Georgia Elementary & Middle School

Georgia, VT

June 17, 2003

Present

Georgia Board Members: Teresa Stebbins, Ken Minck, Ron Hesson, Doug Bergstrom, & Chris Mitiguy

Administrators: Phil Higgins, Superintendent; David Young, Elementary School Principal; Frank Calano, Middle School Principal; & Chris Sumner, Business Manager

Transcriptionist: Candy Granger

Others: Joe Cote

1. Doug Bergstrom called the School Board Meeting to order at 6:02 pm.

2. Fill Board Chair Position:

Motion passed, unanimously, to appoint Ken Minck as the School Board Chair.

3. Approve Minutes:

Teresa Stebbins made a motion to approve the June 3, 2003 Regular School Board Meeting Minutes. Doug Bergstrom seconded. Motion passed, unanimously.

4. Review Correspondence:

Ken Minck:

- Buildings and Grounds Committee request from the Playground Committee. The Board asked for some estimates from the playground committee. Teresa Stebbins made a motion to transfer $15,000 in FY’03 into the Capital Improvement Fund for use on the sprinkler system pending alignment with the guidelines of the Capital Fund. Chris Mitiguy seconded. Motion passed, unanimously.

- There were 2 more items for Executive Session by Doug Bergstrom and Phil Higgins

5. Public Comments:

There were no public comments.

(skipped to)

8. New Business:

C. Review Arbitrage Bids & Select a Bank:

Chris Sumner and Todd LeBlanc reviewed the difference in savings from the Chittenden Bank and Banknorth. The Chittenden Bank has an automatic sweep. The Banknorth Bid would require Chris Sumner to manually do fund sweeps, it is a more cumbersome payroll process without immediate direct deposit verification. Chris Sumner recommends that we stay with the Chittenden Bank. Chris Mitiguy made a motion to stay with the Chittenden Bank. Teresa Stebbins seconded. Motion passed, unanimously.

(returned to)

6. Reports – Administrative:

Financial Report – Chris Sumner:

- Just informed that GEMS has now been awarded the refrigeration grant of $1,593 from the state. Teresa Stebbins made a motion to approve purchasing the refrigeration equipment. Ron Hesson seconded. Motion passed, unanimously.

- $162,000 increase in state support grant due to Act 60 funding change for FY’04. This directly reduces amount of taxes to be raised by $160,000.

- May Budget Status is within $10,000 of the last report due to a few changes

Chris Sumner departed at 6:28pm.

Melissa Fisher arrived at 6:28pm.

Principals’ Reports:

David Young:

- Last school day was today, all went well

- Last day school luncheon was very positive

- Kindergarten numbers are now at 72 students enrolled for FY’04, which will mean approximately 18 students per classroom. There also seems to be some students with high needs.

- Teresa Stebbins made a motion to hire a .50 Permanent Kindergarten Teacher due to the enrollment numbers. Motion failed, 3 to 1 with Ron Hesson, Doug Bergstrom, and Chris Mitiguy voting against, Teresa Stebbins voting in favor, and Ken Minck abstaining.

- Chris Mitiguy made a motion to advertise for an anticipated .50 Kindergarten Teacher. Motion passed 3 to 1, with Doug Bergstrom, Chris Mitiguy, and Teresa Stebbins voting in favor, Ron Hesson voting against, and Ken Minck abstaining.

Frank Calano:

- Melissa Fisher handed out information about having the middle school students coming in on specific days at the beginning of the year, without the whole middle school being in session on the first day.

- Melissa explained that there is a big change for students in Grade 4 moving to Grade 5 as well as Grade 6 students moving to Grade 7. Doctor Chiappinelli and Zach, a student with prosthesis will speak to the new Grade 5 and 7 students about a variety of concerns.

- Frank Calano will be mailing out information to all middle school students to inform them about the change. There will be no additional staffing or busing charges due to this change.

- Graduation went well, very good speeches

Melissa Fisher departed at 7:17pm.

C. Superintendent’s Report – Phil Higgins:

- Commended the Graduation Ceremony

- FW Office to be reorganized, Su Sawyer will be going to a 4 day week, and a new receptionist will be hired for 3 days per week. This is all within the FW Budget.

- Donna Brinkmeyer is now gone and Susan Boyer is now on Board

- Board Retreat on August 19^th at 4pm

Board Reports:

- Doug Bergstrom stated that the zero based budget committee has 1 meeting left, but that the meetings have gone really well

7. Old Business:

A. Restrictive Behavioral Intervention Policy–1^st Reading:

This was the 1^st Reading of this Policy.

B. Administrative Contract Negotiations – Executive Session?:

This item will be discussed under Executive Session.

C. Review Parent Survey Letter for Summer Mailing:

David Young handed out a sample survey mailing that will go out at the beginning of the school year. Doug Bergstrom asked David to inform the Board of the number of parents who have concerns with surveys.

D. Strategic Plan Information – How to move forward? Priorities

Phil Higgins asked the Board for information. The Board asked to put the information on the GEMS website.

8. New Business:

A. Board Retreat Topics:

Phil Higgins asked the Board what information that they would like for the Board Retreat. The main problem is communication. The Board had much discussion about a school paper. The information at this point will be put on the GEMS website.

B. Superintendent’s Review:

Phil Higgins asked to have the yellow review sheets turned in as soon as possible.

Teresa Stebbins made a motion to allow the school board to authorize it’s supervisory union board members to vote in favor of the Local Education Agency Plan (LEAP) provisions that state that Franklin West Supervisory Union will comply with all the requirements of Part A and B of IDEA, as amended by the IDEA Amendments of 1997; and , that the grant funds will only be used to supplement State, local and other Federal funds and not to supplant those funds. Motion passed, unanimously.

D. Staffing for 2003-2004:

Open Positions:

.50 Essential Early Education

.30 Family Consumer Science

9. Confirm Meeting Dates:

FWSU Board Meeting – June 25, 2003 @ 7pm in GEMS Library
Regular Board Meeting – August 5, 2003 @ 6pm in GEMS Library

Entered Executive Session to discuss a Personnel Issue at 8:03pm.

10. Executive Session – Personnel:

Exited Executive Session at 8:07pm.

Chris Mitiguy moved to offer Ellen Hsieh a .50 FTE Art Position based on administrator recommendation. Unanimously, approved by the Board.

Entered Executive Session to discuss a Personnel Issue at 8:08pm.

Exited Executive Session at 8:20pm.

Action taken – Board chair to call staff member regarding Board decision passed earlier in the school year.

Ken Minck adjourned the Meeting at 8:22pm.