Errol School Board Minutes

 

September 20, 2004

 

Those present were: Principal Kathleen Urso, Superintendent Patrick Low

School Board Members: Theresa Chouquette, Gloria Coffin and Norman Eames,

Others: Teachers Sharon Lane and Mary Cote, Teacher Aide Carol Tremblay, Carol Miller and Jeff Schall from NCIA, and Recording Secretary Clara Grover.

 

Chairman Norman Eames called the meeting to order was at 7:05 p.m.

 

       Patrick Low asked if the NCIA presentation could be made at this time, so that Carol Miller and Jeff Schall didn’t have to sit through the rest of the meeting.  The Board members agreed.

      

       Carol Miller explained that NCIA, the present internet provider, wanted to use the school as a base for High Speed internet/Broad band, at no extra charge to the school. More equipment and an antenna will be needed and placed on the side or roof of the school (no holes would be put in the roof).  NCIA will pay for the equipment and maintain it.  Once the service is up and running, residents can then hook up to the system, within a three (3) mile radius for a monthly fee of $29.00 plus equipment and a firewall.

 

         Mrs. Urso wanted to know if other people were using the service, would it affect the school use. The answer was no.

        

         Jeff Schall stated that  if the equipment was allowed in the school, it would be considered a partnership with NCIA. Jeff stated that he thought the students needed faster internet service.

 

         Gloria Coffin was concerned about the cost to the school and the liability for the new equipment.  Carol Miller said that there will be no increase in the cost to the school and the liability would not increase.

 

           Kathleen Urso asked about maintaining the system if it goes down on a weekend and the building is closed?  She wanted to know where the new equipment would be placed in the school.  Carol Miller stated that a repair person would come up the next morning if the system couldn’t be serviced over the internet.  Jeff Schall stated that the new equipment would go where the “hub” is now.  To have the new system up and running this fall, an October 20 deadline is necessary for a decision.  It will take 4-6 weeks to install the equipment and get everything running. 

 

           Carol Miller stated that she knew of two businesses in town who were interested in the new service: L.L. Cote and the Hydro.  Gloria Coffin said that a decision could be made tonight because the idea had been discussed in the past.

 

Gloria Coffin made the motion to allow NCIA to bring Broad Band Internet service to    the school at no additional cost for 1 year.  Theresa Choquette seconded the motion.  All were in favor.                                                                                                     -1-

Carol Miller and Jeff Schall left at 7:30 p.m.

 

2. Chairman Norman Eames asked for approval of the minutes for the August 16, 2004

meeting.

Gloria Coffin made the motion to approve the minutes of August 16, 2004 and Theresa   Choquete seconded the motion.  All were in favor.

 

3. Communications:  Kathleen Urso had a letter from Mr. Fletcher Hosmer, a man in his senior years,  that Sharon Lane known  in the Colebrook School,  has been coming to the Errol School to work with the students on different projects (a stock market game). Tom and Sarah Lemaire (Mr.Hosmer’s daughter and husband) made a $500.00 donation in Mr. Hosmer’s name and then the Lemairs dediced  to match the amount to $1,000.00. Mr. Hosmer has also given the school 4 lap tops and an I Max computer.  Now the staff has to decide where the money can be used for the most benefit to the students.

 

Sharon Lane wanted to know if the report cards and progress reports could be cut down to every eight weeks instead of every four weeks.  These reports take a lot of the teachers’ time to prepare so often in the year.  If the teachers are writing the reports other things are not being done. 

Mary Cote stated that she keeps a file on each of her students so if a student or parent wanted to know how the student was doing they could look at the papers enclosed in the file.

Gloria stated that she didn’t see any reason why the reports couldn’t be changed to every 8 weeks and still keep up-to-date progress reports on each student.  No motion was required for this to take affect.  Patrick Low wanted feedback by Spring break.  The teachers agreed.

 

Theresa Choquette stated that her children were coming home with black marks on their clothes from the swing seats of the new playground equipment.  Other parents were concerned about the same thing.  Kathleen Urso said she would talk to Nancy Bourassa about getting in touch with the company where the equipment was purchased, to see if the seats could be changed to something else that won’t color the clothes. Gloria Coffin suggested putting duct tape around the seats

 

  1.  Superintendent’s Report: Patrick Low stated that the school tax will decrease to $8.22 per thousand.  He also stated that Errol is no longer a Donor Town and will receive $26,355 from the State.  At present, no income is forecast to the town from the Federal Forest this year.  Pauline Plourde is researching.

 

Kathleen Urso stated that a student listed as from Errol is now living in Berlin. It was pointed out that other students Errol is paying for are no longer in school and are not living here.

 

Patrick Low told Kathleen Urso that she could send her PO to the SAU office and they would take care of them.  Mr. Low extended an invitation for Errol students to go to the Gorham School; busing arrangements could be set up so parents wouldn’t have to go all the way to Gorham to deliver the students.  The Gorham School has extra seats in their classrooms.  Patrick Low donated the book “Into the Wild” written by Gorham students.

                                                                                                                                    -2-

 

  1. Principal’s Report: Kathleen Urso explained about the sewer problem that affected the   

school. The town hall bathrooms were available for the students and staff to use.  The students and staff were asked if they wanted the school to close and make up the days at a later time.  Everyone was in favor of continuing and a port-a-potty was set outside for all to use.  The broken pipes have been replaced. The paving hasn’t been done yet so the ground can settle.  Everything is working. 

 

A field trip was taken on the 15th to Rangeley, ME to see the site of a World War II Bomber crash.  On Sept. 24th, the school will visit the Poore Farm Homestead Museum in Stewartstown.  Open house will be Thursday, Sept. 23rd and the photos will be taken Friday, Sept. 30th.  There are 22 students in the school.

 

Carol Tremblay wanted to know if the school would pay half of her medical insurance amount of $5,000.00 for the year.  Patrick Low suggested that the Board discuss this as a non-public session in the future.

 

An employee of the school was given the choice of a raise in pay or  paid days off.  A paper from the employee was handed out at the meeting.  After reading the paper, Gloria Coffin made the motion to allow the week off in March, but the employee was required to be at the school the first week of summer vacation and the last week of summer vacation. Theresa Choquette seconded the motion.  All were in favor.

 

  1. Public Comments:  no issue.

 

  1. Other:  no issue.
  2. Non-Public session wasn’t necessary.
  3. Next meeting:  October 18, 2004

 

  1. Adjournment:  Gloria Coffin made the motion to adjourn at 8:50 p.m.  Theresa  

Choquette seconded the motion.  All were in favor.

 

Respectively Submitted,

 

Clara Grover, Recording Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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