MARTHA'S VINEYARD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Monday, February 6, 2017, 5:00PM
Martha's Vineyard Regional High School
Library Conference Room
Present:
Acting Chair – Kris O’Brien, Megan Anderson, Amy Houghton*, Michael Hoyt,
Kelly McCracken, Janet Packer,
Student representatives (non-voting): Ellie Hanjian,
Others:
MV Sharks – Tad Gold and another representative,
Staff:
Principal – Sarah Dingledy, Assist. Prin., - Elliott Bennett,
Finance Manager – Mark Friedman, Guidance Director – Mike McCarthy,
Vocational Director – Barbarajean Chauvin, Facilities Director – Mike Taus,
Special Ed Director – Hope McLoed,
Supt.'s Of:
Superintendent - Matt D’Andrea, Asst. Supt. – Richie Smith,
Business Affairs - Amy Tierney,
Students:
Audrey McCarron, Wilson Redfield,
Press:
MV Times – Cameron Machell, MVTV – Colleen Sutor,
Secretary: Marni Lipke
*Late arrivals or early departures (see * in text)
The meeting of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Committee (MVRHSC) was called
to order at 5:06PM without a quorum, which was attained at 5:10PM.
Student Report
(Agenda Item # II)
A. Students Will Review the Previous School Week
• Next week was Dating Awareness Week with an event sponsored by the Uproot and Connect to
End Violence Clubs to work with the International Anti-Bullying Campaign.
• There were a number of events last week:
- a movie field trip with Ms. Weintraub;
- a visit from Martha's Vineyard Public Schools (MVPS) Eighth Grade students;
- the Choice Assembly on elective choices for the following school year;
- The Valentines Day carnation drive to benefit Student Government;
• This Saturday the Science Fair would be open to the public at 10:00AM.
• The school musical Guys and Dolls was scheduled for February 16th-17th.
• The artwork on display showed student works of pottery and sculpture, focusing on form,
function and personal style. The prize-winning painting by Ava Thors would shortly be on show
in Boston (see below: Principal’s Report).
Student/Department Spotlight
(Agenda Item # III)
A. Wilson Redfield (See documents on file.)
Mr. Redfiled graduated in January and hoped to walk the Camino de Santiago. He listed other
early graduating students and their range of projects, from gap years and volunteering for farm
work to continuing education and studies in Paris, Madrid and Japan.
* Ms. Houghton entered the meeting at 5:10PM.
MARTHA'S VINEYARD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE
February 6, 2017
2
Minutes
(Agenda Item # I)
A. January 9, 2017
• MS. KELLY MCCRACKEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE JANUARY 9, 2017 MINUTES; MS.
HOUGHTON SECONDED; MOTION PASSED: 5 AYES, 0 NAYS, 1 ABSTENTION—MS.
JANET PACKER due to absence.
Public Comment – None
(Agenda Item # IV)
Principal's Report
(Agenda Item # V)
A. Update on Parent Events – Tabled
B. Lights, Camera, SAVE! Video Contest (See documents on file.)
Richie Bartlett and Henry Hitchings won the local contest sponsored by the Martha’ Savings
Bank and the American Bankers Association. They would compete nationally for a $5,000 prize.
C. 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
(See documents on file.)
Ellie Hanjian read out the 20 MVRHS students who won awards in the nation’s longest running
art scholarship and recognition awards—past award winners including Truman Capote, Silvia
Plath and Robert Redford.
D. Trips
(See documents on file.)
• MR. MICHAEL HOYT MOVED TO APPROVE OUT OF STATE TRAVEL FOR:
- A FIELD TRIP TO PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND ON FEBRUARY 12, 2017 FOR A
PRODUCTION OF THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT;
- A FIELD TRIP TO PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND ON MARCH 9, 2017 FOR A
PRODUCTION OF MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM;
MS. PACKER SECONDED; MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY; 6 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0
ABSTENTIONS.
E. Career Technical Education (CTE) Update
• Freshmen selected programs for the remainder of the year: 75% received their first choice,
others received their second or third choices and/or were counseled on the best selection.
• Eighth graders toured the CTE programs and CTE Director Barbarajean Chauvin and Guidance
Counselor John Fiorino would be visiting MVPS middle schools for the next six-eight weeks.
F. Facilities Update
• On March 1st during school break, the State would run an on-Island 4 hr. training for all
Martha's Vineyard Public Schools (MVPS) custodial staff and any towns wishing to participate.
• Facilities Director Mike Taus was working to make the courtyard more inviting: painting,
repairing stiff doors, etc.
• He arranged with Cape Light Compact to replace all the MVRHS lights with LED bulbs
($285,000) free of charge for about $40,000/yr. in electric costs.
• The drinking water lead tests (see 1/9/17 Minutes p.3 #D) were incorrectly done, and correct
testing showed the rate to be within drinking water standards. The sinks and icemaker would be
re-tested again, before sending an update to parents.
• Facilities staff was still struggling with the ventilator units, however the situation was better
than before and fresh air was circulating.
MARTHA'S VINEYARD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE
February 6, 2017
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Financial Report
(Agenda Item # VI)
A. Expenditure Report
(See documents on file.)
These were critical months for clarifying the Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) budgeting trends. Most of
the budget was as usual but two areas were being monitored:
- an end-of-year Substitutes deficit would be partially covered by some related vacancies;
- health insurance would be over-budget.
B. Revenue Report (See documents on file.)
Town assessments and State reimbursements were on target. Athletic ticket receipts were coming
in. Unpredictable Charter School tuition/reimbursement would only be known at year-end.
C. Donations (See documents on file.)
• MR. HOYT MOVED TO GRATEFULLY ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING GENEROUS GIFTS:
- $10,000 FROM THE STONE ESTATE TO THE ALL ISLAND JUNIOR HIGH BAND
- A $12,000 THE SOUND FOUNDATION GRANT FOR LEVEL 2 MARTHA’S VINEYARD
PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHER TRAINING IN THE YOGA PROGRAM AND THE CHILMARK
SCHOOL YOGA PROGRAM;
- A DELTA JOINTER, MAX SANDER, POWERMATIC PLANER AND DELTA TABLE SAW
FROM THE OAK BLUFFS SCHOOL;
- VARIOUS DRUM PARTS AND ACCESSORIES FROM MR. JEFFREY KURTH FOR THE
MUSIC DEPARTMENT;
- $1,827 IN MV MARATHON PROCEEDS;
MS. PACKER SECONDED; MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY: 6 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0
ABSTENTIONS.
The teacher training was on how to integrate and teach yoga techniques for handling stress.
D. Sail MV Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
The MVRHS requested that MV Sail expand their Program to the CTE Exploratory this year and
so had outstripped the FY17 budgeted amount. (The line was properly budgeted for FY18).
Undistributed Textbook spending was mostly completed for the year, and necessary small
purchases could covered by money from Seniors’ reimbursement of lost library books.
• MR. HOYT MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE TRANSFER OF $11,311 FROM
UNDISTRIBUTED TEXTBOOKS TO THE CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION MARITIME
CONTRACT LINE; MS. MCCRACKEN AND MS. PACKER SECONDED; MOTION PASSED
UNANIMOUSLY: 6 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSTENTIONS.
• Thanks went to Sail MV and to Finance Manager Mark Friedman for finding it in the Budget.
• The Statutory assessment amounts were distributed to update Towns budgets (see documents
on file).
Superintendent's Report
(Agenda Item # VII)
A. Legislative Bulletin
(See documents on file.)
The Bulletin gave an overview of the Governor’s first FY18 Budget draft showing a $91 million
Ch. 70 increase, and level funded: Circuit Breaker, Ch. 71 Transportation/homeless student
transportation, and Charter Schools. Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC)
would lobby for increases—as these components were under-budgeted.
MARTHA'S VINEYARD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE
February 6, 2017
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B. SBIRT (A Step-By-Step Guide for Screening & Intervening for Unhealthy
Alcohol & Other Drug Use)
(See documents on file.)
• As part of the new Opioid Law curriculum helping students make healthy decisions, the MVPS
would start using this screening tool in middle schools this year and the MVRHS next. It
consisted of seven to nine questions that could identify students at risk. The tool was given orally
in private to each student in the entire grade (i.e. it was not targeted) and information was strictly
confidential, going to neither the school nor onto a student’s record.
• February 1st at an Islandwide community and schools forum the Commissioner of Health
spoke of the 400% rise in opioid deaths from 2012-15. MVRHS parent attendance was minimal,
however there was increasing feedback for schools to provide services in this area. Schools were
working on two initiatives:
- the Law Enforcement Against Drugs (LEAD) kindergarten (K) through twelve program, and
- a (hopefully tobacco grant funded) evidence-based, Massachusetts Public Health recommended
wellness curriculum for K through ten.
Taught in 8 to 16 units per year, the programs would be the skeleton for the more comprehensive
intervention and wellness curriculum.
• The Schools were part of a Coalition of physicians, Law Enforcement, Emergency Room staff,
YMCA, Youth Task Force, parents, Court Probation Dept., etc. that had made excellent progress
through increased communications and coordination. The priorities that came to the top of the
2017 list were:
- prevention in adolescence,
- working with the senior population, and
- treatment gaps on Island; for example residential housing for adolescents and addicted mothers
and their children, facilitating transportation to and entry into off-Island dual diagnostic facilities
(mental health/substance detox).
• Evidence showed that each individual responded differently to treatments/prevention, but that
shock values and Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) were generally ineffective.
Adolescents reacted best to curriculum, activities and outreach in and after school around
wellness and body health—of which substance issues were a component.
Personnel
(Agenda Item # VIII)
A. ACCESS Program Update
(See 1/9/17 Minutes p.2 #A & documents on file.)
The position had been advertised and offered. The goal was to address needs and move students
back into the mainstream, using the time gap (2:30-5:30PM Monday through Friday) between
the school day and Adult Community Education (ACE MV) courses. Administration ran some
data on the number and type of student in individual tutoring:
- students with home bound instructions,
- students re-entering the School from medical or anxiety incidents,
- students on suspension.
- The program fit with one of Prin. Sarah Dingledy’s goals for a viable after-school campus.
MARTHA'S VINEYARD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE
February 6, 2017
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Old/New Business
(Agenda Item # IX)
A. Martha's Vineyard Public Schools (MVPS)) Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use by
Students Policy – Third Reading (See documents on file.)
• MR. HOYT MOVED THE THIRD AND FINAL READING OF THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD
PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND DRUG USE BY STUDENTS POLICY; MS.
PACKER SECONDED; MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY: 6 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0
ABSTENTIONS.
B. Land Use Subcommittee Report and Action as Needed
- (MV Community Services (MVCS)) – Tabled.
- (MV Sharks) (See 1/9/17 Minutes p.3-4 #IX & documents on file.)
The Sharks gave an overview of work-in-progress on the voted improvements:
- handicapped access compacted stone walkways and new bathrooms (Camp Jabberwocky
participants were big fans);
- non-chemical weed suppressant carpet that tied into stadium feel;
- split-rail fencing, storage shed and possibly two entrances;
- backstop renovation (pole removal, padded brick wall, seasonal netting replacement/extension).
Executive Session – Not needed.
(Agenda Item # X)
Adjournment
(Agenda Item # XI)
• MS. HOYT MOVED TO ADJOURN 6:07PM; MS. PACKER SECONDED; MOTION PASSED
UNANIMOUSLY: 6 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSTENTIONS
Appendix A - Meetings
• AISC - 5:00PM, Thursday, February 9, 2017, MVRHS LCR - snow cancellation
• AISC - 5:00PM, Thursday, February 23, 2017, MVRHS LCR
• MVRHSC - 5:00PM, Monday, March 6, 2017 - MVRHS LCR
• Annual/Special Town Meetings: Aquinnah – Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Chilmark – Monday, April 24, 2017
Edgartown - Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Oak Bluffs – Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Tisbury – Tuesday, April 25, 2017
West Tisbury – Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Appendix B - Agreed Upon Tasks - None
Appendix C - Documents on File:
• Agenda 2/6/17
• Sign In Sheet 2/6/17
• 2017 Early Graduates
• MVRHS Students Win 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (9 p.)
• Lights, Camera, SAVE! Video Contest
continued >
MARTHA'S VINEYARD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE
February 6, 2017
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Appendix C - Documents on File (cont.):
• Out-of-State Field Trip (February 12)
• Out-of-State Field Trip (March 9)
• MVRHS General Fund Expenditures Fiscal Year 2016-2017 (13 p.) 2/6/17
• MVRHS General Fund Revenues Fiscal Year 2016-2017 2/6/17
• Stone letter/check re: Estate Gift to the All Island Band 1/10/17
• Johnson/Sound Foundation cover letter & check re: Teacher Training in Yoga 12/20/16
• Farrell/OBS letter re: Carpentry Equipment 1/17/17
• Musical Instrument Donations
• SD Run Club Foundation/MVM Invoice/check 1/4/17
• Legislative Bulletin re: Governor’s F.Y. 2018 Budget Recommendations, H.1 (2 p.) 1/27/16
• MVRHSD, Certification of FY18 Budget, December 5, 2016
• MVPS Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use by Students Policy 12/5/16
• MVRHS Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U.) between MVRHS and Sail Martha's
Vineyard
• Sketch/location overview of proposed MV Sharks renovations (2 p.)
Minutes Approved 3-6-17