DEER ISLE – STONINGTON CSD SCHOOL COMMITTEE

SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES

March 25, 2004

Board Members Present: Jim Adams, Aimee Eaton, Walter Kumiega, Mark Cormier and Skip

Greenlaw at 6:20 p.m.

Board Member Absent: Barrett Brewer

Staff Present: Billy Voisine, Nelson Monteith, Warren Berkowitz, Catherine Ring, Penny Wendell and Robert Webster

Citizens & Guests Present: Peggi Stevens

1. Call to Order/Quorum

Chairman Kumiega opened the meeting and declared a quorum at 6:07 p.m.

2. Moment of Silence

A moment of silence was observed.

3. Citizen’s Comments

There were no citizen comments

4. Approval of the Agenda

Motion by Eaton, second by Adams, to approve the agenda as presented. Vote: 4 Yes; 0 No.

5. ACTION ITEMS

A. Field Trip Tammy Wolff presented information on the proposed field trip to Boston

for a performance of “Othello” and a visit to the Gaugin exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts. Both activities are directly relevant to current student academic work in Mr. Powell, Ms. Lehto and Ms. Wolff’s classes. Motion by Adams, second by Eaton, to approve the field trip to Boston. Vote: 4 yes; 0 no.

6. DISCUSSION ITEMS

A. CSD ByLaws Policy 1.02 Eaton pointed out that several sections of the policy were

outdated as a result of the election of school committee members on an at-large basis. Webster will make the revisions and forward a copies to the Board.

B. Budget Information Planning

Committee members agreed that budget information will be provided to the public using the traditional newspaper insert, the school’s website, an article in the daily newspaper immediately after the district budget meeting, a bulk mailing after the district budget meeting, and in school newsletters. There was discussion on the ballot format. Webster is still awaiting legal counsel on that issue.

C. Draft #4 Budget Review

Warren Berkowitz, Billy Voisine, Nelson Monteith, and Peggi Stevens each answered questions and provided information on special education, alternative education and Arts In Education Committee programs and budget requests. The school committee directed the administrators to develop a list of priorities for budget reductions that will create a budget with a 4.5% increase for 2004-05.

7. EXECUTIVE SESSION on teacher negotiations

Motion by Eaton, second by Cormier, to enter executive session on teacher contract negotiations at 8:45 p.m. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no. Participants were Adams, Cormier, Eaton, Greenlaw, Kumiega, and Webster. The Board returned to regular session at 9:16 p.m.

8. Adjournment

Motion by Greenlaw, second by Eaton, to adjourn the meeting at 9:16 p.m. Vote: 5 yes; 0 no.

Respectfully Submitted,

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Superintendent of Schools