MILAN SCHOOL BOARD

MINUTES 09/10/03

 

The Milan School District met in regular session on Wednesday, September 10, 2003, at the Milan Village School, Milan, NH.  In attendance:  Andrew Mullins, Patricia Shute, and Jacqueline Quintal.  Also:  Steven Welford, Pauline Plourde, Sarah Sarette, and Susan Enman (recording secretary).

 

I.          Call  to Order:  Andrew Mullins called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

 

II.            Approval of August 15, 2003 minutes:

 

            Jacqueline Quintal pointed out that the school board did not vote on the dress    code and discipline policy at the last school board meeting.

 

                        Motion by Patricia Shute – Seconded by Jacqueline Quintal

                        MOTION:  to approve the minutes of August 15, 2003 as read

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

 

III.            Principal’s Report:

            The Principal informed the school board that grades 1-6 are going through

            testing this week and the results would be shared with the school board members

            when available.  Mrs. Sarette expressed her concern over stress the second and             forth grade students experienced in the past during  Terra Nova testing.  She      stated that Mr. Giroux shared the same concern.  Mrs. Sarette stated that she             would like to propose to the school board to discontinue this type of testing.              Patricia Shute asked if adequate testing would be done if the Terra Nova testing

            was discontinued.  Mrs. Sarette reviewed the other types of testing  given during the year and what types of results were reported  from these tests.    Mr. Welford             shared his opinion on why he agreed that the Terra Nova testing should be             discontinued.   After a brief discussion over this issue, the school board             decided to make a motion. 

 

                        Motion by Jacqueline Quintal – Seconded by Patricia Shute

                        MOTION:  to discontinue Terra Nova testing in grades two and four

                        until further notice

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

 

            Mrs. Sarette informed the school board that the plush chairs and couches are

            in the process of being  removed from the classrooms.  This action is taking place             in order to comply with safety rules.   Mrs. Sarette stated that the nurse             requested to keep her chair.  The principal felt this should be brought to the             school             board members’ attention.   A question arose on why the nurse needed two      beds and a chair in her room.  Andrew Mullins pointed out that this could be             considered a fire hazard due to the all this furniture being in a small area.  It was   

 

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            asked why the nurse’s room should be considered different from the other             classrooms.  Mr. Welford suggested to keep things as they are until the report             is received from the Department of Labor.  It was agreed by all to table this             situation until the final  report is received.

 

            The Principal reviewed the letter she received from Kelli Pike.  Ms. Pike was

            asking permission from the school board to allow her to pursue her masters

            degree through Plymouth State University.  After a discussion was held pertaining

            to whether Ms. Pike had given advace notice to the school board, it was agreed

            that this request was valid.  The request had been given to Mrs. Sarette on the              first day of school.  The school board stated that these type of requests should be             dated and should also include the dates that the courses are to begin.

 

                        Motion by Patricia Shute – Seconded by Jacqueline Quintal

                        MOTION:  to approve the request from Kelli Pike to work towards

                        her masters degree by starting her course work on the class titled

                        Advanced Diagnostic Testing and the Improvement of Reading and

                        Writing to begin  in September.

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

           

            Mrs. Sarette expressed her satisfaction over how well the crisis team had been

            training.  The prinicpal went over different examples of how the team worked,

            what the different color codes meant and what steps took place during  each code.    Mrs. Sarette stated that the students have also been             taught what to do in different             emergency situations and were very cooperative and knowledgeable when the             need arose to deal with different situations.       

 

            The Principal handed out Junior Great Books to the school board members and

            to Mr. Welford and explained what this program involved.  Mrs. Sarette pointed                        out that this program is funded through a grant.

 

            Jacqueline Quintal asked to hold a  discussion at some point in the meeting              pertaining to Todd Butler’s move to the Milan Village School.  It was  explained             to the school board that the  majority of services needed  for  speech             pathology  were from the  Milan Village school.   Mr. Wellford and Mrs. Sarette             stated that they both agreed that it would be beneficial to  the staff and students to             have Mr. Butler stationed in the Milan Village school.   It was also reported  that             there had been adequate office space available for Mr. Butler.   Jacqueline             Quintal expressed her strong feelings  that the school board should have been             informed before this decision was made.  Both Andrew Mullins and Jacqueline             Quintal expressed their concern over how they would explain to the public

             at the annual school district meeting why they were paying the SAU for a

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            portion of office space for Mr. Butler when he was actually stationed at the Milan

            Village School.  Mr. Welford stated that he would ask Mr. Butler to move back to

            the SAU office if the board requested him to do so.  After a lengthy discussion

            pertaining to this situation, it was decided to move Mr. Butler back to the SAU

            office. 

 

            Mrs. Sarette informed the school board that Bill from Café Services would like to

            setup two committees involving the kitchen workers, students, people from the

            public, the school nurse, teachers, etc.  The first committee he would like to

            form would be a food service committee and the other committee would be a

            nutrition committee.  

                                                                                               

            The Principal reported that Jill Dubey had brought up an interest for the school

            personnel to participate in “Toys for Tots” by putting a box in the teachers’

            room.  Patricia Shute stated that this was a good idea as long as the students

            were not involved.  The school board agreed to this program as long as the

            school personnel expressed their interest.  Mrs. Sarette mentioned that a flag

            pole would be donated in return from the Marine Core League. 

 

IV.            Superintendent’s Report:

            *Building Construction Update-The Superintendent gave an update on the

            building construction project.  Mr. Welford reported that he had received a

            letter from Wrenn Associates which stated they felt they had completed 50%

            of the items on the punch list.  It was noted that this punch list would be reviewed

            during the walk through on September 15, 2003.   A discussion was held on the

            items that have not been completed and also on the unsatisfactory work  done on                         some of the completed items.   Mrs. Plourde informed the school board that a   gutter would be provided at no extra costs to the district.

            *Financial Report-Mrs. Plourde reviewed the financial report noting that the

            potential fund balance at this time is $326,804.39.  The building project expenses             and bond were also reviewed by the business administrator.

            Mr. Mullins pointed out the importance of the wording in the motion pertaining to

            the capital reserve fund.   

 

V.        Non-Public Session – RSA 91-A:3,II,e:

           

                        Motion by Jacqueline Quintal – Seconded by Patricia Shute

                        MOTION:  to go into non-public session under RSA 91-AL3,II,e at 9:07

                        p.m.

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

 

            Discussion held pertaining to a student issue.

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                        Motion by Patricia Shute – Seconded by Jacqueline Quintal

                        MOTION:  to come out of non-public session under RSA 91-A:3,II,e

                        at 9:20 p.m.

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

 

                        Motion by Jacqueline Quintal – Seconded by Patricia Shute

                        MOTION:  to go into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3,II,e at 9:21

                        p.m.

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

 

            A legal issue regarding personnel was discussed.

 

                        Motion by Patricia Shute – Seconded by Jacqueline Quintal

                        MOTION:  to come out of non-public session under RSA 91-A:3,II,e

                        at 9:33 p.m.

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

  

VI.       Other:

            *Jacqueline Quintal asked how to present the possibility of a preschool program             to the public.  Mrs. Sarette  shared her opinions on this subject and             informed the school board that Todd Butler would be helping on the preschool             project.  The prinicpal stated that she would keep the school board up-to-date on             this project.           

            *Mrs. Sarette reported that she is planning on having an open invitation for the

            open house ceremony and unveiling of the new school sign once the building is

            completed.

            *A discussion was held on the necessity of having either guard rails or a fence

            installed.  It was agreed that prices should be looked into.

            *Andrew Mullins pointed out that Dennis Rossignol should contact Donald

            Doucette on snow plowing issues due to the new paving, curbs, etc.

            *Patricia Shute asked how the new well was working.  Sarah Sarette stated

            that there had been a problem with water bubbling from the ground.  Jim Wells

            was contacted.  Mr. Wells explained that this problem was due to pressure built              up because of the pumps being left on.  Mrs. Plourde reported that the

            quality of the water is getting better.  She agreed to contact Scott Clang to

            investigate the water situation further. 

            *A discussion was held pertaining to the agenda not being posted in time and

            information not being sent to the school board members in a timely manner.

            Mr. Welford agreed to get the information to the school board members by

            the weekend prior to the meetings.  The superintendent suggested that

            school board members contact the SAU office with agenda items  they would

            like discussed at the meeting in  order to be prepared to answer any questions

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            at the board meetings.

            *A discussion was held on the training for the defibrillator.  Mr. Welford

            reported that he had discussed the legalities of having a defibrillator in the

            school  with Ted Comstock.  Mr. Comstock assured the superintendent that

            having this piece of equipment in the school is legal as long as there is a

            trained and certified person to use the defibrillator and it is locked up. 

            *The policies on the dress code and gum chewing were discussed.

                       

                        Motion by Patricia Shute – Seconded by Jacqueline Quintal

                        MOTION:  to amend the dress code policy as discussed at the

                        08/15/03 school board meeting

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

 

                        Motion by Patricia Shute – Seconded by Jacqueline Quintal

                        MOTION:  to add gum chewing as a primary offense in the policy

                        handbook

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor

 

VII.     Next Meeting: 

            The next Milan School Board meeting will be held jointly with the Dummer             School             Board on Monday,  October 06, 2003, at 6:30 p.m., at the Milan Village             School, Milan, NH.

 

VIII.            Adjournment

 

                        Motion by Patricia Shute – Seconded by Jacqueline Quintal

                        MOTION:  to adjourn the school board meeting at 9:40 p.m.

                        Vote on motion:  All in favor