The Webutuck Board
of Education held their September 12, 2011
meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Webutuck High School Library.
The following
Board members were present:
Dale Culver,
President
Joanne Boyd
William McGhee
Judy Moran
Kristen Panzer
John Perotti
Robert Trotta
Also Present:
James Gratto Jr., Superintendent
Mary Grden, School Business Manager
Therese Trotter, District Clerk
Katy McEnroe
Jay Curtis Jr.
Ken Sauer
David Paciencia
Brian Christofel
Community Members
CALL TO
ORDER
President Culver called the business meeting of September 12, 2011 to order at 7:35 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT
- Not enough JV & V
Boys soccer uniforms
PRINICPALS’ REPORT
Presentation: Ken
Sauer Gr. 9-12 Regents Results and Plans
Mr. Sauer discussed his Power
Point presentation on Grades 9-12 Regents Results and the plan to raise scores going
forward. He stated the goal he has made
for the Middle and High School “Our Goal – Be the Highest Performing School in
Dutchess County”. There have been
posters made and displayed throughout the school. Mr. Sauer discussed how to measure factors
that will help define “Highest Performing” such as graduation rates, percent of
Diplomas Granted with Distinction and passing rate. He stated that Webutuck School District did not
meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) this past year. He reviewed the 2011
Regents exams’ percent passing and noted that no one in the High School is
happy with the results. He mentioned
other factors his teachers came up with to help make Webutuck the Highest
Performing School in the County. He
spoke about student and staff culture and initiatives for the 2011-2012 school
year such as the new Committees that each faculty member will be a part of to
help move to move Webutuck High School towards this goal. He reviewed the statistics for discipline and
absences (both students and staff) which have an effect on the overall culture
of the school. Board members asked about
AIS plans as well as the actual plans to raise Regents scores. Discussion ensued.
Jay Curtis Principal
of Grades 4-8
Mr. Curtis stated that
the start of school went very well. He
noted that there were scheduling glitches but they are working on ironing them out. He had a chance to visit the classrooms this
week as things were more settled down from open week.
Katy McEnroe
Principal of Grades Pre-K- 3
Mrs. McEnroe stated that the Kindergarten classes have large numbers. There are a total of seventy-five students in three classrooms. She announced that WES will have its Open House and Curriculum Night this Thursday, September 15 from 6-7 pm. The French Club will be hosting dinner and babysitting.
Mr. Trotta left the room for a moment.
CONSENSUS AGENDA VOTE
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion to approve the Consent Agenda (as amended). The amendment by Judy Moran called for removing #2 under Business & Operations and Joanne Boyd called for removing #3 under Personnel for further discussion. A consent agenda is a single vote, which approves all asterisked (*) items. Board policy (#008a) prohibits discussion of consent agenda items. Asterisked items can be pulled from the consent agenda for discussion by any one Board member.
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
CLERK’S REPORT
*1. Approval of Minutes for August 23 & 29, 2011 Board meetings.
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded a motion to accept the minutes as submitted:
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
2. Delegations - None
3. Non-Staff Communications - None
PERSONNEL
*1. Substitute Support Staff Appointments
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED
that the Board of Education hereby approves the following substitute support
staff appointments:
Carol Place Substitute
Food Service Helper
Effective: September 13, 2011 Salary:
$10.69/hour
Nicole Breyette Substitute
Food Service Helper
Effective: September 13, 2011 Salary:
$10.69/hour
Trini Stevens Substitute
Maintenance
Effective: September 1, 2011 Salary: $13.50/hour
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
*2. Amend Extra-Curricular
Appointment for the 2011-2012 School Year
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent
of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby amends the
following 2011-2012 extra-curricular appointment acted upon August 8, 2011 from
Advisor to:
Jacquelyn
Woodruff Co-Advisor
Class of 2014
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
3. Approval of Job
Description(s)
This item was removed from the consent agenda
for discussion.
A Board member questioned several points about
the Athletic Director job description.
It was decided by Board members that the job description needed more
work. The Superintendent will review and
revise the changes suggested by Board members for Friday’s Board packet.
Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent
of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education approves the job
description(s) for:
Cook
Cook Manager
Director of Physical Education
Athletic Director
(No Vote Taken)
5. A description of A.P.L. Associates and what type of staff development workshop the company was hired to do was explained to a Board member.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
DISCUSSION
The Superintendent
introduced and welcomed Brian Christofel as the student representative for
Board of Education this year.
1. Millerton Surplus Inventory
The Superintendent noted that a list was included in the most recent Board packet of items that are located in the Millerton Elementary School. The list detailed broken, usable and savable items. It was suggested to keep some of the items that were labeled useable for future peaks in class population such as in the current Kindergarten class. Discussion took place on how to dispose of the broken items. It was decided to hold a tag sale at Community Day on October 1st for some of the useable items. Discussion ensued.
2. School Sign- Future Plans
The Superintendent asked for direction from the Board on the school sign located on Route 22. Mr. Roccanova’s technology class designed a few models as examples. It was decided to place the purchase of a sign on the back burner and give a facelift to what is located there presently.
3. Opening Week Enrollment
The Superintendent noted the opening
week District enrollment at 798. The
Board President explained that that number did not include out-of-district
students. Discussion took place The
current senior class enrollment was compared to when that class came to ninth
grade because it identifies the cohort which is how the state tracks graduation
rates. It was noted that when Class of
2012 entered ninth grade they had considerably more students in it than it
currently has. It was pointed out the
drop in students in that class was because many tenth graders had trouble with
Earth Science and had to repeat ninth grade that year; subsequently those
repeaters were able to join their respective graduating class after completing
the necessary requirements. However,
because the cohort has been identified by freshman year enrollment for the C
lass of 2012; their graduation rate will reflect poorly on their class and on
the Webutuck School District.
4. Opening Week Issues
The Superintendent stated that schedules were not ready at the Intermediate School for opening week; however, they have been worked out. He noted that there were also some transportation issues that Mr. Heiser is working on.
5. New Superintendent’s First Week Review
The Superintendent stated that considering all the changes in the past few months; the first week went well.
6. Academic Intervention Services (A.I.S.)
The Superintendent stated the District needed to follow the AIS regulations. He gave statistics on the number of students that need AIS in the different grade levels. He noted that there was work to be done in this area. He announced upcoming meetings with the Instructional Council and faculty.
7. Athletic Director
The Superintendent stated the Athletic Director position will need to be reposted. The one applicant that was interviewed turned it down. He also commented that he will rework the job description as the Board has asked.
The Superintendent spoke about an afterschool Shakespeare program that he would like the Board to review. The Student Representative asked if it would interfere with the High School play. The Superintendent did not believe it would because the program is for grades K-8. Discussion ensued.
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
*1. Committee on Special
Education Monthly Reports
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Webutuck Board of Education hereby accepts the Committee on Special
Education report for August 2011,
prepared by the Webutuck Central School District Committee on Pre-School
Education and by the Webutuck Central School District Committee Special
Education.
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS
*1. Approval
of Surplus Items
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the recommendation
of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education
approves the Millerton Elementary School Inventory list as surplus.
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
2. Approval
of
A Board member would
like to see the Student Assistant Program description before signing an
agreement. The Board agreed that the
resolution for the agreement can be added to next week’s agenda.
Upon the
recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education
approves the Council on Addiction Prevention & Education (CAPE) Agreement
at no remuneration for the 2011-2012 school year.
(No Vote Taken)
*3. Approval
of the A.P.L. Agreement
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the
recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of
Education approves the A.P.L. Associates Agreement at a cost of $2,800 for a
November 2, 2011 training workshop at Webutuck Central School District.
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
*4. Amendment
of the Occupational Therapy Agreement
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the
recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of
Education accepts the amended Occupational Therapy Agreement for Karen Finnerty
for the 2011-2012 school year.
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
*5. Approval
of Donated Food Agreement
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the
recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of
Education approves the NYS Office of General Services (OGS) Agreement for
school lunch commodities food distribution and warehousing for 2011-2012.
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
*6. Acceptance
of Donation
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the
recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of
Education gratefully accepts the donation from the Playground Committee through
the Webutuck Fund for Excellence in the amount of four thousand nine hundred
dollars ($4,900) to be used for excavation and paving of a walkway from
Webutuck Elementary School to the playground.
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
BOARD OF EDUCATION
1. Re-Adoption of Policy #302 Organizational
Chart
Mr. Perotti made and Mrs. Panzer seconded the following motion:
A Board member questioned placement for two positions on the chart.
Upon the recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that
the Board of Education approves the revision and re-adopts Policy #302
Organizational Chart.
Ayes 7 Nays 0 The motion carried.
2. First Reading of Policy #1800
Gifts from the Public
Ms. Moran made and Mrs. Boyd seconded the following motion:
Upon the recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that
the Board of Education approves the Policy #1800 Gifts from the Public as
presented for its first reading.
Ayes 7 Nays 0 The motion carried.
*3.
Approval of Retreat Facilitator
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded the following motion:
Upon the recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that
the Board of Education appoints the Retreat Facilitator as David Paciencia for
the Board of Education Retreat on September 26, 2011.
Ayes 6 Nays 0 The motion carried.
4.
Approval of Operating Principles
Ms. Moran made and Mrs. Boyd seconded the following motion:
A Board member stated that he felt suggestion boxes should be located
throughout the District to get an idea how the student feel about their school. Discussion ensued.
Upon the recommendation of Superintendent of Schools, BE IT RESOLVED that
the Board of Education approves of the 2011-2012 Webutuck Operating Principles.
Ayes 7 Nays 0 The motion carried.
5. A Board
member asked if members would like to join Dutchess County School Board
Committee this year. She noted Webutuck
was not a member last year but had been in years prior. She explained what the DCSB does and what
information is acquired. She had gone to
several meetings last year even though we were not members and felt the
meetings were better organized and the information that came out of them was
useful. The Board asked that
information on the cost of membership be included in their Board packet.
EXECUTIVE
SESSION
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. McGhee seconded a motion to adjourn to executive session at 9:37 pm for the
purpose of discussing the employment history of a particular person or persons.
Ayes 7 Nays 0 The motion carried.
RECONVENE
PUBLIC SESSION
Mr. McGhee made and Ms. Moran seconded a motion
to adjourn the executive session and to reconvene the public session at 10:47
pm.
Ayes 7 Nays 0 The motion carried.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Mr. McGhee made and Mrs. Panzer seconded
a motion to adjourn the meeting of September 12, 2011 at 10:48 pm.
Ayes 7 Nays 0 The motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Therese M. Trotter
District Clerk