DEER ISLE-STONINGTON CSD SCHOOL COMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
January 21, 2004
Board Members Present: Skip Greenlaw, Barrett Brewer, Aimee Eaton, Walter
Board Member Absent: Ted
Ames
Staff Present: Mike
Wood, Penny Wendell and Robert Webster
Citizens Present: David Walsh and Ryan Billings
1) Call to Order/Quorum:
Chairwoman
Brewer opened the meeting and declared a quorum at 3:35 p.m.
2) Moment of Silence:
A
moment of silence was observed.
3) Citizen Comments:
There were no citizen comments.
4) Approval of the Agenda:
Motion by Greenlaw, second by Eaton, to approve
agenda as presented. Vote: 4 Yes, 0 No.
6) ACTION ITEMS
A. Corrected CSD
Election Warrant Motion
by Eaton, second by Greenlaw, to
approve
the corrected CSD 13 Warrant in Stonington for he March 1, 2004
School
Committee Election. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.
B. 1. Art Enrichment Donation
Motion by Kumiega, second by Greenlaw, to accept
the
donated funds of $6,367.55 for an art enrichment program from an
anonymous
donor with the direction to the superintendent to write to the
donor
explaining that in the future only an unrestricted gift that does not
designate
a person to provide the art enrichment program would be
accepted. Vote: 3 yes; 2 no (Brewer, Eaton).
2. Gifted/Talented
Donation Motion by
Kumiega, second by Greenlaw, to accept
an anonymous donation
of $2,950.00 for the elementary school enrichment
program. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.
5)
DISCUSSION ITEM
A.
Display of Inappropriate Language
Ryan Billings provided two lists of potentially
objectionable words which were
reviewed
by the school committee members.
Ryan explained that one list was for
words
that would not be displayed under any circumstances. Ryan suggested that
the
second list of words should be permitted unless someone made a formal
complaint,
which would then be reviewed and a decision made at the discretion of
the
administration. Mrs. Wendell asked
for clear direction from the school
committee
on the subjective judgment needed in determining unacceptable
language. Board members were divided on whether
or not some of the words on
RyanÕs
list should be banned from display on vehicles brought by students to
school. After considerable discussion, the
consensus of the school committee was
to
support Mrs. WendellÕs implementation of the policy with the expectation that
if a
student or parent insisted on keeping an objectionable message on a vehicle,
that
the vehicle could be parked across the road from the school. After an initial
willingness
to consider appeals of administrative enforcement, most school
committee
members expressed their intent to support Mrs. WendellÕs decisions on
this
issue rather than having appeals brought to the Board. The school committee
thanked
Ryan for his advocacy on this issue.
6. ACTION ITEMS (continued)
C. Maintenance Committee Appointment
Motion
by Greenlaw, second by Eaton, to appoint Walter Kumiega and
Mark
Cormier to the CSD Maintenance Committee.
Vote: 5 Yes; 0 No.
D. Accounts Payable Authorization
Motion
by Greenlaw, second by Kumiega, to authorize the superintendent to
sign
accounts payable checks in the absence of the treasurer, after the school
committee
chair has reviewed and approved the payable warrant. Vote: 5
Yes;
0 No.
7. EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion by Greenlaw, second
by Kumiega, to enter executive session on employee contract negotiations at
4:40 p.m. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no. Greenlaw, Kumiega,
Eaton, Brewer, Cormier and Webster participated in the executive session. The school committee returned to
regular session at 5:07 p.m.
8. Adjournment
Motion
by Greenlaw, second by Kumiega, to
adjourn meeting at 5:07 p.m.
Vote:
5 yes; 0 no.
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________
Superintendent of Schools