Plainfield School District
Plainfield School Board Meeting
Monday, October 15, 2007
Plainfield Elementary School
MINUTES
The meeting was called to order at 6:35 pm. Present were Board members Reynolds, Bucklin, Ferguson, and Forman. Also present were Superintendent Collins, Principal Langsner, Special Education Director Nancy Brogden, Finance Director Beth Bierwith, Nurse Karen Heaton, Guidance Counselor Christine Kuriger and members of the public.
Public Comments
There was no public comment.
Announcements,Communications
Board Chair Reynolds received an invitation to the Plainfield Historical Society Newcomers and Neighbors Breakfast on Saturday, October 20. She asked if anyone from the Board could attend this event. Board member Ferguson said she can represent the Board that morning.
Superintendent Collins related that the annual tax-setting meeting will be October 19, at 2:30 at the Town Office. Several Board members said they could attend with him.
At this time, the Board rearranged the agenda.
Business for Discussion and/or Action
A. Health/Guidance Curriculum Presentation
Karen Heaton and Christine Kuriger had presented the Health/Guidance Curriculum at the June 4, 2007 Board meeting. The Board had the summer to examine the details of the complex curriculum and offer their feedback at this meeting. The feedback is as follows:
· Board member Ferguson had some reorganization suggestions;
· Chair Reynolds praised the comprehensive presentation offered to the eighth grade students;
· Board member Bucklin said that the tabbed notebook organization is extremely helpful.
Overall the Board noted their appreciation for the tremendous amount of work that went into this curriculum which had not been revised since the mid-1990s. Heaton and Kuriger stated that their work is not finished at this time because they plan to gather more feedback from the staff. This curriculum comes up for approval in the spring 2008.
Consent Agenda
A. Minutes October 1, 2007
Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the October 1, 2007 meeting with the following change: on page 2, Section B, second paragraph, last sentence; change the word “substantial” to “some.” Therefore, the last sentence reads, “In other words, educating people to turn off lights and equipment when not in use could lead to some savings.”
B. Nominations
Upon a motion made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to accept the following nominations as Advisors/Coordinators: Rebecca Griggs and Stephanie Schell (5th Grade Co-Class Advisor); Kate Mortimer, Sheila Thomason and Laurie Atwater (6th Grade Co-Class Advisor); Michelle Marsh and Steph Berman (7th Grade Co-Class Advisor); Karen Heaton (8th Grade Class Advisor); Kate Mortimer (Art Club Advisor); Jill Daley (Book Club); Chuck Johnston (Dance Coordinator); Mary McKernan (Math Team Advisor); Fawn Goodrow (Math Team Assistant); Christie Kuriger (Student Council Advisor); Mark Woodcock and Michelle Carlson (Wall Climbing Club); Beth Bierwith and Cindy Huett (Yearbook Advisor); Kathleen Maslan (Arts Enrichment Coordinator); Christie Kuriger (Health/Guidance); Laura Knight (Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator); Mary McKernan (Math Curriculum Coordinator); Brenda Johnson (Reading Curriculum and Professional Development Coordinator); Laura Spratt (Science Curriculum Coordinator); Fran Hills (Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator); Dave Keeney, Jean Allen, Kate Mortimer, and Brandon Feid (Unified Arts).
Principal Langsner anticipates filling most of the vacancies (i.e., Chess Club, Drama Coach, Lego Robotics, Mock Trial, Spanish Club) in the near future. Board member Bucklin suggested contacting some of the instructors at KUA for possible foreign language students wishing to help in the Spanish Club.
Business for Discussion and/or Action
B. Book Discussion (Chapter Four, Getting Excited About Data by E. Holcomb)
Director Brogden was invited to return to tonight’s meeting to continue the “collective responsibility” discussion that began at the August 22, Board Retreat. Collective responsibility is defined as looking at test data through planned, structured, facilitated, collaborative conversations that require careful preparation and skilled leadership. This examination of data requires participation among colleagues from other grade levels not just by grade-by-grade examination. The end result of this collective responsibility process is to help our school use the test results to fine-tune our classroom instruction. If after collectively analyzing the test data, we find a “gap” in our curriculum; we modify our curriculum to “close” the gap.
Principal Langsner and Director Brogden have used author Holcomb’s process (among others) to implement a team approach to fine-tuning our school’s curriculum. The process is in its infancy, but at this time enthusiastically received. Currently, there are four teams in place: administration (Principal, Superintendent, Special Education Director), leadership (Faculty Council), data (staff volunteers) and the staff as a whole. Our staff and administration participate in more than one of these teams; therefore, the ideas and discussions cross-pollinate to affect the “collective responsibility” philosophy.
Board member Bucklin felt that the School Board is part of the collective responsibility process in that it wholeheartedly supports the team work and does what it can to judiciously offer financial support toward the teams’ efforts.
Board member Forman cautioned that all participants in the process be careful to measure the appropriate data and to keep our objectives in sight. Forman also prompted a discussion about teacher observation as a data point in addition to test data. Other data points used to manage an optimal curriculum are progress reports, grades (i.e., report cards), analysis of writing samples, etc.
Principal Langsner noted that this additional work to attain an unparalleled curriculum is taking a toll on staff morale. She is making every effort to avoid staff burn-out. Because of this caution, a discussion of the types of tests used at PES ensued. We are required, by law, to administer the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP). However, we have also administered the nationally-normed Terra Nova which has been required by this School Board. We are also using an individualized test called Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA). The NWEA test results give the same information as the Terra Nova tests; it offers instant data on each child taking the test; and it tracks each child’s growth over time. NWEA takes less time and is less expensive to administer. Since the NWEA test has more benefits than the Terra Nova (which offers similar data), the Board voted unanimously to withdraw their requirement to implement the Terra Nova test on a yearly basis. Hence, there will be less staff time spent preparing, administering, collecting/analyzing the data, and less time for the child being taken out of the learning environment in the classroom.
In closing, it was noted that the entire learning community is working together to generate new ideas to improve instruction to help our community’s children be the best they can be.
Reports
A. Financial Report
Finance Director Beth Bierwith presented the end-of-year, final budget (determined by the preliminary audit report). At this time $191,663 will be returned to Plainfield’s tax payers.
The Board voted unanimously to give Chair Reynolds the authority to sign and adopt the annuity (403b) program documents.
Superintendent Collins noted that there has been a change that impacts next year’s healthcare coverage. Next year the age of a dependent has been extended to 26 years. The sign-up date for our program will be November 1, 2007 with a 60-day open enrollment period.
B. Committee Reports
Athletic Committee
Board member Forman reported that the committee is redrafting the academic standards regarding team eligibility. The redraft will be presented during a Board meeting before the end of December.
Forman also noted that the PES boys’ soccer teams were very successful at the recent Haverhill Soccer Tournament.
Policy
Board member Ferguson reported that a draft of the newly mandated, physical activity policy has been developed. It has been discussed with the 7th & 8th grade staff and Principal Langsner. The State Board of Education now requires a separate policy (physical activity is part of the Wellness Policy) that requires 30-60 minutes/day of physical activity in addition to existing physical education requirements. This new requirement presents several school-day scheduling challenges.
Health Insurance
Board member Bucklin reported that the next meeting of this committee will occur Tuesday, October 16.
D. Administrative Organization
With the coming retirement of Superintendent Collins at the end of this school year, the Board has been examing the effectiveness of the current administrative structure. It is prudent for the Board to advertise the “open” superintendent’s position by late November or early December. After the Board’s recent examination of our present administrative structure, Chair Reynolds summarized the following conclusions:
· Current part-time-superintendent structure is, and has been, valuable for our school.
· The research done by the Board thus far has found that a combined Superintendent/Principal job description is not feasible.
· Because the Principal’s responsibilities have increased significantly, the need to share those responsibilities with an additional, part-time administrator is abundantly evident.
For these reasons, Chair Reynolds suggests that, going forward, we maintain our current administrative structure as it is and continue the Board’s efforts to add an additional part-time administrator to our school’s current structure.
Principal Langsner reported that the Faculty Council has discussed several creative ways that the current staff can help the Principal with discipline, transportation, and scheduling issues. Superintendent Collins cautioned that this creative assistance is admirable, but some of the Principal’s duties require they be administered by a certified administrator. Assistant-to-the-Principal McKernan has expertly assumed some of these responsibilities.
Board members Bucklin, Ferguson and Forman agreed with Chair Reynolds statements and conclusions.
B. Policies
After brief discussion, the Board voted unanimously to accept the first reading of two policies: JI (Student Rights and Responsibilities) and KN (Public Complaints).
Non-public Session
Superintendent Collins stated that a non-public session is not necessary at this meeting.
Other Business
Chair Reynolds stated that additional discussion of the October 1, Board meeting’s “arts enrichment” discussion is necessary at this meeting in light of Principal Langsner’s memo titled “Additional Art Money/Arts Enrichment Fund” dated October 9.
At the 2007 District Meeting the town endorsed the Board’s request that $8000 be earmarked for the Unified Arts-visual arts budget. That dollar amount would allow for a fourth day of visual art activity offered by willing and qualified “volunteers.” The current visual arts program is taught by a certified, part-time (three-days per week) instructor. There was some confusion as to where the earmarked money resided in the budget and the specific purpose of that money being assigned to the “fourth day.”
The Board reiterated that that amount of money is to be used as previously directed. And, if the monies are not spent in this way, that money will not migrate to other unified arts disciplines. Further, the Board requested that if the money is used for the “fourth day,” what impact did the expenditure have on the visual arts program? If the money is not spent, what is the reason for this occurrence?
Principal Langsner offered several budgetary mechanisms to move the $8000 to a more appropriate line in the budget.
Adjournment
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 9:04 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Myra Ferguson
Board Member