HANOVER SCHOOL BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2004
7:00 P.M., BERNICE A. RAY SCHOOL MULTI
Minutes
Present: Board members Bruce, Carter, Chamberlin (7:06), Goodman, Pilchman, Segal; Administrators Gersen, Aubin, Williams; and approximately 10 members of the public.
1. Call to order
Chair Segal called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. Approval of minutes
Nancy Carter moved and Larry Pilchman seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of September 8, as submitted. Discussion then followed as to the amount of information that should be in the minutes. Board members agreed that summary minutes with motions was appropriate and that people wishing to hear more details from the meetings can view the CATV tapes. The motion passed unanimously.
3. Communications and reports
a) Report of Chair:
Board Calendar - The Chair announced that the next regular Board meeting will be Wednesday, November 10, 7:00 p.m., at the Ray School Multi. She said the Board would discuss information voters might need about possible changes in the Annual Meeting.
b) Reports of Administrators:
Superintendent’s report: - Dr. Gersen announced that the Hanover School District has been awarded a $30,000 federal grant to be used in some way to improve the yearly progress in test scores. He said that this grant is very flexible with regard to spending parameters, and, therefore, could help to offset the cut backs/reallocations from the loss of Title I. In response to Board members’ questions about oversight, Dr. Gersen and Principal Williams will report to the Board on specific plans for spending the grant money.
Curriculum Model - Dr. Gersen also reported that he has met with all K-12 Curriculum Leaders, and the individual curriculum groups met again last week. He said that he is very pleased to see the progress being made and is hopeful that the committees might be able to accomplish more than originally anticipated. There will be more discussion about this during the budget process.
Assistant Superintendent for Business report: Assistant Superintendent for Business, John Aubin reported that he has been working with Attorney David Bradley with regard to the DRA (Department of Revenue Administration) appeal. He said that Attorney Bradley recommends that the proposed appropriation be voided for this year and the Board think about a formal appeal for next year. Mr. Aubin said that Attorney Bradley believes that there are several legal issues to be tested, but that trying to appeal at this time would be a lengthy process which could mean, among other things, that distribution of Town tax bills could be delayed. The District would also incur legal fee of between $10,000 to $20,000. Mr. Aubin added that the DRA suggested different wording for the next warrant, for instance renaming the fund a sixth grade tuition fund, which was unsettling to some Board members. He said there is also the option of special legislation. As a result of the decision of the DRA to disallow the Tax Stabilization Fund, Mr. Aubin said that the Hanover tax rate would go down this year, but will rise the following year.
Mr. Aubin then reported that the tax rate was set today and is slightly less than the current year’s rate. He also reported that he has been notified that the District will be receiving more building aid than had been anticipated. With respect to catastrophic aid which the District was not anticipating, Mr. Aubin reported that he learned that the District is entitled to $54,000. However, because the State does not have enough money to fund all Districts, entitlements will be pro rated. He was advised to budget between 50% - 70% of the total.
Principal’s report: Principal Williams highlighted the French Club and Backyard Habitat Center in his oral report. He deferred discussing enrollment figures to later in the meeting. Bill Mlacak, a Ray School parent and the founder of the French Club, spoke about the Club saying that there are currently 63 K-5 students participating in the after school program. He said the club’s goals are to expose students to French through games, activities, and songs, and to urge the School Board to expand foreign language education to begin at an earlier aged. Chair Segal suggested that Mr. Mlacak submit a written proposal to Mr. Williams. Mr. Williams reported that Mr. Mlacak had approached Principals’ Council and Administrators are discussing whether to form a committee to study this question. Chair Segal reminded the Hanover Board that the Dresden Board did implement a Spanish program at the middle school based on the recommendations of the Duncan report. The Board will carry this item on its November agenda for discussion.
5. Public comments
None
6. Business requiring discussion
a) Enrollment projections for 2005-06 - Dr. Gersen began the discussion by summarizing the five year projections and added that he doesn’t foresee any developments in the next few years that will impact these projections. With enrollments projected to decrease, Mr. Williams spoke about the probability of reducing a teaching position and the impact of that decision on class size. He said that class sizes between 16-23 have historically worked, but that the school has no experience beyond 23 students per class. This will be discussed further during the budget process.
7. Business requiring action
a) Approve 2005-06 Budget Guidelines - The Board reviewed a draft of budget guidelines from the Budget Committee and a draft of proposed budget guidelines from Dennis Goodman. John Chamberlin introduced the Budget Committee draft saying that it closely paralleled the guidelines approved by the Dresden Board at its September meeting. The guidelines essentially call for a zero increase in the controllable accounts, for the reallocation of resources to cover any new programs, for administration to compile a list of items proposed but not included in the budget, for administration to present information on the impact of class size on the budget, and for the administration to present a budget that includes budget per-pupil trends over the past five years and projected forward for two years.
Mr. Goodman spoke to his proposed draft guidelines which call for a total budget tax increase no larger than the percentage increase in the New England cost of living index for the most recent year, and wording that says the administration will present a budget that includes total budget per-pupil trends over the past five years and projected forward for two years including all costs associated with the operation of the Ray School. He said that 85% of the budget is open to expansion and that it was time for the Board to be fiscally responsible to the public.
Board members then had a lengthy discussion which focused on concerns about comparable per pupil spending numbers and how to calculate them.
Nancy Carter moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the 2005-06 Budget Guidelines as proposed (by the Budget Committee) and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed 5 yes, 1 no (Goodman).
8. Consent Agenda
a. Nomination - The Superintendent placed in nomination Mary Grondin as a Learning Specialist at track 5, step 3, salary $36,770.34 (156 days x $231.26 per day), for the 2004-2005 school year.
John Chamberlin moved and Larry Pilchman seconded a motion to elect Mary Grondin as a Learning Specialist at track 5, step 3, salary $36,770.34 (156 days x $231.26 per day), for the 2004-2005 school year. The motion passed unanimously.
9. Adjournment
John Chamberlin moved and Nancy Carter seconded a motion to adjourn at 8:51 p.m. The motion carried unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 8:51 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary B. Davis
Recording Secretary
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