All-day kindergarten and the school facilities-use policy top the agenda for the Barrington School Committee meeting tonight, Feb. 14.

The meeting starts at 7:30 pm in the School Committee Meeting Room in Town Hall.

All-day kindergarten has been a preference of the School Committee for some time. A decision has always been put off for financial reasons.

A year ago, the previous School Committee saw a potential $1.3 million cost to implement all-day kindergarten in the first year -- most of the cost would go toward the construction of three classrooms.

But the School Committee also saw that children who go to all-day kindergarten are better prepared for first grade, they gain literacy and language skills quicker, and they have better attendance.

The facilities-use policy was brought up by School Committee member Paula Dominguez at last Thursday's meeting. She said: “There are some inconsistencies that concern me … which create a fairness issue.”

Dominguez was referring to a new facilities-use policy adopted by the previous School Committee last fall.

Here is the complete agenda for tonight's meeting:

BARRINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING

Government Center, 283 County Road

February 14  7:30 p.m.  

AGENDA

A.     PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (approx. 7:30 – 7:32 p.m.)  

B.     ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNITION (approx. 7:32 – 7:37 p.m.)  

C.     BPS SPOTLIGHT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING (approx. 7:37 – 7:57 p.m.)  

D.     INFORMATION AND PROPOSALS (approx. 7:57 – 8:27 p.m.)

1.      Personnel – Reduction in Force (RIF)

2.      Strategic Plan Update

3.      All Day Kindergarten  

E.      GENERAL PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION (approx. 8:27 – 8:37 p.m.)  

F.      OLD BUSINESS (approx. 8:37 – 9:07 p.m.)

Superintendent and Staff

1.      Budget Discussion  

School Committee

1.     Establish Charge, Composition and Timeline for District Subcommittees

2.     School Committee Vacancy on Senior Project Advisory Committee

3.     Discussion on Use of School Facilities Policy  

G.     NEW BUSINESS (approx. 9:07 – 9:22 p.m.)

Superintendent and Staff  

School Committee

1.      Confirm Changes to Building Committee

2.      Ad Hoc Budget Forecasting Committee

3.      Policy First Reading - Teacher Course-Student

4.      Policy First Reading - Rhode Island Professional Teaching Standards

5.      Policy First Reading - Rhode Island Educator Code of Professional Responsibility  

H.     DECISION ITEMS (approx. 9:22 – 9:25 p.m.)

1.      Consent Agenda Meeting Minutes Open Meeting and Executive Session of February 7, 2013 Financials Monthly Expenditures for January $3,494,499.61

2.   Approval of Tri-Council Open Meeting of January 28, 2013  

I.           DISCUSSION ITEMS (approx. 9:25 – 9:35 p.m.)

1.      Discussion Future Agenda Items

2.      General Discussion to Guide Future Recommendations  

J.       GENERAL PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION (approx. 9:35 – 9:45 p.m.)  

EXECUTIVE SESSION (approx. 9:45 – 10:15 p.m.)