Draft: August 29, 2007

Approved: Sept. 19, 2007

School Committee meeting August 29, 2007

Under Report of the Secretary

7:00 P.M. Executive Session

Meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

Members present: Robert O’Brien, Lori Gramlich, John Coyne, Benjamin Meiklejohn, Ellen Alcorn, Susan Hopkins, Sarah Thompson

Members not present: Peter Eglinton, Rebecca Minnick

At 7:07 p.m. Mr. Meiklejohn moved , seconded Ms. Alcorn and voted 5-2 to go into Executive Session to consult with the School Committee’s attorney regarding a settlement offer with respect to the superintendent’s employment pursuant to 1 MRSA § 405 (6)(E).

At 7:35 Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Ms. Alcorn and voted unanimously to come out of Executive Session.

Business Meeting:

At 7:40 p.m. Mr. Coyne called the business meeting to order.

Members present: Robert O’Brien, Lori Gramlich, John Coyne, Benjamin Meiklejohn, Ellen Alcorn, Susan Hopkins, Sarah Thompson, Bennett Gross, Anthony Toppi, Maureen Quinn

Members not present: Peter Eglinton, Rebecca Minnick

Addendum:

Consideration and action to authorize the hiring process to begin for the following vacancies:

.2 Ed Tech at Peaks Island (re-post)
1.0 Ed Tech III FLS at DHS
1.0 Ed Tech III CNS at PHS
1.0 Temporary Media Tech Library at Lincoln
1.0 each Ed Tech II and III (2 positions) at Longfellow
1.0 District Health Coordinator

Ms. Alcorn moved, seconded Mr. O’Brien to authorize the hiring process to begin for the following vacancies

Mr. Meiklejohn – wanted to insure that these positions are not part of the positions previously presented to the Committee that would not be filled.

Ms. Thompson – asked about the district health coordinator’s position and whether or not this position had been posted. Also inquired about the previous list of open positions. Mr. Coyne – indicated that the district health coordinator position will be posted. Ms. Whynot-Vickers – indicated that some of the positions before the Committee this evening are due to recent resignations

Superintendent O’Connor – reviewed job responsibilities of district health coordinator.

Ms. Gramlich – asked for clarification that the hiring process has not begun for positions under consideration and what is the cost of the positions. Superintendent O’Connor – indicated that the hiring process for positions before the Committee has not begun. Ms. Hart – indicated full time ed techs $30,000(5 positions) with benefits, health coordinator $33,333.

Public comment:

Steven Scharf - addressed the Committee regarding the district health coordinator’s position and ed tech positions.

Mark Reilly – spoke to committee regarding positions and possibility of holding off on hiring until more information is available on the budget.

Debate:

Ms. Thompson - asked if monies are already in budget for positions? Superintendent O’Connor – indicated that monies are already budgeted.

Ms. Alcorn – what are implications if positions are not filled? What are financial implications if not meeting IEP’s? Superintendent O’Connor – positions listed under items b&c are special ed. ed techs as well as ed techs at Longfellow. Portland Public Schools is mandated to provide special ed support. Ms. Whynot-Vickers – ed techs are to work with students with aspergers to assist them in accessing public classrooms. If special ed positions are not filled the alternative is to pay tuition outside of the district to send students to another school.

Mr. Toppi – asked about temporary media tech position. Ms. Whynot-Vickers indicated that this is one semester only. Ms. Hart – indicated that individual currently in this position will be on child rearing leave.

Mr. Meiklejohn – ed tech positions are sped ed. If not filled could bring litigation against Portland Public Schools. What is tuition for outside assistance/tuition? Superintendent O’Connor – costs can be anywhere from $8,0000 to $26,000 per month per student.

Ms. Gramlich – addressed district health coordinator’s position and hiring process – does not support position. Superintendent O’Connor – had conversations with PEA regarding this position so will now be hiring.

Vote on addendum: It was voted 6-1 to authorize the hiring process to begin for the following vacancies. (Students voted with majority)

a. .2 Ed Tech at Peaks Island (re-post)

b. 1.0 Ed Tech III FLS at DHS

c. 1.0 Ed Tech III CNS at PHS

d. 1.0 Temporary Media Tech Library at Lincoln

e. 1.0 each Ed Tech II and III (2 positions) at Longfellow

f. 1.0 District Health Coordinator

Consideration and action to approve the personnel items as listed:

Leave of Absence: Effective 2007-2008 School Year

Pamela Brewer Special Ed/Reiche .5 Childrearing

Election: Effective 9/1/07 Contract: Probationary 2

Martha Gross .5 Grade 5/Hall Lane 3/Step 6 $28,256.50

BS Elementary Ed – Plymouth State College

Ms. Hopkins moved, seconded Ms. Thompson and voted unanimously to approve the personnel items as listed. (Students with majority

Consideration and action to eliminate a .7 Adult Education position due to lack of funding

Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Ms. Hopkins to eliminate a .7 Adult Education position.

Rob Wood spoke to the motion. Indicated that contract with Barber Foods in amount of $80,000 paid for .7 contracted teacher coordinator and eight hourly teachers. Two weeks ago Barber Foods notified Adult Ed that the contract is discontinued. Barber Foods will continue to pay for contracted person until notice given.

Mr. Meiklejohn– is this a grant funded position? Is this position to be added on to the $520,000? Rob Wood – not locally funded position. Superintendent O’Connor – position will not be added to the $520,000.

Vote: It was voted unanimously to eliminate a .7 Adult Education position (Students voted with majority)

Original agenda items:

New Business

Consideration and action to authorize the hiring process to begin for the following vacancies:

Interim Co-curricular director’s position at DHS
Head custodian, Presumpscot School
Sudanese Language Facilitator, Portland High School
Computer Assisted Learning Lab Educational Technician, Portland High School

Ms. Alcorn moved, seconded Ms. Hopkins to authorize the hiring process to begin for the following vacancies: a) interim co-curricular director’s position at DHS; b) head custodian, Presumpscot School; c) Sudanese Language Facilitator, Portland High School; d) computer assisted learning lab educational technician, Portland High School

Ms. Thompson:

Feels that co-curricular director’s position is as important as a librarian’s position. What is interim and parameters? Superintendent O’Connor – means school year and would do a full search in the spring.
Why is it co-curricular vs athletic director? Superintendent O’Connor – several years ago position was changed to co-curricular director overseeing all co-curricular positions as well as athletic activities.
Will there be a hiring process or will it be an appointed position? Ken Kunin – spoke to the committee regarding filling this position immediately to insure consistency and safety in programs. If did a search now would be into Oct. and programs would not be manageable in addition to co-curricular activities. Feels search in spring would find the best-qualified candidate to fill the position.
Does current interim individual have experience with athletics and co-curricular programs at DHS. Ken Kunin – yes, there is an individual currently in the system that is familiar with all programs and would like to go with an interim person at this time. Wants to do a full search in the spring.
How many athletic directors are at each school? Ken Kunin – one co-curricular director at Deering and Portland. While student populations may shift and vary – responsibilities are identical at both schools.
Asked about custodian at Presumpscot – is it correct school? Is this a vacancy that we did not know of between last week and this week? Ms. Whynot-Vickers – reason it is now open – custodian has shifted from Presumpscot to another school. Doug Sherwood – has a retiree at King Middle School and individual at Presumpscot was eligible to take that position leaving a vacancy at Presumpscot.

Mr. Meiklejohn:

Salary $50,116 for co-curricular position at Deering. Two co-curricular directors have respective duties. Is it possible to add additional duties to current director? Has increase in pay been offered to current co-curricular director at Portland to do both positions? Ken Kunin – need to have athletic administrator on sites are all athletic events. It would be physically impossible to have one individual for both schools.
Has there been any systems thinking about one co-curricular director and two assistants? Mike Johnson – spoke to co-curricular positions and having one co-curricular director for both schools is not possible due to the demands of teams at both schools.

Ms. Hopkins:

Maine Principals’ Association has rules/regulations regarding athletic administration at games. Ken Kunin – only need to have athletic administrator on site at playoffs. Co-curricular director also needs to insure Title IX regulations are being met, that there is insurance for students, and that NCAA requirements are being met.

Mr. O’Brien:

Is $50,000 salary? Ms. Hart - one-year salary excluding benefits.

Public comment:

Steven Scharf – spoke to motion.

Joe Dumont - spoke to co-curricular position and the need to have this individual on site at games. Person is also an educator.

Mike Johnson – spoke to Sudanese facilitator and computer lab ed tech positions at Portland High.

Kelly McDaniel – librarian at King Middle School spoke to motion and the elimination of librarians causing two librarians to cover several schools.

Bill Wilson – spoke to motion and mentioned master list of cuts by priority.

Kathleen Casasa – spoke to motion.

Debate:

Ms. Gramlich moved to split the motion. (motion fails due to lack of a second)

Ms. Hopkins– supports motion. Three positions legally required – items a,c,d all positions are already in the budget.

Mr. Meiklejohn– supports motion. Addressed various requirements with these positions and these positions are part of the budget that was approved by the school committee.

Ms. Alcorn– noted that athletics did take a 10% cut in fy08 budget.

Ms. Thompson– supports motion, but requested that school committee look again to list of “not recommended to fill” and to reconsider the elementary librarian position that is on the list of “not recommended to fill”.

Ms. Gramlich– urged the superintendent and school committee for future hires of language facilitation to look at the parent specialists in multilingual program as a possibility for future assistance for students..

Ms. Quinn– supports positions. Spoke to importance of co-curricular director at Deering.

Mr. Coyne– asked about clarification on one-year onlys – positions are in the fy08 budget and people were in positions one year only.

Vote: It was voted unanimously to authorize the hiring process to being for the following vacancies. (Students voted with majority)

a. Interim Co-curricular director’s position at DHS

b. Head custodian, Presumpscot School

c. Sudanese Language Facilitator, Portland High School

d. Computer Assisted Learning Lab Educational Technician, Portland High School

Consideration and action to authorize the placement of candidates into the following vacancies due to the unexpected withdrawal of the initial recommended candidates:

a. .4 History teacher at Portland High School

b. .5 Health/PE position at Casco Bay High School

Ms. Thompson moved, seconded Ms. Hopkins to authorize the placement of candidates into the following vacancies due to the unexpected withdrawal of the initial recommended candidates.

Mike Johnson and Derek Pierce spoke to motion.

Clarifying questions:

Ms. Thompson– asked if .5 Health/PE position at CBHS was a one year only last year. Is .5 teacher leader position a Dean of students? Derek Pierce - .5 teacher leader will assist with discipline and will also do .5 Health/PE.

Public comment: Steven Scharf spoke to motion.

Debate:

Mr.Meiklejohn–supports motion. Pre-authorization is a good idea, but doesn’t want to get into micro managing.

Vote: It was voted unanimously to authorize the placement of candidates into the following vacancies due to the unexpected withdrawal of the initial recommended candidates. (Students voted with majority)

Personnel

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

Ms. Thompson moved, seconded Mr. Meiklejohn to approve the personnel items as listed

Election: Effective 9/1/07 Contract: Probationary 1

Jonathan Bender Physics-Biology/PHS Lane 1/Step 4 $37,147

MA in teaching/University of Alaska

Stephen Norbert Social Studies/Portland High Lane 1/Step 3 $35,876

BA in Secondary Education and History – Boston College

Vote: It was voted unanimously to approve the personnel items as listed (Students voted with majority)

Ms. Thompson – asked that athletic reduction information be posted on the web site. Superintendent O’Connor – has asked co-curricular directors to have this posted.

Addendum

Consideration and action to accept the resignation of the Superintendent of Schools and to authorize the chairperson to execute a separation agreement.

Ms. Thompson moved, seconded Mr.Meiklejohn to accept the resignation of the Superintendent of Schools and to authorize the chairperson to execute a separation agreement.

Mr. Coyne - spoke to motion and outlined separation agreement, which includes 120 day resignation effective December 28, 2007 with vacation and sick time accrued and two months severance pay.

Clarifying questions:

Mr. O’Brien – under legal obligations as a school committee would need to provide just cause for dismissal. Superintendent has right to appeal to Commissioner of Education.

Commissioner would make a decision and Superintendent could appeal to Supreme Court. School Committee would need to again provide legal just cause. Three levels that School Committee would need to go through. Very expensive process.

Ms. Thompson– asked about school committee jurisdiction of 120 days. Mr. Coyne– within school committee’s jurisdiction to place an interim superintendent if they so choose.

Mr. Meiklejohn – received resignation. Value of contract is significant value to Superintendent and school committee is obliged to fulfill it. Feels settlement is fair. This superintendent has been the strongest, educationally forward thinking superintendent that Portland Public Schools has ever had. Superintendent O’Connor deserves recognition on these educational progresses.

Ms. Alcorn– spoke to motion and outlined many of Superintendent O’Connor’s accomplishments in the Portland Public Schools. Her resignation is real loss to the district. Superintendent O’Connor needs to be recognized for how she has moved this district forward.

Ms. Hopkins – spoke to the motion and to all that Portland Public Schools is doing right. Has attended various conferences and how impressed she is with all that Portland is doing, i.e. making data driven decisions for students in the district.

Ms. Gramlich – struggled with decision and what is best for district.

Mr. Coyne – spoke to motion. Time for this to happen and to move on. Meets with Superintendent O’Connor on a weekly basis and the things that take place behind the scenes are extraordinary.

Ms. Quinn – thanked Superintendent O’Connor for all that she has done in the district.

Mr. O’Brien – spoke to Superintendent O’Connor’s abilities, i.e. her ability to move the East End Community School process forward was extraordinary.

Ms. Thompson – appreciates Superintendent O’Connor’s leadership

Vote: It was voted unanimously to accept the resignation of the Superintendent of Schools and to authorize the chairperson to execute a separation agreement. (Students voted 2 yea, 1 abstention)

Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Ms. Alcorn and voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 9:10 p.m. (Students voted with majority)

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Jo O’Connor

Superintendent of Schools