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; Marie
Dickson; Caroline Eliot; Dorothy Gardner; Robert W. Hill; David A. Johnson;
Jane Meisenbach; Andrea Najarian; Jeffrey Rowe; Jeffrey Steinert; Kim Totten;
and Roland Tufts.
Also present was Sara Todd, student representative to the
Board of Directors. Not present were
Dorothy “Dee” Carrier and Tasha Cornish, student representative to the Board of
Director.
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:
3.1 (add t0) RECOGNITIONS
& ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS – Several were added to the agenda and have been
appropriately integrated into the minutes.
6.3a (add) To accept the resignation of Andrea Smith,
6.3b (add) To accept the resignation of Jennifer Dowdy,
6.4a (add) To consider a request for a leave of absence for Barbara Greenstone for the 2006-2007
school year to serve as a Distinguished Educator
6.4b (add) To acknowledge the intent of Nan Hinds, Bowdoinham Community School
Literacy/Reading Recovery teacher, to retire
(comments) James
Trusiani, member of the Topsham Board of Selectmen, read aloud a letter from
the Board of Selectmen to the M.S.A.D. No. 75 Board of Directors.
The letter urged the Board of
Directors to conduct its discussions of the Harpswell withdrawal in open
session. The letter also suggested that
the withdrawal proposal submitted by the Town of
3.1 RECOGNITIONS &
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
√ High School Winter Sports Awards
√ Moe
St. Pierre, Food Service Director – recognized by the Partnership for a
Healthy Maine as a Local Hero
√ Reuben Fischer-Baum –
First for the Junior Class in the State of
√
√ Devin
Boilard – Recognized by Portland Press Herald and MaineToday.com with a “20
below 20” award
√ Destination
Imagination teams placing in the State Meet held on Saturday, April 8th
–
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●
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√
M.S.A.D. No. 75 cited by Maine Department of Education for working at an
exemplary level in two
√ Successful
administration of the SAT to
4. To
take action relative to accepting as printed the minutes of the March 23, 2006,
regular meeting of the Board of Directors
It was moved by Mr. Johnson,
seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (867
yeas, 0 nays, 66 abstentions, and 67 absent)to accept as printed the minutes
of the
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Mrs.
Dickson, Ms. Eliot, Mrs. Gardner, Mr. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms.
Najarian, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Steinert, Mrs. Totten, and Mr. Tufts.
There were
no nay votes.
Abstaining
from voting was Mr. Rowe.
Absent was
Mrs. Carrier.
5. OLD BUSINESS:
6. NEW BUSINESS:
6.1 To
accept the resignation of Holly Tupper, Middle
School Spanish teacher
It
was moved by Mr. Steinert, seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to accept the resignation of Holly Tupper, Middle School Spanish
teacher.
6.2 To
accept the resignation of Richard Moore,
Jr.,
It was moved by Mr. Johnson,
seconded by Mr. Hill, and VOTED
(unanimously) to accept the resignation of Richard Moore, Jr.,
6.3 To
accept the resignation of Kathleen St.
James, Woodside Elementary School Special Education Social Worker
It was moved by Ms. Eliot,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to accept the resignation of Kathleen St. James, Woodside Elementary School Special Education
Social Worker.
6.3a To
accept the resignation of Andrea Smith,
It was moved by Ms. Eliot,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to accept the
resignation of Andrea Smith,
6.3b To
accept the resignation of Jennifer
Dowdy,
It was moved by Ms. Eliot,
seconded by Mr. Steinert, and VOTED
(unanimously) to accept the resignation of Jennifer Dowdy,
6.4 To
consider a request for a leave of absence without pay for Cooper Dragonette,
Superintendent Wilhelm recommended
that the Board grant Mr. Dragonette’s request for a leave of absence.
It was moved by Mr. Steinert,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to approve a request for a leave of absence without pay for Cooper Dragonette,
6.4a To
consider a request for a leave of absence for Barbara Greenstone for the 2006-2007 school year to serve as a
Distinguished Educator
As a Distinguished Educator, Ms.
Greenstone is hired by the State and kept under contract by M.S.A.D. No. 75,
with the District paying her wages and benefits. The State then reimburses the District. Superintendent Wilhelm recommended that this
leave be granted.
It was moved by Mrs. Gardner,
seconded by Mr. Hill, and VOTED
(unanimously) to approve a request for a leave of absence for Barbara Greenstone for the 2006-2007
school year to serve as a Distinguished Educator.
6.4b To
acknowledge the intent of Nan Hinds, Bowdoinham
Community School Literacy/Reading Recovery teacher, to retire
The Board of Directors DULY ACKNOWLEDGED the intent of Nan Hinds, Bowdoinham Community School
Literacy/Reading Recovery teacher, to retire.
6.5 To
undertake a first reading of the Return to Work and Light Duty Assignment
Policy GBGE and the M.S.A.D. No. 75 Wellness Policy AEA
The Return to Work and Light Duty
Assignment Policy GBGE is a requirement of Workers’ Compensation. This was considered the first of two required
readings.
Ordinarily, proposed policies
receive two required readings at consecutively-scheduled Board meetings, but
Superintendent Wilhelm suggested delaying the second reading and adoption of
the Wellness Policy until all staff has had the opportunity to view the
proposed policy and the FAQ’s accompanying it.
School Health Coordinator Mary
Booth stated that the deadline for having the policy in place is June 30th .
Sara Todd suggested sending the proposed policy to Devin Boilard and the
Student Senate at the high school.
6.6 To
undertake a first consideration of a calendar for the 2006-2007 school year
Board members received a corrected
version of the draft calendar.
This is considered the first of two
required readings (consideration) of a calendar for the 2006-2007 school year.
6.7 To
consider the Finance Committee’s recommendation for a school budget for the
2006-2007 fiscal year
It was moved by Mr. Steinert and
seconded by Ms. Najarian to adopt the Finance Committee’s recommendation for a
school budget for the 2006-2007 fiscal year, in the
amount of $35,479,624.
Ms. Burns requested reconsideration
of the proposed elimination of a second grade teacher at
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that
the Board’s class size guidelines state that 20 is the maximum class size
average for Grades 1-3, and that keeping three teachers with class sizes of 13,
12, and 13 causes the class sizes to fall below the minimum. Eliminating one position would create class
sizes of 19 and 19, one less than the maximum.
He stated that Grade 4 in
Williams-Cone is on the “cusp” of being near the maximum class size.
Mr. Hill asked the reason that the
school population of Williams-Cone has increased by 16. Principal Otis Thompson attributes the
increase to occupancy at Topsham’s Crossing or military families being assigned
to Topsham Housing.
Mrs. Gardner stated she shares Ms.
Burns’ concerns on the Williams-Cone situation and also the reduction of
Guidance services at Woodside.
Mrs. Totten stated there’s been
ample opportunity for concern to be expressed about this situation and for
anyone concerned to come forward to object to the elimination of the teaching
position. She stated that the letter
sent to Board members by
Mrs. Dickson also expressed surprise
at the late arrival of the staff-generated letter and asked the Board to look
at students making gains in smaller-sized classes.
Mr. Johnson reminded the Board that
it has added teachers over the summer as a result of population gains.
Superintendent Wilhelm indicated
that administration has looked at ways of shifting resources. Mr. Johnson suggested monitoring changes in
student population.
Ms. Burns stated she had attended
all Finance Committee meetings and that “34” – not “38” – was the enrollment of
the incoming second grade when consideration was being given to eliminating
staff. Expressing her fear that similar
situations would continue to happen, she asked what latitude the Board has
under the Contract to keep teachers and use resources differently. She would like the Board to consider
that.
Mrs. Rogers feels the proposed
budget should remain as it is and that using numbers that are “one or two under
the maximum” to justify adding staff is not the intended application of the
policy. She would prefer being asked to
add staff later, if the numbers substantiate the need.
Ms. Eliot expressed her discomfort
at being asked to add staff before the actual numbers are
clear, feeling that the Board should stay within the confines of the
Comprehensive Planning Process.
Ms. Najarian admitted she’s a
proponent of smaller class sizes but emphasized that the Board has to apply its
own guidelines.
Superintendent Wilhelm commented
that in reduction-in-force, if a teacher has a continuing contract, that
teacher will still have a job in the District and has the right to “bump” the
least senior teacher. He stated that
probationary teachers have no “bumping” rights and that attrition usually
prevents instances of teachers having to exercise “bumping rights.
Mr.
Steinert views it as an anomaly that the population increase at Williams-Cone
is the equivalent of a classroom’s population.
He stated he would prefer to leave it “as is” since the teachers to be
impacted will still have a job.
Business Manager Ron Lavender stated
that adding a teacher to the budget would increase it by $38,593.
It was moved by Ms. Burns, seconded
by Mrs. Gardner, and FAILED (231 yeas,
702 nays, 0 abstentions, and 67 absent) to amend the motion (to adopt the
Finance Committee’s recommendation for a school budget for the 2006-2007 fiscal
year, in the amount of $35,479,624) by adding a teaching position at
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Mrs.
Dickson, and Mrs. Gardner.
Voting nay were Ms. Eliot, Mr.
Hill, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms. Najarian, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Rowe, Mr.
Steinert, Mrs. Totten, and Mr. Tufts.
There were no abstentions.
Absent was Mrs. Carrier.
The original motion made by Mr.
Steinert and seconded by Ms. Najarian to adopt the Finance Committee’s
recommendation for a school budget for the 2006-2007 fiscal year,
in the amount of $35,479,624 was VOTED
(779 yeas, 154 nays, 0 abstentions, and 67 absent).
Voting
yea were Ms. Eliot, Mrs., Gardner, Mr. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms.
Najarian, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Rowe, Mr. Steinert, Mrs. Totten, and Mr. Tufts.
Voting nay were Ms. Burns and Mrs.
Dickson.
There were no abstentions.
Absent was Mrs. Carrier.
6.8 To
enter executive session to consider the Harpswell Withdrawal Petition as
allowed under 1 M.R.S.A. Section 405(6)(E), the discussion of legal rights and
duties with counsel and 1 M.R.S.A. Section 405 (6)(C), the disposition of
property
At 7:30 p.m. it was moved b y Mrs.
Rogers, seconded by Mr. Hill, and VOTED
(856 yeas, 0 nays, 77 abstentions, and 67 absent) to enter executive
session to consider the Harpswell Withdrawal Petition as allowed under 1
M.R.S.A. Section 405(6)(e), the discussion of legal
rights and duties with counsel and 1 M.R.S.A. Section 405(6)(C), the
disposition of property.
Voting yea were Ms. Eliot, Mrs.
Gardner, Mrs. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms. Najarian, Mrs. Rogers,
Mr. Rowe, Mr. Steinert, Mrs. Totten, and Mr. Tufts.
Voting nay was Ms. Burns.
Abstaining from voting was Mrs.
Dickson.
Absent was Mrs. Carrier.
Business Manager Ron Lavender and
the District’s attorney, Peter Lowe, remained in the executive session.
The executive session ended at
7.3
(taken out of order)
Withdrawal Committee report
Mrs. Rogers read aloud the Board’s
response to the Harpswell Withdrawal Committee’s proposal.
Mrs. Rogers added that it is the
Board’s belief that all meetings (relative to Harpswell’s withdrawal petition)
should be in open session, except when the Board needs to meet with its
counsel.
It was moved by Mr. Tufts,
seconded by Mr. Hill, and VOTED
(unanimously) to accept the District’s Response to Withdrawal Committee
Proposal. {The “District’s Response to Withdrawal Committee Proposal” is attached
hereto.}
Mrs. Gardner addressed the issue
of recent criticisms regarding Joanne Rogers serving as Chair of the Harpswell
Withdrawal Negotiating Committee, stating that she’s had the pleasure of
working with Mrs. Rogers for the past 21 years. Mrs. Gardner acknowledged that the Harpswell
Board members are not supportive of leaving the District. Mr. Steinert echoed Mrs. Gardner’s comments,
expressing full confidence in Mrs. Rogers’ ability to serve as Chair of the
negotiations committee.
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
7.1 Finance
Committee – No further report was offered.
7.2 Calendar
Committee – The draft calendar had already been presented, so no further
report was presented.
7.3 Withdrawal
Committee – This report had already been presented, immediately following
the executive session.
7.4
Adult
Education Advisory Committee – The Superintendent will ask the program
director, Diana McCain, for information on the March 28th meeting.
7.5
Facilities
Committee – Superintendent Wilhelm reported on the April 10th
meeting. Doug Stevens had identified
rebuilding of the high school elevator as a major item for the bond issue. Also discussed was the cost of repairs to
Republic Avenue. Lease agreements with
the Maine State Music Theater and ASCD were also discussed.
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that
while nothing has been resolved, communication is ongoing about The Highlands’
need to acquire a small portion of
7.6 Curriculum
Committee – Mr. Hill reported on this evening’s meeting of the Curriculum
Committee at which Sally Loughlin and Kate Greeley discussed the Investigations
program – related to implementation of it, use of data used for evaluation,
ending with District actions this year and plans for next year.
7.7 Support
Staff Negotiations Committee – Mrs. Rogers reported that the Committee had
met earlier today and will meet again on May 1st.
7.8 501(c)(3) Committee – Assistant Superintendent Sally Loughlin
reported on a recent meeting of this Committee.
The Foundation will support one or more of the following guiding
principles:
● Student readiness
(to learn)
● Innovation
(in promotion of new approaches to teaching/learning)
● Enrichment
(expanding horizons of all students)
● Capacity (increasing learning
capacity)
Ms. Loughlin
indicated the group is developing By-Laws for itself.
7.9
Middle
School Task Force – Mrs. Totten reported on today’s all-day meeting. She presented a brief update on what has been
accomplished. The group has been working
steadily to alleviate any transitional stress.
Principal Brenda Brown emphasized that a problem exists in being able to
schedule everything that needs to be configured into a middle school student’s
day.
8. SUPERINTENENT’S REPORT:
8.1
Financial
Report – Business Manager Ron Lavender presented this report.
8.2
Public
Hearings and meetings with Selectmen – Superintendent Wilhelm reported he
had met with Selectmen of Bowdoin and Bowdoinham on both the budget and the
withdrawal process. He met with
Harpswell regarding the budget.
8.3
Planning
Decisions – Superintendent Wilhelm recently had the opportunity to view an
audit done by Planning Decisions on the effect of the Base closure on the
region. That group can present to the
Board at its May 11th meeting.
8.4
Topsham Local
Redevelopment Authority – Mr. Hill reported that the Committee met on April
12th. The deadline for
federal and state application for consideration of government property is
approaching.
Superintendent Wilhelm appreciates
the Committee’s sensitivity to the fact that the 77 acres are set so close to
the two
9. ADJOURMENT:
The meeting was declared
adjourned at
/bb/minutes4132006
{Approved under Item 7.3}
DISTRICT’S RESPONSE TO
WITHDRAWAL COMMITTEE PROPOSAL
CORRECTED VERSION
APPROVED BY M.S.A.D. NO. 75 BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE AT ITS APRIL 13, 2006 MEETING
1. After
careful review of the Withdrawal Committee’s proposal, we do not believe this
proposal is really a withdrawal of Harpswell from M.S.A.D. No. 75. It appears instead to be a proposal to
re-negotiate the District’s cost-sharing formula.
2. After
consulting with the Board’s lawyer, we question the legality of several key
aspects of Harpswell’s proposal, including:
● It would
create a hybrid school unit that is part SAD and part school union. Maine Law does not allow for this type of
school unit.
● We don’t
believe the District’s Superintendent can serve both as Superintendent of
M.S.A.D. No. 75 and the future Harpswell School Committee because it would
create a conflict of interest.
● State Law stipulates two options for
School Administrative District cost-sharing.
This proposal creates a third option not sanctioned by the Statute.
● We believe
that by Law any multi-year arrangement for the continued education of Harpswell
students at M.S.A.D. No. 75 schools, after a withdrawal, must be submitted to a
District-wide vote, even if the Board approves of this arrangement. The proposal makes this only a Board
decision.
● We do not
believe that Harpswell representatives could serve as voting members on
subcommittees, such as the District’s Finance Committee.
3. The
Board is opposed to the withdrawal of Harpswell from the District and does not
believe it is in the best interest of the children in M.S.A.D. No. 75. We still believe that our legal obligation is
to negotiate the withdrawal of Harpswell from M.S.A.D. No. 75. Under this withdrawal process, the Withdrawal
Committee lacks the authority to negotiate the cost-sharing formula. At a minimum, some of the major items that we
should negotiate as required elements of a withdrawal agreement, but which are
not addressed by the proposal, are the disposition of the two elementary
schools, the employment of central office staff (particularly a
Superintendent), liability insurance for an independent Harpswell School
Department, the funding of special education for Harpswell students, and the
division of property and other assets.
4. Using
the numbers from the “Proposed Harpswell Budget” and the total operating cots
for M.S.A.D. No. 75 for the 2005-2006 school year, we
estimate that the District would have needed to raise new revenue of at least
$689,000 to replace the lost Harpswell revenue for the 2005-2006 budget. This does not take into account the
additional resources that M.S.A.D. No.75 would have to spend to fulfill the
administrative functions of the Harpswell School Department. All told, the shortfall would be
approximately three quarters of a million dollars.
This type of shortfall would
necessitate either severe budget cuts (and the lay-off
of faculty, staff and programs) or substantial tax increases for our other
member communities.
5. Using
the Harpswell Withdrawal Committee’s proposal, we believe that it substantially
underestimate the financial commitment necessary to educate the Harpswell
students. For example:
● Harpswell will need to meet the
mandatory administrative, record-keeping and reporting requirements that the
State and federal government impose on an independent school department. Considerable resources beyond the budgeted
$25,000 will be required to meet these administrative burdens.
● No allowance or provision is made for
liability insurance. In these litigious
times, it will only be a matter of time before the Harpswell School Committee
is sued; and it is critical to carry costly liability and School Board
insurance policies.
● The proposal
fails to address who will fund the tuition and transportation costs of
Harpswell’s special education students who are placed in M.S.A.D. No. 75
schools.
● The proposal
offers no resources for the operation of adult education programs for the
benefit of Harpswell residents
● Transportation costs are
underestimated because they are based on pupil numbers, and do not take into
account the mileage driven on Harpswell bus routes.
6. We
would be willing to sit down with the Harpswell Withdrawal Committee and
explain our concerns in greater detail.
We look forward to hearing how the Harpswell Withdrawal Committee plans
to assist the District in mitigating the financial impact of withdrawal so that
we are not required to increases taxes or make damaging budget cuts.