Minutes
Quincy, Massachusetts - February 8, 2012
Regular Meeting of the Quincy School Committee
Regular Meeting
A regular meeting of the Quincy School Committee was held on Wednesday,
February 8, 2012 at Quincy High School. Present were: Mr. Paul Bregoli,
Mrs. Kathryn Hubley, Mayor Thomas Koch, Mrs. Emily Lebo, Mrs. Anne Mahoney,
Mr. Dave McCarthy, and Ms. Barbara Isola, Vice Chair.
Vice-Chair
Presiding
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There was a moment of silence in memory of Mr. Frank Caparelli. Mr. Caparelli was
employed by the Quincy Public Schools for over 20 years as a custodian.
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The Superintendent called the roll and all were present. Also present were:
Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Secretary; Ms. Laura Owens, Clerk; Messrs. Draicchio,
Mullaney, Mulvey, Murphy, Keith Segalla; Mrs. Fredrickson, Hughes, McMillen,
Papile, Roberts, Witmer; Ms. Dufresne, Lundquist, O’Keeffe, Subatis, Todd; Ms.
Allison Cox, President, QEA, Mrs. Tracey Christello, Citywide Parents’ Council
Representative, and Ms. Jill Gichuhi, President, Quincy Parent Advisory Council to
Special Education.
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Regular Meeting Minutes Approved
1/25/2012
Mayor Koch made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Lebo, to approve the regular session
minutes for January 25, 2012. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.
Special Meeting Minutes Approved
1/28/12
Mayor Koch made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Hubley, to approve the special meeting
minutes for January 28, 2012. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.
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Superintendent’s Report
The Superintendent opened his remarks by reminding the School Committee of some
upcoming events including the Special Olympics on Friday, February 10 at the
Squantum School and the Junior Hero recognition breakfast sponsored by the Kiwanis
on Saturday, March 3. Kindergarten Registration will be held at all elementary schools
on Tuesday, March 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pre-Kindergarten Screenings will be
held on Tuesday, March 20 and Tuesday, April 3. Information about both the
Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten programs can be found on the Quincy Public Schools
website and Channel 22. Information is now also available about Winter School, a
10-week program for high school students providing students the opportunity to make up
courses required for graduation, and the Winter Institute, a Saturday morning academic
enrichment program for Kindergarten through Grade 5.
The high school Science Fairs will be held on Thursday, February 16 at Quincy High
School and Saturday, March 3 at North Quincy High School. The South Shore
Regional Science Fair awarded two Quincy High School students, Peter Giunta and
Eion Moriarty first place for their project on probiotics.
North Quincy High School students George Bill, Nicholas Burt, and Samantha Tan
were recognized as All-State Musicians. At the 5th Annual Young Men’s Choral
Festival, eight North Quincy High School students appeared under the direction of
Tim Carew and student director Will Lunny. At the recent state History Bowl, North
Quincy High School teams placed first in all categories and will be competing at the
National History Bowl in Washington, D.C. in April, along with teams from Quincy
High School who also qualified at the state tournament. The middle school
Volleyball championships were held on Saturday, January 28 and over one hundred
students participated in the event.
Other upcoming events include Quincy High School’s NEASC accreditation visit is
from March 4 through March 7, 2012. The Superintendent noted that he and
Assistant Superintendent Colleen Roberts will be appearing at the Citywide Parents’
Council meeting at 7:00 pm at Broad Meadows to speak about Massachusetts’
transition to the Common Core State Standards. Informational meetings for Grade 8
students and their families about the transition process from middle to high school
will be held at both high schools: North Quincy High School on Monday, March 5
and Quincy High School on Tuesday, March 6.
The School Committee also received information about location changes for
upcoming School Committee meetings; most of the remaining meetings will be held
in the Temporary City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall.
Information has been posted for the public on the website and Channel 22.
Newsletters for the Special Education and Student Support Services departments were
also shared with the School Committee
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Open Forum
Lori Hagborg spoke about the new Central Middle School project and concerns about
the amount of space available for the band and music programs.
Daniel Long spoke of his concerns about removing the Winfield Elm tree in
preparation for the construction of the new Central Middle School. He urged the
Mayor and School Committee to consider retaining the tree.
Ed Grogan proposed adding to the Quincy School Committee’s Policy that school
mascots and logos should not traffic in racial stereotypes.
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Ms. Isola made a motion to take the agenda out of order and take up New Business
items A and B. Mayor Koch seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have
it.
New Business
Harvard Program for International Education
The Superintendent introduced North Quincy High School Social Studies teacher
Meg McMillen, who spoke about the Harvard Program for International Education.
Mrs. McMillen and Quincy High School Social Studies teachers Jane Lundquist and
Molly Good host the Harvard undergraduates who volunteer their time to this service
organization in six of their freshman and sophomore classes. The purpose of the
course is to expose students to contemporary and historical global issues and prepare
them to think critically about modern-day politics. Pairs of tutors spend one class per
week for seven weeks teaching a curriculum that they designed; the Fall 2011
program was called Negotiation and Diplomacy. As a part of that, the tutors taught
each class basic debating skills using relevant topics. The culmination of the course
was a one-day visit to Harvard for a tour, lunch, and a presentation by a guest
speaker. Three students were awarded prizes for their work during this course and
were recognized by Mayor Koch, the School Committee, and the Superintendent for
their achievements: North Quincy High School freshman Dana Grasselli, Quincy
High School freshman Suhail Purkar, and Quincy High School sophomore Lindsay
Schrier.
Integrated Learning Teams Presentation
The Superintendent then introduced Mrs. Edith Hughes, Coordinator of Early
Childhood Education and Mrs. Ruth Witmer, Principal of the Lincoln-Hancock
Elementary School. Mrs. Witmer opened the presentation by explaining the purpose
of the school-based Integrated Learning Teams and introducing the members of her
staff present: Ms. Colleen Dufresne, Literacy Teacher; Ms. Lina Subatis, Special
Education Teacher, and Ms. Deanna O’Keeffe, Grade 1 Teacher. These Integrated
Learning Teams (ILTs) are a critical part of every elementary school in the Quincy
Public Schools and consist of the Principal, classroom teachers, Literacy teachers,
Special Education teachers, English Language Learners teachers, and Guidance
Counselors. Every student in a school is reviewed three times a year (September,
January, and May) with the goal of improving student achievement across the board.
At the ILT meeting, goals are set for each child and parents informed when
interventions are recommended. The Integrated Learning Teams are a collaborative
process and use data to drive instruction, including DIBELs Next (at all grade levels),
GRADE (2-3), DRA (K-1) testing that establish benchmarks three times a year.
DIBELS scores reflect the Tier 1, 2, or 3/Core, Strategic, Intensive instruction levels
that is the heart of the Literacy plan. In the past, the discrepancy between cognitive
ability and performance drove evaluation and intervention. Currently, QPS uses the
Response to Intervention (RTI) model to create educational plans. Sample pathway
for intervention are presented; expectations for all learners are the same, and the
means of achieving that are many and varied.
Mr. McCarthy thanked the team for their presentation; asked for clarification about
how the Literacy program has evolved and expanded. Mrs. Hughes said that before
RTI model, many students would not have the interventions they do today. In the
past, it was sometimes second or third grade before problems surfaced. Special
Education placements were made where curriculum misalignment was really the
issue, so interventions in regular education are tried first.
Mrs. Lebo queried about whether there is something similar in place for Math. Mrs.
Hughes said that Lincoln Hancock the new DIBELS data system handles Math data.
Through the ARRA program, there are Math Interventionists (in Title I schools) and
there is demonstrable progress. Additional funding would be needed for positions at
other schools as well. Mr. Bregoli asked about the timing of interventions and it was
explained they usually begin in October after first DIBELs and ILT meetings. At the
start of the school year, Literacy teachers are working with the students identified in
the Spring ILTs.
Mrs. Mahoney spoke about ILTs and the benefit of being able to use data to articulate
to parents about the interventions necessary and the value of progress monitoring.
Mrs. Witmer reiterated that parents should feel free to contact school principals for
any concerns or further information. Ms. Isola asked for clarification about whether
parents receive information even if there is no intervention needed. Mrs. Witmer
feels that parents are well-informed and aware of the DIBELS and other testing.
Mr. Bregoli asked about progress monitoring and Mrs. Hughes explained that through
the Literacy program, children are progress-monitored every two weeks through
administration of DIBELS probes. Teachers are constantly checking in with children
receiving services or those on watch lists; the progress monitoring improves teaching.
It is a paradigm shift for teachers to realize that assessment is part and parcel of
instruction, not just the conclusion, but really the beginning.
Dr. DeCristofaro concluded by thanking everyone for their work and the presentation
and citing Mrs. Witmer for keeping up with the 480 students at Lincoln Hancock; the
Lincoln Hancock staff is an example of collaboration and dedication and caring for
each and every child.
Mayor Koch motioned to return to the order of the agenda. Mr. McCarthy seconded
the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.
Old Business
Building Projects Update
The next item on the agenda was the update on building projects, renovations, and
construction from Mr. Murphy. The heat issues at North Quincy High School have
been remedied in the gym and the two classroom floors above it. The sidewalk issue
has been temporarily fixed by the Department of Public Works, with a permanent fix
to come in the spring. In addition, the Maintenance department has been working on
the requests pertaining to the School Improvement Plans in all trades and completing
daily work orders.
Mr. McCarthy inquired about the safe operation of the front doors at North Quincy
High School. He also requested an audit of the lighting outside school buildings; this
item will be referred to the School Facilities Subcommittee for discussion.
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New Central Middle School Project
Mrs. Mahoney reported that there was a Central Building Committee meeting held
on Monday, February 6th at 4:30 pm. The value engineering process is completed,
as is demolition, site grading, and contractor pre-qualification. Concerns have been
expressed that the entire school building will not be air-conditioned. There was also
discussion about the elm tree and a third arborist opinion will be solicited about the
viability of the tree. Mayor Koch confirmed City Solicitor Timmins’ statement that
the Cental Middle School building site is under the city’s jurisdiction. He also
reminded the School Committee that the project has a $50 million budget and that
scope adjustments and value engineering are part of this process for a project this
size.
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Special School Committee Meeting January 28, 2012
Ms. Isola then reviewed the Special School Committee meeting that was held on
Saturday, January 28, thanking the members of the School Committee and the
Superintendent’s Leadership Team for attending. The changes to the regular Agenda
will be implemented for the March 7, 2012 School Committee meeting, including
moving Open Forum to be the second item on the agenda. Individuals will still be
allowed to speak for four minutes, but they will not be allowed to yield or exchange
time. Under Old Business, the Building Projects report will be moved to the School
Facilities Subcommittee and reported under Reports of Subcommittees as needed.
The Central Building Committee project updates will also be reported under Reports
of Subcommittees as needed. The School Committee Subcommittees have been
reorganized and several names have changed. Program Improvement Plans will be
reviewed in the Subcommittee that covers that program area. Additional information
will be added to the Subcommittee page of the agenda including details from when
the item gets referred to Subcommittee and timelines for resolution of items.
Mr. McCarthy asked for clarification about whether the members of the
Superintendent’s Leadership Team would still be present at School Committee
Meetings and Dr. DeCristofaro confirmed that they would be. Ms. Isola and Mayor
Koch both cited the Open Meeting law and the need to keep the discussion to items
on the agenda. New items that might be agenda items in the future can be introduced
under Additional Business, but only to refer them to a Subcommittee for further
discussion.
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Head Injury/Concussion Policy Approved
Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the Head Injury/Concussion Policy. The motion
was seconded by Mr. Bregoli and, on a roll call vote, the ayes have it, 7-0.
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2012-2013 School Year Calendar Approved
Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the School Year 2012-2013 Calendar. The
motion was seconded by Mayor Koch and, on a roll call vote, the ayes have it, 7-0.
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2011-2012 Grant Booklet
Dr. DeCristofaro then introduced Mr. James Mullaney, Director of Business Affairs,
who presented the 2011-2012 Grant Booklet. The booklet details the twenty-three
grants currently received by the Quincy Public Schools totaling $7.8 million. The
Grant Booklet is organized in three sections for Entitlements (grants based on
formulas set forth by laws or regulations), Continuation (grants that are multi-year),
and Competitive (grants awarded year to year). The grants represent eight percent of
the Quincy Public Schools’ budget and fund one hundred positions, teacher stipends,
and professional development. Mrs. Lebo asked for information about grants that
may have dwindling funding and Mr. Mullaney mentioned the 21st Century and
Educational Job grants. He stated that we are hopeful that additional Chapter 70
money may be forthcoming, but any of the grants are subject to change at any time.
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Out of State Travel
Mayor Koch made a motion to approve the Out of State travel of Snug Harbor
Community School to Canobie Lake Park, Windham, NH on June 6, 2012.
Mrs. Lebo seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.
Mayor Koch made a motion to approve the Out of State travel of Quincy High School
History Bowl Team to Washington, D.C. April 27 through April 29, 2012. Mrs. Lrbo
seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.
Mayor Koch made a motion to approve the Out of State travel of Point Webster Middle
School to New York City, NY on June 8, 2012. Mrs. Lebo seconded the motion and
on a voice vote, the ayes have it.
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Additional Business
Mrs. Mahoney requested the coordination of the installation of new security cameras
with the exterior lighting audit added to the School Facilities Subcommittee earlier in
the meeting. Mrs. Mahoney also requested adding the status of the Coddington Hall
renovations to the School Facilities Subcommittee.
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Reports of Special Committees
Mrs. Mahoney reported on the Special Education Subcommittee meeting, which was
held on Wednesday, February 1, 2012. At the meeting, the group discussed the
Special Education Disability Guide that Quincy High School developed as one of
their TEAMS projects; it will be shared with QPAC membership for their feedback.
The QPAC Collaborative Goals were then reviewed, along with next steps for the
development of the Parent Guide, Parent Brochure for Initial Evaluation, and the
Transition Guide. The next Subcommittee meeting is Wednesday, March 28 and
progress towards each of these collaborative goals will be discussed at that meeting.
The Quincy Parent Advisory Council to Special Education also asked the School
Committee for recognition on par with the Quincy Educator’s Association and the
Citywide Parents’ Council; this has been granted. Beginning with the February 8,
2012 School Committee Meeting, the QPAC representative will be noted in the
School Committee Meeting minutes, receive a copy of the School Committee
Meeting agenda and accompanying materials, plus be notified via email of all
Subcommittee meetings.
Mrs. Mahoney made a motion to approve the Special Education Subcommittee
Meeting minutes from the February 1, 2012 meeting. The motion was seconded by
Mr. McCarthy and on a roll call vote, the ayes have it 7-0.
Mr. McCarthy reported that the School Facilities Subcommittee meeting originally
scheduled for February 7, 2012 had to be rescheduled due to the fact that there was
not a quorum of Subcommittee members present. The new meeting date is
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 4:30 pm in the 2nd floor conference room of the
NAGE Building. In addition to the exterior lighting audit and update on the
renovation plans for Coddington Hall, Mr. McCarthy moved the idea of renting the
Coddington Hall parking lot to Quincy College into the School Facilities
Subcommittee.
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Leave of Absence
The School Committee noted the following teacher leave of absence:
Teacher
Paige VanGombos
Appointments
The School Committee noted the following teacher appointments:
Teachers Michelle McMahon, Gregory Stringer
Adjournment
On a motion by Mrs. Mahoney, seconded by Mrs. Hubley, the School Committee
adjourned at 9:45 p.m. for the evening. There was no executive session.
The ayes have it.