WATERBURY-DUXBURY SCHOOL BOARD

“UNOFFICIAL” MINUTES FOR DECEMBER 6, 2007

Meeting Held at Crossett Brook Middle School Library

IN ATTENDANCE

Board: Dale Smeltzer, Susan Flynn, Dawn Poitras, and Sherry Ziemke

Administrators: Donarae Cook, Kevin Hamilton, Bob McNamara, Ken Page, John Pike, Don Schneider, and Barbara Tomasi-Gay

Staff: Connie Gavin, Eric Hall, Doug Lombard and MK Monley,

Public: Georgeanne Baker, Sherrie James, and Reed McCracken

1) Dale Smeltzer called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

2) Ms. Smeltzer confirmed the agenda.

3) There were no comments from the public.

4) Discussion Items:

c) FY 09 Budget – First Draft – Overview – Ken Page provided points to consider in writing before John Pike gave an overview of the Proposed Budget for FY 08-09. As proposed, the budget shows an increase of 10.1%. Mr. Pike, along with help from the administration, walked the Board through the following documents:

- W-D Union School District: FY08-09 Budget Proposal – Summary of Expenditure Type

- W-D Union School District: Calculation of Education Spending & Per Pupil Spending

- WWSU: Implications of Act 82

- W-D Union School District: Comparative Budget Report – TBPS

- W-D Union School District: Comparative Budget Report – CBMS

The renovation project bond principle, increases in the professional and the paraprofessional staff, health and dental insurance benefits, maintenance reserve fund, the data analyst position at WWSU, heating oil, and books and supplies are all reasons for increases in this proposed budget.

Mr. McNamara arrived at 6:20 p.m.

b) Special Education Spending – Ms. Cook provided the following documents to the Board to assist in explaining how special education spending impacts the budget.

- W-D Special Education Staffing Calculations

- W-D Child Count Summary – Special Education Comparison

- W-D Child Count Summary – Percentage of W-D Students IEP’S

- W-D Child Count Summary – W-D Comparison of Percentage of Students on IEP’s

- Child Count Summary by Disability

- WWSU Child Count Data 2001 – 2006

- Vermont Child Count Data 1990 – 2006

- Students Receiving Additional Support – TBPS

- Students Receiving Additional Support – CBMS

Ms. Cook has begun discussions with Dr. Michael Giangreco, of UVM Center on Disability and Community Inclusion, about working with HUHS and W-D next year to analyze and make changes in the way special education services are being provided. In particular, Dr. Giangreco’s work centers on the over use and dependency on instructional assistants. Ms. Cook was forthright with the Board about the need for change in this department for W-D. Ms. Cook recommended that the speech language assistant be replaced with a special educator or speech language pathologist and decreasing the amount of assistants being used in the system.

Susan Flynn left at 7:48 p.m.

Finally, Mr. Page requested a target percentage increase from the Board which Ms. Smeltzer was reluctant to provide because in her opinion it doesn’t look at the building of a budget in a realistic way. A lengthy discussion took place on the philosophy of budget building. Given that the entire Board was not present at this point in the discussion, the three that remained agreed it was important defer follow-up discussion and to have time to digest the information before directing the administration. If anyone had questions, they were instructed to email Mr. Schneider, Mr. Page, and or Mr. Pike. Ms. Smeltzer did request a one page summary of the -/+ being currently proposed in the budget to be sent via email before the next Board meeting. The public hearing date was set for January 3, 2008.

5) Reports:

a) Educational Leaders – Mr. Schneider provided a written report prior to the meeting via email. The discussion of the first draft of Strategic Plan Action Steps resulted in agreement that these need to be completed by the first meeting in April (April 3). Mr. Schneider will continue to provide summaries of the progress in strategic and action planning as part of the Educational Leaders Report.

Ms. Tomasi-Gay, Ms. Cook, and Mr. Pike left at 8:35 p.m.

6) Other Business:

a) Foodservice Update –Mr. Mackey, HUHS board member, informed Ms. Smeltzer that the director of their foodservice program could not provide guidance for W-D this year as his duties at the high school are too great. As an alternative he suggested that the Board could consider contacting the consultant that HUHS used last summer and fall, to start some work with W-D this year with the hopes that the foodservice director at HUHS can work with W-D next year.

b) Resignations – Mr. Schneider informed the Board that the Ron Womer, Adam Moultrop, Martin Casey, and Jamie Spaulding submitted their resignations.

c) Ms. Wood’s Bench – Mr. Schneider provided an update on the bench. Anyone wishing to contribute may do so by sending a check to TBPS’s office labeled for “Ms. Wood’s bench”.

d) Preschool Dates – Ms. Poitras clarified with the administration that the preschool calendar needs to be done in concert with the local community preschools. Mr. Schneider informed the Board that a meeting was scheduled to do just that.

7) Action Items:

a) Board Minutes – Dawn Poitras moved to approve the November 15, 2007 minutes.  Dale Smeltzer seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

b) Board Orders – On the recommendation of Susan Flynn, Sherry Ziemke moved to confirm the following Board orders dated November 27, 2007, in the amount of $172,031.39 and $213.74. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Sherry Ziemke moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:48 p.m.  Dawn Poitras seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

These minutes are unofficial until approved by the Board of School Directors. They are, in my opinion, substantively correct. Minutes completed by: Georgeanne Baker