BELLOWS FALLS UNION HIGH
SCHOOL
School Board Meeting
January 11, 2010
Present:
Daniel Axtell, David Clark, Stephen L. Fine, Matthew Guild, Stephen Major, Jan Mitchell-Love, Margaret Perry, Laurie Rowell
Also Present:
Johanna Harpster, Sharon Reynolds, Christopher Hodsden, John Broadley, Marion Major, Bethany Hall, Kari Fletcher, Tina Smith, Joel Love, Joe Brissette, FACT-TV
1. Call to Order:
The Chair, David Clark, called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
2. Adjustments to the Agenda:
Principal Hodsden asked that the board refer to Item 5[A][1] as Dropout Prevention Counselor, instead of 10% Czar.
3. Consent Items:
A. There being no objection, the Chair declared that the minutes of December 28, 2009 are accepted as presented.
4. Communications and Public Comments:
A. Shout It Out
Students and community members will have an opportunity to see “Shout It Out” on Saturday at the high school. This movie, based on diversity issues, was written by Vermont students. The board had an opportunity to see a two-minute trailer on the program and Tina Smith noted that it is also available on the school website.
B. Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Bethany Hall and Kari Fletcher distributed material regarding the Youth Risk Behavior Survey taken by students at BFUHS, and board members divided into small groups to explore the relationship between the data and assets that may be contributing to the high risk, and then came together to discuss the findings as a whole.
Bellows Falls Union High School
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January 11, 2010
5. Reports:
A. Principal
(1) Report on Dropout Prevention Counselor and Academic Support Room
Principal Hodsden was asked to keep the board updated on the dropout prevention and academic support initiatives that came about as a result of board retreat discussions. Wayne Blanchard is serving as the school’s Dropout Prevention Counselor, and he works with students in various levels of involvement two days a week. Since this is still the first semester, Principal Hodsedn feels it is too early to predict how many students will be guaranteed to graduate this year. The Academic Support Room is staffed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. when school is in session, and there are large numbers of students making use of these services.
B. Superintendent of Schools
A financial report was distributed to board members for review.
Superintendent Harpster, Sharon Reynolds, Margaret Perry, and Jim McAuliffe met with other school officials and legislators at a breakfast meeting in Chester.
C. Technical Center Representatives
Brattleboro – no report
Springfield – The FY2011 budget will be available for board review at the next meeting. Two BFUHS students have withdrawn from the Tech Center, one because of health reasons and the other because of not feeling as if the program was a good fit. Principal Hodsden is serving on the search committee for a new Director, and invited board members to contact him with any input they may have.
D. Student Representative
Student Council has finished the food drive, but did not reach the goal they had hoped for. They now will begin work on Winter Carnival.
WNESU
The unapproved minutes of December 16, 2009 were included in the agenda packet. Stephen Fine noted that he did not believe he referred to the Rockingham representatives as “Musketeers”. In the absence of Russ Capron and Margaret Perry, the Chair appointed himself and Laurie Rowell as representatives for the January 27th meeting.
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January 11, 2010
F. Committees and Special Projects
(1) School and Community Relations Committee
The committee would like Superintendent Harpster, Chris Hodsden, Suzanne Groenewold, and David Clark to meet with editors of the Brattleboro Reformer and Eagle Times to encourage more communication and publicity.
(2) Instruction and Educational Effectiveness Committee
Minutes of the December 14, 2009 meeting were included in the agenda packet.
6. Unfinished Business:
A. Response to Commissioner Vilaseca’s Letter
Superintendent Harpster drafted a response to Commissioner Vilaseca’s letter based on concerns expressed by board members. Legislators will also receive a copy.
7. Business for Discussion/Action:
A. 2010-2011 Budget
Stephen Major moved to ratify the approval of a FY2011 budget of $7,178,749, without conditions. The motion passed unanimously.
B. Annual Meeting Articles
The Chair moved to approve the Warning for the Union High School No. 27 Annual Meeting as presented. The motion passed unanimously.
C. Carpet Bid Specifications, Phase II
Jan Mitchell-Love moved to approve the Invitation to Bid for carpeting replacement as presented. The motion passed unanimously.
D. 501(C)(3)
No discussion
8. Directors’ Comments:
Margaret Perry commented on the need to improve the appearance of bulletin boards in the hallway.
Stephen Fine asked if the board has received a request from FACT-TV to pay for filming. The Chair stated that an e-mail has been received, and he encouraged their representative to attend a meeting to discuss the request.
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January 11, 2010
9. Date of Next Scheduled Meeting:
The Chair set the date of the next meeting for January 25, 2010, preceded by a meeting of the Instruction and Educational Effectiveness Committee.
10. Executive Session:
There being no objection, the Chair declared that the board is entering executive session at 9:00 p.m. for the purpose of discussing a BFUHS personnel matter and a WNESU personnel matter, and invited the administration to attend both sessions, and Joel Love to attend discussion about the BFUHS personnel matter.
The Chair returned the board to open session at 10:05 p.m. No action was taken as a result of executive session.
11. Adjournment:
There being no further business to come before the meeting and no objection, the Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jan Mitchell-Love, Clerk
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