Meeting Date:	12/1/05
Minutes Submitted On:	12/2/05
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:	Angela Daprato, Nancy Mackler, Sue Kochinskas, Susan Hesse

Location:	PCS Writing Room
Meeting called to order at:	7:05 PM
Meeting called to order by:	PM
Finish time:	7:52 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	Review and approval of minutes of 11/17/05 and 11/29/05 tabled until 12/15/05.			Note: Both sets of minutes mention community member “Angela Deprato.” Her last name is “Daprato”
Communications	Communication from State of Vermont Council. Education Governance Demonstration District Grants ranging from $5,000 - $15,000 are available to Vermont school districts demonstrating innovative governance practices. Applications must be received by December 9, 2005. National School Board Association invited the Putney Town School Board to join. RS re: complaint option for teachers and staff: If a teacher is uncomfortable talking to the appropriate channels for attribution they could talk to the union representative who would talk to the supervisor (RS). Communication from parent Angela Daprato pointing out some possible practical limitations to any initiation of a 4-day week and suggesting that rather than cut back on specials staff the school either (1) give an incentive for early retirement to teachers whose long service at the school places them at the top of the pay scale or (2) communicate to the town that PCS wants to keep the excellent teaching staff that it has.
Foreign Language Instruction in Brattleboro Elementary Schools: Presentation by Ron Stahley	RS distributed “Brattleboro Town Schools Foreign Language Program Information Sheet. January 2005.” As a pilot program, the town of Brattleboro is committing half the salary of a person to coordinate and supervise MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) intern from SIT. Those MAT interns teach language programs in the elementary schools. 2005-2006 is the first academic year of the program. During this first year, the interns are providing language instruction to kindergarten students. Green Street kindergartners study French and Oak Grove and Academy students study Spanish. This is a proficiency-based program The expectation is that a kindergartner progressing through 6^th grade in language instruction through this program would be ready to enter BAMS at a novice level, middle level, or high level. Each year another grade will be added to the program, which means that in 2006-2007, kindergartners and first graders will be involved, in 2007-2008, k-2^nd graders, and so on. There is not currently capacity for Putney to join this program though there may be in a year or two. Right now Brattleboro Town pays about $35,000 for half the salary/benefits package for the coordinator. The board asked RS to keep it abreast of progress in the program, including it on formative and summative evaluations as appropriate. Regarding the Chinese Program next year at Putney: The Freeman Foundation grant continues for next year. PCS will have to contribute an additional $500 for FY07. This will bring the school’s contribution for the year to $2000. Chinese is offered Tuesdays and Wednesdays to all 7^th and 8^th graders. The board is considering surveying the school community to determine the level of interest among families in language education at school. One problem with surveying the current parent population is that, if Putney were to join the Brattleboro program, no students currently enrolled at PCS would benefit from the program. (The program would begin with incoming kindergartners and would serve those kindergartners as they progress through the school as well as subsequent classes of kindergartners as they progress through the school.)
FY07 Budget	We are still working with a lack of critical information. (Information on the BUHS assessment is pending and, while further information will be available to the board by 12/15, final information may not be available before the deadline for budget preparation.) The board asked AS to provide it with a schedule of contact hours for each of the “specials” teachers (Music, Arts, PE, and Library). The board also wants to look at descriptions of the “specials” teachers’ other duties and areas of responsibilities. AS: It’s been a very painful couple of years with budget and staff cuts at PCS. The current draft of the FY07 operating budget projects an increase of 3.57% in the general operating fund. AS would like to see us put in some increases for field trips and Winter Sports. Some people see these items as “extras” but they are very important parts of the educational program. Over the past three years, budget cuts have been made as they needed to be made. It may not be in the school’s best interest to continue with cuts now that next year’s projected enrollment is expected to be at the same level as this year’s enrollment. RS: While more information will be available to the board at the 12/15/05 meeting, in a recent conversation WSESU Business Manager Jim Kane (JK) said that the BUHS assessment will probably increase by only about 2%. According to RS, JK recommends that, given that the 2% increase is “good news,” the Putney board not worry too much about surprises from the BUHS assessment and only concentrate on what it can control in the school’s general operating budget. Angela Daprato: Why are we focusing so much on saving money and not also talking about matters like academic performance and problems such as class size, which at some grade levels are larger than the board has identified as optimum? 3.57% (the current projected increase of the general operating budget) does not sound like a high increase especially given the fact that the drivers of the increase are insurance, fuel, and salaries/benefits. Susan Hesse (librarian in Guilford school and current Putney resident): If the board eliminates some of the budget from the Library position, the teaching and professional collaboration aspects of the Library position will suffer. The board would end up paying a highly trained professional to do clerical work. That would undermine a program that should benefit all students, all paras, and all professionals in the building. A school librarian actually fulfills four roles: teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and program administrator. As a teacher, the Librarian supports the reading program and helps students achieve information literacy standards. As an instructional partner, the Librarian collaborates with all members of the school community and helps design authentic learning opportunities. As an information specialist, the Librarian acquires information and disseminates it. The Librarian also helps people understand the ethical use of acquired information. As a program administrator the Librarian develops policies, oversees budget, and guides and directs the daily operations of the library.
Administrators’ Reports	AS: We have started the Winter Sports raffle and are also registering each child in one of the three Winter Sports programs. Without concerted fundraising the Winter Sports program cannot happen. Please buy raffle tickets from children. EP and AS interviewed five candidates for the Early Education Outreach Coordinator position. They are currently checking references and hope to make an offer soon.

Executive Session to discuss RS evaluation and to get update from PM on Finance Committee.

Move to go into Executive Session 6:20. Out at 7:52.

RC

PM

Passed

Upcoming Meetings

December 15. Meet at 4:00 in the Writing Room. (Note: this is ½ hour earlier than normal meeting time.) § Joint meeting with Select Board begins at 4pm. § Budget, including review of FY05 expenditures (final figures are now available) and look at BUHS assessment. § Administrator’s Report 1. Building Committee progress to-date § AS will present a draft of the evolving Action Plan. § Administrator’s Professional Goals. (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 January § Adopt FY2007 budget. § 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. § Review transportation bids January 31. 3:30. § Meeting with faculty at PCS. § 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. § 4-Day Week § Presentation from RS on progress to-date on Brattleboro Town Schools Foreign Language Program Second March Meeting § Consideration of Head Start contract for 2006-2007 § Discussion of language instruction.

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.