MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS October 3, 2012 MINUTES Minutes Approved: October 17, 2012 Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Jennifer Cahill Bean, Ken Jones, Carol Paquette, Charlie Phillips, Steve Robinson, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca, Director of Support Services Mary O’Neill Student: Meghan Wingate Public: Jennifer Bones, Mary Mello, Acacia Jackson Vance, Keith Vance Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. Adjust/Review Agenda There were several additions to the agenda including a teacher presentation, discussion of a tuition waiver request, and ratification of the MESSA Negotiated Agreement for FY13-15. A second resignation was added to the consent agenda. Public Comments Acacia Jackson Vance requested an Executive Session for the purpose of discussing a personnel matter. Executive Session On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to enter Executive Session at 7:04 p.m. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to leave Executive Session at 7:43 p.m. Personnel Return to Open Session 7:43 p.m. Action Taken a. Personnel No action was taken at this time. Teacher Presentation Mary Mello shared some of the work being done in the first grade. Following the presentation, Superintendent Ricca recognized Ms. Mello as one of UVM’s teachers of the year. Visit with Mary O’Neill, Interim Director of Support Services Ms. O’Neill shared with the Board her thoughts in regard to the functionality of the district’s special education system. Discuss Spiral International The Board granted Superintendent Ricca approval to sign an agreement with Spiral International whereby Montpelier High School agrees to accept tuition paying students from China in 2012-2013. The responsibility of finding housing for these students was discussed. Review Crisis Response Protocol Superintendent Ricca posed the following question: In a crisis situation, should the district attempt to tap into the social media side of life - specifically, is it worthwhile to begin exploring being proactive with social media and directing the message, rather than reacting to what is out there? Following discussion, Mr. VanDerlip suggested a focus group of parents to obtain feedback. Action Item Approve Ratification of MEA Negotiated Agreement for FY13-FY15 Superintendent Ricca reviewed the substantive changes to the agreement. Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, to approve the Montpelier Education Association Negotiated Agreement for 2012-2015. Motion passed 6-0, Mr. Robinson abstaining. Superintendent Ricca thanked Messrs. Phillips and Jones for their work on this matter. Approve Ratification of MESSA Negotiated Agreement for FY13-FY15 Mr. Robinson has kept the Board well apprised on the status of this matter. Mr. Robinson moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, to approve the Montpelier Educational Support Staff Association Negotiated Agreement for 2012-2015. Motion passed 6-0, Mr. Phillips abstaining. Superintendent Ricca thanked Mr. Robinson for his work. Review FY14 Budget Timeline A timeline was provided. In order to begin the budget process, Superintendent Ricca asked the Board for a ballpark per-pupil or percentage increase to help frame the overall conversation. Mr. Jones requested a budget that meets the consumer price index and provides alternate approaches to providing opportunities for students where a teacher is the sole source of knowledge instruction. Mr. Phillips asked for a budget increase in the 3-3.5% range, with a commitment that he will not second guess any staffing conclusions presented by the administration. Mr. VanDerlip agreed that a 3-3.5% budget increase passes the reasonableness test, but noted the need for community input earlier in the process. Mr. VanDerlip requested a study of enrollment numbers to determine growth or reduction rates. Mr. Robinson questioned if board members were factoring in the bond with the proposed 3-3.5% increase. With the exception of moving community input up higher on the list, there were no other issues with the proposed timeline. Discuss 1:1 Technology Initiative from the Department of Education Superintendent Ricca requested feedback on this proposed technology initiative. Before jumping on board, Mr. Jones suggested exploring places with 1:1 experience to find out what they have learned so far. Superintendent Ricca questioned if this is right model for MPS in 2012 going into 2013. Mr. Jones presented the idea of tapping into the community for help on this. Mr. VanDerlip suggested including a few students as well. Discuss Public Preschool Passed over. Discuss Annual Calendar A written memo was provided. Mr. VanDerlip noted the need to make a decision about whether or not to continue with policy governance. Mrs. Aldrich suggested preparation of a draft calendar for discussion at the next meeting. Discuss Tuition Waiver Request Superintendent Ricca presented the Board with a request for a tuition waiver for the 2012-2013 school year. Mr. Phillips said it was his understanding that there were avenues available for kids to do an exchange. According to Mr. Jones, the fact that the student involved is a senior makes a difference for him, and he therefore feels it would be appropriate for the family to come and speak with the Board during an Executive Session. Policy Harassment – Third Reading Additional changes were reviewed. The policy will be warned for adoption at the October 17 meeting. Consent Agenda Minutes of September 19, 2012 Warrants Resignations Vincent Rossano Bonnie Flanagan MSMS Athletic Director Contract Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the September 19, 2012 regular meeting, Warrants 15 and 16 dated October 11, 2012 in the amounts of $465,688.21 and $26,033.64 respectively, two resignations, and the MSMS athletic director contract. Motion carried unanimously. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) Governor Shumlin will be here on Monday, October 8, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. Future agenda items – influx of special education students at Union Elementary School and review of class size. Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 9:22 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS September 19, 2012 MINUTES Minutes Approved: October 3, 2012 Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Jennifer Cahill Bean, Ken Jones, Charlie Phillips, Steve Robinson Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca Student: Meghan Wingate Public: Anne Watson Absent: Carol Paquette, Lowell VanDerlip Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. Adjust/Review Agenda The Executive Session scheduled for the purpose of conducting a residency hearing was cancelled. The harassment policy warned for adoption at tonight’s meeting will not be voted on. Superintendent Ricca would like to discuss the possibility of board presence at monthly meetings with the Montpelier Education Association. Public Comments Anne Watson, one of the Ultimate Frisbee coaches, asked the Board to give consideration to recognizing Ultimate Frisbee as a school sport rather than a club sport. This transfer would necessitate funding through the school budget. Ultimate Frisbee is currently part of the Community Connections program. Following discussion regarding budgets, transportation and liability issues, it was decided that Superintendent Ricca will collect some follow-up information and this matter will continue to be discussed. Review of Equalized Pupils A written memo was distributed. Update on Enrollment Superintendent Ricca reported that total enrollment as of today is 974. This number is higher than what was projected. Mr. Jones requested dropout information. Discuss Calendar for Principal Visits and/or School Visits The Board would like one principal visit per month. Suggested topics for discussion at these meetings included what can be celebrated, seen challenges, and future changes. Mr. Robinson suggested a memo from the principal in advance of the meeting as to what is going to be discussed. Mrs. Aldrich suggested tying in a student presentation from the school in conjunction with the principal visit. Mr. Jones would also like periodic visits from the Director of Curriculum and the Director of Support Services. Discuss Co-Curricular Parity Co-curricular budget numbers were provided. Jen Lahr will be attending the second October meeting to give rationale in regard to fees surrounding co-curriculars. Mr. Jones would like to know the frequency of the superintendent and a principal having to confront a decision to add or remove a co-curricular activity and how the budget factors into that discussion. Mr. Phillips expressed concern about the viability of the football program. Mr. Phillips would like information as to the balance of co-curricular opportunities per season. Discuss Community Connections Superintendent Ricca reported on a recent meeting of the Community Connections Advisory Board. Community Connections will be coming forward with a budget in the next couple of months for everyone to review. After that, the Board will set a date for Ginny Burley to come and present. A question arose regarding oversight of the program if the district ultimately commits dollars. Mr. Phillips expressed concern in regard to the program’s administrative costs. Discuss Board Presence at MEA Meetings Superintendent Ricca noted the importance of consistent board presence at monthly meetings with the Montpelier Education Association and asked for volunteers to serve in this capacity. These meetings occur on the third Tuesday of every month, with the next meeting scheduled for October 16. Action Item Adoption of Policy: Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources and the Internet Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mr. Phillips, to approve the Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources and the Internet policy for adoption. Motion carried unanimously. Consent Agenda Minutes of September 5, 2012 Warrants Co-Curricular Contracts Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the September 5, 2012 regular meeting, Warrants 13 and 14 dated September 27, 2012 in the amounts of $932,752.48 and $56,161.92 respectively, and co-curricular contracts (see listing). Motion carried unanimously. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) Mr. Phillips announced success in concluding negotiations with the MEA today and a tentative agreement. The Boosters Club has agreed to put the bond issue on their night of open house. Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 8:22 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder Co-curricular Appointments MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS September 5, 2012 MINUTES Minutes Approved: September 19, 2012 Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Jennifer Cahill Bean, Ken Jones, Carol Paquette, Charlie Phillips, Steve Robinson, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca, Director of Facilities Thom Wood Student: Meghan Wingate Public: Dave Bennett, Keith Vance Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:31 p.m. by Mr. VanDerlip. Executive Session On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to enter Executive Session at 6:31 p.m., with the superintendent remaining. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to leave Executive Session at 7:06 p.m. Contract Negotiations Return to Open Session 7:06 p.m. Action Taken a. Contract Negotiations Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, for approval to contact the Montpelier Education Association to see if issues relative to the teachers’ contract can be resolved. The motion passed 5-0, Mr. Robinson abstaining, Mr. Jones absent. Adjust/Review Agenda No changes. Public Comments Dave Bennett, on behalf of Community Connections, provided an update on funding. In a nutshell, Mr. Bennett informed the Board that funding for the Community Connections program is basically depleted. They are currently seeking grants, but Mr. Bennett wanted to alert the Board that Community Connections will most likely be looking to them for some funding for next year. Bond Presentation – Thom Wood, Director of Facilities Mr. Wood gave a PowerPoint presentation documenting and detailing projects for inclusion in the proposed bond. Bond Discussion Superintendent Ricca broached the idea of moving the bond vote from November to March. This would allow the Board to do its due diligence in regard to the district heat initiative. Superintendent Ricca spoke with City Manager Bill Fraser and Mr. Fraser believes this is a reasonable idea. Mr. Jones supported the idea of delaying the bond vote until March, noting the need for public involvement to gather the community’s thoughts and input before the vote. Superintendent Ricca cited the importance of educating the community on the need for the bond and providing fact-based information. Mr. Robinson would like to initiate the public engagement process sooner rather than later in order to get the community focused on the magnitude of the project. Mr. Jones volunteered to draft a press release for the Board’s consideration by next Monday. Policy Harassment – Second Reading One of the designated employees for receiving complaints at MHS needs to be changed. Mr. Robinson asked Superintendent Ricca for assurance that he had reviewed the policy requirements and was comfortable with the levels of accountability contained therein. With this assurance, the policy will be warned for adoption. Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources and the Internet – Second Reading The screening procedure for electronic information was discussed. Mr. Robinson expressed concerns similar to those expressed on the harassment policy in regard to the burdensome nature of reporting requirements. Superintendent Ricca promised to bring concerns about the screening procedure to the Tech. Committee. With no substantive changes offered, the policy will be warned for adoption. Consent Agenda Minutes of August 15, 2012 Warrants Teacher Resignation Joy Partridge Co-Curricular Contracts Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the August 15, 2012 regular meeting, Warrants 11 and 12 dated September 13, 2012 in the amounts of $540,000.00 and $37,000.00 respectively, a teacher resignation, and co-curricular contracts (see listing). Motion carried unanimously. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) Mr. Phillips, at the request of Myles Chater, offered a reminder about homecoming games being changed to September 28 and 29. Mr. Robinson would like a discussion about the policy surrounding admission fees for extra curricular activities. Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 8:43 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder Co-curricular Appointments MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS August 15, 2012 MINUTES Minutes Approved: September 5, 2012 Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Jennifer Cahill Bean, Ken Jones, Charlie Phillips, Steve Robinson, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca, Director of Facilities Thom Wood Public: Members of the Montpelier City Council, Mayor John Hollar, City Manager Bill Fraser, and others Absent: Carol Paquette, Meghan Wingate Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. Public Comments None. Review of Vermont Open Meeting Law – Jim Condos, Secretary of State Secretary of State Jim Condos gave a presentation clarifying elements of Vermont’s open meeting law in regard to school boards and municipalities. Mr. Condos answered specific questions in regard to committee work by school boards. Executive Session On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to enter Executive Session at 6:10 p.m., with the superintendent remaining. On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to leave Executive Session at 6:40 p.m. Contract Negotiations Return to Open Session 6:40 p.m. Discuss Bond Projects – Thom Wood, Director of Facilities Mr. Wood distributed a list of proposed bond projects with associated costs totaling $4,399,979. The list of projects was discussed. Mrs. Aldrich noted the need to take care of items involving safety issues first. She would also like to add to the wish list items, noting the theater at MHS is in pretty poor shape. Mr. VanDerlip requested tax impact numbers for a bond of this size. Timing issues, i.e., getting the bond on the ballot, 30 day warning notice, etc., were discussed. Mr. Jones wants public input early. He suggested a public session for the first meeting in September with a presentation including pictures of the delayed and deferred maintenance issues that need to be addressed. Enrollment Update Superintendent Ricca reported current enrollment at 1,065 students. This number includes preschool and EEE students and is in line with projections from last year. Superintendent Ricca will bring those projections to the board retreat on August 20th. Mr. VanDerlip requested the survival rate from entering kindergarten through high school. Discuss Agenda Items for 8/20/12 Suggested discussion items for the Board’s meeting with the Administrative Team included budget parameters, foreign language, board priorities, bond issues, Community Connections, supervision and evaluation, use of computers PreK-12 and district-wide late start in conjunction with Common Core goals. Mr. Robinson questioned the objective for the meeting on the 20th, noting the need to pare down the list and focus on limited items in order to make the meeting valuable. Following further discussion, it was agreed that the focus of the discussion for the meeting with the Administrative Team would be board priorities, budget parameters, and supervision and evaluation. Update on Negotiations Mr. Phillips reported that the teacher group is going to fact finding. Mr. Robinson reported that he is working on a date to meet with representatives from the Support Staff Association in the next couple weeks. Superintendent Ricca and Mr. Jones are also working on a date to meet with their group. Consent Agenda Minutes of July 18, 2012 Warrants Teacher Contracts Co-Curricular Contracts Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mr. Robinson, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the July 18, 2012 regular meeting, Warrants 7 and 8 dated August 16, 2012 in the amounts of $467,263.28 and $59,446.96 respectively, the recommendation to offer teaching contracts to Heather Bates (kindergarten – UES), Jacqueline Love (literacy coach – UES), and Ivy Zeller (independent studies coordinator – MHS), and co-curricular contracts (see listing). Motion carried unanimously. Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 8:01 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder Co-curricular Appointments MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS July 18, 2012 MINUTES Minutes Approved: August 15, 2012 Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Jennifer Cahill Bean, Ken Jones, Carol Paquette, Charlie Phillips, Steve Robinson, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca Absent: Meghan Wingate Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. Adjust/Review Agenda Addition of Charlie Phillips’ Resolution for the VSBA. Addition of quarterly financial report to the consent agenda. Public Comments None. Discuss Open Meeting Law Invited Keith Vance to the meeting to discuss Open Meeting Law. It’s a grey area if the School Board creates a committee, it needs to be warned and minutes taken; create a committee and/or sub committee, if that group gathers to discuss the business, it needs to be warned and minutes taken; to err on the side of caution; uncertainty was brought to light from the unwarned meeting. Mr. VanDerlip took the responsibility of warning the first meeting; it was “his error” in not warning the second meeting. There was oversight from the committee – not intentional; it’s a good discussion to have and good to keep in mind. We will warn any committee that we set up and ask about any other committees that we are asked to be a part of if they need to warn the meeting; maybe it makes sense to appoint a chair for any committee created by the School Board. Discuss Bond Details Project approach to the bond vote – a prioritized list with an estimate; why are there two lines for some in the bond paperwork? Update on District Level Searches Hopefully three candidates to the second round - hope to have finalists to bring to the Board for a special meeting the week of July 30, 2012. Discuss Fine Arts Climate around the theater and updates to the theater; some safety issues? How do we make the transition between a wish and a physical improvement; can the Montpelier Theatre Guild help us to identify what kind of improvements we can make incrementally? Can we get grants to support some of the activity/improvement in those areas? Two community members were former theater folks at U-32; could they be tapped for support? Looking at the other co-curriculars – are they on par or should we be shifting our priorities? Discussions w/Northfield – benefit from participation from them – more of an effort? We haven’t forgotten our discussions – here are some specific topics. Action Item Approve Use of Reserve Funds for Purchase of New Cooler at MHS Mr. VanDerlip moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, to approve use of reserve funds up to $45,000 for the purchase of a new cooler at MHS. Motion carried unanimously. Discuss Future Agenda Items Discuss Resolution for the VSBA Hoping to bring this discussion to the State Board of Education – to Steve Dale prior to July 25; committee that reviews the resolution; and those resolutions that get into the State Board of Education’s General Meeting in the Fall; Jones to the Educational Opportunity Working Group; that group which has legislators on it is charged with strengthening the discussion between finances and results; difficulty in strengthening teachers in the State; issue of evaluation came up significantly; this may be a group that could be an ally; spurring the effort to come up with a better way to determine who the good teachers are; this resolution and find more allies. Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, to move forward with this resolution. Motion carried unanimously. Visit with Finalist for Director of Support Services Position The Board met with Mary O’Neill. Consent Agenda Minutes of June 20, 2012 Warrants Teacher Contracts Athletic Director Contract Quarterly Financial Report Co-Curricular Contracts Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mrs. Bean, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the June 20, 2012 regular meeting, Warrants 3 and 4 dated July 19, 2012 in the amounts of $59,305.97 and $34,696.75 respectively, the recommendation to offer teaching contracts to Clayton Wetzel, III (school nurse – MSMS), Hannah Geier (K-1 – UES), Karen Rodis (ELL – UES), and Kirk Kreitz (music – MSMS/MHS), the recommendation to offer an Athletic Director contract to Matthew Link, the FY12 estimated year end finance report, and co-curricular contracts (see listing). Motion carried unanimously. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) Executive Session On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to enter Executive Session, with the superintendent remaining. On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to leave Executive Session. Appointment of Employee Return to Open Session 9:15 p.m. Action Taken a. Appointment of Employee Mr. VanDerlip moved, seconded by Mr. Phillips, to offer Mary O’Neill a contract for the position of Director of Support Services, pending reference checks. Motion carried unanimously. Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 9:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dr. Brian G. Ricca Co-curricular Appointments |