UNOFFICIAL MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 1, 2007
Meeting Held at
IN ATTENDANCE
Board: Dale Smeltzer, Susan Flynn, Dawn Poitras, Sherry Ziemke, Michael Roche
Administrators: Kevin Hamilton, Bob McNamara, Ken Page, Barbara Tomasi-Gay, Don Schneider
Staff: Lori Morse, Jennie Hempey, Victoria Smith, Allison Hayes, Donna Constant, Mandy Drake, Lindsay Berdan
Public: Reed McCracken, Erin Mooney, Michael Corcoran, Glenn Spence, Gina Mireault, Chris Kolibe, Mike Maloney
1)
Dale
Smeltzer called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
2)
Ms. Smeltzer
confirmed the agenda.
3)
Comments
from the public regarding budget would occur after the budget discussion.
Sherry Ziemke arrived at 6:05 p.m.
4)
Discussion
Items:
a) Staffing Review Goal, Reponses to Questions from Board for FY09 Budget Ken Page passed out a summary of the questions generated at the previous meeting and reported that the Ed Leader Team had met on Wednesday to talk about some of the options and possibilities. He passed out a handout describing three goals that had emerged from that meeting. A lengthy discussion ensued regarding the various issues involved. Bob McNamara asked for direction from the Board regarding what type and amount of staff reduction should be presented for consideration in the upcoming budget. The board requested that there be a proposal to reduce non-core classroom teachers at CBMS within a range of at least 0.5 FTE up to a maximum of 1.0 FTE for the FY09 budget, with other possible reductions for future budgets being considered later under a long term plan.
Don Schneider handed out the most recent enrollment projections, through 2012-13. There were several questions regarding the implications of the numbers.
Bob McNamara left at 7:04 p.m.
Comments from the public were provided by Reed McCracken, Chris Kolibe and Gina Mireault.
b)
Confirming
Budget Schedule, Needs, Recommendations Ken Page distributed a budget
development timeline based on past years, with a first draft being presented to
the board on December 6 and emailed ahead of time when available. Responsibilities were defined for confirming
staffing levels around special education and ELL loads and conferring with the
Special Ed Director, Donarae Cook, to be sure that service levels are budgeted
accurately. Don Schneider confirmed that
he recommends that there be 16 teachers in grades 1-4 again this year, and will
be reviewing the need for the long term.
Don Schneider had provided recommendations for preschool staffing at the
previous meeting, and will talk with Eric Hall before presenting a request for
continuing the Technology Assistant versus replacing more computers at TBPS.
There was a 5 minute break at 7:55 p.m. Dawn Poitras left at 7:55 p.m.
c) Review of Previous Years Actuals Ken Page handed out details for CBMS and TBPS actuals vs. budgeted for FY05 to FY07. Dale Smeltzer explained the goals for the review, in that the overall picture was important in order to understand the causes and impacts of expenses exceeding budgeted amounts within certain categories of the budget on a regular basis. Certain types of spending have been frozen regularly, so it is hard to know the real need. It was agreed that small increases in the highest priority of these categories will be considered for the upcoming budget, and that a longer term plan will be considered for more increases in future years.
5)
Reports:
a) Educational Leaders Don Schneider presented a handout of the Strategic Plan integrated with the Action Plan and a few other goals, to be used as a working document with the staff. He explained how it had been generated and would be used to simplify what is expected from teachers perspectives. He also handed out an article from Education Week relating to some of these issues.
Kevin Hamilton distributed a handout describing the new plan that defines school website responsibilities. This is intended to address concerns that have been brought up. HE also reported that the Local Technology Plan has been revised.
6) Other Business:
a)
Michael Roche asked about how cost per student
figures are calculated, and wanted to know our current cost per student. There was a brief discussion around the
different types of data such as this that are provided by the state.
7) Action Items:
a) Board Minutes These were just made available so will be approved at the next meeting.
b) Board Orders On the recommendation of Susan Flynn, Sherry Ziemke moved to confirm the following Board order dated October 30, 2007, in the amount of $336,331.09. Ms. Flynn reported that all questions had been answered, and mentioned that the cell phones at TBPS have been cancelled with charges as had been anticipated. Michael Roche seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Susan Flynn moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 p.m. Sherry Ziemke
seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
These minutes are unofficial until
approved by the Board of School Directors.
They were recorded by Dawn Poitras and Dale Smeltzer.