Milan School Board

Minutes of Meeting

September 7, 2004

 

The Milan School Board met in regular session on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 at the Milan Village School, Milan NH.

 

Members Present: Andrew Mullins, Jacqueline Quintal

 

Also Present:          Patrick Low, Superintendent; Pauline Plourde, Business Administrator; Sarah Sarette, Principal; DeAnn Murphy, Recording Secretary; Carol Miller and Jeff Schall, NCIA; Julie Renaud-Evans.

 

 

 

 


I.                    Call to order:  Chair Andrew Mullins called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.

 

II.                  Approval of 7/27/04 and 8/12/04 minutes:

 

Tabled until the next scheduled Board meeting

 

           

III.                Public Comments –

 

-                      NCIA:  Carol Miller and Jeff Schall presented a plan for Broadband wireless internet access for Milan Village School.  NCIA would try to bring other local facilities in so the bill for services to Milan Village School would not change.  They would try to keep the costs the same as for the 56K.  The Verizon cost would be close to $700 per month.  NCIA would incur cost and in turn sell off access to other clientele in the area.  NCIA has not approached the Milan Selectman or the airport on this plan.  NCIA is proposing a partnership to work with the school to get higher speed and find a way to make it work in terms of reselling it to others.  NCIA would own the radio equipment and would upgrade the router at Milan Village School.  NCIA would incur all the necessary costs to get it up and running.  They would continue as long as there is a need for the service.  NCIA would commit to a year contract.  The Board asked how long it would take to get it up and running.  The longest portion would be getting line service which would take about 4 to 6 weeks.  Once that is installed, they could get it up and running in a couple of days.  It would be part of the arrangement for Milan to provide electrical power which would cost between $5 to $6 dollars a month.  The Board will discuss this proposal at a later date.

 

-                      Turner Group – Andy Mullins reported that Tom Hopper and Fred McKnightMcNight spent a lot of time under and on top of the roof identifying seams.  There is a problem with the way the plywood was fastened to the hats on steel trusses during the time of construction.   Whatever they used to fasten to the trussestresses to the top of the plywood is all coming loose.  Turner Group will expand on their findings this coming Friday morning between 10:00 to 10:30 a.m.  The Board discussed the possibility of putting a tarp on the roof to cover the bad area.  There was a suggestion to possibly secure the tarp with cinderblocks to tie down for the time being to prevent the rain from coming in.  Another suggestion was to nail down the tarp with furring strips.  The tarp would be draped over the top peak, onto the other side, to preclude water leaking down from the peak.  Andrew Mullins will think about the tarp idea and how to secure the tarp to the roof.

 

IV.               Principal’s Report: 

 

Sarah Sarette passed out the September calendar to the Board for their review.  Sarah Sarette talked about having more parent conferences and doing parent information nights in each grade.  Emphasis will be put on the parents’ roles at home with the Guided Reading Program. 

 

Sarah Sarette will start training for collaborative time with the laptops.  The Teachers will be learning how to utilize and train students on laptops. 

 

Milan will start assessing students using their own assessments.  Milan is adding in the Diagnostic Reading Assessment which will help in determining guided reading groups.  Junior Great Books will be doing another training coming up. 

 

The Milan Village School Preschool started today.  Sarah Sarette gave PBIS binders to the Board and Superintendent for their review.  Sarah gave a brief run through of the binder.  Sara discussed There are two piles of dirt left over after the playground construction.  Sarah suggested using the dirt to take care of uneven areas on the soccer field and other rough areas around the school.  If there is any dirt left over, the Board suggested given it to the people that helped work on the playground construction if they are interested.

 

Sarah Sarette gave PBIS binders to the Board and Superintendent for their review.  Sarah gave a brief run through of the binder. 

 

Sara discussed there are two piles of dirt left over after the playground construction.  She suggested using the dirt to take care of uneven areas on the soccer field and other rough areas around the school.  If there is any dirt left over, the Board suggested giving it to the people that helped work on the playground construction if they are interested.

 

Motion by Jacqueline Quintal; Second bySeconded Andrew Mullins

MOTION:    to use leftover fill for the school’sschools needs first, anything left over will be offered to the people who put time in on the playground construction.

Vote on Motion: The motion carried unanimously; so moved.

 

The St. Michael’s school would like to purchase 12 of Milan Village School’s old Schools Old Saxon Math Books and 1 Teacher’sTeachers Edition.  These editions are from 1998.   There are approximately 25 books in the set.

 

Motion by Jacqueline Quintal; Seconded Andrew Mullins

MOTION:    to donate the old math books to St. Michaels School.

Vote on Motion: The motion carried unanimously; so moved.

 

Sara Sarette explained for a successful Guided Reading program you need about $17,000 worth of books.  Sarah explained grants would cover about $9,000 for books.  There is money budgeted in the library department  for computer tables which are no longer needed due to the wireless laptop carts.  Sarah Sarette is asking the Board to transfer funds that were budgeted for computer tables to a book account to purchase more guided reading books. 

 

Motion by Jacqueline Quintal; second by Andrew Mullins

MOTION:    to donate the old math books to St. Michael’s School.

Vote on Motion: The motion carried unanimously; so moved.

 

Sarah Sarette explained for a successful Guided Reading program you need about $17,000 worth of books.  Sarah explained grants would cover about $9,000 for books.  There is money budgeted in the library department  for computer tables which are no longer needed due to the wireless laptop carts.  Sarah Sarette is asking the Board to transfer funds that were budgeted for computer tables to a book account to purchase more guided reading books. 

 

Motion by Jacqueline Quintal; second bySeconded Andrew Mullins

MOTION:    to transfer $3,000 from 2220-7330 (library furniture) to 1100-6410 (books) but spend funds out of Title I first and explore other options such as talking to the A.A.U.W. and looking into other grants.  Use the library furniture money as a last plan to purchase books.

Vote on Motion: The motion carried unanimously; so moved.

 

V.                 Superintendent’s Report: 

 

-                      Open Meeting:  The Superintendent suggested a date of September 22, 2004 for the Open meeting.

-                      Bus Video Camera:  The video camera for the bus has been ordered and isin due any day.  Mike Fortier will install camera when it is received.

-                      PO’s:  The Superintendent discussed the protocol and process for purchase orders.  The turnaround time from when the PO gets to the SAU office and is processed depends on the time of the month it comes in.  A working week is a fair turnaround time.  The bulk of PO’s usually come in May or June and the turned around time was is within a week.  As soon as Natalie enters PO’s into the system, Maria downloads them, Pauline signs and they are sent to the vendor.  If Natalie doesn’t have a pink and yellow paper copy she needs to call the SAU office to see where the PO is.  Once the pink and yellow copies are in hand it is out of the SAU’s control.  The school would need to call the vendor.  If the school gets nowhere with the vendor they can call the SAU to follow up with vendors and try getting the items requested.

-                      Food Services:  Café services was the one firm bid on food services this year.  The State also reviewed them.  The Edward Fenn Elementary had a desire for salads to be available to students.  Café Services said they would offer salads if the school can identify students for a certain day.  Café Services will in turn make salads available for those students.  That accommodation is useful and something for the school to keep in mind for those students as well as a possibility for possible vegetarians.  The Board questioned the staffing change being a surprise at the beginning of school.  Café services filled the two staffing positions with one full time position in the kitchen for cost purposes.  Our numbers have decreased and Café Services is trying to make costs meet.  Pauline Plourde informed Café Services to make the building principal aware of possible changes in staffing.  Patrick Low will draft a letter to Café Services to share how we are doing business as a collaborative team and how we expect collaborative dialog with the administration and SAU 20 to notify of any changes in menu, staff, etc.  Sarah Sarette expressed concern that a bowl of peaches was not being served by the kitchen but rather by teaching staff.  Sarah Sarette will watch and keep the SAU posted on possible problems with the service.  The Superintendent advised the Board that in the next year they may have to increase the price of lunch by a nickel or so to better serve our students.  Patrick Low or Pauline Plourde will call Café Services tomorrow to follow up on suggestions.  Jackie Quintal questioned giving the new staff member a key.  Sarah Sarette will get the key back from the staff member as there is no need for her to have it at this time.

-                      NWEA:  There will be an onsite training in NWEA called MAPS.  Patrick Low will keep people apprised as they move through the process.  Patrick Low will talk more with Sarah Sarette on how to incorporate the software into Milan Village School.

-                      Administrative Meetings:  The Administrative meeting is next Tuesday.  If Sarah Sarette wants to join it’sits fine but Patrick Low will come to Milan to meet with Sarah if it is inconvenient for her to go to the administrative meetings in Gorham.  Patrick Low will work out the information and communication exchange with Sarah so she doesn’t feel she needs to leave her building for meetings that may not pertain to her.

-                      Automatic Door System/Fire System Panel:  Andy Mullins would like to possibly have a switch installed outside for magnet door release.  If Sarah Sarette wants the magnet door off she has to go up in the ceiling with a stick to manually shut it off.  He would like to see another switch put in Natalie’s office to shut the magnet door off.  He also suggested having an electric key circuit to shut the door off on the outside.  Patrick Low will get a quote on what it would cost to get both switches put in. Patrick Low and Pauline Plourde will also check into the fire panel labor cost as the person who installed it saved 3 hours by using the old box.

-                      Financial Statement:  Pauline Plourde reported the end of year reports are not done.  These reports where due on September 1, 2004.  Pauline Plourde called the State and they informed her of an informal 20 day extension to get the reports in.  Pauline Plourde hopes to have the reports done by Friday.  She would need the Board come in to the office to sign them.

-                      Public Meeting:  Pauline Plourde and Patrick Low talked about petitioning the Department of Education to hold end of year fund balance for emergency purposes.  There would need to be a public meeting.  The idea is to have the money available but not necessarily spend it.  It would be turned back to the town in the next fiscal year if money is not spent with the uncertainty of the performance bond. 

-                      Technology Services:  Patrick Low will find out how Chad Miller is paid and discuss the possible options for other contracted services with Sarah Sarette.  Patrick Low can talk to Chad Miller between now and the middle of next week to work on getting the server up and running or work with NCIA.  Sarah Sarette will work with NCIA on the server issue.  Patrick Low will ask NCIA if they bundle hours of service at a reduced rate.

-                      Phone System:  Jeremy Ritchie of Corporate Communication has been asked to come in to set up the voice mail system.  Sarah Sarette will let Pauline Plourde know what needs to be done and she will contact Robyn who works for Corporate Communications to see if he can do the work.

 

VI.               Non-Public Session

 

Motion by Jacqueline Quintal; Second Andrew Mullins

MOTION:    to enter non-public session under RSA 91-A: 311-C at 9:34 p.m.

Vote on motion:  Roll call vote: J. Quintal – yes, A. Mullins – yes.

 

A student bus issue was discussed.  Patrick Low will pull the school district policy on bus issues for the Board’sBoards review.

 

The Board discussed the possibility of an AREA agreement with another district.  Andrew Mullins suggested putting this topic on hold for right now as there is so much going on in Milan.  Jacqueline Quintal was in agreement.

 

The Hebert group project was discussed.  No action at this time.

 

Motion by Jacqueline Quintal; Second by Andrew Mullins

MOTION:    to come out of non-public session under RSA 91-A: 311-C at 10:16 p.m.

Vote on motion:  Roll call vote: J. Quintal – yes, A. Mullins – yes.

 

VII.             Other:  The NCIA proposal was discussed.  The Board would like to table this until the next school Board meeting.  Sarah Sarette would like to try the system as it is now first and see what her needs may be.

 

Patrick Low will look into policies for the Board to review.

 

VIII.           Next Meeting:  The Board meeting will meet again on October 5, 2004 at 6:30 PM at the Milan Village School, Milan, NH.

 

IX.               Adjournment:

 

Motion by Jacqueline Quintal; Second Andrew Mullins

MOTION:    to adjourn at 10:23 p.m.

Vote on motion:  The motion carried unanimously; so moved.

 

Respectfully submitted

 

 

DeAnn Murphy

Recording Secretary

Milan School Board