BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
February 25, 2008
District Office
The
minutes are unofficial pending Board of Education approval.
Members
Present
Linda
Competillo, Michael Lockwood, Bob Miller, Chris Montreuil, Jeanne Petrella, Martha
Smith,
and
Miriam Zubal
Also
Present
Jennifer
Dove, Connie Miller Filzen, Eric Hartz, Tim Heller, Brenda Myers, Michelle
Pronti, and David Remick, Sheri Shurtleff
Present in the Audience
Eric
& Erica Toyama, Laura Hathaway, Karen Brennan, Wendy Cummings, Darcy &
Victor & Angeline Krupa, Cory & Sarah Giroux, Chad DeVoe, Courtney
Coffee, Paul Wiech, Sarah Goyette, and Jen Evener
Call
to Order
Miriam
Zubal called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
There was a quorum check, assurance of meeting posting and recitation of
the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval
of Agenda
A motion was made by Jeanne Petrella, seconded by Linda Competillo, and carried – 7 ayes, to approve the agenda.
Approval
of Minutes
A
motion was made by Martha Smith, seconded by Mike Lockwood, and carried – 7
ayes, to approve the minutes from the February 11, 2008, Board of Education
meeting.
Acceptance of
Treasurer’s Reports
A
motion was made by Jeanne Petrella, seconded by Chris Montreuil, and carried –
7 ayes, to accept the January 2008 Treasurer’s Report.
Summary
of Executive Session
Dr. Brenda Myers reported that at the February 11,
2008, Executive Session, the following topics were discussed:
1. CSE/CPSE Recommendations
2. Employment History of a Specific Individual
3. Specific Student Incident
Tenure
Celebration
- Tim Heller introduced Laura Hathaway.
- Connie Filzen talked about Melissa Sorenson (could
not be present) and introduced Wendy Cummings, Chad DeVoe, Corey Giroux and
Eric Toyama.
- Eric Hartz introduced Karen Brenna, Darcy Krupa,
and Paul Wiech.
Miram Zubal presented each teacher and teaching
assistant a token of appreciation from the Board and a Tenure Certificate. The Administration and Board expressed their
congratulations to the candidates and their families and friends in attendance.
The Board then took a short recess to celebrate with
a cake in the teachers’ and teaching assistants’ honor.
Presentations
1. Eric Toyama – Middle School Chorus Trip to Sea
Breeze (
- Students spend the year rehearsing for
school concerts and competition
- Sea Breeze holds a Showcase Competition
for students between concert seasons
- Bus will leave school at 6:45 a.m. on May
17, 2008; students will perform for the judges when they arrive at the park; after completing the performance, 125
students will spend the rest of the day
at the park.
- An awards ceremony will be held at the
end of the day.
- Last year,
2. Michelle Pronti – Special
Education Task Force
- Distributed handout
- Committee made up of members
from Elementary, Middle, and High School – broad prospective
- Meet 5 times per year for
half-day
- Representatives inform other
staff at faculty meetings
3. Brenda Myers - Budget Priorities
- Distributed handout showing
3-year progression
4. Brenda Myers – Budget History
- Sheri Shurtleff distributed
handout showing 9-year history of budgets and tax levies
5. Brenda Myers – Capital Reserve
- Explained advantages of
establishing a Capital Reserve Fund for the next capital project
- Discussed letter from
Coughlin and Gerhart which outlines criteria for submitting a proposition to District voters to establish a Fund
Staff
and/or Board Committee Reports
Dr. Brenda Myers, Superintendent:
1. Shared
Decision Making
-
Biennial review required
-
No recommendation to make any changes
-
Electronic submission by March 1
2. RFP
for School Physician
- will develop and
distribute new Request for Proposals
3. Ross
Field Advisory Committee
- Met with the Groton Fire Department Board
of Wardens to discuss parcel of land bordering Ross
Field
-
Members of Sports Boosters attended meeting with Brenda
Sheri Shurtleff, Business Manager:
1.
Distributed
and discussed Year-to-Date Budget Status and Summary of Budget Transfers
Reports
Board
President’s Report – Miriam Zubal
1. School Events
- athletic
events
- Winterfest
2. Board Retreat – March 17, 2008
- Jennifer
Dove will facilitate
- Brenda
distributed draft agenda
3. 2008-09 Calendar
- Distributed
and discussed tentative meeting dates
Approval
of Substitutes
A motion was made by Martha Smith, seconded
by Jeanne Petrella, and carried – 7 ayes, to approve the following substitutes:
1. Jennifer Turner, Food Service
Helper
2. Stacy Vyskocil, Cleaner
Approval of
District Shared Decision-Making Plan and Biennial Review
A motion was made by Chris Montreuil, seconded by Bob Miller, and carried – 7 ayes, to approve the District Shared-Decision Making Plan.
Policies
– #7132 Non-resident Students and #7530 Child Abuse and Neglect/Maltreatment
After discussion, the Board decided to make additional changes to the policies and postpone the 2nd reading until the March 10 meeting. The tuition rates for students and families who paid tuition prior to 1980 will be designated as “Grandfather Clause” in Policy #7132. Some changes will also be made to Policy #7530.
Resolution
for Authorization to Join 2008-09 Group Bread Bid
A motion was made by Bob Miller, seconded by Linda Competillo, and carried – 7 ayes, to approve a resolution to participate in the Greater Southern Tier BOCES cooperative bread and bread products bid (resolution attached to official minutes).
Acceptance
of Letter of Resignation
A motion was made by Bob Miller, seconded by Linda Competillo, and carried – 7 ayes, to accept a Letter of Resignation from Amy Beaudin (Special Education Teacher), effective June 30, 2008.
Appointment
of 2007-08 Spring Coaches
A motion was made by Martha Smith, seconded by Jeanne Petrella, and carried – 7 ayes, to appoint the following spring coaches for the 2007-08 school year:
- Gary Giroux, Baseball Head Coach
- Cory Giroux, JV Baseball
- Fred Ott, Modified Baseball
- Marty Conner, Golf Head Coach
- John D’Antonio, Softball Head Coach
- Dick Brecht, JV Softball
- Jen Aarne, Modified Softball
- Dennis Rhoads, Varsity Boys Track Head Coach
- Scott Weeks, Varsity Girls Track Head Coach
- Tim LaFrance, Modified Track
Approval
of Leaders’ Club Trip
A motion was made by Martha Smith, seconded by Bob Miller, and carried – 7 ayes, to approve a Leaders’ Club trip to Sea Breeze Darien Lake on June 18, 2008.
Approval of 2008-09 School Calendar
A motion was made by Chris Montreuil, seconded by Martha Smith, and carried – 7 ayes, to approve the 2008-09 School Calendar as presented by the Superintendent (copy attached to official minutes).
Meeting
Summary
- Tenure
for great teachers and teaching assistants
- Spring
coaches
- Field
trips
- Budget
priorities
- MS
Honor Lists and Perfect Attendance Lists
Executive Session – 8:30 p.m.
A
motion was made by Jeanne Petrella, seconded by Bob Miller, and carried – 7
ayes, to go into Executive Session to discuss:
1. CSE/CPSE Recommendations
2. Employment History of a
Specific Individual
3. Collective Bargaining
Board Members Present in Executive Session
Linda Competillo, Michael Lockwood, Bob Miller, Chris Montreuil, Jeanne Petrella, Martha Smith, and Miriam Zubal
Also Present
Michelle
Pronti (left at 8:51 p.m.), Brenda Myers
Reconvene Meeting – 9:37 p.m.
A
motion was made by Jeanne Petrella, seconded by Martha Smith, and carried – 7
ayes, to reconvene to regular session.
Acceptance of
CSE/CPSE Recommendations
A motion was made by Linda Competillo, seconded by Michael
Lockwood, and carried – 7 ayes, to accept the CSE/CPSE recommendations as
presented.
Adjournment – 9:38
p.m.
On a motion made by Martha Smith, seconded by Bob Miller,
and carried – 7 ayes, the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Sheri Shurtleff
Secretary pro tem