BURLINGTON
BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS
Tuesday, November 8, 2005,
7:00 p.m.
Board Meeting
Ira Allen Administration
150 Colchester Avenue,
Burlington, VT 05401
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m.
Commissioners:
Kate Baldwin, Marrisa Caldwell, Katherine Connolly,
Barbara Crook, Thomas Fleury, Chris Haessly, Paul Hale, Jurij Homziak, Fred
Lane, Keith Pillsbury, Loyal Ploof, Amy Werbel
Administrators:
Jeanne Collins, Acting
Superintendent & Director of Special & Compensatory Education
Lyman Amsden, Advisor
Sara Jane Mahan, Human
Resources Director
Scott Lisle, Business
Manager
Betsy Liley, District Grants
Coordinator
Paul Irish, District
Technical Director
Absent:
Wallace Elliott, Commissioner
Erik Hoekstra, Commissioner
Bonnie Clapp, Director of
EEE/Co-Director Curriculum
Stephanie
Phillips, Co-Director Curriculum
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioner Hale proposed the following revisions
to the Agenda:
Move item #5, Executive Session, to after New
Business.
Under Old Business, a re-vote on student discipline
matter and on negotiation positions for administrative assistants.
Move item #9.d, the Livable Wage Resolution, to #5.
Under New Business, add a discussion of the City's
Council resolution regarding a state-wide teacher's contract, as well as the
Burlington School Food Action Plan.
Motion (Ploof/Haessly) to approve the revised
agenda.
4.
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
Sharon Bushor – Member of the ordinance committee
that drafted the livable wage ordinance. Speaking
in favor of the resolution on the livable wage.
Richard Kemp – Issue of livable wage is about
justice and decency. Points out that some paraeducators are eligible for food
stamps.
Wendall Atkins (?) – Long-term employee of
Burlington City. Does not want the Board to wait three years.
Chris Mehan – Works at Peace & Justice Center.
Spoke in favor of livable wage resolution. Discussion of impact of low hourly
wage.
Barb Flint – Ward 4 resident, two children in BHS.
Works at Ira Allen as a paraeducator.
Jonathan Kasam – Opposed to closing of Old North End
schools. Presented collection of petitions in opposition to any closings.
Bonnie Acker – Volunteer in Burlington School Food
program. Believes that success of program stems from kitchen staff. Argues that
livable wage is a necessary part of continuing the success of the program.
Alan Cutler – Should be fixing the schools, not
closing them. Shouldn't close schools to build offices; wife has worked at
Barnes for three years. Dislikes the fact that the high school field bond
passed and then issue of closings schools arose again.
Terry Buehner, President of Burlington Education
Association. Power Point presentation in opposition to closing North End
schools.
Anthee Athis -- Spoke in favor of livable wage.
Phil Fiermonte – Lead sponsor of livable wage
ordinance. Spoke in favor of livable wage.
Resident of Ward 3. Spoke in favor of livable wage.
James Haslem – Vermont Workers Center. Spoke in
favor of both livable wage and maintaining neighborhood schools.
David Crandler – Concerned about fact that the high
school has a new track. Willing to pay for a livable wage.
Teachout – Spoke on behalf of a number of people
that work in the schools and make less than a livable wage.
Marie Brunton – Works with Vermont Livable Wage
Campaign. Spoke in favor of livable wage resolution.
Leslie Crawford -- Title 1 paraeducator at Edmunds
Middle School. Spoke in favor of livable wage resolution. Pointed out that
recommended pay for babysitters is higher than her hourly wage.
Lauren Spear – Burlington resident speaking in favor
of livable wage resolution.
Suzanne Visehar - Speaking in favor of livable wage
resolution.
Julia Curry – homeowner in Old North End. Strongly
in favor of both livable wage resolution and neighborhood schools.
Bret Kernoff – Parent of children in Burlington
School District. Has worked in a variety of schools around the District.
Believes that his daughter at the high school was discriminated against, and
that the high school principal was unable to get to the teachers to address the
issue.
Liza Cowen – Parent of two children in the school
district. Would like to switch the topic to wealthy corporations. Concerned
about their presence in the schools. Believes that corporations like General
Dynamics have gotten risk through war profiteering. Opposes their involvement
in the “Reading Is Fundamental” program.
5.
RESOLUTION ON LIVABLE WAGE
Motion (Haessly/Ploof) to adopt the resolution.
Commissioner Haessly spoke in favor. Student Rep.
Faye Ely spoke in favor of the resolution.
Commissioner Werbel pointed out the Board's position
on the livable wage. She noted that a livable wage is one of our priorities.
Motion (Werbel/Connolly) to call the question.
Baldwin – No Caldwell
– No Connolly – Yes Crook
– No
Fleury – No Haessley – No Hale – Abstain Holmziak
– No
Lane – Yes Ploof – No Pillsbury – Yes Werbel – Yes
The motion did not carry.
Commissioner Baldwin praised the Board's priority
list. Argued that the Board retreat was designed to promote consensus, and she
feels that the Board did so. She thinks that it is important for that process
to continue.
Commissioner Hale suggested that Commissioner
Caldwell has a conflict of interest. Commissioner Caldwell rejected that
suggestion.
Commissioner Caldwell reviewed comments of Board
members regarding paraeducator issue from the last campaign.
Commissioner Holmziak asked that his entire
statement regarding paraeducator pay be read.
Commissioner Werbel reiterated her support for the
paraeducator pay increase.
Commissioner Pillsbury underscored the budgetary
issues and contract negotiations that are required, and said that he is opposed
to binding future boards.
Commissioner Ploof said that the Board should be
disgusted that we're not paying people a livable wage.
Commissioner Crook said that she can support the
resolution, and likes the fact that it has a time frame built in.
Commissioner Haessly said that the resolution is a
reflection of community values. He said that he is concerned that the Board is
balancing the budget on the backs of the poor. He does not believe that the
Board should allow that to happen. Commissioner Haessly also said that
sometimes consensus is not possible, and that he did make changes in his
resolution to reflect some Board concerns.
Commissioner Haessly called the question.
Baldwin – No Caldwell
– Yes Connolly – No Crook – Yes
Fleury – Yes Haessley
– Yes Hale – No Holmziak
– No
Lane – No Ploof
– Yes Pillsbury – No Werbel – No
The motion fails.
6. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
a. Schedule
meeting for December 13, 5:00-7:00 p.m. for Board self assessment.
Discussion with Win Goodrich
regarding Board's self-assessment.
b. Administration’s
presentation of plan to implement the Board’s goals.
Mr. Amsden said that he is making a proposal to the
Board in order to assist the Board in fulfilling its top priority, removing
obstacles to success of low-income students.
He presented comments from superintendents that have
worked on balancing school populations based on income.
The first part of the proposal is to redistrict
Barnes students, and to have five schools with no more than 50%
free-and-reduced lunch students.
The second part of the
proposal would include the sale and reconfiguration of various District
buildings.
He estimates that the
proposal would result in savings about 2 cents on the tax rate.
Motion (Lane/Fleury) to table the issue and hold a
special meeting as a committee of the whole on November 15, beginning at 7 p.m.
Commissioner Caldwell
questioned whether there should be other options presented.
Commissioner Crook asked for some clarification on
certain points of the proposal. She also asked if every the proposal. Mr.
Amsden said that they have.
Commissioner Fleury thanked Mr. Amsden for his work
on the proposal and said that it looks like a good starting point.
Commissioner Baldwin asked about public comment.
Chairman Hale said that the committee of the whole would be a working session
and would not be an opportunity for public comment. If a proposal emerges,
there will then be an opportunity for public comment.
Commissioner Fleury urged the Board to get
sufficient public comment on whatever proposal is eventually adopted.
Commissioner Holmziak agreed with Commissioner
Caldwell that additional alternatives are needed in order to evaluate the
proposal.
Commissioner Haessly
requested that the meeting be warned tomorrow meeting.
The motion passes.
c. Set public
hearing dates for the budget meetings
The Board will hold public hearings on the budget on
December 20th and January 3rd, with a final vote on the
budget on January 10th.
Commissioner Haessly suggested doing a public
hearing the night before the City election in March.
d. Superintendent
Applications
The advertising for a new superintendent has begun.
Two applications are already in. Question about how best for Board members to
evaluate the applications.
Commissioner Caldwell asked if the Board had
discussed having an open application process. She also argued that the process
has not incorporated the comments from the public at the last hearing.
Commissioner Connolly
reminded the Board of the process that has been already determined.
Brief discussion of distribution method for application
materials.
Commissioner Haessly
suggested opening up the interview process.
Mr. Amsden suggested discussing any changes to the
interview process at the December 13th meeting.
7.
COMMITTEE UPDATES
a. Finance
Committee
Commissioner Lane presented the report of the
Finance Committee.
b. Curriculum
& Policy Committee
Commissioner Pillsbury
presented the report of the Curriculum & Policy Committee.
c. Technology
Committee
Commissioner Crook presented
the report of the Technology Committee.
d. Regional
Tech Center
Commissioner Pillsbury reported that there is a meeting upcoming on November 10, and that there will soon be a summaries presented to the Legislature of the Regional Technical Center Committee's principles.
8.
OLD BUSINESS
a. Re-vote
on student discipline matter
Motion (Pillsbury/Lane) to adopt the recommendation
of the student discipline committee. The motion carried.
b. Re-vote
on Board negotiation positions regarding administrative assistants
Motion (Fleury/Pillsbury) to
approve the Board's negotiation positions.
Commissioner Caldwell questioned whether it is
appropriate to adopt a vote without having a new discussion, if the original
meeting was not properly warned. She expressed dissatisfaction with the
process.
The motion was approved.
9.
NEW BUSINESS
a. Consent
Agenda
Motion (Pillsbury/Lane) to
approve the consent agenda. The motion carried.
b. Policy
review
i. KH – Gifts from the Public (1st reading)
Motion (Pillsbury/Werbel) to approve KH for 1st
reading. Commissioner Werbel explained the proposed changes.
Motion (Caldwell/Haessly) to amend para. 3 to
reinstate the language “are not permitted to promote commercial interest etc.”
Commissioner Werbel explained the subcommittee's language decision.
Commissioner Caldwell argued that the language
compromises the policy, and wants stronger language.
Commissioner Haessly
applauded the committee's work.
Commissioner Werbel said that the subcommittee
looked at a lot of different scenarious to make sure the policy would work.
Commissioner Lane spoke in
favor of the language adopted by the subcommittee.
Commissioner Baldwin reiterated the fact that the
subcommittee looked at a lot of different scenarios to make sure that the
policy would be effective.
The motion on the amendment
did not pass.
The motion on the policy for
1st reading passed.
ii. KL – Public Concerns (1st reading)
Motion (Pillsbury/Lane) to approve the policy for 1st
reading. Commissioner Pillsbury explained the policy.
Commissioner Haessly
requested that the General Dynamics issue be added to the Board agenda.
The motion carried.
c. Endorse
Technical Education vision and guiding principles
Motion (Pillsbury/Baldwin)
to endorse the Technical Education vision and guiding principles.
Commissioner Haessly discussed presentation
regarding technical education at the Vermont School Board Association meeting.
Commissioner Caldwell opposed adoption of the
motion, arguing that Technical Education vision is premature, and said that we
need additional discussion as a Board regarding technical education.
Motion (Haessly/Caldwell) to
table until next week. The motion (4 aye, 5 nay) did not pass.
Commissioner Pillsbury said that the vision deals
with a program, not a facility.
Commissioner Baldwin said that the vision actually supports
what Commissioner Caldwell is looking for in terms of a Board discussion.
Commissioner Caldwell asked if the vision commits us
to a particular plan. Commissioner Pillsbury said that it does not.
Commissioner Haessly
indicated that he is inclined to support the proposal.
Commissioner Caldwell said
that she would have preferred that the vision.
d. Discussion
of Burlington School Food Action program
Motion (Pillsbury/Haessly)
to adopt the Burlington School Food Action Plan.
Commissioner Baldwin praised
the people involved. Commissioner Werbel agreed.
Commissioner Haessly
recommended that a resolution be adopted praising the people involved.
The motion carried.
e. Discussion
of City Council resolution regarding state-wide teacher contract
Motion (Baldwin/Holmziak) to
refer the resolution to the Finance Committee. The motion carried.
9.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
There was no need for an
executive session.
10.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion (Haessly/Werbel) to adjourn. The Board
adjourned at 10 p.m.