School Committee to Meet Once a Month, Passes on Starting School Late

In her first official School Committee meeting as superintendent, made several recommendations.

The meeting was held at the Library Thursday evening.

Krizic’s first recommendation was to ask the school committee to issue a Request for Proposal or RFP for an electronic Web-based governance system.

The system would basically be a depository and archive for any and all information involving the school committee and the school administration.

It would contain minutes from meetings, information, back-up document packets used to inform committee members on issues before them and possible videos of each meeting. The information could be viewed from anywhere 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“This would improve communication, governance and understanding as well as reduce paper cost and Mrs. Cofield’s time working on preparing for the meetings,” stated Krizic.

Patti Cofield is the administrative assistant to the superintendent.

The committee members spoke in favor of this idea.

“I’m in support of this,” said School Committee Chairperson Cynthia S. Perrotti.

Committee member David D. Croston also said he supported it, but had concerns that names on the minutes could be compromised.

Krizic said he had noting to worry about.

“Everything and anything we do is already in the public,” she said.

At present, the administration’s cost for paper and administrative tasks to record meetings are about $9,000 to $11,000 per year, according to the school committee.

The cost for the Web-based depository/archive would between $3,000 and $14,000 depending on features and what company the committee decided to contract with, if any.                                                                                                                                                                          Committee Meeting Schedule Changes

In what she said was a “spirit of transparency,” Krizic asked that the school committee decide on a fixed schedule for its 2011-2012 school year meetings.

She suggested that the full school committee meet only once per month instead of the current biweekly meetings. She also said the venue should be consistent.

She suggested the PHS library be the permanent chosen venue as it has Wi-Fi and laptops on hand.

As of now, the Town Council chambers at Town Hall is the preferred meeting location for the school committee, but it does not have Wi-Fi capabilities.  

The reason for selecting the library as the permanent venue she explained was that, when the town council needs to change their meeting days because of a Monday holiday, the school committee is denied access to the chamber for their meetings.

Also, explained Krizic, it would give “predictability.”

In the end, the vote was 5-0 to have the full committee meet on the forth Tuesday of the month with a permanent venue to be announced.

The second Tuesday of the month would be reserved for the subcommittees to meet.

Members Angela Volpicelli and Marilyn King were absent.

No Late Start Days

Citing that for the 2011-2012 school years would have an “impact on families,” Krizic said she would be reexamining the issue later this year or in the spring.

Late Start Days were proposed earlier this year as a way for teachers to receive ongoing training and support, but without students having to miss school days.

The school committee accepted her suggestion.

Plan to Move Retirees to Medicare

The school committee voted 5-0 to develop a transitional plan to move retirees from the town’s health insurance to Medicare effective Dec. 1.

Currently, non-certified employees are covered on the town’s health insurance for six years past retirement. Certified retirees are covered for six to nine years past retirement.

“This would lead to a positive impact on our post employment financials,” stated Finance Director Mark Dunham.

Appointment of New Staff

There were nine new appointments of staff.

Daniel Cotton was appointed student and school support coordinator at Hathaway School.

Natalie Andrus was appointed student and school support coordinator at Melville School.

These two positions are considered new.

The position of student and school support coordinator, according to Krizic, is to ensure continuity in each school and to each student when the Principal is out of the building as they are so often.

This position will deal with diagnostic and crisis intervention and will be the “go to” person when the chief administrator is out.

Both Cotton and Andrus hold psychology degrees as the position requires.

Both were hired on the NEA pay scale at a step four pay rate.

 Also appointed were;

• Lisa Zabel, PHS science teacher
• Shaun Horgan, PHS computer applications teacher
• Chris Dolos, PHS science teacher
• Hannah Farrell, PMS Grade 6 science/robotics teacher
• Morgan Curtis, PMS special education
• Diane Sheehan, Melville art teacher
• Jennifer Amaio, Hathaway general school aid

2011-2012 Tuition Rate Set

The general education rate was set at $13,154 by the school committee. This is a baseline for each student and helps assists with funding formulas for the District.