DRESDEN SCHOOL BOARD
REGULAR MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING
TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2008
7:00 PM, HANOVER HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY
Minutes
Present: Board members Addante, Asmus, Carpenter, Chamberlin, Finlayson, French, Sachsse, Spaeth, Vitt, and Woods; Council Representative: Jovine; Administrators: Gersen, Aubin, Gillespie, Nourse; Recorded by R. Lohr
1. Call to Order – Chair Sachsse called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM.
2. Public Hearing in Accordance with RSA 198:20-b for acceptance of a large restricted gift
Chair Sachsse opened the public hearing at 7:03 PM. The reason for the hearing (acceptance of a gift above $5,000) was explained and Board heard about the programs to receive grants from the Byrne Foundation.
Steve Woods moved and Linda Addante seconded a motion to accept a $10,000 gift from the Byrne Foundation to match funds raised in the Row-a-thon. The motion passed unanimously.
John Chamberlin moved and Linda Addante seconded a motion to accept a $5,000 gift from the Byrne Foundation to support the Hanover High School Swim Team. The motion passed unanimously.
The public hearing was closed at 7:07 PM.
3. Minutes Approval
John Chamberlin moved and Linda Addante seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of February 26, as submitted and the organizational meeting minutes of March 6, as submitted with changes. The motion passed with 8 in favor and 2 abstentions (Woods, Finlayson).
The change to the minutes included incorporating the names of the votes for chair, which for Mary Sachsse were Addante, Callaghan, Chamberlin, Sachsse, and Vitt. For Kari Asmus, the votes included Asmus, Carpenter, and Woods. Finlayson and Spaeth did not vote because they had not been sworn in as Board members.
4. Communications and Reports
Council Representative Report
Olivia Jovine reported on recent Council discussion regarding a desire to review the Council’s scope and purpose and to develop a document outlining the meaning of a “democratic school.” The effort will extend beyond this year.
5. Report to the Board
The Richmond School Robotics Team Demonstration
Adina Desaulniers gave an overview of the robotics team, noting that 26 students participated, including 5th-8th graders. The participants worked with Hanover High School students and Dartmouth engineering students on projects and entered a state competition. The team received $3,500 in grants to cover materials needed for the activities, which included designing and building robots, programming, researching community facilities by conducting energy conservation audits, and creating a plan for conservation at various facilities. The team demonstrated various “missions” using robotics materials they brought to the media center and showed a filmed skit they produced regarding Campion Ice Rink energy conservation. The student mentors from Dartmouth expressed interest in developing more school robotic teams in the Upper Valley and they will host workshops for coaches and students.
6. Communications and Reports
a) Report of Chair
Chair Sachsse announced that the next Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22, 7:00 PM at the Hanover High School Library. She cited the committee assignment sheet included in the packet and noted that she planned to fill open positions.
Gordon Spaeth made a statement regarding his residence in Hanover.
Chair Sachsse spoke about the Board agenda format and efforts to curtail the length of the meetings.
b) Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Gersen discussed efforts to remove snow and ice from the turf field, noting a plan under consideration that would use snow blowers to clear the field. Jonathan Brush was going to meet with immediate abutters to discuss this issue.
Dr. Gersen reviewed his plan to conduct an internal review to identify lessons learned from the handling of the events of June 2007. He intended to involve a small team of staff members to review actions that were undertaken with regard to the incident, analogizing the internal review to the self-study conducted in advance of a NEASC visitation. Board members suggested that the role of police in relation to the school be considered as part of the analysis and that parents of the students who were involved be contacted.
c) Assistant Superintendent’s Report
John Aubin, Assistant Superintendent for Business asked the Board to sign the MS22 Reports. He also highlighted details from a meeting with members of the Lyme School Board. At the meeting, the Lyme Board members were given an explanation of the tuition calculation and the special education assessment services that were not covered by the tuition. Mr. Aubin felt that it would be appropriate to develop a written procedure regarding the special education coverage for tuition students. There are now 59 students from Lyme at the Hanover High School (out of 80 tuition students) and the Lyme Board asked about getting a volume discount. Additionally, it asked about the possibility of getting a seat on the Dresden Board.
d) Principals’ Reports
Principal Gillespie announced that an article about Jeannie Kornfield’s environmental class was published in the spring issue of Hanover Magazine. She provided an opportunity for Board members to look at the new Hanover High School Web site blog indicating that this blog was intended to inform the community about activities at the school. She provided a brief update on the March Intensive program. She stated that the program will be evaluated by students and those who taught in an effort to determine the program’s overall effectiveness.
Principal Nourse distributed a report summarizing happenings at the Richmond School and reported a 42 percent parental response rate in the Parent Survey. He planned to convene “parent coffees” to discuss results of the Parent Survey. Principal Nourse explained the yellow slip (behavior) and blue slip (academic dishonesty) process at the Richmond School. The blue slip process has been used three times this school year and it involves the student, parents, teacher, and principal.
7. Business Requiring Action
The Board discussed the Academic Integrity Policy focusing on concerns of conflicts that the policy may have with Policy JGDA. Board Attorney Cappy Nunlist stated that the Handbook is the policy from the students’ perspective which means that the rules in the Handbook override rules in Board Policy. The Board and administration acknowledged a need to align these documents wherever possible. The Board discussed extending the Honor Code to involve student participation in extra curricular activities and whether such a penalty would banish a student from the school community altogether. The Council’s position was that the place for such penalties was in the Athletic Code, which it believed should be extended to all extracurricular activities. Additionally, the Council felt that the Dean of Students was not informed independently to assess limitations in a specific activity, urging that any judgment regarding limitations to extracurricular activities should require input from the activity coach/leader.
Robin Carpenter moved and Erika Finlayson seconded a motion to approve the Hanover High School Honor Code item number 8 regarding a 20 week penalty as proposed, attached, and amended to the original meeting minutes. The motion passed with 7 in favor and 2 opposed (Addante, Vitt).
Steve Woods moved and Linda Addante seconded a motion to approve that Hanover High School Honor Code should include that a violation of the academic integrity policy that may be considered as gross misconduct may result in expulsion. The motion failed with 7 opposed and 3 in favor (Asmus, Carpenter, Woods).
Robin Carpenter moved and Becky French seconded a motion to approve the Hanover High School Honor Code as proposed, attached, and amended to the original meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously.
The Board expressed its appreciation to the Council, the Ad Hoc Committee members and all those involved with the development of the Hanover High School Honor Code.
8. Business Requiring Discussion
The NECAP discussion was postponed to a later Board meeting.
The Board discussed holding a Board Retreat that would include the new Hanover School Board member who is expected to be appointed at the next Hanover School Board meeting. It was suggested that topics for the retreat should be decided as soon as possible so administrative staff has time to gather background materials and information as required. Some of the topics suggested included faculty sessions with a facilitator for half of the retreat to look at issues involving 3-5 years in the future, Parent Survey findings review, Critical Friends undertaking, self assessment of the Board, and Board operations.
The Board discussed the idea of holding two retreats: one involving the high school staff and the other involving the middle school.
Erika Finlayson distributed a memo regarding the creation of an Education Committee.
9. Business Requiring Action
Steve Woods moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the 2008-09 School Calendar, as proposed and attached to the original meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously.
10. Nonpublic Session
Robin Carpenter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to enter nonpublic session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3(l.) for discussion of a personnel matter. The motion passed unanimously. At 9:45 PM, the roll call was conducted and the Board entered nonpublic session.
The Board reopened public session.
11. Business Requiring Action
Superintendent Gersen placed in nomination for the 2008-09 school year staff members listed and attached to the original meeting minutes.
John Chamberlin moved and Robin Carpenter seconded a motion elect staff members for the 2008-09 school year as listed and attached to the original meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously.
12. Adjournment
Robin Carpenter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to adjourn at 10:55 PM. The motion passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 10:55 PM.
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