Swanton School Board
February-March Minutes
Tobias Maguire (Chair) 868-5983
Mary Wood (Co-Chair)
PattiJo Walker 524-5749
Jay Cummings
Gary "Gub" Thompson
_____________________________________________________
SWANTON SCHOOL DISTRICT DRAFT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING MINUTES
Swanton School Library
March 28, 2011, 5:45pm
Attendees: PattiJo Walker, Toby Maguire, Jay Cummings, Mary Wood
Jack McCarthy was present to greet interviewers at the door.
Tobias Maguire called meeting to order at 5:50 p.m.
Board discussed schedule of interviewers and questions to be asked.
PattiJo Walker made motion to enter executive session at 6:00 p.m. Seconded by Jay Cummings. Vote 4-0
Tobias Maguire made motion to exit executive session at 7:45 p.m.. Motion seconded by Mary Wood. Vote 4-0.
PattiJo Walker made motion to appoint Gary "Gub" Thompson to fill vacant school board position, until town meeting day in March 2012 and also authorizing board chair to contact Jack McCarthy to contact all candidates. Motion seconded by Mary Wood. Vote 4-0.
Tobias Maguire adjourned meeting at 7:50 p.m.
SWANTON SCHOOL DISTRICT-DRAFT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING MINUTES
March 14, 2011 6:00 pm
Present: Tobias Maguire, Mary Wood, Jay Cummings and Patti Jo Walker.
Administration: Brent Coon, Principal, Holly Rouelle, Assistant Principal, Dr. John J. McCarthy, Superintendent, Absent from the meeting: Becky Hart, Business Manager.
Others Present: Sarah Nielsen, President of the PTO, Lora McAllister, Michelle Spence, Erin Gagne, Robin Trushaw, Jennifer Bailey, Heather Darr, Jen and Paul Rocheleau.
Call to Order: Dr. John McCarthy called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. This was the board reorganization meeting. Dr. McCarthy requested a nomination for the board chairperson. Patti Jo Walker made motion, seconded by Mary Wood to nominate Tobias Maguire as the board chairperson. The board passed the motion on a 4-0 vote.
Tobias Maguire as the new board chairperson, requested nominations for the vice chairperson. Patti Jo Walker made motion, seconded by Jay Cummings to nominate Mary Wood as the vice chairperson of the board. The board passed the motion on a 4-0 vote. Tobias Maguire requested nominations for the board clerk. Mary Wood made motion, seconded by Jay Cummings to nominate Patti Jo Walker as the board clerk. The board passed the motion on a 4-0 vote. Tobias Maguire requested nominations for the Franklin Northwest Supervisory Union Board. Patti Jo Walker made motion, seconded by Jay Cummings to appoint Tobias Maguire, Patti Jo Walker and Mary Wood as representatives to the Franklin Northwest Supervisory Union Board. The board approved the motion 4-0 vote. Tobias Maguire appointed Mary Wood and Jay Cummings as representatives to the Early Childhood Collaborative committee. The next Early Childhood Collaborative meeting is on April 4, 2011.
Tobias Maguire appointed Patti Jo Walker to remain on the negotiations committee. The other board member to be on the negotiations committee will be established after the fifth board member is appointed. The next Support Staff negotiation’s meeting is on March 21, 2011. Tobias Maguire appointed Patty Jo Walker and Jay Cummings on the personnel committee and Mary Wood as an alternate.
Citizens and Staff:
Tobias Maguire would like to thank the voters for supporting the Swanton school budget.
PTO Update: Sarah Nielsen reported that the PTO met in March. The topic was literacy and she thanked Karen Tyler, the Literacy Content Specialist for presenting along with teachers from grades 1-5. They will meet again on April 6th to discuss the school action plan. The meeting was very informative and the procedures and practices of teaching literacy have changed over the years and it would be nice to have a general public presentation at a future board meeting. Parents were really excited and it helped them understand what students are doing in the school in the area of literacy.
Approval of Minutes: Patti Jo Walker made motion to approve the February 14, 2011 board minutes, seconded by Tobias Maguire. Tobias Maguire clarified that he abstained from the January 2011 minutes bus route issue vote because his daughter takes that bus route. The board approved the motion 4-0 vote.
Correspondence: For Executive Session
Contracts- Patti Jo Walker made motion, seconded by Mary Wood to authorize the board chairperson to sign the professional contracts on behalf of the board.
Old Business: None
Financial Report: None
Check Warrants: None. Tobias Maguire suggested the finance committee should be appointed even if temporarily for one month, so that the process can continue until the next April meeting. Tobias Maguire appointed Patti Jo Walker and Jay Cummings to the finance committee until the April Board Meeting. At that time, if the new board member expressed an interest to be on the finance committee, the committee members could be changed at that time.
Principal’s Report:
Kindergarten Entrance Age: Brent Coon stated that last month the board discussed changing the Kindergarten entrance age from it’s current age of 5 on or before January 1st. He recommended phasing in the date of December 1st for next year, with the goal to eventually change it to September 1st, to better meet the social, emotional and academic needs of our youngest students. By grades 3, 4 and 5, some of our students are one year younger than students from other schools taking national assessments, such as NAEP and NECAP and we are currently not meeting adequate yearly progress. It also impacts high school students when they are taking SAT’s as well as Early Education students. Michelle Spence stated that it impacts students who have begun Kindergarten in Swanton and move to another school. They are not allowed to enroll in that school because of the different entrance age, so they are being put back into the pre school program which impacts their self esteem. Patti Jo Walker made motion, seconded by Mary Wood to change the Kindergarten entrance age to age 5 on or before December 1st for the 2011-2012 school year with the ultimate goal to phase in for September 1st. The board will revisit this issue in the fall to give families adequate time to make adjustments for preschool. The board approved the motion 4-0 vote.
Dept of Education Feedback: Swanton is an identified school and therefore has to have a progress monitoring system in place. The commissioner reviews these systems on an annual basis. Swanton has received feedback from Lisa Lovelette from the Vermont Dept. of Education. Her comments were positive and she stated that Swanton stands apart from the majority of schools with respect to teachers’ willingness to assume ownership for struggling students as was evidenced by the number of team interventions that begin in the classroom.
Policy: Brent Coon handed out a video surveillance policy to cover camera surveillance in the school and on the buses. Dr. McCarthy explained that by introducing the policy, it notifies the public that although there is camera surveillance, the rights of privacy of students, staff and visitors has been carefully weighed and balanced. The board could waive first reading and then the policy will be warned for ten days so that it can be available for second reading and adopted at the next board meeting. Patti Jo Walker made motion, seconded by Mary Wood to waive first reading of policy E10 Video Surveillance. A request was made to put the draft policy on the FNWSU web site as well. The board approved the motion 4-0 vote.
Calendar: Brent Coon handed out a draft of the 2011-2012 calendar. The start date is on August 30th. Another change is October 20 and 21st.. What used to be Teacher Convention has been changed to non teaching and non student days. The calendar had already been completed when the Teacher Convention was cancelled. When the administrators from all the schools met and considered the factors that the high school graduation date was already chosen, the tech centers had already aligned their days, and the elementary busing is linked to the high school, they thought that it was best to have voluntary staff development opportunities on those days. Mary Wood thought that the first day (August 30th) should be a half day student and a half day staff in-service. Tobias Maguire stated that they will table the calendar to give the board an opportunity to review it and approve it at the next meeting.
Action Plan: Brent Coon gave the board a draft form of the school Math Action Plan, Literacy Action Plan and Socially Responsibility Action Plan. The next step is to get input from the school board, staff and community. This represents a 3 year plan for our school. They may get recommendations from the school improvement coordinator and make some adjustments. The board will review and adopt next meeting.
NECAP: Brent Coon directed the board and community to go to the Department of Education Website to find information about our NECAP scores. On the home page, in the yellow box, click on NECAP Assessment Information and you can get a report from any school. It will show how the subgroups performed and how we did overall from 2006 to 2010. The students in Special Education and free and reduced lunch are still lagging behind the regular education students. The scores have remained relatively flat. The writing scores dropped from two years ago and teams of teachers are looking at the NECAP data so that they can make adjustments. The staff will be receiving writing workshop training in early summer so that they help students improve in writing, especially non fiction writing.
Other: Brent Coon gave out a handout through the Fit and Healthy Program regarding the exploration of a walking school bus. He handed out some information on the logistics and a Safe Routes website for board members to get more information about a walking school bus.
Roof: With the amount of snow that we have had, there has been a leaking roof in the Babcock building, with some loose flashing and some plugged drains. The roof had to be cleared, incurring a cost. A full assessment of the roof will need to be completed this spring once the snow is gone. It may be time to begin getting estimates on replacing the roof.
Internet Safety Presentation: Holly reported that there will be an Internet Safety Presentation on March 17th at 4 and 6pm. A former Swanton student with the Technology Safety Program from the Prevent Child Abuse Vermont will be presenting. She is talking about risks and benefits of students using the internet.
Personnel: Brent Coon had personnel for executive sessions.
Superintendent’s Report:
Legislative Report: In the board packet. The report comes from directors of the Vermont Superintendent’s Association, Vermont Principal’s Association and the Vermont School Board’s Association.
Negotiations: Professional negotiations are at an impasse and will be going into mediation. The Support Staff egotiations are just getting started, and the next meeting is on March 21st in Highgate at 5:45pm.
Personnel: For Executive Session
Board Vacancy: There are three interested parties and discussion will be in executive session.
Assistant Principal Search: For Executive Session.
Next meeting date is April 11, 2011. The next Franklin Northwest SU meeting is scheduled for April 6 at 7pm.
Executive Session and Adjournment:
Patti Jo Walker made motion, seconded by Jay Cummings to enter executive session at 7:34pm. The Board approved the motion 4-0 vote.
Tobias Maguire made motion, seconded by Jay Cummings to exit executive session at 7:54pm. The board approved the motion on a 4-0 vote.
PattiJo Walker made motion to offer the open SLP position to Carrie Butler as recommended by the personnel committee and discussed in executive session. The motion was seconded by Mary Woods and the motion passed on a 4-0 vote.
Patti Jo Walker made motion to regretfully accept the resignation of Holly Rouelle effective June 30, 2011. The motion was seconded by Mary Wood. The board approved the motion on a 4-0 vote.
Patti Jo Walker made motion to direct the Superintendent to administer a letter of intent for a 2011-2012 contract as discussed in executive session. The motion was seconded by Jay Cummings. The board approved the motion on a 4-0 vote.
Tobias Maguire declared the motion adjourned at 8:02pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Patty Jo Walker, School Board Clerk
by Pierrette Bouchard, School Board Secretary.
SWANTON SCHOOL DISTRICT DRAFT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING MINUTES
February 14, 2011 6:00 pm
Present: Rod Russin, Tobias Maguire, April Kilbury and Patti Jo Walker. Don Collins was absent from the meeting. Administration: Brent Coon, Principal, Holly Rouelle, Assistant Principal, Becky Hart, Business Manager. Dr. John J. McCarthy, Superintendent was absent from the meeting.
Others Present: Sarah Nielsen, President of the PTO, Lora McAllister, Heath McAllister, Erin Gagne, Robin Trushaw, Mary Wood, Heather Darr
Call to Order: Rod Russin called the meeting to order at 6:02pm.
Tobias Maguire made motion, seconded by Patti Jo Walker to enter executive session at 6:02pm for personnel. The board approved the motion 4-0. Tobias Maguire made motion, seconded by April Kilbury to exit Executive Session at 6:12 p.m. The board approved the motion 4-0 vote. Tobias Maguire made motion to regretfully accept Don Collins resignation effective February 14, 2011. Rod Russin on behalf of the board thanked Don Collins for his many years of service. The motion was seconded by April Kilbury. The board approved the motion on a vote 4-0.
Citizens and Staff:
PTO Update: Sarah Nielsen reported that the PTO did not meet in February. They have a meeting scheduled for March 2nd with the topic of Literacy. They had a Technology Family Night last week that went well.
Approval of Minutes: April Kilbury made motion to accept the January 10, 2011 board minutes, seconded by Patti Jo Walker. Toby Maguire abstained from the January 10, 2011 bus route issue vote because his daughter takes that bus route. The board approved the motion 4-0 vote.
Correspondence: For Executive Session
Contract- For Executive Session
Old Business: Brent Coon stated that they have the bus stops and routes resolved. Patti Jo Walker stated that she received a call from a parent thanking the board for the bus change and it was working out great for her daughter.
Financial Report: Becky Hart reported that the financial report for February is in the board packet. The revenue shows some anticipated revenue for clerical and some speech services. The anticipated carryover is about $43,000 if nothing changes between now and the end of the year. Tobias Maguire made motion, seconded by April Kilbury to accept the financial report. The board approved the motion on a 4-0 vote.
Check Warrants: Patti Jo Walker made a motion, seconded by Toby Maguire to approve the check warrants for December 2010 totaling $592,127.30. The board approved the motion 4-0 vote.
FY12 Budget: Becky Hart included the final draft of the budget in the board packet that is going to Town Meeting.
Principal’s Report:
Student Learning: Brent Coon stated that they have had a busy January and February as these months are the assessment windows. The Aimswebb benchmarking is complete in math and literacy and teachers are doing reading assessments. This information will be crucial as we monitor student progress and enter the next phase of instruction and intervention. Mrs. Oglesby is wrapping up a school wide “Reading is an Investment” unit that focuses on financial literacy. Both of the Smart Boards are in rotation and students are using them in their classrooms for two week periods. Teachers use a web based lesson exchange system as well as create their own lessons for the Smart Boards. The Tech Night was well attended. Mr. Coon thanked all the staff members, parents and families that came that evening.
Professional Development: During the January In-Service, Peter Garrow presented a workshop on Google. Paraprofessionals learned how to better use Google mail, create presentations and how to share and create documents in Google Docs. Mrs. Sweeney used online learning modules to provide consistent language and a consistent process to understand and respond to student behaviors for the paraprofessionals. During the February In-Service, the Math Interventionists presented workshops for the paraprofessionals to improve math support instruction.
In February, Sue Biggam and Jane Mekkelson from the UVM Literacy Leadership Initiative came to help Swanton teachers utilize a new tool for increasing non fiction reading instruction. Mrs. Biggam did a workshop with the Primary Comprehension Toolkit. These kits will help us increase our consistency and make links between literacy and science. Ms. Mekkelson worked with grades 3-6 on strengthening comprehension strategies in reading and writing as well as the Comprehension Toolkit. It was a great professional development day.
Leadership: As an identified school under AYP, the Commissioner has required actions we must under take such as a progress monitoring system to improve how we look at data and use the data to improve instruction. January In-Service was used as a time for teams to come together and examine the current model of instruction - classroom instruction, Intervention and Special Education. This information goes to the State and we get information back. The State of Vermont will be auditing Swanton on March 12-13th. Staff evaluations are on going and all new and second year teachers have been observed.
Facilities: Holly Rouelle reported that they are in the process of having students name the new playground area. They have had an overwhelming response from the students and they are trying to narrow it down to the top four names. The students will have two ways to vote, either by paper ballot or Google Survey on Friday.
Other: Brent Coon reported that on a sad note the Swanton School lost Sue Palin, a Speech Pathologist for over 30 years. She had a positive impact on many students and will be greatly missed.
Informational Meeting has been changed to February 22, 2011 and Dr. McCarthy will be attending the Swanton meeting with Mr. Coon and Ms. Rouelle. There are two other school district budget informational meetings that evening. Patti Jo Walker and April Kilbury will be attending on behalf of the school board.
Co Teacher Meeting Model: There is an FNWSU proposal made to the State of Vermont by Linda Chaim. Swanton would like to pilot this next year with interested special education and regular education teachers who have already received training. There will be another state wide training on March 16th which all the special educators in our district will be attending. Swanton will also send 6 classroom teachers and 2 administrators. There is some information from Linda Chaim in the board packet.
Superintendent’s Report:
Negotiations: There is a negotiations meeting tomorrow night for professional staff in Highgate at 6pm and Wed. night support staff negotiations meeting at 6:45pm.
Kindergarten Start Date: The Kindergarten entrance age in Swanton is 5 years old on or before January 1st. Brent Coon stated that the remainder of the Supervisory Union has a start date of September 1st. He read a letter from the Superintendent recommending that the board begin a discussion around making this change. He recommended phasing it in to a September 1st entrance age over 2 years. Students moving from other schools pose challenges with the different age start date, and we are the only ones in the state with the late entrance age. The Early Education program is concerned about the entrance age and Michelle Spence is willing to come to the March meeting to address this issue. The kindergarten teachers presented a letter outlining their concerns about the start date in regards to academic, social and emotional readiness. When a student moves from Swanton to another school district and they have already started school in Swanton, the new school will not allow them to continue in school. Brent Coon recommended phasing it in to December 1st next year, then November 1st and then finally on September 1st. Swanton has students that are one year younger than other schools when they are taking NECAP Tests and other national tests such as NAEP and SAT. The younger students are struggling when compared to their peers in the same classroom. Last year, six out of ten 3rd and 4th grade students recommended to EST to be tested for Special Education had September-December birthdates. The board would like to hear from Michelle Spence in March and would like to give the public an opportunity to respond.
Holly Rouelle had several articles to share with the board regarding early entrance ages.
Next meeting is March 14th at 6pm. The next FNWSU Board Meeting is April 6th in Sheldon.
Rod Russin thanked April Kilbury for serving as a board member for the last two years.
Executive Session and Adjournment:
Rod Russin made motion to enter Executive Session at 7:00 p.m. The motion was seconded by April Kilbury. The board approved the motion 4-0 vote. Tobias Maguire made motion, seconded by April Kilbury to exit Executive Session at 7:32 p.m. The board approved the motion on a 4-0 vote.
PattiJo Walker made motion to authorize the Vice Chair to sign contracts on behalf of the Board. The motion was seconded by April Kilbury. The board approved the motion on a 4-0 vote. PattiJo Walker made motion to offer the Long Term Substitute position for Instrumental Music to Loren Sylvester. The motion was seconded by April Kilbury. The board approved the motion on a vote 4-0.
Tobias Maguire made motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:34 p.m. The motion was seconded by April Kilbury. The board approved the motion on a 4-0 vote.
Respectfully submitted,
Patty Jo Walker, School Board Clerk
by Pierrette Bouchard, School Board Secretary.
