WINDHAM NORTHEAST SUPERVISORY UNION
Board of School Directors’ Meeting
March 28, 2012
Present:
Athens - Stephen L. Fine, Christine Parker-Jennings, Ivor Stevens
Grafton - Sandra Donaldson, Richard Thompson
BFUHS - Russell Capron, David Clark, Margaret Perry
Rockingham – James McAuliffe, Chad Illingworth
Westminster- Molly Banik, David Ramos, Rick Gordon
Also Present:
Christopher Kibbe, Edie Cole, Sharon Reynolds, Carl Chambers, FACT-TV
1. Call to Order:
Superintendent Kibbe called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. Reorganization of the Board:
A. Election of Chairperson
Stephen Fine nominated Jim McAuliffe to serve as Chairperson. There being no further nominations, David Clark moved to close nominations and have the Superintendent cast one ballot for Jim McAuliffe to serve as Chairperson, seconded by Russ Capron. The motion passed. Jim McAuliffe was declared elected Chairperson.
B. Election of Assistant Chairperson
David Clark nominated Stephen Fine to serve as Assistant Chairperson. There being no further nominations, Mr. Clark moved to close nominations and have the Chair cast one ballot for Stephen Fine to serve as Assistant Chairperson, seconded by Sandra Donaldson. The motion passed. Stephen Fine was declared elected Assistant Chairperson.
C. Election of Clerk
Russ Capron nominated Margaret Perry to serve as Clerk. There being no further nominations, Mr. Capron moved to close nominations and have the Chair cast one ballot for Margaret Perry to serve as Clerk, seconded by Sandra Donaldson. The motion passed. Margaret Perry was declared elected Clerk.
D. Election of Treasurer
Stephen Fine nominated Russ Capron to serve as Treasurer. There being no further nominations, Mr. Fine moved to close nominations and have the Clerk cast one ballot for Russ Capron to serve as Treasurer, seconded by Sandra Donaldson. The motion passed. Russ Capron was declared elected Treasurer.
E. Election of Assistant Treasurer
Russ Capron nominated Doreen Woodward to serve as Assistant Treasurer. There being no further nominations, Mr. Capron moved to close nominations and have the Clerk cast one ballot for Doreen Woodward to serve as Assistant Treasurer, seconded by Sandra Donaldson. The motion passed. Doreen Woodward was declared elected Assistant Treasurer.
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F. WNESU Committee Appointments
The Chair announced the following appointments:
(1) Executive Committee
Chairperson
(2) Negotiations (Teacher and Support Staff)
Teacher – Stephen Fine
Support Staff – Stephen Fine
(3) Budget Committee
Sandra Donaldson, Russ Capron, and Jim McAuliffe
(4) Special Education Committee
Margaret Perry and Molly Banik
(5) Transportation Committee
Sandra Donaldson
(6) Warrant Signers
Stephen Fine moved that any two board members may sign Warrants, seconded by Chad Illingworth. The motion passed unanimously, without the Chair voting. Primary contacts will be the Chair and Sandra Donaldson.
G. Establish Media to be used to Announce School Board Functions and Activities
Sandra Donaldson moved that the Brattleboro Reformer be used to announce school board functions and activities. The motion passed unanimously, without the Chair voting.
H. Set Time, Date and Location of Regular Monthly Meetings
Stephen Fine moved that 6:30 p.m., on the fourth Wednesday of each month, at the Supervisory Union office, be designated as the primary time, date and location of regular monthly meetings. The motion passed unanimously, without the Chair voting.
I. Other
No discussion
3. Adjustments to Agenda:
Item 6(A)(4), Leave Memo was removed , as board members received the document at the last meeting.
4. Minutes of January 25, 2012:
Stephen Fine moved to approve the minutes of January 25, 2012 as presented. The motion passed, without the Chair voting.
5. Communications and Public Comments:
None
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6. Reports:
A. Superintendent
(1) 2012-2013 School Calendar
Distributed
(2) Emergency Procedures
The Superintendent is working with the Village of Bellows Falls Police Department to refine emergency procedures. When complete, building principals and Supervisory Union staff will participate in tabletop exercises to familiarize themselves with emergency procedures, and the information will be distributed to parents.
(3) Job Descriptions
Stephen Fine moved to approve job descriptions for the LEA Out-of-District Coordinator, and the Special Education/Business Office Financial Assistant as presented and attached to these minutes. The motion passed unanimously, without the Chair voting.
A copy of the Teacher Job Description template being used in the Barre SU that is based on the Danielson model was distributed. Superintendent Kibbe is drafting a similar document for board consideration.
(4) Superintendent Kibbe and Sue Stack are working on a calendar for each board that will serve as reminders for set tasks.
B. Business Manager
(1) Financial Report
Financial reports through 2/29/2012 were included in the agenda packet.
(2) Review of FY11 Audit Report
Board members received copies of the FY2011 Audit.
C. Committees
No discussion
7. Board Items for Discussion/Action:
A. Negotiations
Stephen Fine reported that, based on Erica Moody’s letter to all board members in the SU where she indicated the Union was prepared to hold the line financially in this negotiating cycle in return for the boards withdrawing their no arbitration proposal, the boards sent a written proposal to the Union stating that they were prepared to withdraw the no arbitration claim in exchange for the Union accepting no salary or step increases in years 1 and 2 of the contract. The Union’s negotiator, Norman Bartlett, responded to this letter by saying that the Union was glad to see that the boards were agreeable to dropping the no arbitration proposal, but they were not going to accept the no salary or step increases in years 1 and 2 of the contract. It is believed, that the Union met earlier today
and voted
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to strike on Wednesday, April 4, if an agreement was not accepted before that time. A negotiating session has been scheduled for March 29.
B. Bid Process for Technology Support Services
Superintendent Kibbe suggested a plan to open the bid process for technology support services in the district. With the help of Tina Smith, criteria will be developed for pre-qualification, and then bids will go out to those vendors who meet the criteria. David Clark moved that the Supervisory Union join the Rockingham and High School boards in the bid process for technology support services as recommended by the Superintendent. The motion passed unanimously, without the Chair voting.
C. Committee Work
(1) Executive
No discussion; a committee meeting will be scheduled within the next month.
(2) Special Education
No discussion
(3) Food Service
Rockingham, Bellows Falls Union High School, and Athens/Grafton will be reviewing their food service needs. Superintendent Kibbe would like the committee to look at whether it makes sense for the district to be its own food provider, and if the committee decides to explore this, Westminster will probably be interested in participating as well.
(4) Transportation
No discussion
D. Teacher Roster
David Clark moved to approve the Bellows Falls Union High School Teacher Roster, Version 2, for the 2012-2013 school year as presented and attached to these minutes. The motion passed unanimously, without the Chair voting.
E. Legislative Action
Superintendent Kibbe has been providing periodic updates on legislative activity. Given the importance of some of the decisions being made and their impact on the Supervisory Union, the Chair suggested that it may be helpful to formalize some type of legislative tracking/communication process on behalf of the towns represented in this SU. Any board member having an interest in working on this project is asked to contact the Chair.
F. VEHI Wellness Grant
In January, WNESU Curriculum Director and Grant Manager Carl Chambers submitted a grant proposal to Vermont Educational Health Initiative (VEHI) for a Supervisory Union-wide Health and Wellness Grant. In prior years, the grant was offered to individual schools; this year it is moving to the Supervisory Union level. The grant application has been based on the Supervisory Union-wide’s 2011-2012 Action Plan objective for greater collaboration on health and wellness initiatives in order to provide all WNESU
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employees with improved access to physical activity opportunities via upgraded and centrally located WNESU fitness facilities and exercise classes. The budget proposed in the application totals $79,990. Discussion ensued regarding location and who would be eligible to use the facilities. Margaret Perry moved to approve the district’s application to VEHI for an SU-wide Health and Wellness Grant. The motion passed on a vote of eleven in favor (Fine, Donaldson, Parker-Jennings, Ramos, Banik, Illingworth, Gordon, Capron, Clark, Perry, Stevens), and one opposed (Thompson). The Chair did not vote.
8. Appointments/Resignations:
None
9. Directors’ Comments:
If the VEHI Grant Proposal is approved, and the district engages in purchasing fitness equipment, Russ Capron recommended caution in considering used equipment.
David Clark believes the high school has an opportunity to create curriculum around its co-gen system.
10. Date of Next Meeting:
The Chair set the date of the next meeting for April 25, 2012.
11. Executive Session:
Sandra Donaldson moved to go into executive session at 7:50 p.m. for the purpose of discussing negotiations, and invited the administration to attend.
The Chair returned the board to open session at 8:13 p.m. No action was taken as a result of executive session.
12. Adjournment:
There being no further business to come before the meeting and no objection, the Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Margaret Perry, Clerk
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