Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

These minutes are presented in draft form,
they have not been approved.

Deer Isle-Stonington CSD School Committee
Regular Meeting Minutes
June 4, 2002

Board Members Present: Skip Greenlaw, Larry Moffet, Barrett Brewer, Steve Johnson and Ted Ames at 6:39 p.m.
Board Member Absent: Kathie Keane
Staff Present: Tom Brennan, Mark Hurvitt, Mike Wood, Dennis Saindon, Bobbi Ann Billings, Katy Helman, Shelley Richardson, Lynnette Grindle and Robert Webster
Citizens and Guests Present: Linda Nelson, Jeff Olsen, Blake Billings, Hollan Oliver, Jenna Eaton, Liz Shepard and Lynnsey Branson

1. Call to Order/Quorum
Chairwoman Brewer called the meeting to order and declared a quorum at 6:37 p.m.

2. Moment of Silence
A moment of silence was observed.

3. Citizen Comments
Industrial Arts teacher Dennis Saindon invited school board members to visit the shop for review of student projects still on display from the May 31st open house.

4. Approval of the Agenda
Motion by Greenlaw, second by Moffet, to approve the agenda with the addition of a discussion item on Senior Class Privileges and the relocation of the discussion item on Teacher Recognition to the action agenda. Vote: 4 yes; 0 no.

5. Approval of Minutes
Motion by Greenlaw, second by Moffet, to approve the minutes of the May 1, May 7, May 15 and May 23, 2002 meetings as presented. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

6. REPORTS

A. Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School Principal

Mr. Hurvitt provided information on:
· The school-wide writing prompt
· New assistant principal Mike Hammer's visit to the school to meet students and staff
· Band Concert and Spring Sports Banquet
· Scheduled arrival of seventh grade teacher and student laptops
· Planning for the Bob Gallagher K-8 Workshop
· The first DISES Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony and associated events
· The list of May events that took place in the Reach Performing Arts Center
· The student production of "Kootie Shots" at 8:30 a.m on June 7th
· Greenlaw and Johnson asked for a monthly list of coming attractions to the RPAC. Johnson asked about school physicals and Greenlaw asked about the writing prompt project

B. Deer Isle-Stonington High School Principal
Mr. Brennan informed the Committee of the:
· The schedule for Class Night, Seniors' Last Assembly, Baccaleaurate, Athletic Awards Banquet, Academic Awards, National Honor Society induction and associated NHS selection difficulties
· Interviews conducted by Dennis Saindon, Martha Jordan and Tom Duym investigating possible barriers to female participation in the Industrial Arts and Marine Technology programs. Saindon distributed the results of the interviews.
· The Industrial Arts program open house on May 31
· Moffet asked about exploratory courses for middle level students and Greenlaw asked that Webster contact Laidlaw about renegotiating the contract for the small bus on a mileage rather than a per student rate for 2002-03.

C. Superintendent Webster reported that:
· Logan Painting would be coming back to repaint peeling areas on DISES
· Tom Brennan and Lois Hunt had resigned their positions of high school principal and central office administrative assistant effective June 30, 2002
· The warrant would be ready to sign the next day
· Research had begun on consultants to review special education programs
· Discussions had begun with Laidlaw on the idea of using transportation aides on buses rather than using the small bus for special education students
· The cost of the 2001 federally funded summer reading program was$40,508
· The DIS Teachers Association had not reported the outcome of a vote to excuse the high school guidance position from the teacher bargaining unit.
· He had several documents to distribute to board members including the text of the annual school budget report, the revised School Union 76 Crisis Intervention Plan and a student essay on school violence mandated by the school committee

7. DISCUSSION ITEMS

A. 2002-03 Senior Privileges
Eleventh grade students Shepard, Oliver, Eaton and Branson presented specific criteria for senior class privileges:
1. The privileges start during the first week of school,
2. Seniors be excused from school during all study halls if written parental permission is granted,
3. The senior class projects be completed during the summer,
4. Parents waive all liability claims,
5. Only seniors with an 80 or above average who were not on the discipline ladder be eligible, and
6. Upper parking lot and corridor benches be reserved for seniors.
Students talked about their schedules and answered questions from school committee members. Senior privileges will be an action item on the July agenda.

B. School Committee Goals
Greenlaw presented a list of eighteen goals to supplement the goals developed at the Board workshop with David Sanderson. Moffet expressed reservation about the large number of goals. Discussion and refinement will continue at a special June school board meeting.

C. 2002-03 Staff Development Plan
Webster distributed the staff development plan developed by Bruce Ives after consultation with the district staff development committee. This plan supports the proposed school calendar.

D. Principal Search
Referring to a memorandum provided to the school committee and high school staff, Webster outlined ideas for the high school principal search. Ideas provided in e-mails by Greenlaw and Keane were distributed. The Board agreed to hold a special meeting on June 19th at 6:30 p.m. at the high school for community input on the qualities needed in a new principal.

E. Public Participation Policy 2.09
Webster reviewed revisions proposed for the Public Participation at School Committee Meetings Policy based upon the new language suggested by legal counsel. The revised policy requires both positive and negative public comment on school employees be heard in executive session. This will be a discussion item at the special meeting on June 19th.

F. Auditorium Director Job Description Policy 9.18
The revised policy incorporated suggestions made by the Board at the May 23rd special meeting. Johnson requested addition of a sentence under responsibilities "Other duties as directed by the principal." Whether or not the Director should be responsible for scheduling money-making events was discussed at length. Policy 9.18 will be an action item on the July agenda.

G. Auditorium Use Policy 6.01A
Revisions to the Auditorium Use Policy raised some fees and added other changes suggested by the Auditorium Steering Committee. Greenlaw requested language addressing financial reporting procedures be added to the policy. Brewer explained that the Island Education Foundation, which provided the only operating funds for the auditorium during the 2001-02 school year, had asked Jim Wadman to audit the account managed by the Director. Wadman will make recommendations on accounting and fiscal control issues by the end of June. This will be a discussion item at the July meeting.

8. ACTION ITEMS

A. 2002-2003 School Calendar
Billings and Grindle explained the financial hardship experienced by some support staff when teacher workshops are scheduled in blocks. With three workshops prior to Thanksgiving, some support staff will receive pay checks for only three of the five and one half weeks from Thanksgiving to the day after the New Years holiday. Webster presented the fourth draft of the school calendar as a compromise from Drafts #1 and #2, which relocated two teacher workshops in January to March and May. Motion by Greenlaw, second by Johnson, to approve Draft #4 of the 2002-03 school calendar as presented. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

B. Personnel Action

1. The superintendent nominated Jeff Olsen for the Family and Consumer Science position. Motion by Greenlaw, second by Ames, to approve the nomination of Jeff Olsen as Family and Consumer Science Teacher for a probationary teacher contract at a salary of $31,970. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

2. Webster did not have nominations for the science positions because the interviews with two candidates that had been completed earlier that afternoon required further consideration. Webster requested authority to offer employment to a candidate for the science position. Motion by Greenlaw, second by Johnson, to authorize the superintendent to employ a science teacher. Vote: 4 yes; 0 no; 1 abstention (Ames). Ames asked for a brief executive session on a personnel matter at the end of the meeting.

C. Auditorium Director's Contract
Webster provided copies of a draft contract with Nelson Monteith. Board members requested changes to the language of the contract. The superintendent recommended a seven percent pay increase for 2002-03. Johnson questioned the fairness of the salary compared to teachers' compensation. Motion by Moffet, second by Ames, to approve a contract with Nelson Monteith as Director of the Reach Performing Arts Center at a salary of $48,685. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

Motion by Greenlaw, second by Ames, to extend the meeting until 9:45 p.m. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

D. Substitute Teacher Compensation
Motion by Greenlaw, second by Ames, to approve an increase of five dollars per day for each level of substitute teachers: $70 for non-certified, $75 for certified and $85 after the tenth consecutive day of substitute teaching. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

E. Donations
Motion by Greenlaw, second by Moffet, to accept donations of $1,550 from the Island Education Foundation in support of a program by author Bruce McMillan and a donation of $19,500 from the anonymous donor supporting the elementary school enrichment program. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

F. Summer Cleaning Crew
Motion by Greenlaw, second by Ames, to approve the employment of Linda McCauley at $14.45 per hour, Rosalie Jones at $14.05 per hour and Josh Chase at $8.05 per hour for the summer cleaning crew. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.


G. Teacher Recognition
A committee composed of Tom Brennan, Mark Hurvitt, Susan Steed, Larry Moffet and Robert Webster recommended the school committee award a teacher recognition grant of $1000 for Nancy Smith as thanks for her many years of service to the school system, her design and implementation of the Child Development Pre-School Program, her service mentoring new teachers, her participation in the school leadership team, her great rapport with and encouragement and counseling of so many students over the years and her work with students on Reality Day, Diversity Day and the Yellow Dress domestic violence prevention presentations. Motion by Greenlaw, second by Moffet, to award a teacher recognition grant of $1,000 to Nancy Smith. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

9. COMMUNICATIONS
Greenlaw reminded Board members that the next day was the deadline for returning the superintendent's evaluation surveys.

Motion by Brewer, second by Johnson, to extend the meeting until 9:55 p.m. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

Motion by Greenlaw, second by Ames, to enter executive session on a personnel matter at 9:46 p.m. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no. Moffet, Brewer, Johnson, Greenlaw, Ames and Webster participated in the executive session. The Board returned to regular session at 9:55 p.m.

10. Adjournment
Motion by Moffet, second by Ames, to adjourn the meeting at 9:55 p.m. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

Respectfully Submitted,

_______________________________
Superintendent of Schools