MONADNOCK
REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Board
Meeting Minutes
Mount
Caesar School, Swanzey, NH
Present: Chair Robin Marra, Richard Thackston, Winston Wright, Colline Dreyfuss, Gene White, John Morin, Bruce McCulley Bruce Tatro, Alan Gross, William Felton, Karen Cota, Dixie Gurian, Marianne Mathis and Jeff Friedman. Absent: Tim Aho.
Also present: C. Cardine, Supt., K. Dassau, Asst. Supt., D. Hodgdon, Dir. of Curriculum and L. Biron, Business Manager. Principals: D. Mousette, K. Craig and B. Tatro. Student Council Representative: Michael Bush.
R. Marra reminded the Board of their mission to strive for the best education of every child.
1. CONSENT AGENDA:
Minutes of
February 1, 2005 Board Minutes and February 1, 2005 Non-Public Minutes. MOTION:
D. Gurian. MOVED to approve
all the minutes. SECOND: K. Cota. VOTE:
7.942/0/1.179/7.058. Motion passes.
2. CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENT: C. Cardine informed the Board that he had received a thank you note from the NHSBA thanking MRHS for welcoming them and for hosting their board meeting. They commented on the exciting projects taking place at MRHS and said the food was delicious.
C. Cardine read the attendance report for the Deliberative Session given to him by K. Schnyer.
R. Thackston arrives.
3. STUDENT COUNCIL CONCERNS: M. Bush reported that he was only observing today. There was no report. K. Cota asked if the Student Council had any questions for the Board on the expansion. She asked if the Student Council could give some information on the new classrooms to the student body.
Jeff Friedman arrives.
4. School Board Committee Reports:
Board Committee Reports:
1. Community Relations Committee: A. Gross informed the Board that the committee met on Feb. 8, 2005 and the report was in the Board’s packet. He said that the whole process to get information out on the expansion project is a little overwhelming. He said that 1000 fliers have been made and will be given to the students to bring home. He said they would be holding public forums, which will be publicized. Board members will be attending sporting events and be having open houses to get the information out. He said the District would be taking out a page and a half ad the week before the vote. A. Gross asked R. Marra if he would write a letter for the paper to represent the entire Board on the expansion. R. Marra said that he would be glad to. A. Gross informed the Board that J. Lucy from Honeywell would like to make up a flier to be distributed by mail explaining the Honeywell project. The committee will discuss this topic at the next meeting on Feb. 28, 2005 at 6:00 PM. K. Cota said that she is hearing that the teachers are unaware of what is going on in the high school. She suggested that the faculty be informed on the expansion. C. Cardine commented that a month and a half ago they received a presentation. A. Gross suggested that it might be worth it to do a presentation for the Student Council and the teachers. C. Dreyfuss said that the Student Council is working on it.
2. Facilities Committee: B. Tatro informed the Board that the committee would be meeting this Friday at 8:00 AM. C. Cardine informed the Board that the CIP is on the web site if anyone is interested in a copy.
3. Finance Committee: W. Wright informed the Board that they did not have a quorum at the meeting but did discuss the budget. No action was taken. They were not sure which way the budget will be voted on so no suggestions at this meeting. The next meeting is on March 18, 2005 at 8:00AM.
John Morin arrives.
4. Policy Committee: W. Felton commented on the report in the packets. He said that the committee did not have a quorum. They discussed the climbing wall and the information was given to the Board. They discussed Food Service and the fact that the lunches that are not paid for are the responsibility of the district. They will postpone their Feb. 22, 2005 meeting because of vacation.
5. Ad Hoc Advisory Committee: R. Marra explained that the minutes of the Northern School Committee were in the Board’s packet. The next meeting will be on Wed. Feb. 16, 2005 at 7:30 PM.
5. PUBLIC COMMENTS: G. Bednarski asked if the lawyer representing D. Gurian was being paid by the District for her legal fees. C. Cardine responded yes. He also asked how the number of 22 for the expansion came about. R. Marra said that it was the Building Into the Future Committee in 2001. R. Thackston said that the Facilities Committee has been considering the 22 classrooms for 2 years. He commented to C. Cardine on information about teachers and space and asked if that is where the number came from. C. Cardine said no.
P. Bauries commented on the fact that the Communication
Committee talked about a Candidates Night and she suggested that the Board not
use that night to discuss the expansion. A.
Gross said that the School board is not running the Candidates Night.
MOTION: A.
Gross MOVED to alter the agenda by having the Curriculum Report
presented at this time. SECOND: D. Gurian. VOTE:
12.024/0/0/2.976. Motion passes.
B. McCulley arrives.
A. Curriculum Report: Elementary Report Card Committee Report: C. Cardine explained the process leading up to the District Report Card. He explained that it was 5 years in the working. With this new report card the parents will be receiving a lot of information on their child. It has been a long effort and he applauds the committee and thanked D. Hodgdon for all of his effort. D. Hodgdon explained that this is a part of a comprehensive reporting program. He said that a draft would be going out to the parents for feed back. This has been a long process both a give and take process. The challenge being that the teachers have different philosophies. He said that it was very productive and he was very pleased. D. Hodgdon passed out a copy of the report card to the Board. He did say that the report card will not be used for Kindergarten now but will be eventually. K. Craig commented that each student is very different and will grow differently. This report card will allow the teacher to know each student individually and lead them. She said that it is an honest report with this new report card. K. Craig introduced J. Calnan and T. Majoy. J. Calnan did a slide presentation for the Board titled Salad Bowl. J. Calnan explained that she worked with the children in T. Majoy’s room. She wanted to get to know each child. She gave them surveys to see their likes and dislikes. She then took that information and prepared the curriculum. The slide presentation showed the children in different work areas as a result of the survey. After the quarter was complete she explained to the Board how the report card was used on two totally different children. The Board had many questions about the grading results. A student with an IEP and 1’s received an A when a student with 4’s received a C+. The report is to inform the parents where the students are. K. Craig commented on the fact that the Best Practices Research recommends this. M. Mathis commented that she likes the Report Card because it gives the teacher a lot more information and it is a tool for the teacher. The Board asked what is being done with the staff. C. Cardine said that this is tied into the supervision and evaluations. D. Gurian commented that she was happy to see that this is tied together with the district goals. W. Wright asked if the Report Card was being used now. D. Hodgdon said that he would anticipate it being used next year. K. Craig commented that the grading is not really based on numbers but rubrics. B. Tatro asked if there would be an additional cost to the district for additional staff. J. Calnan explained that she did extra in the classroom because it was her graduate project. R. Marra suggested a meeting to be scheduled after the feedback from the parents. W. Felton would like to be reassured by the administration that this is not a form of social promotion. C. Cardine said that it is as far away as could be. W. Felton said that was good enough for him.
J. Morin leaves at 8:55 PM.
K. Craig said that there are no studies to show what the cost effectiveness would be. D. Gurian said that this would save a lot of Spec. Ed. money. R. Marra said that he has worked with this class and has seen a remarkable change in this student.
B. New Business: State Funding for 06: C. Cardine passed out information to the Board. He explained the Governors plan, how it will affect the district and the fact that it would look as if the local contribution will be increasing. K. Cota asked what stability was and C. Cardine explained.
C. Old Business: Deliberative Session Review: R. Marra said that he had done his own research on the petitioned articles. C. Dreyfuss asked about Roberts Rules. R. Marra said that the legislative body could do as they choose. R. Thackston commented on Article Ten saying that it was heavily modified and was cleaner as written. K. Cota would ask that in the future the Board have more information on changing the petitioned articles. R. Thackston commented on half the room leaving after a certain amount of articles were done.
Budget 2005-2006: The Finance Committee will make suggestions after the vote in March. L. Biron said that the votes would be automated. The process will be much faster.
Middle School Update: D. Hodgdon informed the Board that the first meeting of the search committee was cancelled because of snow. The meeting is rescheduled for Feb. 17, 2005.
K. Dassau informed the Board about the High School Principals Search. He said that the committee had the final interviews and have narrowed it down to two finalists, Sue Cooper from Brattleboro Union High School and Joe Smith from MRHS. On Feb. 28, 2005 the committee will hold the site visits to meet the staff, faculty and community.
D. Curriculum Report: Report given earlier on the agenda.
E. 21st Century Report: C. Cardine informed the Board Members that they may be contacted by phone to talk about a meeting time for the School Boards Leadership in the next two weeks.
C. Cardine informed the Board that the Schools of Public Choice will soon have a brochure publicizing the MRSD schools. These brochures will look as good as the private school brochures. The brochures should be ready next year.
F. Action on the Manifest: MOTION: W. Felton MOVED the manifest in the amount of $1,017,080.21. SECOND: D. Gurian. DISCUSSION: K. Cota asked about an item on page three. L. Biron explained that the line is paying off 2 vans. VOTE: 8.703/0/4.432/1.955. Motion passes.
7. Superintendent’s Report: C. Cardine informed the Board that they are at borrowing capacity, the budget sheets are to zero and that everything is balanced. R. Thackston asked about the Auditor’s Report. L. Biron said that he is not sure what the problem is or on whose end. Mr. Clukay had requested additional information and the SAU sent it. L. Biron explained two pieces that could be slowing the process down.
C. Cardine explained that the school calendar is approved in January but he is presenting it tonight. He said that they have it as close as possible to Keene’s calendar. He is not asking for approval now just review.
A. Gross asked how D. Dahl was doing. C. Cardine said that he is doing well. C. Cardine said that he does not have any information on D. Stockwell yet.
8. PUBLIC COMMENTS: P. Bauries commented on the fact that the public could not ask questions after the curriculum presentation and asked if there would be public forums for the community and parents. D. Hodgdon said that they intended to explain the information to the parents at the Parent Conferences.
J. Carnie asked R. Marra what RSA he was referring to when he was speaking about the petitioned articles. R. Marra said that he could not find one. He said that he commented that he personally felt that the petitioned articles should not be altered. J. Carnie asked if he had talked to council. R. Marra said that he had not talked to council. L. Biron said that the Secretary of State said that nothing had been done wrong with the petitioned articles.
9. Board Chair Report: No
report.
10. SETTING UP THE NEXT MEETING’S AGENDA:
1. Committees
2. 2005-2006 Calendar
3. Ad Hoc Advisory Committee
4. Review Budget Process.
MOTION: D. Gurian. MOVED to adjourn the
meeting at 9:35 PM. SECOND: W.
Wright. VOTE: ????????????????Motion passes.
Respectfully submitted,
Laura L. Aivaliotis
MRSD Secretary