ENCLOSURE

89.

LAWRENCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BOARD OF EDUCATION

REGULAR MEETING

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Middle School

The Regular meeting of the Lawrence Union Free School District Board of Education was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by David Sussman, Vice President. Upon motion by Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Michael Hatten, the Board immediately entered executive session for the purpose of discussing special education students and Real Estate privilege attorney/client.

At 8:15 p.m. upon motion by David Sussman and seconded Pamela Greenbaum the motion to leave executive session and reconvene public session was unanimously carried.

Pledge Of Allegiance was led by David Sussman.

The following Board members were present: David Sussman, Vice President, Murray Forman, Pamela Greenbaum, Michael Hatten, Uri Kaufman (left 10:30p.m.) and Stanley Kopilow.

Absent was Asher Mansdorf, President.

Also present were: Dr. John T. Fitzsimons, Superintendent, Mrs. Elsie Friedman, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Dr. Vicki Karant, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Mr. Albert D’Agostino, School Counsel, Mrs. Alice Laino, District Clerk.

Dr. Ftizsimons asked Dr. Karant to introduce the High School Yearbook editors and advisor. Mrs. Ciampi and the editors of the yearbook Nicole Locoteta, Danielle Wischenka, and Lauren Tonetti were introduced to the Board and audience and received certificates for their accomplishments. Mrs. Ciampi was acknowledged for her achievements over the course of her career as English teacher and Yearbook advisor. She will be missed and is wished the best in all her future endeavors. Dr. Fitzsimons and Mr. Mandelbaum of the Rock and Wrap It Up organization. Mr. Mandelbaum gave a brief history of the program as it was established in the schools in 1997. Mrs. Ciampi, retiring high school teacher, was an active advisor at its inception along with Ed Sallie and Tony Capobianco, past administrators. Food is delivered to the Five Towns Community Center and distributed to the needy. The Snack and Wrap program is an elementary school based program. The students being recognized tonight for their volunteer work and Dr. Forman had been a huge factor in the success of this project. The students collect pre-wrapped snacks for distribution to the Peter DeSibio Child Care Center. We hope these students will continue their hard work as they move to the Middle School. The students were presented with certificates from various sports teams and recording artists who support the Rock and Wrap It Up program. Mr. Mandelbaum introduced Mr. Steve Sullivan. He donates his time for Rock and Wrap it up organization along with his family who volunteer at the Jones Beach theatre during the summer. Every NY sports team is a supporter of the program as are many rock stars. Six students from the high school were recognized and given certificates signed by rock stars and members of professional sports teams. Prepared food that is donated is picked up and taken to the Five Towns Community Center and given out to the hungry. Students from Hewlett/Woodmere and HAFTR are also involved. Transportation is working on getting the Prekindergarten guidelines in place for September. All stops for Prekindergarten and kindergarten will be at corner stops. Dr. Sussman asked how we know what we are being billed for and whether we can verify that extra buses are not being charged to the district. Ms. Codispodo assured the district that the bills are checked and that would never happen with our carrier. If it did happen, she would call and see what the discrepancy was. Dr. Karant gave a report on the ELA scores that were received from the state last week. Although the scores are not great they are better than they appear to be. We must take into consideration the English language learners between grades 3 and 8 that had to take the test. The large % of the population is transient. They were not ready. We had 41 new students at the Middle School this year that had to take the test. They were not prepared. This makes up the disparities in the testing. Our level 2s are achieving higher in that level and levels 3 and 4 are high. We must also address the socio-economic factor that is not spoken about but is very present in this district. 51% of our kids come from low income homes. Their needs are greater and need to be met. The state has a formula that they use when examining the data. They seem to have developed some sort of method using a bell curve. That means that even with improvements the children in the lower levels will not meet the criteria to move into the higher levels. Mrs. Kreiger, elementary principal, said that while the levels may not seem to be raising, the data is showing the areas that the students are improving in and the place that needs the most work. This helps the educators create educational plans for the individual student according to the way they receive the information and process it. This helps us to teach to the child. One scenario is a child could not complete a test in a given time and therefore not achieve a better score. The child may have completed only a few problems but did process the information correctly. This is a tool that we are using every day for all our children and we can see the growth on the individual scale. In the middle school and high school we are reinstituting the summer reading program. The middle school will be instituting the English language arts across the curriculum areas. NWBA will be testing the progress on a regular basis. They will analyze the student’s skills-comprehension, literacy, etc. They will take the scores and group them based on student need. The system takes in the need for AIS services. Children seen as in need will receive AIS from 5th grade to 6^th grade and 6^th grade to 7^th grade and 7^th grade to 8^th grade. Many students who take the tests in the middle school who do not speak English as their first language and the special education students are also required to take the state tests. The same cohorts will go on to the high school and take the regents tests and receive a passing grade of 65% or above.

Superintendent Report and Presentations 90.

91.

Mr. Kaufman would like to know how many kids receive ESL services. Mr. Hatten

stated that his committee of academic excellence looks forward to bringing everyone

together to begin dialogue and gather information.

Achitects for Wiedersum Associates and WCG Engineering and Achitectual firms came to present the cost analysis of the two firms. Each gave a representation of items on the powerpoint presentation that was presented by the superintendent earlier in the year. The original figures came from a report by WCG in 2005-06 that was done to meet requirement of the state commissioner’s regulations. Some items on the report have been addressed, so the price was not included in one but was still part of the original presentation. While Wiedersum Associates offered a plan with five science labs in the middle school and five in the high school, WCG included 12 in the high school with prep rooms and eight in the middle school. Also, many times the soft costs were not included in the figures making a difference in the cost. Another main difference was Wiedersum Associates also included a new rubber track, tennis court and bleachers and sheds at the middle school while WCG engineering was repairing or replacing asphalt track. Solar panels were not being recommended by WCG as they are not cost efficient and are high maintenance. The cooling unit and ductwork at high school were not being replaced with the same materials. Wiedersum was replacing the 125 ton unit with a 50 ton unit. #2 Fire escape replacement does not include the enclosed fire escape as recommended by NYSIR report.

Capital Project Cost Estimates

Pat Pizzarelli offered congratulations to Diane Johnson, Director of Guidance, on her retirement and to John Piccarella, Director of Technology, who is resigning to go East Rockaway. Both will be missed and it will be a great loss to the district. Also congratulations to George Akst who is changing his status from acting to probationary principal of the Middle School.

Residents First Comment On Agenda Items

Upon motions and seconds, unless noted, the vote was unanimously accepted. (Uri Kaufman left meeting, the vote will be unamimous at five members).

Upon motion by Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the Treasurer’s report for March 2007 as presented on enclosure IV.A.

Treasurer’s Report

Upon motion by Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the Budget Transfers over $25,000 as presented on enclosure IV.B. Transportation transfers totaling $79,143.60 to cover the cost of handicapped vans.

Budget Transfers Over $25,000

Upon motion by Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the Business related contracts as presented on enclosure C.1. a.East Ramapo Central School District, Health & Welfare Services, 2006-2007 b. North Merrick UFSD, Health & Welfare Services 2006–2007 c. North Merrick UFSD, Health & Welfare Services 2006-2007 d. Hicksville UFSD, Health & Welfare Services, 2006-2007 e. South Huntington UFSD, Health & Welfare Services, 2006-2007 f. Valley Stream UFSD No. 24, Health & Welfare Services, 2006-2007

Contracts 92. Contracts continued

Upon motion by Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the following purchase order over $50,000. Increase P.O. 54932 to Metro Therapy to $66,792.90 for Speech & Hearing Services.

Purchase Orders over $5,000

Upon motion by Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted as presented on enclosure IV.F.1.

Tax Anticipation Notes not to Exceed $10,000,000

Upon motion by Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the donation of an Olympus camera with case from Harriet & Joseph Reilly for use by the Art Department.

Donation

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the professional retirement presented on enc. V.A.

Retirements: Professional Staff

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted professional resignations as presented on enc.V.B1.

Resignations: Professional Staff

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted civil service resignations as presented on enc.V.B.2

Resignations: Civil Service Staff

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted Leaves of Absence as presented on enc. V.D.

Leaves of Absence

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted professional appointments as presented on enc.V.F.1

Appointments: Certificated Staff

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the changes of employment status as presented on enc. V.F.1.a.

Change of Employment Status

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the emergency conditional appointment per enc. V.F.1.b.

Emergency Conditional Appointment

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted civil service staff as presented on enc. V.F.1.c.

Substitute Teachers List

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted civil service staff appointments as presented on enc. V.F.2.

Appointments: Civil Service

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted extra compensation as presented on enc. F.G.

Extra Compensation

93.

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education approved payment of district clerk’s unused vacation time as of June 30, 2006. V.H.

Approval of Payment for Unused Vacation Time

Upon motion by Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education of the Lawrence Union Free School District accepts the Recommendations of the Committees on Pre-School & Special Education regarding the provision of special education services as presented on enclosure VI.A.

Special Education Recommendation

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted minutes of May 1 and May 15 as presented on enc. VII.A

Minutes

Upon motion from Pamela Greenbaum and seconded by Stanley Kopilow, the Board of Education accepted the 2007-2008 Board of Education Meeting Calendar as presented on enc. VII.B.

2007-2008 Board of Education Meeting Calendar

The board has been presented with the following information. A.1. Warrant # 19 2. Warrant # 20 B. Budget Summary by Function – March 2007 C. Revenue Status Report – March 2007 D. Extra Classroom Activity Funds Middle School-March and April 2007

Informational: Warrants Budget Summary by Function Revenue Status Report Conference and Travel Extra Classroom Activity Funds

Ms. Joan Lepelstat, Co-President of Peninsula Public Library, stated that the Penninsula Public Library sent a petition to the Board first by fax then by mail for the board to have a special election to ask the taxpayers to turn the Peninsula Public Library property deed over to the Library. She wants to know when will it appear on the agenda. Dr. Sussman asked the attorney about the particulars of holding a special meeting and if the timeframe can be changed if the board has other items they wish to add to the ballot. The board can adjust the language without changing the proposition. Pat Pizzarelli reported that the HS athletes hosted a 5^th grade sports event. The Boys Volleyball team will be in the play offs on Thursday. The Senior Athletic Dinner is a the VFW tomorrow. Congratulations to the newly elected board members.

Public Comment

Upon motion by Stanley Kopilow and Pamela Greenbaum the meeting adjourned at 11:45 p.m.

Adjourn

Respectfully Submitted,

Alice Laino, District Clerk