Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Meeting
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Thursday, January 26, 2012, 8:00 a.m.
Present:
Board: Dr. Bont - Chair, Jim Ballantine, and Peter Gregg
Administration: George Thomson, Principal CTES
Public: None
Call to order: Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
Jim made a motion to approve the three warnings for the annual meeting as presented. The motion was seconded by Peter and passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 am.
Submitted by:
George O. Thomson
Principal
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Meeting
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Friday, December 16, 2011, 9:00 a.m.
Present:
Board: Dr. Bont-Chair, Sharon Huntley-Vice Chair, John MacLean, and Peter Gregg
Administration: George Thomson-Principal, David Adams-Superintendent, Meredith Austin-Business Manager
Public: Virginia M. Walsh Mack-Recording Secretary, Connie Kendall, and Tracy Churchill
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m.
Comments from the Community
None
Approval of Minutes of November 15, 2011
Peter made a motion to approve the minutes of November 15, 2011 as presented. Motion approved.
Personnel
Tuition Waiver Requests
Peter made a motion to approve the tuition waiver requests as presented. Peter mentioned he thinks this policy should be looked at for the future. This policy is being looked at. Motion approved.
Finance
FY’ 13 Budget
George gave the board a second draft of the budget and an explanation memo (Attached). David explained the Act 153 requirements that move special education costs to the SU. The law takes effect July 1 2014. WSWSU is shifting only special education personnel costs for FY’13. George went over where the special education costs came from in the CTES budget to the SU special education assessment. Peter asked for the administration to make the cost shift explanation simpler. The board agreed to meet on Tuesday January 10th if that is not available then Wednesday January 11th at 5:30 p.m.
Joint Supervisory Union Merger/Consolidation Update
Dr. Bont reported the merger was approved by each SU board with stipulations for funding from the state, the approval of the mountain towns forming a RED and the make up of the new SU’s governing authority. Discussion ensued. Dr. Bont feels all of the state representatives should be contacted.
Principal’s Report
George gave the board a budget summary. There are no unexpected expenses. George asked the board to call him with any questions. The preliminary audit report came in and the fund balance for FY’11 is $42,469.00.
The phone systems’ voice mail no longer works as it should. It is very unreliable. George was told it would cost $4,000.00 to get the system fixed. A system upgrade would cost $6,850.00.
George is recommending using federal education job funds dollars for salaries and to use the salary dollars for a system upgrade. Peter asked about leasing a system. Discussion ensued. David recommends a motion to approve an upgrade to the phone system at a cost not to exceed $7,000.00. Sharon made a motion to approve an amount not to exceed $7,000 for an upgrade to the phone system. Motion approved.
George said the manufacturer of the roof shingles are looking at the warranty. The shingles have a lifetime warranty.
Transportation: George explained how the bus route currently works and the arrangement with Green Mountain to pick up and drop of some CTES students. George would like to look at CTES’s transportation and maybe work with Green Mountain to provide transportation. David agrees with George. He thinks a conversation should happen between boards. Discussion ensued regarding transportation in other districts.
Wednesday was the annual Holiday concert and George received positive feedback.
George would like to reinstate the head of maintenance position to a full time position. George said the new head of maintenance is a very capable man and he is very knowledgeable about computers. George said he will save CTES money. Currently he doesn’t have time to meet with the evening employees. George is recommending increasing the head of maintenance to a full time position. Peter made a motion to approve up to $2,500 to increase the head of maintenance position to full time. Motion approved.
George asked the board to authorize $500.00 for the Green Mountain Festival Series. Peter made a motion to authorize the principal to donate $500.00 to the Green Mountain Festival Series. Motion approved.
Superintendent Report
David shared an article with the board on the Effects of Music on the Brain. He said we need to keep in mind the importance of music in the school.
Other Business
None
Executive Session
Peter made a motion to go into executive session to discuss personnel. The board invited the superintendent the principal and the business manager to attend. Motion approved. The board came out of executive session at 11:29 a.m. Peter made a motion to send a letter to all teachers with 25 years of service with CTES a one time $15,000.00 retirement incentive. Motion approved.
Adjournment
Sharon made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School
November 15, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Board Minutes
Present
Board: Dr. Bont-Chair, Jim Ballantine, John Mclean Peter Gregg and Sharon Huntley
Administration: David Adams-Superintendent and Meredith Austin-Business Manager
Public/Staff: LPCTV, Virginia Walsh Mack-Recording Secretary, Peggy Svec, Mike Ripley-GMUHS Assoc. Principal and Connie Kendall
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 5:36 p.m.
Comments from the Community
None
Approval of Minutes of October 18, 2011
Jim made a motion to approve the minutes of October 18, 2011 as presented. Peter seconded. Motion approved.
Personnel
Non Certified Staff Hiring
David informed the board he hired Tim Considine as the CTES Director of Building and Grounds from George’s recommendation.
Finance
Budget Development Update
Dr. Bont said the finance committee is working on the budget for FY’12. David explained the changes with Act 153 that speaks to the new responsibilities of the Supervisory Union. There will be a personnel cost shift from local budgets to the supervisory union budget. Full implementation of the changes will be final FY’14.
George said it is too early to give details on the budget.
Discussion ensued regarding the cost shift from the CTES budget to the S.U. budget.
Joint Supervisory Union Merger/Consolidation Update
Dr. Bont gave background on the WSWSU and RWSU consolidation study. David reported there is another joint study group meeting at CTES at 6:30 p.m. The consultant’s financial study will be presented at that meeting. On December 6th there will be another group study meeting at GMUHS. On December 15th the WSWSU and the RWSU board will vote separately on whether or not to present the study to the Department of Education. This study is not related to school operations; it is at the administrative level. David encourages the public to attend the meetings. Dr. Bont said there are highly skilled individuals involved in this study.
Policies
Enrollment of Children of Non Resident Teachers F:14
David reported there was a joint policy committee meeting with CAES, CTES and GMUHS to discuss this policy. David said there is a legal review that he recommends the CTES policy committee review.
Principal’s Report
George handed out the budget summary. He said there is nothing outstanding. He said he will answer any questions.
The annual site visit for the audit was completed and he thinks it went well.
Sports: The students played with Ludlow students because there were not enough students for their own team. Basketball is starting soon. The winter sports program begins January 3rd. The annual Thanksgiving dinner will be this Thursday.
Roof update: The builder said the company knew there was a problem with the shingles and they feel it will be covered.
The bus that is not used anymore cannot be inspected without $6,000.00 of work. George asked the board for authorization to dispose of the bus. John suggests the administration check to see if the transmission in the old bus would fit the operating bus. The board discussed selling the bus on ebay. John made a motion to authorize the administration to dispose of the bus in whole or in part for its best economic value. Peter seconded. Motion approved.
The holiday concert is December 14th at 7:00 p.m.
They are still looking for a Para professional.
George is scheduled for bilateral knee surgery on December 19th. He plans to be back to school on January 9th.
Superintendent Report
David reported there was a successful in-service last Friday with staff from RWSU. There was an ergonomics training for office staff as well last Friday.
Other Business
Meredith went over the Federal Education Jobs Fund dollars received by CTES. (Attached) CTES received $25,057.00. The administration will come back and make recommendations on how to spend the money
Executive Session
Peter made a motion to go into executive session at 6:41 p.m. to discuss negotiations. Motion approved. The superintendent was invited to attend. The board came out of executive session at 7:51 p.m.
No action taken.
Adjournment
Sharon made a motion to adjourn. John seconded. Meeting adjourned at 7:51 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Meeting
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Present:
Board: Dr. Bont, Jim Ballantine, Sharon Huntley and Peter Gregg
Administration: George Thomson-Principal and David Adams-Superintendent
Public: LPCTV, Virginia Walsh Mack-Recording Secretary and Connie Kendall
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.
Comments from the Community
None
Approval of Minutes of September 20, 2011
Peter made a motion to approve the minutes of September 20, 2011 as presented. Sharon seconded. Motion approved. Jim abstained.
Personnel
Director of Building, Grounds & Plant Maintenance Resignation: George informed the board he received a letter from Tim Lee announcing his resignation; he is retiring. The board approved the resignation. George said the position has been advertised and interviews have taken place. Jim said he would like to be involved. George said he will give Jim an update.
Non Certified Staff Hiring:
David informed the board of Act 153 and the superintendent’s authority to hire non licensed personnel. David has hired Lorraine Reef as a Para professional on George’s recommendation.
Curriculum Update
David said Linda will update the board on the curriculum work that is taking place in the S.U. and to talk about the test scores at the next meeting. Linda and the teachers have worked to develop a Scope and Sequence of what is expected and taught at a particular grade level. Discussion ensued regarding curriculum, the transition from 6th to 7th grade, college readiness and success.
Joint Supervisory Update
David reported on the joint S.U. meeting held last week. The idea of combining the two S.U.s and what methodology should be used for assessment was discussed. It was agreed to by both boards to use the equalized pupil count for regular education expenditures and child count for special education expenditures. Tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. at CTES there is another planning meeting to look at what the makeup of the central office would look like in the new S.U. There will be a meeting in December to decide if the study will be presented to the state board of education.
Policies
David said currently the policies for GMUHS and CAES do not allow children of CTES employees to attend either of those schools. Discussion: GMUHS already allows employee’s of GMUHS and CAES to attend GMUHS. The policy is not reciprocal; CAES does not allow GMUHS employee’s students to attend CAES. The school would not be responsible for transportation for the students. David will express the interest to CAES and GMUHS. Sharon made a motion to have David peruse the topic of allowing employee’s students to attend any of the schools. Peter seconded. Motion approved 3:1.
Principal’s Report
George gave the board a copy of the budget summary. He said he will answer any questions from the board. There is nothing out of line.
The annual audit is scheduled for Monday, October 24th; the art club, reading club, band, chorus and the banking club have started; the NECAP assessments are taking place this month; David Leiban is working with teachers on reading and literacy; he is a Language Arts professional.
George shared the bus route with the board. The route takes about 1hour 5 minutes. The longest a student is on the bus is 55 minutes. The route has been sent to parents.
Sharon mentioned there is no Halloween Party scheduled at the Proctorsville Fire Station and the decorations will have to be relocated due to a renovation. Sharon asked for volunteers to come and help organize relocating the party or having something at the school.
Superintendent Report
David said when bussing was restored he sent a letter home to parents. He wanted to thank everyone for the work that they have done. He asked for understanding from parents as some changes may continue to take place.
The state board of education had a meeting at GMUHS. Ann Thomson was recognized by the board for receiving the Presidential Award in Science.
CTES is hosting an administrative meeting tomorrow and the principals will discuss the possibility of a joint S.U. David will be attending the Superintendent’s Association meeting at Lake Morey on Thursday and Friday.
Other Business
George said he can’t reach the person regarding the roof; he is not returning phone calls. HP Cummings said they will get involved. David said they can write a letter. David will report back at the next meeting. Peter said there is no vent in the kitchen bathroom. David said he will look into it and report back.
Some of the equipment from the school is still being located. If someone discovers they have something from the school it would be greatly appreciated if it is returned.
Executive Session
Jim made a motion to go into executive session at 6:46 p.m. to discuss negotiations. Sharon seconded. Motion approved. David and George were invited.
The board came out of executive session at 7:37 p.m. No action taken.
Adjournment
Peter made a motion to adjourn. Jim seconded. Meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Board Minutes
September 20, 2011 5:00 p.m.
Board Present: Gene Bont, Peter Gregg, Sharon Huntley, John MacLean
Administration Present: George Thomson – Principal
Public: K.P. Whaley – LPC-TV, Connie Kendall, Peggy Svec, Janet Currier – Recording Secretary
Call to Order: Gene Bont called meeting to order at 5:05 p.m.
Comments from the Community – Peggy Svec commented that it was good to be back at school
Approval of Minutes of July 19, 2011: Gene moved acceptance of minutes. Peter seconded. Minutes were approved.
Personnel: a) Hiring School Based Clinician – Michelle Golden – has her Masters, meets criteria, etc. She has been a school based clinician before. Salary – not to exceed $16,000.00 for the year. Peter made motion to hire Michelle Golden, John seconded. The board was told she does more beyond Counselor, she is a school psychologist, does testing, teaching guidance – “Mental Health”. Board approved unanimously.
Finance: a) Health Reimbursement Arrangement – This Health care reimbursement plan has been in effect for many years and can be used for certain kinds of medical expenses. Officially, the board needs to approve this plan. It is not changing anything but does need board approval. In negotiations for support staff it was approved that they can participate as well. The money comes out of employees pay, it does not come out of funds that the school board controls. Motion to approve made by Peter, seconded by Sharon. The board unanimously approved.
Principal’s Report: George passed the Budget summary around for review. This is the document they will use to do our audit which was scheduled for an earlier time but had to be rescheduled because of Tropical Storm Irene. George said they have supplied many details by mail, email and fax. The official audit will be done soon. George said we should be in the black and we will be close. The Budget summary for this year was passed out and nothing shows a red flag so far.
George told the board that school opened 2 weeks late because of school being used as an emergency center and having the National Guard housed here. The building was well used. No generator was on site but future discussions may revisit that situation. Teachers were ever present and put in lots of time during that time. The staff absolutely held up their end to try to be supportive of the community. Some from Green Mountain Union High School, some from Chester-Andover, Flood Brook, etc. It was an impressive
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes 9/20/2011 Page 2
response, a huge outpouring. The building took its toll and every corner got cleaned, etc. for the first day of school. George said there was a loss of pots and pans and food was all over Town. Rich Svec feels these things can be replaced. George said they have a list of what was lost in the freezers. The Public Health people also came and helped them sort through the freezers as to what needed to be thrown out. George said people did a wonderful job with what they had to work with. He wants to come up with a better emergency plan for the future.
George said they opened school with 103 students and no potable water or transportation. The Town was great in making sure the school had plenty of bottled water. They had sanitizer and everyone had to sanitize their hands after washing them as the water was still unsafe. a) Transportation Report: There are still no busing services. The plan was to reduce to one bus this year. The Town has done a great job in getting the roads passable. George and Mr. Van Scheik rode the roads and decided they are not ready for school buses yet. George wants to get the bus on the road as soon as possible but still needs to come up with a different bus route than the one originally planned for.
The storm Irene damaged Greven Field and the Fletcher fields. He said they are doing a soccer program with the Ludlow Recreation Program. On Thursday, September 29th there will be a pot luck supper at 6:00 p.m. and an Open House at 7:00 p.m. He said they are still getting veggies out the CTES garden as it was not touched by the flood waters.
On September 28th the NECAP Science test results will be released. MAPS testing in Math, Language Arts and Reading are now going on. George got an extension for the month of October for the NECAP testing to be done.
George then talked about make up days, a total of eight (8). He is proposing the following for make up days: 9/28/11 (It was to be an in-service day) 10/10/11 (Columbus Day) 11/11/11 is a planned in-service and it will be kept as one, 3/26/12 (was supposed to be an in-service day), the rest of the days will be made up at the end of the year along with snow days. Even with the snow days, school should be out by the middle of June as the original last day is scheduled for June 6th.
George informed the board that David Adams is very sick and that is why he is not at the meeting this evening. He said that David plans on coming to the meeting tomorrow evening to be held with Rutland-Windsor S.U.
Superintendent Report –George said that last year there was a committee for Supervision and Evaluation. The Charlotte Danielson model is what the committee came up with. George reviewed this new plan. He said there will be a professional trainer that will come and make sure everyone is on the same page. The goal is to have everyone evaluated once a year. (Professional Staff).
Policies – a) F-14 – Enrollment of Children of Non-Resident Teachers – Sharon said their question regarding this policy is does Green Mountain have a policy so our students
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes 9/20/2011 Page 3
under this CTES policy can continue on with their class at Green Mountain. Also can teachers send their children to Chester-Andover or Cavendish under this policy. Sharon
would like to discuss this with Green Mountain and Chester-Andover to see whether they have this policy in place or not. George said he does not know what the policies are at Green Mountain and Chester-Andover but he will find out. Sharon said busing should not be expected to travel to pick up these students but they could ride from Cavendish School to Green Mountain and back again.
Other Business – George said our State is requesting a waiver from the Federal Government regarding No Child Left Behind. The request has been made by Governor Peter Shumlin. The Federal Government needs more information as to what we are going to do for an accountability system, but they are considering the request. George is not positive but he thinks Vermont is the first State to request a Waiver for No Child Left Behind.
Executive Session – None.
Adjournment – Sharon moved adjournment and John seconded. Board adjourned at 5:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Janet Currier
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary Board Minutes
July 19, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Present
Board: Dr. Bont-Chair, Jim Ballantine, and Sharon Huntley
Administration: David Adams-Superintendent
Public/Staff: LPCTV, Virginia Walsh Mack-Recording Secretary and Peggy Svec
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Comments from the Community
None
Approval of Minutes of June 21, 2011
Jim made a motion to approve the minutes of June 21, 2011 as presented. Motion approved.
Personnel
Nominations-Paraprofessional; Food Service Provider
David recommends the board approve hiring Shelley Barrett as a Para Professional at step one as per the collective bargaining agreement for the 2011-2012 school year. David gave background on Ms. Barrett. Sharon made a motion to hire Shelley Barrett as a Para Professional as presented. Motion approved.
David recommends the board approve hiring Sandy Gregg as the food service provider at step one of the collective bargaining agreement for the 2011-2012 school year. Jim made a motion to hire Sandy Gregg as a food service provider as presented. Motion approved.
Request for Release of Medicaid Funds
David reported this request is for funding the Crossing Guard position for the 2011-2012 school year in the amount of $2,398.00 and the School Counselor position for the 2011-2012 school year in the amount of $4,891.00. Medicaid funds are available for these positions and the revenue is in the budget; there is no cost to the taxpayer. Discussion ensued.
Sharon made a motion to authorize the release of Medicaid funds in the amount of $7,289.00 as presented. Motion approved.
Superintendent Report
David reported the administrators will be attending a four day retreat this month. Administrators and teachers will be participating in teacher evaluation training. The administrators will also be participating in additional trainings during the week.
David will be on vacation the first week of August.
Policies
F-14 Enrollment of Children of Non-Resident Teachers
Sharon said they are not planning on changing the existing policy. She said the subject came up regarding employees S.U. wide being allowed to have their children attend any of the schools in the S.U. David said this would allow a student to attend schools in our S.U. from elementary through high school.
Sharon recommended this item be tabled until there are more people available to attend the discussion. David reminded the public this is a discussion topic. The board agreed to table this item until the next meeting.
Other Business
Jim said he thought the trip to Colorado for the labor management conference that was attended by administration and teachers was an all expense paid trip. David said there were some expenses to and from the airport that were incurred.
David updated the board on the consolidation meeting that is taking place this evening at CTES at 7:00 p.m.
Jim asked about getting the test scores up. David said during the retreat the administrators will be focusing in part on this.
Jim commented on the problem with the roof. David said the contractor has been contacted.
The next meeting is scheduled for August 16th at 5:30 p.m.
Executive Session
None
Adjournment
Jim made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:19 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Present
Board: Jim Ballantine, Peter Gregg, and Sharon Huntley
Administration: George Thomson-Principal and David Adams-Superintendent
Public: Virginia Walsh Mack-Recording Secretary, and LPCTV
Call to order
Peter called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.
Comments from the Community
None
Approval of Minutes of May 17, 2011
Jim made a motion to approve the minutes of May 17, 2011 as presented. Motion approved.
Finance Report
Education Job Funds Grant Summary: David discussed the memo regarding the education job funds grant summary (Attached); the dollars should be looked at conservatively until it is known what the state funding will be. David said the amount CTES should receive is approximately $20,000. He said these funds may have to be used to make up a potential short fall from state education fund. David recommends that the dollars are not used at this time.
Personnel
Resignations Para Professional, Food Service Provider: David informed the board of two resignations from Karen McNamara-Para Professional and Lori Jones-Food Service Provider. He and George recommend the board approve these resignations. Jim made a motion to approve the resignations of the Para Professional and Food Service Provider as presented. Motion approved.
Nomination – George reported he is not ready to nominate a School Based Clinician at this time.
Support Staff Memorandum of Agreement
Peter explained the boards are trying to have the same language in the collective bargaining agreements for all schools. David said the support staff waited for the teachers to settle before beginning their negotiations. David said the support staff agreed quickly to the agreement; negotiations will continue in the fall. Hopefully the support staff in all of the schools will have the same agreement in the future. David recommends the board accept this agreement. Discussion ensued. Sharon made a motion to approve the CTES Support Staff Memorandum of Agreement as presented. Motion approved.
Principal Report
George gave the board a budget summary and said it still looks positive and he is optimistic.
Graduation went well and they had fun; the staff is continuing to clean up for the summer work that will be done; the school outing went well; the garden is planted out front for the students to enjoy in the fall. George will be on vacation July 5th to the 15th. Administrators will be participating in a week long retreat in July; the administrators will be participating in trainings.
Superintendent
Supervisory Union Consolidation Study: David reported the WSWSU and RWSU boards agreed to go into a consolidation study. The state board of education will determine what supervisory union a district resides in. The hope is to dissolve the WSWSU and RWSU and create a new supervisory union. David said they will be looking for a representative from each board to serve on the study committee. Discussion: Where FBUS stands in this study, David explained the votes each school and town school board have; non operating town school boards have one vote and the operating school boards have three votes. David encourages individuals to stay involved in the process.
School Board
Board Retreat: David asked the boards to consider scheduling a retreat; he and George will be available.
Committee Reports
None
Other Business
Sharon said GMUHS and CAES are working on their policy relating to students of employees attending any of the schools in the district. She would like the board to look at CTES’s policy regarding this. Discussion ensued regarding the fact that the state dollars do not follow the students. This will go on the next agenda.
Executive Session
Jim made a motion to go into executive session at 6:10 p.m. Motion approved. The board came out of executive session at 6:24 p.m. No further action taken.
Adjournment
Jim made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Board Minutes
April 12, 2011 7.00 p.m.
Board Present: Gene Bont, Jim Ballantine, Peter Gregg, Sharon Huntley
Administration Present: David Adams – Superintendent, George Thomson – Principal
Public: Michael J. Ripley, Duncan Love – LPC-TV, Connie Kendall, Janet Currier – Recording Secretary
Call to Order: Gene Bont called meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Board Reorganization: Board Chair - David Adams asked for nomination for Board Chair. Sharon nominated Gene Bont, Peter seconded. Jim moved nominations cease. Board unanimously nominated Gene Bont as Board Chair. Vice Chair – Gene Bont asked for nominations for Vice Chair. Peter nominated Jim Ballantine – Jim abstained. Peter nominated Sharon Huntley, Jim seconded. Board unanimously nominated Sharon as Vice Chair. Board Clerk: Gene asked for nominations for Board Clerk. Peter nominated John McLean, Sharon seconded. Board unanimously nominated John McLean.
Gene informed the board that they need to elect three board members who will attend the S.U. semi-annual meeting on May 4th at 6:30 at Green Mountain Union High School and vote for Cavendish. After much discussion Sharon Huntley, Peter Gregg and Gene Bont were elected to represent Cavendish at the full S.U. board meeting.
Approval of Minutes of March 8, 2011: Sharon moved acceptance of minutes. Jim abstained as he had not received the minutes to review. Board voted to approve minutes as presented.
Redetermination of Equalized Education Property Values (Information): David said the Town appealed this to the State and their appeal was denied.
Personnel: a) Leave of Absence request – David said that Leigh Dakin – School Nurse – has requested a leave to continue in her State office. Peter made motion to approve leave request – Sharon seconded. Board approved.
b) Nomination – School Nurse – Sharon made motion and Jim seconded to hire current substitute for School Nurse. Board approved hiring Mary Wilson as the School Nurse substitute.
Policies: a) Optimum Class Size Policy File Code G:14 – Adoption: George said these policies have been seen before by the board. Peter moved adoption of Class Size Policy. Board approved.
- Family Medical Leave Act File Code D-21 – Adoption: Jim moved approval of Family Medical Leave Act Policy, Peter seconded. Board moved adoption of this policy.
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes 4/12/11 Page 2
Reports: a) Principal: George handed out the budget summary and said everything seems to be going along fine and he had nothing specific to point out. He hopes to be under for oil costs. He said they had to replace the motor and arms on the kitchen dishwasher as they couldn’t use it to sanitize the dishes. Doing the repair work was cheaper than buying a new dishwasher.
The 6th grade play was performed and the kids did a splendid job with it. The 7th Annual Variety Show was held last Friday evening and the kids were such a surprise with their talents. About 35 kids participated. The 6th grade held their Science Fair today and it was a lot of fun. George had the quarterly report from the White Fund. He said the balance is $80,661.00. He now has a little over $3,000.00 in usable interest from this fund. Next quarter, at the July meeting, he will report on all the funds. He reminded the board and those present that next week is spring vacation and he will be away for the week.
George said the last day of school is planned for June 17th and the 6th grade graduation is June 14th. For the new school year the staff will start on August 25th and the students will begin on August 30th.
George brought the board up to date on Cavendish and AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) from the NECAP testing. He said that we did not make AYP for the first time in racial reading or category white reading. He said that 82% of the schools in Vermont have now not met APY in some area. The step went up considerably this year to meet AYP. George said MAPS testing has just finished. He reviewed some of the things they are planning to help kids achieve AYP next year. He said they are looking at gender issues and why boys are falling below girls in performance. David thanked George for his thorough report and said what a surprise the results of the testing and not meeting AYP were especially in the reading categories. Gene asked if the gender spread is worse now than it used to
be. David said it is true that the girls seem to be the ones who are “taking home the gold” and we need to work to get the boys up to an achievement level higher than what they seem to be doing now. We want to make sure the problem is not part of our instructional practices. We need to make sure boys are motivated to be readers and use materials that will interest them. Sharon mentioned the “hit” that boys take for being smart.
b) Superintendent: David gave a 4 page status report on Act 153 to the Board and George. This changes some of the duties required for supervisory unions. He reviewed the goals that were set and said committee work by the teachers and principals is well under way to meeting the goal by the end of this school year. David said that Stantek Company in Springfield just gave the central office some used office furniture that is in very good condition. He said this donation was really appreciated and certainly helped our budget. He explained the business and financial requirement changes under Act 153 to bring about more efficiency. The supervisory union central office will take responsibility by July 1st for the Flood Brook bookkeeping services.
c) Board: None.
d) Committee: None.
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes 4/12/11 Page 3
Other Business: Peter said that free rain barrels can be gotten from UVM and one could be placed at the corner of the building to prevent damage. The water collected can be used to water the garden. Peter said that community people are frustrated because they don’t get the information in ample time to know when the board meetings will be held. He feels the board meetings need to consistent. David said Margo Caufield will be added to the list so she will know when the board regarding the change of this meeting home to parents with the students. George will also let Margo know when the next meeting will be held. It was scheduled for May 17th at 5:30 p.m. and then the June meeting will be on the 21st at 5:30 p.m.
Executive Session: None.
Adjournment: Jim moved, Peter seconded to adjourn at 7:14 p.m. Unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Janet Currier
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Tuesday, March 8, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Present
Board: Dr. Bont-Chair, Sharon Huntley, and Peter Gregg
Administration: David P. Adams-Superintendent, George Thomson-Principal, and Meredith Austin-Business Manager
Public: Virginia Walsh Mack, Mike Ripley, Connie Kendall, Peggy Svec, and Don Murray
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 5:39 p.m.
Board Reorganization
The board agreed to table the board reorganization until the next meeting.
Budget Vote Review
The board thanked the voters for supporting the FY’12 budget.
Financial Audit Report From Auditors
Don Murray from Fothergill Segale & Valley Certified Public Accountants gave the board a summary of the CTES FY’10 audit. This was a clean audit with no findings. CTES had a positive fund balance for FY’10. Discussion ensued regarding special education and the amount of money the state sends to support special education. The board thanked Don for coming. Peter made a motion to accept the CTES FY’10 audit as presented. Sharon seconded. Motion approved.
Approval of Minutes of February 8, 2011
Sharon made a motion to approve the minutes of February 8, 2011 as presented. Peter seconded. Motion approved.
Comments from the Community
None
Copier Lease Agreement
David summarized the memo regarding the copier lease. He said going with another supplier would expend more dollars trying to get a service agreement. Sharon said she agrees with going forward on the copier lease. Peter said he had questions regarding the vendors and how many there are in the area to choose from. David said they are limited by vendors and the vendor that has given the quote is a reputable vendor and the most cost effective. A five year lease would cost $167.00 more per year than last year. A four year lease would be $504.00 more per year than last year. Peter made a motion to go forward with a four year lease as presented and to authorize the business manager to sign the lease. Sharon seconded. Motion approved.
Policies
Optimum Class Size Policy – First Read
This is a second read and is a required policy from the Department of Ed. Sharon made a motion to approve the Optimum Class Size Policy as presented. Peter seconded. Motion approved.
Family Medical Leave Act – Second Read
Sharon made a motion to approve the Family Medical Leave Act Policy as presented. Peter seconded. Motion approved.
Reports
Principal
George gave the board the budget summary and said there is nothing unusual. CTES has a new system called “Alert Now” for notifying parents for various reasons; school closing, transportation issues etc. George said the system is new but it is a nice mechanism to communicate with families and staff. NECAP scores are in; the reading scores are low, the staff is analyzing the scores to be able to implement supports for those students who need improving. Math stayed the same and is above the state average.
One of the busses had trouble starting yesterday. Student enrollment is currently at 113. CTES has had 6 snow days so Thursday, June 16th will be the last day of school for now.
George asked the board to consider going back to the second Tuesday of the month for board meetings. He said the third Tuesday in April is during vacation week. David recommended the CTES board meet at 6:00 p.m. on April 12th. The board agreed their next meeting will be on April 12th at 6:00 p.m.
Superintendent
David said the reason for the snow day this week was due to the power outages and the difficulty traveling on the secondary roads; he thanked the support staff for keeping walkways clear.
The House of Representatives has voted to rescind the two vote bill; the Senate has not voted yet.
The Legislature is hearing testimony to change the name of the Commissioner of Education to the Secretary of Education which would bring this position into the Governor’s cabinet.
David said the labor relations conference he Alison, and Jenn attended in Denver went well; there were good frank conversations.
Board
None
Committee
None
Other Business
None
Executive Session
Peter made a motion to go into executive session at 7:06 p.m. to discuss personnel. Sharon seconded. Motion approved.
Sharon made a motion to come out of executive session at 8:45 p.m. No action taken.
Adjournment
Sharon made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
Present
Board: Dr. Bont-Chair, Sharon Huntley, Peter Gregg, and John MacLean
Administration: David P. Adams-Superintendent and George Thomson-Principal
Public: Duncan Love-LPCTV, Virginia Walsh Mack, Connie Kendall, and Peggy Svec
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 5:34 p.m.
Approval of Minutes of January 25, 2011
John made a motion to approve the minutes of January 25, 2011 as presented. Peter seconded. Motion approved.
Comments from the Community
None
Copier Lease Agreement
George said the lease is up on the copier and it has served the school well. George went over the new lease. There is a $166.90 per year increase over the current lease. The recommendation is to accept this lease. John said his company ended up purchasing their copiers on EBay and purchasing a service contract because it was more cost effective. He suggested the administration look into this option. Discussion ensued. Peter recommends the administration look into this option and report back to the board at the next meeting. This will go on the next agenda.
Policies
Optimum Class Size Policy – First Read- David said this policy is mandated.
Family Medical Leave Act – First Read-This policy follows the state and federal laws.
David asked the board to put these policies on the next agenda for adoption.
Reports:
Principal
George handed out the budget summary. He went over some of the lines: Page 4-Special Ed; two line items are lower than what was projected. Page 5- Special Ed extraordinary are lower than what was projected. Paras are paid from regular Ed for 504 students and EST; the Paras are not totally charged to Special Ed. Under board of ed: Unemployment insurance is less than what was budgeted. The legal services are over budget. Water & sewer expenses will go over budget. Page 11-Repairs and maintenance for the bus is over budget. Substitute salaries are over budget. Tutoring is over budget to provide tutorial services for a student who will be out. Overall the budget is in good shape.
George said the computer system for heating is outdated. The new software is about $3,400.00. There is a computer at the school that the new program can be installed on. George is recommending the purchase of the new system. John asked if this is the only option. George said he has not done research on other systems. Discussion ensued regarding the automated system. Sharon made a motion to authorize George to purchase the new system as presented. John and Peter said they would prefer it if research was done on putting thermostats in each classroom. David explained the building was designed for this system. Discussion: looking at other providers and getting information. Motion passed 3:1.
CTES has had four snow days to date. The last day of school will be June 13th.
Parts of the roof continue to be cleared and some ice build up has been taken care of.
CTES will have an artist in residence coming in May and there will be a fund raiser on April 29th to help pay for this.
The explanation of the budget will be in the town report.
Superintendent
David reported our commissioner of education has been hospitalized due to a fall. David wished him well.
There will be a release of the NECAP scores tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. Discussion ensued regarding the relationships between the NECAPS and the MAPS tests; MAPS is a local test and NECAPS is a state test.
David is having forums in each of the schools regarding Act 153 and Challenges for Change.
David, Jenn Harper, and Alison Deslauriers will be attending an Advancing Student Achievement Through Labor-Management Collaboration conference in Denver. The expenses for this trip will be paid for by the US dept of education. David will remain in Denver for the Superintendent’s conference.
Board
None
Committee
None
Other Business
None
Executive Session
None
Adjournment
John made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 4:30 p.m.
Present
Board: Dr. Bont-Chair, Jim Ballantine, Sharon Huntley, Peter Gregg, and John McLean
Administration: David P. Adams-Superintendent, George Thomson-Principal
Public: Virginia Walsh Mack, Mike Ripley, Connie Kendall, Peggy Svec, and Jenn Harper
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 4:36 p.m.
Approval of Minutes of December 14, 2010
Peter made a motion to approve the minutes of December 14, 2010 as presented. John seconded. Motion approved. Jim abstained.
Comments from the Community
None
Adoption of Proposed Budget 2011-2012
George handed out copies of the proposed budget and his explanations of what is in the budget (attached). The total budget is $1,749,085.00. Peter asked why the referees were under services in the budget. David said it was changed for an accounting function. George said he will change the line to “referee stipends”. Jim asked why the budget doesn’t show the fund balance for the collaborative. George said it is in the S.U. budget and will be in the town report in George’s explanation. David said there will be an explanation in the budget as well. Sharon made a motion to approve the 2011-2012 budget and the warning to vote by Australian Ballot in the amount of $1,749,085. Peter seconded. Motion approved.
Approval of Warning of Annual Meeting on February 28, 2011
David said by tradition the board has approved three warnings. He and George are suggesting there be two warnings next year, combining the annual meeting and the public information hearing; the warning for the budget vote would be separate. David explained why the warning looked different from last year. The board agreed to leave the vote of the school board clerk off the ballot.
David read the articles. Sharon made a motion to approve the warning of the Annual Meeting of the Cavendish Town Elementary School on February 28, 2011 as presented. Motion approved.
Approval of Warning to vote by Australian Ballot on March 1, 2011
This warning was approved under Budget Adoption.
Approval of Warning of Public Information Hearing on February 28, 2011
David read the warning. Sharon made a motion to approve the warning for public information hearing on February 28, 2011 as presented. John seconded. Motion approved.
Approval of Trust Fund Interest of $500.00 for Green Mountain Festival Series
George said this has been done in the past. It is a pledge CTES gives to the Green Mountain Festival Series. George said CTES then receives grants from the festival series. Sharon made a motion to authorize $500 be given to the Green Mountain Festival series out of the Wheeler interest fund. John seconded. Motion approved.
Informational Meeting Planning
George said in the past the school board and the town select board meet to answer questions from the public. George will not be able to attend on February 23rd which is the date the town is having their informational meeting. He said this board can have a separate meeting on another date. Sharon said she would prefer George be there. The board agreed they will go to the meeting on the 23rd at 7:00 p.m. and defer budget questions to the meeting on the 28th.
Reports
Principal
George gave the board the budget summary. He said the budget is where they expect it to be.
George reported: The Holiday program was a big success; the American Legion party went well; the Cuban band came and performed and it went very well; they have had three snow days so far; the last day of school for now will be June 13th.
Budget season has been busy; George is now focusing on professional evaluations; he hopes to have them done by April vacation.
The sixth grade will be putting on a performance written by Kata Welch on March 12th.
The sports teams are doing well; the black and white film series starts this Friday.
They have had to have some snow removal on the roof and one of the busses had trouble starting this morning. There have been some heating issues; George is unable to change the temperature on the computer.
George will be away during February vacation.
Superintendent
David said the audits are ready for printing and the board will be meeting with the auditors; the new legislative session has started; David is waiting to hear what the Governor says about the budget. David attended a superintendent’s meeting and new requirements were discussed; the question of whether the commissioner be a stand alone position or should it be in the Governor’s cabinet was discussed.
David announce the S.U. has been invited to an all expense paid conference February 15th and 16th in Colorado which Jenn Harper will be attending as well as David, and Alison DesLauriers-S.U. board chair.
Board
Jim asked if the detectors in the school measures carbon monoxide. George said he does not think they do; he will look into it. Jim said he doesn’t think the furnace room door should be left open. David said he and George will report back to the board.
Committee
None
Other Business
Dr. Bont said the semi annual full S.U. board meeting is tomorrow evening and the board should have three members representing CTES.
Executive Session
John made a motion to go into executive session at 6:14 p.m. to discuss negotiations. Motion approved.
The board came out of executive session at 6:25 p.m. No action taken.
Adjournment
Sharon made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Minutes
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Tuesday, December 14, 2010 4:00 p.m.
Present
Board: Dr. Bont-Chair, Jim Ballantine, Sharon Huntley, Peter Gregg, and John McLean
Administration: David P. Adams-Superintendent, George Thomson-Principal, and Meredith Austin-Business Manager
Public: Virginia Walsh Mack, Jenn Harper, Connie Kendall, Mike Ripley, Peggy Svec, Sara Stowell, Mary Ormrod, Jennifer Leak, Robert Ruhlin, Gloria Leven, and Claire Walker
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 4:04 p.m.
Approval of Minutes of November 16, 2010
Jim made a motion to approve the minutes of November 16, 2010 as presented. Peter seconded. Motion approved.
Comments from the Community
Dr. Bont said questions regarding the budget can be asked when it is discussed.
Nomination – School Nurse
Dr. Bont said this nomination is for a school nurse to fill in for Leigh Dakin who is going to the legislature. David said he is sure she will be able to attain a provisional license. David recommended hiring Mary Wilson as a school nurse from January 3, 2011 until June 30, 2011. Peter Gregg nominated Mary Wilson as presented. Sharon seconded. Motion approved.
Approval of Proposed Budget FY’ 11-12
George gave the board copies of the proposed budget and possible adjustments. George went over the adjustments: Contract services for technology-up $583.00, supervisory union assessment-up $3,374.00, collaborative preschool-down $6,316.00. EEE has been level funded. The possible reductions for Para professional’s time, food service personnel, maintenance staff and the elimination of one bus are included in the budget. The target was a $26,000 reduction and this budget has a $41,434.00 reduction. George said this reduction is due to the teachers not taking raises for next year. George talked about the impact of reducing a bus. He talked about what the impact will be by reducing the Para professional’s time and the reduction in maintenance; he said someone else will have to do
the duties that are currently done by these individuals. Areas of Discussion: The bus fuel, the savings in paras, maintenance, the bus; the impact on the students with these reductions and why the board is making these deep cuts when the teachers are taking a pay freeze; the inflationary cost line-this line is because the administration is in negotiations with the support staff. David said it was generous for the teachers to forgo a salary increase for next year; he discussed the 2% reduction and the choices the board has; what will be reported to the state. Meredith handed out and explained the budget stats and the impact of adding the reductions back into the budget; the budget would still be under by .73%. Discussion ensued regarding the budget reduction impacts and which is most important. No other school in the SU is going to meet the 2% reduction; adding back the reductions except bussing was discussed and the bussing policy was
discussed.
Sharon said she feels the school should meet the 2% reduction after all the work that was done on this budget. David said the board may want to consider a 1% reduction as it has done in past budgets. The importance of the 2% reduction was discussed. With the 2% reduction there will be approximately $15,000.00 that will be put back in the budget.
Sharon made a motion to reach the 2% reduction with the budget. Peter seconded. Discussion ensued. Motion approved. 3 yes; 2 no.
The board agreed to meet on the regularly scheduled date of January 18th at 5:30 p.m.
Reports:
Principal
George gave the board the budget summary.
Events: Thursday at 7:00p.m. - Holiday concert; December 17th- American Legion party, a Cuban band will do a workshop and performance on Monday December 20th.
Superintendent
David thanked the Board, George, and Meredith for their hard work on the budget.
He said the Curriculum management policy has been adopted by the WSWSU executive committee.
Board
None
Committee
None
Other Business
None
Executive Session – (Negotiations)
Peter made a motion to go into executive session at 5:40 to discuss negotiations. Sharon seconded. Motion approved. The board came out of executive session at 5:50 p.m. No action taken.
Adjournment
Sharon made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
Cavendish Town Elementary School Board Meeting
Cavendish Town Elementary School
Tuesday, November 16, 2010 5:30 p.m.
Present:
Board: Dr. Bont-Chair, Jim Ballantine, Peter Greg, John McClean, and Sharon Huntley
Administration: David P. Adams-Superintendent and George Thomson-Principal
Public: LPCTV, Virginia Walsh Mack-Recording Secretary, Mike Ripley, Peggy Svec, Jen Harper, Robin Bebo Long, Connie Kendall, Tracy Churchill, Donna Bonang, Margo Caulfield, Amanda Tyrrell, Diane DePalma, Robert R., Brian Benoit, Sara Stowell, and Barbara Decheg
Call to order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Approval of Minutes of October 13, 2010
Jim made a motion to approve the minutes of October 13, 2010 as presented. Peter Seconded. Motion approved.
FY 11-12 Proposed Budget Review
Dr. Bont reported the board will need an executive session before going over the proposed budget review.
Peter made a motion to go into executive session at 5:33 p.m. to discuss personnel and invited George, David, Jen, and Robin. Jim seconded. Motion approved.
The board came out of executive session at 6:42 p.m.
Dr. Bont thanked the audience for their patience.
George gave the board a copy of draft 2 of the CTES budget. David said the finance committee looked at non instructional parts of the budget first.
Supplies and materials in most areas are adjusted to represent a 2% reduction from last year.
George handed out some considerations.
Regular Instruction: Program Aid salary and all benefits reduced by 2 hours per week. Assistants for 504/230/EST salaries and all benefits reduced by 2 hours per week.
Special Ed Individual Costs: Salaries and all benefits reduced by 2 hours per week for one assistant.
Operation of Plant and Maintenance: Reduction of Head of Maintenance to .75 FTE and all benefits including insurance.
Transportation: Elimination of one bus, reduction of personnel by one as well as all benefits, repairs and maintenance reduced by $2,500, Vehicle insurance reduced by half ($661)
Diesel Fuel reduced by $2,000
Food Service: Salaries and all benefits reduced by .5 hours per week for both Director of Food Service and Assistant.
Inflationary Factor: 1.25% for possible salary adjustments.
The total budget is $1,772,381.00
Discussion ensued regarding bussing and the possibility of contracting with First Student. George said they have been tracking bussing and the numbers don’t look good. The busses average 20 and 23 students in the morning and 23 and 30 in the afternoon. Pickup points were discussed. George said when it gets cold there will probably be more students riding the bus; they will continue to track this.
David confirmed with a reduction of a bus the savings would be about $14,000.00. There was a suggestion for the community to come together and brainstorm regarding bussing.
Discussion: The planning room is not a state mandated program; the teachers continue to receive raises and the people who it affects most are not receiving raises; the older community members are frustrated; school choice; 2% reduction. What happens if CTES can’t meet the voluntary reduction? David said they really don’t know what will happen; too much administration and the number of supervisory unions; the coordination of carpooling;
Reports
Principal: George gave the board copies of the current budget summary; he said they are on target.
Programs: Wrestling, basketball, ski/snowboarding; the coaches have been hired.
The administration is working hard on the budget and welcomes any suggestions.
CTES had their Thanksgiving Dinner today; they served local squash.
A consultant is coming to work with teachers to bring Farm to School initiatives and curriculum into the classroom.
The historical society has brought a Young Historians Society to the older students in the school.
Discussion: putting an effort into reaching the community regarding Farm to School. A call has gone out for vegetables.
George is continuing to look for a replacement for the nurse.
A giant map of Africa is going in the multi purpose room next week.
Drumstick assembly is coming December 8th; the holiday program is December 22nd.
Superintendent
David reported the administration has been working hard on budgeting and a governance study to try to find out if there is any possibility of consolidation.
Dr. Robert Brooks presented at the in-service last week. David gave a presentation of the curriculum management audit at the Vermont School Boards Association conference. FBUS, CAES, and GMUHS have a contract and it has been ratified by the teachers, CAES and GMUHS school boards have also ratified and FBUS board will vote at their next meeting.
Board
None
Committee
None
Teacher Contract Negotiations
Dr. Bont said they have had discussion with the teachers.
Teacher’s Enrollment Requests
David has three teacher requests for their children to attend CTES.
Sharon made a motion to approve the student requests from Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Harper and Mrs. Cameron as part of the ongoing CTES policy. Motion approved. 3 yes; 1 no.
Discussion ensued regarding school choice and why this is an option for only the teachers. David said it is a governance issue. There was support for this policy.
Public Comment
Professional development distance learning was discussed as a way of saving money.
Other Business
George received a letter from Art Branton stating he will be retiring from CTES at the end of the school year. Peter made a motion to accept Art Branton’s resignation with regret. John seconded. Motion approved.
Executive Session – (Personnel)
The board went into executive session before the budget discussion.
Adjournment
Sharon made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
Cavendish Town Elementary Board Minutes
October 13, 2010 5:00 p.m.
Present
Board: Dr. Bont - Chair, John McClean, Jim Ballantine, Peter Gregg, and Sharon Huntley
Administration: George Thomson - Principal and David Adams - Superintendent
Public/Staff: Duncan Love - LPCTV, Virginia Walsh Mack - Recording Secretary, Beth Walker, Connie Kendall, Leigh Dakin, Mike Ripley, Jenn Harper, Peggy Svec, Robin Bebo-Long, Tracey Churchill, Ellen Cameron
Call to Order
Dr. Bont called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m.
Approval of Minutes for September 21, 2010
John made a motion to approve the minutes of September 21, 2010 as presented. Correction: Leigh Dakin’s Leave: The motion included there would be no additional costs to the school. Motion approved with correction.
Budget Discussion
Non Instructional Budget Development-Dr. Bont explained the state has asked the schools to reduce their budgets by 2%; it will be a $26,358.00 reduction in the budget. They have looked at alternatives; what can be eliminated; this is going to be a tough budget preparation.
David said the legislation passed a Challenges for Change bill last year which asks for voluntary budget reductions for schools by approximately 2%. The number represents a reduction in the per pupil cost. The amount needed to reduce the budget is greater than the $26,358.00. There will be 98% funding from the state for next year. This is why the budget process has begun so early. David gave the board a copy of the Challenges for Change Goals. David also mentioned Act 153 which moves some services into the supervisory union. David went over the non instructional items they are examining.
George explained how they reached the budget reduction target of approximately $86,174.00. George went over the non-instructional areas: Transportation, Food Service, Plant and Maintenance, Office and Planning Room Considerations. David said they will at some point have to look at personnel. George said they are open to any suggestions. David said state reductions could take place in the next two years as well. Discussion ensued: transportation and the potential of more snow days; the possibility of opening teacher negotiations. Sharon made a motion to reopen teacher negotiations for the 2011-2012 school year. John seconded. Motion approved. David will prepare a letter to the Windsor Southwest Education Association representative requesting negotiations be
reopened.
Robin said the decision will be with the new larger association; the decision will not be made by just Cavendish teachers.
Reports
Superintendent
David said he has been focusing on budget development. The other part of Act 153 is the voluntary merger. The WSWSU Board will vote on going into a governance study with RWSU and RSSU at 7:00 p.m. on October 26th at GMUHS. The VSBA and VSA conference is October 28th and 29th. Discussion ensued; the commissioner has the ability to change the make up of supervisory unions.
Principal
George gave the board a copy of the budget summary. Everything seems to be on target; no surprises. George said there will not be a need to hire a Para professional; the student population is 110; a teacher will be out having surgery and George has hired Kathy Goodell as the substitute for 3 weeks; there have been boiler and security system issues; tomorrow is a day for teacher conferences and a there will be a day on Friday.
Board
None
Committee Reports
None
Teacher Contract Negotiations
Discussion/Action took place under budget discussion
Public Comment
None
Other Business
None
Executive Session
John made a motion to go into executive session to discuss negotiations at 5:50 p. m. Sharon seconded. Motion approved.
The board came out of executive session at 6:17 p.m.
Sharon made a motion to hire Chris Power as the CTES truancy officer for the 2010-2011 school year. Motion approved.
Adjournment
Jim made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:17 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia M. Walsh Mack
Recording Secretary
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