WATERBURY-DUXBURY SCHOOL BOARD

“APPROVED” MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

Meeting Held at Thatcher Brook in the Conference Room

 

IN ATTENDANCE

BOARD:                                Reed McCracken, Scott Rathke, Dale Smeltzer, Ben Smith, and

Sherry Ziemke

ADMINISTRATORS:         Tom Drake, Don Schneider, and Michelle Baker             

PUBLIC:                               Georgeanne Baker, Steve Odefey, and Torrey Smith

 

1.                  Ms. Smeltzer called the meeting to order at 6:12 p.m.

2.                  Ms. Smeltzer confirmed the agenda.

3.                  Comments from the Public – Introductions were conducted.

 

4.                  BUSINESS MANAGER WRITTEN REPORTS –

A.                Financial Reports for FY09 (final) and FY10 – Ms. Baker requested an extension for this report to allow her time to bring the official audit of last year’s books with the first financial of this year.  The Board agreed and postponed presentation of these reports.

 

5.                  DISCUSSION ITEMS

A.    Budget Process –

a.       Draft Timeline – Parameters for a timeline were discussed and the administrative team will bring forth a draft for the next meeting.

b.      Confirm Expectations – There was a review of the draft dated September 8, 2009, titled FY2010-2011:  Budget Process:  Guidelines Expectations.  Based on board member comments, the administration will discuss desirable ways for discussing the budget under development in the context of educational needs of the students in an effort to keep the process positive and moving forward.

c.       Determine Information that will be Needed – Some suggested a justification of programs would be helpful as the Board considers its options.  Ms. Baker provided an outline of per pupil spending comparisons for FY2010 dated July 16, 2009 of schools in the supervisory union and comparables throughout the state of Vermont. 

 

B.     Board Goals – Ms. Smeltzer reported that Tom Drake had followed up with her about the administrator meetings regarding the goals, and that they would not be ready until October to have further discussion.  The Board agreed to wait until the first meeting in October at which time the administrators will bring a draft of the process to the Board for its approval.  The process will provide clarity to the Board for the work that needs to be accomplished.  Mr. Smith suggested including the PTO at an appropriate time in the process of considering steps to implement the strategic plan.  If ready, there will be a special meeting later in October to work on the next step called for in the process being developed.  Mr. Drake will look for dates to hold the meeting during school hours and confer with Superintendent Brigid Scheffert about her availability.

 

C.     Appointment of Second Representative to WWSU Executive Committee – Ms. Smeltzer reported that the WWSU Rules of Organization had been changed at the recent WWSU meeting and that the Waterbury-Duxbury board would now have two representatives to the WWEC.  There was a lengthy discussion regarding whether board member representation from Waterbury or Duxbury should be considered as a factor when choosing the WWEC representatives.  In the end, it was agreed that Sherry Ziemke, Ben Smith, and Dale Smeltzer will serve as the WWSU representatives (with Dale Smeltzer and Ben Smith as the WWEC representatives), with Reed McCracken and Scott Rathke as alternates for either.

 

6.                  WRITTEN REPORTS – Board Feedback

A.    Principals’ Report and Recommendations –

a.     The following personnel recommendations were added to what had been provided in the report: Bill Phippen, Mary Maloney, and Mark Swahn as full time FTE, IA’s, at TBPS; and Madeline Sullivan-Drake as a .8 FTE, IA for TBPS. 

 

7.                  ACTION ITEMS

  1. Board Minutes – Ms. Sherry Ziemke moved to accept Board minutes dated August 11, 2009 as written. Scott Rathke seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

 

  1. Board Orders – On the recommendation of Sherry Ziemke, Ben Smith moved to confirm the Board orders dated August 28, 2009 for $263,732.31 and August 17, 2009 in the amount of $88,396.22.  Reed McCracken seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

 

  1. Appoint second WWEC Representative and Alternates – Ben Smith moved to reconsider the motion from the reorganization meeting regarding W-D’s District’s representation on the WWSU board and to designate Dale Smeltzer, Sherry Ziemke, and Ben Smith as the W-D delegates to the WWSU board; with Dale Smeltzer and Ben Smith as WWEC representatives; and finally Scott Rathke and Reed McCracken as alternates for either.  Dale Smeltzer seconded the motion, which passed with Scott Rathke, Ben Smith, Dale Smeltzer, and Sherry Ziemke voting yes and Reed McCracken abstaining.

 

  1. Recommendations from the Principals’ Report – Reed McCracken moved to approve the personnel recommendations from the Principals’ Report adding a .2 FTE teaching position at CBMS and reducing a para-educator by the same with an added cost of +/- $5,000.  There was discussion regarding the need for the board to approve any new positions beyond what has been budgeted, besides the specific employees.  The motion included employment contracts for:

Kim Quenneville, reassignment from Planning Room Coordinator to IA at CBMS

Jenn Gray, 20% teaching contract for 5/6 math, reduction to 80% IA at CBMS

Tyler Samler – Behavior Intervention Specialist and Planning Room Coordinator at CBMS

Arthur Trevino – SLP teacher, 1.0 FTE, CBMS

Bill Phippen, 1.0 FTE, new IA position, TBPS

Mary Maloney, .1.0 FTE, IA, TBPS, with 0.5 FTE being a new position

Mark Swahn, 1.0 FTE, IA, at TBPS and

Madeline Sullivan-Drake, .8 FTE, IA for TBPS. 

Ben Smith seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

 

Ben Smith moved to adjourn the meeting 8:22 p.m.  Sherry Ziemke 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