PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MINUTES WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL
THE BOARD HAS APPROVED THEM AT ITS NEXT MEETING.
August 10, 2006
The Board of Directors of Maine School Administrative
District No. 75 held a regular meeting
at Mt. Ararat High School on
Thursday, August 10, 2006.
The following Directors were present: Robert W. Hill, Chairman; Maryane Burns; Dorothy “Dee” Carrier; Marie Dickson; Dorothy Gardner; David A. Johnson; Jane Meisenbach; Andrea Najarian; Joanne Rogers; Donald A. Russell; Rebekah Stimpson; Gwen Thomas; and Kim Totten.
Also present was Sara Todd, student representative to the Board of Directors.
Not present was Roland Tufts.
1. Call to order
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Hill at 6:32 p.m.
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.
(correction to
previously-distributed agenda)
6.4 Appointment of Anita Jerosch – Step on salary schedule should state Master’s +15.
(add to)
6.4 To appoint teachers to first-year probationary contracts for the 2006-2007 contract year, as follows:
√ Alison
Adams, as German teacher, at
√ Mark
Dugal, as social studies teacher, 7th-8th
grade looping team , effective September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s, Step 3
√ Karen Erdmann, as .5 FTE Title I teacher, at Bowdoin Central School, effective September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s+15, Step 0 (prorated to .5 FTE)
√ Jennifer Pidgeon, as 4th grade teacher, at Woodside Elementary School, effective September 1, 2006, at Master’s, Step 0
√ Susan Richard, as 4th grade teacher, at Williams-Cone School, effective September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s+15, Step 2
√ Ann Marie Soucy, as special education teacher, at Mt. Ararat High School, effective September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s, Step 2
(add)
6.5a To increase the contract of Tracy Ginn, middle school art teacher, by .25 FTE for the 2006-2007 school year
(add)
8.8 Orientation for new Board members
3.1 RECOGNITIONS AND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Donald A. Russell was welcomed as a new Board member from Topsham.
4. To
take action relative to accepting as printed the minutes of the July 13, 2006,
regular meeting of the Board of Directors
It was moved, seconded, and VOTED (779 yeas, 0 nays, 77 abstentions, and 144 absent) to accept as printed the minutes 0f the July 13, 2006, regular meeting of the Board of Directors.
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Mrs. Carrier, Mrs. Gardner, Mr. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Najarian, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Russell, Ms. Stimpson, Ms. Thomas and Mrs. Totten.
There were no nay votes.
Abstaining from voting was Mrs. Dickson.
Absent were Mr. Tufts and Mrs. Meisenbach (who had not yet arrived).
5. OLD BUSINESS:
6. NEW BUSINESS:
6.1 To undertake a first reading of the following policies:
√ Student Protection from Bullying (JICK)
√ Student Protection from Harassment and Sexual Harassment (ACAA)
√ Temporary Leaves of Absence Without Pay (GCBD)
With adjustments being made to the Student Protection from Bullying policy, the three proposed policies received the first of two required readings.
6.2 To accept the resignation of Jennifer LaBranche, high school science teacher, effective August 31, 2006
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously) to accept the resignation of Jennifer LaBranche, high school science teacher, effective August 31, 2006.
… At 6:50 p.m. Mrs. Meisenbach
arrived.
6.3 To accept the resignation of Jennifer Grover, Mt. Ararat Middle School social studies teacher, effective August 31, 2006
It was moved by Mr. Russell,
seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED
(unanimously) to accept the resignation of Jennifer Grover,
6.4 To appoint teachers to first-year probationary contracts for the 2006-2007 contract year, as follows:
Anna
Agell, as .2 FTE Social Worker,
at
Evelyn Barbour, as high school science teacher, effective September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s +15, Step 0
Lorrie
Gage, as full-time Title I teacher, at
Betty
Hartley, as .5 FTE Title I teacher, at
Anita Jerosch, as .5 FTE high school German teacher, effective September 1, 2006, at Master’s +15 (correction noted), Step 4 (prorated to .5 FTE)
Emily McLeod, as one-year special education teacher, at Woodside Elementary School, effective September 1, 2006, at Master’s, Step 1
Jan
Waite, as Speech and Language Pathologist, at
Step 13
Alison
Adams, as German teacher, at
Mark Dugal, as social studies teacher, 7th – 8th grade looping team, effective September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s, Step 3
Karen
Erdmann, as .5 FTE Title I teacher, at
Jennifer
Pidgeon, as 4th grade teacher, at
Susan
Richard, as 4th grade teacher, at
Ann Marie Soucy, as special education teacher, at Mt. Ararat High School, effective September 1, 2006, at Bachelor’s, Step 2
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier, seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously) to move the slate (thereby approving the appointment of staff as listed above). (Before the vote was taken, Chairman Hill asked if Board members had any reason or issue that would compel them to abstain. Hearing none, the vote was taken.)
6.5 To consider the reinstitution of a stipend for Maine Laptop Initiative Teacher
(This stipend would be Category 3, 4% of the base pay, or $1,200.)
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Mrs. Carrier, and VOTED (unanimously) to approve the reinstitution of a stipend for Maine Laptop Initiative Teacher.
6.5a To increase the contract of Tracy Ginn, middle school art teacher, by .25 FTE for the 2006-2007 school year
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier, seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to increase the contract of Tracy Ginn, middle school art teacher, by .25 FTE for the 2006-2007 school year.
6.6 To approve a change in the structure of the District’s Annual Financial Statements to accrue in the year earned the costs of teacher summer salaries and associated benefits in the governmental funds statements and to continue to account for such costs in the budgetary statements (non-GAAP) on a cash basis
Business Manager Ron Lavender and Christian Smith of Macdonald Page and Company, the District’s independent auditors offered an explanation of this proposed change. Board members’ questions were fielded.
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that this change would require a plan to be able use the fund balance as revenue. Mr. Lavender recommended developing such a plan.
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously) to approve a change in the structure of the District’s Annual Financial Statements to accrue in the year earned the costs of teacher summer salaries and associated benefits in the governmental funds statements and to continue to account for such costs in the budgetary statements (non-GAAP) on a cash basis, and to develop a plan for using the fund balance as revenue.
Mrs. Carrier recommended that the administration work with the new Finance Committee (to be elected in September) on the development of this plan.
6.7 To consider a resolution for the Maine School Boards Association meeting in October
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to submit the following for consideration as a resolution for
the Maine School Boards Association meeting in October: “Be it
resolved that the Legislature will address the Essential Programs and Services
funding formula to support high-valuation towns in school districts where
valuation does not represent ability to pay.”
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
8. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:
8.1 Financial report – Business Manager Ron Lavender presented the financial report.
8.2 High school capital improvement – Superintendent Wilhelm announced that the State has stopped short of funding the Mt. Ararat High School project by funding up to the 20th project, with the Mt. Ararat project being ranked 21st. Scott Brown of the Department of Education has indicated the possibility of one or two projects that might fail referendum. The next funding cycle is 2008, and there’s a good chance the District would receive funding for the high school project in that cycle.
Dr. Wilhelm suggested that the Board’s Facilities Committee could study alternative approaches.
8.3
8.4 School Board Code of Ethics – Superintendent Wilhelm said a call from someone asking to see a copy of the Board’s code of ethics prompted him to bring the question to the Board for its input. The issue was referred to the Board’s Policy Committee.
8.5 Commissioner’s response to Harpswell withdrawal “proposal” – Superintendent Wilhelm reported that Harpswell has asked the State to put together figures reflecting impact of Harpswell’s owning/operating its own schools.
8.6 Foundations article – Harpswell has requested to run an article in the District’s Foundations newsletter, said article to voice the Withdrawal Committee’s response to the Board’s recent article.
Superintendent Wilhelm reported that the District’s attorney believes the Board has no legal obligation to allow such individual comments in the District’s newsletter.
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded, and VOTED (856 yeas, 0 nays, 67 abstentions, and 77 absent) that, consistent with the District’s Communication Policy, the Foundations newsletter remains for District use only.
Voting yea were Ms. Burns, Mrs. Dickson, Mrs. Gardner, Mr. Hill, Mr. Johnson, Meisenbach, Ms. Najarian, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Russell, Ms. Stimpson, Ms. Thomas, and Mrs. Totten.
There were no nay votes.
Abstaining from voting was Mrs. Carrier.
Mr. Tufts was absent.
Mrs. Rogers indicated that the Harpswell Bulletin has asked whether the District would like an article published in it.
Mrs. Gardner expressed her appreciation for the integrity of the Harpswell Board members.
8.7 Topsham LRA – student involvement – Mr. Hill reported that this Committee is very engaged and is asking to involve middle and high school students.
8.8 Next Board meeting and orientation – The date of the next Board meeting was changed from Thursday, August 24th, to Wednesday, August 23rd, due to scheduling conflicts. New Board members will receive an orientation by their fellow Board members at 5:30 that evening.
9. ADJOURNMENT – The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
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