Meeting

Date:

9/28/06

Minutes Submitted On:

10/1/06

Board Attendees:

Ellen Pratt (EP), Anne Fines (AF), Virginia Scholl (VS), Peter May (PM)

Administration Attendees:

Ron Stahley (RS), Amelia Stone (AS)

Community Attendees:

Angela Walton, Nancy Mackler

 

 

                       

Location:

PCS Writing Room

Meeting called to order at:

4:31 pm

Meeting called to order by:

VS

Finish time:

7:30 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 adopt the minutes of the 9/14/06 meeting with corrections.

AF

VS

Corrections to the minutes: Virginia Scholl was in attendance at the last meeting, although the minutes did not note that. Also, the minutes should reflect that VS will contact the Putney Game Club about educating the public about not using firearms in the school forest.

yes

Communications

Representatives of the teachers association attended the meeting and submitted a letter urging the PCS school board to instruct the Boards’ Negotiating Team to make a fair compensation proposal to the teachers of Windham SE Supervisory Union. (The letter is included in the binder with the minutes.)

Committee Reports: 

Finance

School Forest Committee

WSESU Negotiations Committee

RS reported the teacher and school board reps will be meeting this Saturday to continue their negotiations.

 

AF reported on the school forest committee. AF spoke to staff at the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife about posting the school forest.  They advised that posting of the forest should occur every 400 feet. The board expressed its support of posting the school forest property and invites the community to provide input on this decision at the next board meeting.

Warrants

To pass warrants #1010, 1015, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1021 Fast  in the amount of $39,014.18 and #1013 and 1022 Regular in the amount of $84,373.57.

 

 

To approve warrants #1023, 1025, 1026 Fast in the amount of

$31,773.60

AF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PM

VS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AF

 

Yes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

yes

Administrators’ Reports

RS reported that the next district board meeting will be at 6 pm on Oct. 12 at PCS. All are welcome.  The PCS board meeting will be held that afternoon from 4:30-6 pm. On Nov. 9 there will be a tour of the Supervisory Union’s special education programs. All are welcome but asked to please RSVP to the SU if you want to attend.

 

RS handed out the Supervisory Action Plan for 2006-07. (attached)

 

AS reported:

Enrollment is 197 Putney students; 7 tuitioned children in the K-8 program. 15 children in the preschool. Grade sizes range from 13 (first grade) to 30 in 8th grade. 

 

The first “Middle School Matters” newsletter was sent home this past week. (attached) It will be a regular communication from the middle school.

 

NECAP testing begins next week. Students will take the tests from Oct. 3rd to the 18th depending on the grade level.

 

We are hiring an additional paraeducator to support the primary grade program.

 

Old Business

 

 

 

 

 

Policy Review:

E-11 “Federal Child Nutrition Act Wellness Policy” – additional reading

 

The board considered the policy again but deferred adoption of the policy until the next board meeting. Several members expressed support of the policy as drafted. The board invites the staff to participate in the discussion of this policy at the next board meeting.

 

Prepaid Heating Fuel Oil – Review and Action (postponed)

 

 

 

 

 

New Business

 

 

 

 

 

 

Principal Goal Setting

Board

 

AS reported on her professional goal’s for 2006-07 (attached). 

 

Report on the VSBA Regional Meeting Discussion – Commissioner Cate’s Proposal on Governance

 

PM and BC attended the Vermont School Boards’ Assn. regional meeting on the topic. PM reported that Commissioner Cate did not come to the regional VSBA meeting where his proposal was discussed. Participants were interested in knowing whether the proposal would save costs. RS thinks we should hold off on holding a community forum on Commissioner Cate’s proposal until after the regional meeting on the topic is held.

 

Trash Removal Bids – Action Needed

 

To authorize AS to select the trash removal service that best meets the school’s need

PM

AF

AS reported that 2 companies are bidding on PCS’ trash removal; one company that is bidding offers recycling services and will provide the school with free compost.  

 

yes

Enrichment Curriculum Discussion – Flo Nestor, Brattleboro Town School District Enrichment Coordinator

 

One of the board goals (set at the board’s June retreat) is: “Increased Enrichment activities including foreign language instruction.” The board invited Flo Nester to report on her enrichment program at the Brattleboro elementary schools. She reported on the Brattleboro Elementary Enrichment Program. (BEEP)-see attached pamphlet in binder. She offers enrichment activities once/week for 40 minutes to students whom teachers refer to the program. Her program includes activities on literacy, writing, spelling, art, music composition and geography. She said that she believes that PCS could begin to offer enrichment activities and could use community volunteers to assist with the activities. The board agreed to continue to discuss the potential for offering enrichment activities at PCS.

 

 

To authorize AS to work with Laidlaw to add a bus stop at the Putney Public Library.

VS

AF

 

yes

Policy Review:

D7 “Volunteers and Work Study Students” – 1st Reading / Discussion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No discussion at this meeting. The second reading will occur at the next board meeting.

 

 

Other:

Angela Walton reported that several teachers went to Burlington to accept the “Award for Excellence in International Education” that  PCS received from the Asian Studies Program at UVM.

 

Upcoming Meetings

Oct 12:

“A Forest in Every Classroom” report

 Report on the VSBA Regional Meeting Discussion – Commissioner Cate’s Proposal on Governance

Discussion of posting the school forest

Wellness policy

Volunteer Policy

October 26

Nov 16:

PHACT will report to the board on a short-term solution to the drop-off/pickup congestion issue.

Nov. 30

Dec. 7

Dec. 14

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

 

 

 

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.