APPROVED

 

NEWFIELDS SCHOOL BOARD

April 14th, 2008 — 5:30PM

NEWFIELDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 

In Attendance:                          Carolyn Bellisio, Joe Army, Michael Price

Administration:                          Nathan Lunney, Dennis Dobe

Treasurer:                                 Maggie Doane, Pam Muller

Secretary:                                 Dennis Dobe

Visitors:                                    Laura Gowing, Amy Ferris, Stacy Smith, Erin Tyson, Kirsten Lord,

                                                Dee Kettlewood, Cindy Feenstra, Lisa Adam, Tracy Birmingham,

                                                Ray Trueman, Don Doane, Jan Trueman, Kent Wien, Bill Davis

 

  1. Call to Order – 5:40PM by Joe Army
  2. Non-Public Session  (The School Board entered into a non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 II (a) to discuss personnel matters at 8:20pm. and left non-public session at 9:25pm.  Motion by Michael Price, Second by Carolyn Bellisio, All in Favor)
  3. Oath of Office / Organization of Board – Election of Chair

3.1  Oath of Office – School District Moderator Bill Davis conducted the Oath of Office for re-elected School Board Member, Carolyn Bellisio.  School Board Chairperson Joseph Army conducted the Oath of Office for Pamela Muller, newly elected School District Treasurer.  Ms. Muller’s first official action was to appoint former Newfields School District Treasurer Maggie Doane as School District Deputy Treasurer.  Mrs. Doane accepted the appointment.

3.2  Election of Chair – Current School Board Chairperson Joseph Army was re-elected to that position by fellow board members Carolyn Bellisio and Michael Price (Carolyn Bellisio nominated Mr. Army for School Board Chairperson, Second by Michael Price, All in Favor)

  1. Approval of Minutes

3.1  March 10, 2008 School Board Meeting

The minutes were approved as written (Motion by Carolyn Bellisio, Second by Michael Price, All in Favor)

  1. Visitors

5.1  Incoming Kindergarten Parent Presentation

The parents of incoming kindergarten students (along with the NES principal and kindergarten teacher) participated in the discussion of programming options being proposed for the coming year which may effect the NES kindergarten program offering.  NES Parent Lisa Adam shared a report that she developed on research related to the merits of each kindergarten program under consideration by the School Board.  After a lengthy discussion with meeting visitors on the subject, the School Board elected not to make a motion on the kindergarten program issue.  Instead, they requested that some more specific information be gathered by the school principal on matters related to their decision and asked that a public forum be called and promoted to help the Board decide the issue of maintaining our current half-day kindergarten program, or moving to an extended-day program (over the course of the night’s discussion, the Board did elect to rule out the possibility of a full-day kindergarten program).  The kindergarten program forum was scheduled for Thursday evening, April 24th, at 5:30 in the NES MPR.

      6.  Business and Financial

6.1 Monthly Financial Report

School District Treasurer, Maggie Doane, reported the following fund balances to the school board:  the Newfields School District had an unrecorded level cash on hand at the end of March, Maintenance -- $3,989.40, and Parking Lot Planning -- $7,076.29.  Mrs. Doane expressed a concern that the NES Enrichment Auction deposit had not reached the SAU Business Office.  Mrs. Doane agreed to continue service to the school district for a time to come in order to assist with a smooth transition for her successor, Ms. Muller.  Finally, Maggie’s years of service to the Newfields School District was honored with a speech by Mr. Army, additional words by the other Board members, and the presentation of a gift from the School Board to Mrs. Doane for her work in service of the children of Newfields for many years.  The gift was an antique photograph of the original two-room Newfields Elementary School, professionally framed and inscribed by Bob Devantery of Devantery Frames, Inc., Newfields, NH

6.2  Update on Grants and Trusts

Mr. Nathan Lunney indicated to the Board that SAU 16 Business Office was currently working on new protocols and documents to allow for automatic flow of trust funds into their respective accounts in the SAU Business Office.  This process would negate the current condition where the School Board needs to formally request disbursement of trust funds on an annual basis.

7.      Curriculum

7.1  NES Kindergarten Program Study, 2008-2009

This material was addressed under 5.1 Visitors.

         7.2 NES Spring Testing Review

Mr. Dobe provided an overview of spring assessments planned for NES students over the

coming weeks.  Students in Grades 1 & 2 are taking the Gates-MacGinitie Tests of Reading

this week and Kindergarteners and Second Graders will be taking the Developmental

Reading Assessment (DRA) during the month of May.  Also in May, our 3rd-5th Graders will

be taking the computer-based NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests in

reading, language usage, mathematics, and science.  Additionally, our Fourth Graders will

take the NECAP—Science Test in mid-May.  Results of the Gates-MacGinitie, NWEA, and

NECAP Science will be shared with the Board once they are received by the NES

Administration.

8.   Superintendent / Assistant Superintendent Report

     8.1 SAU Update

Nathan Lunney revisited the subject of the NH Retirement System challenges and shared

further information on Omnibus Bill 1645.  Also, Mr. Lunney handed out the approved NES

calendar for 2008-2009, and made a presentation on Newfields voting results for both the

Newfields and Cooperative School District ballots decided on March 11th, 2008.

        8.2 Enrollment Update

              Nathan Lunney reported that the current NES enrollment has remained stable at 164

              students since last month. 

9.      Principal’s Report

     9.1  NES Enrichment Benefit Auction Report

Mr. Dobe reported that this year’s enrichment benefit auction was well attended and very

successful in every regard.  The event raised over $12,450 to fund the NES school-wide

enrichment program.  An NES First Grader won the Spaghetti Sauce Cook-Off.

9.2  School Activities

Mr. Dobe informed the Board about upcoming and recent NES activities to include:

Grade 4 Wax Museums held on 4/2, an Earth Rhythms concert on 4/3, a bicycle safety program on 4/9, the Grade 5 environmental camp experience at B.U.’s Sargent Center from 4/14-4/18, and American Red Cross Blood Drive on 4/21, Spring Portraits and NES Marine Ecology Day on 4/23, and the annual NES Town-wide Clean-up Activity on 4/25.  Mr. Dobe also stated that many event dates have also been set for May and June, which can be viewed from the NES website.

9.3  NES Summer Teacher’s Academy

Dennis identified the training and described the work that has been selected for this year’s teacher academy for NES, EKES, and KES teachers during their joint Summer Teacher’s Academy which will run from Monday, June 23rd, through Friday, June 27th.  NES teachers will be working with a consultant (funded by our school’s Title IIA Grant) to complete their ‘Literacy Curriculum Maps’ and also be participating in further ‘Moodle’ and ‘Electronic Portfolio’ training.

10.  General Correspondence  

10.1 School Board Letters

The School Board reviewed and signed letters of gratitude for the NPTO A/V cart and playground equipment gifts, as well as of congratulations to the NES Spelling Bee Champion who performed extraordinarily well at the Seacoast Region Spelling Bee last month.

11.  Personnel

11.1 Anticipated Retirement

Reluctantly, the School Board accepted School Nurse Cindy Kubit’s letter of resignation. 

Mrs. Kubit will begin enjoying her well-deserved retirement beginning July 1, 2008.  (Motion

– Michael Price, Second – Carolyn Bellisio, Unanimous.)

12.  Building and Grounds

12.1 Building Use Requests

There were no building use requests for the Board to review.

12.2 Facility & Grounds Update

Mr. Dobe reported on the annual Phillips-Exeter Academy community service activity at NES.  More than 50 PEA students arrived at NES on the morning of April 9th to help with many spring cleaning yard and grounds projects.  Dennis indicated that the PEA students did a great job and, as a result, NES is way ahead of schedule on its annual spring clean-up endeavors.  Mr. Dobe also reported on a professional pest inspection conducted recently, as well as a landscaping service proposal recently submitted to the NES Administration.  Dennis also briefed the Board on repair work recently completed on the A/C unit that services the NES computer lab.

   13.  Pupil-Related Matters

       13.1 Sargent Center Environmental School

Mr. Dobe briefed the Board on the annual 5th Grade trip to Sargent Center for their week-

long environmental camp experience.  The students left by bus for Sargent Center this

morning and are expected to return on Friday afternoon.  The weather forecast looks great

for the kids!

       13.2  Newfields Senior Luncheon Performance

            Mr. Dobe shared a report on the 5th Grade participation in this year’s annual Newfields

Senior Luncheon sponsored by the Newfields Town Celebration Committee.  Our 5th Graders hosted, sat, and served the Newfields seniors.  The also performed skits that they wrote, directed, and rehearsed, based on earlier research for their centennial newspaper project this past fall and winter.  The skits and the kids were an absolute hit!

14.  Board Reports / Policy – Tabled until the May School Board Meeting.

15.  Old Business  -- There were a no matters of old business discussed by the Board this evening.

16.  New Business -- There were a no matters of new business discussed by the Board this evening.

17.  Next Meeting

       17.1  Board Meeting:  May 12th, 2008, at 5:30PM.

18.  Adjournment – 8:20PM

       Ms. Bellisio made a motion to adjourn the school board meeting, second by Mr. Price.  All in

       favor.