DRESDEN SCHOOL BOARD
REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2006
7:00 P.M., HANOVER HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY
Minutes
Present: Board members Asmus, Bruce, Carter, Carpenter, Chamberlin, Cheney, Fleischer, Gray, Pilchman, Sachsse, Vitt, Williams; Council Representative Proom; Administrators Gersen, Aubin, Brush, Finer, Gillespie. 6 members of the public attended. Recorded by R. Lohr
1. Public Hearing in accordance with RSA 198:20-b, for the purpose of accepting a gift of $6,147 to create the Vic Chaltain, Jr. Memorial Athletic Fund.
State law requires that a public hearing be held for gifts to the school district in excess of $5,000. This fund was established for athletic expenditures focused on, but not limited to scholarships or the football program. People who would like to contribute to the fund can contact Athletic Director Mike Jackson. There is no formal document for this newly created fund at this point and it is thought that the Chaltain family would be involved with awarding the fund. The public hearing was closed at 7:11 p.m.
2. Regular Meeting - Call to order
Chair Cheney called the regular board meeting to order at 7:11 p.m.
3. Approval of Minutes
A motion was made by Linda Gray and seconded by John Chamberlin to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of October 24, as amended and the special meeting of November 13, as submitted. The motion passed unanimously with one abstention on the October 24 minutes (Carter). The change was on the COI report to recognize the budget as the Dresden budget.
4. Communications and Reports
a) Chair Report
The chair, Margaret Cheney announced that the next Dresden School Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 19, 7:00 p.m. at the Hanover High School library. This meeting is a week earlier than usual due to the holiday vacation. The roster of the Richmond Middle School Principal Search Committee was announced (Board members Carpenter and Vitt, RMS staff Donna Largent, Anissa Morrison, Suzanne Sylvester, Patti Dodds, Althea Clogston, and public Anne Segal, and parents Cinny Bensen and Debby Hall). Ms. Cheney also announced the parents and the community forums and encouraged those interested in the Richmond School principal search to attend the forums this will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Richmond School on November 29 and at the Marion Cross School on December 5.
5. Agenda Change – Business Requiring Discussion
High School Quality Improvement Initiative
Joe Bonfiglio gave a presentation about the high school improvement initiative, which he has been working on since September. This effort is a response to the NH state mandate that core competencies and expectations for student learning replace Carnegie Units (i.e. course credits across a range of subject areas) as graduation requirements starting with the freshman class of 2009-10. A second purpose of the undertaking is to help the staff identify and share best practices that improve the quality of instruction. The entire project is expected to take about two years and it will change teaching by having teachers develop course content by first defining what results are expected from students.
6. Communications and Reports
b) Council Representative Report
Student Council Representative Zoe Proom reported that the council discussed class attendance issues and the origin of the fans’ tradition of wearing “orange hats” to athletic competitions.
c) Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Gersen discussed a letter that he sent to parents of student athletes regarding the need for both the student athlete and the parents to adhere to the code of conduct. The Board discussed obligations that are on the pledge and expectations of students at the high school level. The Board also discussed the possibility of expanding the code of conduct to students involved in other group activities beyond athletics, and whether a more comprehensive “honor code” would be appropriate. Athletic Director Mike Jackson will be invited to speak with the Board about the issue.
Superintendent Gersen also announced a change in application procedures whereby SAU 70 will only accept applications for posted positions. “Blind” applications that are sent to the school district in anticipation of a position becoming open in the future will no longer be accepted and/or kept on file.
The Superintendent also announced that on December 12, the Hanover Planning Board will consider a request by the electric company to remove trees from behind the fields at the high school property.
d) Facilities Director Report
Facilities Director Jonathan Brush reported that the science and social studies departments have moved into their new classrooms and the next phase of the renovation project will focus on the area of the former library, the foreign language classes, and auditorium. He expects the renovation to be completed by April. Mr. Brush also gave an update on the fields. The artificial turf should be complete by late December and the Norwich fields should be planted in the late spring. The upper field project, which includes a new track, will begin in March.
e) Principals Reports
Principal Gillespie reported that the staff used the new high school report card in the first quarter and that teachers were able to type their own comments on it. The Principal also reported that the high school Web site has been getting very good traffic recently and encouraged the Board to visit it. She also reported that two committees have begun work on attendance and the transition to ninth grade, respectively. She noted that since the last meeting, the Quiz Bowl team won the state championship and the play Hamlet was performed at Richmond School. The Board packet included reports on course enrollments for the current year and standardized test results for 2005-06.
Principal Finer reported that the Richmond School hosted a statewide conference for middle school student councils. The new Hemberger art gallery has 45 pieces. The gallery opening is planned for late December.
f) Committee Reports
The Board briefly discussed solicitation efforts to attract tuition students and Dr. Gersen updated Boards members on a court decision that may require the district to cover special education costs from tuition students who reside in other towns.
Committee on Instruction – This committee met and looked at redeveloping the ninth grade curriculum and spent time considering budget issues.
Dresden Finance Committee – At its last meeting, the Finance Committee discussed formulating a charter or mission statement for the group and decided to vote on the teacher contract at its December 18 meeting. There will be a joint meeting of the Board’s Budget Committee and the Finance Committee on December 11 to review the development of the 2007-08 Dresden budget.
7. Business Requiring Action
A motion was made by Nancy Carter and seconded by Linda Gray to accept a gift of $6,147 to create a Vic Chaltain, Jr. Memorial Athletic Fund. The motion passed unanimously.
A motion was made by Larry Pilchman and seconded by John Chamberlin to accept a gift of $2,000 for soccer goals. The motion passed unanimously.
A motion was made by John Chamberlin and seconded by Larry Pilchman to accept a gift of $1,000 from NHPTV for the Quiz Bowl Championship. The motion passed unanimously. Bill Murphy was recognized for his work with the Quiz Bowl
Team and there was a request to find the Quiz Bowl Team championship banners that were formerly hanging in the library.
A motion was made by Mary Sachsse and seconded by Linda Gray to accept a gift of $1,000 for Hanover High School Math Team. The motion passed unanimously.
The Board discussed sentiments regarding a request to waive the tuition fee of a prospective exchange student that would visit a family in Lyme.
A motion was made by John Chamberlin and seconded by Robert Bruce to waive the tuition payment for _ year for an exchange student from Lyme. The motion passed with 7 in favor and 3 opposed (Carpenter, Gray, and Pilchman).
8. Nonpublic session
A motion was made by Nancy Carter and seconded by John Chamberlin to enter nonpublic session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 for discussion of personnel matters and RSA 91-A:2 (i.b.) for discussion of negotiations. The motion passed unanimously. The Roll Call was conducted and the Board entered nonpublic session at 10:00 p.m.
9. Adjournment
A motion was made by John Chamberlin and seconded by Larry Pilchman to adjourn the meeting at 10:25 p.m. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 p.m.
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