HANOVER SCHOOL BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
7:00 PM, RAY SCHOOL MULTI-ROOM
Minutes
Present: Board members Asmus, Bruce, Carter, Carpenter, Chamberlin, Fleischer, Pilchman; Administrators: Gersen, Aubin, Williams; 3 public; Recorded by R. Lohr
1. Call to Order – Chair Fleischer called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.
2. Approval of Minutes
John Chamberlin moved and Larry Pilchman seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of August 16, as submitted with changes. The motion passed with 5 in favor and one abstention (Bruce). The change was to include the word “crosswalk” in the first sentence of Item # 3.
It was reported under this item that the concern regarding the unsafe crosswalk had been addressed.
3. Communications and Reports
a) Report of Chair
Chair Chip Fleischer announced that the next Board meeting was scheduled for October 18, 7:00 p.m. in the Ray School Multi-room. The Board Retreat is scheduled for Tuesday, October 10 at 4:00 p.m. at the Hanover High School Library and it is open to the public. Topics at the Retreat will include special education, the K-1 structure, the results of the Parent Survey, ways to improve communication to parents, outdoor programming, and others. The Retreat presentation and discussion about special education will be recorded for later broadcast on CATV.
b) Committee & Liaison Reports
The Finance Committee met on September 18 and decided that the Northeast Regional Consumer Price Index (CPI) was recommended for use in the Budget Guidelines. The Finance Committee and Board Budget Committee met on September 20 where they received documents about per pupil spending. The budget timeline was announced. The next meeting of the Hanover Finance Committee is scheduled for October 18 at 10:00 a.m. in the SAU office.
c) Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Gersen reviewed the New Hampshire Adequate Yearly Program Report, which the Ray School failed to meet in 2005. He reported to the Board that the problem with Hanover’s special education participation rate has been addressed. The Board received documents regarding the recent state Supreme Court ruling about funding of education and the possibility that the state could reinstate the donor town funding formula. The Board discussed an editorial written by Dr. Gersen, expressing concerns that it might be construed as an official position of the Board and not an essay based on his personal experience and opinion, and that the Board members were not advised in advance that it would be published. He agreed to alert the Board in advance of any editorials he wrote and would ask the newspaper to make it clear such articles were not written on behalf of the School Board.
d) Assistant Superintendent’s Report
Assistant Superintendent John Aubin reviewed details outlined on the unaudited financial report from June 30 showing a year-end general fund balance of $72,244. He indicated that the auditors completed their work and did not raise any issues while conducting the audit, but also noted the administrators have yet to receive the auditors’ final report. The Board requested that a column for the original budget line should be included in future financial reports.
e) Principal’s Report – Principal Williams reported that the school year had a great opening. He was pleased that the bus service has improved and applauded the PTO for its effort to welcome new families. He also announced that the Project Room was completed and reported that curriculum open house nights have been successes. Enrollment was reported as 484, but the kindergarten class size was smaller than projected. The Ray School class sizes are at one of the lowest levels in the last decade.
He also noted that a group involved with enhancing the food service at Ray School will coordinate a trip to the Peterborough School District in the near future. He indicated that some adjustments have already been made with the food service, and they have been well received.
4. Business Requiring Discussion
Newsletter
The SAU newsletter, which was developed by the Superintendent to be produced quarterly (generally August, October, February, May), was discussed. Dr. Gersen noted that it was reviewed by all of the Board chairpersons before mailing. Some Board members felt the content was too light and too self-promoting. Others felt that the newsletter succeeded in its intention to share information about SAU schools. The Board agreed that one in-depth article should be included in each newsletter and that the newsletter mention the SAU Web site more prominently and more frequently.
Bridgman Trust
The Board discussed a memo giving an update on the use of the Bridgman Trust. The portable computer labs for the 6th grade students at the Middle school and sound systems for the Ray School were purchased at $19,980 and $25,800, respectively. The unspent funds from the previous year would be used to acquire Orff musical instruments and storage for them at a cost of $9,995.80.
Email Protocols
Superintendent Gersen reviewed the changes to the drafted email guidelines that cover communication by the Board, committees, and subcommittees. Some felt that the guideline wording was too restrictive and should be drafted again to show that email communication among fewer than a majority of Board members was not a problem. It will be finalized and discussed at the Dresden School Board meeting.
Replacement of the Assistant Principal
The administration is working on alternatives to replacing the assistant principal in January. The Board requested a job description if a permanent hire is to be considered as a solution in the short term.
5. Business Requiring Action
The Board reviewed two sets of Budget Guidelines - those for the School Board and those for the Ray School Principal. The discussion focused on the Board guideline limiting the percent increase in the total District budget to the increase in the Northeast Regional CPI. John Aubin cautioned that costs such as health insurance and fuel may be above the CPI at the outset of the budget process.
Nancy Carter moved and Kari Asmus seconded a motion to approve the 2006-07 Budget Guidelines as proposed, amended, and attached to the original meeting minutes. The motion passed with five in favor and one opposed (Chamberlin).
The Board discussed the Educational Goals and decided that the document should be entitled Proposed 2006-07 Hanover Board’s Goals for Professional Development. The third goal would be to assess best practices and the potential for introduction of innovative programs in order to improve student academic performance. The fourth goal would support the Ray staff’s exploration of improvements in the teaching of phonemic skills in grades K-2, and in spelling and mathematics.
John Chamberlin moved and Kari Asmus seconded a motion to approve the 2006-07 Goals for Professional Development as proposed, amended, and attached to the original meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously.
Dr. Gersen explained the rationale for declaring a local shortage in elementary counseling, which would enable a nomination to be made to fill the vacant counselor position with an individual pursuing certification in that area.
Nancy Carter moved and Robert Bruce seconded a motion to declare a local shortage in elementary counseling for 2006-07. The motion passed unanimously.
The Superintendent nominated Pam Graham as Guidance Counselor at Ray School. The Board requested that in the future, in addition to the data sheet, the Board would receive resumes for nominated individuals.
Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to elect Pam Graham as a Guidance Counselor at track 5, step 14, salary $53,895.60, for the 2006-07 school year. The motion passed unanimously.
John Chamberlin moved and Robin Carpenter seconded a motion to accept the resignation of Janice Lavoie effective December 31, 2006. The motion passed unanimously.
The Board expressed its sincere gratitude to Janice Lavoie and wished her well.
6. Nonpublic Session
John Chamberlin moved and Robin Carpenter 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.
Following the motion, the roll call was conducted and the Board entered nonpublic session at 9:55 p.m.
7. Adjournment
John Chamberlin moved and Kari Asmus seconded a motion to adjourn at 10:15 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
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