SAU #70 - Hanover School Board

Present: Board members Asmus, Bruce, Carpenter, Carter (left at 10:00), Chamberlin, Fleischer, Pilchman; Administrators Gersen, Aubin, Williams; and two members of the public.

1. Call to order

Chair Fleischer called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

2. Approval of minutes

John Chamberlin moved and Nancy Carter seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 15, the organizational meeting of March 8, and the nonpublic session of March 15, as submitted. Kari Asmus submitted a list of edits for the meetings. The motion to approve the amended minutes passed unanimously.

3. Agenda review/additional items

The Board reordered the agenda to hear public comments following the Chair’s calendar report.

4. Communications and reports

a) Report of Chair:

1. Board Calendar - Chair Fleischer announced that the next regular Board meeting will be Wednesday, May 17, 7:00 p.m., at the Ray School Multi. The Chair then asked Board members if they wished to change the regular meeting date from the third Wednesday of each month during the 2006-07 school year. After discussion, the majority consensus was to keep the regular meeting schedule for the third Wednesday of each month, fold the organizational meeting into the regular March meeting agenda, and try to avoid scheduling meetings on religious holidays.

Staff Appreciation Week - Wayne reminded the Board that Staff Appreciation Week begins on May 7. The Board’s day to appreciate staff is Thursday, May 11. The Chair asked for volunteers to coordinate the recognition. John Chamberlin and Nancy Carter agreed to do it again this year and will work together with the Board volunteers from the Dresden and Norwich Boards.

5. Public Comments

Jim Rubens, Ray School parent, spoke with the Board as a representative from the reconvened Ray School Lunch Committee about discussions the Committee is having with regard to improving the nutritional level of the lunch program. He said the Committee would like the Board’s approval to survey parents to see if they would support a lunch program that offered meals that included more fresh, local, and wholesome ingredients, with the understanding that such meals would have a cost impact for parents as well as the school’s budget. Principal Bruce Williams explained that the lunch program currently relies on government-subsidized foods, such as cheese, to keep costs down. After a discussion in which Board members offered suggestions about various factors the Committee should consider, the consensus of the Board was to support the Committee’s initiative to investigate possibilities. The Board asked that Mr. Rubens report the results of the survey and the Committee’s recommendations to the Board at its June meeting. Board members asked that the Committee meetings be posted on the SAU web.

Chair’s report continued:

2. Committee roles and responsibilities - The Chair asked for a report from each committee.

Education/Long Range Planning Committee - Nancy Carter reported that the Committee met on April 10 to discuss questions relative to the SAU Board’s proposed round table discussions. The Committee also discussed working on a specific project, such as the process used to grant teacher tenure, which would result in a specific recommendation to the Board. She said that members of the Committee have backgrounds in curriculum and are all parents of Ray School students. Ms. Carter announced that the Committee plans to meet on the first Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Ray School Office Conference Room.

Communications Committee - Robin Carpenter reported that the Committee has not yet met. He said that the Committee will formulate a direction when it meets, but that he is eager to make the SAU web site “more alive.” Discussion followed as to what might go onto the website.

Budget Committee - Kari Asmus reported that the Budget Committee will meet on April 19 at 10:30 a.m. in the Superintendent’s office. She said the Committee will review the past budget cycle, put together a calendar for the coming year, and formulate goals and a timeframe for accomplishing those goals. She plans to bring proposals to the next Board meeting.

NHSBA Liaison - Kari Asmus reported that the School Boards Association would like to encourage the Board to contact its representative to the legislature when legislation is being proposed that affects the District. The Board discussed having Wayne be the point person to make contacts instead of individual members acting on their own.

PTO Liaison - John Chamberlin reported that his goal as PTO liaison is to get more parents involved with the group.

Chair Fleischer said that he would like a report from each of the committees at every meeting.

b) Reports of Administrators:

Superintendent’s report: The Superintendent reviewed enrichment grants approved by the Central Staff Development Committee for 2006-07. He also answered clarifying questions about how grants are awarded, funded, and how they differ from SDC money accessed by staff for workshops, course work, and other activities necessary for recertification.

Assistant Superintendent for Business report: Assistant Superintendent for Business John Aubin reviewed the financial report through March 31, 2006. He reported estimated revenues of $9,156,797, estimated encumbrances of $9,149,116, resulting in an estimated fund balance at the end of the year of $51,600. He discussed various line items in detail and answered Board members’ questions.

Principal’s report: Principal Bruce Williams spoke with the Board about three service projects that the school and individual classrooms have been participating in. The projects included raising money for a classroom in Biloxi, Mississippi, helping with a family who lost everything as a result of hurricane Katrina, and the Kenya water project. He also said that the PTO is spearheading a project with the Haven in White River Junction whereby the students and parents would hold monthly food drives, deliver the food to the Haven, and physically work there stocking shelves, babysitting, etc. He said the PTO plans to kick off this project in May.

NECAP test results - Principal Williams presented the New England Common Assessment Program test results and a lengthy discussion followed. Superintendent Gersen said that administrators and faculty have not have a chance to review the test item analysis as yet, but would have a better knowledge of specific performance indicators once they review this material. This topic will be discussed further at the August or September Board meeting.

5. Business requiring discussion

a) Bus bid parameters - John Aubin reported that he sent requests for bid to all bus companies in the area, placed advertisements requesting bid proposals in newspapers in the region, and has had some responses. He asked that bidders include suggestions for enhancing ridership in their proposals. Mr. Aubin also said that he would like to use some of the unspent money budgeted for transportation in the current year to conduct a routing study that would help plot more efficient routes. He said he would like to form a committee with resident input, possibly two or three volunteers to help with the study. Updating the Board on the current service, Mr. Aubin said that since the former manager returned to First Student in January, the number of complaints has dropped off sharply.

b) Determine priorities for Bridgman Funds - Bruce Williams updated the status of, and prioritized the five proposals for using the Bridgman funds he brought to the Board in January. Board members asked Mr. Williams to research the cost to fund only part of the FM system for next year as well as the balance remaining of this year’s funds. The Board will make a final decision at the May meeting.

7. Business requiring action

a. Adopt draft Policy ILBB, Curriculum Evaluation

John Chamberlin moved and Bob Bruce seconded a motion to approve Policy ILBB, Curriculum Evaluation as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

b. Approve non-union salaries

Larry Pilchman moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the non-union salaries as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. After a brief discussion about how the non-union staff is evaluated, the motion passed unanimously.

8. Consent agenda

a. Approval of Friends Grants

John Chamberlin moved and Kari Asmus seconded a motion to approve the Friends Grants as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

b. Approval of PTO Grants

John Chamberlin moved and Kari Asmus seconded a motion to approve the PTO Grants as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting.The motion passed unanimously.

9. Adjournment

Kari Asmus moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to adjourn at 10:32 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 10:32 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary B. Davis

Recording Secretary