BURLINGTON
BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Board Meeting
Ira Allen Administration
150 Colchester Avenue,
Burlington, VT 05401
Commissioner Hale opened the meeting at 7:05 p.m.
Commissioners:
Kate Baldwin, Marrisa Caldwell, Katherine Connolly,
Barbara Crook, Wallace Elliott, Thomas Fleury, Chris Haessly, Paul Hale, Erik
Hoekstra, Jurij Homziak, Fred Lane, Keith Pillsbury, Loyal Ploof, Amy Werbel
Administrators:
Jeanne Collins, Acting Superintendent & Director
of Special & Compensatory Education
Lyman Amsden, Advisor to the Board
Sara Jane Mahan, Human
Resources Director
Scott Lisle, Business
Manager
Betsy Liley, District Grants
Coordinator
Paul Irish, District Technical Director
Absent:
Bonnie Clapp, Director of EEE/Co-Director Curriculum
Stephanie
Phillips, Co-Director Curriculum
3.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion (Lane/Connolly) (1) to switch the committee
reports of Curriculum & Policy and Finance and (2) to move the
Superintendent's report on the budget to the Finance Committee report.
4.
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
Keith Brown -- 4th Grade teacher at Flynn;
representing BEA -- Association would like to know why they haven't heard from
School Bd. on proposal by Barnes teacher.
Karen Downey -- Parent of 7th grader at Edmunds --
Thanks Board for support of musical education. Seeing lots of progress from the
programs. Middle schools are seeing particular success. All students across the
district benefit.
Maurice Mahoney -- Resident of Ward 1 -- Prior
school closings were painful, but could recognize the need for them. Not as
painful as closing of Barnes; has a lot serious concerns about doing so.
"Heart of the community." Suggests idea of making Barnes a magnet
school to draw students into the area. Disagrees with compromise solution
presented by Commissioner Connolly. Suggests that it is an insidious thing to
do.
Aaron Goldberg -- Ward 6 resident -- Chair of
Burlington Schools Foundation. Speaking in favor of Barnes. Doesn't think that
Ward 4 has ever recovered from closing of Thayer. Wants Board to appreciate how
integral Barnes is to the neighborhood. Disagrees vehemently with opinion that
Taft can be sold under the terms of the will.
Kit Andrews -- Ward 3 resident -- Read additional
material from her daughter's response to closing of Barnes. Stressed importance
of neighborhood schools. Talked about importance of developing social capital
for community. Chose to live on Park Street -- Children could have prospered in
any community. What was important was what they received culturally from other
students in Barnes.
Kevin Ryan -- Disagrees with Aaron Goldberg.
Believes that City could take the building by eminent domain and use it as a
long-term mental health facility. Also questions whether Barnes should be shut
when
Diane Snelling -- Chittenden Senator -- Asks Board
not to be penny-wise and pound-foolish by closing Barnes. Ask that it be
maintained as an educational facility for the neighborhood.
Phil Fiermonte -- City Councilor, Ward 3 -- Urges
Board to hold off on closing Barnes and involve Old North End in decision
regarding school.
Karen Bushey -- Mother of two Barnes students and
one former Barnes student. Believes that we will always have budgetary issues
until we change educational funding in the state. Does not believe that closing
Barnes is not the answer to the budgetary issues. Applauds the idea of the task
force, and hopes it will look at all the challenges the Barnes kids face.
School is important to the kids and to the community. Questions cost to the
community down the road.
Alan Parker -- Concerned that Chair of School Board
will appoint the task force. Believes that the Chair will handpick members who
support the School Board.
Martha Abbott -- Agrees with virtually everything
that's been said. City has spent a great deal of money to revitalize
neighborhood; closing the school would be in direct contradiction of that.
Doesn't think that it is a good idea for school administration to move into an
angry neighborhood.
Jennifer Galloway -- resident of Ward 1 -- Family
planner at Flynn -- Thinks that moving administration to Old North End is not a
bad idea. Also thinks that the School Board should be the task force for the
purposes of deciding what to do. Even if closing this school is a good idea,
Board should wait to do it. That would give the Board a chance to listen to
concerns and address medical and transportation issues.
Tom Billings -- Main reason people came out tonight
is to keep Barnes open. Believes that the two Old North End schools are doing
well. Raises concerns about effects of transience on test scores of Old North
End students. Does not believe that it is worth 1 percent of budget.
Attendee -- Ward 6 resident -- Resident of
Burlington for 9 months. At meetings, noticed that arguments pit one area of
city against another; thought that he left that behind in Boston. Does not
believe that proposal regarding Barnes was introduced out of classicism or
racism. Commends the School Board and Amsden for the effort that they have put
in. Sincerely hopes that Board lets community know that these proposals are not
targeting a specific group. Urges Board to stand by their convictions. Not sure
about conclusion but believes Board has best interests of
Alison Seger -- social worker at Barnes and mother
of 3 students in District -- Recounted stories regarding the provision of
services at Barnes. Said that when the issue of closing the school is raised,
staff and parents take it personally.
Vince Brennan -- resident of Ward 3 and father of
Barnes student -- Believes that Wards 2 & 3 are being targeted. Residents
find it painful. Wants pain to be spread across the District. Suggested the
name of Tim Hoskins for participation in the task force.
Chris Stadson -- Ward 3 resident -- Thinks that
Dovetail is a program that experiments with bringing children in from other
areas. District ran out of bus money for that program.
Katie Bushey -- 9 years old, student at Barnes --
Lives close to school and likes the teachers. Hopes Board will not close
school.
Jim Tribus -- Believes that there is overwhelming
support for keeping Barnes open and forming task force to address issues
involving school system. Concerned about what resources will be available in
the school; questions what the plan will be in 2, 5, or 10 years. Does not
believe that proposal helps to remove the obstacles the students face. Thinks
that closing Barnes will result in lasting, long-term damage to community and
students.
Deirdre Morris -- Old North End resident and Grades
2/3 teacher at Barnes -- Knows where all her students live; can visit if child
is absent or having problems. Believes that she has a very strong connection to
her students because she lives so close to them.
5.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Praised 7th grade spelling team at Edmunds for
winning the State Championship.
Announced that all schools met the AYP standards
under the No Child Left Behind Act.
Policy regarding gifts is up for a second reading.
Acting Supt. Collins said that Pepsi offered a $25,000 scoreboard for the new
high school athletic field, but under the terms of the policy, the District is
required to turn down the offer.
Advisor Amsden said that on Friday, the District
would be distributing a CD-ROM with the application materials of the
Superintendent candidates. Responses from the Board are due back in the
Advisor's office on Tuesday, December 20. Interviews by the Board will take
place on January 11, and meetings with public will occur on January 17.
6.
COMMITTEE UPDATES
a. Curriculum
& Policy Committee
Commissioner Pillsbury
presented the report of the Curriculum & Policy Committee.
Motion (Werbel/Baldwin) to give the Curriculum/Policy Committee the authority to develop the charge for a Task Force to study how the district can best remove obstacles to the success of students from low-income families. The task force will be appointed by the chairman of the School Board and will consist of 15 members with three ex-officio board members. The School Board’s Curriculum and Policy Committee will craft the specifics of the task force’s mission and responsibilities. The task force will provide its recommendations to the School Board by May 1, 2006.
Commissioner Haessly --
Asked for breakdown of membership.
Commissioner Pillsbury -- Said that recommendation
was for 5 educational leaders, 5 members of community leadership, and 5 members
of community at large.
Commissioner Werbel -- Described discussion by the
Curriculum & Policy committee. Goal is to balance size of task force and
ability to get work done.
Commissioner Holmziak -- Asked if task force would
be self-governing, or have structure imposed upon them.
Commissioner Werbel -- There
is still some work to do, given the outstanding budget issues.
Commissioner Pillsbury -- One of the reasons the
C&P committee did not define the specifics of the task force yet is that
there are still financial issues to deal with. C&P tried to limit its
discussion to student achievement.
Commissioner Caldwell -- (1) Thinks that the
description of the task force is too narrow. Thinks that it should look at best
education for all students. Advocates for 5 or 10 year planning by the task
force. (2) Wants to stipulate inclusion of UVM education department. Concerned
that task force would limit its investigation. (3) Wants educators to be
selected from our district. (4) Wants to open task force to any School Board
member.
Motion (Caldwell/Ploof) to
amend Commissioner Werbel's motion pursuant to her comments.
Commissioner Holmziak -- Concerned about May 1st
deadline and thinks that expanding scope of task force is unrealistic, and
dilutes focus on lower-income kids.
Commissioner Caldwell -- Thinks that task force
would be operating in a vacuum without looking at broader issues. Suggests
moving May 1 deadline instead.
Commissioner Baldwin -- Objects to opening task
force to all Board members. Asked for division of question.
Commissioner Werbel --
Doesn't think that too much discussion is needed for the charge.
Commissioner Connolly -- Thinks that discussing top
goal will accomplish broader look at education in the district.
Commissioner Caldwell -- Thinks that the task force
does not have the luxury of limiting its charge. Suggests that is irresponsible
for task force not to look at long-term issues.
Commissioner Haessly -- Is glad the C&P is
recommending the creation of a task force. Is concerned that task force should
be built from the ground up and not from the top down. But doesn't think that
the task force goes far enough. Suggests that Board should develop a
mini-Legacy Plan for the School District.
Student Rep. -- Asks if it
is possible to have more than one task force.
Commissioner Holmziak -- Still believes that task
force should be focused intently on the barriers faced by the kids. Strategic
planning should be a project for the new superintendent.
Baldwin No Caldwell
Yes Connolly
No Crook
No Elliott
No
Fleury No Haessly
Yes Hoekstra
No Holmziak
No Lane
No
Pillsbury No Ploof Yes Werbel No Hale Abstain
The motion to expand the
charge of the task force FAILED 3-10-1.
Suggestion by Commissioner Hale that amendment
regarding University of Vermont education professional be expanded to include
UVM College of Education. Commissioner Caldwell agreed.
Commissioner Werbel -- Suggested broadening
amendment to open the pool to include any individual with expertise in this
area.
Commissioner Caldwell -- Changed proposed amendment
to require task force to use UVM Department of Education to the fullest extent
possible and
Commissioner Haessly -- Task
force shall request the input of educational experts
Commissioner Caldwell -- Wants the Department of
Education to look at the statistical modeling of any data relied upon by the
task force.
Commissioner Fleury -- Do we want UVM Dept. involved
in any capacity, or actually sitting at the table? Do we mean UVM or higher ed
in general?
Commissioner Holmziak -- We want the best advice
from experts at the university level to evaluate material reviewed by task
force.
Motion regarding requirement
for involvement by Dept. of Education FAILED 6-7-1.
Motion that five educator
members be from Burlington School District PASSED 13-1.
Commissioner Caldwell --
Thinks that 3 members of School Board is not enough.
Commissioner Hoekstra -- Offered friendly amendment
that no member of the School Board serve as a voting member, but that all
members of the Board be encouraged to participate.
Commissioner Baldwin -- Doesn't think that School
Board should be excluded as members of the task force. Board members should be
equals.
Commissioner Hoekstra -- Thinks that task force is
serving the School Board, and members will listen to Board members, because
anything the task force develops will have to pass the Board.
Commissioner Fleury -- Recommends that C&P chair
be the facilitator and serve as a voting member. The amendment failed for lack
of a second.
Commissioner Holmziak -- Supports participation of
Board, but each organization should be limited to one member, except to
PTO/parent/community component. The amendment was withdrawn.
Commissioner Crook -- Has a concern about motion.
Feels that she has learned a lot, and that her views have shifted. Doesn't want
to wait until May to hear progress of task force.
Commissioner Haessly -- Agrees with idea of keeping
School Board members off, but thinks that there should be a link.
Commissioner Werbel -- Not in favor of any
amendments. Believes that task force should be guided by the fact that the
Board has to approve whatever the task force approves.
Commissioner Caldwell --
Likes idea of Commissioner Hoekstra of not having Board members involved.
Commissioner Haessly --
Thinks that it is ironic that Board members are worried about being excluded.
Commissioner Baldwin --
Thinks that School Board members should be seen as involved in this issue.
Commissioner Hoekstra -- If three members of Board
are on task force, input is only coming from 12 people and that's not enough.
Student Rep. -- Thinks that
it would not be fair for Board to vote on the task force. Recommends that
Friendly amendment -- That three School Board
members serve as ex officio delegates to the task force, in addition to 15
voting members.
Baldwin No Caldwell
Yes Connolly
No Crook
Yes Elliott Yes
Fleury Yes Haessly
Abstain Hale
Abstain Hoekstra
Yes Holmziak
Yes
Lane Yes Pillsbury
Yes Ploof
Yes Werbel No
The amendment PASSES 9-3-2
Discussion Regarding Motion
to Create Task Force
Commissioner Haessly -- Motion (Haessly/Caldwell) to
have seven community members, 1 appointed by each NPA.
Commissioner Hoekstra called
the question. The motion to call the question PASSED 9-4.
The motion to amend the
membership FAILED 4-9.
Baldwin Yes Caldwell
No Connolly
Yes Crook
Yes Elliott Yes
Fleury Yes Haessly
No Hale
Abstain Hoekstra
Yes Holmziak
Yes
Lane Yes Pillsbury
Yes Ploof
Absent Werbel
Yes
The motion to adopt the creation of a task force (as
amended) PASSED 10-2-1, with one commissioner absent.
b. Finance
Committee
1. Presentation
of the budget
Commissioner Lane introduced the report of the
Finance Committee, including the amount of the proposed FY 06-07 budget of
$38,077,893.00.
Acting Superintendent
Collins explained the specifics of the proposed budget for the following year.
Motion (Lane/Connolly) to approve a budget in the
amount of $38,077,893.00 consistent with the infrastructure recommendations of
the Finance Committee.
Commissioner Haessly -- Is very upset by the budget
and is not one that he can support. Thinks that it is not in the best interests
of the student, and is balancing the budget on the back of those least able to
afford it.
Commissioner Caldwell -- Thinks that variance
proposal is the wrong thing to do. Instead, variance policy should be tightened
for kids in Old North End.
Requested friendly amendment to strike Paragraph 4
from Finance Committee's recommendation. Commissioners Lane and Connolly
agreed.
Commissioner Caldwell -- Strenuously objected to
removal of administration from Barnes. Believes that administration is necessary.
Motion (Caldwell/Haessly) to add $32,000 back into budget to include a social
worker in the Barnes school.
Baldwin No Caldwell
Yes Connolly
No Crook
No Elliott No
Fleury Yes Haessly
Yes Hoekstra
Yes Homziak
No Lane
No
Pillsbury No Ploof
Yes Werbel No Hale
Abstain
Motion (Caldwell/Haessly) to restore $205,000 to the
budget to restore the administrative services at the Barnes school.
Baldwin No Caldwell
Yes Connolly
No Crook
No Elliott No
Fleury No Haessly Yes Hoekstra No Homziak
No Lane
No
Pillsbury No Ploof Yes Werbel
No Hale Abstain
Commissioner Pillsbury asked Acting Supt. Collins to
comment on the short-term and long-term financial challenges facing the
Burlington School District.
Acting Supt. Collins detailed the various challenges
facing the School District, including the rise of the Common Level of
Appraisal.
Motion (Crook/Ploof) to sell either Taft or
Ira Allen, rather than committing to selling one or the other.
Commissioner Lane pointed out that it would much
more expensive to move the administration from Ira Allen than to clean out
Taft.
Commissioner Werbel said
that she wants the District to be as infrastructure-lean as possible.
Commissioner Pillsbury said that the District is
property rich and cash-poor. The plan to get rid of some buildings is strategic
planning.
Commissioner Fleury spoke against the amendment.
Feels he needs to represent his ward, and they are concerned about the amount
of real estate the District owns. Not sure he has a good answer when we own two
white elephants, when we could be using the money to help educate our kids.
Commissioner Caldwell -- Suggests adding language to
Paragraph 1 that if task force finds that there is a critical need for Ira
Allen, it will not be sold
Commissioner Connolly -- Underscored difference in
capital infrastructure and operating costs of Taft and Ira Allen. Hopes Board
will say good-bye to bricks-and-mortar and use money to fund a new approach to
education. Pointed out there legal hurdles and it will take time to get this
all done.
Commissioner Baldwin -- Wants to leave Paragraph 1
as it is so that task force has resources with which to work.
Commissioner Haessly -- Based on comments by Atty.
Goldberg, has problems with selling the Taft building. Also has talked to City
Councilors who will not support the sale of school buildings.
Commissioner Caldwell -- Every time school has
closed, District has had to spend money to add on to other buildings.
Baldwin No Caldwell
No Connolly
No Crook
Yes Elliott No
Fleury No Haessly Yes Hoekstra No Homziak
No Lane
No
Pillsbury No Ploof
Yes Werbel No Hale
Abstain
The motion to amend
Paragraph 1 FAILED 3-10-1.
Commissioner Hoekstra called
the question on the main motion. Commissioner Caldwell
Commissioner Hale reviewed
the current motion.
Baldwin Yes Caldwell
No Connolly
Yes Crook
Yes Elliott Yes
Fleury Yes Haessly
No Hoekstra
Yes Homziak
Yes Lane
Yes
Pillsbury Yes Ploof
No Werbel Yes Hale
Yes
The motion to adopt the budget
in the amount of $38,077,893
Motion (Caldwell/Ploof) to look into cutting the
position of Advisor to the Board as a way of saving costs.
Baldwin Yes Caldwell
Yes Connolly
No Crook
Yes Elliott Yes
Fleury No Haessly Yes Hoekstra Yes Homziak
Yes Lane
No
Pillsbury No Ploof
Yes Werbel No Hale
Abstain
The motion PASSED 8-5-1.
c. Technology
Committee
Commissioner Crook presented the report of the
technology committee. The committee heard a presentation from the inventor of
the wood chip boiler. The project is going out to bid in January.
d. Regional
Technical Education Steering Committee
No update.
7.
OLD BUSINESS
No update.
8.
NEW BUSINESS
a. Consent
Agenda
Motion (Connolly/Pillsbury)
to pass the consent agenda. Motion carried.
b. Policy
review
1. KH – Gifts from the Public (2nd Reading)
2. KL – Public Complaints & Concerns (2nd Reading)
Motion (Pillsbury/Connolly)
to adopt. Motion carried.
9.
ADJOURNMENT
The Board adjourned at 10:30 p.m.