MINUTES OF
KEY COMMUNICATORS MEETING
MONDAY, May 22, 2006

Present:            Joe Luongo, Donna Wipper, Connie Doheny, Josephine Ciocia, Lisa Hodulik, Lizz Nuzzo, Lynn Nilsson,Ana Mastropietro, Mary Nicoletti, Theresa Gasparino, Cathy Meseck, Kathy Iapelli, Lynn Nilsson, Marilyn Bowen, Linda Condal, Ellen Connors, Lisa Traina

Joe Luongo opened the meeting at 7:33 PM.

District:
Depken Field Project – Mr. Luongo stated that Ron Kistner would like people to attend the Mayor and Council meeting on May 23rd.  They will approve the sale of property and the field.  The sale of the property alone will not cover the cost of the new field.  Private donations and corporate sponsors will be needed. 

Budget Cuts - The Board of Education will be voting to keep in place the hiring of a full time language arts teacher.  The reductions will be as follows:  3/5   music teacher (there are 2 music teachers in high school and choral music will still be offered), reduce special education aides, reduce subordinate clerical aides.  There will be one clerical aid per building with each receiving 12.5 hours a week.  Board will monitor clerical aides to see if the reduction in hours is workable. Special education aides will be reduced by seniority per HHEA.

2007—08 Budget - There will definitely be an adverse effect on next year’s budget.  It will be very difficult to continue offering all courses, to keep all personnel and stay within cap. Mr. Luongo foresees a special question just to get cap.  He will put the special questions regarding moving of the offices next year.  He will reactive the PASS committee and PTA’s to help pass the budget next year.  Mr. Luongo checked the county records and 15% of the people living in district and working for the Board of Education did not vote.  Also, 50% of certain groups in school did not even vote.  When these areas are cut, the people complain.  However, they show no interest in the school budget by not voting.  Mr. Luongo has no problems cutting or making cuts in these programs.

He will try to have achievement nights at the elementary schools next year.  There is some movement in legislation that if a school budget comes under cap the voters do not have to vote on the budget; the budget is automatically approved by county.  There is also some talk of opening polls at 7AM and possibly moving the election to the month of November.  Again, these issues are just in the talking stages by the legislation.

High School:
Band Trip – The band camping trip has been approved pending that the band can get a nurse to accompany the trip.  

Middle School: 
Science trip - The 7th grade camping trip will be held this month.  A nurse has volunteered to attend the trip.

A parent questioned that with budget cuts are any of these overnight trips in jeopardy of being eliminated.  Mr. Luongo informed us that the Board has eliminated non education trips during school time except for senior week.  These cuts should not affect any trips.  The 8th grade trip for next year is not in jeopardy.

Elementary Schools:
Classrooms -   There are a number of classrooms that need to be moved at both schools because the room is too small for next year’s enrollment.  This is calculated by the total square footage of the room and the number of people in the room
.
Kindergarten Classes – There will be 3 classes at Lincoln and 2 at Euclid for next year.  The numbers at this time are 48 Euclid and 56 Lincoln.

Relocation of offices- This will be a special question next year.

General Discussion:
A parent questioned why the gate on Oak Grove is not opened during games.  Mr. Luongo informed the parent to contact Mr. Bellino to find our why it is closed.  Note:  Mr. Luongo spoke to Mr. Bellino who stated it was closed for safety – hill.

The Board will be interviewing for the 9th board member.  There are six candidates and two of which are former board members.  If the interviewing process and discussion is completed in time for the Board meeting, the vote will take place at the May’s meeting.  A parent found it insulting to the voters to have former Board member who was not voted back into office to even be considered for the position.

There will be a revised first reading of a policy for Non residents/ residents.  There is a parent’s appeal process that was added to this policy.

There will be a revised first reading of Discipline/punishment policy for clarification of off campus misconduct punishment.

There will be a first reading of Naming of Schools & School Facilities policy.  There were several facilities that are in the policy that can not be renamed.  They are Depken Field, Hitchcock Field, Eglow Media Center and Keifer Auditorium.  There is now a process in place if you wish to nominate a facility for renaming.  This policy is to ensure that this does not become a political arena.

A parent brought a concern forward they received concerning fundamentals of algebra.  How does a student get out of fundamentals of algebra and into a regular math class?  This student is a solid B student and is not being moved into geometry for the next school year.  Parent was informed that parents can sign a waiver to put their child into geometry.  However, the child regardless of their grade must stay in the geometry class for the entire year.

The sixth grade books for Social Studies will be approved at this month’s board of education meeting.
 
There was an air conditioner accepted for Euclid as a donation.

The Board had to release a custodian at Lincoln on Friday, May19th due to job performance.  They also withheld an increment of a custodian at Lincoln. The coaches and non tenure teachers will be hired back on May 19th.

Several parents questioned why Middle School field day can not be changed from Thursday, June 8th to Monday, June 12th.  Their reason for request is that Lincoln School has field trips for grades K, 3, 4, and 5 that day and many parents who are scheduled to help with middle school field day with not be able to since they are chaperones on elementary school trips.  Mr. Luongo explained that this  day  corresponds with the  day for high school students for Youth Week.   Also that night is the Senior Prom and the girls usually take a half-day of school and seniors usually take the next day off of school; therefore June 9th is our snow day.  Also 8th grade parents can have the whole day to decorate the gym for the dance.

Next meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 25, 2006 at 7:30 PM. 
Meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM.
Minutes submitted by Donna Wipper.