Salem School Committee
Minutes
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
6 p.m.
Collins Middle School
A meeting of the Salem School Committee was held on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. in the School Committee Chambers at Collins Middle School, 29 Highland Avenue, Salem, Massachusetts.
Members Present: Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, Dr. Janet Crane, Nate Bryant, Mrs. Kerry Martin, Dr. Brendan Walsh, Mr. James Fleming, Kevin Carr
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Dr. William Cameron, Superintendent, Alyce Davis, Assistant Superintendent. Business Administrator Timothy Sheehan and Eileen Sacco, Secretary
Mayor Driscoll called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Deliberation on the Approval of the Salem Public Schools budget for FY2011
Mr. Fleming moved to approve the Salem Public Schools budget for FY2011 in the amount of $47 million dollars. Dr. Walsh seconded the motion.
Discussion:
Dr. Cameron explained the changes that were made to the budget to close the $480,000 deficit. He noted that the adjustment counselor that would be split between the Nathaniel Bowditch and the Saltonstall schools is not included in this budget and recommended that the School Committee hold off on adjusting the budget to include the position at this time. He explained that he would like to wait until the end of the current fiscal year and revisit this at that time.
Mr. Sheehan reviewed the adjustments made to the budget to meet the Mayor’s appropriation as follows:
$29,000 OPS and Maintenance Sub Seasonal Differential Stipends
(30,000) OPS and Maintenance Transfer Expense to Building Use R.F
(26,233) Bentley Elementary See Below
Teachers
$5,400 Mann Stipend Team Leaders Stipends
$46,069 WHS Elementary Teacher Add GR 1 Teacher
$111,290 SEPD District Wide Teachers Speech Teacher + Omitted Salary
(46,069) SPED Med Contracted Svcs Deduction for new speech teacher
$3,000 SPED Evaluation See Below
$451,178 SPED OOD Tuition See Below
(46,069) SPED SHS Teacher Listed Twice in Original Budget
(18,617) Bilingual Contract Services translation Expense
(51,200) Professional Development Hope to restore to FY11 Budget
District
SPED OOD Tuition (100,000) Original Budget vs. Original Caseload
(129,979) Case load Reduction -3 Students
(14,500) XFER EXP to SPED
(81,600) Case Load Reduction – 1 Student
(125,099) XFER EXP o FY11 C/B Fund
Bentley Elementary (18,428) Eliminate 0.4 Adjustment Counselor
Teachers
(7,805) Kindergarten Grant .5 FTE Adjustment
Dr. Cameron reviewed the new positions that are included in the FY2011 Budget and the funding sources for those positions as follows:
New Position FTE Funding
Teacher GR 3 – Bates 1.0 New
Teacher GR 5 – Bentley 1.0 New
Teacher GR 3 – Carlton 1.0 New
Teacher GR 3 – HMLS 1.0 New
Teacher GR 1 – WHES 1.0 New
Teacher GR K – WHES 1.0 New
Teacher – SHS – Latin 1.0 New
Tutor- ELL 4.0 New
SAC – SHS 0.5 New
School Psychologist 1.0 Contracted Services Transfer
Speech/Lang. Pathologist 1.0 Contracted Services Transfer
Occupational Therapist 1.0 Contracted Services Transfer
Certified Behavioral Analyst 1.0 Contracted Services Transfer
Para, ELL – SHS 1.0 New
Total New Positions 16.5 FTE’s
Total Additional Cost 12.5 FTE’s
There being no further questions or comments regarding the FY11 Salem Public Schools budget, Mayor Driscoll called for a vote on the motion. A vote was taken on the motion made by Mr. Fleming and seconded by Dr. Walsh. The motion carried.
Proposed Horace Mann Charter School
Dr. Cameron requested that the School Committee vote to approve the exploration of the Salem Public Schools submitting a proposal for a Horace Mann Charter School to serve students at risk. He explained that he has met with Mr. Guinto who has announced plans to reapply to the state to open the Road to Success Charter School for students in Salem and Lynn. He noted that the city already hosts a Charter School that serves about 300 students in grades 6-12.
Dr. Cameron also noted that while the Salem Public Schools graduation rate has increased by 11% in the last few years, and programs such as the Bridge Academy and the Teen Parenting Program are successful there is still a significant number of students that our programs are not reaching.
Dr. Cameron noted that the plans for such a school have not been laid out, and suggested that it may not have to be in a separate building and could be housed at Salem High School.
Dr. Cameron explained that this proposal would be reallocating funding within the Salem Public Schools.
Mayor Driscoll stated that she feels that this proposal is a great opportunity to demonstrate to the state that the public school system can be innovative.
Mr. Fleming moved that the School Committee support the Superintendent’s efforts to establish a Horace Mann Charter School for at risk high students in Salem, and that he submit the necessary applications to the DESE by the deadline of July 2, 2010. Dr. Walsh seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Mayor Driscoll left the meeting at this time.
Race to the Top
Dr. Cameron reported that in January the School Committee voted to be a party of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Salem Teachers Union to participate in the Race to the Top funding. He noted that in the first round of funding, Massachusetts did not receive any money and a second round is now being offered and Massachusetts is reapplying.
Dr. Cameron explained that he was notified by Paul Rodolico, Vice President of the STU that they STU is supporting the AFT decision not to participate in the RTTT applications. He noted that the DESE has ruled that districts that opted in, in the first round will be allowed to stay in the process, even if the Union withdraws its support.
Dr. Walsh noted that he is bothered by this process of funding and noted that Massachusetts has the best education in the country.
Mr. Fleming stated that he feels that this is the way that Federal Funding will be distributed in the future and we must participate.
Mr. Bryant noted that both Mr. Fleming and Dr. Walsh have valid points and he feels that in the foreseeable future this is they way funding will be handled.
Dr. Cameron noted that he was informing the School Committee for informational purposes only and no action is required.
Questions and Comments from the Audience
There were no further questions or comments from the audience.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the School Committee this evening, Dr. Walsh moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Bryant. The motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by:
_________________________
Eileen M. Sacco, Secretary
Salem School Committee
Approved by the School Committee
June 7, 2010
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