BURLINGTON BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS

Tuesday, July 13, 2005, 7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting

BOARD MEETING AGENDA

Ira Allen Administration

150 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401

1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Chairman Hale called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

2. PRESENT

Commissioners:

Kate Baldwin, Marrisa Caldwell, Kathy Connolly, Barbara Crook, Wallace Elliott, Thom Fleury, Paul Hale, Erik Hoekstra, Fred Lane, Loyal Ploof , Amy Werbel

Administrators:

Lyman Amsden, Superintendent

Sara Jane Mahan, Human Resources Director

Scott Lisle, Business Manager

Betsy Liley, District Grants Coordinator

Paul Irish, District Technical Director

Jeanne Collins, Director of Special & Compensatory Education

Bonnie Clapp, Director of EEE/Co-Director Curriculum

Stephanie Phillips, Co-Director Curriculum

Absent:

Commissioners: Chris Haessly, Jurij Homziak, Keith Pillsbury

Staff: Scott Lisle, Jeanne Collins, Bonnie Clapp, Stephanie Phillips

3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Motion (Caldwell/Crook) to approve the agenda. The motion carried.

4. COMMENTS/QUESTIONS

v Laurie Essig – Concerned that no action has been taken to protect her child from what happened in connection with the book donation by General Dynamics.

v Eric Hart – Asked the Board to consider proposal by citizen group.

5. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

v Discussion of Board Retreat. Confirmation of date and time: August 26, 2005 at 1 p.m.

v The school tax rate was announced at $.092 instead of $1.00, so .08 less.

v Changes to the high school to improve handicap access are on the consent agenda.

v Superintendent Amsden reviewed the upcoming meeting dates of the Board committees.

v Review of the Administrator’s District Goals for 2005-2006.

6. COMMITTEE UPDATES

a. Finance Committee

v Commissioner Lane presented the report of the Finance Committee.

b. Curriculum & Policy Committee

v Commissioner Baldwin presented the report of the Curriculum & Policy Committee.

v Commissioner Caldwell asked some questions regarding the discussion about corporate donations. Commissioners Baldwin and Werbel said that the Committee had requested that the Administration look at how other school districts handle the issue and report back to the Curriculum & Policy Committee.

c. Technology Committee

v Commissioner Crook presented the report of the Technology Committee.

v Commissioner Caldwell raised the possibility of shifting some of the district’s software to open source.

d. Regional Tech Center

v There was no report regarding the regional tech center.

7. OLD BUSINESS

8. NEW BUSINESS

a. Consent Agenda

v Motion (Fleury/Caldwell) to approve the consent agenda, with one change: the Finance Committee meeting was July 6, not June 6.

b. Selection of Superintendent

v Public discussion regarding shift from Lyman Amsden to Jeanne Collins. Consensus that there is no need for executive session this evening.

v Motion (Elliott/Ploof) to hold an executive session at the August meeting to resolve the process for selecting a new superintendent. The motion carried.

v Brief discussion regarding agenda for Board retreat. Commissioner Hale will send out an e-mail to Board members regarding deadline for submitting agenda discussions.

9. EXECUTIVE SESSION

The Board did not hold an Executive Session.

10. ADJOURNMENT

Motion (Lane/Baldwin) to adjourn. The Board adjourned at 8:06 p.m.