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

1. Call to order

Chair Segal called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m.

2. Approval of minutes

John Chamberlin moved and Larry Pilchman seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of April 14, the special meeting of April 7, the budget hearing of April 27, and the nonpublic Meeting of April 14, as submitted. The motion passed unanimously.

3. League of Women Voters presentation

Hope Stragnell, Chair of the Voter Participation Committee of the League of Women Voters of the Upper Valley, distributed her report and spoke to it. She said that a group of seven people met to look at what they thought worked for the District meeting, and made recommendations to the Board for future meetings.

4. Communications and reports

a) Report of Chair:

1. Board Calendar - Chair Segal announced that the next regular Board meeting will be Wednesday, June 9, 7:00 p.m. in the Ray School Multi. She also announced a Special Hanover School District meeting to be held on Wednesday, May 26, 2004, 8:00 p.m., in the Hanover High School Gymnasium. She said it is the intent of the Board to recess the meeting to the next day, May 27, for all day voting.

Superintendent Greenbaum added the following Dresden Board dates:

Thursday, May 13, 10:00 a.m., groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Richmond Middle School
Thursday, May 13, 7:00 p.m., Athletic Fields public forum, Hanover High School Library
Thursday, May 20, 7:00 p.m., Meeting with the Hanover High School neighborhood, Hanover High School Library

2. Resignation - Chair Segal read the letter of resignation for Board member John Cassidy. She expressed the Board's appreciation for all of the time and hard work Mr. Cassidy did during his time on the Board. She said that the SAU will be running transaction ads in the Valley News to solicit interested persons to fill this position, and the Board will interview candidates at the June 9 meeting. She will also write a letter to the Editor to encourage people to apply.

3. Committee assignments - Chair Segal finalized committee assignments (a listing is attached to the original minutes of the meeting).

b) Reports of Administrators:

Superintendent's report: - The Superintendent's items were covered in other areas in the agenda.

Assistant Superintendent for Business report: Assistant Superintendent for Business John Aubin was not present for the meeting; however, Superintendent Greenbaum reviewed Mr. Aubin's report and answered Board questions. He said that the estimated year-end deficit is $31,782. At this time, special education is $141,768 over budget, leading Administration to recommend a $55,000 transfer from the reserve fund. Consensus of the Board was to wait until the June meeting for the numbers to be more refined before approving the transfer of funds.

Assistant Superintendent for Special Services - Assistant Superintendent for Special Services, Jane Weissmann, reported that she has been notified by the NH Department of Education that the Hanover School District will not be receiving any Title I funding for the 2004-05 school year. She said that moneys have been allocated in the District's budget to fund most of the services currently being provided. The one area of concern is the summer program. Principal Williams said that he feels that the summer program can go forward with some paring down of the regular tutoring hours during the school year if necessary.

Principal's report: - Principal Williams reviewed his written report highlighting TV turnoff week, Math night (May 13), Native American Festival, and the fifth grade trip to Ocean Park, Maine. He announced enrollment at 507 students. This is down from 520 students at the October 1, 2003 student count.

c) Report of Committees:

Ed Planning Committee - Nancy Carter reported that the Committee has reviewed one part of the charge which is to look at growth in the curriculum when enrollment changes. At the last meeting, she said the Committee looked at the Science Curriculum and how it is now connected to the whole K-12 curriculum. The Ray School's Science Curriculum has its emphasis on habitat. The Committee discussed how physical expansion of the school would impact on this curriculum, should that ever be necessary, and also the possible connection between the Ray School and the newly constructed Richmond Middle School.

Chair Segal suggested that it would be helpful for the Board if Committee Chairs would email the Board with dates/times of Committee meetings.

Voting Options Committee - John Chamberlin reported that SB418 has cleared both houses of the legislature and is expected to be signed by the Governor in about two weeks. The Board discussed initiating public information sessions in the fall in preparation for the March vote.

5. Public comments

There were no public comments offered by the Board.

6. Business requiring discussion

a) Job share proposal - Mr. Greenbaum began by saying this is a continuation of the discussion begun at the Board's April meeting regarding a proposal to implement the Health Curriculum. The proposal would involve developing a half-time job share, whereby a faculty member would teach in her regular classroom half time and work with the fourth and fifth graders integrating the Health Curriculum into their classroom subjects for the other half time. Principal Williams said that particulars have not been finalized as yet, but that he will bring a more specific program design to the June meeting.

b) Review Ray School Handbook - Principal Williams asked Board members to review the Ray School Handbook and bring to the June meeting any suggestions or edits. During the summer, the school administrators will update the Handbook and bring the document to the Board's August meeting for approval.

7. Business requiring action

a) Board 2004-05 Educational Goals - The Board reviewed the draft educational goals and discussed clarifying wording.

Larry Pilchman moved and Nancy Carter seconded a motion to approve the Board Educational Goals for the 2004-05 school year as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting, pending editing. The motion passed unanimously.

b) Draft Policy BCBIA, Method of Public Participation in Board meetings

Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to adopt Policy BCBIA, Method of Public Participation in Board meetings as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

c) Resignations -

Sharon Poulin - Mr. Williams said that Sharon Poulin has been teaching Hanover students for 28 years and has been an energetic, thoughtful member of the staff. She will be particularly remembered for the gingerbread houses she made with her students each year. Sharon will be missed.

Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to accept the resignation/early retirement of Sharon Poulin, effective June 30, 2004, with great regret. The motion passed unanimously.

Diana Watson - Mr. Williams said that Diana Watson is an intellectually active member of the staff who has a host of interests in education. She focused her sabbatical on the Schools Attuned program and has served as a consultant to the school in the year since her sabbatical. He said that Diana plans to concentrate on her Schools Attuned interests.

John Chamberlin moved and Kari Asmus seconded a motion to accept the resignation of Diana Watson, effective June 30, 2004, with regret. The motion passed unanimously.

8. Consent Agenda

a) Nominations

Steve Toulmin - The Superintendent placed in nomination Steven Toulmin as a Learning Specialist at track 1, step 4, salary $37,482, for the 2004-2005 school year.

Larry Pilchman moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to elect Steve Toulmin as a Learning Specialist at track 1, step 4, salary $37,482, for the 2004-2005 school year. The motion passed unanimously.

Sylvia Alberta - The Superintendent placed in nomination Sylvia Alberta as a K-1 teacher at track 4, step 12, salary $57,227, for the 2004-2005 school year.

Larry Pilchman moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to elect Sylvia Alberta as a K-1 teacher at track 4, step 12, salary $57,227, for the 2004-2005 school year. The motion passed unanimously.

Rebecca Luce - The Superintendent placed in nomination Rebecca Luce as a Music teacher at track 1, step 9, salary $45,514, for the 2004-2005 school year.

Larry Pilchman moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to elect Rebecca Luce as a Music teacher at track 1, step 9, salary $45,514, for the 2004-2005 school year. The motion passed unanimously.

b) Approval of nonunion salaries

Larry Pilchman moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the Hanover nonunion salaries for the 2004-05 school year as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

c) Authorization for hiring between May 12 and September 9

Larry Pilchman moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to authorize the Administration to fill teacher vacancies between now and the regular meeting of September 9 by offering a one (1) week period to obtain telephone or email votes from Board members and that four (4) affirmative votes must be obtained before a contract is issued. The motion passed unanimously.

9. Adjournment

Kari Asmus moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to adjourn at 9:26 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 9:26 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary B. Davis
Recording Secretary