Minutes
Quincy, Massachusetts - October 15, 2008
Regular Meeting of the Quincy School Committee
Regular Meeting
A regular meeting of the Quincy School Committee was held on Wednesday,
October 15, 2008 at the Second Floor Conference Room, City Hall. Present
were Mr. Ron Mariano, Mr. Nick Puleo, Mrs. Elaine Dwyer, Mrs. Jo-Ann Bragg,
Mrs. Anne Mahoney, Mr. Dave McCarthy and Mayor Tom Koch, Chairman.
This meeting began at 6:00 p.m.
Chairman Presiding
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Executive Session
The Superintendent called the roll and all members were present. On a motion
by Mrs. Dwyer, seconded by Mr. McCarthy, the Committee voted to go into
Executive Session for the purpose of Strategies with Respect to Litigation. Mr.
Puleo asked that they speak about this in open session since part of this was
discussed in the open. Attorney Ed Lenox said that some negotiation-type issues
are not normally discussed in open session. On a roll call vote, the motion to go
into Executive Session, the motion passed 4-3. MR. MARIANO, MR. PULEO,
and MAYOR KOCH voted NO. The Committee returned at 6:45 p.m.
Also present were: Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Secretary, Mrs. Tefta Burrelli, Clerk.
Messrs. O’Brien, Mullaney, Draicchio, Keith Segalla, Dr. Pattavina, Ms. Powell,
and Roberts. Ms. Tracey Christello represented Citywide. Haley Shaughnessy,
NQHS associate member was present. The Committee observed a moment of
silence for Rosemary Nolan, a former Quincy Public Schools secretary and Ensign
Christopher E. Smeglin, a former student who died this week.
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Reg. Session Mins. 9/24/2008
On a motion by Mr. McCarthy, seconded by Mr. Puleo, the Committee
approved the regular session minutes for September 24, 2008. The ayes
have it.
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Upcoming Events
Commissioner of Education, Mitchell Chester, will be visiting the Point Webster
and Marshall schools on Friday, October 24 for a meeting with Mass Advocates
for Children who will share their respective “Trauma Sensitive Schools” initiatives.
A luncheon at Point Webster will follow.
Grant for AH
Atherton Hough School received the After School and Out of School Time
Quality Grant for $72,000. The Superintendent recognized the work done by
Principal Dotty Greene, Janice Erler, and Mary Fredrickson to obtain the grant.
Upcoming Events
On October 21 we will hold the Teacher Mini-Grant celebration. This is our
ninth year and to date, over 1,000 awards have been awarded. On November 13
we will hold the Community Service Learning which features students from
every site. The Professional Teacher Status Reception is scheduled for
November 13. The Teacher Mentor Initiative was held on October 7. Ms.
Colleen Roberts explained how this very successful program works. The
Career and Technology Advisory Board will meet at the Three Seasons on
October 16.
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Official Enrollment
As of October 1, 2008 the official enrollment is 9,154 students. There are
4,103 students in elementary, up 143 students from 2007, and 5,051 students
for middle and high schools, down 72 students from 2007. The total enrollment
is up 71 students from 2007.
Class Size
All class sizes are within the School Committee
limits with the exception of two Social Studies classes at North Quincy High
which are above 30.
On October 29, the Assessment Team report on our assessment and discuss
MCAS and AYP status.
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Open Session
As no one stepped forward to be heard at the Open Session, the Committee
went on with the business at hand.
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APPLE Conference
Ms. Judy Todd presented Quincy Team members Linda Perry, Carol Dumas,
Laura Keeley and Debby Nabstedt who attended the APPLE Conference.
This was collaboration between the Federation for Children with Special
Needs, the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of
Massachusetts-Boston, and Children’s Hospital. The APPLE Project provides
collaborative school system teams with training that will allow parents of
children receiving special education services to learn skills that will help them
become full and effective partners with their schools. Teams met as a collective
group and as individual district teams to work on four different areas—
Building Intercultural Communities, Embracing Creative Conflicts, Determining
what their true color area, and respectful conversation. They developed a
plan for their vision for the next two years. Quincy members are working to expand
the APPLE Team. Some of their accomplishments are the appointment of Carol
Dumas to Mayor Koch’s Drug Task Force, a website, attendance at the Moon
celebration, and advocate for parents. The Team was there for three days of work.
There is a subcommittee meeting on October 22 at 7:00 p.m. in Broad Meadows.
They would like to become an active team and talk about their goals. They wish
to become the 86th QPS team.
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Building Update
All boilers are working in the schools except North Quincy High School which
has a small issue. Training by Honeywell is scheduled for October 30 and
November 4. Repairs to the Lincoln Hancock Community pool have been
completed. Graffiti removal has been very active. Intercom systems at Lincoln
Hancock and Montclair are complete, parts have been ordered for Atherton Hough.
The quarterly fire inspections went very well. The North Quincy gym floor is
completed. We are working with Mr. Gillan on crosswalks. The crosswalks at
North Quincy and Quincy High Schools have been done. Mr. Draicchio is
assessing safety issues around the schools. The Atrium at North Quincy High
School has been taken care of, but there are still some small issues. The
Superintendent has asked the principals for any concerns that are facing drop
off and pick ups. Mayor Koch thanked Mr. Cunniff for his intensive scrutiny
on the Honeywell work.
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QHS Bldg. Comm. Update by Mrs. Dwyer
The Quincy High School Building Committee met the end of September. The
three remaining wells are in place. Wheatstone is monitoring those. There is
some oil residue but nothing to be alarmed about. There will be an update at
next meeting. The new high school remains on budget and on schedule. Invitations
went out for a quick walk through the new Quincy High School. People will
meet at Coddington Hall at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 18.
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Central Bldg. Comm. Update by Mrs. Bragg
The Central Building Committee has not met lately. The City is doing the
necessary paper work.
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Quincy Ed. Fund Update by Mrs. Bragg
The Mayor has appointed a new Quincy Education Fund Committee. Money
donated by tax payers goes toward educational materials for the Quincy Public
Schools. This has raised over $30,000. The Superintendent has asked principals
how they would like the money spent. People can donate to the Quincy Education
Fund @ City Hall, Treasurer/Collectors office. This committee is putting a direct
link on the City webpage and will change the design on tax bills to make donating
easier. This donation is tax deductible.
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Gifts: QPS Homeless Children
On a motion by Mr. McCarthy, seconded by Mrs. Dwyer, the Committee accepted
a gift of $785.53 donated by the Sunday School Children of Faith Lutheran
Church to benefit Quincy Public Schools Homeless Children. The ayes have it.
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Additional Business GIC Discussion
Under additional business, Mr. Steve McGrath and Mr. Kevin Madden were
present to give an overview on an agreement with the unions on the GIC.
When the Mayor took over, he instructed them to look at the whole health
care issue. They began in June and had 12 meetings. The Governor amended
the statute allowing municipalities to join the GIC. They formed a Public
Employee Committee that would bargain on health issues. They were required
to bargain with all the unions. The projected saving realized is $5.2
million for the City and $4.7 million for employees. The GIC is so large they
can purchase the insurance at a less expensive rate. It is true, however, some
co pays are higher then the current plan. Seventy percent of the unions had to
agree. A payment of $300 will go into the base salary of all City employees.
There is a flex spending piece. Co pays and prescriptions will rise. Dental
coverage goes up to $1,500 per year.
For retirees, a cap was imposed and settled on last year, 50% next year reim-
bursement on Medicare and 55% the following year. They are giving up their
right to collectively bargain health insurance. On July 1, 2009 when this
takes effect, employees will realize a $2,400 savings for family plan, and $850
savings for single.
Mr. McCarthy asked if the $300 per employee, a total of $378,900, will be
supplemented in the budget and if that will go into a health care line. Mr.
Madden said that contracts will change. The savings of $4.5million and
$5 million won’t be paid into the individual budgets. There is not another
health care line. Mr. McCarthy thought that the health care line is the money
they are going to benefit from going into the GIC.
Mr. McGrath said it is not a part of Memorandum of Understanding with the
GIC. The contract raises are given through a contract limited reopener done
with each of the collective bargaining units. They were careful not to have
anything given to the unions alone, but to everyone. Mr. McCarthy asked if
we were in any violation, and Mr. McGrath said we are not in any violation.
Mr. McCarthy said in the teachers’ agreement they agreed the benefit was
to revert back to 90/10 when we join the GIC. The $300 surprised him.
Mr. McGrath said there was no agreement reached in 07. Seventy percent
of the unions did not come together as a PEC and signed the agreement. That
just happened. That language held them back in being able to more aggressively
bargain down the 90/10.
Mr. Puleo inquired about Medicare. Mr. Madden said every retiree has to
join Medicare and join a wrap program. We reimburse them a portion of
their Medicare premium. It is now 47%. This year it will be 50%, the
following year in 2011--55%, the third year will be the cap. The big thing
is they are now at the table. The City has to provide insurance. It is the law.
The City will hold a health fair on May 9. In December, they will disseminate
material about these plans. There are a number of health plans offered.
When the School Committee sits down with the unions for negotiations,
health care is off the table from now on. At the end of three years, cities
and towns can come out if they chose and have to bargain to stay in. The
PEC will continue. The $300 will be part of the collective bargaining agreement.
Mrs. Dwyer said it is a great opportunity. The School Committee tried to
do this and could not. The reason they have questions is that they have yet
to see the agreement made. They didn’t see what was on the table or the
$300 as of July 2009. When people asked them questions, they couldn’t
answer.
Mr. McGrath said he will get copies to the Committee. This happened rapidly.
Mrs. Dwyer inquired if Mr. McGrath actually reopened up all the city contracts:
Mr. McGrath said a limited reopening and that the statute provides it.
Mrs. Dwyer said she found that appalling that the people who negotiated
didn’t know that. They negotiated for 14 months. They gave them the 90/10.
They had to agree to go back to 90/10 to get the GIC language into their contract.
Mr. McGrath answered that the 90/10 language is enforceable but it had no
effect to get into the GIC by October 1. All that accomplished was to let the
remaining unions have the 90/10. It hindered them in being able to negotiate
more aggressively. It had no affect since a vote was never taken by October 1.
Mrs. Dwyer answered that the language was in every City contract. That was
the agreement they came to after 14 months of negotiations. For them to give
up the right to collective bargaining their health insurance. She found it unbelievable
that in addition to the 90/10 they felt obligated to give them an additional $300.
Mr. Madden answered that the 90/10 language was meaningless to savings.
It would have, if the City had last year successfully entered the GIC but it did not.
By forming a PEC they have to negotiate the rate of payment. It has to be the
same for all of them. They had to start from the point of 90/10.
Mrs. Dwyer added that she thought they negotiated in 2007 thinking that’s all
they were going to get because there were tons of things on the table. The
School Committee now has to add $378,900 to the salary line. They increased
the salary line without letting the Committee know or letting them see the
contract.
She asked to check into the legality of reopening a contract that
she signed without her resigning the contract.
She asked for a three year cost analysis to see how much the actual savings
will be vs. when they have to start paying raises on $340,000. She asked that
the City do the cost analysis. She asked that Mr. Mulvey, Mr. Lenox, and
Mr. McGrath look into reopening a contract. She wants to know who signed
the teachers’ contract. She didn’t think a contract could be reopened and
not have the original signers sign it. She and Dave McCarthy should have
signed it. They had to read it in the Ledger.
Mrs. Mahoney asked who was on the PEC. The Mayor is the Chair, and
representatives of the collective bargaining unions. All 22 unions plus the
Mayor and the retirees. There are 2,400 employees and 2,400 retirees.
Mrs. Mahoney said that she was at a fall festival, teachers were asking
about it and she didn’t know what to say. There is an assumption that
the Committee knows because they are on the committee.
There is no requirement that a member of the School Committee be on
the PEC. She was also taken aback because nobody mentioned the
additional money that has to go out. As an elected official it is her
duty to know what is gong on in the schools. We don’t know how that
$340,000 is going to affect the school budget.
The Mayor said he thought they did everything in their power to do
everything properly, keeping in mind the time constraints. He takes
responsibility for not getting in touch. It is the Mayor who sets the
bottom line. He had an opportunity to save a lot of money for the City.
That $732,000 will be added in the budget but they’re going to save $4
million. He is expecting local aid cuts. This will soften the cuts.
He will make sure the information gets to the members.
Mrs. Bragg said the thought some of the confusion had to do with the
School Committee negotiating the school contracts and the City negotiates
all the others. Having negotiated many contracts in the past, she would have
appreciated knowing this was on the table. It sounds good, but when you’re
dealing with school unions the School Committee needs to have a
chance. One document she had says that every employee was going to get
$300 for each of the three years. Mr. McGrath said the language that all
unions understood is it is $300 once.
Mrs. Bragg said she was upset because the School Committee should have
been involved in it. They have to answer calls. It was unnerving to find out
how this went down. The problem is going to be the budget next year. The
biggest savings is going to the City.
Mr. Mariano said the Committee negotiated 90/10 with a GIC and nothing
happened, except it raised expectations that next year the 90/10 became the
starting point. He hoped that they are not that sensitive that they can’t have
an open discussion without everyone getting very defensive. That language
created an expectation from the QEA and the other unions that if they took
the GIC it would be 90/10. We’re losing sight of the big issue. He urged
the Committee to move on.
Mr. Puleo agreed that the communication process was lacking for the School
Committee, but he didn’t want it lost that a decision has been made to save
$5.2million
Anne Mahoney said her concern is what’s coming down the pike. The
$5 million will be a great help. She applauds it, but doesn’t appreciate the
way it happened. She hoped to receive the information the Committee
requested.
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Communications
Mrs. Dwyer announced that Pat Dunlea, a 2005 Quincy High School graduate
is a student at the Culinary Institute. He will be on the Top Chief TV show
in November.
The Mayor announced the Drug Task Symposium on the October 16 at Broad
Meadows Middle School at 6:00 p.m. Outstanding speakers will be there.
Also, he went with Keith Segalla yesterday to Local 17. Mr. Tom Manning is
interested that our graduates have an opportunity to get into the Tin Knockers
apprenticeship program. Keith is going to stay in touch with Local 17.
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Policy Subcommittee Report by Mrs. Bragg
The policy subcommittee met and had the principals of North and Quincy High
School. They discussed their goals from the year before and what they’re still
working on.
NQHS/QHS SIPs approved
Mrs. Dwyer made a motion, seconded by Mr. Mariano, to approve
the School Improvement Plans for Quincy High School and North Quincy High
school. The ayes have it. They worked on and are still working on Section 10.
Another meeting is set for Monday, October 20 for Middle School
Improvement Plans.
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Motion to approve Agreement in ES
On a motion by Mr. Mariano, seconded by Mr. McCarthy, the Committee
approved 6-1 what they agreed on with respect to litigation matters. MRS.
BRAGG voted NO.
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Resignations
The Committee noted the following resignation:
Café Helper: Paula Malger
Appointments
The Committee noted the following appointments:
Paraprofessionals: Susan Durkin, Robert Johnston
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Adjournment
On a motion by Mrs. Bragg, seconded by Mr. McCarthy, the Committee
adjourned for the evening at 9:16 p.m. The ayes have it.