Brentwood School Board Minutes

December 10, 2007

 

The Brentwood School Board met on Monday, December 10, 2007, at the Swasey Central School, Brentwood, New Hampshire.

 

PRESENT:  Elizabeth Faria, Tim Hannan, Virginia Knutson (Vice Chairperson), School Board Members; Jerry Frew, Assistant Superintendent; Walter Pierce, Business Administrator; Joan Ostrowski, Principal.

 

ABSENT: Anne Marie Chesno, Gary Whitmarsh

 

ALSO PRESENT:

Carol Pipinias, Teacher.

 

CALL TO ORDER

Vice Chairperson Knutson opened the meeting at 6:14 p.m.

 

All stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting of November 9, 2007, public session, were reviewed.  Ms. Faria moved to accept the minutes as presented; Mr. Hannan seconded, and the vote was unanimous.

 

Ms. Faria moved to accept the minutes of the nonpublic session of November 9, 2007; seconded by Mr. Hannan.  There was a brief discussion of the content of nonpublic minutes.  The minutes were accepted, as presented, on a unanimous vote of the board.

 

Ms. Knutson explained that the absence of Ms. Chesno and Mr. Whitmarsh, from this evening’s meeting, was due to the fact that they are, presently, involved in negotiations with the teachers.

 

REPORT FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Ms. Ostrowski reported that the enrollment continues to grow.  Two more students will enroll in January.  There was a brief discussion of students entering from another country, and that this is in the budget.

 

She distributed to the board, from the Policies Study Group, a collection of data about New Hampshire.

 

She referred to the upcoming events listed on her written report.

 

Enrollment numbers were discussed as well as the projected enrollment numbers.  Mr. Pierce explained how the projected enrollments are put together by NESDEC, and explained how this is useful when explaining trends.

 

Ms. Ostrowski distributed the school’s budget that she prepared for presentation to the budget committee at its meeting following this school board meeting.  She explained that this budget preparation is similar to what was presented to the board at last month’s meeting.  There are three section of kindergarten projected, but a kindergarten teacher position has been removed.  The teachers’ salaries are level-funded, and the budget contains the summary information that the budget committee wanted.  The board discussed enrollment.

 

The budget was discussed: support services, library, and computer services, have been put back into the budget; the biggest jump is the additional bus; reinstated are supplies from back to the 06/07 presentation; and school board salaries will be removed.  

 

The board briefly discussed the follow-through with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASBY) financial reporting for state and local governments.

 

Mr. Frew distributed the financial statement.  The hot lunch program currently has $7,022.40 and had taken in $28,594.  Tim Harrington, Food Service Director, will come before the board to seek approval for the implementation of the card system for payment.  There was a brief discussion of skim milk not being offered.

 

Mr. Frew distributed the financial statement.  He reviewed the O.T. salaries, utilities, special education transportation, and health insurance. 

 

Mr. Frew distributed, for board review, the draft of the “Did you Know” article.  The board contributed its input on the energy audits being at no cost to taxpayers, what should be listed in the energy efficiency measures, and the proposed warrant articles.

 

REPORT FROM THE CHAIR

Board Member Queries

Ms. Knutson asked each board member if he or she has received a contact from members of the community. 

 

Ms. Faria said that she fielded a question regarding parents/grandparents not volunteering in their student’s classroom.  There was a brief discussion of the practice.  Ms. Knutson said that this practice is reviewed by the staff each school year, and the staff decided that the practice would stay in place for the 2007/2008 school year.

 

Ms. Knutson said that she received compliments about the hot lunch program, and the students feeling the friendliness of the staff.

 

Future Agenda Items

Discussed for agenda items for the future were:  evaluating writing, and the YMCA to be on the January agenda.

 

Superintendent Search

The report on the superintendent search was tabled until the next meeting.

 

 

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

Transportation

The bus routes and the schedule were reviewed as well as the assigned rider-ship and the actual counts.  The early release day, December 5^th was discussed.

 

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE NOTED

There was none.

 

OLD BUSINESS

There was none.

 

ADJOURNMENT

On a motion by Ms. Faria; seconded by Mr. Hannan, the board adjourned at 7:09 p.m.  The vote was unanimous. 

 

 

Submitted by

Mary Lou Clinton-Stevens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minutes of the school board are unofficial until accepted at a subsequent meeting of the school board.