approved minutes

MONADNOCK REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Board Meeting Minutes

                                                 July 11, 2006

                    Monadnock Regional High School/Middle School, Swanzey, NH.

                      

Present: Colline Dreyfuss, Jonathan Kenyon, Gene White, Karen Cota, Bruce Tatro, Kenneth Colby, Phyllis Peterson, Jason Hill, James Carnie and Richard Thackston. Absent:  Tim Peloquin, William Felton, Bruce McCulley, Charles Johnson and Tim Aho

Also present: D. Hodgdon, Assistant Superintendent, T. Warner, Dir. of Technology, K. Chambers, Business Manager.  Principals: S. Rashid, D. Dahl and J. Smith. 

 

C. Dreyfuss called the meeting to order at 7:06 PM.

 

1.  CONSENT AGENDA: MOTION: K. Colby MOVED to accept the June 20, 2006 Board Meeting Minutes as presented.  SECOND: B. Tatro. DISCUSSION: J. Carnie commented that the motion on the voting order should have been done in public session.  VOTE: 9.391/0/1.121/4.488. Motion passes.

 

2.      CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: D. Hodgdon reported on the many awards received by of Bryan Duplissie a Monadnock Alumni while in high school and college. 

 

C. Dreyfuss reported that she would be forwarding the dates to the Support Staff for the upcoming negotiations.

 

Congratulations to J. Smith on his recent wedding.

 

3.      STUDENT GOVERNMENT REPORT: No report and the web site has not been updated.

 

4.   PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.

 

5.      Curriculum Report: Follow that Child Grant Award: D. Hodgdon reported that he had sent a letter to the State with a cost analysis and they did acknowledge us as in the process. He reported that he applied for a grant for the summer to start the process with the teachers. The grant runs out on Sept. 30, 2006. The State informed D. Hodgdon that they had received a large response and could not support each application but would award Monadnock with a grant in the amount of $7909.75. D. Hodgdon is asking for approval from the Board to accept the grant. MOTION: R. Thackston MOVED to accept the Follow the Child Grant in the amount of $7909.75. SECOND: J. Kenyon. VOTE: 9.391/0/1.121/4.488. Motion passes.  

 

6.  Old Business: Textbook Plan for District: D. Hodgdon handed out a sheet to the Board titled Textbook Replacement Plan. D. Hodgdon explained that K. Cota had requested this information. He said that there is a more formal plan at the elementary level because the books are aligned with the curriculum, which goes in cycles. If there is a delay in the purchasing of books that would be because of cuts to the budget. K. Cota asked if there was a criteria for the replacement of books. D. Hodgdon explained that 10 years old is at the elementary level, 6 to 7 years would be better. K. Cota asked about the library and J. Smith responded that the librarian is happy with the average age of the books.

 

7.  SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS:

1.      Community Relations Committee: K. Colby reported that the committee met on July 10, 2006. He said that J. Smith is moving forward with the committee on the publishing item. They will be discussing budget items in Sept., Oct., and Nov.  The next meeting will be on August 28, 2006 at 5:30 PM.

2.      Facilities Committee: K. Cota reported that the committee has not met. The next meeting is on July 18, 2006.

3.      Finance Committee: B. Tatro reported that the committee met and reviewed the revenue and the expense reports. The members had questions on the shifting of funds. They will receive the answers at the next meeting. No action was taken at this meeting. The next meeting will be on August 15, 2006 at 6:00 PM.

4.       Policy Committee: G. White informed the Board that he was asked to send the report in the packets. The issue on the information will be addressed in non-public session. The next meeting will be on July 24, 2006 at 5:45 PM. J. Carnie commented that the reason for the non-public session is because it is about a person. He said that he is concerned that Keene is sending students to Monadnock

and MC2 but not taking Monadnock students. He asked why tuition could not be paid to Keene School from MRPSOC. C. Dreyfuss explained that Keene is not a School of Choice. KMS is a Choice School. J. Kenyon commented that this is not an MC2 issue. Possibly a MRPSOC but not linked to MC2. 

5.      Budget Committee: J. Kenyon reported that the Budget Committee voted down the Board having an alternate liaison to the Budget Committee. R. Bauries asked for the MRPSOC grant to be in the finance disclosure. D. Hodgdon asked if he wanted all the grants and he said only the MRPSOC. N. Moriarty’s letter in the Keene Sentinel was discussed and the policy will be looked at. The next Budget Meeting is on July 25, 2006 in Roxbury.

6.      The Cheshire Career Center: J. Smith reported that the new director of the CCC would begin on August 1, 2006.

 

8.  OTHER SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS:

 New Business: J. Kenyon reported that he attended the First Amendments Workshop in Virginia. He said that they discussed habits of the mind and habits of the heart. He brought back books and gave them to D. Hodgdon.

 

9. Action on the Manifest: MOTION: G. White MOVED the manifest in the amount of $ 1,166,612.33. SECOND: K. Colby. VOTE: 7.198/1.021/2.93/4.488. Motion passes.

 

10. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT: D. Hodgdon commented that K. Dassau sends his best from Hawaii. There will be two non-public sessions, a student issue and nominations. He has two resignations. MOTION: J. Kenyon MOVED to accept the resignation of H. Robertson as of July 1, 2006. SECOND: K. Colby VOTE: 10.512/0/0/4.488. Motion passes. MOTION: K. Cota MOVED to accept the resignation of Amy Hill from Troy Elementary. SECOND: J. Kenyon. DISCUSSION: B. Tatro asked if she signed a contract. It was answered yes but this motion would change that. VOTE: 9.333/0/1.179/4.488. Motion passes.

 

     K. Chambers reported that the Marauders are asking for a change in contract. They have been moved down a league and will not need to play as many games. They would like their fee for the use of the fields to decrease from $5000.00 to $2500.00. MOTION: R. Thackston MOVED to accept the 06, 07 and 08 contract as presented. SECOND: J. Kenyon. DISCUSSION: It was asked if the practice field would be used any less. R. Thackston commented that it sounds like they should use it more. K. Cota commented that they spend $1100.00 to reseed every year. B. Tatro commented that the district counts on that money each year. K. Chambers explained that the $5000.00 is used for athletic items. B. Tatro asked if it is a multi-year contract. J. Kenyon withdraws his second on the motion and R. Thackston withdraws his motion. MOTION: K. Colby MOVED a one-year contract for $2500.00 for the 2006-2007 season. SECOND: R. Thackston DISCUSSION: R. Thackston said that it is essentially an unenforceable contract. We are negotiating with a guy that has empty pockets. He said that he had concerns but is happy with a one-year contract. K. Cota asked if we have a present contract. The answer is yes. K. Chambers said that they are required to carry certain insurance. She said that the usage is down in their favor. VOTE: 4.593/5.919/0/4.488. Motion fails. J. Carnie commented that if they pull out we get no money and an empty field. MOTION: J. Carnie MOVED to accept the 3 year contract with a fee of $2500.00 per year as proposed by the Marauders. SECOND: P. Peterson. VOTE: 3.414/7.098/0/4.488. Motion fails. MOTION: J. Kenyon MOVED to accept a contract for 1 year with a fee of $3000.00 to be paid for by the Marauders. SECOND: P. Peterson. DISCUSSION: It was mentioned that the Board should not negotiate. The Marauders should come back with a counter proposal. J. Smith commented that the season is starting next Friday. B. Tatro commented that the Board should say no and to go by the present contract. J. Kenyon commented that the money goes to the kids. VOTE: 7.198/3.314/0/4.488. Motion passes.

    

11. BOARD CHAIR REPORT: C. Dreyfuss asked T. Peloquin to join the Negotiation Committee. He is not sure. She asked G. White and J. Carnie to fill the positions G. White said yes. J. Carnie said maybe. MOTION: R. Thackston MOVED to nominate G. White to the Negotiating Committee. SECOND: J. Kenyon. VOTE: 10.512/0/0/4.488. Motion passes.

 

     C. Dreyfuss listed the members on the Surry Withdrawal Committee. The first meeting will be on August 17, 2006 at 7:00 PM. Terry will contact the town selectmen by phone. 

 

12. SETTING NEXT MEETINGS AGENDA:

1.      J. Carnie has requested the total monies to MC2 from MRPSOC, the breakdown and how it was spent.

 

 

13. SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS: P. Bauries asked what would be covered on the summer grant. D. Hodgdon explained it to her. She asked J. Kenyon about the conference and who attended with him. He explained that it was K. Carter, a student, a parent and a teacher from MC2. P. Bauries asked about the projected cuts to maintenance and asked what they are and how they will affect size and programs. C. Dreyfuss said that she would mail that information to P. Bauries.

 

V. Piedmont attended a policy meeting and felt that K. Dassau was going to make a recommendation to the Board to encourage a motion to have MRSD and KHS work collaboratively in a student exchange. C. Dreyfuss said that she is comfortable in saying that he did not say that. G. White commented that the Policy Committee is not at the point to make a recommendation to the Board. J. Carnie asked if this is going to be discussed in non-public. C. Dreyfuss said yes.

 

R. Bauries is requesting a complete breakdown on the $12,000.00 for the First Amendment Conference. C. Dreyfuss explained that the information would come from the SAU Office. 

 

14. NON-PUBLIC SESSION: RSA 91-A:3 II c: Student Issue: MOTION: R. Thackston MOVED to go into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 II c-Student Issue. SECOND: G. White. Roll call vote: J. Hill, K. Colby, K. Cota, P. Peterson, J. Carnie J. Kenyon, B. Tatro, G. White, R. Thackston and C. Dreyfuss. Motion passes.

 

15. NON-PUBLIC SESSION: RSA 91-A:3 II b: Nominations: MOTION: G. White MOVED to go into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3II b-nominations. SECOND: B. Tatro. Roll call vote: J. Hill, K. Colby, K. Cota, P. Peterson, J. Carnie, J. Kenyon, B. Tatro, G. White, R. Thackston and C. Dreyfuss. Motion passes.

 

16. Adjournment: MOTION: J. Kenyon MOVED to adjourn the meeting at 9:39 PM. SECOND: K. Colby. VOTE: Unanimous for those present.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Laura L. Aivaliotis

MRSD Recording Secretary