Georgia Elementary & Middle School

Georgia, VT

January 18, 2005

These minutes are not approved until accepted by the School Directors at their next meeting.

Present

v       Georgia Board Members:  Doug Bergstrom, Chair; Chris Mitiguy, Clerk; Ron King, Alice Sturgeon, Dan Harvey

v       Administrators:  Phil Higgins, Superintendent; Frank Calano, Middle School Principal; and David Young, Elementary School Principal, Chris Sumner (part of the meeting)

v       Transcriptionist:  Wendy Larose

v       Channel 16 Technician: 

v       Others:  Georgia residents (approximately 10)

I.    Call to Order:

      Doug Bergstrom called the School Board Meeting to order at 6:07 p.m.

II.   Approve Minutes:

A.     Regular meeting – January 4^th – change year to 2005. 

      Motion to approve the regular meeting minutes (Harvey/Mitiguy). Motion passed unanimously. 

B.     Budget Meeting – January 11^th – no changes. 

      Motion to approve the regular meeting minutes (Harvey/Mitiguy). Motion passed unanimously. 

III. Review Correspondence

      There was one letter regarding pullouts.  It will be put on the next agenda. 

IV. Public Comments

      No public comments.

V.  Reports

      A.      Principal’s Reports

v       Elementary school:  Dave Young report school was cancelled on Wednesday, January 12^th.  This was due to the forecast in weather and not because of a change in the bus contract.    

v       Middle school:  NAEP in science and math will be administered to grades 4 and 8 on January 27^th.  More tests (NECAP) are being given in grade 5 on January 25^th and 26^th.  February 9^th is the high school fair at Georgia.  8^th grade parent conferences will be held before the high school fair to allow for parents to focus on academic status of students and not the high school fair.  Ski bus starts in February.  There is a student assembly for grades 3-8 on February 11^th for bullying. 

      B.      Financial Reports

v       No update.

      C.   Board Reports

v       No update.

VI. Old Business:

A.            Approve FY2006 Budget Proposal:  minor changes made to the budget (i.e. unemployment insurance decreased, carbon filters added to the budget). 

            Motion to approve the budget as presented (Harvey/Bergstrom). Vote 3-1 in favor of motion.

VII.      New Business:

      A.            Approve FY2006 Tuition Rate:  Chris Sumner, Business Manager, recommended $7,800 for elementary school; $7,000 for middle school.  The allowable rate calculated by the state was $7,549 and $6,579. 

            Motion to accept Business Manager’s recommendation of FY2006 tuition (Sturgeon/Mitiguy).  Motion passed unanimously. 

      B.            Approve Official Warning:  Phil Higgins passed out a resolution certificate, two warnings and an official ballot for the capital improvement bond. 

            Motion to approve the Official Warning (King/Harvey). Motion passed unanimously.

      C.   Legal Warnings - reviewed by board.

            Motion to adopt both legal warnings (Harvey/Mitiguy).  Motion passed unanimously.

            Motion to accept Warning Ballot (King/Harvey).  Motion passed unanimously.

      D.      Approve Capital Bond:  see notes above.

      E.            Approve School Action Plan:  Ron King suggested future action plans be more specific and not so open ended. 

            Motion to accept the 2004-2006 School Action Plan as presented (King/Harvey).  Motion passed unanimously.

VIII. Policy Review

        A.   Board Meeting Agenda Preparation & Distribution:  No additional changes made since last meeting.

            Motion to accept policy as presented (Mitiguy/King).  Motion passed unanimously.

      B.            Evaluation & Supervision of Educator’s Policy

            Motion to accept policy as presented (Harvey/Mitiguy).  Motion passed unanimously.

      C.   Repeal Paraprofessional Policy:  Second reading.  No action taken. 

IV. General Discussion

      A.  There were discussions on the new Parent Volunteer Coordinator position.  The person filling this position will be invited to the next board meeting. 

      B.            Paraeducator need:  It would cost $8,000 until the end of the year to fill this need, specifically targeting first grade as the class sizes are too large. 

            Motion to accept recommendation of Dave Young to hire paraeducator for remainder of the school year, not to exceed $8,000  (King/Mitiguy).  Motion passed unanimously.

      C.   Dave Young asked for feedback on what information to publish for the budget and how to get it out. 

      D.  There is a PTO meeting on January 18^th. 

X.         Confirm Meeting Dates

            A.              Regular meeting – February 1^st, 6:00 p.m., Georgia School Library

            B.            PTA meeting – January 19^th, 6:00 p.m., Georgia School Library

Motion made at 7:10 p.m. (Harvey/Mitiguy) to go into executive session. 

XI.            Executive Session – Personnel

      Entered Executive Session at 7:10 p.m.

      Exited at 7:30 p.m.

      No action was taken.