MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS December 18, 2013 MINUTES Minutes Approved: Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Jennifer Cahill Bean, Michele Braun, Ken Jones, Carol Paquette, Charlie Phillips, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca, Principals Pam Arnold, Adam Bunting and Chris Hennessey, Curriculum and Technology Director Michael Martin, Facilities Director Thom Wood, Support Services Director Mary Lundeen, Business Manager Cindy Rossi Students: Ben Field Public: Bill Merrylees, Nathan Suter, and others Absent: Alex Stetter Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. Adjust/Review Agenda A resignation was added to the consent agenda. Public Comments None. Auditor’s Report – Mike Segale Mr. Segale provided a summary of the FY13 audit report. There were no audit findings, no significant deficiencies disclosed during the audit of the financial statements, no significant deficiencies in internal controls, and the school system was determined to be a low risk auditee. Questions regarding special education expenditures and budgeting for staffing for state-placed students were addressed. Mr. VanDerlip inquired as to the possibility of receiving future audit reports earlier in the fall in advance of the budgeting process. Superintendent Ricca congratulated Ms. Rossi on another clean audit. Mr. Jones expressed comfort knowing Ms. Rossi’s track record, a sentiment seconded by the Board Treasurer, Mr. VanDerlip. Student Presentation A student representative from each class grades K-12 (with the exception of grade 6) was in attendance. The K-5 students were asked and shared with board members their thoughts on why school was special. The middle school representatives told board members the parts of their education that were important to them. The high school students spoke about what they would change, in addition to answering the questions, “What matters to you most?” and ”What inspires you?” Presentation of FY15 School Budget Superintendent Ricca and the Administrative Team presented the first draft of the FY15 school budget. The proposed budget assumes a 4.5% increase for health insurance, a 56% reimbursement rate for support services, a 99.51% common level of appraisal, in addition to other assumptions. Some of the proposed additions include a $115,000 bond payment, $43,065 in tuition for the Family Center, $4,558 for a bus monitor and $56,907 for an additional custodian at UES, $70,927 for an additional sixth grade teacher at MSMS, $6,890 for ultimate frisbee and $20,000 for a new driver’s education car at MHS, $14,000 in summer professional development money for district teachers, and $33,000 of additional technology hardware for students. Proposed reductions include $10,000 for the girls’ ice hockey program at MHS, $91,000 in OT/PT and other contracted services, $74,675 - or 50% - in funding for Community Connections, $70,000 for support services Instructional Assistants, and $19,389 for a general education Instructional Assistant at MSMS. Proposed changes include assistant principals at MSMS and MHS and use of $100,000 from the fund balance to offset the tax impact. Mrs. Aldrich was happy with the proposed budget and expressed pleasure with not being faced with the same number of reductions as in recent years. Mr. Jones disagreed. He cited the need to work on the adult-to-student ratio at MSMS given the lower number of students. In addition, given the low student population at MHS, he believes existing staff could be reconfigured to fill any needed new positions. Finally, he believes the overall model for delivery of education needs to change, i.e., it needs to be accomplished with less adult interaction. Through increased use of technology and bigger class size, he said positions could be reduced and savings recognized. Mr. Jones believes this is the direction the District needs to go and said that was the instruction at the last budget session. Mrs. Aldrich disagreed with Mr. Jones. She said while that may have been his instruction, it was not the Board’s instruction. She thinks those types of changes are too much to do. She believes the District is seeing changes in the way education is delivered and she would like to continue to trust the educational professionals. Ben Field expressed concern about the proposed reduction for Community Connections. Mr. Jones firmly stated his desire to continue funding that program. If a reduction in funding does occur, Bill Merrylees from Community Connections asked that it be only 25% for next year. This would allow more time for them to plan and look for other funding. Mr. VanDerlip would like to see Community Connections continue as well and agreed that cutting half the cost might be too much. He suggested a more measured gradual step in terms of reducing funding for that program. He offered a 50% ultimate reduction, but over the course of two years. Principal Hennessey answered questions in regard to the proposed additions of the custodial position at UES, the bus monitor, and the summer professional development money for teachers. Principal Arnold explained that the assistant principal positions at MSMS and MHS are not new positions, but really rather just a change in title. Mrs. Braun suggested putting the new technology money in the budget for the Director of Curriculum & Technology and allowing him to decide how it is allocated. Mr. VanDerlip was pleased with the budget increase, but still concerned about it meaning an 11% increase in taxes. Mr. Jones said an increase of this nature will just make subsequent years even harder. One community member told the Board she did not think the taxpayers could afford it; another said the community would support the budget because it was worth it. Following further discussion, Mrs. Aldrich asked if it was the will of the Board to adjust the budget presented by Superintendent Ricca and the Administrative Team. With the exception of Mr. Jones, there was general consensus as to the reasonableness of the budget presented. The only instruction given to Superintendent Ricca was to decrease funding for Community Connections by 25% rather than 50% by reducing the budget in another area and notifying the Board as to how that change will occur. Superintendent Ricca will provide this information at the next scheduled meeting on January 8, 2014. Mr. Jones stated that this was not his position and requested that the record so indicate. Consent Agenda Minutes of December 4, 2013 Warrants Resignation Steve Mears Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the December 4, 2013 regular meeting with one correction as noted by Mr. VanDerlip, Warrants 30A and 31A dated December 19, 2013 in the amounts of $811,101.51 and $21,111.29 respectively, Warrants 32 and 33 dated January 2, 2014 in the amounts of $552,000.00 and $27,000.00 respectively, and the resignation of Steve Mears with thanks and appreciation for his years of service. Motion carried unanimously. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) Congratulations to Eli Rosenberg on recognition as a Vermont state finalist in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest. Kudos to all of the students and adults involved in the production of Into the Woods. It’s nice to have Anthony Barrows back for a bit! Mr. Phillips thanked the administration and the faculty for all of their efforts handling the recent tragedy. Mrs. Bean congratulated the cross-country ski team on their performance in their first meet in well below zero weather. Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 10:12 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS December 4, 2013 MINUTES Minutes Approved: December 18, 2013 Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Jennifer Cahill Bean, Michele Braun, Ken Jones, Carol Paquette, Charlie Phillips, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca, Director of Facilities Thom Wood, Director of Recreation Arne McMullen Students: Alex Stetter Public: Ann Armbrecht, Steve Avery, Sandy Colvin, Cathy Grupp, Karlynn Koenemann, Theresa Murray Clasen, Jeff Stetter, and others Absent: Ben Field Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Adjust/Review Agenda No changes. Public Comments None. Discuss Parking Lot at MHS Michael Clasen, Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Administration for the State of Vermont, provided background information on the conceptual idea of constructing a 70-90 space state parking lot on grounds at Montpelier High School adjacent to the auditorium. Mr. Clasen shared information from the feasibility study prepared by Dubois & King. Following a lengthy discussion, and after hearing from the public in attendance (including Steve Avery from neighboring Vermont State Employees Credit Union), a non-binding straw poll was taken. There was no support for construction of a shared state parking lot on grounds at MHS. However, Mr. Jones asked Superintendent Ricca to follow up with the City Council to see if they think such a parking lot would help the City with its long-term parking plans. If the answer is yes, a joint meeting of the City Council and the School Board should be scheduled for a public forum on parking and this idea in particular. Presentation of FY15 Recreation Department Budget – Arne McMullen Mr. McMullen presented the Recreation Department’s proposed budget for FY15. The proposed budget is $829,173. Program changes and participation rates were shared. In reviewing budget details, Mr. Jones questioned the appropriateness of changing the listed expense of fund balance to capital improvements. The Board congratulated Mr. McMullen on his third year of delivering a budget with a level-funded appropriation. Mr. McMullen thanked the Rec. Board for their efforts and service. He also thanked his staff. Finally, he thanked the Business Office and Superintendent Ricca for their help in making the budgeting process smooth. Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, to recommend approval of the proposed budget presented by Mr. McMullen to the City Council. Motion carried unanimously. Discuss Superintendent Evaluation Process The mechanism and timeframe for distributing the survey were discussed. It seems appropriate to ask Director of Technology Mike Martin to help with the distribution task. Mr. VanDerlip believes it is important for Superintendent Ricca to receive feedback from people who work in the District since prior feedback has been just from the Board. Mr. Martin will be asked to provide the Board with a plan for distributing the survey. The need for certainty of anonymity was emphasized. Survey results will be sent to Mrs. Aldrich. Following that, feedback from staff and feedback from the Board will be shared with Superintendent Ricca. It was agreed that the timeframe for completing this work will be April. A meeting with Mr. Martin to discuss the rollout plan will be added to the agenda for some time in January. Discuss Op-Ed Article Mr. Phillips told the Board that Mr. Abbott is looking for Board input and reaction to his proposed letter. He wants to be sure it is accurate and the Board feels good about what he has to say. Mr. Jones expressed his reluctance to participate in the discussion about whether or not the letter is okay. If Mr. Abbott wants to write a letter expressing support for the school budget, Mr. Jones believes he should do so absent the Board’s input and approval. If, however, Mr. Abbott is looking for confirmation on the factual information contained in the letter, i.e, tax calculations, Mr. Jones offered for Mr. Abbott to contact him in his role as a state employee and not in his role as a board member for clarification on the calculation. The need to secure a writer for the school page in the Bridge was also discussed. FY15 Budget Presentation Superintendent Ricca asked board members for other information they wanted to receive in advance of the first draft of the budget presentation on December 18th. Mr. Phillips would like to hear about the functionality of programs shared with other schools, i.e., girls hockey and boys hockey. Mr. VanDerlip asked if the possibility of moving 5th grade to MSMS would affect next year’s budget. If so, he wondered about other ways to procure the money, including the possibility of warning it as a separate article or the ability to use some of the money from the bond that was already passed. Money for renovating the bathrooms at MSMS can be paid from the bond, but money for converting the locker rooms into a classroom cannot. In addition, if the 5th grade moves to MSMS, an architectural firm will have to be hired to scope out the project and some of the prework will need to be done next summer. Superintendent Ricca told board members that this money will need to come from the FY15 budget and will be included in the first draft he presents on December 18th. Consent Agenda Minutes of November 20, 2013 Warrants Resignation Andra Smith Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mrs. Bean, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the November 20, 2013 regular meeting, Warrants 30 and 31 dated December 5, 2013 in the amounts of $514,967.14 and $21,720.36 respectively, and a resignation. Motion carried unanimously. The Board thanked Mrs. Smith for her years of service. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) The new heating system at UES is performing very well and is much more cost effective. Mrs. Aldrich and Mayor Hollar had an overall positive meeting with the senior citizens on Tuesday. Ideas for inviting the seniors to participate in recess at the high school and for taking some of the student presentations to the senior center were shared. The buildings continue to look great. Use of the new security system began on Monday. At this point all but four employees have the badges they need. Alex Stetter thanked and recognized Dave Bennett for everything he’s done. Superintendent Ricca read a letter from a parent in regard to his experience with the MHS outing club. Executive Session On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to enter Executive Session at 8:59 p.m., with the superintendent remaining. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to leave Executive Session at 9:33 p.m. Contract Matter Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 9:33 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS November 20, 2013 MINUTES Minutes Approved: December 4, 2013 Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Jennifer Cahill Bean, Michele Braun, Ken Jones, Carol Paquette, Charlie Phillips, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca, Principal Adam Bunting Students: Ben Field, Alex Stetter Public: Matt McLane, Jenny Sheehan, Nathan Suter Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. Dinner with the Administrative Team The Board shared dinner and conversation with members of the Administrative Team in the cafeteria at Montpelier High School from 6-7 p.m. At 7:05 p.m., the Board moved to the library at Montpelier High School for the rest of the meeting. Adjust/Review Agenda Addition of student presentation. Addition of co-curricular contracts to the consent agenda. Addition of a short discussion regarding the superintendent’s evaluation. Public Comments None. Student Presentation Isa Ansari, Aurora Brush, Jillian Reed, Freddy Bashara, Ben Field and Reed Bingham discussed their experience as student attendees at the Rowland Conference. Talking points included student voice, relevance in education, relationships between students and teachers, personalized learning approaches and finding ways to bring students’ passions into their learning at school. Discuss Technology Phase II – Michael Martin Mr. Martin was unable to attend tonight’s meeting. In his absence, Superintendent Ricca discussed the need to hire a network administrator to help oversee day-to-day operations through the remainder of the 2013-2014 academic year. An RFP for these services was prepared. Advertising for the RFP was discussed. Superintendent Ricca reported that only one bid was received and recommended acceptance of that bid. Action Item Approve Technology RFP Recommendation Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, to accept the bid from Wild Branch Solutions for technology services through the remainder of the school year as recommended by the superintendent. Motion carried unanimously. Follow-Up discussion Regarding Parking Lot at MHS Board members shared received feedback. The public hearing on this matter is scheduled for December 4, 2013. Review Expectations Regarding End #3 Superintendent Ricca asked the Board for guidance on indicators to be used to document evidence for this policy. The focus of the discussion became ePortfolios. Superintendent Ricca will update the Board on the current status of and the rollout plan for the ePortfolios. Mrs. Braun expressed interest in receiving additional information in regard to personalized learning plans. She noted the need for identifying systems currently in place and what is needed going forward. Mr. VanDerlip suggested finding ways to talk to students to get their perception of what rigor and relevance is. Mr. Phillips questioned the process for finalizing the ends policies. Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mr. Phillips, to adopt the ends policies. Motion carried unanimously. FY15 Budget Discussion and Refinement According to Superintendent Ricca, two variables at this point are the commitment to moving fifth grade to MSMS and the amount of resources to commit for Community Connections. Priorities and values to consider in budget discussions include relevance, relationships, sustained leadership, and economic sustainability. Superintendent Ricca noted the importance of conversations about what the community values rather than what program might be on the chopping block. Montpelier resident Nathan Suter suggested as a starting point a proposal that establishes what is needed to maintain the current program and then a wish list from the superintendent. Mr. VanDerlip recognized the erosion of public support for the budget over the years and cited the need for a fiscally responsible budget with a determined dollar limit. He believes the Board needs to determine the “size of the pie” with some appreciation for the fact that it may get a little bit bigger. Mrs. Aldrich believes the budget is not about establishing a certain number, but rather about determining what’s responsible. She does not want decisions to be totally cost driven, and she is looking for a budget that maintains quality programs, preserves small class sizes, and establishes a foreign language program at the elementary school over the next few years. Mrs. Braun suggested looking at the programmatic result of a 2% per-pupil increase budget with an Admin. Team wish list beyond that. Mr. Jones reiterated his belief for the need to deliver more education with less money. He wants to see strategies for not replacing teachers who are leaving, as well as to continue to push the administration for alternative ways to deliver services. Mr. Phillips no longer thinks a 2% per-pupil increase budget is appropriate and he would like to take that proposal off the table. He believes the Board needs to provide Superintendent Ricca with a number to work with. Following discussion, Superintendent Ricca requested permission to proceed with a first round budget absent a specific target number. He will approach the first draft of the budget mindful of fiscal responsibility and in terms of what the Board needs. Subsequent conversations will follow from that point. There was consensus to proceed in this fashion. Discuss Superintendent Evaluation Process Per the Board calendar, the evaluation is scheduled to be completed in November. Superintendent Ricca is entering his third year without a formal evaluation. At this point the missing piece is feedback from the people who work with him. A survey tool for gathering this feedback was discussed. Mr. Phillips asked to see the questions to be included on the survey. Consent Agenda Minutes of November 6, 2013 Warrants Co-Curricular Contracts Mr. Phillips moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the November 6, 2013 regular meeting, Warrants 27, 28 and 29 dated November 21, 2013 in the amounts of $805,887.64, $20,230.32 and $16,140.14 respectively, and co-curricular contracts (see listing). Motion carried unanimously. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) Student council has started a wreath fundraiser for technology. Executive Session On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to enter Executive Session at 9:25 p.m., with the superintendent remaining. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to leave Executive Session at 9:44 p.m. Contract Matter Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 9:44 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder Co-curricular Appointments MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS November 6, 2013 MINUTES Minutes Approved: November 20, 2013 Present Board: Sue Aldrich, Michele Braun, Ken Jones, Charlie Phillips, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca, Director of Support Services Mary Lundeen, Director of Facilities Thom Wood Students: Ben Field, Alex Stetter Public: Dave Bennett, Cindy Bubrouski, Ginny Burley, Benjamin Clark, Laura Dunwoody, Audrey Famette, Rebecca Girrell, Norma Maurice, Drew McNaughton, Diadel Ortiz, Elisa Otter, Claudia Pringles, Karen Songhurst, Nathan Suter, Andrea Talentino, Peter Watt, and others Absent: Jennifer Cahill Bean, Carol Paquette Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. Adjust/Review Agenda Mr. Phillips requested a brief discussion about the timeline for implementation of a foreign language program at Union Elementary School. Public Comments Montpelier resident Nathan Suter expressed his support for a budget increase in excess of 2% due to concerns about staffing reductions. Visit with Director of Support Services Director of Support Services Mary Lundeen provided an overview of the special education program including information as to how the program is funded, current service delivery models, and ideas for moving forward to effectively use resources. Discuss Community Connections Community Connections staff reported on the differences seen by them this year with the transition. Dave Bennett announced his resignation. Several community members expressed their support for the program. Norma Maurice asked if funding for this program could be presented as a separate ballot item. Discuss Parking Lot at MHS Director of Facilities Thom Wood provided an update on discussions with the State. The State is anxious to improve their parking situation and would like to build this summer if the project is a go. Financing options and a timeframe for making a decision were discussed. A portion of the meeting on December 4th will be reserved for a public hearing on this matter. Superintendent Ricca will follow up with City Manager Bill Fraser and with Attorney Pietro Lynn in terms of next steps. Discuss Superintendent Limitations Reports Passed over. 2.3 Financial Condition and Activities 2.4 Financial Planning and Budgeting FY15 Budget Conversation Requested budget scenarios were provided. Two factors to consider but not included in the numbers provided by Superintendent Ricca are the parking lot at MHS and the possible relocation of 5th grade to MSMS in FY16. If either of those projects move forward, some of the money needs to be set aside in the FY15 budget. Mr. Jones asked Superintendent Ricca to develop the proposed 2% per-pupil increase budget with 7.25 position reductions. Mr. Jones believes new models for the delivery of education need to be explored and asked Superintendent Ricca to identify possible ways to provide the same service with the reductions he requested. Mr. Phillips and Mr. VanDerlip agreed. Mrs. Aldrich believes Mr. Jones’ proposal is worth seeing, but cautioned against it. Discuss Proposed Revisions to the City Charter Superintendent Ricca will seek clarification on §5-603 regarding vacancies in the office of school commissioners. Other than that, the Board approved the proposed changes recommended by the two attorneys involved in this matter. Discuss Timeline for Implementation of a Foreign Language Program at Union Elementary School Mr. Phillips asked for clarification on a start date in the event a decision is made to implement a foreign language program at the elementary school. Superintendent Ricca explained that because of the Board’s directive to pursue a proficiency model, the earliest such a program could begin would be August 2015. Consent Agenda Minutes of October 16, 2013 Warrants Co-Curricular Contracts Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mr. Phillips, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the October 16, 2013 regular meeting, Warrants 24, 25 and 26 dated November 7, 2013 in the amounts of $1,032,077.35, $24,674.19 and $24,459.20 respectively, and co-curricular contracts (see listing). Motion carried unanimously. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) Seventeen students and sixteen faculty members attended the Rowland Conference at UVM today. Mr. VanDerlip inquired as to progress on the superintendent’s evaluation since it is on the schedule to be discussed at the next meeting. Executive Session On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to enter Executive Session at 9:57 p.m., with the superintendent remaining. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to leave Executive Session at 10:47 p.m. Contract Matter Tuition Waiver Requests Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 10:47 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder Co-curricular Appointments MEETING OF THE
MONTPELIER BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS October 16, 2013 MINUTES Minutes Approved: November 6, 2013 Present Board: Sue Aldrich (arr. 7:03 p.m.), Jennifer Cahill Bean, Michele Braun, Ken Jones, Carol Paquette, Charlie Phillips, Lowell VanDerlip Administration: Superintendent Brian Ricca, Director of Facilities Thom Wood, Director of Recreation Arne McMullen Students: Ben Field (arr. 7:03 p.m.), Alex Stetter Public: Myles Chater, Edisa Muller, and others Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Vice Chairman Charlie Phillips. Adjust/Review Agenda Mr. Phillips asked to provide a short update on labor relations. Public Comments None. Student Presentation – MSMS Team Sirius Mr. Rosenberg and members of the 7/8 Team Sirius science class gave a presentation on their food unit. Discuss Field Trips Following a short discussion in regard to transportation, Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mr. VanDerlip, to approve both field trips. Motion carried unanimously, Mrs. Aldrich abstaining. Lonesome Lake – Myles Chater New York City – Myles Chater Review Recreation Department Truck Bids – Arne McMullen Mr. McMullen reported on his efforts to secure bids. Despite his efforts, only two bids were submitted and one of those bids was incomplete. Mr. McMullen recommended purchase of the truck through Gateway Motors for the amount of $40,170, plus an additional $1,700 for an extended warranty, for a total bid price of $41,870. There is sufficient money in the Recreation Department’s fund balance to pay for the truck and this purchase will not affect the Recreation Department’s FY15 budget. Mr. VanDerlip moved, seconded by Mr. Phillips, to accept the recommendation of the Recreation Department to purchase a new plow truck through Gateway Motors. Motion carried unanimously. Visit with Director of Facilities Thom Wood Mr. Wood provided a space analysis in regard to the possibility of moving the 5th grade to MSMS. The square footage configuration of each building was provided. From a statistical point of view, Mr. Wood said it makes sense to move the 5th grade to MSMS. It was decided that the focus of the Board’s work post budget will be substantive conversations on this issue. These conversations and the gathering of community input and feedback will take place in February, March and April of 2014. If, following those discussions, there is no support for the idea of moving the 5th grade to MSMS, the Board asked Mr. Wood for an idea of the level of work needed at UES to make that building optimal for the permanent housing of grades K-5. If, in the alternative, there is support for the idea of moving the 5th grade to MSMS, Mr. Wood will return to the Board with a proposal at the first May meeting, with a final decision at the second May meeting. This timeline will allow the development process to begin in June 2014, with construction to begin in June 2015. Mr. Wood also provided updates on the entry access system, paving of the Franklin Street parking lot at MSMS, roof bids for MSMS, parking renovation work, the bleachers at MHS, and the district heat. He promised to return at a future date with ideas for upgrading ventilation on the new part of the building at UES. Update on Foreign Language at Union Elementary School Superintendent Ricca asked the Board for a direction to pursue, exposure or proficiency? Following discussion, the Board delivered a directive to pursue a proficiency model. Discuss FY15 Budget Priorities Superintendent Ricca asked board members for desired budget scenarios to begin upcoming discussions. Mr. Jones would like to see a budget with a 2% per-pupil increase. Mrs. Braun wants a level-funded discretionary spending budget. Mrs. Aldrich would like a rollover budget to see what type of increase that generates. Ms. Paquette would also like to see a rollover budget. Mr. Phillips wants a 2% per-pupil increase scenario, along with exploration of offering a buyout. Mr. VanDerlip would like a budget with a per-pupil spending increase no more than statewide or local CPI. Mr. VanDerlip also asked to look at distribution of staffing from building to building as he believes there are some strange inequities there. Mrs. Bean was satisfied with the scenarios presented. Superintendent Ricca noted the caveat that the rollover budget will be based on last year’s numbers. Mrs. Braun would also like to hear about needed additions to the budget as seen by the administrators or anything that naturally needs to go. Alex Stetter and Ben Field will poll the students as to things they would add to or get rid of from their educational program if given the chance. Review Superintendent Limitations Policies 2.3 Financial Condition and Activities Under subparagraph #4, Mr. VanDerlip noted the need for the Board to receive the annual audit before budget season and asked Superintendent Ricca to investigate why that does not happen. Under subparagraph #5, he noted the need for more dialogue about quarterly financial reports. Under subparagraph #12, Mr. VanDerlip would like to know the grants that are available and which ones are being pursued. 2.4 Financial Planning and Budgeting Regarding subparagraph #6, Mr. VanDerlip feels it would be very helpful to see the progression in budget functions and asked for assurance of when that will happen in the budget process. Regarding the upcoming budget process, Mrs. Braun asked for budgeted and actuals for FY13, budgeted for FY14, and proposed budgeted for FY15. Discuss Board Subcommittees Mrs. Braun and Mr. Phillips will serve on the foreign language at the elementary school subcommittee. Mr. VanDerlip and Mr. Jones will serve on the subcommittee for spending discussions with the VAM people. Superintendent Ricca asked that the focus of those discussions be contained to discretionary spending. Mr. Jones will also serve on the facilities subcommittee. Review Quarterly Financial Report The FY14 first quarter financial report was reviewed and discussed. Update on Labor Relations Mr. Phillips reported on his recent meeting with the MEA representatives. During that meeting, concern about the evaluation process at Union Elementary School was expressed in a positive way. The numbers Principal Hennessey is dealing with are problematic. According to Mr. Phillips, these numbers will continue to climb and he wanted to bring this matter to the Board’s attention since it was also an issue last year. There is a plan already in place that was proposed by Superintendent Ricca and which the Union believes will work very well. Consent Agenda Minutes of October 2, 2013 Warrants Mr. VanDerlip moved, seconded by Mrs. Bean, to approve the consent agenda including minutes of the October 2, 2013 regular meeting and Warrants 21, 22 and 23 dated October 24, 2013 in the amounts of $862,892.77, $24,921.89 and $137,531.20 respectively. Motion carried unanimously. Announcements/Review Meeting (+/∆) Katy Chabot and Mike Baginski were honored today as UVM teachers of the year. The network upgrade was completed successfully. Adjournment On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 9:48 p.m. Heather Michaud Recorder |