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 Mt. Ararat High School on
The following Directors were present: Joanne Rogers, Chair; Maryane
Burns; Caroline Eliot; Dorothy Gardner; Stephen P. Harris; David A. Johnson;
Jane Meisenbach; Andrea Najarian;
Jeffrey Steinert; and Kim Totten.
Not present were Dorothy “Dee” Carrier; Edward M. Cook, III;
Robert W. Hill; and Jeffrey Rowe.
Also present 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
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 were noted,
as follows:
(add before 6.1):
To accept the resignation of Daniel Patterson as Grade Two teacher
at Bowdoinham Community School, effective immediately
(add to 6.1):
To appoint the following to
first-year probationary contracts, for the 2005-2006 academic year, as detailed:
√ Christopher
Lajoie, Special Education teacher,
√ Lexine Mainwaring, Special Education teacher, Mt.
Ararat High School, at Master’s +15, Step 14
√ Richard
W. Moore, Jr., Special Education teacher, Mt. Ararat High School, at
Bachelor’s +15, Step 8
√ Amanda
Alexander-Hart, Special Education teacher, Bowdoin Central School, at
Bachelor’s, Step 2, effective upon release from current employment
√ Rebecca
West, Grade Two teacher,
(add)
6.6
To consider entering into a fixed price agreement
with Maine Natural Gas for the period from September 1, 2005 through August 31,
2006 at a price of $1,396 per therm
(add)
6.7
To authorize the Superintendent of Schools or his
designee to enter into market watch agreements with Maine Power Options to
authorize that entity to act on behalf of the District to contract for
electricity at a price not to exceed $0.079 per kilowatt-hour for a period of
three years beginning 12/1/2005
(correction)
The Superintendent noted that Item
6.1 (regular agenda), Rebecca Monks should
be appropriately placed at Master’s +15
on the salary schedule.
3.1 RECOGNITIONS &
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
√ Lauren
Grotton – First place in 9th-10th
grade Biology/Zoology at the Maine Science & Technology Fair
4. To
take action relative to accepting as printed the minutes of the
It was moved by Mr. Johnson,
seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED
(unanimously of those present) to accept as printed the minutes of the
(Mr. Harris had not yet arrived.)
(Before 6.1)
To accept the resignation of Daniel Patterson as Grade Two teacher
at Bowdoinham Community School, effective immediately
The Superintendent explained that
Mr. Patterson has had an opportunity to join his family’s business and has
resigned his position. The
Superintendent noted that later in the agenda, the position will be filled.
It was moved by Mrs. Gardner,
seconded by Mr. Steinert, and VOTED (unanimously of those present) to accept the resignation of Daniel Patterson as Grade Two teacher
at Bowdoinham Community School, effective immediately.
(Mr. Harris had not yet arrived.)
6.1 To
appoint the following to first-year probationary contracts, for the 2005-2006
academic year, as detailed:
√ Lauren
Radovich, one-year position as Behavior
Consultant, at Master’s, Step 3
√ Sandra
Garner, Speech & Language,
√ Rebecca
Monks, .2 FTE Speech & Language,
√ Katie
Benner, .5 FTE Special Education teacher, Bowdoin Central School, at
Bachelor’s +15, Step 3 (prorated)
√ Christopher
Lajoie, Special Education teacher,
√ Lexine Mainwaring, Special Education teacher, Mt.
Ararat High School, at Master’s +15, Step 14
√ Richard
W. Moore, Jr., Special Education teacher, Mt. Ararat High School, at
Bachelor’s +15, Step 8
√ Amanda
Alexander-Hart, Special Education teacher, Bowdoin Central School, at
Bachelor’s, Step 2, effective upon release from current employment
√ Rebecca
West, Grade Two teacher,
It was moved by Mrs. Gardner,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to move the slate {thereby approving the appointment of the
above-listed individuals, as detailed}.
5. OLD BUSINESS:
… Mr. Harris arrived at
5.1 To
consider policy language that will allow for exceptions under Chapter 51 of
State Regulations regarding Child Nutrition Programs in Public Schools and
Institutions
The Policy Committee had discussed
this issue at its meeting prior to the Board meeting. The Superintendent distributed a draft policy
incorporating language suggested by Maine School Management Association.
It was moved by Mr. Steinert, seconded by Mr. Harris, and VOTED (unanimously) to adopt this proposed policy. {This is the first reading, and the second
reading was waived, therefore making it Board policy.}
5.2 To
consider transferring property back to the Town of
Superintendent Wilhelm has had a
conversation with Topsham town officials and representatives of the
Once the Town receives it, the
Town would give it to the District in exchange for property which would allow
for emergency egress onto Perkins and Pleasant Streets.
Mr. Harris needs to understand
what improvements would be made to the road allowing for emergency egress,
pointing out that it can’t be used without being plowed. The Superintendent’s understanding was that
the road would be maintained. Ms. Najarian would to see cost estimates of what it would take
to improve the roadway.
Mr. Harris’ push would be not to
have the road necessarily only for emergency egress but public access for use
by buses. Superintendent Wilhelm stated
that this would change the agreement being proposed.
Ms. Burns noted that parking lot
traffic is a “disaster” during times when buses are being loaded and unloaded.
Chairman Rogers tabled any action
on this item, pending the receipt of more information.
6. NEW BUSINESS:
6.3 To
approve the transfer of Jane Kennedy
from Woodside Elementary School Kindergarten to Grade 1 at Williams-Cone School
It was moved by Mr. Steinert, seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to approve the transfer of Jane Kennedy from Woodside Elementary School Kindergarten to Grade
1 at
6.4 To
revise the Fiscal Year 2005-2006 budget to move an Educational Technician III
position from the middle school to the high school to support special education
program requirements (amounts to be moved:
$14,442 for salary; $8,650 for health insurance; and $252 for dental
insurance)
Special Services Director Patrick
Moore explained that this item is necessary to enable the Ed Tech to “follow
the child” in providing needed services after leaving middle school and
entering the high school.
It was moved by Mr. Johnson,
seconded by Mr. Steinert, and VOTED (unanimously) to revise the Fiscal Year 2005-2006 budget to
move an Educational Technician III position from the middle school to the high
school to support special education program requirements (amounts to be
moved: $14,442 for salary; $8,650 for
health insurance; and $252 for dental insurance).
6.2 {taken out of
order} To approve the transfer of Sarah Levy from a .4 FTE Speech Pathology position at Woodside
Elementary School to a .8 FTE Speech Pathology position at Harpswell Islands
School
It was moved by Ms. Eliot,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to approve the transfer of Sarah Levy from a .4 FTE Speech Pathology position at
6.5 To
consider policy recommendations from the Board Policy Committee
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that
with the action taken on Item 5.1, the Board has already done this.
Other
proposals will be presented to the Board at its next meeting.
6.6 To
consider entering into a fixed price agreement with Maine Natural Gas for the
period from September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006 at a price of $1.396 per therm
Business Manager Ron Lavender
provided further information and answered questions.
It was moved by Ms. Najarian, seconded by Mr. Harris, and VOTED (unanimously) to enter into a fixed price agreement with
Maine Natural Gas for the period from
6.7 To
authorize the Superintendent of Schools or his designee to enter into market
watch agreements with Maine Power Options to authorize that entity to act on
behalf of the District to contract for electricity at a price not to exceed
$0.079 per kilowatt-hour for a period of three years beginning 12/1/2005
Business Manager Ron Lavender
answered questions relative to this proposal.
It was moved by Mr. Harris,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to authorize the Superintendent of Schools or his designee to
enter into market watch agreements with Maine Power Options to authorize that
entity to act on behalf of the District to contract for electricity at a price
not to exceed $0.079 per kilowatt-hour for a period of three years beginning
12/1/2005.
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
7.1 MVR
10 Cooperative Board – Ms. Najarian reported on the
August 10th meeting of the Cooperative Board.
7.2 Policy
Committee – The Board will be requested to act on the following at its next
meeting: policies on Chemical Hazards,
Family Care Leave, Graduation and Learning Results policies, and the brochure
on Project Graduation presented several meetings ago.
7.3 “Sports
Done Right” – Superintendent Wilhelm reported on the August 18th
meeting of the “Sports Done Right” group.
Students will become involved in the process at a later date, and the
group will meet with coaches between late October and early November.
Ms. Burns asked whether this group
will address physical education, and Superintendent Wilhelm stated that the thrust
of the group’s purpose focuses on athletics.
8. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:
8.1 Board
workshop -- The Superintendent doesn’t want the Board to lose its momentum on
its discussions of how to approach the current legislation regarding General
Purpose Aid for schools.
Dr. Wilhelm suggested continuing
the work at the September 8th Board meeting. He will inquire into having a Maine School
Management Association representative present at that workshop.
8.2 Enrollments
– Superintendent Wilhelm noted that the District enrollment figures (as of this
date, compared to October 2004) reflect a loss of 132 students K-12. Most of these enrollment losses are from the
Topsham area, particularly from the Topsham Navy Annex, which had been under a
plan to close (and raze and rebuild) the units.
With the BRAC vote to close BNAS, the plan to demolish and rebuild those
units has been halted.
Superintendent Wilhelm stated that
the District will see a continued loss of students from Topsham.
8.3 Board
membership on committees will be addressed at the next meeting.
9. ADJOURNMENT:
At
/bb/agenda82505