Meeting Date:	10/04/05
Minutes Submitted On:
Board Attendees:	Ellen Pratt (EP), Anne Fines (AF), Virginia Scholl (VS), Peter May (PM), Rebecca Coffey (RC)
Administration Attendees:	Ron Stahley (RS), Amelia Stone (AS)
Community Attendees:	Scott Henry, Kathy Bartlett

Location:	PCS Writing Room
Meeting called to order at:	5:25
Meeting called to order by:	PM
Finish time:	6:25

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	Will review minutes of 9/29/05 at 11/10/05 meeting.
Communications	Note from Lynne Borofsky: The Chesterfield Conservation Commission invites all to the opening day celebration and hike over the Ravine Bridge in Friedsam Town Forest.
Committee Reports: Finance/School Forest/Early Education Outreach Advisory Committee	None.
WSESU Negotiations Committee	(Update Provided by Scott Henry, Putney’s BUHS #6 Board Representative) The committee has met 4 times since late Spring. Primarily discussion has centered on the language of the current contract. Negotiations may open October 26 or perhaps the following week. By agreement of both parties, negotiations will be held in closed sessions, as has been practiced in the past and as is common through the state. There will be jointly-issued press releases as matters proceed. The contract will probably be a three-year contract. Regarding health care contribution by teachers, the committee feels that it is reasonable to get the teacher contribution to the level of similar level employees in other industries. Participants allowed to engage in direct negotiation at negotiation meetings: Negotiating representative of the boards (1), lawyers for each side, negotiator for the Teachers Association (1).
Scott Henry’s representation of Putney on BUHS board	Biggest difference Scott sees between BUHS and Putney board is that on the BUHS board issues are referred out to committees and not handled by entire board. Committees include curriculum, policy, building advisory, finance, negotiations, budget. The building project is going well. The light at the end of the tunnel is visible, particularly now in the Career Center. The new library will probably open by Christmas. The wood chip boiler system works like a dream. It will represent a long-term, considerable savings for BUHS.
WSESU Negotiations Committee	Move to enter Executive Session	RC		EP		Entered at 6:40 – 6:52. To discuss matters that, if discussed in open sessions, would put the district at a disadvantage in negotiations.		Unanimous
Early Education Outreach Coordinator	Move to approve job description as presented in document titled “Job Description for Putney Early Education Outreach Coordinator DRAFT September 2005”	PM		EP		AS and the coordinator will break the job description down into operational (and measurable) objectives.		Unanimous
Policy Review: F23 “Policy on Prevention of Harassment of Students” – 2^nd Reading F30 “Pupil Privacy Rights – Student Surveys” – 2^nd Reading	So read. The harassment policy requires the school to develop procedures for dealing with urgent sexual harassment issues so that the emotional and physical safety of the student is assured even prior to the result of investigation. Kathy Bartlett will work with AS and other administration representatives on the development of such procedures.
Warrants
Administrators’ Reports	Stephen Coronella and Brown Computer delivered one of the two computers to the library. Big thanks to Putney Family Services. They have provided two iMacs for use to the school during the school day and for use by the after-school program. Recess seems to be going well with the new times allotted. NECAP (standardized testing) started today. Winter Sports has a chicken barbeque on October 8 on the Tavern Green and has a Harvest Festival (Putney School) booth on Sunday.
Upcoming Meetings	November 3. No meeting. November 10 § Update on possibility of adding a bus stop at Village Nursery School. § “Off the record” communications from stakeholders. How do board members handle them? § Review the “level funding” budget from Jim Kane. § Third Reading and adoption of policies F23 and F30. § Line-by-line review of level-funded budget to be provided by JK. § Review of four-day week data from Kentucky. November 17 § Presentation to board by Jim Kane or VSBA about school budgets. § Foreign Language Instruction, including report from Brattleboro town about how their pilot of a language coordinator and interns in elementary schools is going. § Building committee presents to the board a prioritized list. § Superintendent meets with Board and Administrator to present to Board Administrators professional goals for coming year, with reference to the PCS School Action Plan.  Board provides input to Administrators professional goals.  Executive Session may be held with Superintendent at Boards request.
	First Meeting in December (December 1) § Nothing scheduled to-date. Second Meeting in December (December 15) § Nothing scheduled to-date. First Meeting in January § Superintendent meets with Board and Administrator in Executive\ Session to consider provisional budget allocation for Administrator Salary for coming year. Executive Session may be held with Superintendent at Board’s request. First Meeting in February § Superintendent distributes Administrator Performance Feedback Questionnaires to stakeholders (parents, teachers, staff, etc.). Second Meeting in February § Superintendent meets with Board and Administrator in Executive Session to provide Progress Report to Board with respect to Administrator’s progress against Administrator’s professional goals for the current year. Purpose is to provide constructive feedback on Administrator’s performance and identify critical issues, if any, that may impact any contract renewal notice dates. Executive Session may be held with Superintendent at Board’s request. Second March Meeting § Consideration of Head Start contract for 2006-2007

Respectfully submitted by: Rebecca Coffey

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