Minutes
Quincy, Massachusetts - September 19, 2012
Regular Meeting of the Quincy School Committee
Regular Meeting
A regular meeting of the Quincy School Committee was held on Wednesday,
September 19, 2012 at Quincy High School. Present were Mr. Paul Bregoli,
Mrs. Kathryn Hubley, Mayor Thomas Koch, Mrs. Emily Lebo, Mrs. Anne Mahoney,
Mr. David McCarthy, and Ms. Barbara Isola, Vice Chair.
Vice-Chair
Presiding
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There was a moment of silence in honor of our troops serving at home and abroad.
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The Superintendent called the roll and all School Committee members were
present. Also present were: Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Secretary; Ms. Laura
Owens, Clerk; Mr. Cunniff, Mr. Draicchio, Mr. Franz, Mr. MacDonald, Mrs.
Morrissey, Mr. Mullaney, Mr. Mulvey, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Papile, Mrs. Pegg, Mrs.
Powers, Mrs. Roberts, Mr. Keith Segalla, City Solicitor Timmins, Ms. Todd; Ms.
Allison Cox, President, Quincy Education Association; Ms. Jill Gichuhi,
President of the Quincy Parent Advisory Council to Special Education and Mrs.
Tracey Christello, Citywide Parents’ Council Representative.
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Regular Meeting Minutes Approved 9/5/12
Mayor Koch made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Hubley, to approve the regular
session minutes for September 5, 2012. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.
Executive Session Minutes Approved
9/5/12
Mrs. Lebo made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Mahoney, to approve the executive
session minutes for September 5, 2012. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.
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Open Forum
As no one wished to be heard in Open Forum, the Committee went on with the
business at hand.
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Superintendent’s Report
Vice-Chair Isola introduced Mayor Koch who recognized Mrs. Nellie Dryer, who
recently retired from her position as the cafeteria manager at the Merrymount School
after thirty-four years as an Quincy Public Schools employee. Mrs. Pegg noted that
Mrs. Dryer was a student in the very first class at the Merrymount School,
was later a parent there, and then lunch matron and cafeteria manager.
Mayor Koch presented Mrs. Dryer with a certificate of recognition,
Mr. Bregoli spoke of his years as her colleage at Merrymount, and Ms. Isola
thanked her for her dedication. The Superintendent concluded by thanking
Mrs. Dryer for the culture she created at the Merrymount School and the
indelible mark she left on the community.
After a brief recess, Mayor Koch moved to take the agenda out of order and
move to Item IV, Old Business. Mrs. Lebo seconded the motion and on a voice,
vote, the ayes have it.
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Old Business
Park Department Update
Ms. Isola introduced Mrs. Kristin Powers, Director of Parks, who spoke about the
new Montclair Elementary School playground which was a joint venture between
Montclair School Centennial Committee and the Parks Department. Installation was
completed on the first day of school and further enhancements are planned including
tree planting, benches, and planters, as well as further opportunities to collaborate with
school. Mr. Paul Franz, Park Department Project Manager, spoke about the progress
on the track project: the asphalt installation is completed, the infield grass is
germinating, the fence around the perimeter is installed, and the contractor is finishing
up the field event locations. The eurothane rubber surface and striping are still to be
completed, along with interior fencing that separates viewers from competitors. There
are five weeks left on construction schedule; weather permitting, the completion date
is projected for October 19. Mayor Koch thanked Mr. Franz for his project
management and Gale Associates for keeping on schedule. Mayor Koch inquired
about signage warning about rules of usage on the track once it is open. Mr. Franz
replied that Gale Associates has provided reference materials from the recently
completed Weymouth track project so that similar signage can be developed for the
track. Mr. Bregoli asked about whether this will be a locked facility and Mr. Franz
clarified that the facility will be open and that there will be lighting for nighttime
safety. Mr. Bregoli also asked about whether the interior field could be used for
soccer and Mr. Franz said that the area is not wide enough. Mr. Bregoli inquired about
the track surface warranty and Mr. Franz confirmed it is seven years; the surface is an
upgrade from what was originally specified for the project due to a decrease in
materials costs.
Mrs. Powers then reviewed the progress made over the summer to address school
landscaping and school playgrounds, including replenishing playground safety
fiber at the elementary school playgrounds across the city to be ADA compliant.
In addition, the playing fields have been relined for fall sports. The FY2013
budget allows for two positions to be dedicated to the school grounds maintenance,
an increase from previous years. Mrs. Mahoney complimented the addition of the
wood chips at the playground, noting that it is a widely discussed issue; she then
inquired about the schedule for maintaining the school grounds and requested that
the schedule be shared with the School Committee. Ms. Isola complimented the
Parks Department work at all of the schools.
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Public Buildings Update
Mr. Kevin Murphy then presented on the projects completed by the Maintenance
Department over the summer. The talented staff from all building trades completed
many projects, including priority projects at Lincoln-Hancock, where classroom
walls were completed to create 12 classrooms and a computer lab on the second
floor. In the Lincoln-Hancock pool area, the floors in both the mens’ and women’s
locker rooms have been painted, and upgrades completed to the men’s shower area.
At the Squantum Elementary School, five classrooms have new tile floors,
including three with new subfloors. At the Parker School, the wall in front of the
school from Billings Road to Faxon Road is being re-mortared. At North Quincy
High School, the brick walkway in the front of the school has been replaced and
two computer labs (art and CAD/drafting) constructed. A fence was installed at the
bus yard; seven school parking lots were restriped in conjunction with the
Department of Public Works. Gym floors were sanded, relined, and
polyeurothaned at 5 schools, including Atherton Hough, Bernazzanni, Point
Webster, Wollaston, and Snug Harbor. Projects were completed at all schools, with
over 500 work orders closed out between June 1 and the opening of school.
Security issues are being collaborated on with Mr. Draicchio; ongoing
communication between Public Buildings and the schools are being maintained
with biweekly meetings.
Mr. McCarthy complimented the range of projects completed and asked about
Lincoln-Hancock pool heater issue. Mr. Murphy said that the rooftop heating unit
is still an issue, now under Mr. MacDonald’s supervision. Mr. McCarthy asked
about Mr. Draicchio’s lighting audit and prioritization of the work requested as it
relates to safety issues. Mr. Murphy agreed to keep Mr. McCarthy apprised of
progress. Dr. DrCristofaro noted mentioned Mr. Murphy’s ongoing involvement
with the School Improvement Plan presentations and the subsequent prioritization
and development of a maintenance plan. He thanked Mr. Murphy for all the work
completed over the summer.
Mr. Gary Cunniff, Director of Public Buildings then spoke of additional work
completed over the summer by the Public Buildings department. At the old
Quincy High School building, removal of hazardous materials is underway. Work
began in mid-summer, including removing flooring, wallboard, and insulation that
contained asbestos. Cabinets, lab fixtures, partitions were also removed. The
project is being completed at night, 3:30 pm to 3:30 am, not during school hours.
There is an outside consultant monitoring worker and public safety and
monitoring air quality on a daily basis. The project is about 75% completed, with
several weeks to go. Mr. McCarthy asked about street lights on property. Mr.
Cunniff noted that at this time, the fixtures will remain in place. The fencing will
be removed after the abatement is completed. Mr. McCarthy asked about whether
the building will be fenced in while the final disposition of the building is being
negotiated. Mr. Cunniff said it is not a specific requirement, but steps must be
taken to secure the building; he also clarified that during the summer, there were
two shifts working in the building, day and night.
Mrs. Mahoney asked for an update on the status of the negotiations about the
removal of the building. City Solicitor Timmins said that when the city received
the permit to build the new Quincy High School, there were constraints imposed in
the memorandum of understanding through the local historic commission, the state
historic commission, and the Army Corps of Engineers about demolishing the
existing building. Negotiations are underway at a local level and with the Army
Corps of Engineers, and are now moving onto the state level with a goal of
demolishing the building next summer. Mr. Cunniff noted that the abatement had
to be done no matter what the outcome of the negotiations. Mrs. Mahoney asked
about the cost for abatement; it is $1.2 million and carried as part of the Capital
Improvement Plan.
Mr. McCarthy requested a meeting with Mr. Cunniff and Mr. Santoro to address
any outstanding issues at new Quincy High School relating to warranteed items.
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Capital Improvement Plan
Mr. Cunniff then reviewed the Capital Improvement Plan, under which the 20 million
cubic feet of school buildings, and its protection from elements, the roofs and walls
are being addressed. Over the past fifteen months, fifteen of the twenty school
buildings have had some improvements to their roofs and masonry. The project is
substantially completed, with some punchlist items to be completed in the next
couple of weeks. At Atherton Hough, steel lintels were replaced and brickwork
repointed. Atlantic and Parker had masonry repairs. Bernazzani and the ECC had
metal roofs that required a seal coating. The Broad Meadows gym roof was repaired
and sealed. The GOALS building was completely re-roofed, as was LincolnHancock. Merrymount had extensive brickwork and mortar replacement; two
sections of Montclair’s roof were replaced. The original section of North Quincy
High School was re-roofed. Point Webster had repairs to the parapet; Sterling,
Squantum, and Wollaston all had sections of roofing replaced and Wollaston had
masonry repairs as well.
Mr. McCarthy complimented the list of completed projects, major construction
that the School Department could not find the money for over the years. Mr.
Cunniff thanked Wessling Architects for their support in getting the projects bid
out and monitoring progress and contractor performance. Mrs. Mahoney requested
that the building maps be updated to indicate completed in 2012 and to add dates
for the sections not completed in this project so the ages of the roofs can be
tracked. Mrs. Mahoney asked if the approximate costs for each roof could be
added to the chart as well.
Mr. Walter MacDonald then presented on the Montclair Elementary School
window replacement project. In the late 1970s or early 1980s, the school’s
original windows were replaced with windows containing a metal insert in the top
sash. The new windows have divided lights in the same style as the original
building windows. Basement windows will be a laminated safety glass with a
heavy duty screen for added security and hades will be purchased for all rooms.
The new windows have a 10-year warranty, reduce sound transmission and energy
loss, and have a film to screen sunlight. Heat within the rooms will be reflected
back, reduced ultraviolet light. Substantial energy savings are anticipated for this
building between the new windows and the roofing upgrades. At this time, 125
windows have been installed and 15 are in progress, with 75 left to complete. The
project will be substantially completed by October 6. Mr. MacDonald thanked Dr.
DeCristofaro and Principal Malvesti and Montclair School staff.
Mayor Koch expressed gratitude for Mr. Cunniff, Mr. MacDonald, and Mr.
Murphy for their collaboration across departments. The tremendous progress over
the summer is an indicator of the success of the reorganization; the primary focus
is still on the schools along with the other city buildings.
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Coddington Hall Update
Ms. Isola then introduced Mr. Robert Cala and Mr. Steve Wessling from Wessling
Architects; Mr. Cala shared a brief update on the status of the Coddington Hall
renovation project. Wessling Architects spent the summer working on the
building’s design and cited the cooperation of all the groups involved, specifically
the Superintendent’s Office, School IT, City IT, the Printing department and
Planning Department. At the same time, they were meeting with the Quincy
Historic Commission and the Building Department about ADA compliance.
Wessling Architects is currently creating the construction documents for the bid
process and are excited about the final design plan. The building exterior will be
restored based on original drawings from the original architect. The slate roof will
be restored, along with exterior masonry. New exterior lighting and landscaping will
be completed. For the interior, there will be brand new mechanical, electrical, and
fire safety systems. There will be new lighting and wall colors, but the interior
corridors and wainscoting will be retained. Interior office spaces will be modern and
convenient. Wessling Architects are working with the Purchasing department and
hoping to receive bids back by mid-November; this is a six-week bid process, so
bids will be sent out in early October. Mr. Wessling reiterated that the level of
cooperation has succeeded in moving the project along at a swift pace. Each
department has responded to requests for information in a timely manner and
everything is coming together smoothly.
Mr. McCarthy inquired about the timeline for beginning construction. Mr.
Wessling replied that if the bids are in order, bid review and approval would take
two to four weeks, with construction to begin in early January. The current
estimate is twelve to fifteen months for construction, so Summer 2014 for
occupancy.
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Superintendent’s Report (resumed)
Dr. DeCristofaro resumed his report by introducing Assistant Superintendent
Roberts, who spoke about the Professional Day that was held on September 6.
Over 800 teachers and professional staff were engaged system-wide in topics,
including the new Common Core State Standards, publisher inservices for new
programs in Math and Reading, and training on the new wellness standards. The
day was very well received and evaluations were very enthusiastic. Mrs. Roberts
noted that the staff felt that having the collaboration time at the beginning of the
year was definitely a positive.
Upcoming events include the Adams Historic Site movie premiere event at
Quincy High School on Friday, September 21 at 6:30 pm; the Professional
Teacher Status Reception for 47 staff members will be held on Thursday,
September 27; and Open Houses will be held at all of the schools over the course
of the next few weeks. Dates and times have been posted on the Quincy Public
Schools website, along with information about the extended day Music and Band
programs being offered. Dr. DeCristofaro noted that two Career and Technical
Education programs recently received approval from the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education: Fashion Technology and Criminal Justice.
Several new business partners are working with the Quincy Public Schools,
including the Alliance for a Healthier Generation working with the school sitebased and system-wide Wellness Teams, Baystate Textiles continuing their
partnerships with the school’s Parent-Teacher Organizations, and the Norfolk
County Reading Tutoring Program pilot just underway. Under the management
by Steward Healthcare, Quincy Medical Center is expanding their level of
partnership and will be invited to a School Committee meeting in October to be
recognized. Dr. DeCristofaro noted that the Centennial Celebration for the
Montclair Elementary School will be held on Saturday, October 20 and the
program will include a musical performance by the Grade 5 students and
memorabilia across the years of the school’s history. He reminded the School
Committee that there will be a Special School Committee meeting on Monday,
September 24 at 5:00 pm in the Gillooly Room of the NAGE Building.
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New Business
Mrs. Lebo requested that Athletic Director Rendle be invited to an upcoming School
Committee meeting to present on MIAA regulations.
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Overnight Travel
Mrs. Mahoney made a motion to approve the overnight travel of North Quincy
High School AFJROTC to Camp Edwards, Bourne, Massachusetts for
September 27-30, 2012. Mrs. Hubley seconded the motion and on a voice vote,
the ayes have it.
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Communications
Mrs. Mahoney requested adding the high school sports schedules to the website
and requested an update on the request for assistance in securing the relocation
of a bus stop along Sea Street that was addressed to the School Committee.
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Adjournment
On a motion by Mrs. Lebo, seconded by Mrs. Hubley, the School Committee
went into Executive Session at 8:55 p.m. for Collective Bargaining. On a roll call
vote, the ayes have it 7-0. The School Committee did not return to Open Session.