hanner. So I'm glad I'm back Fully resume my responsibilities I was at the touchdown club event in Arlington tonight It was attended by a lot of student athletes and coaches and and staff and it was a really great night And I sent our best regards to everyone there So I think you would you like a motion make a motion any of you to I move that we Take the item off the table discussion of enrollment about a district children of Any discussion all those in favor Yeah, we should start with a motion which is Did you like to make a motion I move that Motion that beginning in 2013 2014 school year on a trial basis for the school year the school committee shall permit the enrollment of school age non-resident child Child residing with his or her parent or guide Ian who is employed as a teacher our other unit a position in the district subject to the Restrictions outlined in the attached memorandum of agreement with the AEA So this is how I'd like to do this let's start out with discussion first each member Maybe asking a question or making a comment getting the superintendent's Recommendations first superintendent's recommendations and then we'll lead the discussion. So if you don't mind My recommendation is that the school committee accept this and approve this MOA with the AEA It is for one year as a trial It is a It is a statement of It is it is a statement to the teachers that we are willing to invest In the retention of our teachers in the district This will be done on only on a space available basis and That's that's very clear in this and that would be true for any of the any Children that would be applying for these open positions None of the decisions will be made until August until we can see What the numbers are in each one of the classes because that's something that's a very dynamic process and continues to be Another thing you should be aware because this question came up when it went a Teachers child from another district does go to school here. We do receive the chapter of 70 money for that child So I think that it is a opportunity To That will benefit not only our teachers, but will benefit our district as well because Number of districts do this and that they're in reason for doing it is to provide incentives for retention of our teachers Thank you, I'd like if I may to call upon miss miss Foley to maybe say a few remarks regarding this motion Sure. Thank you. I Think a lot has been settled. Sorry sounds very loud. I think a lot has been said already I think Alicia seraphina put it very well and giving her personal perspective She's an excellent teacher from everything that I have heard Tino do it dog a steen. Oh also has an interest in this Who's also an excellent teacher? I think hearing from from your teachers about what a benefit This is for them is is very important for you to hear as Dr. Bode has said this is on a trial basis We have met your concerns about the space availability and This has been a two-year discussion. So we would please ask that the school committee, please approve this Dr. Allison ampy Am I asking questions or making my statement? Whichever you prefer Okay, I'll make my statement. I don't have questions at this point So I'm I wanted to take a moment to explain my vote. I Appreciate that the idea of accepting teachers children has precedent in other districts and it also has many positive effects I appreciate and respect our teachers very much and I would like to help them For I'm very concerned about potential crowding or overcrowding at the middle school level beginning in 2015 and beyond we're already at a point where scheduling is difficult We're going to potentially be adding 30 to 160 more students over the next few years We haven't heard from the administration how this is When we hit capacity or even go over it We don't know what's going to happen at middle school. We understand that we don't feel that there needs to be a whole new bill but we don't know what's going to happen and I Note in the pilot even as a pilot any child we accept into this program We have until graduation should their parents teachers so choose Which is great and right, but that means Kids who are entering the people in for 2017 Kids who are in second third fourth grade next year will be in the middle school and will be adding to the numbers that we're seeing then and For this reason I cannot in good conscience folks for this plan appealing as it though it may be But it's also important to me that our votes in and out of executive session be consistent So in native that instead of voting no as I did In executive session, I will be abstaining for this vote It's fine I did miss the executive sessions on this and so I apologize to My colleagues if some of this is redundant First I do want to thank the union members that with whom we were working with Because I had two areas that I was extremely concerned about and had reservations about a policy The first was cost to this district if we ended up with the With a situation where the student needed services that Meant that we would need to spend a different amount of money than we typically allocate per student What capacity do did we as a district have to absorb that and what venues did we have? I see that that has been accounted for in this final language and I want to thank those involved for that In terms of the class size piece I do see that there's the determination of the superintendent and I would I Will in a moment ask her to speak to how she sees that process going because as the committee member that sat on the redistricting group it was very Heart-wrenching at times to pretty much be in a situation where we had to say Maybe your child doesn't get to go to school with your next-door neighbor's child maybe if somebody new moves in they don't get to attend a school and Unfortunately or fortunately, I mean it's a sign of a good product a good quality education That we do have so many people wanting to use it But a number of our rooms are overcrowded and we have had to make very hard decisions Around traditional boundary lines to provide students with equal access to the teachers So in a moment, I will want you to ask about how you see that decision even occurring But the other component I really Have concern about and I think I'd shared this with some of Our team was the idea that if this is a pilot program That we have an exception for siblings of those that are enrolled in the pilot year and That that might put us a disadvantage if there is no space for having made a commitment to Saying we would consider those siblings because The as the pilot year anybody that we take that pilot year I understand that that that student is going to be here for the duration. I Read number eight to say any siblings of that student would have a preferential opportunity for a seat in the Arlington public schools, even if the pilot doesn't get extended and So I'd like if you could Dr. Vody to talk about what that could what potential for class size Do you see that having because? That concerns me even more the idea that we're looking out so far and maybe binding ourselves Well, let me address the question about the buffer zones because that was heart wrenching and I know that potentially there are going to be some people who are not in their first-choice district But in terms of a priority order People who are on the wait list in buffer zones would have first priority In my mind in following that would be open enrollment requests because we do have a fair number of those But those are even are addressed after the wait lists have been taken care of and then it's at that point it's looking at what the availability is in the district and These numbers Will probably shift so having a defined number right now would not be would not make sense But the concept would be that we would not be Adding any students to a class that would take it to the average class size in the district So I mean we are a growing district. There's no doubt about it But we also have some classes that are small and this is one of the issues we've been looking at For redistricting is it even at a particular grade level? We have ranges And we can have class sizes that range from 19 to 27. I mean that happens at a grade level so And the redistricting I believe is start are we starting to see a little bit of the Effect of trying to equalize it, but I think it's going to take a number of years before that really Completely and I'm not even sure what ever completely changed the fact we'll have ranges. I just hope the range has become more narrow So that would be the The decision-making Process that would go through but I would not want anybody to think that they're in a buffer zone that they would not Their preference would be superseded by this that would not be the case But also the other piece of that is um I have a class of 19 In one fifth grade classroom I have a class of 24 in a different fifth grade classroom Next year when they're in sixth grade I would hope for some equity. How is that um In one way you could say that that class The number did I say I'm sorry Less of 19 has five openings But in another way if we're looking at a class size of let's say 22 for sixth grade is optimum It doesn't how are you going to be making those decisions about How many Seats there really are To even put forth To staff members The well the example you gave us fifth grade Um And what is going to happen with class sizes? And probably looking quite honestly at fourth and fifth grade because as Dr. Ampere was saying what what is going to be the effect at odyssey in the following year because when they all come together And then you divide it by the number of classrooms. What is that going to do to the the class numbers? I mean that is a valid A valid concern and it's one of the ones that I'm going to have to look at and When I Brought the numbers to the committee which are a little bit outdated even now because it's a dynamic process That that's something that I'm going to have to look at Analytically just to see what the effect would be my The we were given Some indication of what People who might be interested in this program What the spread would be of the of the students and We're talking if there's an opening essay at a fifth grade that you know We may only even have one student is interested in so we're not seeing Uh an impactful thing at a particular grade level. That's one thing I can say So the impact at any given grade level from data that I have seen would be One to three people So you're determined and I mean really is going to be what our open seats are. Absolutely the interest is Oh, absolutely And even that provision you mentioned about siblings the agreement is again, it's still on a space available basis Okay, thank you Mr. Thielman, I'll be voting in the affirmative. I think that You know, we've talked about this over the past couple of contract cycles of the teachers union. We agreed that we would Study this and we finally got a study and we finally got to a point where we can vote on something I think it's a pilot program. It's And so it's worth a try and secondly it's an it's an attempt in a very competitive market for teachers to attract Teachers to our district and retain teachers in our district and I think that So I see this as a as a tool for Attracting talent and retaining talent I Agree with everything that mr. Thielman said philosophically I think this is an excellent policy To put in place. I must say that during the executive session When I started to look at this and compare this out to enrollment numbers I was starting to get a little nervous because Our numbers are tight in many places And I had to take a deep breath and say Yes, this is the right thing to do in terms of public policy But yes, we can do this because We have excellent leadership in the district and I I can feel confident that Decisions will be made that will not Have a negative impact on the kids already in our classrooms so that we will be putting The the children of our teachers into classrooms where there is indeed space available and we're not going to Have an overcrowding situation as a result of this policy And with that I will I'm prepared to vote in the affirmative again. Thanks miss darks I still just have one question. So I understand that space dictates who we let in but Once a child is in they are in through 12th grade Whether we have space or not Correct So we let them in in second grade But when they move to third grade it turns out we also have an influx of five new third graders And there really isn't room. We still have them there So even though they now put us over And we And are they in the same school If moving them to another school in their new grade would help alleviate that do we have the right to do that? So say they come in second and bracket because that's where the hole was In third grade when we get the numbers for third grade a set of triplets has moved into third grade And now there is no room in third grade, but it turns out Somebody in bishop moved out and so now there's a space in bishop. Do we move them? Our policy on open enrollment has been well it did It's it evolved years ago. We had that policy that every year it was re-evaluated The committee decided that that was Not a not the preferred policy, but they'd rather have A child once they're open enrolled in the school they remain in the school and uh I believe that that would be applicable here though Mr. Hannah I I just the primary piece of Wording in this document is space available And I would argue that you would have the authority if appropriate to move the child now. I appreciate the the importance of of continuity and everything in the child, but We made a big thing Whether it would be defined that way, but it was understood space available. I don't see this I would agree with mr. Schlickman. I'm sorry. I'm talking out of water. I just Well, it's it's But we've had we've had two minds of this and Under this policy the superintendent retains the authority to make those determinations Um So the answer is yes, they could be moved But would that be the intent probably not unless the numbers became so egregiously unbalanced That made the only thing that made sense Right because I think the thing that I worry about is although initial placement You know it goes by the buffers and then open enrollment Once a child is in there Now we have another child and so the next year when we're looking at Buffer zones and open enrollment Now they are they're in there and they are bumping potential other arlington children Right and that was I mean I would hate for someone to not get a placement in their local school Because the numbers in that school no longer allow it because we let in three People you know it the problem is is that right now we're so tight that I feel like it really is a numbers game if it was If we were at you know seven classes of 17 18 19 on average I would have no issue with this but we aren't you know, we have very few classes that are under 20 and lots and lots that are way over 20 and I just feel like the problem is is that we're already with with all of the Redistricting and open enrollment requests that we have. I mean I feel like this is going to restrict our ability to meet those Even more and while I truly wish that we had the space And I know that it's on space available But like I said once they're in we own them through their graduation and so I'm just worried that you know, yeah, maybe we only have space for five every year, but that's five every year And that's five that we own through their graduation and I'm just concerned about I'm really concerned about Class size well The school committee up until just a couple years ago Had open enrollment, which essentially this is the tiered below open enrollment Re-evaluated every year and and I know that I've done that In my role as assistant superintendent and then even the year I was doing both jobs Look at Look at that issue until the until it changed and there were instant. There were a couple instances where we did move students between schools So that is something that has been a precedent here in the district and and I would assume that it could remain because Right now there is no policy other than the superintendent's discretion on this Mr. Hand I am an advocate for this and will vote for it for two reasons one by law I have to since I negotiated and it came about with the tentative agreement Aside from that, I think the language that has come come to you is so very strong on a management point that The power is in the superintendent's hand I appreciate and applaud her because she's going to have to do all the work And I don't expect and from what I've heard I think I'm interpreting it right Dr. Bode will not be looking at just the slot for the next year But looking at the following years and the impact where that would come As far as siblings Again, only if space is available If there is no space available and that determination again I would hope would be the same type of looking forward and ahead like that It's a one-year pilot Is it a gamble? Yes, is it a high-risk gamble? I don't think so And I I I'm a strong proponent on lower class sizes Like that Thank you Okay, let me explain my vote an executive session. I decided to abstain from this Has a matter of self-interest. I thought that I had a conflict with my two young elementary school children um Having further reflected on it and having discussed the potential of conflict with town council I feel able to vote on this tonight What's interesting is By abstaining I was thinking about My interest in terms of not wanting my child in a class that was ballooning and we we've all seen that here We've seen a lot of that in our elementary schools But what I've what I've come to realize Over the last week or so is that that and I mean what I've known really for 10 years is that this is a family first town and I think that what we're Doing in a very small and modest way with a one-year trial moa Is showing our teachers That they are our family too and their families come first and I respect my fellow committee members so much for The arguments against because believe me I shared and do share some of those concerns now But I feel comfortable voting. Yes on this tonight In part it You know it strikes me as coincidental that it's it's teacher appreciation weight, right and We certainly don't show enough how much we care and respect what you guys do and We try every day and we're going to improve on that every day and It's certainly not always a dollar figure or you know But It it's it's it's in other ways that we really truly appreciate and care about you and your family. So That is why I'm going to vote yes on this Right now. So is there any further discussion before we take the vote? Yes, I'm I'd just like to explain my vote because since the other members have Um, I actually came in here with the intent of not supporting this Because of my concerns around the long-term implications and even though this is called a one-year pilot The reality is This is a 13-year commitment if somebody gets accepted into kindergarten this year. This is not really It's a one-year pilot on accepting kids. It's not a one-year pilot program that we're we're consenting to um And I did have concerns about that but in listening to dr. Vody around the determination of what qualifies as class size and um and the Having listened over the past couple years to the teachers talk about Their commitment to the town of Arlington and to educating the children of Arlington um I have actually changed my position on this for today and And in use with reservations, but I will be voting yes And that that vote really comes solely on the superintendent's commitment to ensure appropriate educationally appropriate class size for our students And um, I would hope that If there is consideration for extending this pilot And that um The language for how those positions get determined Gets memorialized at some point So that in the future if dr. Vody 20 years down the line decides she wants to retire to a beach somewhere We can we can still have language That we know will ensure That The benefits given are not on the backs of our youngest students And reducing their access to um great educational leaders Thank you, mr. Mrs. Yeah, I just wanted to just comment. Uh, thank the committee for their careful consideration of this Thank the subcommittee members who came earlier and spoke todd and alicia And uh, and for their work on this subcommittee and their passion that they've showed And they're concerned for the the district and and they're you know, they're really they're Their support for the district and that they think they they teach here They think it's a great district. They'd like their kids to go to school here. And I think they've really shown that and So I I also want to reiterate what dr. Bode said earlier that You know these when we do accept these students if we do accept these students of their space they become Arlington students for purposes of chapter 70 money. They become Basically residents students in the eyes of the state so I'm just uh, that is a factor also to consider Okay, any further discussion? Okay, let's call the vote all those in favor all those against All those abstaining Okay, so that 61 601 601 God You Before I accept your motion I'd just like to personally wish all the mothers happy mother's day coming up this sunday Happy teacher appreciation week And Well, then okay happy nurses Oh my goodness we a little bird whispered in my ear that we have a birthday in the in the house We're not going to sing to you. We promise. Well, very happy birthday. I hope you hope you had a fine. Yeah, good All right, I'll let you do adjourn. Okay second all those in favor. All right We are adjourned. Thank you