PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MINUTES WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL
THE BOARD HAS APPROVED THEM AT ITS NEXT MEETING.
The Board of Directors of Maine School Administrative
District No. 75 held a regular meeting
at
The following Directors were present: Joanne Rogers, Chair; Maryane
Burns; Edward Cook, III; Caroline Eliot; Dorothy Gardner; Robert W. Hill; David
A. Johnson; Jane Meisenbach; Andrea Najarian; Jeffrey Rowe; Jeffrey Steinert; Kim Totten; and Roland L. Tufts.
Not present was Dorothy “Dee” Carrier.
Also present were Tasha Cornish
and Sara Todd, student representatives to the Board of Directors.
1. Call
to order
The meeting
was called to order by Chairman Rogers at
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
Agenda adjustments had been integrated
into the agenda.
3.1 RECOGNITIONS AND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
√ Welcome
from Sandy Trach, Principal of
√ Welcome
Roland L. Tufts, new Topsham representative to the Board of Directors
√ John Lowell –
Adult Education Teacher of the Year
√ Boys
Varsity Soccer Team – Class A Eastern Champions
and State runner-up
√ Moment
of silence for Amanda Reed-Lewis, daughter of Stephen Reed, M.S.A.D. No. 75 Custodial
Supervisor
√ Moment
of silence for John Banionis, husband of Judy Banionis, Woodside literacy teacher, who died unexpectedly
November 12, 2005
√ Emerson-Lane
American Legion Post 132 – Donation to
√ Eli
Davis,
√ KVAC
All-Conference and All-Academic Honors for Fall Athletics:
KVAC Class “A” Soccer All-Conference:
Caleb Levesque, Ryan Vermette, Matthew Snider, Tyler Simpson, Danielle Phinney, Alexandra Hauser, Chelsea LeDuc
& Danielle Plourde
KVAC Class “A” Soccer All-Academic:
Adam Paine,
Christie Rogers, Danielle Phinney & Kelsi Eiane
KVAC Class “A” Golf All-Conference:
KVAC Class “A” Golf All-Academic:
Alex Burns
KVAC Class “A” Field Hockey
All-Conference:
Janina Brown
KVAC All-State Field Hockey Team:
Janina Brown
KVAC Class “A” Field Hockey
All-Academic:
Tasha Cornish
KVAC Class “A” Cross Country
All-Conference:
Krystal Douglas,
KVAC Class “A” Cross Country
All-Academic:
Will Perry, Meaghan Powell, Matthew Swan & Elizabeth Gilley
PTC Football All-Academic:
Nick Tringali
√ Mt. Ararat Fall Sports Special Awards:
Varsity Field Hockey:
Maya Tepler (Coaches Award)
Janina Brown (Outstanding Senior)
JV Field Hockey:
Katie
Dumas (Coaches Award)
JV 2 Field Hockey:
Mary
“Molly” Hayes (correction noted) (Coaches Award)
Varsity Boys Soccer:
Nate Sherwood (Coaches Award)
JV Boys Soccer:
Earl
Shields (Coaches Award)
Freshman Boys Soccer:
Nathan Rohman (Coaches
Award)
Varsity Girls Soccer:
Kelsi Eiane (Coaches Award)
Christie
Rogers (Outstanding Senior)
JV Girls Soccer:
Freshman Girls Soccer:
Meghan Dano (Coaches Award)
Varsity Football:
Brad
Sturgeon (Coaches Award)
Nick
Tringali (Outstanding Senior)
JV Football:
Joshua
Libby (Coaches Award)
Freshman Football:
Corey
Lewis (Coaches Award)
Varsity Boys Cross Country:
Matt Swan (Coaches Award)
Dan
Ollen (Outstanding Senior)
Varsity Girls Cross Country:
Krystal Douglas (Coaches Award)
Elizabeth
“Liz” Gilley (correction noted) (Outstanding
Senior)
Varsity Golf:
Aaron
Leaver (Coaches Award)
Nick
Cloutier (Outstanding Senior)
JV Golf:
Lisa
Rogers (Coaches Award)
Varsity Fall Cheering:
Jemeika Ampey (correction noted) (Coaches Award)
Heather
Herrick (Outstanding Senior)
√ KVAC Coaches of
the Year:
Sam Chard (Class
“A” Girls Soccer) and
Rick Renaud (Class “A” Boys Soccer)
4. To
take action relative to accepting as printed the minutes of the
It was moved by Mr. Johnson,
seconded by Mr. Steinert, and VOTED (790 yeas, 0 nays, 143 abstentions, and 67 absent) to accept
as printed the minutes of the
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Ms.
Eliot, Mrs. Gardner, Mr. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach,
Ms. Najarian, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Steinert,
Mr. Totten and Mr. Tufts.
There were no nay votes.
Abstaining from voting were Mr.
Cook and Mr. Rowe.
Absent was Mrs. Carrier.
5. OLD BUSINESS:
5.1 To
approve M.S.A.D. No. 75’s response to Arrowsic’s RFP
to accept its students as tuition students
At Ms. Eliot’s suggestion, the
response will be modified to reflect that the District has an all-day
kindergarten program.
It was moved by Mr. Hill, seconded
by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to
approve M.S.A.D. No. 75’s response (including
the suggested amendment) to Arrowsic’s RFP to
accept its students as tuition students.
6. NEW BUSINESS:
Amend wording of agenda item (following
original wording)
6.1 To
hear a report from Michael Baker
regarding potential changes in the Suscom System which provides the District its internet access
New
wording:
To approve a proposal to contract
on a one-time basis with SusCom to upgrade the
network infrastructure supporting all District sites except
Mike Baker, Director of
Technology, presented the rationale for this request and answered Board
members’ questions.
It was moved by Mr. Johnson,
seconded by Mr. Steinert, and VOTED (unanimously) to approve a proposal to contract on a one-time
basis with SusCom to upgrade the network
infrastructure supporting all District sites except
6.2 To
consider a request from Amy Hall,
Woodside Elementary School Special Education teacher, for an unpaid leave of
absence to extend her maternity leave to the conclusion of the school year
It was moved by Mr. Steinert, seconded by Ms. Eliot, and VOTED (unanimously) to approve a request from Amy Hall, Woodside Elementary School Special Education teacher, for
an unpaid leave of absence to extend her maternity leave to the conclusion of
the school year.
6.3 To
consider a request for an unpaid leave of absence from Ellen Martel, elementary school nurse, from January 30 through
It was moved by Ms. Eliot,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to approve a request for an unpaid leave of absence from Ellen Martel, elementary school nurse,
from January 30 through
6.4 To
consider a request from Martha Lentz,
elementary speech clinician, for an unpaid leave of
absence from February 1-
It was moved by Mrs. Gardner,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to approve a request from Martha Lentz, elementary speech clinician, for an unpaid leave of
absence from February 1-March 1, 2005 (7 ½ work days) to travel to New Zealand.
6.4a To
consider a request from Katie Benner, Bowdoin
Central School Special Education teacher, for a leave of absence without pay
for December 13-15, 2005
It was moved by Ms. Eliot,
seconded by Mrs. Totten, and VOTED (unanimously) to approve a request from Katie Benner, Bowdoin Central School Special Education teacher, for
a leave of absence without pay for
6.5 To
create a two-hour/day Educational Technician II position for
This strategy would cost
approximately $3,500 and would be taken from available federal grant
funds.
Ms. Eliot wished the Board could
“do more” to address this issue, pointing out that 40% of Bowdoin Central’s
fifth graders are reading below grade level, noting that the District’s aim is
for all students to be reading at grade level by third grade.
Superintendent Wilhelm stated that
upon presenting the enrollment data to the Board, he looked for the areas in
which the students needed help and had originally looked at a “tutoring”
situation. He stated that Jessica Theberge and Steve Crowe,
Ms. Eliot reminded Board members
that the District does not have a policy which would allow reallocation of
existing teacher resources, commenting that in areas of declining enrollments
equity must be provided.
It was moved by Ms. Eliot,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to create a two-hour/day Educational Technician II position
for
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
7.1
MVR 10 Cooperative Board – Ms. Najarian
noted that at the November 16th meeting MVR 10 Director Shirley
Hartwell reported on declining enrollments.
Ms. Najarian has formed an enrollment task
force, which Superintendent Wilhelm will lead.
7.2
Comprehensive Planning Committee – Superintendent
Wilhelm provided to all Board members information he had discussed at the
November 3rd meeting of the Committee.
7.3
School-Based Health Center Advisory Committee – A
report on the November 9th meeting of the SBHC Advisory Committee
was presented. A status report on
enrollment in the SBHC was given at the November 9th meeting. No dental care is being offered at the site
this year. Mrs. Gardner voiced her option that students
are well served by the School-Based Health Center.
7.4
Adult Education Advisory Committee – Mrs. Carrier,
the Board’s representative to the Adult Education Advisory Committee, was not
present to report on the November 15 meeting of the Committee. It was reported that current enrollment in
the program is up from last year.
7.5
Sports Done Right – Superintendent Wilhelm reported
that the November 14th meeting with coaches was well attended and
that he thought the meeting was productive.
He reported that the Sports Done Right steering committee is continuing
to look at whether the District wants to endorse the principles and practices
of Sports Done Right.
Mr. Johnson commented that the
coaches had made it clear they wanted to be involved in policy development.
7.6
Finance Committee – A first meeting of the Finance
Committee had been scheduled for December 5, but it was decided to change the
date to November 29th.
8. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:
8.1 Financial report –
Business Manager Ron Lavender presented this report.
8.2 Child
Development Services – Patrick Moore, Director of Special Services, announced
that due to the Legislature’s quest to save $6.5 million from the CDS budget,
local school districts will have to provide services currently being offered by
CDS to youth ages 1-5. He may have a
proposal to bring to the Finance Committee.
8.3 Meeting
with High School Department Heads – Recalling two meetings the Board had with
Department Heads around issues which the “small schools” initiative might
address, he suggested it would be good for the Department Heads to return to
the Board for a workshop. He asked Board
members to funnel to Joanne Rogers questions they would like raised. This workshop will be held on December 8th
following a short Board meeting.
8.4
Middle School field trip – At the last meeting
Board members had been provided copies of correspondence relative to this
issue. Principal Brenda Brown announced
that it has been decided to go ahead with the trip if there are sufficient funds
for all children to go on the trip, indicating that “scholarships” are
available to those needing them.
8.5
Dr. Wilhelm and Matthew Teare, representative of the
Dr. Wilhelm noted that this
proposal meets the emergency access requirement but does not meet the need to
enlarge the parking lot. Mr. Steinert expressed concern that the path goes by the
playground, and Superintendent Wilhelm pointed that it would not be opened to
regular traffic.
Ms. Burns asked whether the
District has determined the value of the property, and Superintendent Wilhelm
said he will pursue an appraisal.
Mr. Johnson reminded the Board
that this property is owned by four communities.
8.6
Harpswell – Board members were encouraged to write
letters urging the Legislative Council to reconsider its decision not to allow
the District’s proposed legislation to be considered this year.
8.7
Board Curriculum Committee – The high school has a
service learning proposal it would like the Curriculum Committee to
consider. A meeting will be scheduled.
8.8
Harpswell Selectmen – Superintendent Wilhelm noted
that Harpswell has indicated an interest in pulling out of the District. Education Commissioner Sue Gendron will meet with the Board and Selectmen/Town
Managers at
Superintendent Wilhelm will
provide to all Board members any information or data the District is requested
to provide for the Selectmen.
9. ADJOURMENT:
The meeting was declared
adjourned at
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