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South Kingstown School Committee Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
South Kingstown High School Cafeteria
215 Columbia Street
Wakefield, RI 02879
Attendees - voting members
Roland Benjamin – Chair
Stephen (Scott) Mueller - Vice Chair
Michelle Brousseau
Emily Cummiskey
Kate Macinanti
Raissa Mosher
Absent voting Members
Alycia Collins
Attendees - other
Kristen Stringfellow, Superintendent
Pauline Lisi, Assistant Superintendent
Maryanne Crawford, CFO
David Abbott – Legal Counsel
Joseph Cooper – Legal Counsel
7:00 PM - Call to Order
Call to Order
Roland Benjamin called the October 9, 2018 school committee meeting to order at 7:06 PM.
Chair - Agenda review
Mr. Benjamin reviewed the evening’s agenda.
Delegation
Teresa Eagan - A.R.I.A.S.E. RI Special Education Administrator of the Year 2018
Teresa Eagan was recognized for being selected as the 2018 RI Special Education Administrator of the Year.
Superintendent's Report
A. Meeting Calendar
Dr. Stringfellow reviewed the meeting calendar.
B. SK Insights
Dr. Stringfellow shared the high school vision Insights featuring Principal Mezzanotte.
C. Spotlight: Career and Technical Education
SKHS Principal Mezzanotte, SKHS AP Finkelstein, and STEM Director McGair reviewed the HS CTE programs. Current pathways were based on SK teacher enthusiasm and the RI Governor’s Workforce Board of high interest and high demand RI jobs. Marketing of the CTE programs is planned. Internships are in the student’s senior year. SK Connects App is about to launch. It connects high school students and teachers with the community partners. Students need 80 hours of work-based learning, and community groups and businesses can post available work while students and teachers can post available projects.
D. Monthly Student and Employee Recognition
Dr. Stringfellow recognized SKHS student Olivia Santucci with the “You Inspire Me!” Award and pinned her with her student pin that she would wear at graduation. Dr. Stringfellow recognized Jennifer DeFeo with the “Key is Me!” Award for teaching excellence, and Patricia Masson for the “I Make a Difference” Award for support personnel.
E. Enrollment (unofficial) as of October 1, 2018
Dr. Stringfellow reviewed the enrollment.
F. Thank you SKSC for your service to our educational community!
Dr. Stringfellow thanked the School Committee for their service. The SC voting record, attendance record, committee work and their fulfillment of the legal required of six hours of professional development on being a school committee member was provided at the meeting.
G. Parking/Traffic Update at PDES
Maryanne Crawford, CFO, gave a briefing to the School Committee. A Civil Engineer will present at the 10/23/18 SC Work Session.
H. Sandy Hook Promise
Karen Murphy, SEL Coach, gave a briefing on the Sandy Hook Promise Program being instituted in SK.
I. Class Sizes
Dr. Stringfellow shared class sizes K-12.
J. Financial Update
K. Accept the Superintendent's Report
MSV (1) move to accept and place on file the Superintendent's report.
Motion made by: Stephen (Scott) Mueller
Motion seconded by: Michelle Brousseau
Vote: Unanimously Approved
Consent Agenda
A. Approval of Open Session Minutes - Meetings of 9/11/18 and 9/25/18
B. Approval of Executive Session Minutes - Meeting of 9/11/18
C. Personnel Actions
D. Bid Award - #2385 Clear Touch Interactive Boards
E. Home Schooling Request(s)
F. Field Trip Approval - SKHS
G. Field Trip Approval - CCMS
H. Approval of Fundraisers
I. Approve Consent Agenda
Dr. Stringfellow reviewed the consent agenda. Maryanne Crawford pulled Carnival Night at Wakefield School from the list of Fundraisers (item H).
MSV (2) move to approve the Consent Agenda as amended.
Motion made by: Michelle Brousseau
Motion seconded by: Raissa Mosher
Vote: Unanimously Approved
Comments from the Community
A. Comments from the Community
There were no community comments at that point of the meeting.
School Committee Business
A. Second Reading/Adoption of Policies-Revision to Early College, Dual and Concurrent Enrollment Policy (8445); Immigration Policy; and Fundraising Policy
Joseph Cooper and Chip McGair briefed the School Committee on the revised Early College, Dual and Concurrent Enrollment Policy.
MSV (3) move to approve the Revision to Early College, Dual and Concurrent Enrollment Policy.
Motion made by: Stephen (Scott) Mueller
Motion seconded by: Michelle Brousseau
Vote: Unanimously Approved
Joseph Cooper briefed the School Committee on the Immigration (Campus Safety) Policy.
Community Comments on this topic
Veronika Kot, SK Immigration Task Force, supported the policy as amended. She thanked each School Committee member for their time and for listening. With this policy each and every child will be welcome in our school. She endorsed this policy and stated that she would like to see it adopted ASAP.
Tia Beckman, SK Immigration Task Force, supported the policy and shared other information on training ideas and operational components, including language on forms.
MSV (4) move to approve the Immigration Policy as written.
Motion made by: Stephen (Scott) Mueller
Motion seconded by: Kate Macinanti
Vote: Unanimously Approved
David Abbott briefed the School Committee on the Fundraising Policy.
MSV (5) move to approve the Fundraising Policy
Motion made by: Michelle Brousseau
Motion seconded by: Stephen (Scott) Mueller
Vote: Unanimously Approved
B. Appointment of Community Members to Transportation Sub-committee
MSV (6) move to appoint Tara Schold and Carrie Brown to the Transportation Sub-committee.
Motion made by: Raissa Mosher
Motion seconded by: Stephen (Scott) Mueller
Vote: Unanimously Approved
C. P2P (Peer to Peer Depression Awareness Program) Survey Approval
MSV (7) move approve the P2P survey.
Motion made by: Raissa Mosher
Motion seconded by: Emily Cummiskey
Vote: Unanimously Approved
D. Computer Science Survey Approval
MSV (8) move approve the Computer Science survey.
Motion made by: Raissa Mosher
Motion seconded by: Michelle Brousseau
Vote: Unanimously Approved
E. Committee Updates
Legislation-Michelle Brousseau-Nothing to report
Transportation Committee-Kate Macinanti reported that the second meeting had been attended by Maria Parrillo, Kate, and one community member. There was robust discussion on a transportation FAQ for the community.
Building Committee -Raissa Mosher reported that the committee had met at the high school and toured the building because there were many members of the Building Committee who had never been in the high school or who had not been there for a number of years. Pauline Lisi led the meeting with videos of state of the art high schools. It was eye opening for Building Committee members. Ms. Mosher reported that community member Melissa Towle is a great asset to the Building Committee. She has lots of inspirational and functional ideas about current pathway spaces being flexible enough to hold future pathways not yet thought of. The tour included the allied health room, auditorium, cafeteria and gym. The Committee then reviewed the MS Ed Specs. The Building Committee is scheduled to tour BRMS in two weeks. Next the Building Committee will review outline plans and artist renderings of the HS and MS, safety improvements, and PDES parking lot renovations. The Building Committee is developing a FAQ document.
Contingency Committee -Roland Benjamin and Emily Cummiskey reported that the Committee discussed major employers, URI and SC Hospital, and that they hoped to get representatives of those employers to attend the next meeting. There was an information request submitted to them on demographics and new hires. Demographer Matt Cropper is scheduled to SKYPE in to an upcoming meeting.
Wellness Committee -Kate Macinanti described the RIHSC (RI Healthy Schools Coalition) breakfast with 400 other RI school members. She stated it was cool to see how we compare to the rest of RI. October 23rd is the next meeting of the Wellness Committee. Ms. Macinanti stated that it is wonderful that there is so much interest from parents and community members. Raissa Mosher remarked that in the early years when she was the Wellness chair, they were discussing vegetables as food choices; she observed how far we have come.
SELAC-Roland Benjamin-nothing to report until next meeting as SELAC only meets quarterly.
Crisis Committee-Raissa Mosher- nothing to report.
Comments from Committee Members
Emily Cummiskey thanked Rob Mezzanotte and the pathway team. She stated that she had worked on CCRI accreditation, and it was a lot of work. She also thanked Mrs. Crawford for her efforts with the PDES parking lot.
Raissa Mosher also commented on the exciting high school programs, and thanked the teachers district-wide. She stated it is exciting to see the facilities improvements matching up to the modern lessons of our teachers, break out spaces for group work and project work.
Kate Macinanti spoke about the SKHS Open House the prior week, and the excitement and energy there was this year compared to previous years. The excitement from teachers and parents is palpable. Science classes have rolling chairs and tables that move. Teacher excitement is high. The positive energy from Rob Mezzanotte and Shivali Finkelstein was impressive. She stated that she is hopeful we will keep the momentum going.
Scott Mueller remarked that he is ending his 26th year on South Kingstown School Committee, which gives him lots of perspective. He stated that this has been a well-functioning School Committee with diverse opinions on substantive issues. He has thoroughly enjoyed working with each and every School Committee member, and he is impressed by what this group has accomplished. He feels that they have served the community of South Kingstown well, and it has been his pleasure to work with everyone.
Roland Benjamin thanked the community for their confidence.
Adjournment
A. Adjourn meeting
MSV (9) move to adjourn at 9:28 PM.
Motion made by: Kate Macinanti
Motion seconded by: Raissa Mosher
Vote: Unanimously Approved
Respectfully submitted,
Kristen Stringfellow