School Committee Votes For New Volunteer Policy

It took four meetings, lots of debate and plenty of input from Coventry school administrators, teachers, the school committee, parents and the general public.

But the Coventry School Committee finally voted 3-1, on Tuesday night to adopt a policy on specific guidelines, procedures and expectations for volunteers who work “on an occasional or regular basis” with students in Coventry schools.

“There is only one change from the last policy we proposed,” said Superintendent Michael Convery. “Instead of an annual BCI check for a volunteer, the required BCI will remain on file within the school and will be updated when the student(s) of the volunteer changes school levels.” 

“I just don’t know why we can not do an annual BCI check for each volunteer,” said Judith Liner, District 5 member, who cast the only dissenting vote on the matter.

Convery also proposed having prospective volunteers register in person at an Open House held by each school and to pay $5 for the BCI process. But it was suggested other options should be available, including allowing prospective volunteers to register at the School Administration building. So that process he proposed will be revised, said Convery.

“We can only safeguard our students to a certain point,” said School Committee Chairperson, Katherine Patenaude, of the new policy on school volunteers. “This is a lot better than we had before and the public will be much happier that we did something.”

Pension Reform Measure

Pension reform remains a hot topic for towns as Robin Pelletier, Coventry School’s Finance Director, said Coventry taxpayers are facing a $3 million increase in taxes to pay for pension adjustments if something is not done to minimize the expected large growth in payments next year.

But Kelly Erinakes, President of the Coventry Teacher Alliance, made an impassioned plea to the committee not to sign on to the pension reform movement that would affect so many state employees. Suspension or delay of COLA adjustments are among the proposed changes. “I am insulted and livid that no one has read the 202-page report,” she said to the committee. “I am surprised you have not come up with an alternative.”

Erinakes cited many reasons not to support pension reforms that might be considered, especially if teachers would be required to work an additional 19 years, or to age 67, to collect full pension benefits. “It would triple health-care for teachers who would have to work into their 60s or for a total of 46 years. Teachers in smaller towns also do not have Social Security like they do in the larger cities like Providence, Cranston and Warwick.”

Liner and Commitee member Thomas Hetherman expressed the most reservations about supporting the measure and the committee agreed unanimously to table the matter and discuss it later.

Johnson Controls Energy Saving Plan

After a lengthy discussion and presentation by Kathy Stanley, Account Executive for Johnson Controls, the committee unanimously agreed, 4-0, to table a proposed agreement with the company to sign a performance contract for energy saving measures even after Johnson Controls had executed a comprehensive energy audit.

Committee members and school administrators were concerned roofs and boilers were not included in the project.

If two bonds were passed, $5 million for a performance contract and a $10 million bond for town-wide improvements, the town would pay $2.5 million a year for up to 20 years or more for this energy-efficiency project.

The Johnson Controls company report- over 400 pages long with a CD, too- indicated the project would result in $2,560,930 in facility improvements. “It would save over $200,000 a year in energy savings guaranteed by JCI,” said Stanley. “It can be funded by bond or lease. It does not need a tax increase or budget increase, but is funded from savings.”

Hetherman wanted to know a lot more about the bidding process. “Is the payback worth it?” he asked Stanley. “I want to know what is being put to bid before we vote on anything. Maybe we can pay for something that will give energy savings for a quarter of what you are proposing.”

“We are looking at having a referendum on roof and boilers, energy-saving measures and new athletic fields,” said Superintendent Convery.

“We are not prepared to make a decision on this tonight,” concluded Patenaude. “We still need roofs and I think we ought to let the citizens of Coventry talk about this and decide in a referendum. What happens if the roofs continue to leak and destroy some of the equipment that was upgraded?"

CPEF Equipment

The Coventry Public Education Fund will be making a series of presentations on Phonic Phones at the five elementary schools. They have .

Career Center Tuition

The fee structure for tuition rates for career and tech students will remain the same after the committee unanimously adopted the measure not to increase tuition.

Administrator/Educator Evaluation Plans

Assistant Superintendent Michael Erinakes made a half-hour Power Point presentation on Administrator/Educator Evaluation: Student Learning Objectives. The process is gradually being implemented to comply with the Race to the Top Performance Initiative as the result of a $75 million grant in 2010 by the U.S. Dept. of Education awarded to the Rhode Island Department of Education to improve schools.

“This evaluates students and teachers not just from a one-day test, but monitors student growth, progress and mastery over time,” he said. “The student learning objectives would be based on data that would meet a school’s specific needs. And this is just one small piece of the evaluation system.”

Substance Abuse Prevention

Convery discussed the reaction to the new Substance Abuse Prevention policy that will be implemented in schools. “Instead of suspending a student who has been caught taking drugs, we will now try to treat and counsel every student with drug problems and enforce the existing school rules,” he said. “Awareness of this issue (by adults) is huge, not just for your children, but for the children of a neighbor.”

“We will be having a presentation for the community on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 at the Coventry HS Auditorium when former students and families tell what they went through with over-the-counter prescription drugs,” said Convery.

School District Enrollment Report

Student enrollment has remained “relatively steady” and has increased by just one, noted Convery. “We have made some adjustments in grade three and five due to increased enrollment in those grades.”

The next School Committee meeting is scheduled for Fri., Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at Coventry High School.

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