PLAINFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT

Plainfield School Board Meeting

Monday, February 27, 2006

Plainfield Elementary School

 

APPROVED MINUTES

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm. Present were Board members Reynolds, Ferguson, Bucklin and Cogan. Also present were Superintendent Collins, Principal Langsner, Finance Director Bill Moorman and members of the public.

 

Public Comments

Town member Dennis Girouard gave a letter to the Board requesting permission to tape school board meetings on a digital video camera for the purpose of either downloading or streaming on the internet. His request was for both video and audio taping and some form of editing of the video to make the size manageable. The Board would determine if the finished product was acceptable. Girouard was not sure when this project would begin. Board Chair Reynolds had some reservations about using video on the internet but thought the idea was worth looking into. She requested that Girouard bring the request for audio taping back at a later date.

 

Town member Pam Miller expressed concern over the process the Board used to select the new Principal. She felt that the community should have been given the opportunity to meet the other candidates.

 

Announcements, Communications

Board member Ferguson sent a note to Brenda Johnson thanking her for sharing information about her trip to India with the Board.

 

Consent Agenda

A. Minutes February 6, 2006

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to accept the public and non-public minutes of February 6, 2006

 

Reports

A. Finance Director’s Report

Finance Director Bill Moorman told the Board that the surplus is a little better than the $90,000 predicted at the last meeting. Moorman and Superintendent Russ Collins would like to use any additional surplus (beyond $90,000) to take care of some necessary work that should be taken care of this year, namely to put an overflow alarm system on the oil tank (about $6 – 7,000) and to do some telephone work in the main office (about $1000).

 

Superintendent Collins asked if the Board read the Auditor’s Report and if they would like to have the auditors come to a future meeting to discuss the audit. Carin Reynolds asked a few questions about the auditor’s report and told Collins that there is no need at this time to have the auditors come to a meeting.

 

At this time Board Chair Reynolds replied to Pam Miller’s earlier comments. She said that the Board did publish and follow a process during the Principal Search. She said that the Principal Search committee was selected by the Board to include two school board members, the Superintendent, two teacher representatives, two support staff representatives, the Guidance Counselor and a member of the PTA. The Search Committee advertised the process they would follow in both the PlainFacts and the school Newsletter and included a list of the criteria they would use in the selection process and contact information for members of the committee. The advertisement requested that further suggestions for criteria be directed to the Search Committee.

 

Reynolds went on to say that she feels the only place the Board didn’t follow through was when they decided not to have a Candidates Night. She said that the Search Committee did not feel any of the other candidates met all the criteria that were established as well as Mrs. Langsner did and the Board agreed with the Committee to offer the position to Mrs. Langsner.

 

B. Principal’s Report

Principal Langsner announced that the Stern Center was given a grant to work with a school on professional development and that they have chosen Plainfield School. She and the staff will prepare a proposal to show how the school would benefit from collaborating with the Stern Center.

 

Langsner told the Board that ten staff members are attending a professional development book study group.

 

C. Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Collins did not have anything new to add that was not already on the agenda.

 

D. Nutrition Committee

Board member Ferguson announced that the annual Fruit and Veggie Boogie will be held on Monday, March 27. She also explained about the “Walk New Hampshire” program starting in the school for both children and staff and that a recommendation for the Nutrition Policy is nearly completed.

 

Business for Discussion and/or Action

A. 2006-2007 School Calendar

Superintendent Collins asked the Board to look at the proposed calendar which follows the Lebanon High School (LHS) calendar. He did not ask the Board to adopt the calendar but to express any concerns they have over starting when LHS starts (August 31) and having the same February and April vacations as LHS. The Board discussed the reasons in support of starting before the holiday and did not have a problem with those dates.

 

B. Athletic Committee

This discussion was tabled until the next meeting on Monday, March 20 due to Judy Houde Hardy not being present.

 

C. Superintendent Collins asked the Board to look at the revised handout for the District meeting. A few more changes were suggested by Board members. Collins also asked the Board to look at the handout “Wording for Warrant Articles for District Meeting”.

 

Board member Ferguson asked the Board if they wished to put the Communication Survey on chairs before the District meeting. They agreed that this had better results last year.

 

Town member Dennis Girouard asked if the Board has taken care of the absentee ballot for the town voting and what arrangements they have made for counting the ballots. Board chair Reynolds said that she would put a few ballots at the Town Office for absentee voters and that the Board plans to have another community member, perhaps someone from the Taxpayers Coalition, present when the ballots are counted.

 

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 (a) at 8:00 pm. The Board discussed the terms of the Principal’s contract.

 

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to go back into public session at 8:29 pm.

 

Upon motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to approve the terms of the Principal’s contract.

 

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 8:31 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Annette Moore

Recording Clerk