EAST WINDSOR BOARD OF EDUCATION
EAST WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
The East
Windsor Public Schools provide a climate that inspires the school community to
achieve their full potential through continuous improvement, mutual trust and
respect. A rigorous curriculum taught by outstanding educators motivates
students to acquire fundamental, critical thinking, and problem solving skills
necessary to become life-long learners and productive members of a global and
diverse society.
(AMENDED)
I. TIME
AND PLACE OF MEETING
Chairman Pica-Sneeden called
the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in Room D-4, East Windsor High School
Chairman Pica-Sneeden read the mission statement.
II. ATTENDANCE
Present:
Board Chairman Pica-Sneeden, Vice Chair Rajala, Secretary Holigan, Board
Members Guiliano, Kubick, Raber, Signor, Willingham, Acting Superintendent of
Schools Howes and Recording Secretary Nolan.
Absent: Bates
III. ADDED
AGENDA ITEMS
Upon
motion by Mr. Signor, seconded by Mr. Raber, it was unanimously
VOTED: To accept the added agenda items.
IV. PREVIOUS
MINUTES
A. Minutes of June 29, 2006
Upon
motion by Mr. Signor, seconded by Mr. Raber, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the minutes of June 29, 2006
B. Minutes of Special Meeting of July 6, 2006
Ms. Willingham moved and Mr. Raber seconded,
a
MOTION: To approve the minutes of July 6, 2006.
Voting
for the motion: Guiliano, Holigan,
Kubick, Raber, Rajala, Willingham
Abstaining:
Signor
The
motion passed.
V. PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION
Resident John Matthews of the tax group CREW
commented that he thinks the schools are under funded, but the schools could do
better with the funding they have. (Amended at the 9/7/06 BOE meeting) Parents
Lynne Stanley and Chris Schwartz supported the proposed new playground at the
Broad Brook School.
VI. COMMUNICATIONS
None
VII. SUPERINTENDENT’S
REPORT
A. Financial: Howes
1. Payment of Bills, Registers #9 and #15
Upon motion by Mr.
Signor, seconded by Ms. Rajala, it was unanimously
VOTED: To pay Register 9 bills in the amount of $196,248.05.
Upon motion by Ms.
Rajala, seconded by Mr. Signor, it was unanimously
VOTED: To pay Register 15 bills in the amount of
$96,215.90.
2. Cafeteria Account
Mr. Howes reported a
year-end profit of $15,746.
B. Personnel
1. Resignations (effective 6/30/06)
Upon
motion by Mr. Signor, seconded by Mr. Raber, it was unanimously
VOTED: To accept the following resignations:
a. Dolores Coyle-Quirk, Broad Brook First
Grade Teacher
employed
since, 9/1/01
b. Laura Bednarz, Middle School Library &
Media Specialist since 1/18/04
c. Joel Schneid, High School Tech. Ed.
Teacher since 11/30/83
d. Regina McGillivray, High School Science
Teacher since 8/31/98
2.
Appointments
Upon
motion by Mr. Signor, seconded by Mr. Raber, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the appointments of a. through j.
listed below:
a. Sharon Cournoyer, Middle School Assistant
Principal replacing
Richard
Shonty, effective 8/1/06
b. Lee Currey, High School Science Teacher
replacing Sam Secondo, effective 8/28/06
c.
Colleen Marren, 6th Grade Math
Teacher (one year appointment), replacing Holly Surrette
d. Patricia Niemann, High School Foreign
Language Teacher replacing
Diane
Gowdy, effective 8/28/06
e. Casey Rondini, Middle School Library/Media
Specialist, replacing
Laura
Bednarz, effective 8/28/06
f. Mary Helen Smith, Broad Brook School .4
Health Teacher, eff. 8/28/06
g. Eleanor Matroni, Broad Brook School Pre-K
Teacher replacing
Dina
Dufresne (one year position), eff. 8/28/06
h. Michelle Wylie, Grade One Teacher,
replacing Dolores Coyle-Quirk,
eff. 8/28/06
i. Scott Kaplan, High School Technology
Education Teacher, replacing Joel Schneid, eff. 8/28/06
j. Joelle Burgess, Full Time, BBS Long-term
Substitute at BBS, eff. 8/28/06
k. Betsey Finnan, Middle School
Multi-handicap/Resource Room Para, replacing Penny Gagne, effective 8/30/06
The
Board was made aware of the appointments of l. through o. listed below:
l. David Forrest, Middle School Resource
Room Para, replacing
Dianne
Manion, effective 8/30/06
m. Ann Lemieux, PPT Coverage Para for the
Three Schools, replacing
Teresa
Drolett, effective 8/30/06
(Teresa
is now a para with an East Windsor student attending Rockville Vo-Ag)
n. Joseph Page, Middle School Special Ed.
Para replacing Pat Mackenzie
eff.
8/30/06
o. Valerie
Rosica, Broad Brook Resource Room Para, replacing
Alaina
Felber, effective 8/30/06
p. Wilfrid Daigneault, Full Time Long Term
Sub at EWHS, eff. 8/30/06
Upon
motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded by Mr. Signor, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the appointment.
q. Nicole Chisnall-Zeno, Broad Brook
Half-time Special Ed. Para,
effective
8/30/06
The Board was made
aware of the appointment.
r. Christine Tedisky, High School Science
Teacher since 8/27/01,
High School Science Chair replacing
Regina McGillivray, eff. 8/28/06
Upon
motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded by Mr. Signor, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the appointment.
s. High School Advisors
The
Board was given a list of recommended advisors.
Upon
motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded by Ms. Holigan, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the appointments.
t. Katie Himelberger, High School 504 Assistant replacing Dan
Brookes
The
Board was made aware of the appointment.
u. Steve LeMay, High School Math Tutor replacing Mark Seltzer
The
Board was made aware of the appointment.
3. Leaves of Absence
a. Debbie Bechard, Grade 1 Teacher since
8/28/00, Childbearing Leave from 1/1/07 through 2/9/07 and Childrearing Leave
eff. 2/10/07 through 6/30/07
Upon
motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded by Ms. Kubick, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the leave of absence as
requested.
b. Julie Berry, Broad Brook School
Kindergarten Teacher, Childbearing Leave from 11/26/06 through 1/12/07 and
Childrearing Leave from 1/15/07 through 3/2/07
Upon
motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded by Mr. Signor, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the leave of absence as
requested.
Board
members indicated that they wish to have more information with all requests for
leaves of absence.
C.
Information (**Consent Agenda per BP #9325.21)
Upon motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded by Mr.
Raber, it was unanimously
VOTED:
To accept the consent agenda, 1. through 13, as presented.
1. Student Handbooks
2. Teacher Handbooks
3. Athletic Department Handbook
4. Board of Education’s Education Quarterly
5.
District Technology Committee Meetings (Raber,
Rajala)
3:00
p.m. in the High School Library on the Following Dates:
10/4/06,
1/11/07, 3/15/07, 5/3/07
6. Board Policy Review Committee Meetings (Guiliano,
Kubick, Raber, Signor)
First
Monday of the Month at 6:30 p.m. in BOE Office:
9/11/06,
10/2/06, 11/6/06, 12/4/06, 1/8/07, 2/5/07, 3/5/07, 4/2/07, 5/7/07, 6/4/07
7. Future School Facilities Meetings (Holigan,
Rajala, Willingham)
Third
Thursday of the Month at 6:30 p.m. in BOE Office:
9/21/06,
10/19/06, 11/16/06, 12/21/06, 1/18/07, 2/15/07, 3/15/07, 5/17/07, 6/21/07
8. Outstanding Student Reception Dates
7:00
p.m. in Room D-4 Prior to the Following BOE Meetings -
11/16/06,
2/15/07, 5/3/07, 6/7/07
9. 2007 Budget Workshops in Room D-4, EWHS
Saturdays
at 8:00 a.m. - 1/6/07, 1/13/07, 1/20/07, 1/27
Regular
Thursday BOE Meetings Starting at 7:30 p.m. - 1/4/07 and 1/18/07
Opposite Thursdays at 7:00
p.m. - 1/11/07 and 1/25/07
10. Journal Inquirer Article re GoFit
Program at Broad Brook School
11. Journal Inquirer Article re Team
Approach
12. CABE’s Successes in Connecticut Schools Facts
13. SDE “The Condition of Education in Connecticut”
D. Information (for
possible discussion)
1. Comments
re Previous Board Meeting’s Public Participation (if applicable)
2. School
End of the Year Reports
Distributed. The Board was pleased with the information
contained in the end of the year reports.
3.
August 31 School Enrollment
Distributed
4. Report
on Preliminary Adequate Yearly Progress Results for 2005-2006
5. Report on CMT Results: Dugas
Ms.
Dugas reported that several subgroups at the Middle School--Black, Free and
Reduced Lunch and Students with Disabilities--did not meet Adequate Yearly
Progress. She reported that the same
subgroups at the High School are scoring lower than other students on
CAPT. Ms. Dugas explained East
Windsor’s plan for achievement. She and Mr. Howes will be introducing a
district strategic plan and professional development at the September 7 Board
meeting. Building level improvement
plans will be presented to the Board on September 21. Team SMART Goals will be presented at the October 5 meeting. Ms. Dugas stated that all of these will
equal increased student achievement.
6. Finance Committee’s Tentative Schedule to Review Bills
Ms. Rajala stated that was
the last to pay the bills. The schedule
will be revised.
7. East Windsor and Vernon Adult Education Brochures
Distributed. Mr. Howes reported that East Windsor
received nine computers
from Vernon as part of the cooperation.
(Amended
at the 9/7/06 BOE meeting.) The Board,
by consensus, agreed
that
senior citizens should be allowed to take unlimited night courses at a
discount.
The
Board was not in favor of restricting a discount to senior citizens for
only
one class per semester.
VIII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
IX. NEW
BUSINESS
A. Proposal to Share Services with the Town
First Selectman Linda Roberts
presented a proposal for the school district and town government to share services.
Ms. Guiliano, Mr. Pica-Sneeden and Mr. Raber volunteered to serve on an
ad hoc committee to examine this proposal.
B. Proposed Broad Brook School Playground
Initiative
Lynne Stanley, Kathy Bilodeau and Christine
Schwartz asked for permission to remove old equipment from the playground. They also asked if they could leave large
water jugs in the schools to collect change to use toward equipment. Chairman Pica-Sneeden stated that nothing
could be done on the property until the Board of Education approves it.
Ms. Stanley said she would be happy
to raise the money and let the Board build whatever they seem fit.
Everyone agreed that a committee should be formed to discuss the
details. Ms. Jeanne McCarroll and
someone from the Birth to School will serve on the committee.
C. Recommendation re Gym Lighting Retrofit
Mr. Howes reported that he worked
with CL & P through the Small Business Energy Advantage Program to help
reduce operating costs and improve the quality of light. CL & P would split the cost of the
retrofit and help finance the project. Mr. Howes recommended refitting the gym
lights with more efficient lights at each school.
Upon motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded
by Ms. Willingham, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the recommendation.
D. Proposed BOE Meetings for 2007
Upon
motion by Mr. Signor, seconded by Ms. Kubick, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the schedule of BOE meetings for
2007.
Ms. Nolan will post the schedule at Town
Hall and on the district’s website.
E. Proposed Budget Workshops/Meetings for
2007
Upon
motion by Mr. Signor, seconded by Ms. Kubick, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the budget workshops and meetings
for 2007.
Ms. Nolan will post the schedule at
Town Hall and on the district’s website.
X. REQUESTS FOR DATA FROM THE BOARD
A. Report on
extra-curricular enrollment compared to other years when students were not
charged to participate
Mr. Howes should have this information for
the September 21 Board meeting.
XI. MISCELLANEOUS
A. Ms.
Rajala asked about driving lessons at the school. Ms. Nolan will follow up.
B. The
Board requested ineligibility reports at the end of each marking period.
XII. ANTICIPATED EXECUTIVE SESSION
Upon motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded
by Mr. Signor, it was unanimously
VOTED: To go into executive session at 9:55 p.m. for the purpose of
discussing
A. Status
of Negotiations with the East Windsor Classified Personnel Association
B. Personnel
Matter
The Board came out of executive
session at 10:15 p.m.
Upon motion by Ms. Rajala, seconded
by Mr. Signor, it was unanimously
VOTED: To employ the services of the Connecticut
Association of Boards of Education to help in the search for a permanent
superintendent of schools.
XIII. ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion by Ms. Kubick, seconded
by Ms. Rajala, it was unanimously
VOTED: To adjourn at 10:18 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
JoAnne
Holigan
Secretary