NOT APPROVED
NEWFIELDS SCHOOL BOARD
June 9th, 2008 — 5:30PM
NEWFIELDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
In Attendance: Carolyn Bellisio, Joe Army, Michael Price
Administration: Nathan Lunney, Dennis Dobe
Treasurer: Pam Muller
Secretary: Dennis Dobe
Visitors: Win Fream, Michael Morgan, Alyssa Caggiano, Michael Kessler,
Tom Hayward, Jennifer MacPherson
3.1 May 12, 2008 School Board Meeting -- The minutes were approved as written (Motion by Carolyn Bellisio, Second by Michael Price, All in Favor).
4. Visitors
4.1 Newfields Youth Athletic Association
Several members of the NYAA Executive Board joined the school board meeting to
discuss a proposal to develop the school district’s adjacent lots for the purpose of building a parking lot. NYAA President, Tom Hayward, and the other NYAA Board members addressed a list of questions and concerns that the school board had developed previously. Every matter that the NYAA could address sat this time was discussed and explained by the NYAA Board. Some highlights of the discussion were as follows: the NYAA wishes to build a parking lot on the school district’s adjacent lots using grant funds at no cost to Newfields taxpayers, the NYAA intends the parking lot to be a community-based project, the main goal of the project and the grant writing process will be to ‘improve community safety’, the NYAA requested that the school board pick up the legal fees for a transfer of property for the development of a parking lot with specific considerations outlined, the NYAA would use a ‘phase’ approach to the project with a 2-5 year timeline, the NYAA will pursue grants to fund the project, there will be several clauses in the proposed agreement which will assure that the property will return to the school district if it is needed for expansion or if the NYAA does not obtain sufficient funding to complete the project, the NYAA will work actively with the school board to develop the building plan and oversee the project, and, a plan to fund ongoing maintenance and repair costs of the project will be determined later. Joe Army suggested that the NYAA develop a grant strategy, obtain a copy of parking lot plans developed byt the school board, and that the school district then consult attorneys about the particulars of the agreement. Carolyn Bellisio inquired as to whether the school board had the authority to deed school district property to others. Nate Lunney responded that he believed that the action would have to be determined through school district voting in March. Mr. Army then summarized next actions as follows: Mr. Dobe will provide the NYAA with parking lot development plans, the NYAA will further develop their grant strategy, the NYAA will visit the September school board meeting to revisit this discussion.
5. Business and Financial
5.1 Monthly Financial Report
School District Treasurer, Pamela Muller, reported the following fund balances to the school board: the Newfields School District had $426,228.71 cash on hand at the end of May, Maintenance -- $4,006.39, and Parking Lot Planning -- $7,106.36.
5.2 Year End Fund Balance Projection and Encumbrances
Mr. Nathan Lunney reported that he anticipated approximately $51,000 in unused funds at the close of the school year, from which the school board may elect to encumber to fund necessary, unbudgeted school district projects.
6. Curriculum
6.1 Extended-Day Kindergarten Program Planning Update
Principal Dennis Dobe reported to the Board that significant progress was being made to prepare for next year’s Extended-Day Kindergarten Program at NES. Some recent preparations include: appointing our second kindergarten teacher (Casey Hamilton), conducting kindergarten program visitations in Exeter and Stratham, holding a Kindergarten Open House, holding a Kindergarten Student Screening, holding program development meetings, holding budget and equipment ordering meetings, and holding kindergarten placement meetings.
6.2 Related Arts Program Proposal for 2008-2009
Mr. Dobe informed the board that the current NES Spanish teacher had recently resigned
and that staffing the Spanish program continues to be a significant challenge. Dennis
proposed that he continue to study the viability of the Spanish program at NES as well as
staffing options to help assure program continuity in the time to come, knowing that if a
qualified teacher could not be hired for the coming year that the program would not be
offered in 2008-2009. The school board voted to approve this proposal (Motion by
Carolyn Bellisio, Second by Michael Price, All in Favor).
6.3 NWEA-MAP Testing
Dennis informed the board that NES had completed NWEA testing for the spring, and that
all had gone well. Further, he stated that early indications were that NES students
performed very well on the test, as they have done in the past. However, Dennis discussed
the amount of testing that NES students undergo in the spring and informed the board that
most (if not all) SAU 16 elementary schools will discontinue administering the NWEA—
MAP in the coming year (if they have not already done so). Mr. Dobe indicated that he
would continue to study the benefits of the assessment with NES teachers and provide a
recommendation to the board next year regarding continued administration of the
NWEA—MAP in the years to come.
7. Superintendent / Assistant Superintendent Report
7.1 SAU Update
Nathan Lunney provided an overview of leadership changes within the SAU Central Office.
In addition to Dr. Hanson’s retirement and Michael Morgan’s appointment as SAU 16
Superintendent of Schools, and Dr. Kossakoski’s resignation with Laura Nelson’s
appointment as SAU 16 Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Research, Nathan
informed the board that SAU 16 Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction,
Jerry Frew had resigned to accept a position at Superintendent of Schools for the Kearsarge
Regional School District. Mr. Lunney and Mr. Morgan, who was a visitor for this evening’s
meeting suggested that Mr. Frew’s position may go unfilled for the coming year in attempts
to bring on board the finest quality candidate possible (hiring for the position at this point in
the year may bring a small and under-qualified applicant pool). The Newfields School
Board understood Mr. Morgan’s logic and agreed with his approach to this matter. In other
SAU news, Nathan indicated that the NH Retirement System lawsuit was not advancing
through the courts and that the school district would likely see some of its funds returned
which had been dedicated in support of the lawsuit. Mr. Lunney also shared a chart he
recently developed illustrating cost per pupil expenses across the SAU. NES continues to
have one of the lowest cost per pupil averages.
7.2 Enrollment Update
Nathan Lunney reported that the current NES enrollment has remained stable at 164
students since last month.
8. Principal’s Report
8.1 School Activities
Mr. Dobe informed the Board about upcoming and recent NES activities to include:
the conclusion of the NES archery residency for 4th & 5th Graders, the annual NES Fields
Day on 6/4 (which was partially rained-out), Grade 5 visit to the Cooperative Middle
School and the CMS Parent Information Night on 6/5, EHS Senior Service Day on 6/9, the
NPTO Ice Cream Social and the NES ‘Extreme Lightning’ Jump Rope and Dance Team
performance on 6/11, Grade 5 Celebration on 6/17, and the Silver Arrow Review on the
last day of school which will be 6/19.
8.1 After School Care Program Update
Many parent surveys were collected expressing an interest in an after school care program
at NES. Mr. Dobe consulted YMCA Camp Lincoln who had previously sited a program at
NES for several years. It was just learned that after review of the surveys, that Camp
Lincoln is not inclined to base a program at NES – their experience would indicate that
there will not be enough children in attendance to make the program viable for Camp
Lincoln. Dennis will be speaking with other providers as early as next week, and hopes to
have encouraging news included in the class placement letters that will go out to families
by the end of the month.
8.2 Summer Teacher Academy Update
Most all of the NES teaching staff will be attending 2-4 days of training during the week
after school closes. June 23 & 24 will feature literacy mapping work with Dr. Heather
Driscoll, while June 25 & 26 will focus on the development of electronic portfolios. NES
will incur expenses associated with instructor fees for 6/25 & 6/26, and stipends for
participating teachers on 6/23-6/26.
9. General Correspondence
10. Personnel
10.1 Staff Resignation
The School Board was informed that Anne deLeon, NES Spanish Teacher, was resigning
at the close of this school year to pursue other opportunities in education and industry.
The School Board expressed regret, and agreed that Mrs. deLeon had done a very nice job
for the school district and its students.
10.2 School Nurse and Art Teacher Search Update
Mr. Dobe shared news with the Board that the school received several applications for
each of the teaching positions available for the coming year. Search committees will be
interviewing candidates next week.
11. Building and Grounds
11.1 Building Use Requests
The Newfields Christian Fellowship Church will hold a bake sale at NES on Saturday, June 14th, to benefit the Gray family.
11.2 Facility & Grounds Update
3.2 Mr. Dobe and Mr. Lunney spoke about upcoming facility projects to be completed over the summer months. The most significant of which is major repair of the second addition roof. There was discussion about funding that project (primarily through the schools building maintenance trust fund) and then about other necessary encumbrances. The Board elected to encumber $11,500 to Eastern Exteriors for the roof project and $15,000 for the school’s heating fuel account with Hartmann Oil, Inc. (Motion by Carolyn Bellisio, Second by Michael Price, All in Favor).
11.3 EHS Senior Service Day
Mr. Dobe informed the School Board of the excellent community service work performed
by a group of 15 EHS Seniors earlier in the day as part of their annual Senior Service Day.
The students accomplished several important projects to include: scraping and painting
the front walkway railing, cleaning the side of the building where debris had accumulated,
cleaning some material from the adjacent lots, marking stumps for removal from the
adjacent lots, cleaning around the 5th Grade Class Gift area, and spreading two dump truck
loads of mulch on the playground.
12. Pupil-Related Matters
13. Board Reports / Policy – Tabled until the August School Board Meeting.
14. Old Business -- There were a no matters of old business discussed by the Board this evening.
15. New Business – Mr. Army asked Dennis to write letters expressing the Board’s gratitude to
Knipstein and Conner Enterprises and Sturgis Concrete Floors of Exeter for their support of the
5th Grade Class Gift Project.
16. Next Meeting
17.1 Board Meeting: August 18th, 2008, at 5:30PM.
17. Adjournment – 8:16PM
Mr. Price made a motion to adjourn the school board meeting, second by Ms. Bellisio. All in
favor.