6:00 P.M. – PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING

MINUTES

AUGUSTA SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

7:00 P.M. – BUSINESS MEETING

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2008

CAPITAL AREA TECHNICAL CENTER CAFETERIA

7:00 P.M. - BUSINESS MEETING:

BUSINESS MEETING:

The following Board Members were present:

Chair:	Bill Burney
Board Members:	Susan Campbell, Sue Dowling, Jane Dennison, Willie Emerson, Kim Silsby, Nate Rende, Darek Grant, and Dick Barnes

Also present were:

Superintendent:	Cornelia Brown
Business Manager:	James Jurdak
Director of Curriculum & Education:	Barbara Jordan
Student Representative:	Samuel Marr

7:00 P.M. - BUSINESS MEETING:

1) Opening:

A. Call to Order: Chair Burney called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

B. Pledge of Allegiance

C. Presentations: None.

2) Approval of Minutes:

A. Motion to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 20, 2008.

Move to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 20, 2008 as submitted.

Motion: Yeas: Nays: Vote:

Sue Dowling Second: Darek Grant 7; Members Dowling, Dennison, Emerson, Silsby, Rende, Grant, & Barnes 0 Motion Passed Unanimously 7 to 0

3) Communications:

A. Letters: None.

B. Student Council Report: Student Representative Samuel Marr reported to the Board that 146 Cony High School students signed a petition in opposition of the proposed 4X4 Schedule at Cony High School. What concerned the students most was the scheduling of Band and Chorus and AP Classes.

Sam also reported to the Board that the Chizzle Wizzle performances will begin in about two weeks. (Chizzle Wizzle begins at 7:00 p.m. and runs from Tuesday, March 25^th, through Friday, March 28^th).

4) Resignations and Retirements:

A. Resignations:

1. Jillaine McGough – Letter of Resignation dated February 25, 2008 informing the Augusta School Department that she would be resigning from her position as a Music Teacher in the Augusta School Department effective March 10^th.

2. Retirements:

1. Ed Hinkley – Letter of Retirement dated February 18, 2008 informing the Augusta Board of Education that he would be retiring from his position as a Special Education Teacher at Cony High School effective with the close of the 2007-2008 school year. Mr. Hinkley has worked for the Augusta School Department for 3 years; however, he has worked in the Education Field for a total of 30 years.

5) Recognitions: None.

6) Informational Items:

A. Out-of-State Professional Development Travel:

1. Charles Izzi, Jr. – Trip to ACF Northeast Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio –

April 4-8, 2008.

B. Athletic and Extra-Curricular Nominations: None.

7) Committee Reports:

A. Finance: Finance Committee Member Sue Dowling advised the Board that there was no Finance Meeting, just a Budget Meeting.

1. Business Manager’s Report: Business Manager James Jurdak gave his report to the Board.

B. Curriculum & Education: Member Jane Dennison gave the Curriculum & Education Report to the Board.

1. Curriculum Coordinator’s Report: Curriculum Coordinator Dr. Jordan gave her report to the Board.

C. Personnel & Negotiations:

Personnel & Negotiations Committee Chairman’s Report: Personnel & Negotiations Committee Chair Sue Dowling gave her report to the Board.

8) Consent Items: (All matters listed under this item will be considered routine and will be enacted by one motion. A Board Member may ask to have an item(s) removed and considered individually.)

A. Nominations for Professional Positions: None.

9) Public Comment on Non-Personnel Agenda Items:

Several Teachers, parents, and others stated their opinions relative to the proposed 4X4 Schedule Change for Cony High School to the Board. The majority of those who spoke were in opposition of the Schedule Change; however, there were a couple of individuals who were in favor of the schedule change.

Among those who commented to the Board on the proposed 4X4 Schedule Change were Teachers Theresa Beaudoin, Brenda Weiss, Eleanor Gay, Carolyn Van Horn, Directors Mary Barns and Scott Phair, parents John Nims, David Burns, Trish Callahan, Lucinda Turcotte, Chet Chessman, Sharon McKee, and Student Jason Burns.

Various Board Members gave their opinions relative to the proposed 4X4 Schedule Change, and Cony High School Principal James Anastasio answered some of the concerns that were raised and thanked the Board and the Public for their input.

10) Unfinished Business:

A. Policy Adoptions/Revisions/Deletions: None.

B. Motion to Remove from Table the Recommendations of the Task Force on Alternative Education. (This motion was tabled from the February 20^th Board Meeting.)

Move to Remove from Table the Recommendations of the Task Force on Alternative Education.

Motion: Yeas: Nays: Vote:

Sue Campbell Second: Dick Barnes 8; Members Campbell, Dowling, Dennison, Emerson, Silsby, Rende, Grant, & Barnes 0 Motion Passed Unanimously 8 to 0

C. Motion to approve the Recommendations of the Task Force on Alternative Education. (This motion was tabled from the February 20^th Board Meeting.)

Move to approve the Recommendations of the Task Force on Alternative Education.

Motion: Yeas: Nays: Vote:

Sue Campbell Second: Dick Barnes 8; Members Campbell, Dowling, Dennison, Emerson, Silsby, Rende, Grant, & Barnes 0 Motion Passed Unanimously 8 to 0

11) New Business:

A. Student Activity Travel Requests (Out-of-State or Overnight):

1. Motion to approve Cony Varsity Baseball – Pre-Season Baseball Trip to

Windsor Locks, CT – April 3-5, 2008.

Move to approve Cony Varsity Baseball – Pre-Season Baseball Trip to Windsor Locks, CT – April 3-5, 2008.

Motion: Yeas: Nays: Vote:

Sue Campbell Second: Kim Silsby 8; Members Campbell, Dowling, Dennison, Emerson, Silsby, Rende, Grant, & Barnes 0 Motion Passed Unanimously 8 to 0

2. Motion to approve Maine Youth Anti-Tobacco Summit Trip to the

Augusta Civic Center and the Holiday Inn in Augusta – April 7-8, 2008

for 10-12 students of Krista Chase.

Move to approve Maine Youth Anti-Tobacco Summit Trip to the Augusta Civic Center and the Holiday Inn in Augusta – April 7-8, 2008 for 10-12 students of Krista Chase.

Motion: Yeas: Nays: Vote:

Sue Campbell Second: Jane Dennison 8; Members Campbell, Dowling, Dennison, Emerson, Silsby, Rende, Grant, & Barnes 0 Motion Passed Unanimously 8 to 0

B. Policy Adoptions/Revisions/Deletions.

1. Motion to approve the First Reading of Policy File #JJI-Philosophy of Athletics.

Move to approve the First Reading of Policy File #JJI- Philosophy of Athletics.

Motion: Yeas: Nays: Vote:

Sue Campbell Second: Jane Dennison 8; Members Campbell, Dowling, Dennison, Emerson, Silsby, Rende, Grant, & Barnes 0 Motion Passed Unanimously 8 to 0

C. Nominations for Administrative Positions: None.

D. Motion to Table a 4X4 Schedule for Cony High School until next year.

Move to Table a 4X4 Schedule for Cony High School until next year.

Motion: Yeas: Nays: Vote:

Nate Rende Second: Kim Silsby 6; Members Campbell, Dowling, Dennison, Emerson, Silsby, & Rende 2; Members Grant and Barnes Motion Passed Unanimously 6 to 2

12. Superintendent’s Report:

Dr. Brown reported to the Board that the Budget season is in full swing, and we do have the three EDU 281s.

Dr. Brown further stated that we have a Charter deadline of April 1^st to get a Budget number to the Council; however, as with last year, she expects that that number will be revised again or a couple of times.

Dr. Brown advised the Board that we have had eight snow days to date, are considering ways to make up those missed snow days, and that, at the March 26^th meeting, she will present a recommendation to the Board about how to do that.

Dr. Brown stated that we are not quite out of the woods as yet in terms of winter weather. Dr. Brown stated that we are hopeful that we might be able to keep graduation where it is; however, she asked the Board not to hold her to that because if we have another snow day, then that is no longer a possibility.

13. Reports from Other School Officials:

Athletic Director Dan Bowers reported to the Board relative to winter sports and also advised the Board that Rachel Mack has been named as Maine’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

14. Audience Recognition for Non-Agenda Items:

15. Adjourn:

A. Motion to Adjourn:

Move to Adjourn.

Motion: Yeas: Nays: Vote: Time:

Sue Campbell Second: Sue Dowling 8; Members Campbell, Dowling, Dennison, Emerson, Silsby, Rende, Grant, & Barnes 0 Motion Passed Unanimously 8 to 0 8:35 p.m.

Next Business Meeting of Board of Education

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

7:00 p.m. – Board Business Meeting

CATC Cafeteria