BURLINGTON BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS
November 14, 2006
Hunt Middle School
Chairman Hale called the
meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.
Commissioners:
Katharine Chasan, Katherine Connolly, Barbara Crook,
Wallace Elliott, Thom Fleury, Chris Haessly, Paul Hale, Erik Hoekstra, Jurij
Homziak, Fred Lane, Keith Pillsbury,
Amy Werbel
Administrators:
Jeanne Collins,
Superintendent
Sara Jane Mahan, Human Resources Director
Scott Lisle, Business
Manager
Betsy Liley, District Grants
Coordinator
Paul Irish, District
Technical Director
Bonnie Poe, Special Services
Director
Absent:
Marrisa
Caldwell
3. APPROVAL
OF AGENDA
Motion (Lane/Haessly) to
approve the agenda.
Motion (Lane/Haessly) to amend the agenda to insert
a new item 3b--Presentation of letter by Superintendent Collins to the BEA in
honor of American Education Week--and a brief executive session prior to
adjournment. The motion carried.
The motion to approve the
agenda carried.
3b. RECOGNITION
OF AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK
Superintendent Collins presented a letter to Rebecca
Smith, a representative of the Burlington Education Association, in recognition
of American Education Week. Superintendent Collins also announced the
establishment of a fund on behalf of teachers.
4. COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
Dale Azaria -- Believes that SEI is an insufficient
remedy; works best in communities where low-income children have been clustered
in schools with unqualified teachers and few resources. Encouraged Board to
look at other possible solutions, including improved curricula.
Dawn Moskowitz -- Read
statement in support of academic excellence and diversity in schools.
5. SUPERINTENDENT’S
REPORT
Parent Conferences are next Monday and Tuesday.
Teachers are working different hours to accommodate parents.
David Berliner is coming to
town to speak on poverty and education.
6. COMMITTEE
UPDATES
a. Finance Committee
Commissioner Lane presented
the report of the Finance Committee. A copy of the minutes is on file.
Motion (Lane/Chasen) to
delay any action by the Board to dispose of Taft and Ira Allen for one year.
Motion (Connolly/Fleury) to
split the question into two parts. The motion passed.
General discussion regarding the disposition of Taft.
Commissioner Fleury questioned the germaneness of taking any vote on Taft,
given its status in probate court. Motion to formally delay the sale of Taft
for one year passed.
General discussion regarding the disposition of Ira
Allen. Motion (Homziak/Connolly) to table the motion for two months to give
the Administration time to explore rental or leaseback options. The motion
passed.
=========
Motion (Connolly/Elliott) to re-open public comment
to give Karen Paul an opportunity to address the Board. The motion carried.
Karen Paul -- Spoke in support of the concept of
SEI. Said that she and Dawn Moskowitz have organized a group of over 250
parents. Group wants Burlington schools to be 2d to none. Looks forward to
working with the Board.
D.G. Weaver -- Announced
success of BHS football team in state title game.
=========
Resumption of Commissioner
Lane's report from the Finance Committee.
Motion (Lane/Connolly) to endorse the City Council
resolution regarding Education Property Tax Financing. The motion carried.
Motion (Lane/Connolly) to decouple SEI from the
2007-08 budget process and authorize the Superintendent to form an advisory
group to assist the Administration in formulating 2-3 plans for implementing
SEI.
Motion (Haessly/Brennan) to
split the question into two parts. The motion passed.
General discussion regarding the decoupling of the
SEI process and the 2007-08 budget. The motion passes unanimously.
General discussion regarding motion regarding the Superintendent's advisory group. Friendly amendment from Commissioner Crook to instruct Superintendent to include someone from City Council. Commissioner Werbel raised issue of whether a time certain should be set for the Administration's report. Superintendent Collins said her initial inclination is to say February, but thinks that March might be more reasonable.
Motion (Fleury/Brennan) to table the motion to form
an advisory group until the Board's special meeting on 11/28. The motion
passed.
b. Curriculum
& Policy Committee
Commissioner Pillsbury presented the report of the
Curriculum & Policy Committee. A copy of the minutes is on file.
c. Technology Committee
Commissioner Crook presented
the report of the Technology Committee.
d.
Ad Hoc Communications Committee
1. Report
on Responses to Building Burlington’s Future
Commissioner Werbel presented
the report of the Ad Hoc Communications Committee.
7. OLD
BUSINESS
There was no old business
before the Board.
8. NEW
BUSINESS
a. Consent Agenda
Motion (Lane/Haessly) to
approve the consent agenda. The motion passed unanimously.
b. Policy
1.
ECB-Budgeting for Maintenance of Buildings & Grounds – 2nd
Reading
Motion (Pillsbury/Lane) to
approve policy ECB for second reading.
Motion (Haessly/Elliott) to amend the language of
the policy. General discussion. Motion (Werbel/Lane) to call the question. The
motion to call the question carried.
Brennan – Yes Chasen
– Yes Connolly – No Crook -- Yes
Elliott – Yes Fleury
– No Haessly – No Hoekstra -- No
Homziak – Yes Lane
– No Pillsbury – No Werbel -- No
Hale -- No
Following the initial vote,
Commissioner Haessly changed his vote to No. The motion failed 8-5.
The motion to approve the
policy for second reading passed.
2.
KG-Use of School Facilities – 2nd Reading
Motion (Pillsbury/Werbel) to
approve policy KG for 2nd reading. The motion carried.
9. EXECUTIVE
SESSION
Motion (Hale/Hoekstra) to go
into Executive Session. The Board went into executive session at 9:01.
Motion (Connolly/Pillsbury) to come out of Executive
Session. The Board came out of Executive Session at 9:06.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Motion (Lane/Werbel) to adjourn. The Board adjourned
at 9:06.