PLEASE
NOTE THAT THE MINUTES WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL
THE
BOARD HAS APPROVED THEM AT ITS NEXT MEETING
{Printed copies are duplex printed on both sides of the
paper.}
The Board of Directors of
The following Directors were present: Robert W. Hill, Chairman; Maryane Burns;
Dorothy “Dee” Carrier; Dorothy Gardner; David A. Johnson; Jane Meisenbach;
Andrea Najarian; Joanne Rogers; Rebekah Stimpson; Gwen Thomas; Kim Totten; and
Roland Tufts.
Not present were Marie Dickson and Donald A.
Russell {due to a previous
commitment, Mr. Russell was unable to attend tonight’s meeting}.
1. Call
to order
The
meeting was called to order by Chairman Hill 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.
(add to)
6.1
Appointments
of teachers
√ Sarah
Morrill, as .5 FTE Title I teacher at Woodside Elementary
School, effective September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s, Step 5 (prorated)
√ John
Wironen, as Grade Five teacher at
(add)
6.1a To appoint
Christopher R. Shaw, as Director of
Facilities and Projects, at a salary of $57,000, effective on or about
(add)
6.4a To accept
the resignation of Susan Diamond, Woodside
Elementary School Grade Four teacher, effective August 31, 2006
(delete)
7.1 Delete Financial Report
3.1 RECOGNITIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
√ Welcome
Donald A. Russell - New Board member from Topsham
Page 2 – Minutes –
√ Eagle
Scout candidate Tyler Totten, who had previously been granted Board
approval to construct baseball and softball dugouts at Mt. Ararat Middle
School, distributed information on fundraising, donations, and material drives.
4. To
take action relative to accepting as printed the minutes of the June 22, 2006,
regular meeting of the Board of Directors
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers and seconded by Mrs.
Gardner to accept as printed the minutes of the
Chairman Hill noted that there had been a motion
made at the June 22nd (which is not contained in the minutes) to
approve the tentative agreement between the Board and Merrymeeting Employees
Association. Superintendent Wilhelm
recalled that the motion had been made by Mrs. Rogers and seconded by Mr.
Johnson.
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Mr.
Johnson, and VOTED (713 yeas, 0 nays,
133 abstentions, and 154 absent) to amend the minutes of the June 22, 2006,
meeting to reflect a motion made by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to approve the
terms of the new contract between the Board of Directors and the Merrymeeting
Employees Association.
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Mrs. Gardner, Mr. Hill,
Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms. Najarian, Ms. Stimpson, Mrs. Totten, and Mr.
Tufts.
There were no nay votes.
Abstaining from voting were Mrs. Carrier and Mrs. Thomas.
Absent were Mrs. Dickson and Mr. Russell.
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Mr. Tufts,
and VOTED (713 yeas, 0 nays, 133
abstentions, and 154 absent) to accept as amended the minutes of the
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Mrs. Gardner, Mr. Hill,
Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms. Najarian, Ms. Stimpson, Mrs. Totten, and Mr.
Tufts.
There were no nay votes.
Abstaining from voting were Mrs. Carrier and Mrs.
Thomas.
Absent were Mrs. Dickson and Mr. Russell.
5. OLD
BUSINESS:
There
was no old business to address.
Page 3 – Minutes –
6. NEW
BUSINESS:
6.1 To
appoint teachers to first-year probationary contracts for the 2006-2007
contract year, as follows:
√ Cynthia “Cindy” Brown Smith, as
District-wide Behavior Consultant, effective
It was moved by Mrs. Gardner,
seconded by Mr. Tufts, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Cynthia
“Cindy” Brown Smith, as District-wide Behavior Consultant, effective
September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s, Step 5.
√ Krista Varney, as special education
(FLEX) teacher at Bowdoinham
It was moved by Mrs. Gardner,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Krista
Varney, as special education (FLEX) teacher at Bowdoinham Community School,
effective September 1, 2006, at Master’s, Step 0.
√ Leslie Byrne, as 2-days/week
Occupational Therapist at Bowdoin
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Leslie
Byrne, as 2-days/week Occupational Therapist at Bowdoin Central School,
effective September 1, 2006, at Master’s, Step 10 (prorated).
√ Lindsay Gadd, as Foreign Language
teacher at Mt. Ararat Middle School, effective September 1, 2006, at Master’s,
Step 2
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Lindsay
Gadd, as Foreign Language teacher at Mt. Ararat Middle School, effective
September 1, 2006, at Master’s, Step 2.
√ Laurie Ovadia, as Social Studies
teacher at Mt. Ararat High School, effective September 1, 2005, at C.A.S., Step
2
It was moved by Mr. Johnson, seconded
by Ms. Najarian, and VOTED (unanimously)
to appoint Laurie Ovadia, as
Social Studies teacher at
√ Laura Blundell, as one-year high school
music teacher, effective September 1, 2005, at Bachelor’s, Step 6
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Laura
Blundell, as one-year high school music teacher, effective September 1,
2005, at Bachelor’s, Step 6.
Page 4 – Minutes –
√ Sarah
Morrill, as .5
FTE Title I teacher at
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Tufts, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Sarah
Morrill, as .5 FTE Title I teacher at Woodside Elementary School, effective
September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s, Step 5 (prorated)
√ John
Wironen, as Grade Five teacher at
It was moved by Mr. Tufts, seconded
by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously)
to appoint John Wironen, as
Grade Five teacher at
6.1a To appoint
Christopher R. Shaw, as Director of
Facilities and Projects, at a salary of $57,000, effective on or about
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Christopher
R. Shaw, as Director of Facilities and Projects, at a salary of $57,000,
effective on or about
6.2 To approve
the sale and award of the $450,000 capital improvement bond to a financial
institution as per the vote included in Exhibit 6.2
Business
Manager Ron Lavender recommended the aforementioned bond be awarded to TD
Banknorth, N.A., at the rate of 4.78%.
The legal wording of the motion follows.
It was
moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (769 yeas, 0 nays, 77 abstentions, and 154 absent)
(1) That
pursuant to the provisions of 20-A M.R.S.A. Section 1311, as amended, and all
other authority thereto enabling, and to provide funds for the costs of minor
capital improvements at various District facilities (the “Project”), all as
approved by the voters of the District at the District Referendum held June 13,
2006 and to provide for costs of issuance, the Treasurer and the Chairman of
the Board of School Directors are hereby authorized and empowered in the name
and on behalf of the District to borrow up to $450,000 and the Treasurer and
Chairman of the Board of School Directors of the District be and hereby are
authorized and empowered, in the name and on behalf of the District, to execute
and deliver such agreements, documents and other instruments as the Treasurer
and Chairman of the Board of School Directors may deem necessary or appropriate
in order to effect such borrowing, such agreements and documents and other
instruments to contain such terms and provisions, not contrary to the general
tenor hereof, as the Treasurer and Chairman of the Board of School Directors
may approve, their approval to be conclusively evidenced by their execution
thereof; and
Page 5 – Minutes –
(2) In order
to provide funds for the Project described in the foregoing, the Board of
School Directors hereby approves and authorizes the issue, sale and delivery,
as evidence of the aforesaid borrowing, of 2006 Capital Improvement Bonds (the
“Bonds”) of the District in an aggregate
principal
amount not to exceed $450,000, such bonds to be signed by the Treasurer and
countersigned by the Chairman of the Board of School Directors and to contain
such other terms and provisions as the officers executing the same may approve,
their approval to be conclusively evidenced by their execution thereof; and the
authority and discretion to fix the date(s), maturity(ies), interest rate(s),
call(s) for redemption, place(s) of payment, form and other details of said
bonds or notes, and to provide for the sale thereof, is hereby delegated to the
Treasurer and Chairman of the Board of School Directors; and
(3) That said
Bonds are hereby sold and awarded to TD
Banknorth, N.A. pursuant to its proposal dated
(4) That all
things heretofore done and all action heretofore taken by the District, its
officers and agents in the authorization of said Bonds are hereby ratified,
approved and confirmed and the Treasurer and Chairman of the Board of School
Directors are each hereby authorized to take any and all action necessary or
convenient to carry out the provisions of this voting, including delivering
said Bonds against payment therefore.
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Mrs.
Carrier, Mrs. Gardner, Mr. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms. Najarian,
Mrs. Rogers, Ms. Stimpson, Ms. Thomas, and Mrs. Totten.
There were
no nay votes.
Abstaining
from voting was Mr. Tufts.
Absent
were Mrs. Dickson and Mr. Russell.
6.3 To approve
the use of the remaining balance of Article V of the FY 2005-2006 General Fund
budget to reduce the tennis court debt
Business Manager Ron Lavender
reported that the Board would be able to use about $12,000 from the balance of
Article V; and in answer to a question posed by Mr. Hill, he indicated that the
balance of the debt is about $20,000.
Mrs. Rogers expressed dismay that the Board is responsible for this
debt.
It was moved by Mr. Tufts, seconded
by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (779 yeas, 57
nays, 0 abstentions, and 154 absent) to approve the use of the remaining
balance of Article V of the FY 2005-2006 General Fund budget to reduce the
tennis court debt.
Page 6 – Minutes –
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Mrs.
Gardner, Mr. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Meisenbach, Ms. Najarian, Mrs. Rogers, Ms.
Stimpson, Ms. Thomas, Mrs. Totten, and Mr. Tufts.
Voting
nay was Mrs. Carrier.
There
were no abstentions.
Absent
were Mrs. Dickson and Mr. Russell.
6.4
To accept the resignation of Mark Kafkas, Williams-Cone School Grade Four teacher, effective
August 31, 2006
It was moved by Ms. Najarian,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to accept the resignation of Mark Kafkas,
6.4a To accept
the resignation of Susan Diamond, Woodside
Elementary School Grade Four teacher, effective August 31, 2006
It was moved by Mrs. Gardner,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to accept the resignation of Susan Diamond,
6.5
To accept as tuition students Hilary Warner-Evans
and Morgana Warner-Evans, Grade 7 students, to
It was moved by Mr. Johnson, seconded
by Mrs. Rogers, and VOTED (unanimously) to
accept as tuition students Hillary Warner-Evans and Morgana Warner-Evans, Grade
7 students, to
6.6
To hear a report from Britt Wolfe regarding the Leadership and Resiliency Program for
“at-risk” high school students
….… At
After the video was shown, Mr. Wolfe
announced that he learned today that the District is the recipient of a $5,000
grant from the Bingham Foundation to continue this program. He will return to the Board in the fall to
request approval to continue. He
indicated some of the current students will continue, but that there will be
opportunity for new participation.
Page 7 – Minutes –
Participating students receive ½ (a
one-half) credit in P.E. for a total of 64 contact hours.
Mr. Wolfe shared data demonstrating
improvement in school conduct and improvement in academic performance. In a survey administered to high school staff
regarding changes in participants, there were noted improvements in the areas
of communication, impulse control, respect for others, task completion, goal
setting, ability to handle stress, self-confidence, and overall attitude.
On a scale
ranging from “extremely improved” to “slight or no” change, 62% of responses
noted an extremely improved level of self-confidence among enrolled students,
while 69% of responses noted a “significantly” improved ability to handle
stress. 53% of staff responses noted a
significantly improved level of impulse control among student participants, and
38% noted an extremely improved level of respect for others among the students
enrolled in the program.
6.7
To approve the construction and/or purchase of a
storage shed for the Orion Performing Arts Center as recommended by the Board
Finance Committee
Ron Lavender noted that the shed
would strictly support middle school storage needs, as the high school doesn’t
need to utilize it. Mrs. Carrier
questioned whether the structure would be large enough, noting that plans call
for only an 8-foot door, while most of the material scheduled to be stored
comes through the 10-foot stage door.
Mrs. Totten wants the facility to be used, wanting materials able to be
taken out through the stage door to be able to go into the shed, without the
necessity for it to be stored on its side.
Superintendent Wilhelm suggested
coming back to the Board after finding out what the cost difference would be
between an 8-foot and 10- foot door.
Chairman Hill tabled the item until
more information is gathered.
6.8
To approve a draft schedule of Board meetings for
2006-2007
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to
approve a draft schedule of Board meetings for 2006-2007.
7. COMMITTEE
REPORTS:
7.1
Policy
Committee – Ms. Burns reported on this evening’s meeting of
the Policy Committee. At the next
meeting the Board will be asked to give a first reading to a bullying policy
and the Leave of Absence without Pay policy.
Page 8 – Minutes –
The Committee is still working on a
resolution regarding school funding and decided not to suggest any changes to
the building use policy, instead looking at insuring that student costs of
participation do not inhibit that participation.
8. SUPERINTENDENT’S
REPORT:
8.1 Financial Report – This
report was deleted from the agenda.
8.2
Exchange
of real estate – Superintendent Wilhelm noted that the District’s
attorney has reviewed the paperwork, and it has been signed to move forward the
exchange.
8.3
Education
Foundation – Superintendent Wilhelm reported that
administration is nearing the point of “handing off” the By-laws on the
proposed 501(3)(c). He indicated that
the working committee is ready to become a “community” committee. Ms. Najarian thanked Sally Loughlin for her
energy in this project.
8.4
MVR 10
enrollment report – Superintendent Wilhelm reported that all three
sending schools (to MVR 10) have different schedules, credit requirements and
policies around student driving to the facility. Region Ten is going to develop a strategic
plan to address these issues. He said
two issues came up as topic of discussion – getting students ready for success in life and getting students
ready for work.
He concluded his remarks by saying
that it is critical to get students to think beyond school and need to get the
students to have a better understanding of where they are going and how they
are going to get there.
8.5
Harpswell
withdrawal update – Superintendent Wilhelm had hoped there would
have been by now a response from Commissioner Gendron.
9. ADJOURNMENT:
At
***** *****
***** ***** *****
Following
adjournment of the regular meeting, the Board of Directors met in workshop
session regarding District goals, as a follow-up to the discussion at the June
22nd meeting.
/bb/minutes7132006