Draft:  May 2, 2007

Approved:May 16, 2007                                           

School Committee meeting May 2, 2007

Under Report of the Secretary

 

 

6:00pm Executive Session

Consideration and action to go into Executive Session to consult with counsel concerning

the school department's liability with respect to extracurricular athletic activities pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. section 405(6)(E).

 

Members present:  Lori Gramlich, Robert O’Brien, Rebecca Minnick, Sarah Thompson, Susan Hopkins, Ellen Alcorn

 

At 6:03 p.m. Ms. Thompson moved, seconded  Ms. Gramlich and voted  unanimously to go into Executive Session to consult with counsel concerning the school department's liability with respect to extracurricular athletic activities pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. section 405(6)(E).

 

At 6:30pm Ms. Gramlich moved, seconded  Ms. Alcorn and voted  unanimously to come out of Executive Session.

 

6:30 pm

The Policy Committee held a public forum on weighted grades

 

Business Meeting

Mr. Coyne called the meeting to order at  8:04 p.m.

 

Members Present: John Coyne-Chairperson, Robert O’Brien, Anthony Toppi, Maureen Quinn, Benjamin Meiklejohn, Ellen Alcorn, Sarah Thompson, Lori Gramlich, Susan Hopkins, Rebecca Minnick

 

Members absent:  Bennett Gross

Report of the Chair

Mr. Coyne:

·        Congratulated Mr. O’Brien on an excellent public forum on weighted grades held prior to the evening’s meeting.

·        Attended an event at the Salt Gallery where CBHS students work is on display.  Also attended the opening of the student art show at City Hall.

·        Announced that Lincoln Middle School recently presented a production of Aladdin and the Moore Middle School held a  Dinner Theater.

·        Commended Ms. Hart and her staff for their efforts regarding background checks on potential employees.

 

 

 

Report of the Superintendent

Superintendent O’Connor

                Tracy Glidden      .5 Kindergarten/Riverton                                                  

 

Report of the Secretary

  1. Consideration and action to approve the meeting minutes of the April 11, 2007 meeting.

 

Ms. Hopkins moved, seconded  Ms. Minnick and voted  unanimously to approve the meeting minutes of the April 11, 2007 meeting.(Students with majority)

 

Report of Committees

1.      Policy Committee –Mr. O’Brien public forum held prior to the business meeting.  On Wed., May 9th the Policy Committee will be meeting with guidance counselors who will assist the Policy Committee in formulating a recommendation and on May 16th the recommendation will be brought forward to the School Committee and May 23rd the School Committee will vote on recommendation.

  1. Finance Committee – Mr. Meiklejohn – indicated that a joint meeting with city finance committee was held last week.   Both Finance Committees will meet again on Thurs., May 3rd  at 5 p.m. in room 209 at city hall.  On May 7th at 7pm city council will have a first read of the FY08 budget.   On May 9th the School Committee will have a workshop session on the budget. May 14th city council will hold a workshop on budget.  At the May 16th School Committee meeting members will have an opportunity to make any changes.  On May 21st the city council will be voting on the budget. 
  2. Legislative Affairs Committee – Ms. Gramlich – Committee met last week and discussed crafting a resolution regarding school consolidation. 
  3. Riverton Building Committee – Mr. Coyne – tile floor going in educational wing.
  4. Elementary Facilities Committee – Ms. Alcorn - last meeting was postponed due to an event at Clifford and has been rescheduled to May 10th .  Ms. O’Connor indicated that the May 10th  date will be changed due to the architects unavailability.
  5. Casco Bay Relocation Task Force – Ms. Alcorn – met Tuesday evening May 1st and will be meeting next Tuesday, May 8th  to work on long-term solutions.  Superintendent O’Connor indicated that a short-term solution will be to use space at PATHS for the 07-08 school year.

 

 

 

  1. Other Committees and/or member concerns - 

 

Ms. Thompson –Announced that the Fashion Merchandising students in conjunction with Goodwill will be presenting a fashion show on May 3rd, 7:30pm at PHS auditorium.

 

Ms. Hopkins –referred to a forum with Dr. Russ Quaglia held recently by Portland Partnership and Building Bridges regarding the work being done to enhance professional development and looking at tracking student progress as well as data that is being used to assist with these efforts. She also referenced a newsletter recently received from the USM College of Education and Human Development

 

Mr. Meiklejohn – attended a Real Life Real Talk forum recently.  Indicated that information provided was very beneficial on how to use the internet with children/students and how parents can talk with their children.  

 

Consent Items – Superintendent O’Connor reviewed donations and thanked contributors.

Mr. Meiklejohn requested with future paint donations that it be zero-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, which are paints that do not emit fumes.

 

Old Business - None

 

New Business 

1.  First reading of the 2007-2008 school calendar

Ms. Thompson – asked if survey information would be posted on the web site.   Superintendent O’Connor indicated that this could be done.

 

Ms. Thompson - Feels that there are parents in the district who are not fully aware of what is happening in the schools and asked if information could be placed on the web site. 

 

Ms. Hopkins – spoke about professional development and how important it is in the district.

 

Mr. Lafavore – indicated that his role is to assist with professional development in the district.  Early release days are used to assist schools in looking at data and defining needs as a result of the data.

 

Superintendent O’Connor – mentioned that in January principals provided leadership reports to her and in the reports they addressed how early release days are being used in their buildings.    The calendar was to be used for two years to provide an opportunity to look at the data surrounding early release Wednesdays and the work being done in the district.

 

Mr. Meiklejohn – impressed with work being done in the district.   Still concerned about start time for schools.   Would like to see start times aligned with data.

 

Mr. Lafavore – addressed start times.  Brain research on adolescent brain is about sleep patterns not amount of time adolescents sleep. He indicated that the literature notes that the brain does not mature until 29 or 30 years of age. 

 

Ms. Gramlich – asked where data was obtained.

 

Personnel

  1. Consideration and action to approve the Personnel items as listed:  

 

Ms. Gramlich moved seconded  Ms.Hopkins  and voted  unanimously to have a friendly motion to accept the personnel items as listed. (Students voted with majority)

 

Leave of Absence:     Effective for 2007-2008 School Year

Location

Position

Name

Leave of Absence
FTE  for 2007-08

Adult Ed Instructor

 

BOURGOINNE-SERIO,RENE

       0.50

Reiche

GRADE 2

DESMOND, CHERYL

       0.50

Presumpscot

MATH

DONNELLY, HEIDI

       1.00

Hall

GRADE 5

HAMANN, SHARON

       0.50

East End

GRADE 3

HESS, NANCY

       0.50

Reiche

GRADE 1-2

JONES, DEBORAH

       1.00

Longfellow

GRADE 1-2

LAWRENCE, BEVERLY

       0.50

Reiche

ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE

MCDUFFIE, DARCIE

       1.00

East End

GRADE 1

MCGUIGGAN-BEHAN, ERIN

       0.50

Riverton

GRADE 4

MELTON, MARILYN

       0.30

Longfellow

GRADE 3

PELLERIN, LAURA

       0.20

Clifford

ELEM FRENCH

PRINCE, LISA

       0.70

Portland

SOCIAL STUDIES

REAGAN, SALLY

       1.00

Longfellow

GRADE 1-2

ROSS, SUSAN

       0.50

Deering

ART

RUTH, MERYL

       1.00

Lincoln

FOR LANG SPANISH

STEINKELER, SUSAN

       0.50

Reiche

ESL

STEVENS, ROBIN

       1.00

Longfellow

GRADE 4

ZIDLE, JANET

       0.20

Portland

SOCIAL STUDIES

LEE-WINSHIP, ERICKA

       0.40

Casco Bay

FOR LANG

PRATT, DANA

       1.00

 

Change in Degree:  Effective January 2, 2007

Indriana Demers                       ESL/Riverton                            1.0

 MS/USM                                +$3,112    

 

Committee Focus on Educational Issues - None 

 

Public Comment Prior to 11:00 PM – No members of the public addressed the committee.

 

Mr. O’Brien – thanked students, guidance counselors, Bill Weber , and Tom Lafavore for their work with the Policy Committee.   He acknowledged and thanked the public for their participation in the public forum and Bates students who will be doing literature research on weighted grades.

 

Superintendent O’Connor – acknowledged Mr. O’Brien for his direction with the weighted grades issue.

 

Adjournment

Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded  Ms. Thompson and voted  unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 8:53 p.m.  (Students voted with majority)

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Mary Jo O’Connor

Superintendent of Schools