PLEASE
NOTE THAT THE MINUTES WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL
THE
BOARD HAS APPROVED THEM AT ITS NEXT MEETING.
October
11, 2007
The Board of Directors of
The following Directors were present: Kim Totten, Chair; Maryane Burns; Dorothy
“Dee” Carrier; Sheila Havey; Robert W. Hill; David A. Johnson; Jane Meisenbach;
Joanne Reinhart; Joanne M. Rogers; Donald A. Russell; and Roland Tufts. Also present were Sam Prindall and Lisa
Rogers, student representatives to the Board of Directors.
Not present were Dorothy Gardner, Rebekah Stimpson,
and Gwen Thomas.
1. Call
to order
The meeting
was called to order by Chairman Totten at 6:35 p.m.
2. Pledge
of Allegiance to the Flag
Those
present recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
3. To
consider action relative to additions or adjustments to the agenda and to ask
for comments from the audience
Adjustments to the agenda were noted, as listed
below, and integrated appropriately into the agenda.
(correction)
4. Page 4, first sentence: Change to read: “Mr. {Chris} Shaw cited the
(add)
6.6 To appoint Jillian Shaw as a mathematics teacher
at Mt. Ararat High School, effective October 12, 2007, at Bachelor’s, Step 0
(prorated to 158 days)
(add)
6.7 To appoint Donna Tardif as a .5 FTE Kindergarten teacher at Woodside
Elementary School, effective October 12, 2007, at C.A.S., Step 14 (prorated to
158 days)
Parent Robin Brooks addressed the Board, indicating
she had met with Middle School administration, initiating a dialogue regarding
the presence of National Guardsmen in the school as part of the Stay on Track
Program. She reported that there is now
an opt-out component to the program.
She asked whether the Board has made a decision
regarding No Child Left Behind, to which Superintendent Wilhelm responded that
it has not. Ms. Brooks stated her
opposition to the law, stating that the impact on schools is onerous. She distributed self-purchased copies of a
booklet written by Elizabeth Jaeger.
3.1 RECOGNITIONS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
đ Welcome
from Brenda French, Principal of
đ Welcome
to Lisa Rogers – New student representative to the Board of
Directors
đ Merrymeeting
Adult Education – Awarded a $60,000
đ Merrymeeting
Adult Education – Selected by Coastal Counties Workforce, Inc. to
administer a Work Ready Credential Program in the Mid-Coast area
đ Mr.
Johnson commended the high school staff on a wonderful open house, offering his
opinion that if staff can teach at Mt. Ararat, they can teach anywhere. He encouraged all Board members (especially
those who don’t have children in the system) to tour the high school.
đ Mrs.
Rogers noted that Connor Fitzsimmons has
been recognized as a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship
competition.
4. To take
action relative to accepting as printed the minutes of the September 27, 2007,
regular meeting of the Board of Directors
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Hill, and VOTED
(unanimously) to accept as amended the minutes of the September 27, 2007,
regular meeting of the Board of Directors, incorporating the suggested change
to the first sentence on Page 4, as follows:
“Mr. {Chris} Shaw cited the Harpswell Islands floor project as one which
came in over budget and may be due to unique
foundation characteristics of the gym.”
5. OLD
BUSINESS:
5.1 To approve the final draft of the
Board Goals for 2007-2008
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that the
draft goals are specific and manageable.
It was moved by Mr. Johnson, seconded
by Mrs. Rogers, and VOTED (unanimously) to
approve the final draft of the Board Goals for 2007-2008.
5.2
To consider input on the MSBA resolutions for the
October Delegate Assembly
Mr. Hill is serving as the District’s
representative to the October Delegate Assembly and asked what stance the Board
wants to take regarding the resolutions.
Mrs. Carrier noted that one of the
resolutions, if adopted, would include a prohibition on advertisements for
products not meeting nutrition standards, pointing out that
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mrs. Rogers, and VOTED
(unanimously) to direct Mr. Hill to convey the Board’s endorsement of the
resolutions presented.
6. NEW
BUSINESS:
6.5
To accept the resignation of Nanci Temple, high school math teacher, effective August 31, 2007
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to
accept the resignation of Nanci Temple, high
school math teacher, effective August 31, 2007.
6.6 To appoint
Jillian Shaw as a mathematics
teacher at Mt. Ararat High School, effective October 12, 2007, at Bachelor’s,
Step 0 (prorated to 158 days)
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Jillian
Shaw as a mathematics teacher at Mt. Ararat High School, effective October
12, 2007, at Bachelor’s, Step 0 (prorated to 158 days).
6.7 To appoint
Donna Tardif as a .5 FTE Kindergarten
teacher at Woodside Elementary School, effective October 12, 2007, at C.A.S.,
Step 14 (prorated to 158 days)
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Ms. Havey, and VOTED (unanimously) to
appoint Donna Tardif as a .5 FTE
Kindergarten teacher at Woodside Elementary School, effective October 12, 2007,
at C.A.S., Step 14 (prorated to 158 days).
6.1 To hear a
brief report on the No Child Left Behind annual yearly progress status of our
schools
Assistant Superintendent Sally
Loughlin presented this report. The
District is awaiting the high school results, and she indicated that the
District has just received the first view of the elementary and middle school
results.
Mr. Hill asked whether the results
are usually this late, to which she responded that this is the second year that
receipt of the results have been so late.
… Mrs.
Meisenbach arrived at 7:05 p.m.
Mr. Hill stated that late arrival of
results for two years strikes him as a “trend” and wondered whether there’s a
mechanism whereby the District can express its frustration. Superintendent Wilhelm noted that writing a
letter might help.
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mr. Hill, and VOTED (unanimously) that
a letter be written expressing the Board’s displeasure at the tardiness of the
District’s AYP results.
6.2 To
consider a recommendation from High School Principal Craig King for JV Math
Club and Envirothon Club stipends for the high school
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mrs. Carrier, and VOTED (unanimously)
to reinstate the JV Math Club stipend and approve the concept of the
Envirothon Club stipend, until such time as that amount has been negotiated
with the teachers association.
6.3 To hear a
report from High School Principal Craig King regarding the expectations for
Board members at the NEASC visit
Principal Craig King distributed
information regarding this visit, which will take place on Sunday, October 28th.
Superintendent Wilhelm told Board
members that the visiting team would be asking questions relative to the
Board’s interface with schools.
6.4 To
transfer an Educational Technician III from Mt. Ararat Middle School to
Woodside Elementary School to support a new student and to revise the budget to
accomplish the same
It was moved by Mr. Johnson, seconded
by Mrs. Rogers, and VOTED (unanimously) to
transfer an Educational Technician III from
7. COMMITTEE
REPORTS:
7.1
Reorganization Planning Committee
The RPC has chosen “Lisbon/M.S.A.D.
No. 75 RPC” as its name. The new RSU
will become operative on July 1, 2009.
The current Board (and the
newly-elected RSU Board) will function concurrently between July 1, 2008 and
July 1, 2009 (following a referendum election of the new RSU Board in June,
2008). The RSU Board will hire staff and
develop policies and a budget.
Citizens could run for election to
both Boards. The new RSU will consist of 17 members (plus
two students from
Bowdoin: one
2-year term
one
3-year term
Bowdoinham: one
2-year term
one
3-year term
Harpswell: one
3-year term
one
2-year term
one
1-year term
Topsham: two
3-year terms
one
2-year term
two
1-year terms
one
2-year term
two
1-year terms
The next RPC meeting will be held at
6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, at
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that the
above-listed (and all recommendations coming from the sub-committees of the
ROP) are recommendations which will be placed before the RPC for approval.
7.2 Mr. Hill
announced that the Curriculum Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. on November 1st
(prior to the regular Board meeting the same evening).
7.30 Board
members were reminded of the workshop session scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on
October 18th.
8. SUPERINTENDENT’S
REPORT:
8.1 Financial
Report – Superintendent Wilhelm presented this report in
Ron Lavender’s absence.
8.2
Highly
efficient/high-performing status – Superintendent Wilhelm distributed
copies of Commissioner Susan Gendron’s letter notifying the District that it
does not qualify for highly efficient/high-performing status, as well as a
draft letter of response. The District
had filed two letters of intent regarding consolidation – one to merge with
Mr. Tufts commended Dr. Wilhelm on
his “remarkable restraint” in wording his response to the Commissioner of
Education.
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that
It was moved by Mr. Hill, seconded by
Mr. Russell, and VOTED (unanimously) to
authorize the Superintendent to send a letter of response to the Commissioner,
with the names of Board members and student representatives added to the
letter.
8.3 Superintendent
Wilhelm announced that clarifying language is being crafted for the high school
attendance policy. This item will appear
on the November 1st agenda.
8.3
Mrs. Rogers expressed appreciation for the extra
work being done by various staff members on the reorganization initiative.
9. ADJOURNMENT:
The
meeting was declared adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
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