Board of School Directors
Board Meeting February 7, 2006
Present for a quorum: Jim Mercier, Al Corey, Lynn Dickinson, Donna Corrigan, and Nilda Gonnella-French
Administrators: Marilyn Grunewald, Superintendent, FCSU; Ned Caron, Principal; Ruth Caggige, Assistant Principal; Laura Gonyeau, Director of Curriculum & Staff Development; Laurence Carnahan, Director of Support Services; Wendy Meunier, Assistant Principal; Jean Prindle, Special Education Director; and Sara Denny, Curriculum Director
Visitors: Officer Frank McCarty, School Resource Officer (SRO); Carole Kaye, parent and yearbook photographer
1. Call to Order. Jim Mercier called the meeting to order at 6:37 p.m.
2. Pledge of Allegiance. Jim commenced the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Visitors:
3.1 Carole Kaye – Yearbook Pictures. Photographs were taken prior to the meeting for the school yearbook. She was pleased to report that the presale of yearbooks to date has realized $11,000.
3.2 Officer Frank McCarty has been working with the Safety Committee, and enjoys good rapport with the BFA administration. He is interfacing with students who show an interest in the law enforcement field.
4. Consent Agenda:
4.1 Approval of Minutes of January 3, 2006 and January 17, 2006. The following corrections were made to the January 3, 2006 Minutes:
a. At 4.0 Old Business, 4…1 e., the last sentence should read as follows: “Al expressed congratulations to Jennifer Kennison for being nominated for the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Science.”
b. At 5.0 New Business, 5.2, the beginning of the second sentence should include an omitted word to be read as follows: “The part of the audit….”
c.
At 5.4, the second and third sentences should be
changed as follows: “The approved vote
by Australian ballot does not cover other town meeting business, so it will be
necessary to have a town meeting to elect officers and to vote on the
Articles. The board, therefore, must
warn the Articles for a vote by January 17,”
The motion was made by Donna Corrigan to approve the
Minutes of January 3, 2006 with corrections, and the Minutes of January 17,
2006; Al Corey seconded the motion, with all in favor. Motion carried 5-0.
4.2
Superintendent’s
Report
4.3
Student
Representative Report
5.
Old
Business:
5.1
Committee
Reports.
a.
Curriculum
(Donna Corrigan, Chair). Donna reported
that she has received the Scheduling Report and that it will be available soon
to the board members. She announced that
the New Standards Reference Exams (NSRE) will take place on March 21 and 22 for
tenth graders, and that the remainder of students will attend school on those
days and will take part in planned activities.
b.
Finance/Building
(Lynn Dickinson, Chair). Lynn said the
committee has been focusing on the budget these past couple of months. Jim Mercier noted that the BFA live call-in
program on Public Access Television, Channel 16, took place this week on Monday
evening, and that there will be an Informational Meeting on February 28.
c.
Personnel
(Nilda Gonnella-French, Chair). Nilda
noted the several meetings held in the past month. She will be giving a complete update on
negotiations during Executive Session.
d.
Policy
(Al Corey, Chair). Al noted that the
result of the committee’s efforts on the Fund-Raising Policy is on tonight’s
agenda for the 1st reading of this policy.
e.
Collins-Perley
(Al Corey, Chair). Al reported that the
Nominating Committee’s recommendations were reviewed. Also, the backflow valve was installed at the
recommendation of David Kimel. Capital
improvements were discussed. He
announced the upcoming meeting dates.
5.2 Accept
FY05 Audit. Al Corey moved to accept the FY05 Audit Report; seconded by Lynn Dickinson, with all in
favor. Motion
carried 5-0.
6.
New
Business:
6.1
Capital
Improvements Parameters. This group does
not have a name yet. There is the
potential of a bond vote regarding capital improvements, which may include the
auditorium upgrade, increase on classroom space, and the Collins-Perley ice
rink repairs. Any input from the board
on conditions and parameters should be addressed to this committee. Initially, they will need architects, but at
minimal cost. Jim asked if the board had
any suggestions, thoughts, and questions.
Donna Corrigan asked who might be serving on the committee. Al Corey named the few committed members of
the committee, but indicated that the list was not complete. Donna asked if there has been any discussion
regarding inclusion of a covered walkway in the plans. Ned Caron affirmed that there has been some
discussion on this, and it was determined that BFA might be better served by
connecting the buildings with another building rather than a walkway, thereby
utilizing space to address other needs.
Jim pointed out the necessity for the committee to look carefully at
future student count along with present student count, since we need additional
space today, while student numbers are going down statewide. Also, we need to maintain facilities, and to
keep in mind that the improvements will draw more students from other
communities. Lynn Dickinson emphasized
the need to exercise prudence, and whatever we do, we need to do it correctly
and with quality workmanship. She
suggested that we let the community know the cost and ensure that what we build
will be cost effective. She further
suggested paying particular attention to proportions within the auditorium so
as not to sacrifice the architectural integrity of the auditorium, and to be
careful how the space around the auditorium is used. Ned Caron said he would keep the board
informed on the development of the committee and its actions. Lynn reiterated her concern that the board
keep the community informed.
6.2
School
Choice. The board discussed the Articles
of Agreement between BFA and Milton High School. The agreement is to BFA’s advantage cost
wise, and is a better plan generally.
Nilda Gonnella-French suggested that the term “sending district” is
confusing, and that it needs clarification.
Marilyn Grunewald noted that it should be approved before March 1, and
then the agreement would be implemented.
6.3
Budget
Presentation Plans. The Finance
Committee has been working hard to get the information out to the community
through the media and local organizations.
Jim addressed the Rotary Club today, articles are being published in The
Messenger, and Jim appeared last night on Public Access Television.
6.4
Location
to Co-Mingle Votes. Marilyn Grunewald
explained the procedure for transporting the votes, and that she and the
business manager will observe the process of counting the votes, which is done
by the Board of Civil Authority. This
year Marilyn Grunewald recommended counting the votes at City Hall.
Lynn Dickinson moved to rotate the sites between
St. Albans City Hall and St. Albans Town Hall in order to co-mingle and count
the votes. The FY07 budget ballots will
be counted at St. Albans City Hall; Al Corey seconded the motion, with all in
favor. Motion carried 5-0.
6.5
Tuition
Waiver. A student is requesting
permission to finish her senior year at BFA and to waive the tuition for the
remainder of the year.
Since the school year is more than half over, Donna
Corrigan moved to approve the waiver of tuition for the remainder of the school
year for Senior Student #1, so that she may finish the school year; Al Corey
seconded the motion, with all in favor.
Motion carried 5-0.
6.6 Richard Hungerford Plaque. The
motion was made by Al Corey to authorize the St. Albans Skating Club to mount a
plaque at the Collins-Perley ice rink entrance honoring Richard Hungerford,
founder of the St. Albans Skating Association; Donna Corrigan seconded the
motion, with all in favor. Motion
carried 5-0.
6.7 Secondary Special Education Agreements. The board questioned and discussed issues regarding due process and indemnification under sections 10. and 11. of the agreement, and recommended that appropriate changes be made in those sections. The board further recommended, after discussion, that the Northwest Technical Center should be formally included in this agreement. Laurence Carnahan recommended preparation of a separate special education agreement for Milton students.
Al Corey made the motion to authorize the chairman to sign the common
Secondary Special Education Agreement for the Fairfield School District, Franklin
West Supervisory Union, Grand Isle Supervisory Union, Missisquoi Valley Union
High School, Sheldon School District, Bakersfield School District, and
Montgomery School District with Bellows Free Academy, Union District #48, and
Northwest Technical Center; Lynn Dickinson seconded the motion, with all in
favor. Motion carried 5-0.
6.8
1st
Reading Fund-Raising Policy (H7). The
board recommended inserting the following sentence at the end of the fifth
paragraph of the policy: It shall be the decision of the board, or
its designee, as to how such funds shall be held for the school for accounting
purposes.
Lynn Dickinson moved to warn the Fund-Raising Policy (H7) with the recommended insert to the fifth paragraph of the policy; seconded by Al Corey, with all in favor. Motion carried 5-0.
6.9 1st Reading Selection of
Instructional Material (G5). Al Corey moved to warn the policy on the
Selection of Instructional Material (G5); seconded by Lynn Dickinson, with all
in favor. Motion carried 5-0.
6.10 1st
Reading Complaints about Instructional Material (G6). Al
Corey made the motion to warn the policy on Complaints about Instructional
Material (G6); seconded by Lynn Dickinson, with all in favor. Motion carried 5-0.
6.11 1st
Reading Policy on Student Assessment (F22).
The motion was made by Lynn Dickinson to warn the Policy on
Student Assessment (F22); seconded
by Al Corey, with all in favor. Motion
carried 5-0.
Nilda Gonnella-French recommended that the committees and the board
should review any suggestions or corrections to all policies.
6.12 Donna
Corrigan asked Marilyn Grunewald how many people attended the COMPAS Learning Workshop. Marilyn said that Laurence Carnahan and Jean Prindle attended the session along
with six others, and that the focus is
on remedial training at this point.
7.
Other
Business (FYI):