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Five Things You Need to Know Today: Aug. 14

A School Committee executive session to discuss challenging the AG's ruling on an Open Meeting Law violation, summer concerts and more today in Lexington.

1. School Committee Could Challenge OML Ruling: According to the town website, the School Committee has an executive session scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight at the Central Adminstration Building at which it is expected to "discuss strategy with respect to a possible appeal of the July 26, 2012, Open Meeting Law ruling by the Office of the Attorney General." According ot that ruling,  the AG's office determined the School Committee violated Open Meeting Law when voted in an executive session to extend the contract of the superintendent of schools. 2. Also Meeting Today: The 2020 Vision Subcommittee on Demographic Change is scheduled to meet at 7:30 p.m. this evening at the Town Office Building. 3. Summer Concerts: At 7:15 p.m. tonight, you can…

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Five Things You Need to Know Today: July 24

Meetings, music and more today in Lexington.

1. Potentially Loaded Agenda Item: The Lexington School Comittee is meeting today at 5:30 p.m. the administrative offices on Maple Street and its only agenda item is the School Committee and Superintendent Roles and Responsibilities. 2. Bicentennial Band's Summer Concert: The Lexington Bicentennial Band, under the direction of Jeffrey P. Leonard and Alfred W. Dentino, continues its summer concert series, offering free performances at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday nights at Hastings Park. 3. Today in Public Meetings: According to the town website, public meetings posted for today include the Community Preservation Committee at 4:30 p.m. at the Town Office Building; the Capital Expenditures Committee at 6:45 p.m. at the Town Office Building; the …

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Five Things You Need to Know Today: July 17

Talking German, summer concerts and more today in Lexington.

1. German's On the Agenda: For the Lexington School Committee, which meets at 7 p.m. this evening at the Town Office Building. Last month, several parents implored School Committee members to reconsider a decision to shutter the German language program at Lexington High. 2. Bicentennial Band's Summer Concert: The Lexington Bicentennial Band, under the direction of Jeffrey P. Leonard and Alfred W. Dentino, continues its summer concert series, offering free performances at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday nights at Hastings Park. 3. More Meetings: Also meeting today is the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission, at 7 p.m. at the Cary Memorial Building. 4. Like Lexington Patch on Facebook: For even more information and engagement, like Lexington Patch on …

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School Committee Chair Weighs in on Recent Superintendent Evaluation

After his speedy appointment of Lexington High's next principal earlier this year, the School Committee's evaluation of Superintendent Paul Ash was, for the first time, seen as a “mixed review.”

At a recent meeting, the Lexington School Committee delivered its annual evaluation of Superintendent of Schools Paul Ash. Although most of the review was favorable, as it has been in the past, this year's review included some criticism from comminttee causing Chairwoman Margret Coppe to label the evaluation as a “mixed review.” According to Coppe's overall assessment of the evaluation, Ash earned, “all A's and some B's." However, “part of [School Committee's concernt] was, one incident in particular where we had to agree to disagree with Dr. Ash," Coppe said in an inverview. The “agree to disagree” issue dealt with what some of the School Committee and members of the public saw as a hasty appointment of Laura Lasa, currently the assistant…

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Lexington Parents to LPS: Don’t Ditch Deutsch

District officials point to dropping enrollment and other languages trending in the other direction as reasons for discontinuing the German language program.

After news spread that Lexington High School plans to shutter its German language program, several residents spoke out against the move at a recent School Committee meeting. While their objections and ideas included things like marketing the program more effectively and pursuing grant funding, School Committee members and administrators said curriculum decisions are made at the school level, and this one had nothing to do with budgetary concerns. Addressing the public on Tuesday night and again in a follow-up interview on Wednesday, Carol Pilarski, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and professional development, said waning interest in German, coupled with programs like Italian, Mandarin and French trending in the …

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Five Things You Need to Know Today: June 12

School Committee goals, garden talk, meetings and more today in Lexington.

1. School Committee Meeting: The Lexington School Committee is scheduled to meet at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Town Office Building and its agenda includes a vote to appoint Diane Pelletier as the Interim Director of Special Education, an update from the Transportation Committee, a first reading of the wellness policy and School Committee Goals. 2. Edible Perennial Gardening and Landscaping Presentation: A free event co-sponsored by the Lexington Recreation Department and the Lexington Cultural Council, this program features a power-point presentation by Naturalist and Educator John Root, who will discuss the trees, shrubs, canes, vines, and herbaceous perennials that can be grown for produce in our region. It's at 6:30 p.m. on the lower …

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School Committee Meets with Principals to Discuss School Improvement Plans

The School Committee met with all nine local principals at Tuesday night's meeting to discuss the successes and struggles from the 11-12 school year and examine the upcoming 12-13 one and how better to achieve their goals.

The School Committee on Tuesday met with all nine Lexington public school principals in order to discuss past and upcoming school improvement plans. Each principal took time to address the positive improvements and struggles they witnessed last year while also addressing future goals. "School improvement plans are part of the 1993 school improvement laws," Superintendent of Schools Paul Ash formally began the meeting, addressing the issue at large. "We are looking at schools and determining on a local level how we can improve our schools, so schools can self-improve and have plans consistant with district goals ... partnerships between and among the schools to build a highly effective course of action for all schools and each individual …

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Patrick Ball

9:32 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012

Hi BJ, Thanks for reading and reaching out. I'm checking with the reporter who covered this meeting and the School Committee Chair and will post here as soon as I have an answer. -patrick   more ›

Five Things You Need to Know Today: June 5

School Committee with a stacked agenda, Venus in Transit, a channel change for LexMedia and more today in Lexington.

1. Stacked Agenda for School Committee: The Lexington School Committee is scheduled to meet at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Town Office Building and its agenda includes the announcemet of a new Clarke School Principal, a discussion of school improvement plans, a report on improving professional relationships and the superintendent's evaluation.  2. Estabrook Litigation: Prior to the School Committee's regularly scheduled meeting, it will go into an executive session, with the Board of Selectmen, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss Estabrook litigation, according to a posting on the town website. 3. Venus in Transit: About 6 p.m. this evening, Venus will pass between the Earth and the Sun in such a way that we can see Venus's silhouette backlit by the Sun'…

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Five Things You Need to Know Today: May 9

Town Meeting, Wellman report data, high school sports and more today in Lexington.

1. Town Meeting's Back in Action: Annual Town Meeting reconvenes at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Cary Hall to take up remaining articles dealing with the Wright Farm Land Acquisition and a request to rezone the Dana Home and an adjacent property to allow for redevelopment as a hotel and restaurant known as the Inn at Hastings Park. 2. School Committee Looks to Counsel on Wellman Report Data: The School Committee is meeting at 3 p.m. today at the Town Office Building and its agenda includes a discussion with School Committee Counsel and Town Counsel regarding the data collected from staff and relied upon as the basis for the Wellman Report.  3. Today in High School Sports: The Lexington High School sports schedule for today includes boys varsity …

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School Committee Seeking Counsel on Wellman Data

On short notice, the School Committee tomorrow will seek legal advice regarding how to proceed with the Wellman Report data it voted to review in late April.

The Lexington School Committee is meeting at 3 p.m. tomorrow, May 9, at the Town Office Building, and the only item on its agenda is a discussion with the School Committee and town counsel regarding the Wellman Report data voted to review. On April 25, the School Committee voted in favor of reviewing a redacted version of comments provided by school staff in interviews with consultant Bruce Wellman, who was hired to study alleged issues with teacher morale and professional relationships within the school district. However, two weeks later, that information has not yet been provided. Exactly how the School Commitee moves forward with that data could hinge on tomorrow’s discussion, according to School Committee Chair Mary Ann Stewart, who …

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