BELLOWS FALLS UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
School Board Meeting
April 26, 2010
Present:
Daniel Axtell, Jack Bryar, Russell Capron, David Clark, Stephen L. Fine, Matthew Guild, Jan Mitchell-Love, Margaret Perry, Laurie Rowell
Also Present:
Johanna Harpster, Christopher Kibbe, Christopher Hodsden, John Broadley, Bethany Hall, Jessica Cenate, representatives from Macro International Inc., Priscilla Lambert, Susan Smallheer (Rutland Herald), Matthew Burke, Robert Edwards, FACT-TV
1. Call to Order:
The Chair, David Clark, called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m.
2. Adjustments to the Agenda:
Item 8(D), Ad Hoc Payroll Committee’s Recommendations regarding benefits for bus drivers will be tabled.
Item 8(A), Breath Testing at the Prom, and Item 8(B), Band Trip to Ohio, will follow Communications and Public Comments.
3. Consent Items:
Margaret Perry moved to approve the minutes of March 22, 2010 as presented. The motion passed unanimously.
4. Communications and Public Comments:
None
5. Breath Testing at the Prom
SRO Jessica Cenate brought a proposal to Principal Hodsden for the screening of alcohol use as students arrive at the Junior Prom which will be held at the American Legion in placeCityChester, StateVermont. Representatives from Macro International Inc., working with the US Department of Health and Human Services, were present and filming the discussion, and asked board members to consider signing a Consent & Release Form relating to the use of the filmed discussion. The procedures that are planned, staffing, and funding through START (Stop Teen Alcohol Risk Team) were outlined by the presenters and in material distributed at the meeting. Dover Police Chief Bob Edwards described his experience in monitoring students at Twin Valley High School and his work with the START
program.
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Following the presentation, several board members expressed concern about civil liberties, legalities, the focusing on alcohol and not other substances, as well as the use of metal detectors if student safety is the issue.
Jack Bryar’s motion to table action until legal precedents has been researched failed. The board continued discussion, and Assistant Superintendent Kibbe explained how Burr & Burton monitors in a similar way, but the effort is administered by staff members without police involvement. Board members continued to ask questions about student input and reliability and ramifications of testing.
Dan Axtell’s motion to accept the administration’s proposal for breath-testing by Windham County Sheriffs, or other adults at the discretion of the principal, at the BFUHS Junior Prom on May 22, 2010 as described in the memorandum included in the packet, a copy of which is attached to the official copy of these minutes failed.
Jack Bryar moved to table action until the next scheduled meeting to allow student representatives a chance to provide input and to research the legal precedents with the expectation that the board will be provided with information as to whether the matter has been tested in court. The motion passed on a vote of five in favor (Guild, Axtell, Mitchell-Love, Bryar, Clark) and four opposed (Capron, Fine, Rowell, Perry).
6. Band Trip to placeStateOhio:
Band Director Matt Burke explained that the band was fundraising for a trip to StateOhio to participate in a competition and while there, would visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Cedar Point Amusement Park. The trip will be similar to that which they have attended in placeStatePennsylvania, but the competition will be at a higher level. Initially the plan was to have a school bus transport the participants and chaperones, but this will require two drivers because of the travel time, and the board is now being asked to consider the use of surplus funds in the music budget to hire a private coach bus. Matt Guild moved to authorize the spending of an amount not to exceed $5,500 from the FY2010 music budget to support the hiring of a coach bus to facilitate the band trip to
placeStatePennsylvania. The motion passed on a vote of seven in favor (Guild, Perry, Rowell, Axtell, Bryar,
Mitchell-Love, Capron) and one abstention (Fine).
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7. Reports:
A. Financial
Board members received financial reports prior to the meeting, portions of which were corrected by budget notes distributed during the meeting by Assistant Superintendent Kibbe.
B. Principal
(1) Virtual Learning Coop
BFUHS did not receive a grant for virtual learning, but students may have an opportunity to participate in programs being offered by other schools. A list of the Phase One courses and sponsoring schools was provided in the agenda packet.
(2) Literacy Event
Craig Divis has organized a community-wide literacy project that will culminate with the author visiting the school next fall. Copies of First They Killed My Father, by Loung Ung will be available for students and members of the community to read over the summer.
(3) Bequest
Word has been received that David M. Kangas, a member of the Class of 1956, has bequeathed $50,000 to the school.
(4) Baseball Field
A community member has offered to donate lights for the baseball field. The matter will be referred to the Building & Grounds Committee.
C. Superintendent of Schools
Baseline data on focus monitoring for Special Education and a recent edition of the Secretary of State’s Opinions, as they relate to boards, was distributed.
D. Technical Center Representatives
No report
E. Student Representatives
No report
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F. WNESU
Unapproved minutes of the March 24, 2010 meeting were included in the agenda packet. Laurie Rowell will attend the meeting in Margaret Perry’s absence.
G. Committees and Special Projects
(1) Long-Term Planning Committee
No Report
(2) Policy Committee
Minutes of the March 29, 2010 meeting were included in the agenda packet.
(3) School and Community Relations Committee
Minutes of the February 6, 2010 and March 6, 2010 meetings were included in the agenda packet.
(4) Building and Grounds Committee
Minutes of 4/19 distributed. Russ Capron updated the board on the progress of carpeting bids, Green Mountain Power Corporation pole upgrades, cleaning of grounds, removing from the grounds buses that do not run, and the weight room construction progress.
8. First placeCityReading of Harassment of Students Policy (F20):
Laurie Rowell moved to place Harassment of Students Policy (F20) on the next agenda for adoption. The motion passed unanimously.
9. Unfinished Business:
A. School Board Retreat
The Board Retreat will be held on Saturday, May 1st, at the Saxtons River Inn, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The School and Community Relations Committee will meet at the placeInn beginning at 8:30 a.m. and board members were encouraged to join the group for breakfast prior to the start of the retreat.
10. Business for Discussion/Action:
A Multi-Year Plans
Jan Mitchell-Love moved to approve a multi-year plan for Student 1087533 as recommended by the administration. The motion passed unanimously.
placePlaceNameBellows PlaceTypeFalls PlaceNameUnion PlaceTypeHigh School
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11. Appointments and/or Resignations:
A. Reappointments
Jan Mitchell-Love moved to approve the reappointments of Rachel Crawford (Family and Consumer Science) and Katheryne Emond (English) for the 2010-2011 school year. The motion passed on a vote of seven in favor (Fine, Capron, Mitchell-Love, Guild, Perry, Rowell, Axtell) and one abstention (Bryar).
B. Appointments
(1) Senior Project Staff Evaluators
Jan Mitchell-Love moved to approve, retroactively, the list of Senior Project Staff Evaluators for the 2009-2010 school year as distributed and attached to an official copy of these minutes. The motion passed on a vote of seven in favor (Fine, Capron, Mitchell-Love, Guild, Perry, Rowell, Axtell) and one opposed (Bryar). Mr. Bryar asked Principal Hodsden to bring requests for approval to the board prior to the assignments being completed.
12. Directors’ Comments:
Several board members commented on the discussion that took place at the beginning of the meeting regarding the SRO’s proposal for breath-testing at the Junior Prom. Board members stated that they would have liked more information prior to the meeting, which may have prevented some of the debate that took place. The Chair noted that there will undoubtedly be issues that members will disagree on, and hopes that, when the board comes together to address the proposal brought before them tonight, they will come to the table in a civil and polite manner and will be able to bring closure to the matter.
Board members who participated in evaluating Senior Projects commended the students for their work.
Russ Capron thanked Suzanne Groenewold for the recent newsletter that went out to the community.
12. Date of Next Scheduled Meeting:
The Chair set the date of the next meeting for May 10, 2010, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
12. Executive Session:
There being no objection the Chair declared that the board is entering executive session at 9:10 p.m. to discuss two personnel matters and contract matters, and invited the administration to attend.
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The Chair returned the board to open session at 10:40 p.m. No action was taken as a result of executive session.
13. Adjournment:
Russ Capron moved to adjourn at 10:41 p.m. The motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Jan Mitchell-Love, Clerk
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