AGENDA
Site Council – Maria Hastings Elementary
Meeting
Kris Spriano, Dan Strollo, Patty McLaughlin, Jane
Attendance:
Kalinski, Anne Knight, Debbie Krasnow, Sheila Kaspik,
Lisa Clough, Miranda Clarke, Louise Lipsitz
Date
Monday, January 27th, 2014
Time
7:45 am – 8:30 am
Location
Agenda
Library, Maria Hastings Elementary, 7 Crosby Road,
Lexington, MA
1. Welcome and introductions
2. Approval of last meeting’s minutes:
(postponed until minutes located on server; minutes
sent to council members via email )
3. Update on the recent Statement of Interest
submission:
 There are seven options upon which to base
need. Louise working with Pat Goddard, Director
of Facilities, and Paul Ash, Superintendent, based
our statement on: severe overcrowding district
wide and special education programming.
Document discussed inadequacies of building –
space for various programs. Our 20-page
document submitted when window opened after
being approved by School Committee and Board
of Selectmen.
 Every proposal triggers a visit from the state;
window opens until mid April; document is on
school website; work of site council around space
and number of cars daily at school was very
helpful in creating document;
 Hastings PTA will bring school committee
members and Dr. Ash here in March to discuss
numbers across the district and offer community
input; we can add Site Council to be part of that
meeting as well
4. School Budget: update and next steps:
 Proposed budget will be discussed tomorrow
night Sat Feb 1st Diamond Middle School
 Level service budget with positive additions; our
budget has not been cut; some positions have
shifted -- .5 special education chair shifted to full
time in each building which offers more
opportunity for parent connection, special
education support for teachers, and a third full
time administrator to support the leadership of
the building
 Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
in three buildings, including Hastings, will shift to
full time Occupational Therapists who will do the
assessing and provide the service to the children.
 Same number of teacher sections, 21 classrooms
this year and next year
6. School Improvement Plan: update – interim briefing
to the Superintendent:
 MacBook Airs were distributed to all classroom
teachers and assistant principal;
 Whiteboards for SmartBoards had glare due to
improper backing, but that is resolved
 By March all 4th and 5th grade classrooms will
have SmartBoard Technology
 Additional iPads were provided for each
kindergarten class in fall and last week iPads
were provided for each 1st grade classroom
 Many professional development opportunities in
Lexington throughout school day, after school
and in summer
 Positive Behavior Supports – Hastings Hero –
helping kids visualize what it looks like to be a
responsible, respectful and helpful member of
school community; ongoing process; Hastings
students have positive reputation when reach
middle school – a positive reflection of the
culture established in the school
 Teacher evaluation – very time consuming but
much more authentic and exciting because of the
conversation with each teacher; in depth rubric
(4 categories and 31 indicators) that allows for
deep reflection.
7. Member input: attendance at school committee
meetings –
At a recent PTA cafe it was discussed that
Hastings needs better representation at School
Committee meetings, has poorer attendance
than most schools; In trying to get support for
the upcoming fundraiser, some negativity was
uncovered around PTA in general, seen as a club.
Should try to elicit what it is.
8. Adjournment