BURLINGTON BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS
Tuesday, February 8, 2005, 7:00 p.m.
Board Meeting
Ira Allen Administration
150 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
Commissioners:
Kate Baldwin, Philip Baruth, Marrisa Caldwell, Kate Charles, Katherine Connolly, Barbara Crook, Tara Donnelly, Tom Fleury, Michael Green, Chris Haessly, Paul Hale, Fred Lane, Keith Pillsbury, Loyal Ploof
Administrators:
Lyman Amsden, Superintendent
Sara Jane Mahan, Human Resources Director
Scott Lisle, Business Manager
Betsy Liley, District Grants Coordinator
Paul Irish, District Technology Director
Jeanne Collins, Special & Compensatory Education Director
Absent:
Marrisa Caldwell (per
board correction 4/5/05)
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion
(Haessly/Connolly) to approve the agenda. The motion carried.
4. COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
There was a slide presentation regarding Burlington’s Early Essential Education program.
Terry Buehner did a slide presentation on Burlington’s Horizons program.
5. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Superintendent Amsden made a presentation of various factual information.
There was discussion on whether the Curriculum/Policy Committee needs to meet.
A date and time for the board retreat was discussed. The consensus was April 9, 2005.
6. COMMITTEE UPDATES
a. Finance Committee
Commissioner Hale presented the report of the Finance Committee. He informed the board that Burlington is the 23rd lowest per pupil spender in 278 Vermont communities.
b. Curriculum & Policy
Committee
Commissioner Pillsbury presented the Curriculum/Policy report.
c. Technology Committee
Commissioner Haessly presented the report of the
Technology Committee.
7. OLD
BUSINESS
8. NEW
BUSINESS
a. Consent
Agenda
Motion (Donnolly/Ploof) to approve the consent agenda. Motion (Hale/Haessly) to amend the consent agenda to designate Angela Morin as an LTC hire. The motion to approve the consent agenda as amended was approved.
b. Approval of District Action Plans
Motion (Connolly/Pillsbury) to approve the District Action Plans. The motion carried.
c. Policies:
1. First reading: ACAG – Prohibition of Student Harassment Policy
2. First reading: Prevention of Harassment on Basis of Protected Characteristics – Employees & Others
3. First reading: JG – Student Conduct & Discipline Policy
Motion (Pillsbury/Ploof) to approve all three policies for first reading.
Commissioner Baldwin had questions regarding discussion of policies with students.
Commissioner Crook inquired about the definition of “gender identity.” There was general discussion by the board of possible changes to the definition, specifically whether the current definition is too broad. A suggestion was made that the second sentence contradicts the first.
Motion (Fleury/Haessly) to refer a question to board counsel of adding gender identity definition to the anti-harassment policy for employees. The motion carried.
The motion to adopt the policies for the first reading passed, with the instruction to drafters to offer a revised definition for the second reading.
9. EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion (Baldwin/Pillsbury) to go into executive session. The motion carried and the board went into executive session at 8:20
p.m.
a. Student Expulsion
Recommendation by administration that a BHS student be suspended for the remainder of the school year, earn credits by assisting at Flynn and by taking night school classes. There was also a requirement for the student to take anger management classes.
Motion (Lane/Pillsbury to come out of executive session at 9:00 p.m.
Motion (Charles/Baldwin) to adopt the recommendations of the administration regarding the disciplined student.
10. ADJOURNMENT
The Board adjourned at 9:05 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
__________________________________
Fred Lane, Clerk