SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT #70 BOARD
SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2006
7:00 P.M., HANOVER HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY
Minutes
Present: Board members Asmus, Bruce, Carpenter, Carter, Chamberlin, Cheney, Fleischer, Gray, Pilchman, Sachsse, Vitt, and Williams; Administrators Gersen, Aubin, Roberts, Brush, Finer, Gillespie and 17 members of the public. Recorded by R. Lohr
1. Call to order – Chairperson Linda Gray called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
2. Chair Report
Chair Gray introduced discussion about the superintendent’s evaluation process and the need for the SAU School Board to conduct it annually in a more timely fashion prior to June 30. It was also suggested that timeline provisions in the superintendent’s contract be considered. The committee to do this includes Board members Gray and Chamberlin, with other Board members invited to email the Chair if they want to volunteer.
3. Superintendent Report
Staff Development Plan
Superintendent Gersen gave an overview of the need to revise the SAU #70 Staff Development Plan to meet recently adopted guidelines set forth by the State of New Hampshire. The SAU #70 Staff Development Plan applies to the three schools in New Hampshire within the SAU District. The State has requested that the document be completed by October 31, but the administration feels that it can take longer to conduct a comprehensive effort to accomplish the task. In reviewing the Staff Development Plan, Dr. Gersen suggested that the Board consider changing its annual calendar so that the annual goal development takes place in spring and the Boards consider establishing longer term broad goals that could be used to achieve multi-year testing results or improvements in areas indicated on parental surveys. He believed the staff would benefit from a cycle where goals are set before the end of the school year because it would allow teachers and administrators to use the summer for staff development so they could apply the goals in the subsequent school year. Superintendent Gersen plans to present an annual calendar for goal setting at the November SAU Board meeting. The Board indicated a desire to meet in the future to understand the philosophies behind the Staff Development Plan and to address revisions to the plan document and the goal setting process.
Reorganization Proposal
The Superintendent noted that during the summer he prepared a proposal to centralize computing and data management at the SAU level. He noted that technology teachers in each school are intended to focus on student computer use and to help teachers integrate technology in their classrooms Instead the teachers are often engaged in technical computer repair issues. He believed it would be more efficient to create an overall SAU district staff position to handle the frequent technological emergencies thereby freeing the teachers of this responsibility and increasing the time they can spend on instructional issues. The financial ramifications will be considered as part of the budget process. Some Board members cautioned against using the anticipated SAU rent savings to offset the additional costs for this position since that reduction was presented as a way to offset debt service expenses in Dresden.
4. Business Requiring Action
Quality of Education Committee
The Board discussed the establishment of a Quality of Education Committee, opening the debate by determining whether such a committee should be associated with the SAU or Dresden. The majority of Board members felt that since the committee involves all of the schools in the district, it should be part of the SAU. The Board also debated the membership of the committee and its relationship to the Dresden Finance Committee. Finally, the Board debated the mission of the committee, which is to analyze various measures of school progress by such means as surveys, test results, and other data. After an extended debate, it was decided to table the issue and discuss it again at a SAU Board meeting scheduled for October 23 at 7:00 p.m.
A motion was made by Margaret Cheney and seconded by Geoffrey Vitt to adjourn the SAU # 70 Board meeting at 8:25 p.m. The motion was passed unanimously.
The SAU # 70 Board meeting was adjourned.
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