PLEASE
NOTE THAT THE MINUTES WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL THE BOARD HAS APPROVED THEM AT
ITS NEXT METEING.
August
23, 2007
The Board of Directors of
The following Directors were present: Kim Totten, Chairman; Maryane Burns; Dorothy
“Dee” Carrier; Dorothy Gardner; Sheila Havey; Robert W. Hill; David Johnson;
Jane Meisenbach; Joanne Reinhart; Joanne Rogers, Donald Russell; Rebekah Stimpson;
and Roland Tufts.
Not present was Gwen Thomas. Sam Prindall, student representative to the
Board of Directors, was also absent.
1. Call to
order
The
meeting was called to order by Chairman Totten at 7:05 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
Agenda adjustments were noted and have been
appropriately integrated into the minutes.
3.1 RECOGNITIONS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
4. To take
action relative to accepting as printed the minutes of the July 12, 2007, and
August 9, 2007, regular meetings of the Board of Directors
These
sets of minutes were tabled.
5. OLD
BUSINESS:
5.1 To hear a
report from High School Principal Craig King regarding Advanced Placement
Testing and to reconsider his recommendation to require that all students taking
Advanced Placement courses take the AP exam
This
item was deferred, pending Dr. King’s arrival.
5.2
To consider the discussion of the Consolidation
Workshop to determine the consolidation intentions to be made to the
Commissioner
This workshop was held prior to this
evening’s meeting. This agenda item was
deferred until later in the meeting.
6. NEW
BUSINESS:
6.2 To
appoint Amy Hall to a first-year
probationary contract as .5 FTE Title I teacher at
It was moved by Mr. Johnson, seconded
by Mr. Tufts, and VOTED (unanimously) to
appoint Amy Hall to a first-year
probationary contract as .5 FTE Title I teacher at Woodside Elementary School,
at Master’s, Step 5 (prorated), effective September 1, 2007.
6.2a To appoint
Scott Libby to a first-year
probationary contract as special education teacher at
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Scott Libby
to a first-year probationary contract as special education teacher at Mt.
Ararat Middle School, at Bachelor’s, Step 0, effective September 1, 2007.
6.2b To appoint
Erica Alt to a first-year
probationary contract as special education teacher at
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED (unanimously) to
appoint Erica Alt to a first-year
probationary contract as special education teacher at Williams-Cone School, at
Master’s, Step 0, effective September 1,
2007.
6.2c To appoint
Patricia McCormick to a (one-year
only) first-year probationary contract as a .4 FTE social worker at
It was moved by Mr. Hill, seconded by
Ms. Havey, and VOTED (unanimously) to
appoint Patricia McCormick to a
(one-year only) first-year probationary contract as a .4 FTE social worker at
Williams-Cone School, at Master’s, Step 19 (prorated), effective September 1,
2007.
6.2d To appoint
Holly Billings to a first-year
probationary contract as a special education consulting resource teacher at Mt.
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Holly
Billings to a first-year probationary contract as a special education
consulting resource teacher at
6.2e To appoint
Kathy Galgovitch to a first-year
probationary contract as a special education teacher at
It was moved by Mrs. Gardner,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to appoint Kathy
Galgovitch to a first-year probationary contract as a special education
teacher at Williams-Cone School, at Master’s, Step 0, effective September 1,
2007.
6.2f To appoint
Erik Kramer as Technology Support
Leader at Mt. Ararat Middle School, effective September 1, 2007
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier, seconded
by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously)
to appoint Erik Kramer as
Technology Support Leader at
6.3 To create
a K-1 position at Bowdoinham Community School to accommodate changes in
enrollments and appoint Doreen Young to
fill the position
Principal Diane Stahl stated that the
Kindergarten enrollment is 37 as of this date and answered questions relative
to her proposal.
Tricia Dau, parent, commented that
notification of this proposal is late getting to parents and that no choice to
parents is offered. She fears a major
disruption for students.
Mrs. Stahl indicated she has
considered many scenarios as a way of resolving this issue and feels that the
one being proposed is best educationally for students. She stated that Doreen Young is experienced
in teaching multi-aged classes, having taught a K-1 and a K/1/2
combination.
Ms. Havey
commended Mrs. Stahl’s proactive solution to this situation, indicating that
her own children had been in multiple-grade classes and that their educational
program had not been compromised.
Mr. Hill indicated that his own
daughter had fared well in a K-1 classroom.
Superintendent Wilhelm noted that
Mrs. Stahl has looked at her resources, staffing and students and explored all
options of remedying the situation.
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously)
to create a K-1 position at
6.3a To
transfer Michele Aronson, Bowdoin
Central School 4th grade teacher, to
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers,
seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED
(unanimously) to transfer Michele
Aronson,
6.4 To adjust
the contract of Sara Levy, speech
pathologist at Harpswell Islands School, from .8 FTE to .6 FTE, effective
September 1, 2007
It was moved by Mrs. Carrier,
seconded by Mr. Johnson, and VOTED
(unanimously) to adjust the contract of Sara Levy, speech pathologist at Harpswell Islands School, from .8
FTE to .6 FTE, effective September 1, 2007.
6.5 To adjust
the contract of Robin Kroc, speech
pathologist, from .4 FTE to .6 FTE, effective September 1, 2007
It was
moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously) to adjust the contract of Robin Kroc, speech pathologist, from .4 FTE to .6 FTE, effective
September 1, 2007.
6.6 To accept Isabel Mickunas, fifth grader, as a
tuition student to
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously)
to accept Isabel Mickunas, fifth grader, as a tuition student to
6.6a To accept Zachary
Carrier, 8th grader, as a tuition student to
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mr. Hill, and VOTED (unanimously) to
accept Zachary Carrier, 8th
grader, as a tuition student to
5.1 To hear a
report from High School Principal Craig King regarding Advanced Placement
Testing and to reconsider his recommendation to require that all students
taking Advanced Placement courses take the AP exam
Dr. King sent out 196 surveys, with
107 being returned, to parents of students taking AP courses, asking whether
the costs of taking the AP exam would create a hardship. 49 respondents indicated an ability to pay
the fee; and 46 indicated that they can afford to pay the fee but would have to
budget. 12 parents indicated an
inability pay the fee. Dr. King can
provide assistance to 12-15 students.
Dr. King distributed copies of a report
produced in 1995, which indicates that the high school expects students
enrolling in AP courses to take the exam.
The report indicates an effective date of the 1995-96 academic
year.
Mr. Hill asked how many students take
the exam, and John Brassil indicated that obviously the percentage varies from
teacher to teacher. He indicated that
almost all sophomores and juniors who take AP courses take the exam, but of
seniors taking AP courses, the percentage of students taking the exam falls
off.
Mr. Hill would be interested in
tracking the history of students taking the AP exam, and Dr. King pointed out
that whether students taking AP courses take the AP exam, they still must take
an exam for that course.
Mr. Hill asked what other items
students’ parents must pay for; and Dr. King suggested gym clothes, band
tee-shirt and costs of some field trips.
Mr. Hill asked if there were items
approaching the same cost as that of the AP exam, and Dr. Wilhelm stated that
soccer shoes cost that much.
Mr. Brassil indicated that very few
of his juniors don’t take the exam. He
feels that the student transcript should read differently, if they take the
course and don’t take the exam.
Donna
Dionne agreed that mandating AP exams should be Board policy.
Dr. King is sending two teachers to
AP training and is not interested in spending staff development funds if
teachers don’t promote taking the exam for AP courses.
Mrs. Rogers related some family
history of her children and grandchildren taking AP courses and that they had
agreed that teachers of AP courses need to do an excellent job teaching those
courses if the exam will have to be paid for by the student’s family.
Mr. Johnson feels that Dr. King’s
request is being made for the right reasons, but admitted he has a problem with
the timing of the request and the cost of the exam.
Mr. Russell indicated that his son
had saved on tuition costs by taking the exams.
Dr. King suggested that mandating
students to take the exam and pay for it could become a requirement in 2008-9.
Superintendent Wilhelm recapped the
discussion by stating that teachers are sending an inconsistent message
regarding promoting taking the exam and that the student transcript should read
differently for those students who take the course and fail to take the
exam. If the transcript doesn’t reflect
this, students’ coursework is being misrepresented to colleges.
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED (unanimously)
that, at the very least, the Board approve a more descriptive designation
on the student transcript, as to whether students taking AP courses have taken
the AP exam.
It was moved by Mr. Tufts, seconded
by Mrs. Rogers, and VOTED (unanimously) that
teachers will deliver a consistent message (to students taking AP courses) at
the outset of (AP) classes, they are encouraged to take the exam (for those AP
courses).
5.2 To
consider the discussion of the Consolidation Workshop to determine the
consolidation intentions to be made to the Commissioner
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded
by Mrs. Carrier, and VOTED (unanimously)
that the Board submit two letters of intent to the Commissioner, one for
consolidation with
The towns caucused to determine
membership on the Regionalization Planning Committee. Following the caucus, it was announced that
the following would serve on the Regionalization Planning Committee.
Harpswell
– Joanne Rogers
Topsham
– Robert W. Hill
Bowdoinham
– Joanne Reinhart, sharing the position with Rebekah Stimpson
Bowdoin – Kim Totten
Superintendent Wilhelm will contact
the Towns to determine how they want to designate the community members to the
Regionalization Planning Committee.
6.1 To approve
stipend amounts for Middle School positions as negotiated with the Merrymeeting
Teachers Association
It was moved by Mrs. Rogers,
seconded by Mrs. Gardner, and VOTED
(unanimously) to approve stipend amounts for Middle School positions as
negotiated with the Merrymeeting Teachers Association.
7. COMMITTEE
REPORTS:
7.1
MVR 10 Cooperative Board – Enrollment at Vocational
Region Ten is larger than last year.
This year it is M.S.A.D. No.75’s turn to serve as Chairman of the
Cooperative Board.
7.2 Local
Redevelopment Authority – Mr. Hill reported that at the last meeting of the
LRA, the draft plan for reuse of military property was approved.
8. SUPERINTENDENT’S
REPORT:
9. ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was declared adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
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