BELLOWS FALLS UNION HIGH SCHOOL
School Board Meeting
March 22, 2010
Present:
Daniel Axtell, Jack Bryar, David Clark, Stephen L. Fine, Matthew Guild, Stephen Major, Jan Mitchell-Love, Margaret Perry, Laurie Rowell
Also Present:
Johanna Harpster, Andrea Allbee, Sharon Reynolds, Christopher Hodsden, John Broadley, Marion Major, Aaron Morton, Michael Empey, 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 removed Request for Buildings and Grounds from Item 5(B), Principal’s Report.
3. Consent Items:
There being no objection, the Chair declared that the minutes of March 8, 2010 are accepted as presented.
4. Communications and Public Comments:
None
5. Reports:
A. Financial
Board members received updated financial reports. FY09 Audits have been electronically transmitted to the Business Office and hard copies should be available next week.
B. Principal
Climate Survey – The annual climate survey is being prepared, and will include questions requested by Jan Mitchell-Love regarding incidences of theft in the school building.
Booster Club Project – Booster Club members have volunteered time and resources to paint the new concession stand and storage area at Hadley Field.
Weight Room – Principal Hodsden provided the board with an update on permitting and plans. Concerns were expressed about timeliness of the
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project, and he was encouraged to proceed in consultation with Mike Empey on a schedule for demolition.
C. Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent Harpster provided e-mail correspondence from the Vermont Superintendents Association regarding recent legislative discussions.
Jack Bryar is searching for a copy of Page 3 of the white paper he wrote a few years ago in response to the Commissioner of Education’s proposal for school consolidation.
D. Director of Student Support Services
The Special Education Report was distributed and will be included on the next agenda for discussion.
E. Technology Center Representatives
BFUHS will be hosting this week’s meeting of the Windham Regional Career Center Advisory Board.
River Valley Technical Center Advisory Board plans to meet in April.
F. Student Representatives
Student Council is fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy.
G. WNESU
The WNESU Board will hold its reorganization meeting on March 24. Margaret Perry, Jan Mitchell-Love, and Russ Capron will represent this board.
H. Committees & Special Projects
None
6. Wellness Policy (Code F29):
Superintendent Harpster explained how the proposed policy was created, and Dan Axtell added concerns expressed by the Westminster School Board during their review of the document. The Chair moved the document to the Policy Committee for review and recommendation.
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7. Unfinished Business:
A. State Street Bank Stock Time Table
Discussion postponed
B. Chair’s Appointment of WNESU Representatives
The Chair appointed Jan Mitchell-Love, Margaret Perry, and Russ Capron to serve as WNESU Representatives at the last meeting. At Jack Bryar’s suggestion to provide continuity in the absence of a representative, the Chair appointed Laurie Rowell as first alternate for the ensuing year.
8. Business for Discussion/Action:
A. Bus Driver Health Insurance
No procedure is in place for determining at what point part-time bus drivers are eligible to receive benefits. The Chair appointed Margaret Perry, Jan Mitchell-Love, and Stephen Fine to serve on an ad-hoc committee to review the situation.
B. Bus Bid Specs
Jan Mitchell-Love moved to approve bid specifications for a 71 passenger, or larger, school bus as included in the agenda packet. The motion passed unanimously.
C. Google Resolution on Technology
Dan Axtell has conveyed the board’s support to Vermont Tele-communications Authority for the community’s participation in Google’s “Fiber for Communities” project.
D. Support of Westminster Gazette
In response to board member suggestions to include community newspapers in the list of media used to announce board activities, a question arose as to whether the board would be willing to consider financial support of these papers. It was decided that spending money on publicity is a budget issue, and no action was taken.
E. Set Date for Board Retreat
Plans for a board retreat in May will be finalized at the next meeting.
F. Leave Request
The Chair moved to grant Martina Mattison’s request for paid leave to fulfill her civic duty, if selected, as required by a summons to appear for jury duty, seconded by Stephen Major. The motion passed
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on a vote of seven in favor (Bryar, Perry, Rowell, Guild, Axtell, Major, Mitchell-Love) and two opposed (Fine, placeClark).
G. Approve Multi-Year Plans
Matt Guild moved to approve Multi-Year Plans for students 1094585, 1102764, 2010153, 1082394, 1102769, and 1110506. The motion passed unanimously.
H. Reappoint Teaching Staff
Principal Hodsden asked that Shawn Murphy be considered for reappointment to a Math teaching position in addition to the roster included in the agenda packet. Following brief discussion, the Chair moved reappointments to Item 12, Executive Session.
9. Appointments and/or Resignations:
Laurie Rowell moved to appoint Shawn Murphy as Tennis Coach and Michael Bennett as Assistant Track Coach for the 2009-2010 school year. The motion passed unanimously.
10. Directors’ Comments:
Board members commended all who participated in the school’s recent performance of “Oklahoma!”
Jan Mitchell-Love suggested that the school’s Emergency Action Plan be sent out to parents.
11 Date of next meeting:
The Chair set the date of the next meeting for April 26, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Policy Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. that evening. Board members were asked to participate in Senior Project evaluations on April 12.
12. Executive Session:
Stephen Major moved to go into executive session at 9:00 p.m. to discuss a personnel matter and teaching reappointments, and invited the administration to attend. The motion passed unanimously.
The Chair returned the board to open session at 9:45 p.m.
Jack Bryar moved to approve reappointment of the teaching staff as included in the agenda packet, with the addition of Shawn Murphy. The motion passed with one abstention (Mitchell-Love).
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13, Adjournment:
There being no further business to come before the meeting and no objection, the Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 9:47 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jan Mitchell-Love, Clerk
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