Exeter Region Cooperative School District
Personnel, Policy and Communications Committee
Meeting Minutes
December 21, 2005-6:30 pm
Meeting Location: SAU Office: 24 Front Street; Exeter
Committee members present: Kris Magnusson, Chair; Robin Scott, Greg Kann, Ray Trueman
Administration present: Dr. Skip Hanson, Mr. Richard Pratt
Guests: John Hazekamp
At 6:32 PM Kris Magnusson called the meeting to order followed by the Pledge
of Allegiance.
I. Public Input
None
II. Web Blocking Presentation & Discussion-Richard Pratt, EHS Technology
Mr. Pratt showed a Powerpoint presentation outlining current policies and concerns regarding web-site use at Exeter High School and benefits of web blocking. Current policy is governed by Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”-can be found on www.sau16.org under technology) and does not include the use of web blocking software like it is at CMS and all of the SAU 16 elementary schools. Students’ web site use has to have educational and work-related uses within the context of education-related activity. Web monitoring is currently done with maintaining a subscription-based firewall filter (Sonic Wall) and proxy software log analysis (Cyfin Reporter). Mr. Pratt would like to add web blocking as an additional monitoring tool. The following were identified as concerns that are becoming increasingly more difficult to monitor: pornography, games (loaded with spyware), chat, tastelessness (pop-ups linked to porn sites), “community sites” (like myspaces.com) and public proxy. Greg asked if the students were able to use instant messenger. Mr. Pratt said that students are not supposed to be chatting with friends, but he is aware that it does happen.
Mr. Pratt was very concerned with the growing trend of students using community web sites (myspace.com, livejournal, xanga, local hookupz) and the naivety of both students and parents of the dangers of posting personal information, pictures, etc. to the web. He has spoken with the Student Resource Officer (SRO) and the Exeter Police that these types of sites are a shopping mall for predators. Robin felt we should be doing more to educate students and parents about these. All members concurred and Greg thought a separate table at parent open houses and orientation would be a great way to educate parents. Kris would like intermediary and immediate messages sent home to parents via school newsletters and the school newspaper and local press release and/or story in the local media. Dr. Hanson said that he would follow up on these suggestions and reminded the committee that Exeter Hospital has sponsored internet safety seminars and that one was coming up in January 2006. Mr. Pratt gave members a copy of a December 8, 2005 Boston Globe article by Matt Viser, “Website’s power to overexpose teens stirs a warning. Parents alerted to MySpace.com”.
Mr. Pratt then gave the results of using the web blocking software on a week-long basis. 3 teachers asked Mr. Pratt to open sites which is easy to do with this software. Mr. Pratt asked Student Senate if anyone noticed a difference in web use and there was not a noticeable change. Traffic monitored during this time revealed that in October, the #1 traffic went to search engines and #2 (7%) traffic was specifically at MySpace.com. Greg commented that just in the past 5 years, web blocking software had improved. Greg made the following motion: Motion to recommend to the full Board the implementation of web-blocking software at Exeter High School. Seconded by Robin. Motion carried 4-0.
Ray thought that because so much technology is going wireless, (receiving web information on cell phones) that we should be updating the AUP. Greg thought that he should take this to the SAU Technology Committee for discussion of wireless technology, cell phones with access to internet, and wireless access. This committee will follow-up after the district technology committee meeting. The committee thanked Mr. Pratt for his presentation.
III. Additional Day for EHS Teachers to Prepare for new EHS.
Dr. Hanson asked the committee to consider the proposal to ask Exeter High School teachers to use August 23, 2005 as an additional day to set up their new classrooms by swapping a district in-service day of October 6, 2005 at no additional cost. Robin and Kris were concerned about losing a professional development day, but committee felt it was worth consideration to make the start of a new school year in a new school as successful as possible. Dr. Hanson will talk with the EEA president first. Motion made by Robin to recommend to the full Board that Exeter High School teachers will come in August 23, 2006 in lieu of October 6, 2006 in-service day pending review of EEA president. Greg seconded. Motion carried 4-0.
IV. Communication Audit Follow-up Items.
Dr. Hanson reported on e-mail communications with Travis York of Griffin Bodi & Krause as committee is waiting on proposal and cost of web site e-mail opt-in list, 2006 teacher survey & tabulation, web-based survey pop-ups and navigation/web site face lift. Dr. Hanson reported that he does not have costs nor a proposal because he felt Travis was only interested in a long-term commitment that would be cost prohibitive. Kris asked Dr. Hanson to have a follow-up conversation with Travis that according to the communication audit recommendations, that we should “consider and information architecture project” but she did not understand that precluded specific identified needs that we could take care of now. Kris wants to make sure that we have a program in place to administer the 2006 teacher survey and continue to make progress with committee’s 2005-6 goals. Dr. Hanson will call Travis and report back to the committee with, hopefully a proposal and costs.
V. 2005-6 Goals Progress: Video-streaming and e-mail list.
Dr. Hanson reported that video-streaming of December 13, 2005 full board meeting was now on www.sau16.org . The video was overnighted to Web Cast and the video stream was up and running the following Sunday. Dr. Hanson said his hope is to have the video stream up by the following Friday and expects that will happen for the next meeting. Kris mentioned that because she has a dial-up connection, she was having trouble downloading the video-stream. Greg tried with his high-speed connection and had no trouble and felt the clarity was good. Robin wanted to know if we could advertise the service some more because she had talked to several people who did not know that we were doing this. Dr. Hanson will talk to the Exeter Newsletter and his building principals to get the word out. Kris was wondering if there was the ability on the web site to get feedback if people are having trouble downloading. Greg also mentioned tracking hits and what would constitute “successful” number of hits to maintain service. Dr. Hanson said that we could compare total web site hits to video-streaming hits and will be able to get this information from the technology staff. The committee concurred to discuss this at the next meeting with preliminary data and feedback.
VI. New/Old Business
Kris asked Dr. Hanson the result of following up with Attorney Barbara Loughman regarding whether the video of an Exeter High School Transition Committee presented at the full Board Meeting in November by John Hazekamp was part of the public record. Dr. Hanson said that Attorney Loughman said it did not because it was not a product of the board and therefore could not be maintained by the board. John Hazekamp asked for the copy of the video back and Dr. Hanson would give it back to him after the meeting.
Kris also reported that she contacted the Atlantic News to find out their process for showcasing student work for both SAU 16 and SAU 21 each month. Basically, teachers, students or parents can submit work to them for publication and often hold a variety of essay contests. They have their own advertisers and the district does not have to sponsor (no cost) the monthly insert.
VII. Approval of November Meeting Minutes. Robin made motion to accept the contents of the November 16, 2005 Minutes. Ray seconded. Motion carried 4-0.
Motion made by Greg Kann and seconded by Ray Trueman to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 4-0 and meeting was adjourned at 7:46 pm. Kris thanked the committee for their good work in 2005 reminded everyone about the next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, January 25, 2005 at a new time, 6:30 pm at the SAU offices on Front Street. Happy holidays to all!
Respectfully submitted, Kris Magnusson