BRENTWOOD SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
Monday, April 10, 2006, 6:30 p.m.
Swasey Central School
Members Present: Anne Marie Chesno, Chair; Virginia Knutson, Vice-Chair; Elizabeth Faria; Tim Hannan; and, Michael Johnson
Administration Present: Jerry Frew, Assistant Superintendent; Joan Ostrowski, Principal
Others Present: Dave Menter, Selectman; Elyse Seeley, Parent; Donna Donnell, Swasey Math Facilitator; Ed Oddo, SAU 16 Assistant Director of Operations
1. The signing of Manifests began at 6:30 p.m.
2. Assistant Superintendent Frew called the meeting to order at 6:49 p.m.
Everyone joined in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Organizational Discussion; Oath of Office; Election of Officers
Assistant Superintendent Frew stated that he would entertain motions for School Board Chairperson.
MOTION – V. Knutson made a motion nominating Anne Marie Chesno for Chairperson. E. Faria seconded. Vote – Unanimous.
Chair Chesno stated that she would entertain motions for School Board Vice-Chairperson.
MOTION – E. Faria made a motion nominating Virginia Knutson for Vice-Chair. T. Hannan seconded. Vote – Unanimous.
Chair Chesno stated that she would entertain motions for School District Treasurer.
MOTION – E. Faria made a motion to appoint Katrina Allen as the School District Treasurer. M. Johnson seconded. Vote – Unanimous.
4. Non-public session
MOTION – M. Johnson moved that the Board enter into non-public session at 8:11 p.m. in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 II (b). T. Hannan seconded. Vote: A. Chesno, yes; V. Knutson, yes; E. Faria, yes; T. Hannan, yes; and, M. Johnson, yes. Motion carries.
MOTION – V. Knutson moved that the Board adjourn from non-public session at 8:37 p.m. in accordance with RSA 91-A:3II (b); E. Faria seconded. Vote: A. Chesno, yes; V. Knutson, yes; E. Faria, yes; T. Hannan, yes; and, M. Johnson, yes. Motion carries.
MOTION – M. Johnson made a motion to accept the slate of professional staff nominations for the 2006-2007 school year as presented by Assistant Superintendent Frew. V. Knutson seconded. Vote - Unanimous.
5. Approval of Minutes
MOTION – V. Knutson moved that the Brentwood School Board accept the minutes of the March 13, 2006 meeting as written. T. Hannan seconded. Vote – Unanimous.
6. Report from the Chair
Chair Chesno noted that a school board member orientation will be held at the SAU offices on May 4th. She provided handouts and reviewed the role of the School Board:
§ The School Board sets policy but they do not carry it out. The responsibility for implementing policy is delegated to the school administration.
§ The School Board hires the Superintendent.
§ The School Board sets annual Board goals.
§ The School Board appraises the Superintendent on an annual basis.
§ The School Board, in consultation with the Superintendent, is responsible for approval and adoption of an annual budget.
§ The School Board negotiates any contracts through collective bargaining.
§ The School Board approves professional staff nominated by the Superintendent.
§ The School Board is responsible for providing and maintaining an adequate and safe school facility.
§ The School Board sets policy regarding students that guide the actions of the administration and other school staff. The Board members need to advocate for all children.
§ The School Board approves the annual school calendar.
§ The School Board retains an attorney as necessary.
§ The School Board is required to keep privileged information confidential; this includes information that is shared during non-public sessions. The non-public minutes will reflect the general topic of the session. There are specific guidelines for non-public session, which were reviewed.
§ The School Board members must refrain from discussing school business during informal gatherings. Three Board members make a quorum.
The New Hampshire School Boards Association is providing their “2006 School Board Orientation and Refresher Workshop for New and Recently Elected School Board Members at the Local Government Center in Concord, NH on Wednesday, April 19th at 5:00 p.m. Any interested Board member would need to register.
Chair Chesno provided all Board members with a School Board Legal Update titled, What Every School Board Member Needs to Know About the Right-to-Know Law and Non-Public Sessions. They also received a New Hampshire School Boards Association article titled, The Role of School Board Member.
The Board had at least two articles published in the April 2006 Brentwood Newsletter. This is in keeping with the Board Goal to publish one each month. The next newsletter deadline is April 21st. Board Member Hannan will edit a “Meet Your School Board Members” article for May. Board members will send him information using the agreed upon format.
The Board will begin to organize the Facilities Committee at their next meeting. Chair Chesno will bring a draft charter to the next meeting for discussion.
The next Joint Chairs meeting is Wednesday, April 19th at 5:00 p.m.
7. Report from the Principal
The Principal reported on current enrollment levels noting the addition of two preschool children and the loss of one first grader for a total of 398 students.
Principal Ostrowski gave an overview of known staffing needs for the 2006-2007 school year. The professional positions have been posted and are being advertised. She provided the Board with an update on a concern raised by the Brentwood Teachers’ Association regarding the occupational therapist position. This position is specifically noted in the B.T.A. Contract as being a part of the union. It has been hired as an outside vendor position for the past eleven years. The O.T. has been notified of the concern and encouraged to apply. The position has been posted and is being advertised.
The Board was updated about building access for staff and the B.R.C. Principal Ostrowski asked the Board for clarification on their intent for coverage during two special B.R.C. events – the Easter and Halloween activities – as these require much more significant access to the building and equipment. The Board directed Principal Ostrowski to draft a letter to the B.R.C. asking them to make use of the custodian to clean up the floors and trash at these events as well as to trouble shoot, open up and lock up the building. The Board will split the cost of the custodian for these two events beginning in the fall of 2006. Because of the last minute discussion, the School District will provide coverage for this year.
The Swasey Math Coordinator, Donna Donnell, gave an overview of the NECAP assessment results. She explained the collaboration between three states to develop the tool and that it is designed to provide information about how well instruction is supporting the New Hampshire Grade Level Expectations in the areas of math, reading, and writing. All Swasey professional staff who are directly responsible for instruction in these three areas have the data to review. Staff meeting time is being devoted to data and using the information to improve instruction. This process will take time. It is important to understand that a single year of data provides limited information about a school or a district; trends in student performance will emerge over time. The results of this data are not intended to compare schools or districts. People tend to use the information for this purpose anyway. The only measure that is comparable is the scaled score. Scaled scores are based on different standard for each subject area so they cannot be used to compare across content, only in the same content. The results of the NECAP are being sent home to parents with the Developmental Records. Further information will be shared at the June Board meeting.
Principal Ostrowski listed all upcoming Swasey events. These can be found on the Events Calendar on the SAU website as well (www.sau16.org).
Board Member Knutson commended the 5th grade Colonial Days unit and activities. She felt that it was exceptional.
8. Report from the Central Office Administration
Assistant Director of Operations Oddo explained that the water quality testing is being decreased to every six months with state approval due to the excellent results of the tests over the past three years. Normal tests for VOCs must be done every eighteen months. The School District has done a very good job of protecting the water source.
Assistant Director of Operations Oddo informed the Board that the Rockingham County dispatch will no longer accept the radio signals for the school’s (or anyone else’s) alarms. He is investigating providers to monitor the school’s signals. The company contracted with will receive the signal, notify Rockingham County dispatch who will then notify the fire department effectively adding a step to the process. Selectman Menter noted that the Town is searching for a replacement as well.
Chair Chesno asked Assistant Director of Operations Oddo to come back at the May Board meeting with recommendations and estimations of cost for summer maintenance. This will allow the Board to consider all needs at the June Board meeting.
Assistant Superintendent Frew distributed the financial report to the Board members. There is a projected fund balance after encumbrances of $18,804 as of this date. The Board will be presented with an update at the next meeting.
Assistant Superintendent Frew presented the slate of professional staff nominations for 2006-2007.
Assistant Superintendent Frew recommends that the Board go on record publicly that they are not accepting compensation for serving. A study conducted by the School Board Association in 2003 showed Board stipends in the state ranging from $0 to $4000. The average was $808 per Board member. The Brentwood School Board members have traditionally received $400 although this has been refused for the past several years.
The School Board and Administration recognized Dave Mentor for attending the meeting as a representative of the Brentwood Selectmen.
The Board recognized John Hayes for his years of service on the School Board.
9. Old/New Business
Board Member Knutson asked that the following items be places on future agendas:
§ Finalization of the Swasey Central School calendar as related to early dismissal dates.
§ The location of the Brentwood Developmental Preschool after the 2006-2007 school year.
§ The administration’s plans to address the writing program.
§ Future Student Activity Program plans. Principal Ostrowski explained that this would move forward in the fall in a similar format as that piloted this winter.
§ Annual Board goals for 2006-2007.
10. Public Comment
There was no public comment.
10. Correspondence Noted
None noted.
11. Adjournment
MOTION – M. Johnson moved that the Brentwood School Board Meeting adjourn at 8:56 p.m. V. Knutson seconded. Vote - Unanimous.