Plainfield School District

Plainfield School Board Meeting

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Plainfield Elementary School

MINUTES

The meeting was called to order at 6:35 pm. Present were Board members Reynolds, Bucklin, Cogan, Ferguson, and Forman. Also present were Superintendent Collins, Principal Langsner, and members of the public.

Public Comments

There was no public comment.

Announcements, Communications

Board member Ferguson announced that Townline Equipment has graciously agreed to deliver the Kubota tractor earlier than July 1, 2008 when the funds for its purchase will be available.

Board member Bucklin related a communication from Steve Taylor. Taylor requested that the Administration and School Board consider a more consistent plan for early-dismissal days in the school calendar. He said that the randomness of the scheduled early-dismissal days makes it difficult for care providers to schedule optimum care for their children. Bucklin suggested that the PTA may wish to sponsor an alternative for those early-dismissal days. A science program (e.g., Club Invention) for the children was suggested as an excellent learning/care option. Care providers would pay for their child’s attendance at this program. Lisa Pixley, President of the PTA, will be contacted regarding this possible program.

Consent Agenda

A. Minutes of March 17, 2008

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the March 17, 2008 meeting with the following changes: on page 2, Section A, last sentence in the section; add, “with help from the administration and other School Board members.” On page 2, Section C, fifth sentence; change “Langsner” to “Collins.” Therefore, the sentence reads, “Collins said that he has discussed the idea with Terry Root and First Student and he is looking into……”

B. Nominations/Resignations

Upon a motion made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to accept the following nomination: Jane Taylor, Co-Advisor for 5^th Grade Class.

Reports

A.    Principal’s Report

Principal Langsner stated that because of the occurrence of many snow days this winter the last day of school is now set for June 17, 2008.

The production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was “incredible.” Langsner lauded the talent and efforts of Jill Canellas-Daley, Mindy Tabor and eighty of our school’s children.

Langsner also announced the recent second-place finish of PES’s Math Team. The team therefore ranks second among the thirteen other schools in the math league.

Our eighth grade teachers have recently attended sessions at Kimball Union Academy and Lebanon High School to help our eighth graders transition to ninth through twelfth grades.

Langsner noted the next meeting of the Parent Vision Team the first Tuesday after Spring Vacation.

B.     Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Collins said that the state Fire Marshal sent his report to the school stating that everything noted in his earlier report had been satisfactorily completed.

Collins announced that the Plainfield School has met all applicable state education standards and been Approved by the NH Dept. of Education through June 30, 2013.

The oil spill that occurred when the tank was last filled has been investigated, a new seal installed, the fill apparatus has been checked and cleared, and it is assumed there will be no further incidents during normal refilling of the oil tank.

Collins reported that the school’s lunch provider is significantly raising the price of school lunch next year due to increased transportation and food costs, and asked the board if it wanted to increase the price of the hot lunch. We currently charge $2.50 for a lunch; the increase would be $2.60 and would cover some of the forecasted increase for next year. Because the lunch contract will be renegotiated next year, the Board chose to leave the current price of the lunch as it is and consider raising the cost of the lunch (plus the possible addition of a breakfast) when the hot-lunch contract is renegotiated.

C.     Committee Reports

Facilities Committee

Board member Cogan reported that the Facilities Committee met on March 20, 2008. The two main items discussed were energy efficiency improvements in the building and the redesign of the parking lot.

Marc Rosenbaum, nationally recognized expert on energy efficiency, was invited to the meeting. Rosenbaum said he would volunteer some time to identify ways of improving the building’s energy efficiency. He has reviewed the statistics gathered by Allan Ferguson, and despite savings already achieved, Rosenbaum believes PES can do much better. He noted that the Cornish School uses less energy than PES on a per square foot basis, and it is an older building (built in the 1950s). Rosenbaum suspects that the problems are with leaks through certain parts of the building (e.g., gymnasium roof) and ventilating equipment that may be cycling too frequently and pushing more air through the building than is necessary. He said he could do a walk-through of the building and possibly conduct a blower-door test to identify energy-saving projects (at a cost for testing equipment and analysis). Ferguson is updating the Facilities Committee’s project priority list as new information becomes available.

The Facilities Committee selected Tuesday, April 8, at 7 pm as the time to hold a town hearing about the school parking lot improvements and potential energy conservation projects. Notices of this meeting have been posted in various local newsletters and newspapers. On March 21, Cogan and Alan Saucier (Saucier & Flynn Architects) reviewed the changes to the design. The committee discussed several changes to the plan, and Saucier said that there would be revised, up-to-date plans available to show the public at the April 8 hearing. 

Professional Development

Board member Bucklin announced that Cynthia Howe has joined the Professional Development Committee as a new member.

Business for Discussion and/or Action

A.    2008-2009 School Calendar

Upon a motion made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to accept the 2008-2009 school calendar with two minor changes.

Board member Bucklin made a request that the PES spring break occur during the month of March rather than April of the next school year.

B.     Parking Lot Forum – April 8

After the recent Facilities Committee meeting and his meeting with Alan Saucier, Board member Cogan highlighted the resulting changes and asked for feedback on those modifications to the most recent parking lot design. The board reviewed the plan, and discussed several changes to the proposed pick up/drop off pattern.  The most discussion resulted from a suggestion that the busses should remain stationed at the front of the school and cars use the gymnasium door when dropping-off or picking-up. Safety of our school children is most jeopardized when they enter/leave the building to walk to/from home or car. Principal Langsner illustrated that having access/egress from the gymnasium door would offer the staff (who organizes and orchestrates entrance/release of the children) a better line of sight of the cars in the pickup line. The children that walk to/from school should enter/exit the front of the building because they would only have to cross a road (where a crossing path should be painted on the road) used by car or bus once at the intersection of Bonner Road. It was decided that the current design of the parking lot is acceptable; however, issues such as drop-off/pick-up can be analyzed and finalized at a later date. The Board is eager to hear the input from the community at the hearing on April 8. The input will definitely help the decision-making process.

C.     Superintendent Position

Upon a motion made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to hire Noelle Vitt, Ed. D. to replace Russell Collins as Superintendent upon his retirement July 2008. Chair Reynolds noted that Vitt was selected by a full-committee of Board members and staff from thirteen candidates for a one-year contract. Reynolds said that she appreciated the time, effort and guidance volunteered by Joseph Della Badia, Ed.D. during the hiring process. She will write a note of appreciation to Della Badia and a press release announcing Vitt as the new, part-time PES Superintendent.

Non-public Session

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to go into non-public session pursuant to NH RSA 91-A:3,II(b) at 7:42 pm. Discussions on Professional Staff renominations took place.

Return to Public Session

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to return to public session at 8:44 pm.

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board accepted unanimously the resignations of three members (Conrad L’Heureux, Charles Johnston, Kate Mortimer) of the Plainfield Elementary School Professional Staff effective June 30, 2008.

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board approved unanimously to offer contracts for the 2008-2009 school year to the members of the Plainfield Elementary School Professional Staff as presented and recommended by the Superintendent and the Principal.

Adjournment

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 8:52 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Myra Ferguson

Board Member