BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Ira Allen Building

1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Chairman Hale called the meeting to order at 5:07 p.m.

2. PRESENT

Commissioners:

Vince Brennan, Marrisa Caldwell, 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

Paul Irish, District Technical Director

3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Motion (Lane/Fleury) to approve the agenda.

The motion to approve the agenda carried.

4. COMMENTS/QUESTIONS

Jane Knodell, City Councilor -- Expressed hope that Board will taken advantage of the opportunity before it.

Karen Paul, Ward 5 resident -- Spoke in favor of SEI and encourage Board to identify reasons for supporting SEI.

Martha Lang, Ward 1 resident -- Attended Ira Allen school. Concerned that Burlington is losing families, and worried about increase in student gangs. Opposed to sale of Ira Allen building.

Chris McConnell, Ward 5 resident -- Believes that vast majority of respondents are opposed to having children move from their neighborhood schools.

Dawn Moskowitz, Ward 5 resident -- Listed a number of major challenges facing the Burlington School District.

Art Demeray, Ward 3 resident -- Believes Board would have its hands full without significant public opposition to equity, which he believes exist in the city. Also concerned about feelings of class hatred in Burlington.

Dave Noel, Ward 5 resident -- Dislikes proposal altogether. Believes he will be driven out of town altogether. Believes he has no choice as a parent. Thinks that SEI will remove one of the few choices he has. Would like parents to have more choices. Favors voucher system to give parents complete choice.

Terry Buehner, President of Burlington Education Association -- Presented Teacher's Choice Award to Commissioner Werbel for her work on the Task Force and ad hoc Communication Committee. Also described efforts to bridge socio-economic barriers in planning for class trips to Greece.

5. FOCUSED CONVERSATION ON RESPONSE OF COMMUNITY TO TASK FORCE REPORT

The Board held a general discussion regarding the responses to the Task Force report.

5a. ADJOURNMENT FOR DINNER

The Board adjourned for dinner at 6:45 p.m.

The Board reconvened at 7:10 p.m.

Commissioner Haessly objected to the process being used by the Board for the meeting. Commissioner Hale called Commissioner Haessly out of order. Commissioner Haessly persisted in making his objection. Commissioner Hale requested that Commissioner Haessly leave the meeting. Commissioner Haessly refused.

Commissioner Hale adjourned the meeting at 7:15 p.m. Commissioner Hale called the meeting back to order at 7:25 p.m.

Motion (Haessly/Connolly) to suspend the rules for the purpose of amending the agenda:

Hoekstra – Abstain Holmziak – No Pillsbury – No Connolly – Yes Elliott – Yes Caldwell – Yes Crook – Yes Lane – No Werbel – Abstain Chasen – Yes Fleury – Yes Haessly – Yes Brennan – Yes Hale -- Abstain

Motion (Haessly/Caldwell) to amend the agenda to open a discussion regarding whether to delegate the formation of plans for the implementation of SEI to the Administration or have the Board formulate those plans. Motion (Werbel/Pillsbury) to call the question; the motion to call the question passed.

Roll-call vote on the motion to amend the agenda:

Hoekstra – Yes Holmziak – Yes Pillsbury – Abstain Connolly – Yes Elliott -- Yes

Caldwell – Yes Crook – Yes Lane – Yes Werbel – Yes Chasen -- Yes

Fleury – Yes Haessly – Yes Brennan – Yes Hale – Abstain

The motion to amend the agenda passed.

The Board held a general discussion regarding who should formulate plans to implement SEI.

Motion (Connolly/Haessly) to proceed with facilitated discussion but to have Board members vote on specific ideas so that the Administration can take the ideas and incorporate them into implementation plans with cost estimates. Motion (Lane/Werbel) to call the question; the motion passed. The main motion passed.

6. IDENTIFY ELEMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED BY ADMINISTRATION IN CRAFTING IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSALS

After a general discussion regarding process, the Board listed various issues for the Administration to consider in crafting proposals. The various suggestions will be compiled and circulated to the Board for further consideration.

7. ADJOURNMENT

The Board adjourned at 8:40 p.m.