Webutuck Board of
Education held the May 5, 2009 meeting
at 7:30 p.m. in the Webutuck High School Library.
The following
Board members were present:
Dale Culver,
President
Andrew Jablonsky
Joseph Herald
Susan Lounsbury
William McGhee
arrived 8:44 pm
John Perotti
Also Present:
Dr. Richard N.
Johns, Superintendent
Therese Trotter
District Clerk
Linda Peters, School Business Administrator
Absent:
Joseph Matteo
CALL TO ORDER
President Culver
called the business meeting of May 5, 2009
to order at 7:37 p.m.
Presentations:
Summary 2007-2008 District
Performance: Katy McEnroe
Board members had questions about the 2007-2008 District Summary found in
the Budget packet that was given out to the public. Mrs.
McEnroe stated they are using a guided reading series in second and third
grades which is an approach to reading.
It teaches reading strategies using books on their instructional
level. It is research based practices. They
are also using a writing workshop, where you are modeling the writing, it’s a
best practice that has shown good results.
She stated they are using Data Point Assessments in writing, reading,
and math to drive instruction as well as using it as daily assessments. She explained the use of ELA and Math prep
classes after school. They were held for
six weeks. We have an ELA 90 minutes
language arts block that addresses many language arts issues. We push into classrooms with speech or
reading teachers. Lynn Buckley spoke
about the last Superintendent’s Day and how the K-5 teachers got together to
discuss research about the 90/90 study – which is a study that showed what was
effective for our school.
One School One Book and PARP -Lynn
Buckley
Beth Murphy, AES Librarian, gave a history of the PARP (Parents as
Reading Partners) program and showed a slide presentation of this year’s PARP
program at Amenia. Lynn Buckley spoke
about the 200 books that were donated to AES, every child received one. She then applied for a grant and received 200
more books. Each child received two hard
cover books. All the students read the
books and discussed them during the school day.
She explained how this was tied into their BET goals.
It was Teacher Appreciation Week this week; Renee Palmer ordered tee
shirts to raise money for the playground.
Staff and faculty chipped in and bought each Board member a tee shirt.
2009-2010 PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING
Mr. Perotti made and Mr. Herald seconded
a motion to open the Public Budget Hearing.
The six Board members present voted to approve the motion. The motion carried.
The Superintendent gave a brief overview of the budget planning the Board
and he did thus far. The budget when
first proposed had huge cuts and over the next six weeks it was unclear what
would happen in the State budget.
Eventually, it became clearer that the money would come to the New York
Schools. The Board did fund some things
that originally had been cut. He spoke
about the contingency budget having to be lower than the school budget. He stated that it is not that clear. This budget is one of the lowest budgets in
years.
The Board President stated that this budget is the best budget they could
present. Voting this budget down will
not help this school district this year or next.
An audience member stated he would like to commend the Board on
everything that has been thrown at them and yet they still came in with a good
budget.
Mr. Herald made and Mrs. Lounsbury seconded a motion to close the Public
Budget Hearing.
The six Board members present voted to approve the motion. The motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT
The following comments
were made by audience members:
-Please read the letter
that was given to you at the beginning of the meeting. The Board President asked the audience member
to read it because it was his letter.
-The Executive Session
fell apart at a previous meeting. There
were no answers to the truck and pizza oven.
We will communicate with you by letter going forward.
-Are we meeting in Exec
Session to go over the letter we received this past Saturday? Yes.
-How many track coaches
do we need?
-Looked at obsolete
items; one Lord of the Flies tape and film.
I hope the security system doesn’t become the proverbial Lord of the
Flies.
DISCUSSION
1. District Alert System
This has been before the Board several times, this system will notify
parents when there is a change in status at school or an important topic comes
up. It does email and phone calls.
Who will put this system together and keep it up to date. That will fall under technology. Who will develop the message to put out? Ultimately it will fall to
Superintendent. A Regulation will be
developed. Discussion ensued.
1. Insurance
All the monies that the District has paid out regarding the oil spill NYSED
will reimburse us. We should look at all
of our insurance costs. Discussion
ensued.
2. 504 Special Education
At the end of the year the Board President would like a report to review
the changes that were made last year with the Principals being the 504
administrators.
3. Bus Garage
We will have a walk
through and discussion to decide the scope.
The Facility Committee Chair and the Board President will set up a walk
through. A Board member asked if the
starting point was the efficiencies discussed in the Transportation Study. Yes the Study sited not enough space and
there are things that can be done without major renovations to help that
problem. Discussion ensued.
4. Girls Soccer Summer Training Camp &
Parent/Child Weekend Sports Camp
The District has different sports camps during the summer. The Board discussed who the coaches will be
for the Parent/Child Sports Camp. The
Superintendent will find out and report back.
5. Chemical Abuse Counselor (
We have a task force of guidance counselors, nurses, principals and
social workers that met with CAPE to help shore up efforts with issues such as chemical
abuse problems, harassment and bullying.
The District seems to have had more of these problems this year. Elaine Trumpetto, from CAPE, came to a
meeting to speak about providing resources to address these problems. Financial cost aspects were discussed. Discussion ensued.
7. Weekend Incident at the
There was an incident that occurred at the
CLERK’S REPORT
1. Approval of Minutes for March 4, March 9, March 16, and March 30, 2009 Board meetings as Submitted.
Mr. Herald made and Mr. Jablonsky seconded a motion to accept the minutes as submitted.
The six Board members present voted to approve the motion. The motion carried.
2. Acceptance of Financial Reports as Submitted
Warrants 65-71
Mr. Herald made and Mr. Jablonsky seconded a motion to accept the Financial Reports as submitted.
The six Board members present voted to approve the motion. The motion carried.
3. Delegations -NONE
4. Non-Staff Communications- NONE
PERSONNEL
1. Creation of Positions
Mr. Lounsbury made and Mr. Herald seconded the following motion:
The coach’s aide positions were discussed whether they were volunteer or
salaried. The figure will be 80% of what
the coach’s salary in that particular sport is.
The aides will be coaches that will be under the direction of the track
coach. The number of students on the
track teams was discussed.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the creation
of two (2) Coach’s Aide positions, as recommended by the Superintendent of
Schools.
The six Board members
present voted to approve the motion. The
motion carried.
Dale Culver Yes Susan Lounsbury Yes
Andrew Jablonsky Yes William
McGhee Yes
Joseph Herald No John Perotti Yes
2. Approval of Job Description
Mr. Lounsbury made and Mr. Herald seconded the following motion:
The Board members
questioned if the aides were working under the Varsity Track Coach? They will be.
A Board member discussed some of the job descriptions that he felt
should be the responsibility of the Head Coach.
Board members would like wording on certification in the job
description.
BE IT RESOLVED, that
the Board of Education hereby approves the Coach’s Aide job description as
amended, as recommended by the Superintendent of Schools
The six Board members
present voted to approve the motion. The
motion carried.
2. Extra-Curricular Appointment for
the 2008-2009 School Year
Mr. Lounsbury made and Mr. Jablonsky seconded the following motion:
The question was asked if the people who are not certified on the list
below intentions are to pursue certification and become coaches. It was stated they were. Discussion took place whether action should
be taken to remove Mr. Riddle from his Assistant Baseball Coach position
and appoint him as Assistant Track Coach.
It was agreed that action should take place on the removal of Mr. Riddle
from Baseball.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the following
Extra-Curricular appointment for the 2008-2009 school year, as recommended by
the Superintendent of Schools:
Steven Connely Coach’s Aide
Track
Brittany Kain Coach’s
Aide Track
Michael
Riddle Assistant
Track Coach (within his general contract)
The six Board members present voted to approve
the motion. The motion carried.
Dale Culver Yes Susan Lounsbury Yes
Andrew Jablonsky Yes William
McGhee No
Joseph Herald Yes John Perotti No
Mr. Herald made a motion
to remove Mike Riddle as Assistant Baseball coach.
The six
Board members present voted to approve the motion. The motion carried.
BUSINESS AND
OPERATIONS
1. Acceptance of Obsolete Equipment
Mr. Herald made and Mr. Perotti seconded the following motion:
The Board questions how these items will be disposed of. Discussion took place.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby accepts the
following list of obsolete equipment, as recommended by the Superintendent of
Schools:
1 3M sound recorder
3 Murdoch boxes (multiple head set connection box)
5 Avid Boxes (same style as above)
1 Lord of the Flies cassette and film
1 Animal Farm cassette and film
2 Panasonic cassette players
2
1 Singer Auto Mate cassette player
2
1 Head demagnetizer
22 head phones
2 head phone carrying case
The six Board members
present voted to approve the motion. The
motion carried.
2. Approval of Surplus Vehicle Bids
Mr. Lounsbury made and Mr. Jablonsky seconded the following motion:
A Board member suggested rejecting the bid on Vehicle #2, 1) because the
tires are worth more than $150. Is there
any viability of replacing the engine? A
Board member said that it cannot be replaced, even for a new or used engine the
DOT would not pass it. Discussion
ensued.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby awards the acceptable highest bid for surplus vehicles presented, as recommended by the Superintendent of Schools.
Cheryl & Sons, Vehicle #93, 2000 International Bus 65 passenger - $6,821
Cheryl & Sons, Vehicle #96, 2000 International Bus 65 passenger - $6,021
Brown Bus Sales Inc., Vehicle #02, 1999 Ford Taurus Station Wagon 5 passenger - $150
The six Board members
present voted to approve the motion. The
motion carried.
3. Acceptance of Plan for EXCEL
Project
Mr. Lounsbury made and Mr. Jablonsky seconded the following motion:
A Board member asked for clarification on what the scope is again. Mr. Jablonsky listed the items. They are the water pump, the roof and the
security system. Are we using the
Performance contract for the roof? The
District will not know until after the bidding on May 26. Discussion ensued.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education
accept the plans and specifications drawn up by Rhinebeck Architecture for the
EXCEL Project not to exceed $705,000 and set the bid opening date of May 26,
2009, as recommended by the Superintendent of Schools.
The six Board members present voted to approve the motion. The motion carried.
4. A Board member questioned why
the seasonal workers are not on this. We
do not have any definite names yet. The
Board asked how Mark Lounsbury is going to deploy and oversee them. He also was looking into the price of a
moving company for the Board.
CURRICULUM
AND INSTRUCTION
1. Committee on Special Education Monthly Reports
Mr. Herald made and Mr. Lounsbury seconded the following motion:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Webutuck Board of Education hereby accepts the
Committee on Special Education report for March 2009, prepared by the Webutuck
Central School District Committee on Pre-School Education and by the Webutuck
Central School District Committee on Special Education, as recommended by the
Superintendent of Schools.
The six Board members present voted to approve the motion. The motion carried.
2.
Approval of Textbooks
Mr. Lounsbury made and Mr. McGhee seconded the
following motion:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education
hereby approves the following textbooks for Science Curriculum – Science
Explorer Physical Science, Prentice Hall 2009, Science Explorer Life Science,
Prentice Hall 2009 and Guided Flight Discovery Private, Jeppesem 2007, as
recommended by the Superintendent of Schools.
The six Board members present voted to approve the motion. The motion carried.
3.
Donation of Textbooks
Mr. Herald made and Mr. Perotti seconded the following motion:
A Board member questions if there
will be a letter of thanks that goes out.
The District will send one out.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education
hereby accepts, with thanks, the donation of 200 books titled, Snake and
Lizard by Jan Cowley for the purpose of implementing the One School, One
Book project at AES, in addition the Board of Education accepts with thanks 200
books titled Rainforest, as recommended by the Superintendent of
Schools.
The six Board members present voted to approve
the motion. The motion carried.
4. Approval
of Trip to
Mr. Lounsbury made and Mr. Jablonsky seconded the following motion as
amended
These dates are incorrect.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the trip to
France scheduled for 2009-2010 school year and the trip to Costa Rica scheduled
for 2009-2010 school year as school
field trips the Board reserves the right to look at this as amended, as recommended by the
Superintendent of Schools.
The six Board members present voted to approve
the motion. The motion carried.
Dale Culver Yes Susan Lounsbury Yes
Andrew Jablonsky Yes William
McGhee Yes
Joseph Herald Yes John Perotti No
5. Donation for Workout Room
Mr. Lounsbury made and Mr. Herald seconded the following motion:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education
accepts, with thanks, the donation of a leg press machine for the workout room,
as recommended by the Superintendent of Schools.
The six Board members present voted to approve
the motion. The motion carried.
The Board asked for an update on the workout room
and what machines the District has. The
Superintendent explained that they moved a lot of equipment around and got rid
of things that did not work properly. He stated that the room area is safer
now. The spacing is ergonomically
correct. The Board would like a list of
what needs to be fixed. Also, the Board
members asked if they can get a list of coaches and the courses they have taken
and who has received their certification. Discussion ensued.
Discussion took place about the status of
District vending machines. A organic company
was presented that would like to sell products in the machines. A Board member asked if the company is
certified by NOFA? They are
misrepresented as organic if they are not certified. We should look at local organic farms. Discussion ensued.
BOARD OF EDUCATION
1. Organic Vending Company
This Organic Vending Company came to the Wellness
Committee Meeting that was held. Some parents were looking for healthy
alternatives for the students. The
Company presented their program; they would take over the vending program we
have here and they would stock them. The District would choose from the company
what to stock the machines with.
Discussion ensued.
A Board member wanted to commend Mike Riddle for
the increased communication.
PUBLIC COMMENT
The following comments were made by audience members:
-Disappointed on what happened in the transportation department today and
disappointed on how administration handled it this past month.
-The cafeteria workers have been moving building to building for the past
month. Everyone hates it. Everyone was suppose to be moved but not
everyone is. Can we go back to the way
it was?
-Hoping to have a survey done by CAPE and NECC about drug use if the
school approves the surveys to be handed out.
-Is there anything new on the grade configurations for next year? Not at
this time.
-What is the monthly Special Education report you just approved? The Superintendent explained.
-How do the trips get funded by the District operating budget? The trips are paid for through fundraising
and their own money.
-Would like to see the workout room updated and anything fixed.
-Did the Board receive information in their packets about the tractor
pull? The Board knows the tractor pull
is not going to happen. Now you are
talking about pulling the vending machines from the FFA. The Organic Company will have no affect on
the FFA.
-When are we going to see the District Office and the other classes
move? It won’t be until summer.
-There has been talk about closing the Millerton building. Yes, but the Pre-K class will be there this
year.
-If they need a freezer at AES I have a freezer.
-The freezer belongs to the ice cream company we use. It has been non-functional for about a week
and a half. They are looking into
replacing it.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mrs. Lounsbury made and Mr. Jablonsky seconded a motion to adjourn to
executive session at 9:55pm for the purpose of discussing particular personnel
matters. The six Board members present voted.
The motion carried unanimously.
RECONVENE PUBLIC SESSION
Mrs. Lounsbury made a
motion to adjourn the executive session and reconvene the public session at 10:50
pm. The six Board members present
voted. The motion passed unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Mr. Perotti made a motion to adjourn the
meeting of May 5, 2009 at 10:51 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Therese M. Trotter
District Clerk