Regular Board Meeting
February 6, 2014
Maine School Administrative District 11 REGULAR MEETING
Gardiner Regional Middle School, Gymnasium Thursday, February 6, 2014 6:00 p.m.
PRESENT:
Rebecca Fles, Chair, Eric Jermyn, Vice Chair, Candace Avery, Amber Carr, Katherine Chadwick, Debra Couture, Joseph Gould, Andrew Grover, Penny Poolman, Diane Potter, Nicole Sacre, Patricia Hopkins, Superintendent, Andrea Disch, Business Manager
ABSENT:
Marc Cone
STUDENT MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mariah Lang
Mrs. Fles called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and declared a quorum present.
VOTED: 11 – 0 1 – 0 Student
Motion by Ms. Avery, seconded by Mr. Gould, to approve the agenda.
Members
Motion carried.
VOTED: 11 – 0 1 – 0 Student
Motion by Mr. Jermyn, seconded by Ms. Carr, to approve the minutes of the January 9th Regular Board Meeting, and the January 27th Special Board Meeting.
Members
Motion carried.
CORRESPONDENCE
Letter or resignation Joan Hanscom, Administrative Assistant, Central Office
COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Curriculum Committee – At its January 14th meeting, Gifted and Talented Teacher, RayeAnne DeSoto provided an overview of the MSAD 11’s Gifted and Talented Program. B. Dropout Prevention Committee – At its January 13th meeting, the committee reviewed responses received from their survey regarding best practices in dropout prevention.
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Regular Board Meeting
February 6, 2014
C. Educational Plan Committee – The Branding Committee met on February 3rd to continue its work as charged. D. Finance Committee – At its January 7th meeting, the Finance Committee agreed to table its discussion of Performance Contracting until all Committee members were present. Committee members were provided a copy of the Department of Education’s 2013-14 state subsidy printout (ED279). Ms. Disch provided the Committee with an overview of the Department’s mechanism to provide general purpose aid to local schools. The Board was presented the FY 2015 Status Quo Budget and Preliminary Budget Worksheet. The Committee was reminded that because the FY 2015 ED 279 is not yet available from the Department of Education, the Worksheet cannot be updated to accurately reflect state subsidy and the local foundation allocation. E. Negotiations Committee – Executive Session F. Policy Committee – No Meeting G. Relations by Objective Committee – No Meeting
GENERAL INFORMATION A. The following positions have been appointed/hired: GAHS Coaches Chad Kirk Hilary Wing Joe Fitzsimmons Sharon Gallant
Girls Varsity Lacrosse Varsity Track Assistant Track Varsity Field Hockey
GRMS Coaches Matt Hanley
Wrestling
OLD BUSINESS A. DISCUSSION – RECONFIGURATION SCENARIOS Superintendent Hopkins provided additional information on the two remaining reconfiguration scenarios as requested by the Board. The options were:
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Close T.C. Hamlin School and move students to the River View Community School. As a result, both the Laura E. Richards and River View schools would be transitioned back to K – 5 Schools, with the location of Pre-Kindergarten to be determined based on the availability of space. Gardiner students residing on Park Street and south would attend River View Community School. In addition, four modular classrooms would be installed at Helen Thompson to relieve overcrowding.
Regular Board Meeting
February 6, 2014
Redrawing of lines to allow for some Gardiner students to attend T.C. Hamlin School. Lines would also be redrawn to allow for some West Gardiner students to attend Laura E. Richards School and River View Community School, relieving the overcrowding issue at Helen Thompson School. o
Gardiner students residing off Highland Avenue to Northern Avenue and from Maine Avenue to Adams Street would attend T.C. Hamlin School.
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West Gardiner students residing in Rabbit Ridge to the West Gardiner/Gardiner town line would attend, depending on grade level, either Laura E. Richards or River View Community School.
The Superintendent discussed the impact of the scenarios on each of the affected facilities as well as the estimated additional costs and savings. When asked for her recommendation, the Superintendent did not endorse either scenario since both, she stated, were temporary solutions and that any achieved savings were negated by additional costs. The Board continued to discuss the scenarios as it entertained questions and comments from the public. VOTED: 11 – 0 1 – 0 Student
Motion by Mr. Jermyn, seconded by Ms. Avery, to retain the current structure of the District, to explore the feasibility of a Cohort study and to direct the Superintendent to begin the process of commissioning a focus group to further study the issue.
Members
Motion carried.
REPORTS – EDUCATIONAL /ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD CHAIR REPORT The Board Chair updated the Board on the following:
MSBA Conference The Chair provided an overview of the MSBA Conference in Washington D.C.
Curriculum Committee The Chair informed the Board of the issue regarding the Curriculum Committee and Board attendance. The Chair inquired whether there were Board Members willing to serve on the Committee that would be able to attend the 7 am meetings.
SUPERINTENDENT REPORT The Superintendent updated the Board on the following:
Reapportionment of the School Board - Update
Superintendent’s Office - Administrative Assistant The Superintendent informed the Board that Martha Allen has been hired to replace Joan Hanscom in the Superintendent’s Office.
QZAB Loan The Superintendent and Business Manager informed the Board of the option of applying for a
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Regular Board Meeting
February 6, 2014
QZAB or QSCB Bond as a possibility for financing the District’s capital improvement needs.
VOTED: 11 – 0
Motion by Mr. Jermyn, seconded by Mrs. Fles, to go into executive session at 8:48 p.m. to discuss negotiations with the Gardiner Teachers’ Association, pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6)(D). The Board reconvened at 8:51 p.m. Motion carried.
VOTED: 11 – 0
Motion by Mr. Jermyn, seconded by Mrs. Fles, to go into executive session at 8:51 p.m. to discuss negotiations with Gardiner Educational Technicians and Administrative Assistants, pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6)(D). The Board reconvened at 8:55 p.m. Motion carried
The Meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m. Attest a true record,
Patricia Hopkins, Secretary
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