Present: Board members Asmus, Carter, Chamberlin, Goodman, Pilchman, Segal; Administrators Greenbaum, Aubin, Weissmann, Williams (7:15); and two members of the public.

1. Call to order

Superintendent Greenbaum called the meeting to order at 6:55 p.m. then asked for nominations for Chair of the Hanover School Board.

2. School Board organization/election of School Board officers

John Chamberlin nominated and Larry Pilchman seconded the nomination of Anne Segal for Chair of the Hanover School Board. The motion passed unanimously.

Anne Segal then assumed the duties as Chair of the Board and called for nominations for Vice Chair and Secretary of the Hanover Board.

Nancy Carter nominated and Larry Pilchman seconded the nomination of John Chamberlin for Vice Chair of the Hanover School Board. The motion passed unanimously.

Larry Pilchman nominated and John Chamberlin seconded the nomination of Dennis Goodman for Secretary of the Hanover School Board. The motion passed five yes, one abstention (Goodman).

3. Non public session

Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to enter nonpublic session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 (II.c.) for discussion of a student matter (7:00 p.m.). The motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.

4. Return to public session

The Board returned to public session at 7:28 p.m.

Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to deny the request for tuition status for a kindergarten student from Norwich. The motion passed unanimously.

5. Approval of minutes

Larry Pilchman moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 3, as submitted. The motion passed unanimously.

6. Communications and reports

a. Report of the Chair

1. Calendar - Chair Segal announced the next regular Hanover School Board meeting will be Wednesday, May 12, 7:00 p.m., in the Ray School multi.

Special District Meeting - Superintendent Greenbaum announced a Special Hanover School District Meeting to approve the revised teachers contract for May 26, 2004, contingent upon approval from the NH Superior Court. The Special District meeting will run sequentially with the Special Dresden School District meeting, with the Dresden meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m. and the Hanover meeting at 8:00 p.m., in the Hanover High School gymnasium. Mr. Greenbaum then explained the procedure for balloting saying that the Board will provide a petition for secret balloting to recess the meeting after the public discussion for all day voting the following day. He said that this would be contingent upon approval by voters present at the meeting and that all day voting the following day is not guaranteed. He also reminded everyone that, because Hanover conducts a town meeting style District meeting, there will be no absentee balloting for the Hanover voting. However, there will be absentee balloting for the Dresden voting.

Mr. Greenbaum also announced the Hanover and Dresden Budget Hearings to piggyback the regular Dresden Board meeting on April 27. The Dresden Budget Hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Hanover Budget Hearing at 7:00 p.m., in the Hanover High School Library.

2. Committee assignments - Chair Segal reviewed the present committee assignments and asked members of the Board to contact her before the May meeting to express their preferences for committee assignments. After discussion, consensus was to combine the Educational Planning Committee and Long Range Committee and have three representatives, also the Technology Committee will have only one member. Ms. Segal will announce the assignments at the May meeting.

b. Report of the Superintendent

Superintendent Greenbaum announced plans for a Health Curriculum K-12 pilot program which the Administration will detail to the Board at the May meeting. He said that the Administration is committed to integrating Health into each area of the curriculum, however since there has been no Health teacher to facilitate this, teachers need help in knowing how to implement the process. He said that the Administration will bring a proposal to the May meeting which will ask for a half time job share so that a teacher could be released 1/2 time to help implement the Health Curriculum.

Report of the Assistant Superintendent for Business

Assistant Superintendent for Business John Aubin distributed and reviewed his financial report. He highlighted revenue and expenditure items, saying that, at this point, he estimates a year-end deficit of $28,817. He said that special education is currently $125,238 over budget, but that there are savings in other areas to help offset some of this deficit. Mr. Aubin and Assistant Superintendent for Special Services, Jane Weissmann, then spoke about unanticipated out of District placement expenses in special education which may result in a need for transferring moneys from the Special Ed Capital Reserve Fund. This may be a topic for action on either the May or June Board agenda.

Report of the Principal

Principal Bruce Williams reviewed his written report highlighting the visit of black bear expert Ben Kilham, the Japanese Festival, the community service activities, the fifth grade trip to Ocean Park, Maine, and the K-1 musical on Friday, April 16. He reported enrollment at 510, a decrease of ten students since the beginning to the year.

c. Report of Committees

Educational Planning Committee - Nancy Carter reported that the Committee did not meet in April, but plans to meet May 6, 6:30 p.m., in the Ray School office conference room. The agenda will be the revised Science curriculum.

Voting Options Committee - John Chamberlin reported that the legislation has passed the Senate and is out of the House Education Committee with minor changes. He said this legislation should be voted on on Thursday and then will go back to the Senate because of the changes. He didn't know if the Senate would act immediately or wait until May. If passed by the NH Legislature, the question would appear on the election/officer ballot in March 2005.

7. Public Comment

There was no public comment.

8. Business requiring discussion

a. Board Education Goals - The Board reviewed the 2003-04 Hanover School Board Education Goals and the Ray School Education Goals for 2004-05 with Administrators. The draft 2004-05 Board goals will be brought back to the May meeting for Board action.

b. Water line upgrade - Mr. Greenbaum announced that the Hanover water department will be upgrading the water lines from Reservoir Road to Dresden Road during the April school vacation. This is in preparation for the RMS building project.

c. Draft Policy BCBIA, Method of Public Participation in Board meetings - The Board reviewed this draft policy which parallels the ones in Dresden and Norwich. The Policy will be brought back for Board approval at the May meeting.

9. Business requiring action

a. Acceptance of anonymous gift - The Board reviewed the Ray School Learning Center Proposal for using the $20,000 anonymous gift. One area of Board concern was the social skills training. Principal Williams explained what was involved with the training and answered questions that Board members had.

Nancy Carter moved and Larry Pilchman seconded a motion to accept an anonymous gift of $20,000 to support several projects for the Learning Center at the Ray School. The motion passed unanimously.

b. Approval of the SAU Mission Statement

John Chamberlin moved and Larry Pilchman seconded a motion to approve the revised SAU Mission Statement as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

c. Set 2004-05 tuition rate - Mr. Greenbaum explained that, while the District does not accept tuition students, each year the Board does set a tuition rate in case a situation were to arise when the District might be compelled to accept a tuition student.

Larry Pilchman moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to set the Bernice A. Ray School tuition rate for the 2004-05 school year at $11,354 for grades 1-5, and $5,677 for kindergarten. The motion passed unanimously.

d. Nomination

The Superintendent placed in nomination Deborah Shields as a School Nurse/Health Educator at track 4, step 14, salary $60,908.00, for the 2004-2005 school year.

Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to elect Deborah Shields as a School Nurse/Health Educator at track 4, step 14, salary $60,908.00, for the 2004-2005 school year. The motion passed unanimously.

10. Consent Agenda

Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as proposed. The motion passed unanimously.

a. Approval of 2004-05 school calendar

Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the 2004-05 school calendar as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

b. Rescind Regulation KLA, Use of Mailing Lists and Labels by School/Community Groups

Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to rescind Regulation KLA, Use of Mailing Lists and Labels by School/Community Groups as submitted and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

11. Adjournment

John Chamberlin moved and Larry Pilchman seconded a motion to adjourn at 9:16 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary B. Davis
Recording Secretary