DEER ISLE – STONINGTON CSD SCHOOL COMMITTEE

MEETING MINUTES

July 20, 2005

 

Board Members Present: Jim Adams, Aimee Eaton, Walter Kumiega, Joe Babbitt,

Skip Greenlaw and Mark Cormier

 

Staff Present: Penny Wendell, Catherine Ring, Heather Barton Lindloff, Judy Rhodes, Ellen Lamerson, Tasha Conary Brown, Darren Eaton, Kim Larsen, Matt Larsen, Terry Siebert, and Robert Webster

 

Citizens and Guests Present: Leslie Carr, Isaac Kestenbaum, Robert Braun, Tony Gentile, Sherm

`                                                   Hutchins and Crystal Robbins

 

1.      Call to Order/Quorum

Chairman Kumiega opened the meeting and declared a quorum at 6:30 p.m.

 

2. Moment of Silence

A moment of silence was observed.

 

3. Citizen’s Comments

Braun, noting his background as an educator, declared it his intention to attend school committee meetings to participate in the monthly discussions of the agenda. He suggested a future agenda item on ways that the school committee could reduce staff. Robbins asked the school committee to initiate the hiring process for coaching positions earlier so that new coaches would have a chance to organizing summer athletic activities.

 

4. Approval of the Agenda

Motion by Greenlaw, second by Babbitt, to approve the agenda with the addition of an elementary principal’s report and the deletion of the action items 9C1., 9C6. and 9C7. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

 

5. Approval of the Minutes

Motion by Eaton, second by Cormier, to approve the minutes of June 7, 2005 as written. Vote: 5 Yes; 0 No, 1 Abstention (Babbitt).

 

6. REPORTS

A. Transportation Committee Webster reported on the June meeting of the committee with Doreen Sams, the new First Student area manager. The problems with the bus operation over the last three months of school were reviewed in detail. Kumiega noted that First Student paid a penalty of $4,950 on the 04-05 contract due to late buses and doubled runs.

 

B. High School Principal Wendell noted that Bernie Kolysher obtained a very good price on the computer purchase for replacement equipment. The TLC Team had productive sessions at the Great Maine Schools Conference. Deer Isle-Stonington High School will receive another $10,000 staff development grant for 05-06. The team includes Tom Duym, Mary Banfield, Liz Small, Dennis Saindon, Keith Hoover and Penny Wendell. Tom Duym received a $2,000 grant from the Lobster Council to study the lobster fishery. The attendance rate at the high school was 94% in 04-05. Motion by Greenlaw, second by Eaton, to accept the Great Maine Schools Grant and the Lobster Council Grant. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

C. Elementary School Principal Ring reported that summer schools are underway. A very successful arts camp just finished up. She had recommended and the superintendent approved the transfer requests of Torri Robbins from grade four to the middle level and Tasha Conary Brown from grade three to grade four. Remaining teaching vacancies include technology teacher, middle level special education teacher and the one year grade three/five team teacher position.

 

D. Superintendent Webster noted the passage of LD 856 making it possible for school unions to become fiscal agents for towns that operate municipal schools. This would have to be approved by the voters at a town meeting. Work has started on the elementary school athletic field and will soon start on the replacement of the Marine Trades building roof. The Commissioner of Education reported the possible replacement of the current grade eleven MEA test with the SAT. Webster distributed the high school program of studies for 2005-06. The Maine Municipal Bond Bank has informed the CSD that a reissue of bonds will save the school district $184,198 over the remaining sixteen years of the bond on DISES.

 

9. ACTION ITEM

               C. Personnel

                     Kumiega suggested that the personnel decisions be taken up before the other items on the agenda so that people in attendance would not have to wait for the rest of the meeting. There was unanimous consent.

 

                     1. Special Education Teacher - Removed from the agenda.

 

                     2. Varsity Boys Soccer Coach – Motion by Greenlaw, second by Babbitt, to approve the superintendent’s nomination of Seth Laplant as varsity boys soccer coach for the 2005-06 season. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

 

                     3. Varsity Cheering Coach - Motion by Greenlaw, second by Eaton, to approve the superintendent’s nomination of Kimberly Larsen as varsity cheering coach for the 2005-06 season. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

                     4. Girls Varsity Basketball Coach - Motion by Greenlaw, second by Eaton, to approve the superintendent’s nomination of Terry Siebert as varsity girls basketball coach for the 2005-06 season. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

                     5. Summer School Ed. Tech. - Motion by Greenlaw, second by Babbitt, to approve the superintendent’s nomination of Tiffany Dauk as an ed. tech. for the summer school program. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

 

                     6. K-8 Technology Teacher – Removed from the agenda.

 

                     7. Middle Level Teacher – Removed from the agenda.

 

7. EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion by Greenlaw, second by Babbitt, to enter executive session at 7:21 p.m. on a personnel matter pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 § § (6)(A)(D) and (F). Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No. Participants were Greenlaw, Babbitt, Kumiega, Eaton, Cormier, Adams, Gentile, Lamerson, Rhodes, Ring, Wendell, and Webster. The school committee returned to regular session at 8:28 p.m.

 

8. DISCUSSION ITEMS

A.    Tennis Court Fund Raising

Athletic Director Larsen presented information on the concept of fund raising for construction of tennis courts on the school site. Kristen Eberdt has a group of interested tennis supporters who would like to go ahead with raising the $160,000 that would be needed for four courts. This would allow the high school tennis team to host home matches. All school committee members were supportive of the effort.

 

B.     New or Revised Policies

1. Teacher Evaluation Policy 5.01 Wendell and Ring reviewed detailed information on new procedures for implementation of the revised evaluation policy. The school committee will take up an action item on the policy at the regular September meeting to allow additional time for teachers’ review of the proposed changes.

 

2. Vending Machine Policy 6.11 Barton Lindloff explained the purpose of the new policy on vending machines and answered questions about current usage at the schools. The second reading will take place at the next meeting.

 

C.     Contracted Services Bid Specifications The superintendent provided draft copies of bid specifications for the July 5^th meeting. The bids ads had to be sent out prior to the rescheduled meeting on July 20^th. No discussion on the bid information.

 

9. ACTION ITEMS

               A. Music Curriculum

Motion by Greenlaw, second by Adams, to approve the music curriculum as presented at the June 7, 2005 school committee meeting. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

 

B. Policies

Motion by Babbitt, second by Greenlaw, to approve the Head Cook Job Description Policy 9.06, the Assistant Cook Job Description Policy 9.06A (as amended) and the Crisis Response Policy 7.10. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

 

C. Personnel Nominations

The nominations were taken up earlier in the agenda.

 

D. Elementary Athletic Field Bids

        There were no bids. Webster reported that Skip Eaton planned to provide a quote for work on the second elementary athletic field.

 

E. Baseball Team Commendation

The school committee congratulated coach Darren Eaton on the Deer Isle-Stonington High School Baseball team’s tremendous season. Darren thanked the school committee for approving the junior varsity baseball program last fall and praised the young men who won the championship and his assistant coach Scott Seile. He also mentioned the need to replace the outfield fence. Motion by Greenlaw, second by Babbitt, to commend the 2004-05 boys varsity baseball team on their class D state championship. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

 

10. COMMUNICATIONS

        Webster notified the school committee of a letter from former island resident Wanda Sickles requesting school committee consideration of a proposal to name the high school gym after her late father Bill Wilson. Adams suggested naming the elementary cafeteria after long time chess coach Dick Powell. Webster provided a copy of a letter written by attorney Nathan Dane on behalf of the school district to recover funds owed to the district by the elementary school general contractor D.L. Poulin. Motion by Eaton, second by Babbitt, to extend the meeting past 9:30 p.m. until the business of the meeting is completed. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

 

11. EXECUTIVE SESSION

Motion by Greenlaw, second by Eaton, to enter executive session at 9:30 p.m. on a personnel matter pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 § § (6)(A)(D) and (F). Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No. Participants were Greenlaw, Babbitt, Kumiega, Eaton, Cormier, Adams and Webster. The school committee returned to regular session at 9:54 p.m.

 

12. Contract Grievance

Motion by Greenlaw, second by Babbitt, to direct the superintendent to revise the letter that prompted the grievance. Vote: 6 Yes; 0 No.

 

13. Adjournment

Motion by Babbitt, second by Cormier, to adjourn the meeting at 9:56 p.m. Vote: 6 yes; 0 no.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

___________________________________

Superintendent of Schools