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Mt. Everett Regional School
April 6, 2006
School Committee Meeting #1,339
School
Committee Members: Mr. Pollitt, Dr. Savage, Mr. Twing, Ms.
Maggio, Ms. Mielke, Ms. Silvestri, Mr. Abelow, Mr. Tillett
Administrators: Ms. Spriggs, Ms. Regan, Mr.
Devoti
Press: CTSB
Student
Representatives:
Others: Ms. Michelle Loubert, Mr. Scott Farrell, Ms.
Peggy Herndon-Wilson, Ms. Patricia Heinsman, Mr. Kristofer Covey, Mr. Paul
Collins, Mr. John Martin, Ms. Angel Rote, Ms. Linda Hamill, Mr. Lewis Randall,
Ms. Theresa Licata, Mr. Neal Barbieri, Ms. Maryellen Brown, Mr. Gregg Winters of
Scanlon Associates, Ms. Linda
Higgins
1.
Chairman Pollitt called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.
2. Mr. Tillett moved,
seconded by Mr. Abelow, to approve the minutes of the School Committee Meeting
#1,338, Regular and Executive Sessions.
It was so voted.
(Ms. Mielke arrived at 7:10 p.m.; Ms. Maggio
arrived at 7:14 p.m.)
3. Communications from
the Audience:
A. Superintendent Spriggs
reviewed the Superintendent’s Update (copy on file with these minutes). The evening’s “Eagle Feather” was
awarded to students, especially the senior class, for their academic
accomplishments. Ms. Spriggs noted
that the seniors had been awarded acceptances into colleges including Barnard,
Williams, Rochester Institute of Technology, Georgia Technology, Lehigh,
Fordham, Skidmore, NYU, Rensselear
Polytechnic Institute, Bentley, Howard, Johnson & Wales, Wesleyan,
Northeastern, Virginia Tech, Ithaca College, Manhattan College, University of
Rochester, Clark, U.S. Navy, Berkshire Community College, Hofstra, University of Rhode Island, and
Tufts.
B. Student Representative Phil Hannum
reported that the seniors were finalizing their college plans as the year winds
down.
C. A letter was received from the
Sheffield Food Project thanking the Mt. Everett students for their work in
collecting nonperishable goods for those in need.
D. Principal Glenn Devoti
addressed the Committee in response to questions, concerns, and allegations
raised by two parents at the March 16 School Committee meeting.
Mr. Devoti reviewed the rationale and steps
involved in the development of the attendance policy. Ms. Hamill explained how attendance is
monitored each day at Mt. Everett.
Mr. Collins, Mr. Randall, and Ms. Heinsman explained steps each takes to
encourage students to complete their high school education.
Mr. Devoti presented statistics showing
improved attendance rates. He also
stated that between the beginning of school in 2004-05 and April 6, 2005, there
were 1,488 tardies at Mt. Everett; within the same time frame in 2005-06, the
number had dropped to 513.
Superintendent Spriggs also shared a report
prepared by Principal Nadolny illustrating improved attendance rates at the
elementary schools this school year.
Mr. Devoti also reported dropout rates at
2.9%, 2%, and 1.4% for the previous two and current school years,
respectively. Ms. Heinsman, Mr.
Devoti, and other staff members assured the School Committee that students
deemed in danger of dropping out of school received every encouragement and as
much support as possible to help him/her stay in school and
graduate.
Chairman Pollitt encouraged Mr. Devoti and
staff members to consider holding an open meeting for parents to present
information regarding the attendance policy and any other important information,
as well.
Mr. Devoti and Mr. Nadolny will offer
recommendations for any changes in the attendance policy when the School
Committee considers such later this year.
On behalf of the School Committee, Mr.
Pollitt thanked Mr. Devoti and staff members for their
presentation.
E. Mr. Scott Farrell reported
that the town of Sheffield has received a grant to help the school clean out old
chemicals. He updated the Committee on progress made thus far, and additional
steps that have been taken to assure the safety of all in the event of an
emergency.
4. PRESENTATION /
UPDATE: FY’05 Audit Report
Prior to the audit report, Chairman Pollitt
reported that a request for proposals had been sent out to several audit
companies for audit services.
Following the receipt of the RFP’s, it was Superintendent Spriggs’
recommendation that the District contract with Scanlon Associates for three
years. Dr. Savage moved, seconded
by Mr. Tillett, to approve the contract.
It was so voted.
The Committee welcomed Mr. Gregg Winters of
Scanlon Associates. Mr. Winters
reviewed the FY’05 audit report and distributed and reviewed the FY’05
management report. Mr. Winters
reported that the District has made good progress regarding areas cited in the
FY’04 management report, including wiping out the school lunch fund
deficit. Mr. Winters also credited
Ms. Loubert with improved accounting of the grants.
For FY’05, Mr. Winters recommended that the
District develop an investment policy so that the treasurer does not make all
investment decisions. He updated
the Committee regarding the anticipated institution of GASB 45 (projections for
health insurance for retirees). He
stated that as no guidelines have yet been developed, he would recommend moving
slowly on that piece. He noted that
the District has until 2008 to comply.
Mr. Winters reported that on the financial
side, the District is doing well compared with others. He noted that the member towns received
money back this year, and that the E&D fund is at $739,000, which he said is
a “nice size” for this sized district.
Mr. Winters also said that the District seems to be retaining its staff
at this time, and that helps a lot.
He complemented the business office staff for their work, and he reported
that he had worked with Ms. Regan in prior years, and stated that he had found
her very capable, as well.
Mr. Pollitt thanked Mr. Winters for his
presentation. He reminded the
Committee members and the audience that the audit concerned FY’05, and not the
present year.
5A.
Mr. Kristofer Covey explained a proposal to develop an arboretum on the
Mt. Everett/Undermountain Campus grounds.
He explained that the program has been designed to include students in
grades K-12, with younger students responsible for such tasks as watering and
mulching trees, and older students responsible for managing the tree nursery,
building the tree inventory data base using GIS technology, and for grant
writing. Mr. Covey reported that
the program has been received enthusiastically within the community, and thus
plans have progressed at a much faster rate than he had originally
anticipated. Therefore, Mr. Covey
explained that he was coming before the Committee to request that they approve
funds to purchase a 30 gallon compost tea brewer, a nursery/greenhouse watering
system, small tools for planting and pruning, and miscellaneous expenses for a
total of $2,700 in the spring of 2006, to allow the project to continue to
progress. Mr. Covey also requested
funding in the amount of $3,000 for the fall of 2006 to pay for greenhouse
improvements and plant material. He
said that he has applied for several outside grants, as well, and he added that
those grants have been written by students in the environmental science
class.
In the discussion that followed, Ms. Maggio
thanked Mr. Covey for his work, noting that she believed that the project was
totally appropriate on many levels and would bring community members actively
onto campus. Other members also
spoke in support of the project.
Superintendent Spriggs clarified that if the
School Committee approved the request, she and Ms. Regan will search through the
FY’06 budget to see if there is $2,700 which can be transferred for the
arboretum, and $3,000 in the FY’07 budget for the purposes described by Mr.
Covey. Mr. Abelow moved to approve;
Ms. Silvestri seconded the motion, and it was so voted,
unanimously.
5B.
Mt. Everett Program of Studies:
Mr. Devoti reported that the 2006-07 Program of Studies contained no
changes in credit or graduation requirements. He said that other than the inclusion of
vocational experiences in the booklet, it is virtually unchanged from
2005-06. Mr. Devoti also reported
that approximately 50 courses with six seats each have been set aside from the
Virtual High School for Mt. Everett students.
Ms. Maggio requested that profiles of staff
members be included in the Program of Studies. It was noted that although such was done
several years ago, the practice was discontinued based on a recommendation from
Committee members at that time.
Superintendent Spriggs noted that the District is updating the Web page,
and that bios of faculty members will be included there. Mr. Devoti said that he would include
the bios again in the 2007-08 program of studies.
Mr. Twing moved, seconded by Ms. Maggio, to
approve the 2006-07 Mt. Everett Program of Studies, as presented. It was so voted. (Mr. Abelow abstained, explaining that
he did not feel prepared to comment or improve without background
information.)
Dr. Savage requested that Mr. Devoti fill in
the School Committee regarding what programs/opportunities are offered to high
achievers in the near future.
5C.
Request for Approval of Senior Class Trip, May 20 & 21,
2006: Following discussion, Mr.
Tillett moved, seconded by Mr. Abelow, to approve the request for a senior class
trip on May 20 and 21, 2006. It was
so voted, unanimously.
5D.
2006-07 School Calendar: The Committee received the proposed
calendar for 2006-07 for consideration.
A vote will be requested at the April 27 meeting.
5E. Subcommittee/Representative
Reports
1.
Buildings & Grounds: Mr. Twing reported that the Buildings &
Grounds Subcommittee had met on March 23 and discussed the arboretum
project. They also received a
proposal from EDM regarding a long-range facilities plan. It was decided to request proposals from
other companies, as well. Also at
that meeting, Mr. Finkle had reported that the baseball field was being redone,
the tennis courts were being repaired, and lighting at the UME/Mt. Everett
entrances being upgraded.
2.
Negotiations Subcommittee: Mr. Abelow stated that an executive session
would be requested.
D.
Financial updates: Ms. Regan explained a request for transfers
totaling $43,848.00 (copy on file with these minutes). Dr. Savage moved, seconded by Mr. Twing,
to approve the transfers, as listed.
It was so voted, unanimously.
6.
Communications/Requests:
* Mr. Barbieri, Senior Class
Advisor, distributed order forms for burritos, which were being sold to fund the
senior class trip.
* Ms. Mielke reported that
Representative Pignatelli had arranged for a program on the effects of drinking
and driving to be brought to Mt. Everett earlier in the week. She said that the program was impressive
and dramatic, and that the students had taken it very
seriously.
5E2. Negotiations:
Mr. Abelow moved, seconded by Ms. Mielke, to enter into executive session
for the purpose of discussing collective bargaining. The vote:
Mr. Tillett
yes
Ms. Silvestri
yes
Mr. Pollitt
yes
Dr. Savage
yes
Mr. Abelow yes
Mr. Twing
yes
Ms. Mielke yes
Ms. Maggio
yes
Chairman Pollitt announced that no further
business would be conducted following executive session.
The Committee then moved into the
Superintendent’s Office and entered into executive session at 9:28
p.m.
The Committee came out of executive session
at 9:58 p.m.
Mr. Twing moved, seconded by Mr. Tillett, to
adjourn the meeting. It was so
voted, and the meeting adjourned at 9:59 p.m.