Meeting Date:	9/14/06
Minutes Submitted On:	9/17/06
Board Attendees:	Ellen Pratt (EP), Anne Fines (AF), Benjamin Cragin (BC)
Administration Attendees:	Ron Stahley
Community Attendees:	Angela Walton, Lynn Borofsy, Rod Payne-Meyer, Gerry Gatz, Bob Simeon, Don Lindon, Scott Henry, Linda Cassidy, Mike Mrowicki, Jane Sbardella, Kathy Bartlett

Location:	PCS Writing Room
Meeting called to order at:	4:30 pm
Meeting called to order by:	VS
Finish time:	6:36 pm

NOTE: These minutes should be considered a draft that awaits approval and possibly amendment by the board at its next scheduled meeting.
AGENDA TOPIC	MOTION	MOVED BY	SECONDED BY	DISCUSSION	PASSED
Prior Meeting’s Minutes	To approve the minutes of August 17, 2006	AF	BC		yes
Communications	The Asian Studies Program at UVM has awarded PCS the “Award fro Excellence in International Education.” The award is given to one school in Vermont each year. The school will receive a $3,500 prize with the award. The board recognizes Gerry Gatz’s efforts and contribution to our Asian Studies program.
Committee Reports: Finance/School Forest/Early Education Outreach Advisory Committee WSESU Negotiations Committee – Update	School Forest report: AF reported that 50 children (grades 2-6) applied to participate in the after-school forest program. The program is in its fourth year. In the first year five children participated. The program runs in the spring and the fall.. There are 19 volunteers for the program for the program this fall. The board expressed its gratitude to Anne, the committee and the volunteers for their work.
Warrants				Warrants were not brought for this meeting. RS will see that they get to the school if the board needs to sign them before the next meeting.
Administrators’ Report	Ron reported that the VT School Board Association will hold a regional meeting to discuss Commissioner Cate’s proposal on governance of education in Vermont. (PM and BC will attend).
Old Business
Executive Session	Move to go into Executive Session at 5:35 pm to discuss a contractual matter. The board exited Executive Session at 6:08 pm	BJ	EP	The board appreciates the time that Scott Henry and Peter May have put into the negotiations.	yes
Principal’s Performance Review – Follow-up Policy Review: E11 “Federal Child Nutrition Act Wellness Policy” Adoption	RS reported that AS will do her goals review with the board at the 9/28/06 meeting. The staff would like the board to wait for one month to approve the Wellness Policy. The staff would like time to discuss Goal I.E. of the policy (“Recess and other physical activity shall not be taken away as a form of discipline unless doing so is directly related to a student’s behavior during recess.”). It was decided that the staff will report to the board on their concerns at the next board meeting.
New Business Proposed Soccer backboard Proposed Pavilion for Pool Area VSBA Dues 2006-2007 – authorization needed Prepaid Heating Fuel Oil (postponed) Review and Action Support Staff Association Request to Allow Employees to be Covered by the VT Municipal Retirement System for the 2007-2008 School Year Planning for Further discussion of Commissioner Cate’s White Paper on the Governance of Education in Vermont	To support the Putney Rec League’s proposal to build a soccer backboard on the PCS soccer field based on the drawing showing dimensions and location to be submitted to the principal. To approve the VSBA dues in the amount of $1,300 To approve the request of the Support Staff Association Request to Allow Employees to be Covered by the VT Municipal Retirement System for the 2007-2008 School Year	BC VS EP	AF AF BC	Proposed soccer backboard: Rod Payne-Meyer reported that the Rec League would like to build a soccer backboard at the northern edge of the soccer field, near the drinking fountain. It would be 16 feet long and 8 feet high, built of 4 pieces of plywood. It would be a permanent structure. Potentially a mural could be painted on it. The backboard would be built this fall. AS is supportive of the project. Rod will submit a drawing of the proposed backboard to AS. Proposed Pavilion for Pool Area The board doesn’t have the authority to approve the pool pavilion because the town owns the land that the pavilion would go. The Rec League will talk to the Selectboard about this matter. The board supports the idea of the pavilion. Review and Action Support Staff Association Request to Allow Employees to be Covered by the VT Municipal Retirement System for the 2007-2008 School Year RS recommends that the board support this request. Planning for Further discussion of Commissioner Cate’s White Paper on the Governance of Education in Vermont. PM and BC will attend the VT School Board Assn regional meeting on 9/19 at which Commissioner Cate’s proposal on school governance will be discussed. PM and BC will report back to the PCS board after the VSBA meeting. The PCS board will then discuss the potential for a community-wide discussion of this.	Yes yes yes
Other: The School Council is concerned that there are people using guns in the school forest. Anne Fines clarified that guns are not allowed on school property and the school forest is posted. The board discussed posting every 10 feet or so. The school forest committee will contact Fish and Game Department about enforcement and will talk to the Putney Gun Club about spreading the word. PHACT committee: Jane Sbardella and Kathy Bartlett reported on the activities of the Putney Health Action Coordinating Team (PHACT). Last spring PHACT wrote a grant to explore opportunities and barriers to increasing students’ physical fitness and to increase their safety when walking/riding to school. The grant was awarded to PCS ($1500/year for 2 years). PHACT will also use the grant to look at traffic and student congestion when exiting the school from the glass hallway. This year PHACT will do strategic planning about how to use the money, to gather data (e.g. conducting a survey of students on how they arrive at school-by bus, walking, car, biking). PHACT will also work with the Windham Regional Commission who will do traffic counts to determine the traffic volume and speed around the school and will collect data on where clusters of kids live. Next year PHACT can apply for an infrastructure grant. Walk to School Day will be Oct. 4-trying to make it a community event. Meet at 8 am at the Tavern. Usually do it 2ce/yr. would like to see it weekly event. Putney Family Services: Mike Mrowicki reported that Putney Family Services runs the school’s after-school program, a K-6 licensed child care program. There are 20 children in the program and 20 is the legal limit. There is no waiting list currently. They will be starting enrichment programs for older kids. For example, Pip Bannister and Tony Coven will be leading mountain biking for older children. PFS will also be running the Travelling Pants Culture Club for 6 weeks. Last year PFS organized a collective meeting of the school board, PFS board and the selectboard. One outcome of that meeting was to have a meeting (after November) focused on human service needs in Putney and the resources we have to address them. The board has the bids for trash removal. AS will speak to the matter at the next meeting. The board moved the Nov. 9 meeting to Nov. 16.
Upcoming Meetings	September 28 Beginning discussion of developing board goals Flo Nester, Enrichment Coordinator in Brattleboro to report on enrichment curriculum possibilities   (possible presentation in fall when board discusses programming) (Flonestor@wsesu.org) Policy Review: E11 “Federal Child Nutrition Act Wellness Policy” Adoption Report back on Vermont School Board Assn regional meeting discussion of Commissioner Cate’s proposal on governance Principal’s Goals Review Trash removal bids Oct 12: “A Forest in Every Classroom” report Nov 16: PHACT will report to the board on a short-term solution to the drop-off/pickup congestion issue. Jan 2007 (second meeting): Ensure that preparations for 360 degree survey to be distributed are underway. February meeting: Anne Rider to present on comprehensive assessments September 2007 Report on school’s compliance with Nutrition Policy NEED TO BE SCHEDULED:

Respectfully submitted by: Board Clerk

This represents my understanding of this meeting. If you have any changes, please submit them at the next board meeting.