Notes provided by: Joan Axel

School Committee Meeting 2/10/04

Attending: Karen Tassone; Marilyn Bisbicos, Rob Adelson, Kay Donovan, Suzanne Owayda; Paul Schlichtman, Sue Sheffler, Jeff Thielman; Joani LaMachia, Barbara Goodman

Public Participation: No requests

EdNets Presentation: R Trembowicz

• Arlington Schools website has expanded a little since the last Ed Nets contact but not much
  • Sparse information
  • High School site has small text; limited graphic design; limited club sites (only two clubs have pages)
• EdNets would set up and maintain website (e.g. getting school committee notes on line)
• Sponsor merchants would offer rebates (2-10% of each purchase) to school for sales to member families
• Arlington would also receive 50% of Promotional Revenue (ads on website)
• How the EdNets rebate program works: Members register (enroll) a credit card and each time they charge an item at a sponsor store, that purchase is tracked and school gets 2-10% rebate on the sale.
• Estimate of $1 million Rebate with EdNets Rebate Program
• Charge school system a Website subscription fee but it is paid to EdNets out of rebates. No up front charges. Estimate $900/month in expenses on sponsor products or about $17/month per member ; No out of pocket investment for Arlington; costs would be deducted from rebates
• Efficient websites would reduce paper, increase parent participation, faculty productivity
• Sponsor information is blocked from students
• Have to encourage people in community to join; more participation is more appealing to sponsors
• One time registration; no fee; no purchasing of unwanted products
• Would seek both national and local merchants to be sponsors
• EdNets would train faculty to use technology
• Target 1.6 members per student in system (e.g. parents, employees, other interested parties)
• Each school would need to provide two contact people to maintain site

Question and Answer period:

• Q: How many schools do you have contracts with?
  A: Negotiating currently with North Reading, Mansfield, Pentucket, Melrose; no established contracts;

• Q: How many school do you need to be profitable?
  A: Need to have about 20 school districts
• Q: Who else is using this model?
  A: No other companies are using this model
• Q: Our website would be tied to your business. How do we know you will succeed?
  A: Arlington can see the business plan; community would have a hand in the success by enrolling participants; you would own the data even if the business fails
• Q: Could you explain communication component of this program, which was explained to the Budget Subcommittee but not at this meeting?
  A: Web technology would allow you to communicate with teachers, allow teachers to communicate to parents and students and vise versa.; would allow you to disseminate information to the community; easier to engage more parent and student participation in the school system.. Everybody in school community can have access to the website regardless of whether they sign up.

ACE Recognition

• Goals of the fund-raising this year was reached:
  • To provide a bridge in troubled time
  • Keep the program going because it is valuable
  • Keep the personnel “in the system” so the program can continue when monies are restored
• Nancy Kraskow thanks school committee and encourages them to keep funding the program
• Student perspective: Nathan Cubeta: Provided something to look forward to each week; enjoyed the literary magazine; enjoyed “Ace Fridays”

Superintendent's Report

• Dallin cleanup (Joanne Gurry; Rob Adelson) Great synergy between Arlington Police; Environmental cleanup crews and custodian’s vigilance (he noticed and reported the leak quickly). There was oil everywhere, in the building, in the streets, in the driveways. Were assured it could be cleaned up by end of the day and it was. Parents received a letter the next day. Pushed the oil company to do air testing, etc. to insure safety of school before reopening. Everything is useable. This was not due to the structural problems with the building (it was a spill that occurred when the tank was being filled). Hoping to recover the cost from the responsible party
• Report on SBAB Legislation & Lt. Governors Meeting (Kay)
  • Governor is proposing change of legislation in how school buildings are funded. Legislation would fund all the projects by FYO9; Dallin and Peirce would be paid by ’07. Money for completed schools would be put in escrow account and Arlington would pay costs out of that account. Amount state will provide (37%) won’t change.
  • Bill will be requiring that each building has a project manager, which Arlington does
  • Bill will request a change in the sub-bid legislation so that contractor could choose the bidder and then contractor is responsible rather than school having to choose the lowest bidder for each subcontract and then have to deal with subcontractor for problems which occur; with new legislation, contractor would be responsible for quality of sub
  • If schools overrun expected costs (because of delays in construction) state will consider cost of overruns on a case by case basis
  • If legislation passes (sub-bidder portion, in particular) it may suggest it is advisable to start Dallin construction after the legislation passes
  • Lt. governor does not expect increase in special ed. circuit breaker
  • State is considering requiring charter schools to meet the same standards and services as public schools.
• Permanent Town Budget Committee
  • They are up to the “ final punch list” on the Peirce
  • Finalizing the Dallin plans now and will take them out to bid for mid-March
  • PTBC would prefer to demolish Dallin in winter and build in spring but is harder for school administration; Kay would prefer they leave in June and assume they will return in two years and, if necessary, demolition could wait until winter. ? Consensus on School Committee would like to recommend that the Dallin time-line go ahead rather than waiting to see if legislation passes

Secretary’s Report

Approval of minutes 12/9 & 1/13

Budget

• Warrant approved (6 approved; 1 abstain—conflict of interest)
• Preliminary budget; Suzanne asks approval to send it to Finance Committee
• 2/23 Budget subcommittee meeting
• 2/24 Working meeting on Special Education
• 3/15 Budget committee will entertain questions on line items
• 3/23 Review of line items
• 4/1 Review of final budget
• Kay summarizes budget:
  • $32,385,292 based on assumption that Dallin will be closed for the full year;
  • also assumes successful resolution of contracts;
  • assumes re-hiring of positions previously discussed;
  • special ed. overruns will be paid by circuit breaker revolving account;
  • increases in energy expenses will be paid by revolving account.
• Kay reports they are looking to replace retirements with Master’s , Step 5 (will avoid having to pay for Master’s courses for entry level teachers and will allow for some more experienced staff)
• Brief discussion of budget:
  • Q: Why decrease in estimated revenue from sports fees, despite increase in fees?
    A:There will be loss from closing of Peirce field
• Q: Why increase in Athletic Director’s cost?
  A: He will not be able to teach Social Studies next year because he will have to be arranging to be moving students around to away games, etc. due to renovation of Peirce field
• Q: Request to include more information about where grant moneys are distributed?
  A: Will do
• Q: Not clear about circuit breaker monies
  A: State promised 75% but we budgeted that we would have to pay a larger proportion of the sp.ed. fees, which turned out to be true. They first offered 27% and then gave 35%. Whatever monies came in from the circuit breaker that was above expected amount was put into a revolving account which can be used for future overruns.

Community Relations

• Subcommittee met with SPOT regarding TM warrant article.
• Set up guidelines for a redistricting task force:
  • Should be inclusive
  • Rob Adelson and Steve Mazzola will be working with committee to communicate information about decisions and activity
  • Will have representatives from each school (will speak with Principals about the best process for selecting representatives)
  • Recommending that one school committee member serve as a liason with one school (but not buy-in yet)
  • First meeting 2/11
  • Barbara Goodman and Sue Sheffler will serve on the task force. Marty Thrope gets added to the group

One member objects to the idea that a task force was set up without the decision of the school Committee. Motion to establish as task force is proposed and accepted.

Warrant article will be introduced to town meeting by SPOT re: towns commitment to uality of staff, funding for schools, etc.. Move to endorse the warrant. All endorse.

Superintendent Search

Move to establish a subcommittee to decide on a procedure for superintendent search:

• To establish time line
• Decide whether to use a search firm
• Coordinate a process for selection

All endorse. Adjourn.

SPOT offers these notes as a service to the community.
SPOT is an organization of concerned parents and community members who are interested in full, equitable and sound financing of our public education.
We regret any errors and omissions.