BELLOWS FALLS UNION HIGH SCHOOL
School Board Meeting
August 13, 2007
Present: Russell Capron, David Clark, Stephen L. Fine, Matthew Guild, William Harmon, Stephen Major, Paul Obuchowski, Margaret Perry, John Porter
Also Present: Johanna Harpster, Christopher Kibbe, Michael Ricci, Kathleen Callahan, Christopher Hodsden, Ryan Parkman, FACT-TV, Brattleboro Reformer, staff members
1. Call to Order:
The Chair, David Clark, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. Adjustments to Agenda:
John Porter moved to table Item 4, Executive Session for the purpose of discussing a legal matter, until board members have been provided with the full content of materials to be discussed. The motion failed on a vote of 1/7.
Consideration of Freshman Football coaching positions will be added to Item 6(B), Principal’s Report.
An additional student matter will be discussed in Executive Session, Item 12.
Executive Session for discussion of a personnel matter, Item 5, was removed from the agenda.
Dana Aquadro, Co-President of the Teachers’ Association, asked if the board plans to ratify the Collective Bargaining Agreement during this meeting.
3. Consent Items:
Matt Guild arrived in time for Item 10, Executive Session, of the July 23rd meeting, and therefore the results of Mr. Porter’s motion regarding a
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member-to-member agreement with Vermont Academy should have stated that it failed on a vote of 1/7, with 1 abstention. There being no objection, the Chair declared that the minutes of July 23, 2007 are accepted as amended.
4. Reports:
A. Financial Memo from Michael Ricci
Board members have been requesting financial reports. Mr. Ricci explained that the accounting system allows for only one active fiscal year at a time, so as revenue is received, or expenses are paid that should be incorporated in the previous fiscal year, the entries are made in the current year with notations. Once the auditors authorize the movement of these transactions, financial reports will be available.
It has been discovered that more Title I teaching contracts were issued last year than the school received funds for. This error results in an unanticipated expense of $67,396.53, and eliminates the possibility of a year-end surplus. Mr. Ricci was asked to provide an update at the next meeting.
B. Principal’s Report
(1) Freshman Academy
John Broadley reported that the school has 85 students registered for 9th grade, and the Freshman Academy team completed 73 home visits over the summer. Ten families declined the opportunity to have a home visit, and the team was unable to contact two families, but written materials have been sent to these twelve families. Several freshmen are enrolled in fall co-curricular programs. About 80% of freshman students are enrolled in Study Skills, and Mr. Broadley said the team is committed to touching base with the remaining 20% of students to make sure they have access to the programs that Study Skills students are connected to.
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A spaghetti supper is planned for 6 p.m. on August 28th, and board participation is encouraged.
5. Executive Session:
Paul Obuchowski moved to go into executive session at 7:28 p.m. for the purpose of discussing a legal matter. The motion passed on a 7/1 vote.
The Chair returned the board to open session at 8:15 p.m. No action was taken as a result of executive session.
6. Reports:
A. Principal’s Report, continued:
The process of reviewing and revising the Action Plan has begun. Superintendent Harpster added that steps will be taken district-wide to address Special Education issues that will be incorporated into each school’s Action Plan.
Paul Obuchowski moved to approve, and authorize the Chair to sign, Freshman Football coaching contracts to Don Lorendo, Michael Empy, and Eric Willard, with the salary to be split between the three contracts. The motion passed.
B. Superintendent of Schools
No report
The Chair requested an update on initiatives to improve test scores.
C. WNESU
Russ Capron and Paul Obuchowski will be attending the August 22nd meeting, and the Chair appointed John Porter to serve as the third representative. A replacement for the vacancy created by Sue Hernon’s resignation will be appointed at the board’s next meeting.
D. Technical Center Representatives
Brattleboro – no report
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Springfield – the board is discussing the mechanics of holding a retreat.
E. Committees & Special Projects
(1) Subcommittee Organization
The Chair distributed copies of the rationale Jack Bryar presented earlier in the year for the change in committee structure and a flow chart. Committees and members were then reviewed:
Policy Committee – Stephen L. Fine, Chair; John Porter, David Clark, Sue Swan
Curriculum – Jack Bryar, Chair; Margaret Perry, Stephen Major, Matt Guild, Peter Naitove, Priscilla Lambert, Kelly Spaulding, Andrew Bowersox, Susan Speranza
Building & Grounds – Paul Obuchowski, Chair; Russ Capron, David Clark
Community Relations – Jack Bryar, Chair; David Clark, Stephen L. Fine, Stephen Major, Susan Bourne, Jan Mitchell-Love, Christopher Hodsden, Priscilla & David Lambert; John Broadley, Johanna Harpster
Budget/Finance Committee – Paul Obuchowski, Russ Capron, Stephen Major, Bill Harmon, Matt Guild. The Chair of this committee will be elected at the next meeting.
Proposed schedules for committee meetings were discussed, including: Budget Committee – 2nd & 4th Tuesday evenings of each month; Policy Committee – One hour in advance of high school board meetings; Building & Grounds – as needed basis; Community Relations – 8:30 a.m., Saturdays, at the Golden Egg Restaurant in Saxtons River.
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The first board meeting of each month, beginning in September, will contain business topics between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m., followed by discussions about education-related topics.
(2) Building & Grounds
Minutes of the committee’s last meeting were enclosed in the agenda packet. The Chair has not authorized spending of $36,000 as previously approved by the board. Resurfacing of the track has been completed; payment is being made from reserve funds and $7,000 that was initially earmarked for carpeting. John Porter asked the administration for copies of three bids for resurfacing and would like evidence that the board has the authority to use carpet funds for the balance. The Chair offered to complete this investigative work.
(3) Policy Committee
Minutes of committee meetings held on July 9th and 23rd were enclosed in the agenda packet. Now that the committee has completed its review of all policies, books will be compiled for board members and warned for adoption.
(4) Community Relations
Minutes will be included with next packet.
7. Unfinished Business:
John Porter moved to rescind Jack Bryar’s motion of June 25, 2007 to negotiate a side letter agreement that overturns the Michael Ryan Arbitration Decision of June 2006. The Chair ruled Mr. Porter’s motion out of order.
8. Other Items for Discussion/Action:
A. Resource Officer
Referred to Building &Grounds Committee.
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B. CLA Explanation
A brochure explaining how a town’s Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) is determined, compiled by the Vermont League of Cities & Towns, is available. Russ Capron has asked the Vermont School Boards’ Association to offer an interactive television presentation explaining how funding will work under Act 130.
C. Renew Food Service Contract
Paul Obuchowski moved to renew, and authorize the Chair to sign, Café Services’ food service contract for the 2007-2008 school year. Russ Capron seconded. The motion passed on a vote of 4/2, with 2 abstentions.
D. Disposition of Property Procedures
Board members received copies of the procedure for the sale of school equipment and furniture which building principals are expected to follow.
E. Representative to Rockingham Committee
Superintendent Harpster received a letter from Rockingham’s Municipal Manager explaining that at a recent joint meeting of the Rockingham Selectboard and Bellows Falls Village Trustees, it was voted to establish a Community Finance Committee, whose goal will be to recommend cutting property taxes, either through decreased spending, or enhanced revenue generation, or both. The Superintendent, Business Manager, and a member of the Rockingham School Board and a Rockingham member of the WNESU Board have been invited to participate. In response to Paul Obuchowski’s question as to why the matter is being brought before the BFUHS Board when its participation has not been requested, the Chair stated that he placed the matter on the agenda because he thought it was an issue the board
should be aware of. Superintendent Harpster will notify Mr. Schempf that no interest in participating was expressed by members of this board.
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F. Other
John Porter moved to table signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and direct the board’s Negotiations Representative to seek a negotiated settlement for the outcome of Ms. Zielinski, who has been previously returned to her position of disability by the June 2006 decision of Arbitrator Michael Ryan. The Chair ruled that the motion substantively modifies a previous motion that was not made at last meeting, and is therefore out of order. Mr. Porter challenged the Chair’s ruling, and moved to override it. The motion failed on a vote of 1/7. Discussion ensued, with staff members questioning why the board is connecting their contracts with a matter they feel they have no control over and has resulted in interrupting the flow of relationships between
the public and the board. Mr. Fine explained that the Collective Bargaining Agreement deals with matters relating to the safety and welfare of employees and students, and the board feels that to allow Ms. Zielinski back into the school presents serious threat to the safety and welfare of the school community. A majority vote of the board decided that the matter will be addressed as an element of the Collective Bargaining Agreement because it affects the safety and welfare of the school community.
9. Communications & Public Comment:
As a parent, Jan Mitchell-Love feels that relationships between teachers, boards, and students are suffering because of the board’s decision to hold up ratification of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Susan Bourne expressed disappointment in the board’s lack of willingness to participate in Rockingham’s Community Finance Committee.
10. Other Business:
A. Directors’ Comments
For the benefit of community members present and watching FACT-TV, John Porter attempted to clarify the confusion about legal issues the board is facing.
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Russ Capron asked for an update on the status of teachers who were hired without proper certification.
Bill Harmon expressed concern about financial reports not being available on a regular basis.
Stephen Major feels that the legal issue before the board has been blown out of proportion, and he is hopeful that all parties can come to agreement on the matter.
11. Date of Next Scheduled Meeting:
The Chair set the date of the next meeting for August 27, 2007.
12. Executive Session:
Stephen Fine moved to go into executive session at 9:52 p.m. for the purpose of discussing contract and student matters, and invited the administration to attend. The motion passed.
The Chair returned the board to open session at 10:20 p.m.
Paul Obuchowski moved to approve, and authorized the Chair to sign,
a Title I contract for Susan Frank for the 2007-2008 school year. Bill Harmon seconded. The motion passed.
Paul Obuchowski moved to approve, and authorized the Chair to sign,
the following department coordinator contracts for the 2007-2008 school year: Holly Falzo – English, Marilee Huntoon – Foreign Language, Craig Divis – Social Studies, Kelly Wedding – Science, Francis Boucher – Life Skills, Diane Cecere – Fine Arts, Peter Naitove – Special Education, Kelly Spaulding, Gail Christmas, and Martina Mattison – Freshman Academy (salary to be split three ways), John Broadley – High Schools That Work, and Susan Swan – Mathematics. Bill Harmon seconded. The motion passed.
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Paul Obuchowski moved to approve, and authorized the Chair to sign, a Technology Education contract for Michael Bennett for the 2007-2008 school year. Bill Harmon seconded. The motion passed.
Paul Obuchowski moved to accept, with regret, the resignation of Joan Matus. Bill Harmon seconded. The motion passed.
Paul Obuchowski moved to accept a request for tuition to allow a BFUHS student to attend Leland and Gray. Bill Harmon seconded. The motion failed.
Paul Obuchowski moved to accept a request to allow a student residing in Walpole, NH to attend BFUHS, tuition-free. Bill Harmon seconded. The motion failed.
13. Adjournment:
There being no further business to come before the meeting and no objection, the Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 10:22 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Margaret Perry,
Clerk
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