MINUTES

 

AUGUSTA SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

 

6:15 p.m. – EXECUTIVE SESSION

[Pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6) (D)]

 

7:00 p.m. – BUSINESS MEETING

 

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2008

 

CAPITAL AREA TECHNICAL CENTER CAFETERIA

 

 

 

6:15 P.M. – EXECUTIVE SESSION:

[Pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6) (D)]

 

 

7:00 P.M. - BUSINESS MEETING:

 

BUSINESS MEETING:

 

The following Board Members were present:

 

Chair:

Bill Burney

Board Members:

Susan Campbell, Dick Barnes, Darek Grant,

Willie Emerson, and Nate Rende

 

Also present were:

 

Superintendent:

Cornelia Brown

Business Manager:

James Jurdak

Director of Curriculum & Education:

Barbara Jordan

 

Absent were:

 

Board Members:

Jane Dennison, Kim Silsby, and

Sue Dowling

Student Representative:

Samuel Marr

 

6:15 P.M. – EXECUTIVE SESSION:

[Pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6) (D)]

 

1)   Approval for Entering into Executive Session:

A.     Motion to approve entering into Executive Session pursuant to 1M.R.S.A. § 405(6) (D).

 

Move to approve entering into Executive Session pursuant to 1M.R.S.A. § 405(6) (D).

Motion:

Yeas:

 

Nays:

Vote:

Time:

Dick Barnes  Second:  Sue Campbell

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

6:25 p.m.

 

B.     Motion to approve departing from Executive Session pursuant to 1M.R.S.A. § 405(6) (D).

 

Move to approve departing from Executive Session pursuant to 1M.R.S.A. § 405(6) (D).

Motion:

Yeas:

 

Nays:

Vote:

Time:

Dick Barnes  Second:  Sue Campbell

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

7:00 p.m.

 

 

7:00 P.M. - BUSINESS MEETING:

 

1)      Opening:

A.     Call to Order:  Chair Burney called the Business Meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.                                                                                                                                                              

 

B.     Pledge of Allegiance

 

C.     Presentations:

 

1.   Presentation re:  Amnesty International.

 

Several Cony students gave the Amnesty International Presentation to the Board in which they mentioned that some of Amnesty International’s work dealt with civil rights around the world and social and political activism.  The students also reported to the Board on activities they had undertaken to raise money for Amnesty International, such as Letter Writing Campaigns, Walks, Battle of the Bands, etc.

Member Barnes asked the students if the Local Chapter they were supporting was associated with the National Chapter of Amnesty International, and they said it was.

 

Member Grant asked how the students became aware of this organization, and one of the students responded that she was friends with a girl at Hall-Dale High School who was involved with Amnesty International.

 

2)      Approval of Minutes:

A.     Motion to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 12, 2007. 

 

Move to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 12, 2007 as submitted.

Motion:

Yeas:

 

Nays:

Vote:

Sue Campbell  Second:  Darek Grant

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

 

3)      Communications:

A.     Letters: 

 

1.  December 7, 2007 letter to Dr. Brown from Mr. Richard Card, Chair, Maine Center for Sport and Coaching Board of Directors, relative to Sports Done Right accreditation.

 

      Dr. Brown stated that she received a packet of sample policies and that, as part of the approval, we need to adopt a policy that speaks to either sportsmanship or the importance of athletics.  Dr. Brown further stated that we will be bringing forward that policy – probably in February.  The proposed policy is under review now with Mr. Bowers and Mr. Anastasio, and it will be going to the Education Committee at their next meeting on February 6th.

 

      Chair Burney mentioned that, while the majority of the Accreditation Report was complimentary, there was one area that needed improvement.  Coaches could not easily recite what the Core Principals were.  Athletic Director Dan Bowers stated that he will make sure that this shortcoming would be corrected going forward.

 

2.  December 14, 2007 letter to Dr. Brown from Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron relative to the Alternative Plan submitted by the Augusta School Department.

     

B.   Student Council Report:  None.

 

      Chair Burney asked Cony Principal James Anastasio if the Student Council was aware that the Board would like to hear from them relative to their activities at the Board’s monthly meetings.  Principal Anastasio stated that he was not sure what Student Representative Samuel Marr has communicated to the Student Council, but that he meets with the Student Council every other week and that he will make sure they are aware of it when he meets with them next week.

 

4)      Resignations and Retirements:

 

A.  Resignations:  None.

 

B.   Retirements:  None.

 

5)      Recognitions:  None.

 

6)      Informational Items:

 

A.     Out-of-State Professional Development Travel:  None.

B.     Athletic and Extra-Curricular Nominations:  None.

 

7)      Committee Reports:

A.     Finance:  There was no Finance Committee Meeting.

1.      Business Manager’s Report.

Business Manager James Jurdak gave his report to the Board.

 

B.     Curriculum & Education:  There was no Curriculum & Education Meeting.

1.      Curriculum Coordinator’s Report.

Dr. Jordan gave her report to the Board.

 

C.     Personnel & Negotiations:  There was no Personnel & Negotiations Meeting.

1.      Personnel & Negotiations Committee Chairman’s Report.

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:

10)  Unfinished Business:

A.     Policy Adoptions/Revisions/Deletions:

 

1.   Motion to approve Second Reading of Proposed Revisions to Policy File #IGAD – Career and Technical Education.

 

Move to approve Second  Reading of Proposed Revisions to Policy File # IGAD – Career and Technical Education.

Motion:

Yeas:

 

Nays:

Vote:

Sue Campbell  Second:  Dick Barnes

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

 

11)  New Business:

A.  Student Activity Travel Requests:  None.

 

B.   Policy Adoptions/Revisions/Deletions.  None.

 

C.  Nominations for Administrative Positions:  None.

 

D.  Draft – Augusta School Department 2008-2009 Calendar.

 

      1.  Motion to approve Draft Augusta School Department 2008-2009 Calendar.

 

Move to approve

Draft Augusta School Department 2008-2009 Calendar.

Motion:

Yeas:

 

Nays:

Vote:

Sue Campbell  Second:  Darek Grant

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

 

E.   State of Maine Department of Education 2007-2008 Application for Gifted and Talented Educational Program Approval and Approval of Program Costs for State Subsidy.

 

1.   Motion to approve State of Maine Department of Education 2007-2008 Application for Gifted and Talented Educational Program Approval and Approval of Program Costs for State Subsidy.

 

Move to approve

State of Maine Department of Education 2007-2008 Application for Gifted and Talented Educational Program Approval and Approval of Program Costs for State Subsidy.

Motion:

Yeas:

 

Nays:

Vote:

Sue Campbell  Second:  Dick Barnes

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

 

F.   Appointment of Board Committees.

 

1. Motion to approve Board Committee Appointments.

 

Move to approve

Board Committee

Appointments.

 

Motion:

Yeas:

Nays:

Vote:

Sue Campbell  Second:  Dick Barnes

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

 

Chair Burney made the following Board Committee Appointments:

 

Committee

Chair/Members/Alternates

 

Personnel &

Negotiations

 

 

Chair:            Sue Dowling

Members:      Willie Emerson

                     Kim Silsby

 

Finance

 

 

Chair:            Sue Campbell

Members:      Darek Grant

                     Bill Burney

Alternate:       Sue Dowling

 

Curriculum &

Education

 

 

Chair:            Dick Barnes

Members:      Nate Rende

                     Jane Dennison

 

E.  Ratification of Proposed Contract Settlement with the MEA Units

      (Teachers, Custodians, and ESP Support Staff).

 

      1.  Motion to ratify Proposed Contract Settlement with the MEA Units

            (Teachers, Custodians, and ESP Support Staff).

 

Move to ratify Proposed Contract Settlement with the MEA Units (Teachers, Custodians, and ESP Support Staff).

Motion:

Yeas:

 

Nays:

Vote:

Sue Campbell  Second:  Darek Grant

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

 

Member Campbell reported to the Board on the changes agreed to by the Board’s Negotiating Team and the MEA Teams and the creation of “The Stipend Establishment and Review Committee” (SERC), which was also agreed to and will consist of two Board Members appointed by the School Board Chairman, two members from the Augusta Education Association appointed by the President, and the Superintendent or Designee.  The SERC will develop a matrix to rate each curricular and co-curricular activity for payment of stipends and submit it to their respective parties for ratification no later than December 2008.  The SERC will meet at least once annually for the inspection and review of the matrix.

 

12. Superintendent’s Report: 

 

Dr. Brown welcomed new Board Members Rende and Emerson and returning Member Dowling.

 

Dr. Brown advised the Board that, after the Governor’s announcement to the Commissioner that there was a significant shortfall that could affect the 07-08 school year General Purpose Aid, she decided to freeze the School Department’s Budget.  Dr. Brown stated that she felt that it would be irresponsible to do nothing and she told all the Administrators that we would retain commitment to ongoing expenditures, personnel, substitutes, and so on, but discretionary items, including field trips, have been frozen.

 

Dr. Brown reported to the Board that she had been advised that the Augusta School Department’s June 2008 General Purpose Aid payment (approx. $900,000) will be pushed back by one month to July, and that she was not confident that the payment will be received.

 

Dr. Brown stated that the she and the Administrators were wrapping up their portion of preparing the 08-09 Budget and will be giving the Board their budget notebooks on January 23rd at the School Board Meeting.  There will be an Executive Session that evening to discuss a student disciplinary matter at         5:30 p.m. followed by a short Budget Meeting at 7:00 p.m.

 

Dr. Brown reported that this will be a public overview of the Budget and that the first in-depth budget discussion will be held on February 4th at the Finance Committee Meeting.  Dr. Brown stated that all Board Members are invited to attend the meeting, even if they are not a member of the Finance Committee.

 

Dr. Brown asked the Board to please email her and James if they have any questions after reviewing their Budget notebooks so that they would be prepared to answer their questions at the upcoming Budget meetings.

 

Dr. Brown mentioned that she and James will be compiling a list of questions and information that the Finance Committee is seeking and that she will put that information out through her weekly newsletters.

 

13. Reports from Other School Officials:

 

Director of Adult Education Mary Barnes reported to the Board on activities at Adult Ed.

 

14. Audience Recognition for Non-Agenda Items:

 

15. Adjourn:

A.  Motion to Adjourn:

 

Move to Adjourn.

 

Motion:

Yeas:

 

Nays:

Vote:

Time:

Sue Campbell  Second:  Dick Barnes

5; Campbell, Barnes, Grant, Emerson,

    and Rende

0

Motion Passed Unanimously 5 to 0.

7:36 a.m.

 

 

 

Next Meeting/Board of Education Workshop

 

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

 

5:30 p.m. – Expulsion Hearing

7:00 p.m. - Board Business Meeting/Workshop

 

CATC Cafeteria