2011-QUASHNET RIVER SCHOOL COUNCIL

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3. Open Meeting Law Guide Open Meeting Law Guide packets were distributed to each council member present. Each member present signed his/her signature page acknowledging receipt of the Open Meeting Law Guide. Absent Council members will receive their packets as soon as possible. 4. SY11-12 Calendar We specifically discussed the proposed two professional development (PD) days tentatively scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 15 and 16, 2012. With teacher input, the Council recommendation is that the two PD days be moved to Monday and Tuesday. March 12 and 13. 2012. This would allow teachers to get students back in "student-mode" during March 14-16—heading into the upcoming MCAS testing at the end of March. Council parents did not have a preference. Council parents were also neutral about grouping the two PD days together (something different from previous years) and creating one four-day weekend for families. The value of having two professional development days together was discussed and recommended by both Patty DeBoer and Cary Marshall. 5. No Name-Calling Week/Day January 24– 28, 2011—Various district-wide activities have been planned to bring to the forefront the need to create a learning environment and community that is free of name-calling. Name-calling is often a major component in bullying situations. The new anti-bullying law includes the designation of"No Name-Calling" Day in Massachusetts— the fourth Wednesday of January. This designation is the direct result of the hard work of Mashpee students—particularly the K-Kids at Quashnet. We are very proud of their efforts to bring about this awareness on a state level. Mashpee Public Schools—Anti-Bullying Plan—Our plan was submitted to the State prior to the 12/31/10 deadline. The Plan is a living document that may be changed as we work through each bullying incident and based on feedback we receive from the State. Cyber-bullying—Patty DeBoer shared recent difficulties she's encountered in trying to resolve a cyber-bullying situation that was brought to her attention—a fake Facebook page. An unknown party created a fake facebook page about a sixth grader—using the sixth grader's name. The page represents identity theft, and the content contained on the page is name-calling at its worst. The Mashpee Police Department and parents are involved. 6. FY 12 Budget Update/Review We had a short discussion about the proposed January 18 meeting between the selectmen, finance committee, and school committee. Patty DeBoer explained why the School Committee decided not to attend the meeting—sharing information from the 1/5/11 School Committee meeting. Parent Budget Workshop-1/12/11—cancelled due to snow storm Parent Budget Workshop-1/13/11—held (low attendance) Parent Budget Workshop—Rescheduled from 1/12/11 to 1/18/11 Public Hearing-1/19/11 School Committee Finance Meeting We briefly discussed some components of the proposed FY12 budget—questions to be answered by Mrs. Bradshaw and the district's business manager.