Franklin Matters

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

School Committee Meeting 11/18/08

The collection of posts for the School Committee meeting of 11/18/08

went to meeting without laptop power cord and both batteries eventually ran dry leaving me to report the remainder of the meeting the old fashioned way (Note to self, if you are going to bring an extension cord, it would really be helpful to have the power cord itself!)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Information matters

Superintendents report

Information matters
Enrollment report, one item of significance, 154 more 8th graders than seniors, will increase HS population next year

Complexion of student body changing over time

Did fight in court to prevent student from coming to FHS instead of King Phillip
Will cost several thousands, final number not yet available
Residence of student changed from Franklin to Wrentham, decision was upheld

Cafasso
commenting on the student enrollment projections, we now have 3 differnt student enrollment projections, where we are is actually in the middle of those projections

Action items

Action Items

I recommend acceptance of a check for $83.03 from Target’s Take Charge of Education Program for Remington Middle School for classroom supplies. unanimous
I recommend acceptance of the gift of folding chairs and chair truck and 4 overhead projectors from Resh, Inc. valued at $3,276.00 for the Davis Thayer Elementary School. unanimous
I recommend approval of the recurring field trip for the FHS Wrestling Team to Greenbush, NY for a meet from 12/26 to 12/27/08. unanimous
I recommend approval of the recurring field trip for the FHS Wrestling Team to Salem, NH for a meet on 12/23/08. unanimous
I recommend approval of the recurring field trip for the FHS Wrestling team to Warwick, RI for a meet on 1/17/09. unanimous

Re-org of school committee

Re-org of school committee

nomination of Roy for chair, seconded, vote was unanimous
nomination of Mullen for vice-chair, vote was unanimous

special municipal relief commission

Letter from Vallee
“special municipal relief commission”
Looking at other ways to generate revenue and cost cutting options

Added to agenda for next week

Financial Planning Committee 2010 model

This will be the input for the model Thursday at the Financial Planning Committee meeting

Financial model, initially based upon no increase in services, then if you have needs and would add, what would your priorities be? Roberta, Matt, Wayne and Miriam will be presenting on Thursday evening

Salaries and benefits account for 83% of the model

3.2M increase, salaries biggest driver

2008 was the peak for school choice students and associated revenue

Picked 2006 as the year to return to, most justifiable

Looking for apples to apples numbers, teachers based upon enrollment, less maintenance, SPED, since 2006 what have we learned we can live without, or that we really need?

We need to think strongly of where we should be going, this model does not reflect our feelings at this point.

“Went from planning on going from good to great to talking about pockets of greatness”

Capital needs - textbooks

Capital need for instructional services – Michelle Kingsland Smith

Tried to get a text book line item into the operating budget and have not been able to do so
Hence requesting from the capital funds, books at all grade levels
Either an increase in enrollment, more students than books, or outdated books, some 10 years old; for example, the US History II textbooks end with the Vietnam War

Heavily into professional development with new reading program
$150,000 covers various grade levels

Honor students got vocabulary books, College Placement students did not get one
Books were prioritized, it is a struggle

Do you need an endorsement vote from the School Committee?
I think that would be great

Electronic text books? CDs.