PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MINUTES WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL

THE BOARD HAS APPROVED THEM AT ITS NEXT MEETING.

October 6, 2005

 

The Board of Directors of Maine School Administrative District No. 75 held a regular meeting at Harpswell Islands School on Thursday, October 6, 2005.

 

The following Directors were present:  Joanne Rogers, Chair; Maryane Burns; Dorothy “Dee” Carrier; Edward M. Cook, III; Caroline Eliot; Dorothy Gardner; Stephen K. Harris; Robert W. Hill; David A. Johnson; Jane Meisenbach; Andrea Najarian; Jeffrey Steinert; and Kim Totten.

 

Not present was Jeffrey Rowe.

 

Also absent was Tasha Cornish, student representative to the Board of Directors.  The student representative seat previously held by Jared Libby remains vacant.

 

1.         Call to order

 

            The meeting was called to order by Chairman Rogers at 6:40 p.m.

 

2.         Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

 

            The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited by those present.

 

3.         To consider action relative to additions or adjustments to the agenda and to ask for comments from the audience

 

            No agenda adjustments were noted.

 

3.1       RECOGNITIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 

√          Welcome from Brenda French, Principal of Harpswell Islands School – Mrs. French noted that dinner was provided to the Board tonight as a way of saying “thank you.”

 

√          Chairman Rogers noted the Board has a special guest at its meeting and introduced Nick Borovac of Boy Scout Troop 639 in Bowdoin.  He was attending the Board meeting as part of his efforts to earn a merit badge in communications.

 

4.         To take action relative to accepting as printed the minutes of the September 22, 2005, regular meeting of the Board of Directors

 

            Ms. Eliot clarified a statement she had made relative to class sizes.

 

            It was moved by Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously) to accept as amended the minutes of the September 22, 2005, regular meeting of the Board of Directors.

 

5.         OLD BUSINESS:

 

5.1       To hear a report on proposed legislation to adjust the State funding formula

 

Superintendent Wilhelm distributed a preview of proposed legislation to be introduced in an attempt to adjust the State funding formula.  Initially, only the title of the proposed legislation needs to be submitted, as there will be two weeks in which to make adjustments to the wording.  Dr. Wilhelm will communicate to Roger Fenn that the District is looking for 100% of special education cots under the EPS formula and ask that he change this in the proposal.

 

In response to Ms. Burns’ question, Superintendent Wilhelm will also ask whether “special education” can be incorporated into the title of the document.

 

Mr. Steinert clarified his understanding that what the Board is looking for is that Harpswell would get what it would get if it were “separate and distinct” instead of part of a district.

 

6.         NEW BUSINESS:

 

6.1       To accept the resignation of DeWitt Kimball, Middle School Alternative Education teacher, effective upon finding a replacement, but no later than November 22, 2005

 

            Superintendent Wilhelm recommended acceptance of Mr. Kimball’s resignation.

 

It was moved by Mr.  Johnson, seconded by Mr. Harris, and VOTED (unanimously) to accept the resignation of DeWitt Kimball, Middle School Alternative Education teacher, effective upon finding a replacement, but no later than November 22, 2005.

 

6.2       To consider a request to waive Building Use Fees to use Woodside Elementary School for an after-school club

 

Maggie Lambert, representing the Good News Club sponsored by Brunswick’s Berean Baptist Church, was in attendance to present her case for a fee waiver request.

 

Mrs. Gardner made it known that she and Ms. Lambert had been friends for many years and that Ms. Lambert was Ed Cook’s mother-in-law.

 

In response to a Board member’s comments about the content of the Good News Club’s planned activities, Superintendent Wilhelm noted that by Law, the Board cannot “disallow” religious-based groups to use District buildings. 

 

He stated that the District is prepared to allow the group to use Woodside as requested, as said use is allowable under the policy.   

He clarified that the question the Board is being asked is not whether the group can use the facility, but whether the requirement of the fee should be waived.

 

Dr. Wilhelm noted that for a similar activity the fee for use of Bowdoin Central School had been waived in the past.


Ms. Burns suggested that the Board might want to consider taking a period of time to review the request, perhaps considering a one-year period of use. 

 

Ms. Eliot stated that the fee was waived in the Bowdoin Central School instance, partly due to the fact that the use was taking place when a custodian was present. 

 

Mrs. Gardner pointed out that having the club after school would be a convenience for parents.  Ms. Eliot, while agreeing that the school buildings are part of the community, argued that there is a cost to the District.

 

Mr. Johnson noted that there are groups who have paid to use school buildings and that groups exempt from fees are listed in the policy.

 

It was moved by Mrs. Gardner and seconded by Mr. Cook to allow (grant) the request to waive the fee of $20 per use (once a week) for the Good News Club at Woodside Elementary School.

 

Mrs. Gardner felt that the reason there’s objection (to waiving the fee) is because of the word “Christian.”

 

Ms. Burns stated it’s important that District teachers not participate in the program and also that children not be teased about participation in the Club.  Dr. Wilhelm noted that teachers were free to participate, but not during their working hours.

 

Mr. Cook feels the issue should not be about faith, but that the question is whether the use will be allowed, with or without the use fee being waived.  He thinks the policy should be revisited and that the inconsistency of application of the fee waiver should be addressed.

 

In response to a question, Superintendent Wilhelm could not immediately think of any group paying to use Woodside.  Business Manager Ron Lavender states there are some – but admittedly not many – groups which pay to use school facilities.

 

The motion made by Mrs. Gardner and seconded by Mr. Cook to allow (grant) the request to waive the fee of $20 per use (once a week) for the Good News Club at Woodside Elementary School FAILED (144 yeas, 780 nays, 66 absent, and 0 abstentions).

 

Voting yea were Mr. Cook and Mrs. Gardner.

 

Voting nay were Ms. Burns, Mrs. Carrier, Ms. Eliot, Mr. Harris, Mr. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms. Najarian, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Steinert, and Mrs. Totten.

 

Mr. Rowe was absent.

 

There were no abstentions.

 

6.3       To revise the 2005-2006 budget to move a 15-hour/week Educational Technician I position from Woodside Elementary School to West Harpswell School to support special education program requirements, the amount to be moved being $6,483

 

It was moved by Mr. Steinert, seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to revise the 2005-2006 budget to move a 15-hour/week Educational Technician I position from Woodside Elementary School to West Harpswell School to support special education program requirements, the amount to be moved being $6,483.

 

6.4       To appoint a delegate to the MSSA Assembly at the October conference

                                                                                               

Mrs. Rogers declined the nomination to serve as a delegate to the MSSA Assembly at the October conference.

 

                        Ms. Najarian volunteered to serve in this capacity.

 

7.         COMMITTEE REPORTS:

 

7.1              Facilities Committee – Doug Stevens, Director of Facilities and Projects,  reported on the October 4th meeting of the Facilities Committee.

 

The rescheduled date of the Board’s Facilities Tour was changed to November 7th.

 

7.2       Policy Committee – Ms. Burns reported on this evening’s Policy Committee meeting.  She stated it is clear that the field trip policy needs to be strengthened and that the Board’s expectations for extended trips needs to be made clear to all involved. 

 

As tonight’s Policy Committee agenda was not completed, the Committee will reconvene at 6:00 p.m. in the District Office on Wednesday, October 12th.

 

7.3              Transportation Committee – Mrs. Carrier reported that the Transportation Committee heard the request of the parent of a kindergartner who wanted her child picked up on Main Street in Topsham and transported to Williams-Cone School (on the opposite side of the pick-up).  The Committee feels that the policy is clear, and the request for an exception from the policy was denied.

 

8.         SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:

 

8.1              Local Assessment System Review – In its September 28th review of the District’s progress toward implementation of the Learning Results, Superintendent Wilhelm noted that the State Review Team had backed away from giving Districts a status report.  The review proved valuable, and the reflection allowed the District to evaluate its progress against the State’s expectations.  A survey of principals and teachers around the same set of questions asked at the review gave evidence that everyone is on the “same page.”

 

8.2              Bowdoin Central School 5th grade – Superintendent Wilhelm stated that administration has expanded its perspective on this situation and wants to look at Grades 3, 4 and 5 at Bowdoin Central School.  More data will be accumulated.

 

8.3              Bowdoin Central School baseball/softball field – A group of staff and parents has advanced the possibility of constructing a baseball/softball field.

 

8.4              West Harpswell School playground – Superintendent Wilhelm was pleased to announce that the West Harpswell School playground has been completed.

 

8.5              MSBA resolutions – Board members were asked to review these before the October 20th Board meeting.

 

8.6              Tuition students – Arrowsic is requesting RFP’s for tuitioning their students to a school system.  Ron Lavender and Superintendent Wilhelm have asked Arrowsic to allow M.S.A.D. No. 75 to present a proposal for educating this town’s 76 students (K-12).

 

9.         ADJOURNMENT:

 

            The meeting was declared adjourned at 7:50 p.m.

 

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