Board of Education Regular Meeting June 5, 2007, 7:00 PM Middletown High School Library/Media Center I. CALL TO ORDER Board Members Present: Sally Boske, Bill Boyd, Sheila Daniels, Corinne Gill, Jay Keiser, John Phillips, Ted Raczka, and Judy Russo Board Members Absent: Barbara Weiss Others Present: Superintendent of Schools Michael J. Frechette, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum/Instruction John Hennelly, Assistant Superintendent for Administration Barbara Senges, Middletown High School Principal Robert Fontaine, Woodrow Wilson Middle School Principal Gene Nocera, Keigwin School Principal Tracey Koff, Director of Facilities Ken Jackson, Manager of Transportation Mike Milardo, Manager of Financial Operations Gail Pillarella, Grants Coordinator Elizabeth Nocera, Board Extern Franca Biales, Student Representative Anthony Pandolfe, Assistant to the Superintendent/Board Secretary Marcy Poppel, MFT Representative Ann Lohrand, Hartford Courant Reporter Thomas Kaplan, and nineteen (19) visitors. Chair Boske called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. II. SALUTE TO THE FLAG III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA MOTION: Move Agenda Item X. MFT Stipend Negotiations to before Agenda Item VII.C. Adoption of the Board of Education 2007-2008 Proposed Budget passed with a motion by Ms. Gill and a second by Mr. Keiser unanimous vote. MOTION: Addition of a new item XII. Personnel Matter to be held in Executive Session and change the Adjournment agenda item number to XIII. passed with a motion by Mr. Raczka and a second by Ms. Russo unanimous vote. There was a brief discussion. MOTION: Adoption of the Agenda as amended, passed with a motion by Mr. Raczka and a second by Mr. Keiser unanimous vote. IV. PUBLIC SESSION Chair Boske explained the rules of Public Session. Lee B. Smith spoke regarding a FERPA hearing. Cheryl Miller, parent/plti graduate spoke regarding her son and his positive experience at WWMS and commended Principal Gene Nocera for making this possible. Donna Thompson, Wesleyan University, spoke in favor of the 21 st Century Grant program. Colleen Monnes, Bielefield Grade 5 teacher asked the Board to consider funding the 21 st Century Grant Program for next year. Dominick Grant, Managing Director of Oddfellows Playhouse and Middletown resident spoke about the strength of the 21 st Century Grant Program and encouraged the continuation. Phil Nettis, Middletown resident and parent said his son participated in the 21 st Century Grant Program and is in support of the program being funded so it can continue for the next school year.
Page: 2 Sharon Goodwin, former Bielefield teacher, current Title I instructor, as well as Site Coordinator for the 21 st Century Afterschool Program at Bielefield, spoke in favor of funding the afterschool programs. She introduced Jordan Lockman, a Bielefield 4 th grade student who has participated in the program. She distributed copies of the Bielefield Bobcat, a recent publication which The Newspaper Club put out. She provided Board members with a book containing pictures of activities in which the Macdonough School ASCEND students participated in. She strongly encouraged the Board to fund these programs. Susan Courchesne, Moody School parent, stated that last year was a negative year at Moody School and this year everything is very positive. The environment and atmosphere are great. Donna Panascwich, Moody School parent thanked the Board for the positive changes at Moody School and for Principal Jeff Wallowitz. She complimented Woodrow Wilson Middle School stating that her son is now on the right track. Heather Rodman, Moody School teacher thanked the Board for the clean, fresh new environment and new principal at Moody School. Ed Corvo, Macdonough School parent, asked the Board not to cut the funding for the afterschool programs. Heidi Kirchofer, Oddfellows teaching artist and involved in the afterschool program at Macdonough School, spoke in support of the 21 st Century Grant Program. V. COMMUNICATIONS No communications were shared. VI. CONSENT AGENDA VI.A. Minutes of May 8, 2007 Regular Meeting VI.B. Minutes of May 8, 2007 Special Meeting VI.C. Minutes of May 22, 2007 Special Meeting VI.D. Minutes of May 23, 2007 Special Meeting VI.E. Personnel Action MOTION: Approval of the Consent Agenda passed with a motion by Mr. Phillips and a second by Ms. Daniels unanimous vote. VII. ACTION ITEMS VII.A. Transportation MOTION: To hire Transportation Advisory Services for the purpose of entering into negotiations with Dattco was made by Mr. Raczka with a second by Ms. Russo. There was a discussion about the cost and role of Transportation Advisory Services. MOTION: To table Agenda Item #VII.A. Transportation was made by Ms. Gill and seconded by Ms. Daniels passed with four (4) in favor Mr. Boyd, Ms. Daniels, Ms. Gill and Mr. Phillips three (3) opposed Mr. Keiser, Mr. Raczka, and Ms. Russo.
Page: 3 MOTION: Agenda Item VII.A. Transportation with an Executive Session be made a new agenda item and placed before Agenda Item XI. Adjournment and renumbered accordingly was made by Ms. Gill and seconded by Ms. Daniels unanimous vote. VII.B. Line Item Transfers MOTION: Approval of all line item transfers necessary to balance and close out the 2006-2007 Budget was made by Mr. Raczka with a second by Mr. Phillips. Dr. Frechette responded to Board member questions. VOTE: Approval of all line item transfers necessary to balance and close out the 2006-2007 Budget passed with a motion by Mr. Raczka and a second by Mr. Phillips unanimous vote. X. MFT STIPEND NEGOTIATIONS MOTION: Vote at 7:42 PM to go into Executive Session was made by Ms. Gill and seconded by Ms. Daniels unanimous vote. X.A. Executive Session MOTION: Vote at 9:02 PM to return to Public Session by passed with a motion by Mr. Keiser and a second by Mr. Raczka unanimous vote. MOTION: To accept Appendix B, C, and D, of the MFT Contract for 2007-2009 was made by Mr. Keiser and seconded by Mr. Boyd. Public Session MOTION: Ms. Gill made a motion to amend by deleting all the new stipend positions: namely, items Group A 6 & 7, Group B 3, Group C 8 & 9, Group II L, Group III E & G, and Group VI Middle School A from Appendix A; from Appendix C item 2a Fine Arts from Appendix D WWMS vocal, and Keigwin vocal. There was no second and the motion failed. There ensued a lengthy discussion that included such items as: costs, process of adding positions, process of selecting positions to be funded because of budget constraints, distinction between sports and clubs and the merging of music and arts coordinator into Fine Arts Coordinator. All members participated in the discussion. MOTION: To call the question was made by Mr. Keiser and seconded by Ms. Russo unanimous vote. VOTE: To accept Appendix B, C, and D, of the MFT Contract for 2007-2009 was made by Mr. Keiser with a second by Mr. Boyd passed with five (5) in favor Mr. Boyd, Mr. Keiser, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Raczka, and Ms. Russo and two (2) opposed Ms. Daniels and Ms. Gill. Chair Boske called for a brief recess at 9:01 PM. Chair Boske brought the meeting back to order at 9:04 PM.
Page: 4 VII.C. Adoption of Board of Education 2007-2008 Proposed Budget MOTION: Adoption of the Superintendent s Recommended Budget Adjustments as presented at the May 22, 2007 Board of Education Special Meeting made by Mr. Keiser with a second by Ms. Russo. Mr. Keiser spoke on his motion. He is in favor of the Superintendent s May 22 nd budget adjustments and feels the sacrifices needed to accomplish the extra fifteen (15) minutes of instructional time will be detrimental to the system. He suggested the elimination of field days and fun trips, and making use of the bus ride time during field trips. Dr. Frechette provided an overview of how he arrived at the additional transportation costs of $506,000. He added that his budget adjustments were well thought out and will create the least amount of negative impact and at the same time, move the district forward while achieving our written and established educational and overall district goals. Dr. Frechette stated that he stands by his recommended adjustments submitted to the Board of Education at the May 22, 2007 Special meeting. Ms. Gill said they (Bill Boyd, Sheila Daniels, John Phillips, and herself) came up with a third option that was distributed to the Board, which includes the fifteen (15) minutes of additional instructional time. Ms. Gill reviewed Option 3 noting that it provided for the additional fifteen (15) minutes of instruction, one elementary teacher, reduction of only one bus compared to that of Option 2 and keeping the 21st Century Program. Ms. Gill further noted that more students would be served by the additional instructional time than those impacted by the loss of the Grade 4 World Language program. Mr. Boyd informed members of the accumulated time that would be added to student instruction in the course of a year and the favorable cost differential in adding on the time as opposed to adding on days. Ms. Daniels emphasized the fact that efforts to add the time had been tried for two years when the MFT agreed to it. Other Board members gave their opinions with regard to the additional fifteen (15) minutes of instructional time and its impact on the Middletown Public Schools. Board Extern Franca Biales expressed concerns and is disturbed about eliminating the World Language program at the elementary level to add a hypothetical fifteen minutes. Student Representative Anthony Pandolfe described dividing 15 minutes into a seven-period day and that it would add approximately two minutes per class period. He is not in favor of removing any programs to add fifteen minutes of instructional time per day. VOTE: Adoption of the Superintendent s Recommended Budget Adjustments as presented at the May 22, 2007 Board of Education Special Meeting made by Mr. Keiser with a second by Ms. Russo passed with five (5) in favor Ms. Boske, Mr. Keiser, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Raczka, and Ms. Russo and three (3) opposed Mr. Boyd, Ms. Daniels, and Ms. Gill. VIII. REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT VIII.A. Financial Statement There was no discussion. IX. DISCUSSION ITEMS Mr. Keiser thanked Mr. Boyd, Ms. Daniels and Ms. Gill for their efforts.
Page: 5 XI. TRANSPORTATION AND PERSONNEL MATTER MOTION: Vote to go into Executive Session at 10:00 PM passed with a motion by Ms. Gill and a second by Mr. Keiser unanimous vote. XI.A. Executive Session MOTION: Vote to return to Public Session at 10:35 PM passed with a motion by Ms. Daniels and a second by Mr. Keiser unanimous vote. Public Session MOTION: Approval to hire Transportation Advisory Services to enter into negotiations with DATTCO was made by Mr. Raczka with a second by Ms. Daniels unanimous vote. XII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Vote to adjourn at 10:37 PM passed with a motion by Ms. Daniels and a second by Ms. Russo unanimous vote. Respectfully Submitted, CEG/mkp Corinne E. Gill Acting Secretary