Thetford School District

Thetford Elementary School

Board Minutes: Tuesday Novmeber 13, 2007

 

 

         Andy Boyce convened the School Board meeting at 7:10PM in the Art Room.  The following were present:  Andy Boyce, Robin Brown, Jennifer Reining, Susan Weider, School Board; Alice Worth, Principal; Wendy Hovey, Superintendent OESU; Keith Thompson, TES Facilities Manager; Tim Briglin, Martha Rich, Thetford Academy; Nikolaus Horster, Gillian Tyler  

 

Agenda Review – added:  Discussion of Board meeting schedule and Board vacancy

 

Action items – Andy Boyce reported that he advertised the Board vacancy

 

Minutes – MOTION:  (Reining/Boyce) moved/seconded to approve the minutes of the meeting on10/123/07; unanimous.

 

Orders – MOTION:  (Brown/Reining) moved/seconded to approve order #7/07, a payroll deduction for 10/22/07, and the payroll for 10/30/07; unanimous.

 

Public Comment  – Nikolaus Horster spoke to the issue of school bus safety and asked the Board to mandate working seat belts in all buses.~ Andy Boyce noted that the Transportation Contract from 2002-2005 requires buses to have working seat belts.~ It is unclear if the current contract retains this condition since the contract is only found in the form of a Transportation Bid for Services.~ Also noted was the State Statute (T.23, sec 1258) regarding seat belt requirements for children and the exception noted for type I school buses. Alice Worth circulated copies of Jim McGrathÕs (OESU COO) memo to Principals on Seat Belts on School Buses from research he had done.~ Jim is investigating the current contract and will be negotiating the new contract.~ At this time the Board does not see any reason to remove the condition requiring working seat belts on buses.~ More information is forthcoming from OESU.

 

Tim Briglin, Chair Thetford Academy Board of Trustees, spoke about the status of the Capital Project at Thetford Academy.  Discussion of the time-line for the project; fund raising for the additional $3.2 million needed for the project; and how the project will impact the curriculum.

 

7:35PM Dave Celone joined the meeting.

 

 

 

 

Thetford School Directors 11/13/07                                                                                   page 2

 

Public Comment  (contÕd) - Martha Rich, TA Head of School, circulated copies of Thetford AcademyÕs Strategic Plan and spoke about administrative changes in roles and responsibilities with the hiring of a new Dean of Students.  Discussion:  Guidanc; TA publications – ParentsÕ Guide Grade 7 and Communication Handbook for Parents – the latter to facilitate along with the Parent Advisory and Advocacy Council bringing issues to the proper personnel at Thetford Academy.

 

7:55 Nikolaus Horster left the meeting.

 

Correspondence – none

 

TA Proposal for Off-Campus Partnership Programs – Martha Rich circulated copies of ÒA Draft Proposal For Off-Campus Partnership ProgramsÓ, the aim of which Òis to support TA students in high-quality educational experiences at other sites, as a way of enriching both individual studentsÕ secondary school education and the AcademyÕs curriculum in general.Ó  Discussion:  criteria for TA accepting transfer of credits, costs to TSD and also to TA in lost tuition, and restrictions on public funding of educational programs not accredited by the state.  Discussions will continue at future meetings.

 

Reports

Facility Report – Keith Thompson gave an update on the status of the water pump/water system redesign and reported on work with Ken Kaliski to improve heating and to reduce noise from the air exchange system in the primary classrooms.  He provided a chart of long-range facilitiesÕ projects at TES.

 

9:15PM Keith Thompson left the meeting

 

OESU Board Representative – No report.

TA Board Representative – No report.  Andy Boyce asked that he be kept apprised of TA Board meetings in the absence of a designated TES TA Board representative.

Legislative Report – The DOE has sent out notification of hearings on establishing a State Wide School Calendar and the VSBA Conference on November 1st and 2nd on:  ÒThe Step Toward the Transformation of Education in Vermont.Ó  Susie Weider attended and reported on the problems she anticipates with the implementation of a statewide school calendar.  Discussion.

PrincipalÕs Report – Alice spoke briefly about Ruby BridgesÕ visit and the upcoming FYÕ09 Budget work.  She gave the Board copies of the time-line for budget work as developed by OESU.

 

 

Thetford Board of School Directors                                                                                     page 3

 

Reports (contÕd)

SuperintendentÕs Report – No report

 

Other Business  

                  Board meeting schedule:  11/27/07 canceled; 12/04/07 budget meeting starting at 5:30PM at TES with the OESU meeting to follow at TES at 7:00PM; 12/11/07 a regular Board meeting.

                 

                  Board Vacancy:  At their meeting on 12/11/07, the Board will visit with those who have offered to fill the vacancy on the Board.  At present those who have offered to serve are Karen Kaliski, Ann Swanson and Elise Tillinghast.  The Board will then decide and appoint a new member.

 

Adjourned:  MOTION:  (Boyce/Reining) moved/seconded to adjourn at 9:55PM; unanimous.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                              Virginia Stone

 

These minutes are not official until approved by the School Board.