Wentworth School Board

Monday, July 18th, 2005 – 6:00 pm
School Board Meeting Minutes
Wentworth Elementary School
 

Members Present: Deborah Gelsi and Scott Goodale

Administration Present: Jeff Keene - Principal WES, Ethel Gaides – SAU 48

Also Present: Aaron Comeau, John Comeau, Glen Hinckley, Melody Gaudette, Laurie Dustin, Francis Muzzey, Douglas Muzzey, Vinny Samson, Charles Buckley, Jon Francis

 

Deborah Gelsi moves to open meeting at 6:08 pm

Scott Goodale 2nd’s. There are no objections, motion carries.

Non-Public Session.
Non Public (RSA 91-A: 3)
Exclusive allowable purposes are: personnel issues, nominations and hiring, reputation, sale or acquisition of property, litigation, 91-A: 2 (non meetings) consultant with legal counsel or negotiations, 91-A: 5 student records or information deemed confidential, personal or invasion of privacy.

Deborah Gelsi moves to amend the agenda to reflect “Student Issue” under Non Public Session.

Scott Goodale 2nd’s. There are no objections and the motion carries.

Deborah Gelsi moves to amend the agenda to hold Non Public Session first.

Scott Goodale 2nd’s. There are no objections and the motion carries.

Deborah Gelsi makes a motion to move to Non Public Session at 6:10 pm

Scott Goodale 2nds – There are no objections – Motion carries.

Non-Public Session.
Non Public (RSA 91-A: 3)
Exclusive allowable purposes are: personnel issues, nominations and hiring, reputation, sale or acquisition of property, litigation, 91-A: 2 (non meetings) consultant with legal counsel or negotiations, 91-A: 5 student records or information deemed confidential, personal or invasion of privacy.

Deborah Gelsi moves to return from Non Public at 6:38 pm

Scott Goodale 2nd’s – Motion carries

As a result of Non Public Session;

• Deborah Gelsi motions to accept the resignation of Bernie Sullivan and allow Principal Keene and SAU to advertise for position. Position responsibilities to include Bus Monitor.
• Motion is 2nd by Scott Goodale, there is no objection and motion carries.
• Deborah Gelsi motions to enter into a 1 year teaching contract with Kirsten Windsinger to replace current 6th grade teacher who is on maternity leave.
• Motion is 2nd by Scott Goodale, there is no objection and motion carries.
• Deborah Gelsi motions to table Student Placement to Aug 8th board meeting.
• Motion is 2nd by Scott Goodale, there is no objection and motion carries.
• Scott Goodale motions to accept the resignation Deborah Gelsi as Secretary of School Board.
• Motion is 2nd by Deborah Gelsi, there is no objection and motion carries.
• Deborah Gelsi motions to table election of new chair and secretary to July 25th
• Motion is 2nd by Scott Goodale, there is no objection and motion carries.

Deborah Gelsi motions to move HVAC and facilities item to top of agenda and move School Board vacancy interviews to last on the agenda.

Scott Goodale 2nds, motion carries.

HVAC – Jon Francis of the SAU and Charles Buckley, an independent consultant confirm that Phase 1 – The boiler and controllers, and exhaust hood in the kitchen are not currently up to code. The Facilities committee recommends to the board that we accept the bid from Johnson Controls.

Deborah Gelsi and Scott Goodale review bids with committee and subsequently agree with the Facilities Committee recommendation.

Deborah Gelsi motions to accept the bid of Johnson Controls. Scott Goodale 2nds and motion carries.

The board authorizes the SAU to notify Johnson Controls immediately and to take necessary actions to allow Johnson to commence work immediately.

Deborah Gelsi updates public regarding ongoing discussion with Warren to intergrate Kindergarden and possibly 7th and 8th grades. Letter received from Warren (copy attached). D. Gelsi makes a motion to authorize the SAU to respond to Warren Board confirming receipt of their proposal and Wentworth’s willingness to open dialog and form joint committees to study feasibility and impacts of Warren proposal. S. Goodale 2nd’s and motion carries. Francis Muzzey would like to volunteer for one of the committees.

Deborah Gelsi motions to accept the minutes of June 20th 2005 as presented.

Scott Goodale 2nd’s motion. There are no objections, motion carries.

Correspondence

No action taken.

Discussion Items/Privilege of the Floor

Vinny Samson asks the board what we are doing about the bus contract. SAU produces a letter signed by Mark Halloran to Robertson Transport indicating that we would utilize Robertson Transport until 2008. Upon review of this letter, Deborah Gelsi notes that this is not a legally binding contract and is only a letter accepting services. The Board asks that the SAU contact Robertson for a contract indicating scope of service etc. Vinny Samson would like to remind the board and public that it is well known that Mr. Halloran and Mr. Robertson are very good friends and she is not convinced that there isn’t a connection between our contract and their relationship.

D. Gelsi motions to accept a contract with Robertson for the upcoming school year while the board reviews its relationship with Robertson. Contract is to be based on Route analysis and subsequent recommendations of board. S. Goodale 2nds and motion carries.

The Board recommends that the Town Road Agent accompany the board and the representative from RT on the route analysis to determine safety issues regarding school bus stops and turnarounds.

Francis Muzzey as selectman indicates that he would also like to be present.

Discussion ensues for a 5 member board. Mr. Muzzey feels that this would significantly lighten the load on the current 3 member board. Deborah Gelsi points out that Wentworth is the only district within the SAU to still have a 3 member board. Continuing on, Mrs. Gelsi reminds everyone that in the last 3 months, the board has had two resignations and a great deal of difficulty filling them. While a 5 member board is recommended, she is concerned that the positions would not be able to be filled. Mrs. Gelsi recommends to continue discussion regarding the 5 member board and possibly place the question on the town meeting ballot with language to include holding a special election or have the current board appoint 2 additional members temporarily, if article passes at Town Meeting in March. By inserting this language into the article, we would not have to wait for the 2007 elections to become a 5 member board.

Monday July 25th there will be a policy workshop for the board and the meeting is open to the public.

A philosophical discussion commenced of teacher vs student centered classrooms. Francis Muzzey disagrees with the way the curriculum is currently taught. He is concerned with testing and teaching methods. The SAU explained the NEAP and NCAP testing procedures and grades affected. The results of recent testing will be available in October.

Vinny Samson advises the board and public of ongoing discussions between her attorneys and the SAU attorney regarding her son. Deborah Gelsi immediately advised that we move to a Non Public Session to discuss anything to do with a student.

Non-Public Session.
Non Public (RSA 91-A: 3)
Exclusive allowable purposes are: personnel issues, nominations and hiring, reputation, sale or acquisition of property, litigation, 91-A: 2 (non meetings) consultant with legal counsel or negotiations, 91-A: 5 student records or information deemed confidential, personal or invasion of privacy.

Mrs Samson refuses to move to Non Public and advises that she would like the public to know how much money is being spent by the SAU and its attorneys in redundant and unnecessary correspondence to Mrs Samson’s attorney. Mrs. Samson also advised the board of the testing that the attorney and Spec Ed Coordinator Fran Gonsalves is recommending and that contact with the two doctors recommended by the SAU indicate that one of them cannot perform the specific tests and one is on vacation. Mrs. Samson is concerned that the school year is approaching and her son is not currently tested or placed. Again, Mrs Gelsi advises that this is a Non Public issue and we should move to Non Public immediately.

Non-Public Session.
Non Public (RSA 91-A: 3)
Exclusive allowable purposes are: personnel issues, nominations and hiring, reputation, sale or acquisition of property, litigation, 91-A: 2 (non meetings) consultant with legal counsel or negotiations, 91-A: 5 student records or information deemed confidential, personal or invasion of privacy.

Mrs Samson declines. Mrs Samson advises that she is not going to expend addition money for issues already argued on and is seeking to recoup her expenses from the school district. She also would like to confirm the testing for her younger son.

School Board Vacancy Interviews. – Move to Non Public at 8:42

Non-Public Session.
Non Public (RSA 91-A: 3)
Exclusive allowable purposes are: personnel issues, nominations and hiring, reputation, sale or acquisition of property, litigation, 91-A: 2 (non meetings) consultant with legal counsel or negotiations, 91-A: 5 student records or information deemed confidential, personal or invasion of privacy.

Return from Non Public at 8:51

Deborah Gelsi motions to allow SAU to poll board via telephone on July 19th for vote on vacancy.

Scott Goodale 2nds and motion carries.

Deborah Gelsi motions to adjourn at 8:53pm

Scott Goodale 2nd’s- There are no objections, motion carries.

Respectfully,

Deborah Gelsi

School Board