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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - SC - 01/22/2020 B Cohasset Public Schools SCH_Agenda_2020_01_22 143 Pond Street Cohasset, MA 02025 Continuing the Commitment to Excellence Cohasset School Committee Meeting School Committee Minutes Wednesday,January 22,2020 Cohasset Middle-High School Community Use Room 143 Pond Street Cohasset,MA In Attendance: Ellen Maher,Chairman Jennifer Madden Craig MacLellan Ashley Colleary Also in Attendance: Dr.Patrick Sullivan,Superintendent Michael MacMillan,Director of Finance&Operations Dr.Leslie Scollins,Assistant Superintendent Margaret Curley,Student Advisory Member Absent: Paul Kearney Call to Order and Roll Call-Chairman Maher called the meeting to order at 7:00p.m. Roll Call Vote: Ellen Maher-Present,Jennifer Madden-Present,Craig MacLellan-Present,Ashley Colleary-Present. Pledge- Recited. Public Comment-None Superintendent's Report- Student Advisory Member,Ms. Curley,updated the Committee members on various school activities. Final Exams culminated this week at the high school,the community club arranged for snacks and therapy dogs to be available to students. Osgood and Deer Hill Read-A-Thons are underway.Book Bingo at Osgood took place this month as well as upcoming guest readers from the district will visit Osgood students grades K-2. Thank you to the PSO and Safe Harbor for the presentation of Screen Agers: The Next Chapter.This fit perfectly into the Middle High School focus on Social Emotional Learning. All sixth graders participated last week in an internet safety program hosted by CMS staff and the Cohasset Police Department. Special thank you to Detective Jenkins,Officer Taylor and CMS educators.The Superintendent's Student Advisory Committee met and their goal is to have more student voice by collaborating with school leadership in how decisions are made in the schools. This was also the first time that fifth grade representatives were a part of the process. Congratulations to Molly Greer,a senior on the Girls Varsity Basketball team for her 1,000 point against Randolph last night. Congratulations Molly! She is the first girl in CHS history to do so. Ms. Curley concluded her report with an update on the Safe Harbor Youth Ambassadors meeting which included both Middle and High school focus groups who reviewed youth risk behavior and had discussions outlining resolutions. Spotlight on Learning-Presented by Stephanie Moriarty and Nina Berkowitz. The curriculum is designed to keep the arts a part of student learning.Music and Arts helps keep students challenged and keeps them focused. Nina Berkowitz is an Art teacher with over 20 years of experience and she is a certified Yoga instructor. Ms.Berkowitz demonstrated her skills by guiding us through a mindful moment at the start of the presentation. Ms.Moriarty presented Brook Halaby,a junior,with an achievement award for her vocal talent. Also noted was Lilla Khan Grade 11 who is a violin concert master. Ms.Moriarty went on to update the Committee on all the programs that the Middle School and High School have to offer for students in Visual Arts,Performing Arts,Technical Arts and Clubs and Activities. There are over 11 courses offered in the middle school for art and music and over 34 offerings in the high school.Overall,Arts and Music enrollment has increased.Adam Sasso is working with students on website design which students are enjoying. Superintendent Sullivan stated that we are exploring bringing the Mindfulness that Ms.Berkowitz has so successfully incorporated into her curriculum to the rest of the district including the primary schools. Mrs.Maher asked whether or not these art and music classes are over enrolled,and students are turned away and the answer is no; students are not turned away. Some of the clubs meet after school. Canobie Lake Music Trip-Stephanie Moriarty is requesting a field trip for Cohasset Middle School band and Chorus students to attend the annual spring music festival on June 5,2020.The trip is open to music students in 71 and 81 grade only who attend utility rehearsals and show consistent effort through performance.Estimated cost is$67-$72 per student depending on enrollment.The host site is Nashua North High School in Nashua,New Hampshire and after the performance the students will go to Canobie Lake Park in Salem,New Hampshire. They will leave at 8:30am and plan on returning to Cohasset at 8:OOpm. Motion by Ms.Colleary, seconded by Ms.Madden to approve the trip,All in favor Aye-Ashley Colleary,Aye-Ellen Maher,Aye-Jenn Madden,Aye- Craig MacLellan Athletic Update Steve Rotondi The big equipment purchases this year causing a variance to last year for helmets and shoulder pads for football.The user fees that are still outstanding are being collected. There has been a significant amount of waiver fee requests this year and gate receipts and numbers are down for this year. Mr.Rotondi went on to say that big events are less town attended then parent attended and that the information that these events are going on needs to be communicated to the community.The question came up regarding how to get the information out to the community beyond just having parents attend events. Mr.Rotondi responded that he is meeting with captains to start talking to other students and getting them to be responsible for bringing people to the events. Mr.Rotondi is also talking to the youth sports groups and trying to get them to attend the high school events.There is a plan to get the message out to the community either by Tweeting or putting on Facebook as well as educating people to look at the website Cohasset Athletics.com. Overall Cohasset was very successful this Fall.Almost all the teams made the Playoffs. The championship boy's lacrosse team from last spring visited the statehouse.Boys soccer was recognized nationally. Emily Appleton is going to Dartmouth to Swim. Girls soccer made tournament.Cohasset Football enjoyed another playoff season! Cross country had a great season and had Allstate participants. Cheerleading is pioneering something new called"Game Day". It is old school style cheering. The team went to the Regionals. High School Program Studies Brian Scott Proposed changes for 2020-2021 Program of Studies.New courses pending staff and interest: 1. Community Art Grade 10-12. The goal of the course is to create work in various media which will invoke conversations in the community examples could include murals,installations and various displays around the community and school. 2. Commercial Design: Grade 10-12 Students would explore elements of design utilizing art media students would design business cards,advertisements and displays to promote activities and events.The purpose of this is to learn about marketing and consumerism. 3. Piano Studio: Grade 9-12 This is for students who wish to explore basic piano skills or expand their existing skills. Students will be expected to perform at community events as an extension of the course. The High School has 6 grand or upright pianos plus a studio that can accommodate up to 12 students with headphones and keyboards to utilize. 4.AP Microeconomics: Grade 11-12 AP Rigorous elective available to seniors who enrolled in AP Macroeconomics. The course is designed to introduce students economic decision-makers,while preparing students to think like economists. Students will utilize charts,graphs and data. Students are expected to take the AP exam in May. Grandfathered Freshman will take US 1. Mr.MacLellan asked the question of whether too heavy on US history and not enough diversity into other cultural histories for example Asian,Middle East to name a few. His concern is that students will opt out of World or European History if they can. Mr. Scott made a point that we need to discuss World History and Asian influences and Women in History.Mr. Scott stated that they do have coverage in Middle School which covers Ancient history and Geography. Mr. Scott also proposed changes to the World Language course names,Instead of Novice and Intermediate the courses will have numbers ie to Spanish and French 2(Novice 3)and Spanish and French 3 (Intermediate 1),Spanish and French 4(Intermediate 2)and AP Spanish and French(Intermediate 3). Students beginning Spanish in Grade 9 will begin with Spanish 1.The question was raised regarding offering other languages like Mandarin and Arabic in the future. Motion by Ms.Colleary,seconded by Ms.Madden to accept the proposed course additions and name changes for Cohasset High School for the 2020-2021 school year. All-Aye. Curriculum/Instruction and Assessment Update Dr.Leslie Scollins Dr. Scollins met with Ms.Madden regarding RTI for the district and they shared ideas. The Department of Education is hosting MTSS on February I I'and 12t'and we are bringing a team of elementary through middle school educators. Dr. Scollins has met with all RTI teams in all schools.The elementary math team met last week and would like to extend the pilot until June.Learning Walks are continuing and helping the teams to gel. Students are getting familiar with seeing the leadership doing the Learning Walks. This Friday,January 24,is staff professional development for Cohasset schools. It is building based professional development training.Math training at Deer Hill and Digital Internet training at Osgood. Approval of Warrant: Motion to approve warrant 20-13S by Mr.MacLellan,seconded by Ms.Colleary;Aye-Ashley Colleary,Aye-Ellen Maher, Aye-Jenn Madden,Aye-Craig MacLellan. Finance Report Michael MacMillan Financially the district is ahead of last year. Safe School grant request for funds little more than grant was technology line was a little less upgrade cost more safe schools. Transportation report last month revolving concerned about kindergarten and school lunch in healthy position.Purchases for cafeteria looking to do in June. FY 21 budget lines that needed some explaining were the adjustment counselor at the Middle School and another kindergarten teacher at Osgood which will be reflective on numbers of kindergarteners wanting full day.The move to a two tier busing system for next year due to the change in start time for school at the Middle High school caused increases in transportation costs. Some discussion on the bus transportation and why we are leasing as opposed to owning makes more financial sense to lease since maintenance is a cost. Essential personnel needed guidance counselor at the middle and high school and a reading specialist at the middle school. Mr. MacMillan is trying to get those numbers down by incorporating existing staff to help cover those positions. There are modest increases in IT. The Committee would like to look at last year(2019)enrollment for kindergarten to see if there is a trend in the summer and therefore a need for the sixth kindergarten classroom at Osgood. The Committee would like to revisit this number once we look at the trend since we would like to have the money for the other priorities. The idea for a School Budget forum was raised to invite parents in to let them know how we look at financing in our district and get them involved and get parents to attend the meeting. The Committee had conversation about how to communicate and get the information out to the public. Potential date for a meeting would be from 6:30 pm to 8:OOpm on Wednesday,February 121 Capital Budget update The leaks in the Middle High school do not fall under the criteria for the MSBA Accelerated Repair program since the roof is not over 25 years old. Sidewalks at the High school need to be redone since they are cracked and crumbling.They will be done over with asphalt and granite since that is durable.Hydration stations in all school have been requested,which would include 3 at Osgood,4 at Deer Hill and 8 at the Middle High school.Mr. Macmillan will submit priority list to capital planning committee. School Committee Comments and Communication Superintendent's Goals Dr. Sullivan met with Mr.MacLellan and Mr.Kearney to review his goals. The first goal was district improvement to facilitate successful transition to being the superintendent of schools and he has achieved that goal by conducting Learning Walks throughout the district. Support and interaction with our police and fire department in problem solving in the community. Communicating to the public and community using Twitter and the Navigator and also using family coffees and staff coffees being accessible to conversations.Instructional Leadership. Ms. Colleary made a comment that she loves the Navigator. Ms.Maher asked Dr. Sullivan if he had any concerns about any of his goals. He stated that communication is always something that can be improved upon. He is reviewing using Facebook more because the demographic is on this media and not so much on Twitter. Dr. Sullivan is supporting setting the plate for social emotional wellness which allows student to feel supported so they can take risks and make mistakes and be successful in student learning. Ms.Maher advised that Mr.MacMillan will be presenting the districts capital requests on January 27,Monday 7pm town hall and encouraged everyone to attend. Ms.Madden talked about alternative energy possible solar being used at the High school to combat electric bills. Motion by Mr.MacLellan to approve the minutes of December 4,seconded by Ms.Madden.All-Aye Motion by Mr.MacLellan to approve the minutes of December 18 as amended,seconded by Ms.Madden,All-Aye Motion to adjourn at 10:46 pm by Mr.MacLellan,seconded by Ms.Colleary,All-Aye