Thursday, April 1, 2004
Wayland School Committee Conference Room
Attendees
HSBC members: Lea Anderson, Josh Bekenstein, Dianne Bladon, Steve Breit, Brian Chase, Jim Howard, Joe Lewin, Cindy Lombardo, Eric Sheffels, Steve Tise
(Absent: Mary Lentz)
Ex Officio members: Gary Burton, Fred Knight, Allyson Mizoguchi, Charlie Ruopp
Turner team: Dick Amster, Julie Bezoetdebie, Bob Ho
HMFH team: George Metzger, Steve Friedlaender, Doug Sacra
Chairman Lea Anderson called the eighth meeting of the HSBC to order at 7:35 p.m.
8:03 p.m. Brian Chase left the room.
Turner Contract – Joe Lewin of the negotiation subcommittee answered questions on the final version of the Turner contract.
Motion: A motion was made by Cindy Lombardo and seconded by Dianne Bladon to approve the Turner contract at $60,000 and recommend it to the Wayland School Committee for approval and signing.
Vote: 9 in favor, none opposed (Brian Chase was not present and did not vote.)
8:08 p.m. Brian Chase rejoined the meeting.
Activities of HMFH and Turner over the past three weeks:
- User programming meetings on 3/10, 3/11, and 3/17
- HMFH/TCCo working meetings on 3/15 and 3/29
- Meeting with Superintendent of the Water Dept. (Don Hollander) and Health Commissioner (Steve Kalichman) on 3/24
- Public Forum on 3/25
- Meeting with Building Inspector (Dan Bennett) and Town Planner (Joe Laydon) on 3/31
Upcoming activities:
- Information session on Green High Performance Schools – 4/7/04, 7:30 p.m. WHS -L1
- HSBC meeting on goals – 4/8/04, 7:30 p.m. Commons conference room WHS
- Information session on Effect of the Existing Facility on the Quality of the Educational Program – 4/15/04, 6:30 p.m. WHS – L1
- HSBC meeting – 4/15/04, 7:30 p.m. WHS – L1
- HSBC meeting – week of 5/3 depending on Town Meeting ending
- Information session on Challenges of Public Construction – 5/20/04, 6:30 p.m. (to be followed by HSBC meeting at 7:30)
Status of documents:
- MIT documents transmitted to HMFH/complete
- Town Departments – WSD documents transmitted to HMFH
- TCCo contract: executed by TCCo and returned to L. Anderson
- HMFH contract: draft given to L. Anderson 4/1/04
New business:
- User programming meetings – there are five or six remaining
Steve Friedlaender presented a classroom utilization analysis of WHS. He summarized the usage for each department as follows:
Department Classrooms Average Class Size Classroom Utilization
Languages 8 18 76.0%
Social Studies 8 20.5 85.7%
Science Lab/CR 6 18.5 80.6%
Science CR 1 20 87.5%
English 5 21 92.5%
Mathematics 5 19 95.4%
The suggested planning standards were presented:
Typical Class Size 20+5
Typical Classroom 900 square feet (30 s.f./student + 30 s.f./computer)
Typical Science Lab/CR 1200 square feet
Typical Classroom Utilization (2 CR @ 42/48 + 1CR @ 36/48) 85.0%
Typical Science Lab/CR Utilization (with set-up periods) 83.0%
Preliminary Conclusions
Science lab/classrooms are too small and are overscheduled. There are very few opportunities for set-up before labs.
English and Mathematics classrooms are over-scheduled.
Social Studies classrooms are too small (particularly for multiple discussion groups) and are slightly overscheduled.
Language classrooms are under-scheduled but significantly too small for the average class size.
Steve noted that bringing space up to standard for the current enrollment has a bigger impact than accommodating added enrollment up to 1000. He remarked that he has never seen such high utilization rates as there are at WHS.
The group discussed the information presented and raised many questions about utilization, SBAB standards (Steve said that SBAB requires utilization between 80% and 85%.), and ways to handle peak enrollments.
A request for benchmark data on SBAB requirements vs. existing conditions, as well as benchmark data on classroom sizes and class size from other schools was made.
The need to understand new educational initiatives, such as new electives was expressed.
Timetable for ballot/warrant information – Dick reported that the deadline for any ballot question to be included on the Nov. 2 federal election was August 4 for submission to the Secretary of State. Submission to the Board of Selectmen would therefore have to occur in July. The HSBC discussed the significant shortening of the schedule for the schematic design and cost estimate that would have to occur to meet this deadline. It was pointed out that the schedule in the charge to the HSBC called for a deadline of mid-September for the cost estimate that would be the budget for the high school project proposed to the town. The assumption that the ballot question would have to be ready 45 days prior to the election, as happens in typical elections, is incorrect.
George Metzger will report to the HSBC on the consequences of rushing the schematic/cost estimating phase to meet a shortened timetable before any decision is reached.
Old business:
Enrollment projections – the HSBC discussed the enrollment projections from various sources (NESDEC, High School Feasibility Study, HSSC). Steve Friedlaender will provide information on the impact of utilization rates at enrollments of 1000 and 1100 students.
Goal setting process – George Metzger reported that the goal setting meeting will take place on April 8. George will lead the HSBC in articulating the goals of the charge and the goals that HMFH has heard in the educational programming sessions.
Minutes – A motion was made by Joe Lewin and seconded by Steve Breit to approve the minutes of HSBC meeting #7 on March 11, 2004 and the community forum on March 25, 2004.
Vote - Ten in favor; none opposed.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m.
An information session on Green High Performance Schools will be held on Wednesday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. in L1 at WHS.
The next regular meeting of the HSBC is scheduled for Thursday, April 8, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. in the Commons conference room at WHS (please note change of location).
Observers: Joyce Lauer, Heather Pineault