EASTHAM SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
AGENDA
Eastham Elementary School 6:30 p.m. |
I. CALL TO ORDER/AGENDA CHANGES
II. CITIZENS SPEAK
III. PRIORITY BUSINESS
A. Administrators’ Reports
Mrs. Helman’s report will include MCAS Results and Action Plan.
B. Superintendent’s Responsibilities
Enclosed is the most recent Job Description. I will elaborate on the day-to-day and week-to-week responsibilities of my position.
C. School Committees’ Right to Information
There have been two situations this year, one involving a student and the other a teacher, about which Committee members have inquired. Before beginning a discussion of either, it is best to review privacy rights and the Committee’s access to information about its students and staff.
First, the simpler one; the student. Each student’s right to privacy is tightly protected under state and federal regulations. The School Committee is entitled to know almost nothing about any of the students in its school. In the case that brings this matter to the fore, a student’s misbehavior was involved. As is always the case, some parents know about the matter, either because their children were involved, or because they told one another. Parents are not bound by privacy regulations. School administrators are, and may not share what we know except as directed to do so by the courts, unless it is with some individual (for example, the parent of a child directly involved) with a valid need to know. Therefore, virtually no student misbehavior is brought to the
attention of School Committee members, because it rarely has an impact on the Committee’s policy-making duties.
In this case, a parent inquired about the appropriateness of School Committee policy, and whether and how it was conveyed to students. Policy is an adult document. We administrators are responsible for communicating appropriate policies to children in language they can understand. Mrs. Helman will discuss bullying, harassment, and the Responsive Classroom. This is the program by which we address such behavior.
The other concern was about a teacher who has been restricted by her physician to working three days a week. Mrs. Helman has notified parents, and a copy of her letter is attached. Once again, that is all we are able to share.
D. Fund Raisers
The projected fund raisers for the Parent Group include cookie dough sales, Innisbrook gift wrap, box tops, ink cartridges, harvest festival, and bottles and cans recycling.
Recommendation: Approve fund raisers.
IV. REPORTS AND INFORMATION
A. Cape Cod Collaborative
B. Building Committee Update
V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
- Approve regular session minutes of October 16, 2007
VI. PAYMENT OF BILLS
VII. ADJOURNMENT
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