Middletown Public Schools

Middletown, Rhode Island

 

Thursday, July 21, 2005

 

MICHAEL S. PINTO CONFERENCE ROOM

 

5:30 p.m. – Regular School Committee Meeting

 

Members Present:                   Michael F. Crowley, Jr., Chairman

                                                Liana F. Fenton, Vice-Chair

                                                William Coogan

                                                Edward K. Draper

                                                Theresa M. Spengler

 

Also Present:                          Rosemarie K. Kraeger, Superintendent of Schools

                                                Joseph R. Krupowicz, Assistant Superintendent

                                                Catherine M. McLeish, Business Manager

 

            The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m.  Administrative staff members present were Steven Ruscito and Janet Sheehan.

 

MOTION:  1) Liana Fenton, 2) William Coogan.  To go into Executive Session 42-46-5 (a) 1, 2,5,8,9 at 5:31 p.m.  Unanimous vote.

 

            The meeting returned to open session at 6:15 p.m.  Mr. Crowley announced that no vote was taken.  The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

SPOTLIGHT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING

 

“High School Scheduling”

 

            Mr. Steven Ruscito, Middletown High School Principal, gave an overview of how the high school schedule is developed.  The Program of Studies is created in November.  In December, grades 9-11 schedule requests are made by student.  The 8th grade schedule is developed in February.  In March, the sections are set by High School Administrators and are given to Department Heads for review.  In April the scheduler is run.  The schedules are adjusted during May and June and issued to grade 8-11 students in June.  A final review is done in August and schedules are mailed.

            State mandated instructional time is 330 minutes.  Study hall periods have been eliminated.  There are now seven teaching periods per day.

            Decisions that affected scheduling were layoffs, minimum class size, AP classes that need to be spread out throughout the day, hiring of a special education teacher and new courses added.

 

PROCLAMATIONS/AWARDS

 

            No Proclamations/Awards for July 21, 2005.

 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

 

            No Student Activities for July 21, 2005.

 

 

(Minutes of July 21, 2005 School Committee Meeting, Page Two)

 

 

INFORMATION

 

·               Open Government Summit on August 5th.

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

Memo from Barbara Nash, Town Clerk, regarding appointing a member of the School Committee to the Open Space and Fields Committee.

 

MOTION:  1) Edward Draper, 2) Theresa Spengler.  That the School Committee receive the communication.  Unanimous vote.

 

            Mr. Coogan will be a member of this committee until the new facilities director is appointed.

 

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORTS

 

·         CURRICULUM – Many teachers attended the RITTI training.  The Consolidated Resource Grant was submitted.  To date, there have been 25 class changes submitted.  The COZ grant for 40K was received for the 05-06 school year.  Interviewing committees have been working to secure the teachers and staff for vacant positions.

 

·         FINANCIAL – The end of year closing in June was very successful.  Mrs. Kraeger thanked Cathy McLeish and the Business Office for their hard work.  The teacher salary scale will be set on August 10th.  Four teachers at Middletown High School have been recalled.  Enrollment is slow, but steady.  Twenty-eight new students were enrolled the week of July 11th and 23 students were enrolled this week.  The Transfer Day should take place the week of August 22nd.

 

·         FACILITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT – Mrs. Kraeger introduced Mr. Richard Quinn, Chairman of the Facilities Advisory Committee.  Mr. Quinn said the completion of the report was a significant effort on the part of the committee members, who are all volunteers.  The School Committee now needs to take the next step which is to focus on what will be done with educational programming for the future.  This will become the basis on what kind of improvements will be made throughout the building.  School Committee members thanked Mr. Quinn for chairing this committee.  The School Committee needs to see what the town is doing with the Anchorage Housing and Kennedy School.  Mrs. Kraeger suggested that Mr. Quinn and a committee member go before the Town Council to present the report and request their support.

 

MOTION:  1) Theresa Spengler, 2) William Coogan.  That the School Committee receive the Superintendent’s Reports.  Unanimous vote.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

 

MOTION:  1) Theresa Spengler, 2) Edward Draper.  To approve the Consent Agenda.  Unanimous vote.

 

 

(Minutes of July 21, 2005 School Committee Meeting, Page Three)

 

·         Approval of Minutes of June 16, 2005 School Committee Meeting

·         Approval of Invoice Register, dated June 14, 2005, in the amount of $743,603.19

·         Approval of Invoice Register, dated June 20, 2005, in the amount of $581.61

·         Approval of Invoice Register, dated June 30, 2005, in the amount of $821,881.69

·         Approval of Special Grants Register, dated June 20, 2005, in the amount of $24,319.36

 

SUPERINTENDENT’S RECOMMENDATION ON PERSONNEL

 

APPOINTMENTS

 

Lisa Dion                                            High School Literacy Coach

Judith Moore                                      Career Pathways Coordinator (One Year Only)

David Leys                                         .8 Business Teacher, Middletown High School

Justin Buffman                                   Math Teacher, J.H. Gaudet Middle School

Arthur J. Sherman                             Health & Physical Education, Middletown High School

Dr. Martha Ullman                            School Department Physician

P. Hakan Durudogan                                    School Department Dentist

Maureen Cicchitelli                            Interim Principal, Aquidneck School (One Year Only)

Annie G. Kammerer                          English Teacher, Middletown High School

Jean A. Bomeisl                                  English Teacher, Middletown High School

Diane Kerins                                      .4 Art Teacher, Middletown High School

 

JOB SHARE FOR 2005-2006 SCHOOL YEAR FROM .6 TO .5

 

Kimberly A. Ceglarski                       Kindergarten Teacher, Forest Avenue School

 

JOB SHARE FOR 2005-2006

 

Camille Moy                                       Kindergarten, Forest Avenue School

Maureen Sullivan                              Kindergarten, Forest Avenue School

 

LESS THAN FULL-TIME

 

Renee Bissell                                       Full-Time Art, Middletown High School to .6 Art, MHS

 

MATERNITY LEAVE - ARTICLE XIV, C, OPTION #1 (NEA/Middletown)

 

Alison Belcher                                                Grade One, J.F. Kennedy School

                                                            From August 31, 2005 to December 1, 2005.

Jeannine Magliocco                            Grade Four, Aquidneck School

                                                            Beginning October 24, 2005 for 46 days

 

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

 

Christopher J. Richards                     English Teacher, Middletown High School

                                                            From October 3, 2005 to November 23, 2005

 

EXTENSION OF LEAVE OF ABSENSE FOR THE 2005-2006 SCHOOL YEAR

 

Danielle Spies                                     English Language Arts, J.H. Gaudet School

(Minutes of July 21, 2005 School Committee Meeting, Page Four)

 

 

TRANSFER

 

Tara Mellow                                       Middle School Literacy Coach to

                                                            Elementary Literacy Coach

DeDe Forgue                                      12-month Clerk, Middletown High School to

                                                            10-Month Clerk, Forest Avenue School

Karen Sheely                                      10-Month Clerk, J.F. Kennedy School to

                                                            12-Month Clerk, Middletown High School

 

            Mrs. Kraeger commented on Mrs. Maureen Cicchitelli, Interim Principal for Aquidneck School, resume.  Mrs. Cicchitelli retired from the Cranston School System this June.  She will job share with Mrs. Fonseca.

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

·         TOWN/SCHOOL/LIBRARY IT – Mrs. Linda Savastano attended a meeting with Mr. Draper and others regarding town-wide technology concerns.  Mr. Draper said the missions of the three organizations are very different, each with different issues.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

·         SAFETY COMMITTEE – Mr. Draper requested a safety subcommittee be formed that will primarily focused on Middletown High School, but also to incorporate D.A.R.E. and the Gaudet community to address drinking, drugs and driving and ways to reduce tragedies.  Mrs. Kraeger suggested that the safety advisory committee include law enforcement, students, teachers and community agencies.  We will advertise for members and expect report by January.  Mrs. Kraeger is working with East Bay to organize student councils to discuss safety issues.

·         SCHOOL COMMITTEE RETREAT – Mr. Crowley said a retreat would be an opportunity to discuss goals and issues.  This retreat would be an advertised, open meeting and would need a facilitator.

 

ACTION ITEMS

 

JUNIOR POST PROM

MOTION:  1) Liana Fenton, 2) William.  That the School Committee allocate $100 to help offset the cost of the Junior Class Post Prom Party at the Newport County YMCA.  Unanimous vote.

 

POLICY ADOPTION – SECTION I (1ST READING)

MOTION:  1) William Coogan, 2) Liana Fenton.  That the School Committee adopt Section I of the policy book, “Vision, Mission, Beliefs, Parameters, Legal Structures and System of Governance”, as a first reading.  Unanimous vote.

 

POLICY ADOPTION – STUDENT ATTENDANCE FACILITATOR (2ND READING)

MOTION:  1) Edward Draper, 2) William Coogan  That the School Committee approve the Student Attendance Facilitator Policy (2nd Reading.)  Unanimous vote.

 

 

 

(Minutes of July 21, 2005 School Committee Meeting, Page Five)

 

 

POLICY ADOPTION – DISCIPLINARY LITERACY (1ST READING)

MOTION:  1) Theresa Spengler, 2) Liana Fenton.  That the School Committee approve the Disciplinary Literacy Policy (1st Reading).  Unanimous vote.

 

BID AWARD

MOTION:  1) William Coogan, 2) Edward Draper.  That the School Committee approve the bid award for construction of the High School Greenhouse to Advanced Building Concepts  Unanimous vote.

 

FACILITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT

MOTION:  1) Theresa Spengler, 2) Edward Draper.  That the School Committee approve the Facilities Advisory Committee Report and send a copy to the Town Council and request to be put on their docket.  Unanimous vote.

 

REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

 

            No Report of Officers and Committees for July 21, 2005.

 

ADJOURN FROM MEETING

 

MOTION:  1) Theresa Spengler, 2) Liana Fenton.  To adjourn from the School Committee Meeting at 7:49 p.m.  Unanimous vote.

 

                                                                        Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

 

                                                                        Rosemarie K. Kraeger, Clerk