Lexington School Committee 'Indescribably Saddened' by Newtown Tragedy

LPS staff was quickly informed and began preparing to communicate with parents and with the students when they arrive at school on Monday morning, according to School Committee Chairwoman Margaret Coppe.

  Lexington School Committee Chairwoman Margaret Coppe said Friday that the district was "indescribably saddened" to learn of a mass shooting that claimed the lives of more than 20 at an elementary school in Newtown Conn. Dec. 14. Coppe also said the schools staff were informed and are preparing to communicate with parents and students when they return to school on Monday. According to reports, a gunman believed to be the son of a teacher rampaged through Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 children and a handful of adults. Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance has confirmed the death toll as 20 children, 6 adults, including the shooter, and one adult victim at a "secondary scene" in Connecticut, according to a Patch report. In …

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AG: Lexington, Minuteman School Committees Violated Open Meeting Law

One town, two school committees, two Open Meeting Law Violations.

Both the Lexington School Committee and Minuteman Regional School Committee have violated Open Meeting Law in the past two years, according to determinations released last week by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office. The Lexington School Committee ran afoul of the law during the 2010-2011 school year, when it voted to extend the contract of Superintendent of Schools Paul Ash in an executive session. The AG’s office received two complaints stemming from that situation, filed by Lexington residents Eric Eid-Reiner and Dawn McKenna.  This finding does not void Ash’s contract.  The Minuteman School Committee’s complaint, filed earlier this year by David Manjarrez, a former member of the board, and dealt with emails to a quorum of school …

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CORRECTION: A Future Uncertain for German at LHS

Despite a lengthy discussion concerning the removal of German from LHS, the program is still at risk of being phased out of the curriculum.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to a reporting error, Patch previously reported that the German Language Program was still scheduled to be phased out over the next four years, beginning with the elimination of German I for the 2012-2013 school year. School Committee member Bonnie Brodner provided the following correction in the comment section below this story: Unfortunately this article has some of the facts inaccurate. While the School Committee did not reverse the administration's decision to not offer German 1 in the fall we did unanimously vote to include German 1 in the program of Study for both the '13-'14 and '14-'15 school years.  We are hopeful that by partnering together with the community we can encourage more students to take German in the…

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Patrick Ball

4:06 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012

Hi Bonnie, Thank you for reading and correcting this unfortunate error. I'm going to update this post with the correct information and will take care to make sure it does not happen again. -Patrick   more ›

German's On the Agenda for Lexington School Committee

Several spoke against shuttering the program last month.

Discussion about the German language program at Lexington High School has landed back on the Lexington School Committee’s agenda after a handful of parents spoke out against plans to shutter the program at a meeting last month. Despite the display of support for the continuation of the German program, school administrators said plans to phase out the program was a result of dwindling interest in German as other languages become more popular among students. “This was not a precipitous decision,” Carol Pilarski, an assistant superintendent and former foreign language teacher, told Patch in an interview last month. READ MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE While residents addressing the School Committee suggested pursuing grant funding as a means for …

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Reverend E. Raleigh Pimperton III

6:06 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012

May I suggest the following for translation in the German language course? "Why are the boulevards of Paris lined with trees? So the Germans can march in the shade." Reverend E. Raleigh Pimperton III   more ›

Lexington School Committee Members Support Mara Dolan for State Senate

School Committee members Bonnie Brodner and Mary Ann Stewart, and former member Thomas Diaz, have all announced their support for Dolan's candidacy state senate representing the Third Middlesex District.

The following announcement was provided by Concord Democrat Mara Dolan's campaign for the Third Middlesex State Senate seat from which Susan Fargo is retiring after eight terms. Two members of the Lexington School Committee and a former Lexington School Committee member last week announced their support of Mara Dolan for State Senate in the Third Middlesex District. Committee Members Mary Ann Stewart, Bonnie Brodner, and former member Thomas Diaz have all announced their support for Dolan in the upcoming Sept. 6 election.   "It is great to have the endorsement of those who work so closely with the school system in Lexington and who are locally elected," said Dolan. “The public school system is the backbone to rebuilding the foundation for …

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School Committee to Move Forward with of Review Wellman Data

According to advice from legal counsel, the School Committee can review the data collected during the Wellman Report process, but members must be careful about discussing how it shapes their opinions.

Following a May 9 meeting with legal counsel, the Lexington School Committee will review data gathered during the compilation of the Wellman Report and potentially draw its own conclusions about the report with regard to alleged teacher moral issues within the district. The Wednesday afternoon meeting saw the School Committee consult both town and School Committee counsel about how to approach and use the data – including slips of paper and redacted it interviews consultant Bruce Wellman conducted with district employees – committee members voted April 25 to review.  According to Town Counsel Kevin Bott, School Committee members can review the data individually to deepen their understanding of Wellman’s report and the climate within the …

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School Committee Suspends Superintendent Evaulation

Lexington School Committee also discussed awards won by Lexington Schools, English curriculum, exchange trips and other topics in Tuesday evenings meeting.

The Lexington School Committee met on Tuesday, May 8, amid mixed sentiment over recent awards won by students at Lexington High School and criticisms the handling of low teacher morale reports. With his evaluation on the agenda for the evening, members of the community spoke out against Superintendent of Schools Paul Ash, specifically noting a perceived violation of trust and lack of confidentiality in the district's handling of supposedly anonymous teacher comments collected in a study of teacher morale, which had their names attached. In the face of the scrutiny surrounding the Wellman Report, the committee voted to suspend discussion of the superintendent’s evaluation until a later date. The School Committee is meeting at 3 p.m. today, …

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Patrick Ball

10:25 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012

Nice catch, Charlie. I'll fix that right away. While I'm here, I should also add that yesterday, May 9, LEA President Phyllis Neufeld explained that consultant Bruce Wellman had redacted names and titles prior to the review by herself and Superintendent of Schools Paul Ash. Those two reviewed interview responses to ensure there was no other identifying info, according to Neufeld.   more ›

Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: May 8

School Committee meeting, revelry on the golf course and more today in Lexington.

1. Superintendent Ash's Eval on the Agenda: The School Committee is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. tonight at the Town Office Building and its revised agenda includes a vote on school choice, a review of the English language arts curriculum and a discussion about Superintendent of Schools Paul Ash's evaluation. 2. Lex Tee It Up: As part of this month's Revolutionary Revelry calendar of events, the Lexington Recreation Department and New England Golf Corporation are hosting an afternoon of discounted golf between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. today at Pine Meadows Golf Club. For $15 per person, enjoy a relaxed, nine holes, skills contests with prizes, and a light lunch (burgers and hot dogs) after you golf. Players must have their own clubs, and electric…

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Future Plans for Robinson Road and Public Art Dominate Estabrook Update (PHOTOS)

Residents and Estabrook School community members were concerned about issues other than educational space during the School Committee's hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Educational space was the least of concerns Tuesday night at the School Committee's meeting to discuss developing plans to rebuild Estabrook Elementary School. Rather, future plans for Robinson Road and the Estabrook mural were the most frequently asked questions last night at Cary Hall. And Estabrook parents and neighbors also weighed in on topics like play space, exterior design and how building construction will affect existing PCB mitigation procedures. Plans are still very preliminary at this point, officials said, and the architects and School Committee work toward plans to present to the Massachusetts School Building Authority and a special town election this January and Town Meeting this spring. Questions about Robinson Road …

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Save the Date: Special Town Meeting Set for Nov. 14

The Board of Selectmen set the date for a special Town Meeting for the Bridge/Bowman school building project, despite the fact the School Committee hasn't officially asked for it yet.

Town Meeting members, mark your calendars. The Board of Selectmen Monday set the date of Nov. 14 for a special Town Meeting, contingent upon a School Committee vote that it’s prepared to move forward with a Bridge/Bowman school building project and necessary information campaigns. The selectmen will close the warrant to citizens petition articles no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 3. They intend to sign the warrant no later than Oct. 5, most likely at a summit meeting, where the selectmen, School Committee and other boards will discuss the Bridge/Bowman and Estabrook School building projects. A handful of housecleaning items are likely to join the Bridge and Bowman project on the warrant. There has also been talk of a petitioner’s …

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