Lexington (MA) High School Senate

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-FACULTY SENATE

2005-2006

Moderator Peter Lubershane, Assistant Moderator Sam Kafrissen, Secretary Peter Kim

DATE: 2-8-06

Today's Agenda: Announcements

Open Comments

Committee Reports

Median Grade Reporting Bill

New Business

Minutes from Meeting: 2-1-06

I. Call to Order: Meeting is called to order at 7:50 by Moderator Lubershane

II. Approval of Minutes: Minutes approved.

III. Approval of Agenda: Agenda approved.

IV. Announcements: 1) This Thursday, Friday and Saturday, come to see Winterfest at 7:30. There will be a lot of student directed performances.

2) On Friday, Lexpress will cost 25 cents because of Try Lexpress Day.

V. Open Comments: 1) Regarding Z-block, the bus schedule means that only people with alternate modes of transportation have Z-Block.

2) Senator Collins complains about the current senior parking situation and how there are no easy solutions.

VI. Committee Reports: 1) Community Service Committee met and decided that it would better if Faculty Senators hand out the surveys instead of giving every homeroom surveys.

2) Policy met and discussed new problems with the Median Grade Reporting Bill. They're also trying to bring back the Voting Methods Bill.

3) Will the surveys (from C.S.C.) be given to senior homerooms? Will there be enough of a cross-section? Do Faculty Senators represent the entire faculty at LHS? It will be better to target junior and senior homerooms. Doing things in homeroom does not always give the best results. We ask the Faculty Senators to help us on this matter.

4) Elections Committee expresses the need to replace six Faculty senators.

5) Oversight met and discussed the response in the Musket to the Honor Code Reporting Bill. We are writing to correct the editorial in the Musket.

6) Climate Committee met and is planning for the next Talent Show.

VIII. Median Grade 1) Dr. Jones has written us a letter saying that Senate is overstepping its authority.

2) The bill is in compliance with the Senate Constitution. Only clauses that are questionable are d) and e) but the bill does not engage in any evaluations.

3) Bill does not say anything about report cards. Correct information is better than rumors.

4) Senate has past precedent on this matter. We should make clear to Dr. Jones what the bill does.

5) Senate has made policies regarding transcripts in the past. Reality is that Dr. Jones likes the idea of a Senate but does not want the Senate to have any power. Last thing Senate should be is an advisory council to the principal. Senate may be the only true democracy left in this school.

6) Motion to wait at least a week before voting on the Bill. We need to work out the specific mechanics of the bill and deal with Dr. Jones' comments.

7) Motion passes.

8) The median grade calculation program can be written by any reasonably competent student. The bill, aside from small practicalities, is strong.

9) On the back of the bill is a copy of Report Card Bill. Senate has clearly made policies regarding report cards in the past.

10) Senate has the tendency to create jobs for others. It adds to the work that we have to do. We should get the issue of directors ironed out.

11) Dr. Jones will evade the bill if it is worded vaguely.

12) Computer science teachers said the program is not that hard to make and they have Excel to do the calculations anyways. Most teachers can do it. Senator Williams expresses the need to abstain because he feels that it is up to the students decide this issue. Mr. Kelly has found out that the median grade of this school is above a B. The outcome of the bill may shock some people.

13) The section median grade is not that helpful. Kids said that they would rather ask students who had taken the course.

14) Parents don't want kids to be below the median. The bill only adds to the pressure that students will feel. Instead of staying in the class to learn, students will drop courses to take courses in which their grades are above the median.

15) Where are we going with this?

16) All policymakers create work for others. At least we are a representative body.

17) Does the bill give information to parents?

18) Students won't know if the information is available. We need to specify how better communicate with the student body about the availability of this information once the bill passes.

19) Level 2 courses tend to have low median grades. This bill may destroy the self-esteem of kids in these courses.

20) Pitting teachers versus a teacher is not that bad. The bill does it in a less severe way…

List of Senators Absent from Senate meeting: *Denotes excused/notified absence.

Gillmor Gao Krensky Chaulet Shen Katz Cullen* Park*

Jhe* Buttaro* Sherburne*