Approved Minutes

MONADNOCK REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Board Meeting Minutes

September 16, 2003

MC2 at Antioch New England Graduate School, Keene, NH

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6:55 PM CALL TO ORDER

 

Present: Don Arguin, Dixie Gurian, Gene White, Chair Robin Marra, Sam Johnson, Winston Wright, Patricia Smith, Alan Gross, Larry Colby, John Morin and Richard Thackston. Absent:� Gus Lerandeau, William Felton and Geordie Fifield

Also present: C. Cardine, Supt., K. Dassau, Asst. Supt., L. Biron, Business Manager and D. Hodgdon, Dir. of Curriculum. Principals: B. Tatro, D. Mousette, D. Stockwell D. Dahl, K. Carter and K. Craig. Student Council Representative: C. Castonguay.

 

MOTION: R. Thackston MOVED to hold the interview for the Roxbury Board vacancy at this time. SECOND: A. Gross DISCUSSION: R. Marra asked K. Cota why she was interested in the position. K. Cota explained that at the last meeting, which was held in Roxbury she felt that the town should have been represented. She felt it was time to move forward. L. Colby asked if she could be objective. She explained that she would be representing her town and that she could be objective.  A. Gross asked K. Cota if she had any children and what grades they were in. She told the Board that she had one child in the 9th grade at Monadnock Regional High School and two children in the 4th grade at Cutler.  MOTION: J. Morin MOVED to nominate K. Cota to fill the Roxbury Board vacancy. SECOND: R. Thackston. VOTE: 11.210/0/0/3.540. Motion passes.  R. Marra swore in K. Cota and welcomed her to the Board.

 

1.         CONSENT AGENDA:

Minutes of September 2, 2003 Board Meeting. MOTION: D. Gurian MOVED to approve the minutes. SECOND: L. Colby VOTE: 9.225/0/2.235/3.540. Motion Passes.

 

2.       CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: C. Cardine passed out the

  Monadnock Regional High School Calendar (along with the additions for October) and the band schedule.

 

C. Cardine passed out the coaches’ manual prepared by Athletic Director Ellen Cronin. C. Cardine commented that she runs clinics for the coaches and makes sure they are up to date with their certification as coaches and best practices.

 

C. Cardine passed out the NHSBA Delegate Resolutions to the Board Chair.

 

C. Cardine informed the Board about a break in at the Emerson School. The police are investigating the situation.

 

C. Cardine commented to the Board that House Rule 415 does not allow adults with gun permits to bring fire arms into a safe school zone. FYI.

 

C. Cardine informed the Board that he and K. Dassau would be attending the Annual School Law Council on Oct. 20, 2003.

 

R. Marra informed the Board that the MRHS had received a framed award from the NHICC for their participation in the Destination Imagination.

 

R. Marra commented that the NHSBA would meet on Nov. 15 to discuss the resolutions. There would be discussion under Community Relations. 

 

3.          STUDENT COUNCIL CONCERNS: C. Castonguay reported that the students had no concerns or conflicts.  A. Gross asked if the dance situation had been resolved. C. Castonguay informed the Board that additional dances had been scheduled. 

 

4.          PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.

 

5.          Other School Board Business:

 

A.      Board Committee Reports:  

1.   Community Relations Committee: D. Gurian reported that the committee met. She explained that K. Cota has updated the Monadnock Informer for the October issue.  She explained that students would be contacting Board members for interviews for the paper.  They decided to contact the selectmen from each town, give information and ask for their advice. The next meeting will be on Sept. 23, 2003. R. Marra explained that because of the reconfiguration of Board committees the NHSBA Delegate Representative would come from Community Relations. For the past years J. Morin and D. Arguin had filled the spot.

2.   Facilities Committee: P. Smith informed the Board that the committee met but did not have a quorum. They will meet within the next two weeks. R. Marra explained to K. Cota that the last Roxbury Board Member was on the Facilities Committee and asked her to think about being on that committee.

3.   Finance Committee: W. Wright explained that the final auditor’s report has not come back yet. D. Arguin asked how the report would be presented to the Board.  C. Cardine explained that the Board would receive a copy of the report. R. Marra asked L. Biron to explain why the Auditor’s Report would look different. L. Biron explained that because of Special Ed. payments, early retirement payments and the new reporting requirements.  W. Wright explained that the committee talked about the proposed contract with the architect and that the committee recommended that it be brought to the Board for approval. The Monadnock Marauders have asked for additional use of the fields should their season be extended. L. Biron will negotiate with them and make a recommendation to the Finance Committee.  The committee will meet again Oct. 3, 2003 at 8:45 AM.

4.   Policy Committee: D. Arguin reported that the committee met and started to review some of the policies at hand. They will meet on Sept. 24, 2003 and Oct. 1, 2003 then bring something to the Board in late October.

  

B.      New Business: R. Marra explained to the Board that the 64th Annual NHSBA Conference will be held next March in Orlando, Fla. Discussion as to possibly send a representative or two would take place at the next Board meeting.

 

R. Marra informed the Board that the MC2 Director would like to have a Board member on their Advisory Committee. This committee will meet on Oct. 16, 2003.

 

R. Marra asked the committee chairs to meet on Sept. 30, 2003 with the Board Chair and Vice Chair. 

 

C.      Old Business: Architect’s Report: C. Cardine said that he did talk to F. Marinace and has received a proposed contract from him.  R. Marra read the contract, explained that it was fairly standard, and that the key words were “not to exceed $25,000.00”. He passed the contract around to the other Board Members. R. Thackston asked if the Facilities Committee had seen this contract. K. Cota asked if the architect would need to have the educational specifications before he can begin. R. Bauries asked if the $25,000.00 was to design the plan of the Board or were there going to be choices such as good, better and best.  C. Cardine explained that the architect would give the Board multiple options to be taken back to the staff and the public. R. Bauries asked if the $25,000.00 was just to start the plans. C. Cardine explained that the $25,000.00 would cover it all. MOTION: W. Wright MOVED to enter into the Architectural Agreement as outlined not to exceed $25,000.00. SECOND: J. Morin. DISCUSSION: R. Thackston explained to the Board that he would be voting against this motion. He said that the Facilities Committee has not recommended it. He said that when the Marauders Contract came through the Facilities Committee had to review it 5 times. It is inappropriate to accept before the Facilities Committee has reviewed it.  L. Biron explained that the Facilities Committee had already interviewed the architects and had their discussions. D. Arguin requested to look at the contract before signing.  D. Arguin said that R. Thackston did make a good point but the Facilities felt that they covered the architect and the Finance made the recommendation. VOTE: 10.439/1.021/0/3.540. Motion passes.

 

Discussion of Superintendent’s Report from the September 2, 2003. C. Cardine wanted the Board and the public to know that when they are discussing the Middle School concept any proposed change will not be complete for 3 years.  D. Hodgdon will be giving a report on the middle school concept at the next meeting in Surry.

 

A. Gross commented that the water pressure problem is still going on at Mt. Caesar. C. Cardine said that he spent the day at Mt. Caesar and at Emerson. At Emerson there is mold in the basement. There were dehumidifiers brought in, the area was sealed off, and people will be brought in to assess the situation.  At Mt. Caesar a bad valve had been replaced with a bad valve. L. Biron explained that it took awhile to find the problem but assured the Board it was now under control.

 

D.      Curriculum Report: No report.   

 

E.       21st Century Report: MC2 Tour and Report: C. Cardine explained to the Board that the room where the meeting is being held was once a factory floor. The renovations were done with private monies from some very generous donors. The district does not own the space – Antioch New England Graduate School does – just the equipment and furniture, which has been paid for by grants.  Kim Carter, the Director of the MC2 School, introduced several students, a parent and Elizabeth Kuhn, a teacher at the school. The students discussed part of the PowerPoint presentation. They explained graphs and how they retrieved the information. Their graphs were about the students, their ages, what town they were from and their gender. Elizabeth Kuhn then described the average day at the school. She discussed the process that leads up to the individual student apprenticeships and the treks. She explained how the school brings the State Standards into the students’ work and how the students, teachers and staff members communicate with each other through the computer network. Brochures were passed out to the Board Members and the audience. K. Carter explained the work that was done during the summer by the staff members to prepare for the upcoming school year. R. Marra explained that the tour would be given at the break. C. Dreyfus asked if the network was closed. K. Carter explained that it is only between the student, teacher and parents. L. Colby asked about lunch being so early. K. Carter said that it was scheduled that way in order that the students could participate in band and chorus at Monadnock.  R. Marra asked that at least one Board meeting be held here every year.

 

F.      Action on the Manifest: J. Morin MOVED to approve the manifest in the amount of $1,648,177.80 SECOND: L. Colby DISCUSSION: P. Smith asked what the charge to Ted’s Shoe and Sport was for. L. Biron explained that it was for a special shoe for the custodians.  P. Smith commented on a discrepancy in the Accounts Payable in the amount of $3,000.00. C. Cardine explained that the figure did not get carried over to the next page. The new figure of the manifest will be $1,651,177.80.  VOTE: 10.281/1.179/0/3.540 Motion passes.

 

6.      Superintendent’s Report: C. Cardine commented on the fact that the State Board of Education would like to change the Minimum Standards. He explained that the Board would want to be involved.

 

D. Stockwell met with C. Dreyfus as well as the Assistant Principal to address some of the concerns she brought to the Board at the last meeting.

 

P. Smith had a concern about the issue that had been brought up. The fact that spelling is not corrected unless it is an English class.

 

7. PUBLIC COMMENTS: R. Marra mentioned the fact that the Sentinel reporter D. Gearino had received an award for his article about absenteeism on the Monadnock Regional School Board.

 

8. SETTING UP THE NEXT MEETING’S AGENDA:

 

1.      Committee Reports

2.      NHSBA Delegate Assemble Resolutions

3.      NSBA Conference

4.      Curriculum Report Middle School

5.      Committee Appointments

 

A.     Gross asked when the Spec Ed. Report would take place. R. Marra commented

that it would take place in Gilsum on Oct. 24, 2003 in order that Dr. D. Lafleur may be present.

 

8:40 PM The Board will now tour the MC2 facilities. 

 

(R. Thackston leaves at 8:40 PM.)

 

9. NON-PUBLIC SESSION

 

8:50 PM D. Gurian MOVED to enter into non-public session for the purpose of approving the minutes of the non-public session of September 2, 2003, personnel, and legal. SECOND: A. Gross  VOTE : Unanimous.

9:20 PM A. Gross MOVED to return to public session and to seal this portion of the non-public minutes indefinitely. SECOND: D. Arguin. VOTE: Unanimous for those present.

 

10. ADJOURNMENT

9:21 PM J. Morin MOVED to return to adjourn. SECOND: D. Arguin. VOTE: Unanimous for those present.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Laura Aivaliotis

MRSD Board Secretary