Meeting

Date:

November 10, 2005

Minutes Submitted On:

November 14, 2005

Board Attendees:

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

Administration Attendees:

Ron Stahley (RS), Amelia Stone (AS)

Community Attendees:

Sue Kachinskas

                       

Location:

PCS Library

Meeting called to order at:

4:40 pm

Meeting called to order by:

VS

Finish time:

7:25 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

Approve minutes of 9/29/05 as amended

VS

PM

p. 4 The line beginning “The Pinnacle Association…” was amended to read “The Pinnacle Association and Putney Mountain Association have insurance policies that are similar to the school’s.”  The sentence that begins “AF recommends to the board that…” was amended to read “AF recommends to the board that since the school district has coverage and allows motorized vehicle use only in limited areas and has not yet had problems that it continue it current policy that supports the traditional rural customs and values of Vermont  -- that of allowing motorized vehicles on the main trail, the green dot train and in the sandpit.”

Passed

Communications

PM received a copy of the VT School Boards Insurance Trust report. He also got a letter from the VT Department of Education  on allowable tuition rates.

Committee Reports:  Finance/School Forest/Early Education Outreach Advisory Committee

AF reported on the School Forest committee. They have completed their fall after school program. 31 students were accepted into the program out of 35 applicants. 16 adults volunteered for the program.This semester they completed the Princess Pine Trail and have maintained the trails.  They are now planning for the Winter Sports Program. The 3rd revision of the trail guide and maps is being done by the Windham Regional Commission.

Warrants

PM moved to adopt warrants 1003, 1035 FAST; 1036 Regular; 1117A/P FAST, and 1028 FAST

 

 

PM moved to ratify warrants 1018 , 1019, 1020, 1021, 1024, 1026 FAST; and 1022 and 1027 Regular

VS seconded

 

 

 

 

 

 

VS seconded

 

 

 

 

 

Passed

 

 

 

 

 

Passed

Administrators’ Reports

AS reported that she received 10 applications for the Early Education Outreach Coordinator position. The interviews will likely be held next week. It is a strong candidate pool. The salary is in the range of $14- $17/hour.

The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) exams went well. The children and teachers had a great attitude about the testing.

The entire school went into the school forest and had a great time.  Hoping that this will be the first annual.

The middle school teachers attended the open house at Westminster School. Special thanks to Kathy Bartlett and the 7th graders who helped when Doug Wilhelm (author) came to talk to students. PCS collaborated with Westminster School to bring him to the school.

Thanks to Stephen Coronella for arranging the music assembly.

Thanks to the PTO for funding a field trip to the Latchis Theater for a show.

AS distributed her professional goals. She’ll talk more about them at the Dec. 1 meeting.

She distributed the 1% requests from teachers. These will be voted on at the Nov. 17 meeting.

RS distributed the WSESU Staff Directory.

A Special Education tour was held on 11/9.

The SU Board will meet to finalize the district budget on 12/13 at the Dummerston School.

 

Old Business

Policy Review

 

 

The Board intends to pass the following policies next week:  “Policy on Prevention of Harassment of Students” and “Pupil Privacy Rights”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Business

 

Update on possibility of adding a bus stop at the Village Nursery School

 

 

 

 

 

Off the record communications from stakeholders

 

Review of  four-day week data from Kentucky

 

Line-by-Line review of Level-funded budget

 

 

 

AS will suggest to Laidlaw that they try the bus stop at the Village Nursery School for 6 weeks. She’ll report back to the Board after that time to report on how it is going.

 

 

Tabled

 

 

 

Tabled

 

 

The BUHS Assessments are not in the budget yet.  AS reviewed the enrollment patterns for upcoming years.  The board will go through the budget line-by-line on Nov. 17 and hopes that Jim Kane will be in attendance to answer questions.  The Board has to have a budget adopted by the 1st meeting in January.  AF reviewed the historical budget picture: in 2002 the budget was cut $120, 000 (the budget was up 3.68% from the previous year); in 2003 staff were cut and the budget increase was 3.81%; in 2004 staff were cut and the budget increase was 3.14%; in 2005 staff were cut and the increase was 3.89%.

The board intends to continue its discussion of having foreign language instruction at PCS.

 

 

Superintendent’s Evaluation: the Board members should fill out the Superintendent’s evaluation and bring it to the Nov. 17 meeting. At that meeting the full board will complete the evaluation of the Superintendent.

The Board will discuss the Superintendent’s professional goals on 12/1.’

 

 

 

 

 

Executive Session

To go into Executive Session  to discuss labor agreements with employess. .

 

Exited Executive Session at 7pm

PM moved at 6:55 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

VS

 

 

 

 

 

PASSED

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Meetings

November 17

 

§        “Off the record” communications from stakeholders.  How do board members handle them?

§        Continued Review of the “level service” budget from Jim Kane.

§        Building committee presents to the board a preliminary prioritized list.

§        Complete Superintendant Performance Evaluation and Worksheet (Executive Session)

§        Adoption of policies F23 and F30.

§        Review of four-day week data from Kentucky.

§        Approve 1% Fund Proposals

§        Schedule a line by line work session with Jim Kane on budget.

 

Upcoming Meetings

First Meeting in December (December 1)

 

§        Foreign Language Instruction, including report from Brattleboro town about how their pilot of a language coordinator and interns in elementary schools is going. 

§       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.

§        Line by Line Budget Review (w/Draft #2 - Up-dated)

§        Negotiations Committee Up-date (parties Meet 30 November)

 

 

Second Meeting in December (December 15)

 

§        Nothing scheduled to-date.

 

First Meeting in January

 

§        This is the meeting by which the FY2007 budget must be adopted.
§        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: Ellen Pratt

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