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 special meeting
at Mt. Ararat High School on
The following Directors were present: Joanne Rogers, Chair; Maryane Burns; Dorothy
“Dee” Carrier; Caroline Eliot; Dorothy Gardner; Robert W. Hill; David A.
Johnson; Jane Meisenbach; Andrea Najarian; Jeffrey Steinert; Kim Totten; and
Roland Tufts.
Not present was Jeffrey Rowe. The seat previously held by Edward Cook, III
and vacated by his resignation remains vacant.
Also not 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 were noted and
integrated appropriately into the agenda, as follows.
(add 3.a)
To approve a statement to be issued jointly by the Town of Harpswell
and the M.S.A.D. No. 75 Board of Directors regarding the process and timeline
for Harpswell’s potential withdrawal from the District
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that
this joint statement is being proposed following a conversation he had with
Gordon Weil (Chair, Harpswell Board of Selectmen) relative to allaying some of
the concerns and anxiety expressed by parents and students. This statement would serve the purpose of
providing parents and students some information (especially as it relates to
timelines) they otherwise would not have had.
It was moved by Ms. Eliot, seconded
by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to
approve a statement {printed in its entirety below} to be issued jointly by the
Town of Harpswell and the M.S.A.D. No. 75 Board of Directors regarding the
process and timeline for Harpswell’s potential withdrawal from the District.
JOINT STATEMENT
M.S.A.D. NO. 75
&
HARPSWELL BOARD OF SELECTMEN
As a result of the
Because of the requirements established under the Law, this process
will take time; and were there to be a final vote in Harpswell in favor of
withdrawal, it could not become effective earlier than July 1, 2007 with a
change for students, if any, possibly taking place after July 1, 2008
Mrs. Carrier asked how this joint
statement will be distributed. The
Superintendent noted that the Harpswell Board of Selectmen is this evening
voting on adoption of the joint statement, and that meeting is being televised
live. Additionally, it will be
publicized in an issue of the Superintendent’s Foundations newsletter and will
be disseminated through the schools.
(add 3.b)
To hear an update on the progress of L.D. 1953
The Board’s proposed legislation,
L.D. 1953, was heard by the Education Committee on February 9. The Superintendent and others testified to
the need for favorable consideration of the bill. A work session on the proposal was held on
February 15. No public comment was
allowed. The Committee initially seemed
willing to delay implementation into the next biennium since the State doesn’t
have $6 million for it.
It would then fall into place in
2008. Senator Beth Edmonds’ office has
communicated to the Superintendent that the Education Committee tabled a vote
until another workshop session.
Deb Friedman of
(add 3.c)
To allow the Topsham representatives to choose a Topsham Board member
to serve on the sub-committee of the Board for the purpose of negotiations with
the Harpswell Withdrawal Committee
Chairman Rogers asked if Topsham
was prepared to choose one of their members to serve on this
sub-committee. Mr. Steinert asked that
this item be delayed until after Item 4 (anticipating that by evening’s end,
Topsham would have a full complement of representation, with the Topsham Board
of Selectmen expected to appoint a citizen to fill Ed Cook’s vacated seat until
the November 2006 election).
4. To enter executive session to conduct a student disciplinary
hearing, pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. 405 (6) (B)
At 6:37 p.m. it was moved by Mrs.
Gardner, seconded by Ms. Eliot, and VOTED
(unanimously) to enter executive session to conduct a student disciplinary
hearing, pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. 405 (6) (B).
The executive session ended at
It was moved by Ms. Najarian,
seconded by Mr. Steinert, and VOTED
(unanimously) that Larry X was deliberately disobedient and disorderly on
school grounds and did traffic in a scheduled drug.
It was moved by Ms. Najarian,
seconded by Mr. Steinert, and VOTED
(unanimously) that for the peace and usefulness of the school Larry X will
be expelled from
- Larry X will be granted credit for
his course work through the first semester.
- Larry X will be allowed to continue
his secondary education through Merrymeeting Adult Education.
- Except to attend Merrymeeting Adult
Education courses, Larry X will not be allowed on the
- This ban will last until Larry X’s 21st
birthday, and will include participation in or attendance at all school events
on or off campus, including but not limited to prom, graduation, athletic
contests, etc.
- Upon successful completion of all
requirements, Larry X will receive a
- As a condition of being allowed to
participate in Merrymeeting Adult Education, Larry X must participate in a
community-based counseling program for substance abuse. Larry X must provide written documentation
verifying his continued participation on the first of every month to the
Superintendent of Schools. This requirement
will remain in effect until Larry X completes his secondary program or until
his counselor determines that the counseling is no longer necessary.
3.c To
allow the Topsham representatives to choose a Topsham Board member to serve on
the sub-committee of the Board for the purpose of negotiations with the
Harpswell Withdrawal Committee
Having heard that the Topsham
Selectmen had chosen Marie Dickson to fill the vacant Topsham Board seat, the
Topsham representatives of the Board caucused and chose Roland Tufts to serve on the M.S.A.D. No. 75 Withdrawal Negotiations Committee.
5. Adjournment:
The meeting was declared adjourned
at
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