BRENTWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETING
MONDAY MAY 14, 2007
SWASEY CENTRAL SCHOOL, BRENTWOOD, NH
PRESENT: Anne Marie Chesno (Chairperson), Elizabeth Faria, Tim Hannan, Virginia Knutson (Vice Chairperson), Gary Whitmarsh, School Board Members; Jerry Frew, Assistant Superintendent; Joan Ostrowski, Principal.
ALSO PRESENT: Ed Oddo, Dick Wendell, Leo Bruyette (Siemens Building Technologies)
CALL TO ORDER
Ms. Knutson called the meeting to order at 6:07p.m.
All stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Town Forestry Plan
Selectman, Wayne St. Hillaire, reviewed with the board the plan for management of the Brentwood Town Forestlands.
(Ms. Chesno arrived at 6:10 p.m.)
Mr. St. Hillaire reviewed the work that is being planned for the July/August project and the contract to hire a professional logger to do the cutting. This will be the first time in over 40 years that these forestlands have been managed. There were questions on forestry fees and revenues, roads, and the bridge. He asked the board to sign the contract. The selectmen have already signed. Ms. Chesno asked if there were any objections. There were none. The contract was signed.
Ms. Chesno spoke of the Department Heads meeting last week where budget issues were discussed. The goals for 2006/2007 were reviewed and there was a preliminary discussion of goals for 2007/2008. Discussion focused on presenting a fiscally responsible budget; providing Brentwood Newsletter updates on facilities planning; the greening of the school, efficient lighting, turning off the flagpole lighting on the weekends; exploring Sargent Camp issue; Chair Chesno asked for other ideas. Mr. Frew said that the SAU goals will be reviewed in June. Ms. Knutson suggested that the entire board attend the Brentwood Budget Committee meeting where the budget presentation is discussed and moving the process up one month. Mr. Whitmarsh suggested refining the presentation to the Budget Committee. These ideas will be reviewed again next month.
Ms. Chesno asked each board member if he or she has received any contact from members of the community. Ms. Knutson was contacted by two people about the recent emergency school closing situation. Ms. Ostrowski explained the circumstances regarding the weather deteriorating quickly, the roads being washed out, and school being cancelled. Chair Chesno suggested sending home a newsletter article explaining what happened that day. Mr. Frew mentioned the Alert Now system that is being piloted within the SAU. Ms. Faria asked if the board could be contacted regarding emergency situations. Ms. Ostrowski said that she had spoken with the Chair and will try, in the future, to email board members regarding any emergency situations.
Mr. Whitmarsh, no contacts.
Ms. Faria said she was contacted by the same person twice with home schooling questions and there was a brief discussion about what is provided by the school for students who are home schooled. Mr. Frew said we do as much as we can to accommodate home schoolers.
Mr. Hannan – no contacts.
Ms. Chesno – no contacts.
Future Agenda Items
Ms. Chesno discussed budget wrap-up. Mr. Hannan suggested discussing field use and Brentwood Recreation in June.
Superintendent Search
Ms. Chesno said that the search committee is looking at two approaches: appointing an interim or conducting an aggressive search with the idea of having a viable candidate by December and, if not, start again in January. On the committee is a representative from each school board, Paul Flynn, SAU 16; Walter Garland, Assistant Principal, EHS; Jane Sewalk, an Exeter teacher, and the parent representative is Marty Wilcox, Brentwood, and Bill Thompson, Stratham, is the community representative. At it’s meeting on May 2nd, plans were made for two forums; one on May 31st at the high school and another on June 5th at the middle school. These forums are to seek input from the public on what characteristics and professional experience should be sought and what tasks and issues that the new superintendent should first address. Mr. Whitmarsh will add the forum dates to his newsletter article. The committee also discussed advertising, the kind of contract to be offered, and the interview process.
Greening of the School
Leo Bruyette, Siemens Building Technologies, was introduced to the board. He had been working with Mr. Oddo. He distributed and discussed with the board the Utility Data Analysis and the Target Energy Performance results as well as the Preliminary Energy Conservation Analysis and Feasibility Study of the Swasey Central School. He reviewed a letter of intent and explained the fees for the project. Ms. Chesno thanked Mr. Bruyette and said that the board would take this under advisement and get back to Siemens within 45 days. (Mr. Bruyette left the meeting.)
Security Project Update
Mr. Wendell spoke of the front entryway and the work to the back of the building. Ms. Chesno reminded Mr. Wendell of the Board’s interest in coating the back library doors and installing mini-blinds on the classroom door windows. She will give Mr. Wendell vendor information regarding covering the library windows. The work on the front of the building will happen over the summer; it involves moving doors and removing the closet. The funding for the remaining issues for front door security will be included in the overall budget proposal for 2008-2009. Ms. Chesno suggested looking at the remaining summer projects at the June meeting: Coating doors and the work on the front entry, painting another third of the building, and looking for funding for mini-blinds. The board will consider what funding will be available from the current budget and look at the order of priority.
Mr. Wendell discussed the energy audit with the board. After discussion, Ms. Chesno suggested contacting PSNH again to conduct an audit at no charge to the district over the summer months with a report back to the board in September about electricity use, specifically the outside lighting. This will be part of the discussion of the end-of-year projects next month.
Mr. Oddo reported that the P.F.G. sign is being fabricated by Reedy Signs. He spoke of the Town’s rule on the size of the signs and that the selectmen did waive the requirement for the school. Also discussed were the rules dealing with placement of signs on state highways and what would happen to the current sign and granite pillars.
Waiver Status
Mr. Frew reported that the waiver, requested for the April 16th weather day, has been granted.
Policies
Policy JLCH, Do Not Resuscitate Orders, was accepted, on a second reading, on a motion by Ms. Faria; seconded Mr. Whitmarsh and voted unanimously.
Staff Nominations
Ms. Ostrowski spoke in support of nominating Amy Gentile for a third grade teaching position. On a motion by Ms. Faria; seconded by Ms. Knutson, Amy Gentile was elected to the position. The vote was unanimous.
Financial Report
Mr. Frew distributed the financial report. He explained revenues and expenditures. Ms. Chesno asked that Mr. Lunney look into the discrepancy, in the area of electricity, from the April 9th to the May 14th report. Next month there will be a budgetary review of the summer projects.
Mr. Frew explained that SAU 16 accepts grant funding on behalf the school district and that authorization to allow this is voted by each school board each year. On a motion by Mr. Hannan; seconded by Mr. Whitmarsh, the board authorized SAU 16 as fiscal agent to administer grants. The vote was unanimous.
Mr. Frew discussed the losses to the food service program because of an increase in food costs and the purchase of the refrigeration and breakage of equipment. He reviewed the prices charged by other districts: Brentwood $2.00, Exeter $2.25, Stratham, $1.75, Coop $2.25. The lunch program will be discussed at the next meeting.
Assistant Principal Search Update/Nomination
Mr. Frew said that there would be no nomination this evening. Ms. Ostrowski reviewed with the board the process for the search for the Assistant Principal. Eighteen applications were received, six were interviewed, and the finalists have been interviewed by the Superintendent. Two very capable candidates have been selected as finalists. An advisory committee, for perceptions of candidates, is being formed made up of staff, a parent, and a school board member. Principal Ostrowski asked for a school board volunteer; Ms. Knutson will serve. Ms. Knutson asked for a copy of the position description as did Ms. Faria. Ms. Ostrowski indicted she would email the position description to all board members.
NEW BUSINESS
June Board Meeting
The June board meeting will be Monday, June 11th. There will be no meeting of the board for the summer months but there will be a process put in place to have a system to have the manifests signed.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
April 9th – Ms. Faria asked if a letter had been sent to the B.T.A. Ms. Chesno responded that the second meeting with the B.T.A. (attended by Chesno and Knutson) served as the Board’s response and that no follow-up letter would be sent. Ms. Faria asked to have consistency to the minutes with vote action embolding. The minutes were approved on a motion by Mr. Whitmarsh; seconded by Ms. Knutson and voted unanimously.
On a motion by Ms. Faria; seconded by Mr. Whitmarsh, and the board adjourned at 9:24 p.m.
Submitted by Mary Lou Clinton-Stevens
Minutes of the school board are unofficial until accepted at a subsequent meeting of the school board.